indecipherable. “I think it would be best if we kept separate bedrooms here.”
She recoiled, her head drawing away in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why
wouldn’t we share a bedroom? We’re engaged.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Yes, we are, pethi mou. And as such, I’d show you
the respect you’re due by not flaunting our sexual relationship in front of my brother and
his wife. It’s enough that he knows I took your virginity, but I won’t draw anymore
undue attention to you.”
Hurt and humiliation hit her hard in the chest. “He knows? You told him?”
Theron blinked in surprise. “It is my shame to bear, Isabella. Not yours.”
She closed her eyes and looked away. So Chrysander, and by default, Marley, did
know that Theron was only marrying her out of some outdated sense of honor.
“I’ll go up to my room then,” she said quietly. “I assume my stuff will be there. I
can find my way.”
“Bella,” he called as she started for the stairs.
She turned and stared bravely at him, determined not to show any emotion.
“I didn’t do this to hurt you.”
She smiled. A tremulous, hesitant smile, but she pulled it off. “I know, Theron. I
know.”
Then she turned and headed up the stairs in search of her room.
Seventeen
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THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
82
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
I sabella stared up at the ceiling, her hands behind her head. Sleep had eluded her,
as she’d slept for most of the flight over. She’d opened her window before going to bed,
and the sounds of the waves lured her.
A look at the bedside clock told her she’d lain awake for hours. With a resigned
sigh, she tossed aside the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. If she were
quiet, she could walk down to the beach and watch the sun rise. It wasn’t as if she was
ever going to sleep. She was too tightly wound. Too restless.
The air was warm coming in the window, so she dressed in a pair of shorts and T-
shirt. Not bothering with sandals, she slipped out of her room into the darkened hallway
and crept down the stairs.
The house was quiet and cloaked in darkness as she made her way through the
living room. She stepped onto the patio and breathed in the warm, salty air. Briefly
closing her eyes, she let the breeze blow her hair from her face, and then she stepped onto
the stone path leading to the sand.
The skies were already starting to lighten to the east, the horizon going pale
lavender as the morning star shone bright, a single diamond against velvet.
The water was calm, lapping gently onto the shore, spreading foam in its wake.
She walked down the beach, letting the waves rush over her feet as the world went gold
around her.
A distance from the house, she saw a large piece of driftwood. Marley’s seat,
Chrysander had called it laughingly. She settled gingerly on the aged wood and stared at
the beautiful scene before her. Truly she’d never experienced anything like it.
Unsure of just how long she sat there, basking in the dawn, she picked herself up
and headed back toward the house. Sand covered her feet and she paused at the entryway
to the stone path cutting through the garden to clean it off.
Voices carried from a short distance away, and she smiled. Theron was up. She
could hear his soft laughter. Marley too and apparently Chrysander.
She started up the staggered steps when she heard her name. A surge of
excitement hit her. Were they discussing the wedding? She took another step forward but
faltered with Theron’s next words.
He sounded…resigned. What was it he said? She glanced quickly over the hedge
lining the walkway to the stone retaining wall surrounding the patio. There was a lattice
wall that afforded the patio privacy and was covered with leafy greenery.
She strained to hear the conversation and then making a quick decision, she hiked
her leg over the hedge and hurried to the retaining wall where she hunkered just below
the breakfast area where the others were gathered.
As she listened to Theron’s low voice explain the entire story to his brother and
Marley, she turned so her back pressed against stone and slowly she slid until she sat with
knees hunched to her chest.
Hearing her teasing and blatant flirtation from the mouth of someone else made it
sound harsher, less earnest than it had been. She listened as he outlined his confusion
over his desire for her and his desire to make Alannis his wife.
She put her head down on her arms. She wanted to close her ears, but she
couldn’t. This was the hard truth, and she’d done all that he said. Her only comfort was