The tycoon bride

Chapter Eight

             Lowering her face, Melony began attempting to fasten her seat belt around her with finger that were suddenly shaking badly. In all her life she has never been spoken to like that, even by aunt Laura, Who could be intimidating enough. 

            "I can't do this!  She sighed after a few taut moment of hopeless fumbling that made her frustratingly aware of how incapacitated she was going to be with one hand rendered completely useless, and felt the tears that were too ready to appear just lately begin to fill her eyes again. 

              With a smooth grace, he leaned across the space separating them, took the belt from her trembling finger and,, carefully making sure that the belt sat low down on her body so that it missed both her ribs and her plaster cast he locked it into place. 

              He glanced up, saw the tears, and realeased a soft sigh. "Don't get upset, because I  have a tendency to cut into people, "he murmured apologetically ."it a design fault in my make up, "he explained sardonically. "I dislike having my actions questioned ,sovi react badly. My fault but yours......... "

              "You should not have spend money in us without my saying so "she said

               "well it is done now. "he replied "how is your wrist? He enquired ,wisely changing the subject. 

               Glancing down to where the sling held the heavy plaster cast against her slender body, she noticed an ugly swelling around the base of her thumb. "Its Ikey, "she lied. 

               In fact it was throbbing quite badly now. But then, so was her head and hervribcage. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax back into the seat, feeling so tired, so utterly used up now that she had an idea that if she was left to do it she could easily sleep for a whole year. 

                 But she wasn't going to be able to sleep, was she? Instead she was going to have to come up with a way to take care of her Melanie while her wrist was like this. 

                  Out from behind the dull throb of her physical pain and mental  exhaustion her aunt aunt rotten suggestion reared it ugly head. It was enough to make her open her eyes, make her sit up straight as aching muscles knotted up with stress. Unaware of the pair of eyes that were observing her narrowly, her anxious gaze went dancing around as if on a restless search for deliverance. 

                   "What wrong? "he ask levelly.

                    "Nothing ".she shook her head.. For how she could tell him that his highly respected PA could be cress enough to want to give away one of her own nieces rather than help share responsiblility for her ?it was wicked, simply wicked. 

                     Yet you said you were prepared to consider the option, she grimly remainder herself. 

                       Her eyes grew stark, the tired bruising around the sockets becoming more pronounced as the weight of all her many problems began pressing on her once more. 

                       Then other things began to intruding on he consciousness. The fact, for instance, that car was driving them through a part of London that was very familiar to her since she used to live around here until three years ago. 

                         But that was a long way away from the east end district where she lived now. Frowning in puzzlement, she glanced around to find Andreas fathomless black eyes fixed on her watchfully. 

                         This isn't the way to my flat. "she stated the obvious 

                        Those eyes didn't so much as flicker. "No, "he confirmed, adding smoothly, "this is the way to my home. "

                       His home—Melony repeated to herself, and tried to work out why he had used the word with the kind of emphasis that had set her instincts firing out all kind of warning at her. 

                       "Your driver is going to drop you off first, she nodded, deciding that was what he had been implying. 

                         But besides her the dark head shook. "We are all going there, "he said, waited a few moments for his words to sink in then added gently added, " I am taking you both home with me. "

                       "But what for? "she demanded frowningly ."Will my aunt be there? "

                      There was a long pause when his eyes continue to hold hers but didn't answer. He has a beautiful face, she found herself thinking. Good bones and skin and nicely balanced features. It was a shame the whole was spoiled by the cold mask he wore over it....... 

                       Then she blinked, realising that he still hadn't answered her but was just sitting there, watching her studying him, and by the sardonic gleam she could see lurking in his eyes he knew exactly what she was thinking but didn't give a damn. 

                         Not just cold, she thought suddenly, but proud of it. And she shuddered as if something unholy had just reached out to brush it's icy fingertips along her body. 

                      The car came to a stop. "We have arrived, "he announced, and leaned over to flick free of her safety belt. 

                      Instantly her skin began to prickle, her heartbeat picking up pace as a burst of alarm force her into taking avoiding action by pressing her body back into the seat. 

                     "Be calm, "he murmured dryly as he carefully guided the belt back into its housing so it didn't whip across her body. "You truly have nothing to fear from me. "

                     Nikos, the chauffeur, was opening the door then, and offering to help her alight. Feeling stubborn in the face of her own confusion, she ignored his outstretched hand and climbed out of the car under her own steam. But the effort took a toll, and she had to steady herself with her good hand on the bonnet of the car while her many aches and pains make there presence felt. 

                      She knew this street, she realised, suddenly becoming aware of her surroundings. It was several street up from the one where she use to live when her father was alive, though this part of Holland park was a hundred times more exclusive. 

                       But at least she knew where to run to if she needed to get away from here, she told her self. And she turned to watch the chauffeur release Melanie from her safety seat, while Andreas stood to one side, and receive the baby into his arms. 

                       The baby arrived, all cute and cosy wrapped in a shewl her mother had so painstaking crocheted throughout her confinement. And, for some crazy reason, remembering that brought on a violent surge of possessive jealousy that made her want to reach out and snatch the baby from him!. 

                   Maybe he sense her resentment, because he turned then, to glance at her haply. "OK? "he asked. 

                  No, she thought. I am not OK. I want you to  give me my baby sister then I want to go home, because every single instinct I possess is telling me I should not be going anywhere with you! 

                  "Let's go......"Her new guardian led the way toward one of the elegant town houses that stood in the middle of an elegant white painted row.