the cheek. “I hope someday you can forgive me.”
She slid her ring off her finger then slipped her hand inside his. Without another
word, she turned and ran back up the path to the house.
“Bella! Bella!” Theron shouted after her.
She brushed past Chrysander at the top of the pathway, ignoring his hands as they
reached out to steady her.
“Isabella!” he called.
She swallowed the sob caught in her throat and ran inside. The helicopter would
be here soon. Her bag was where she left it, at the doorway leading out the back of the
house, past the pool and to the helipad.
She grabbed it and after a look back at the house, she hurried out to wait on the
helicopter.
Eighteen
Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software
http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.
THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
86
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
T heron stared at the ring resting in his palm then at Isabella’s retreating back. He
simply couldn’t comprehend everything she’d admitted. It sounded too far-fetched.
Had she really loved him for so long? It didn’t seem possible.
He watched as Chrysander slowly walked down the path toward him. He came to
a stop a few feet in front of Theron.
“Trouble?” he asked.
“You could say that,” Theron murmured, still trying to come to grips with all
she’d told him.
“She seemed pretty upset,” Chrysander said.
Theron closed his fist around the ring. “She gave me my ring back.”
Chrysander arched an eyebrow in surprise. “Did she say why? It’s easy for
anyone with half a brain to see she’s crazy about you.”
Theron cocked his head then shook it. “She just told me the craziest story. I don’t
even know what to make of it.”
“Care to share?”
Theron opened his hand to see the ring still lying there. It looked all wrong. It
should be on Isabella’s finger. She should be glowing with happiness, not staring at him
with tearstained cheeks.
“She said she’s been in love with me since she was a girl,” Theron said slowly.
“And that her trip to New York was because I was there.” He looked up at his brother.
“She said the entire reason she planned to go to London was because she thought I’d be
there.”
Chrysander smiled. “Sounds like a determined girl.”
Theron nodded. “That’s not all. She seduced me.”
This time Chrysander laughed. “Now this I have to hear.”
Theron quickly told Chrysander everything that had happened since the day
Isabella had walked into his office, now armed with the knowledge of what she’d really
been doing. It all seemed so much clearer now. The sultry teasing, the apartment hunting,
the shopping.
Chrysander remained silent for a moment. “So, are you angry?” he finally asked.
Theron gave him a strange look. “Angry?”
“You wanted to marry Alannis. Isabella prevented that.”
Theron shook his head. “Isabella didn’t prevent that, Chrysander. I did. I didn’t
propose, and Isabella was nowhere near me when that happened.”
“Okay, so what are you then?”
“Flattered? Overwhelmed? Completely and utterly gob-smacked?”
Chrysander grinned. “That about covers it.”
“My God, Chrysander. She’s so gorgeous. She lights up the entire room when she
walks in. She makes me crazy. Absolutely and completely crazy. She could have any
man she wanted. And she wants me.”
“Enough to drive you to your knees, isn’t it? Finding the love of a good woman.
They can certainly tie you in knots.”
“I love her,” Theron whispered. “All this time, I’ve been so focused on wanting a
wife and children, wanting to settle down with the picture-perfect family, and perfection
has been staring me in the face all along.”
Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software
http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only.
THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
87
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
Chrysander smiled. “Why are you telling me all this? It would seem you have a
very upset young lady who seems determined to do what’s best for you, whether you like
it or not.”
Theron frowned and clenched his fist around the ring. “Fool-headed, stubborn…”
He shook his head and stalked up the pathway, Chrysander falling in behind him.
They were halfway to the house when Chrysander stopped. Theron turned around
to see him frown.
“You hear that?” Chrysander asked.
Theron strained to hear. In the distance, he heard the unmistakable sound of an