Natalie Anderson - Exotic Nights - The Virgin's Secret / The Devil's Heart / Pleasured in the Playboy's Penthouse

With ruthless intent, he drew her in closer to his body. There were two twin flags of colour high in Angel’s cheeks. Leo caught both her hands in one of his and caught her neck with his other hand, drawing her close. The tension spiked between them. He lowered his head, his mouth close to hers, and had to bite back a groan. She smelt so … so clean, and pure. With a hint of enticing musk. Just enough to make his body throb with need. This woman, she knew exactly what she was doing.

‘I haven’t finished with you, Angel.’

‘Yes, we have finished. I’d like to go now.’

Leo could hear the tremor in her voice. Her breath tantalised him. He longed to crush her sweet, soft mouth under his again, but something made him hold back.

‘We haven’t finished because I’m not done telling you what I know. I can offer you something that despite your lofty protestations I don’t think you’ll be able to refuse.’

Angel finally jerked away from Leo’s hands and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. The fact that he knew so much and could turn her upside down with just a touch was devastating. ‘There’s nothing you could say that I want to hear—’

‘I can persuade Dimitri Eugenides to give his blessing to a wedding between his son and your sister.’

Angel’s mouth was still open. She shut it again abruptly. She hated what she was giving away, but she had to ask, ‘What … what do you mean?’

‘Ah,’ Leo mocked. ‘Not so sure now that they’re too young to marry?’ A look of unmistakable triumph came into his eyes.

He was right, damn him, but for all the wrong reasons.

‘Just tell me what you mean,’ Angel bit out, vulnerability clawing through her.

‘It’s very simple. Dimitri wants to do business with me. The last time I was here he told me about the romance between his son and your sister, and thought he’d please me by telling me how much he disapproved, knowing of the history between the families. It had little significance for me at the time. Now, though, it has become … more significant. I can guarantee that as soon as it becomes apparent you’re my mistress he’ll be tripping over himself to make amends, terrified that I’ll remember his less than favourable remarks. I can make it a condition of that business that he allows Stavros to marry your sister.’

Angel shook her head even as her heart fluttered with hope. ‘He won’t allow it, he hates our family.’

Leo waved aside her concern and said arrogantly, ‘He’ll do whatever I ask, believe me. The man is desperate to enlist my favour.’

Without really thinking, Angel found a chair nearby and sank into it. Her brain was buzzing. With a click of his fingers Leo had honed in on the one thing that Angel wanted most in the world—to be able to make things right for Delphi. She looked up at Leo, standing there like a marauding warrior, legs planted wide apart.

She didn’t care what he thought; she just knew she had to do whatever it took. She stood up again. ‘I presume your condition for doing this is to make me agree to become your mistress?’

Leo’s mouth thinned, and a hint of anger came into his eyes. ‘Don’t try and dress this up into you being the unfortunate victim. We both want each other, Angel, you just seem determined to deny it.’

‘But essentially you won’t help Stavros and Delphi unless I agree to go to you?’

Leo shrugged insouciantly. ‘Let’s just say that then I would care even less what happens to them than I do right now. Why would I put myself out like that unless I was getting something in return?’

‘Me,’ Angel said flatly, but with an awful telltale quiver of physical response in her belly. She couldn’t even tell herself that she was immune to or disgusted by Leo’s offer, and she hated herself for it. Her conscience pricked her. How could she walk away from this opportunity for her sister and Stavros to be happy, no matter how it was coming about?

Angel’s mind became very clear as she saw all her options dwindle away. Delphi was the best part of three months pregnant, and wouldn’t want the ignominy of everyone knowing that on her wedding day.

‘If I agree to this, I have a condition of my own.’

Leo’s eyes flashed a warning. ‘Go on.’

‘I want Delphi and Stavros to be married as soon as it can be arranged.’

That look of cynicism that Angel was beginning to recognise all too easily crossed Leo’s face again.

‘Don’t think that by having them marry as soon as possible it’ll indicate the end of our affair, Angel. I won’t let you go until I’m good and ready.’

Angel’s belly quivered again. How would he react when he discovered she was a virgin? He didn’t strike her as the kind of man to entertain novices in his bed.

Leo was looking at her assessingly. ‘But I don’t see why I can’t fulfil that request. Not when you’re mine from this moment on.’

Angel felt the colour drain from her face.

Leo didn’t like the way Angel had just paled so visibly. He strode over to where she stood and snaked out a quick hand to caress the back of her neck again. He felt the silken fall of her hair over his skin, and it made his voice rough with suppressed desire. ‘There’s no time like the present. I’ll have my car take you home, so you can pack some things and be brought straight back here to me.’

Just like that.

LESS than three hours later, Angel stood in the hall of her own house, a suitcase at her feet. When she’d finally left the Parnassus villa she’d been aghast to see that dawn had been breaking, it had made her feel acutely disorientated. By some miracle her father wasn’t at home; Angel’s more and more harried looking stepmother informed her that her father had left the previous evening for London, to try and beg a loan from his cousins. Angel had been dreading the inevitable showdown with him, for undoubtedly he’d know that she’d taken the will.

She’d gone into her sister’s room and woken her up and told her what was happening, while omitting the real reason why Leo was asking her to move in with him. Delphi had been understandably concerned. ‘But, Angel, they hate us. They must do. What do you mean, you just happened to meet him and he swept you off your feet? It’s all so fast and you never said anything …’

Angel hated lying to her sister. She’d smiled tightly and explained how they’d met at the party, and how she hadn’t wanted to say anything in case their father found out. ‘Delph, I didn’t want you to be worried. I wasn’t sure what to expect myself, wasn’t even sure if he’d come back to Athens. But he has …’ Here Angel had flushed hotly, remembering his kiss in the study. ‘And he wants me to move in … I know it all seems weird and too fast and unlikely … but just trust me, please? I know what I’m doing.’

Delphi had completely misread Angel’s acute embarrassment as being infatuation, but even so it had only been after more grilling that she’d finally seemed satisfied with Angel’s answers.

When Angel had taken a deep breath and told Delphi about Leo’s link to Stavros’ father, and what he’d promised to do for them, and seen her ecstatic reaction, she’d known then that she had no choice but to follow her fate.

As if she’d had a choice anyway. Leo could still call the police and accuse her of stealing. No court in the world would believe her over him, with the evidence he had. But, apart from that, she couldn’t jeopardise Delphi and Stavros’ happiness now—their bid for independence and the future security of their baby.

For the first time Delphi had sounded grown up. ‘Angel, you don’t have to be responsible for everything, you know. Just doing this for us is enough. I’ll be fine here, I promise. It’s time you got to live your own life.’