approaching helicopter. “Did you call for the helicopter?”
Chrysander shook his head. “One wasn’t scheduled until Piers’s departure
tomorrow.”
Both men hurried up the pathway then cut left to circle the gardens to take the
shorter route to the helipad. Even before the helipad came into view, they saw the
chopper descend.
“That’s not one of ours,” Chrysander said grimly.
Chrysander broke into a run, and Theron followed. If Chrysander was worried
then so was Theron. But when they rounded the corner and he saw Isabella standing as
the helicopter door opened, his blood froze.
“Isabella!” Theron shouted.
She didn’t even turn around. She wouldn’t have heard him over the roar of the
blades.
Chrysander waved frantically to the pilot, and Theron raced ahead of him, trying
to reach Isabella in time. He watched helplessly as the door closed behind her, and then,
as he reached the edge of the concrete, the helicopter lifted off.
The draft blew his hair and clothing, but he stood, waving his arms in an effort to
gain her attention. The helicopter rose higher and then headed in the direction of the
mainland.
Chrysander cursed as Theron stood there frozen.
“I’ve got to find out where she’s going,” Theron said as he turned back to the
house.
Ahead, Marley and Piers came out the back door, Marley in the protective arm of
Piers.
“What’s going on?” Piers shouted.
Theron strode past him and Marley while Chrysander hung back. He tore up the
stairs and into Isabella’s room only to find her things gone. There was no note, no hint of
where she’d gone.
He ran back down, finding the others in the living room. Chrysander was on the
phone trying to track down the pilot service and figure out a way to hold Isabella when
she landed.
Piers approached him, a grim expression on his face.
“There’s something you should know.”
Theron looked sharply at him. “What?”
“This morning, Isabella was on the beach early. I found her on the other side of
the patio, visibly upset by something she’d overheard in your conversation with
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THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE
88
MAYA BANKS
SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944
THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS
Chrysander and Marley. She begged me not to say anything. She said she didn’t want you
to feel any worse.”
Theron closed his eyes as he remembered waxing on about what he wanted. When
what he wanted had been in front of his nose all along.
“I’m a damn fool,” he muttered.
“No arguments here,” Piers said with a wry smile. “The question is, what are you
going to do to get her back?”
Isabella hadn’t considered the repercussions of landing a helicopter on the estate
of what appeared to be an extremely wealthy, Greek family. As soon as they settled on
the ground, they were surrounded by a dozen security guards. All carrying guns.
So maybe this wasn’t her best idea.
The door was wrenched open, and she found herself staring into the grim face of
one of the gunmen. He barked out something in Greek, and Isabella stared helplessly
back at him.
“I only speak English,” she said.
“What do you want? Why are you here?” he asked in heavily accented English.
She took a deep breath and tried not to stare at the muzzle of the gun which was
precariously close to her nose.
“I’m here to see Alannis Gianopolous. It’s important.”
“Your name,” he demanded.
“Isabella Caplan.”
He lifted a small wire and released a torrent of Greek into what she assumed was
a microphone. A few moments later, he lowered the gun and took a step backward.
“This way please, Ms. Caplan.”
He even reached a hand in to help her down. A few moments later, he escorted
her inside the palatial estate that was situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean. In any
other circumstance, she would have spared a moment of envy for such a gorgeous place.
“Isabella, my dear!” Sophia exclaimed as soon as Isabella was inside. She took
hold of Isabella and kissed her on either cheek. “What on earth are you doing here? And
where is Theron?”
Isabella looked down for a moment and then back up at the older woman. “I need
to speak with Alannis. It’s very important.”
Sophia frowned slightly, concern filling her eyes. “Of course. Is everything all
right?”
Isabella offered her a shaky smile. “No, but it will be.”
“Wait here. I’ll get Alannis for you,” Sophia said.
Isabella walked to the huge glass window that overlooked the steep drop-off to