Moving to the shower she had let the jets of water run down her body, ignoring the way her tears had mingled with the warm water, telling herself over and over that she did not care, that she and her mother would be fine, her heart mocking her head.
Finally dressed, she had moved onto the veranda, enjoying the tea which she had ordered, allowing the sunshine to bring some peace to her fraught nerves, her eyes not really taking in the buzz of activity below.
Hearing the door open, she had fought the desire to run to meet him, demanding to know where he had been. His footsteps on the tiled surface had heralded that he had found her as he moved around to drop a kiss on her lips, Grace holding back from pushing him away.
“I thought you would still be asleep” his sensual voice had whispered against her mouth, she biting down the venomous comment which had risen to her lips, instead looking over at him as he had poured himself a drink
“Where were you?” she had managed to keep her tone calm and soft, the quirk of his lip sending a bolt of anger searing through her, Grace digging her nails into the soft palm of her hand not to say something she knew she would later regret.
“I went to see your mother”
His answer, so unexpected had caused her mouth to drop, her eyes staring at him with confusion
“M…my mother…why?”
Alexos giving a small smile back, as he had given a tired sigh, sitting back into the chair opposite her, his eyes holding hers.
“I was thinking over what you told me yesterday, and it struck me that what your mother needed was leverage”
Looking blankly at him, her eyes had shown her shock. Sitting forward he had taken her hand in his
“I signed over the loan agreement for your father’s business to your mother. She can now make sure that he never reveals the truth to anybody else…and the money that comes in from him will serve as income for her”
Grace had given a small strangled sob, her eyes flying to his as a small tear had spilled over her lid
“Y…you did what….why would you do that?”
Alexos giving a tortured sigh
“I have behaved so badly Grace. I don’t want you to see me like your father…ever. So it seemed that the one thing that I had done out of badness so long ago, and again recently…could now actually be used for good…to help you and your mother”
Dropping her eyes, her brows had been drawn up with confusion, the back of her hand dashing away the tears “I…I don’t know what to say Alexos”
His finger had moved to crook under her chin lifting her head once more to him “You do not have to say anything. Like I said…I never want you to think of me like your father”
Sniffling she had smiled tremulously, the look in her eyes making him groan softly as he had moved around and pulled her from the seat, kissing her with such passion before sweeping her into his arms they had moved back to the bedroom, neither leaving there for several hours.
The pair had remained on the mainland for another couple of days. Her father had been furious when he had discovered that his wife now controlled the loan he had taken out on the business so long ago. His determination to fight a divorce with her and to reveal that Grace was not his daughter had disappeared as it became apparent that not only did she control the loan, but also had the support of the billionaire. Even her father had known that it would be unwise to anger the Manetas family. They had found her mother a villa near the sea after she had chosen to remain in Greece, having fallen in love with the scenery and laid-back lifestyle with no wish to be anywhere near her soon to be ex-husband.
As things had settled down, the relationship between the two had been so good. Grace chastising herself at thinking that he was seeing another woman, each day finding her feelings for him grow deeper than she had ever thought would be possible. The thought of leaving him at the end of the month had become more and more painful with each passing hour that the two had spent together.
As they had prepared to return to the island, the two had hugged her mother, she already looking as though ten years had dropped from her, smiling so easily now. Grace had been happy to see how things were progressing, her eyes flicking to Alexos knowing that he had been the one to bring it to such a good ending. Her eyes sparkled as she had smiled up at him.
With a small thoughtful frown she had played over the events of that morning as Alexos had showered, as she luxuriated in bed, still basking in the after-glow of their lovemaking finding herself dozing contentedly.
It had been the ringing of her mobile that had eventually woken her, Grace lifting the device sleepily answering the call her body stiffening as she had sat bolt upright, a look of disbelief filling her features. When the person on the other end had finished talking, she had thanked them profusely before laughing and calling Carol.