CEO's Expectant Secretary(5)

Brock felt his blood pressure go through the roof. He clenched his fist again, willing himself not to knock Athos off his almighty perch of pride. “I don’t think so. I wouldn’t force my grandchild to wallow in the mud for me.”

“I didn’t force—”

“And her pregnancy, was that part of your plan, too?” Brock goaded the man.

Athos’s hard veneer slipped. “Pregnancy?” he said. “What are you talking about?”

“Elle,” Brock said. “She’s pregnant with my child.”

Athos turned pale as he shook his head. “No, she wasn’t supposed to—” He continued to shake his head, his skin color changing from white to gray as he began to fall.

Brock watched in disbelief, rushing toward the man, catching him as he collapsed. Stunned at the limp body of his adversary, he shook his head. “Call an ambulance!” he yelled. “Mr. Koteas is ill.”



Elle rushed through the doors of the emergency room, her heart in her throat. The only other time she could remember being this upset was when she’d learned her mother had cancer. Although Athos had never been affectionate toward her, Elle still felt a debt to him for his financial support of her mother and her.

Brock stepped in front of her as she headed straight for the information desk and she faltered. Her breath hitched at the sight of him, so tall, so strong. Then she remembered what Athos’s housekeeper had told her. Brock had been with her grandfather when he’d collapsed.

Brock reached for her and she shrank from him. “You,” she said, every cell in her body accusing him. “You’re the one who caused this. You caused my grandfather to have a heart attack.”

Brock shook his head. “I never would have dreamed he was so fragile.” He gently took her arm. “I won’t let you handle this alone. I don’t want you upset.”

“Not upset?” she retorted, pulling her arm away from him. “How could I not be? Do you realize what you’ve done? I’ll never forgive you for this. Never,” she said, pushing away from him.

Her stomach in knots, she approached the information desk. “Athos Koteas,” she said over the terrible lump in her throat. “Is he—” She broke off, unable to form the words. “How is he?” she whispered.

The nurse gave her a look of sympathy. “Your name?” she asked.

“Elle. Elle Linton,” she said, holding her breath.

“Come this way. Mr. Koteas has been asking for you.”

Her heart filled with dread, she followed the nurse to the last room on the hallway. Elle looked inside and saw her grandfather hooked up to monitors and tubes. He’d always seemed so strong, so much larger than life when she was a child.

The nurse nodded. “You can go in.”

Elle tentatively stepped into the room, moving closer to the bed. Her grandfather’s face was pale with strain, his usually neat hair mussed, his eyes closed. The green gown emphasized his ashen complexion. “Athos,” she said, because she’d been instructed long ago not to call him grandfather. For a long time, she and her mother had only served to remind Athos of his disappointment in his son.

Her grandfather opened his eyes. “Elle,” he said, lifting his hand.

She immediately wrapped both her hands around his. “I’m so sorry about Brock,” she said, unable to hide her desperation. “When he called to tell me you were in the hospital, I was horrified that he would go to your house and accuse you.” She shook her head. “It’s his fault that you had a heart—”

“No, no,” Athos said, shaking his head. His eyes were weary. “Brock Maddox is not responsible for my heart problems.”

“I don’t believe that,” she insisted. “If he hadn’t shown up at your house—”

Athos gave her hands a feeble squeeze and shrugged. “It would have happened sometime,” he said. “It has happened before,” he told her, meeting her gaze. “It will happen again.”

Confusion and fear trickled through her, the combination burning like acid. “What do you mean? What are you talking about? You’ve always been strong and healthy.”

Athos sighed. “My doctor has told me I don’t have much time. I may have been able to fool people that I’m strong, but my heart is very weak.”

“Well, surely there’s something that can be done. You should get a second opinion.”

“Elle,” he said in a chiding tone. “I’ve received only the best care. There’s nothing that can be done. The reason I asked you to spy on Maddox is because I wanted to make Golden Gate Promotions solid before…”