“I just wanted a bath,” she said in a low voice.
“I do not want you to be in here alone,” he said. “I’ll summon Mrs. Cahill so that if you have need of anything, you can just call out.”
She closed her eyes for a moment and drew in a steadying breath. Then she met his gaze. “Please, Chrysander, let’s not have any further lies between us. There’s no need for you to pretend that I’m important to you…that I matter.”
Bleakness entered his eyes, and his face grayed underneath the olive tone of his skin. “You matter very much to me, agape mou.”
Before she could respond, he retreated from the bathroom, and a moment later, Patrice bustled in. In a matter of minutes, Marley found herself stripped and settled into a warm bath. Not too hot, Patrice assured, since overly hot baths were not good for a pregnant woman.
As Marley settled into the fragrant bubbles, she leaned her head back against the rim of the tub and glanced over at Patrice. “Where are we? And how did you get here? I thought you were in Athens with Dr. Karounis.”
“Mr. Anetakis asked me to fly back so I could be with you,” she said soothingly. “He was quite desperate. The idea of returning to the apartment upset you so badly that he brought you here.”
“And where is here?” Marley asked.
“His house,” she explained patiently. “We’re about an hour from the city. It’s quieter here, more peaceful. He thought you’d prefer it.”
Tears blurred Marley’s vision. And she thought she hadn’t any more tears to shed. She hadn’t known he owned a house outside of the city, and like the island, it was one more place she’d never visited in all the time she’d been with Chrysander. Further proof that she’d never occupied an important place in his life.
“He’s been very worried about you,” Patrice said, her face softening in sympathy. “We all have been.”
Marley shook her head in denial. Chrysander hated her. He’d never loved her, and she’d been too stupid to realize it.
“What am I going to do?” she whispered to no one in particular. She’d been an idiot to give up her apartment, her job, every means she had of taking care of herself when she moved in with Chrysander. She’d been too blinded by her love and convinced that she had a future with him.
“Come out of the tub,” Patrice said gently. “You need to get dried off so you can go down to eat.”
Marley allowed Patrice to mother her. She was dried off and pampered then clothed in comfortable slacks and a maternity shirt. She rubbed a hand over her belly and whispered an apology to her unborn son.
She couldn’t afford to fall apart. Her child was depending on her.
Chrysander was waiting for her when she exited the bedroom. He said nothing, but he cupped her elbow and helped her down the stairs, and she let him, too numb to protest. Marley also remained silent, her emotions too much in turmoil to try and have a reasonable conversation.
They sat at a small table that overlooked a beautifully manicured garden. Bright morning sun shone through the glass doors, and she felt warmed by the sun’s rays.
Chrysander set a plate piled high with food in front of her then settled into a seat across from her. She piddled with her fork and toyed with the food, pushing it around the plate as she avoided his gaze.
He sighed, and she looked up to see him staring at her. His expression was somber, as though he was enduring the worst sort of hell. She nearly laughed at the absurdity. To her horror, she felt the prick of tears, and his face swam in her vision.
“We must talk, Marley. There is much I need to say to you.” His voice sounded oddly strangled. “But first you must eat so you can regain your strength. Your health and that of our child must come first.”
She bowed her head again, refusing to meet his stare any longer. She concentrated on eating, and once she started realized she was actually quite hungry.
As she was finishing the last of her juice, she heard a door slam in the distance, and then she heard the determined stride of someone walking across the floor. She turned to see Theron enter the room, a grim look on his face.
Before he could speak, Chrysander locked his gaze onto his brother and said in a steely voice, “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until Marley has finished eating.”
Theron cast a concerned glance her way and nodded his understanding to Chrysander. Anger tightened her throat and made swallowing difficult. Whatever it was they wished to speak about, it was obvious they didn’t want to do so in front of her. But then why would they? She was someone they believed had stolen from them.
She stood abruptly and tossed down her napkin. Without a word to either man, she stalked away.