The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride(30)

She had watched him a sensation of unease filling her still so surprised at the change in him.

“I discovered that your father’s business was not doing quite as well as he pretended. He had to take out a hefty loan to tide him over some problems. A loan which I was able to acquire”

Dropping into the seat beside his desk her eyes had opened with disbelief.

“W…why?” she had muttered softly as his dark eyes had glowed so black and cold “Because I intended to punish them for your actions”

Gasping she had shaken her head “N…no my parents had nothing to do with what happened”

Alexos had watched her with a small sneer on his handsome mouth “I know that. When I had everything I needed, I went to visit them. Your father was furious, and your mother was grief-stricken. The poor woman could hardly stop from crying the whole time I was there”

Grace had groaned softly, her mind picturing her mother in tears, biting her lip, the pain filling her own eyes.

“Your father told me that he had disinherited you, and I knew then that I was not the only person you had duped” A contemptuous look on his face “Your poor parents were just as much victims of your selfishness as I was. I left without even informing them that I owned the debt…I decided that they had suffered enough”

Grace had stared up at him, pain on her lovely face

“You bastard” she had managed, her voice hardly audible as she had held down the tears that threatened. Throwing the folder over to her side of the table, his voice had been cruel. “People in glass houses sweetheart…” silent as she had picked it up and flicked through the sheets that confirmed all he had said Grace looking warily at him.

“What do you want Alexos? Why are you showing me this?” For a second he had watched her, his hands clasped together against his mouth before sitting back in the chair.

“I am showing you this because I want you to stay”

Looking at him with a frown of surprise she had licked her lovely lips. “I appreciate that you didn’t follow through with what you had planned…and I am sorry for what happened…and I know that after last night you might be thinking that…”

His laugh had stopped her soft words, her eyes looking back at him in confusion.

“No…last night as far as I am concerned was just an added extra, a very unexpected one…but most enjoyable” He leaning forward “Let me make myself clear Grace…I am not ASKING you to stay anymore, I’m just laying out what could happen if you DON’T stay”.

Smiling once more as the colour had drained from her lovely features, his mouth had curled softly.

“Truth is I really don’t give a damn if you are with me because you want or don’t want to be. My father is not well Grace, and his final wish is that he sees me settled. I expect you to remain here with me and play the part of the devoted fiancée”.

Her look had become one of dumbfounded disbelief “Why…why me?”

Alexos’ expression becoming firmer “Six years ago you used me Grace, and now it is my turn to use you. I need somebody who will not expect me to see an engagement through…a convenience if you like. If it gives my father some peace…then I want to give that to him”

She had once more stared at the folder, her eyebrows pulled tightly together “W…will I have my own room?” her question meeting with cruel laughter from him.

“This is not six years ago Grace…I’m not the idiot who promised to wait until we were married, and after last night and the way you reacted…do you really think that I will give up the opportunity for some more of that while you are here?…no you will not have your own room”

Throwing the folder back down onto the desk she had stood, her small body rigid with fury “Forget it Alexos. I am not a toy to be used for sex or anything else. Find yourself some other little playmate to make happy families with”.

Turning she had strode to the door, his whiplash voice halting her “If you leave Grace, then I will recall that debt and drive your father and mother into bankruptcy”

As she had wordlessly reached out for the door handle he had added in a slower voice. “Did I mention that your father used the family home as collateral for the loan?”

Dropping the handle she had spun around, real fear on her face “Why….why would you do that? You know that they have nothing to do with me, what is the point of punishing them?”

He had stood moving slowly over to join her “It was not my father’s fault when you ditched me Grace, when you robbed him of the chance of grandchildren, but nevertheless he was one of those affected by your decision. So…I feel vindicated in using your parents to punish you also…the choice is yours”