Maya Blake - Greek Bachelors - Paying The Price

‘You haven’t achieved anything except draw attention to your own devious dealings.’ A note of disdain coated Sakis’s voice. ‘Did you really think I’d roll over like a puppy because of one mishap?’

‘You underestimate the might of Moorecroft. I’m a giant in the industry—’

‘The fact that you feel the need to point that out impresses me even less.’

A huff of rage came over the conference line. ‘This isn’t over, Pantelides. You can count on it.’

‘You’re right, this isn’t over. As we speak, I’m digging up any connection between what happened to my tanker and your company.’

‘You won’t find any!’ The bravado in Moorecroft’s voice was tinged with a shadowy nervousness that made Sakis’s eyes gleam.

‘Pray that I don’t. Because, if I do, you can rest assured that I will come after you. And I won’t be satisfied until I rip your precious company to little pieces and feed them to my pet piranhas.’ The menace in his voice made ice crawl over Brianna’s skin. ‘And any accomplices will not be spared either.’

He stabbed the ‘end’ button and glanced around the other members of his board. ‘I’ll apprise you of any news if the investigation reaps any information.’

Sakis turned to where Brianna sat three seats to his left. He’d deliberately placed her out of his eyeline so she wouldn’t prove a distraction. Not that he hadn’t noticed her tapping away all during the conference. Now that he’d let himself experience the power of his attraction for her, he noticed everything about her. From the way her sleek, navy designer skirt hugged her bottom, to the arch of her feet when she walked into his presence.

At the most inappropriate times he’d caught himself wondering how long her hair was, whether it would feel soft and silky. Many times during his sleepless night, he’d pictured himself kissing her again, imagining the many ways he’d explore her lips again given another chance.

Only now, he noticed a little bit more. Like the vulnerability she tried to hide beneath the brusque exterior. Whatever her mother had done to her still had the power to wound her. His chest tightened with the need to go to her, brush his knuckles down her cheek and reassure her that he would take care of her...

Theos!

With gritted teeth, he tried to pull himself back under control. There would be no reassuring, just as there would be no repeat of last night’s events. What happened in his gym last night couldn’t be allowed to happen again.

Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.

So why was he walking towards her, letting his gaze devour the exposed line of her neck as she bent over her tablet? Why was he imagining himself lifting her up from that chair, sliding that tight skirt up—did she favour garter belts or thigh-high stockings?—and bending her over his boardroom table?

Stasi.

He was losing it and it wasn’t even nine o’clock in the morning! With a curt command, he dismissed his board members.

He waited until the room cleared before he murmured her name.

She lifted her head and stared straight at him. Deep turquoise eyes met his and Sakis wasn’t sure whether the interest it held was personal or professional. That he couldn’t even read her properly any more, sent a fizz of annoyance through him.

‘So, what happens now? I didn’t think you’d let Moorecroft know we were investigating his connection with the tanker.’

Stopping a mere foot from her, he shrugged. ‘I called his bluff and it paid off. I wasn’t sure until I heard it in his voice. He’s involved.’

‘Then why not go after him?’

‘He knows he’s cornered. Between the FCA investigation and my own, he’ll either come clean or he’ll try to do whatever he can to cover his tracks. Either way, his time is fast running out. I’ll give him a few hours to decide which way he wants to go.’

‘And if he reveals a connection?’

Sakis heard the tremble in her voice and wondered at it.

‘Then I’ll make sure he pays to the fullest extent.’ His father had got away with shady business deals for a long time before he’d been brought to justice. The same newspapers that had uncovered his treachery had uncovered the many families and employees his father had duped out of their rightful rewards.

Once his father had been put behind bars and Ari had been old enough to take over the reins of the company, the first thing he’d done was make sure the affected families were recompensed.

Letting anyone get away with fraud and duplicity would never happen.

He glanced down into the face of the woman whose body had invaded his dreams last night. She’d paled considerably, her eyes wide and haunted. His frown deepened.

‘What’s wrong?’

She surged to her feet and started gathering her things. ‘Nothing.’

‘Wait.’ He placed a halting hand on her waist and immediately felt her tense. Another stream of irritation rushed upward.

‘Y-yes?’ Her voice wasn’t quite steady and her head was bent, hiding her expression.

‘Brianna, what’s the hell is going on?’

‘Why should there be anything wrong? I’m merely returning to my office to get on with the rest of the day.’ Her words emerged in a rush.

Something was definitely wrong; something he’d said. He replayed his last words in his head, then his lips pursed.

‘You think my views are too harsh?’

Her mouth tightened but she still avoided eye contact. ‘What does it matter what I think?’

‘Tell me, what would you do?’ His hand curved firmly around her waist. When she moved, he felt the warm softness beneath his fingers. He wanted to pull her closer, glide his hand upward and cup her breast the way he had last night. It took every single ounce of willpower for him to hold himself still.

‘I...I would listen to them, find out the motive behind their actions first, before I throw them to the wolves.’

‘Greed is greed. Betrayal is betrayal. The reason for it ceases to matter once the act is done.’

Her soft lips pursed. Her nostrils flared and Sakis caught a sense of anger bubbling beneath her skin. ‘If you truly believe that, then I don’t see the point of you asking me.’

‘Under what circumstances would you forgive such an action?’

She gave a small shrug. The movement drew his attention to her breast. Sakis swallowed and cursed the heat flaring through his groin. ‘If the act was done to protect someone you cared about. Or perhaps it was done without the perpetrator knowing he was committing an act of betrayal.’

Sakis’s lips twisted. ‘My father’s betrayal was an active undertaking. So is Moorecroft’s.’

Her eyes clashed with his then she glanced away. ‘You can’t assign your father’s sins to every situation in your life, Mr Pantelides.’

This was getting personal again. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself from spilling the jagged pain in his chest. ‘My father actively cheated and bribed his way through his business dealings for decades. He betrayed his family over and over, letting us think he was one thing when he was in fact another. Even after he was found out, he was remorseless. Even jail didn’t change him. He went to his grave unrepentant.’ He sucked in a breath and forcibly steered his thoughts away from the bitterness of his past. ‘You’re deluding yourself if you think there’s such as a thing as blind, harmless betrayal.’

A shaft of pain and sympathy flitted through her eyes, just like it had back at Point Noire. She even started to move towards him before she visibly stopped herself.

Sakis felt curiously bereft that she succeeded.

‘I’m sorry for what happened to you. I...I have emails to catch up on so, if you don’t mind, I’ll get back to the office.’