The Billionaire’s Runaway Bride(54)
Making one more call he had ensured that his private plane was ready to go immediately and that his helicopter was on its way to collect himself and Daryle to take them to the airport. Placing the phone into his pocket he had risen giving him a reassuring smile, Daryle’s face so full of thanks.
“Let’s go and get our girl….and call me Alexos”
Daryle’s eyebrows had risen at his choice of words, a large relieved smile filling his face as he had followed the tall man from the house.
It had been impossible to talk on the helicopter, and as they had arrived at the airport Alexos had been met by several men, one giving him a large envelope which he had slipped into his pocket. The other had tried to insist on accompanying the two, Daryle realising that this was a security guard, concern for the safety of the billionaire written on his face. Alexos however had refused, determination on his face as he had shaken his head not prepared to jeopardise the rescue with the inclusion of a bodyguard. Finally on the plane, Alexos had looked over at Daryle, before extending his hand.
“I’m sorry Daryle - it is nice to meet you”
The other man had given a warm return grin as he had shaken his hand with a firm grip “You too Alexos. I’m sorry that I came to you with all of this…but I had nowhere else to turn…and Carol told me about you and Grace meeting again”
He had looked surprised as Daryle had seemed almost happy about what he must have known had happened, giving a small return smile.
For several seconds the two had sat quietly, before Alexos had sat forward needing to ask the questions that Grace had not been prepared to talk about. “May I ask you some things Daryle?”
Daryle looking at him with surprise “Of course”
His look growing more nervous as the questions had been asked “You know that six years ago I was planning on marrying Grace”
Daryle looked more uncomfortable as he had nodded slightly.
“What happened? I thought that she had used everybody to run off with the man she loved, you…but that isn’t the truth is it…there was more to it than that wasn’t there?”
Fidgeting, Darlye had seemed unsure before giving a soft sigh and also leaning forward. “You know that Grace’s biggest dream was to become a marine biologist?”
Alexos nodding
“Did you know that her father had refused for her to go to university?”
Alexos’ eyes had widened “No…I had no idea - she never said”
Daryle had given a look of contempt as his mind had gone back to that time
“Her father is not a good man Alexos, God knows why but it always seemed like he hated her for daring to be a woman instead of a man. When she was eleven she wanted to join a club, but her father said no. Grace however, was determined so she joined anyway.”
Giving a long sigh as he had continued.
“When her father found out he forced the club out. They were a voluntary organisation and he put them out on the street to teach her a lesson”
Alexos’ eyes had grown harder, realising that Daryle had no way of knowing that the man who had raised her was not her real father, as the younger man had carried on his story.
“He liked to teach her lessons…to control her. As she got older he found a new way of controlling her, using her mother…and he told her that there was no way that she was going to university…the one thing she most wanted, he refused. That girl worked harder than anybody I knew to be top of her class, she had the grades to be anything she wanted and he told her that the only thing that she was ever going to be was married.”
Alexos had felt the anger fill him listening to Daryle.
“The day before you sent your letter her father had given her three other letters from other men. Two were older than he was and one was divorced because of his abuse to his first wife”
Alexos had groaned softly thinking how he had misjudged her, Daryle’s tone softening
“She really liked you Alexos and I sometimes wonder what might have happened if we hadn’t done what we did. But she needed to pursue her dream…and she did”
Groaning softly Alexos had looked thoughtfully into space “I would have encouraged her. I would have supported her going to university”
Daryle had given another small smile “Did you ever tell her that, because her father told her that you would never let her go, that you wanted children - lots of them”
His eyes uncomfortable adding “He also hinted that you had no intention of ending your playboy days…that while she produced the children she would also be expected to turn a blind eye to your womanising”