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He’d done that. He’d hurt her—used his physical superiority to try controlling her.
Costas drew a ragged breath, stunned at the evidence of his barbaric behaviour. In all his life he’d never used force on a woman. The very idea was anathema. Even in those darkest days, when Fotini had driven him to despair and lashing fury, he had never come close to touching her in violence.
How could Sophie ever trust him after such a disgraceful act? No man of honour would do such a thing.
But then his honour was a tainted thing, wasn’t it? He’d taken advantage of her in the worst possible way. She’d been so vulnerable. So deserving of his protection. A guest. The donor who was saving his daughter’s life. A member of Eleni’s family. A woman grieving her own terrible loss and far from home.
Any one of those considerations should have ensured he treated her with absolute courtesy and care.
But none of it had mattered enough to stop him.
Guilt slashed him. He’d been no protector. He’d been insane, consumed by his own rapacious need and his determination to have her on his terms.
He’d been ruthless, so desperate in his craving for her that he’d thrown away his honour to possess her. He’d subjected her to the risk of pregnancy without a second thought. In fact, some deep-buried part of him exalted in the possibility that she might be pregnant to him.
No wonder she hadn’t waited to say farewell in person but had taken the opportunity to sneak away while he was absent. He should never have—
‘What’s going on?’ Sophie swung round from her contemplation of the scenery to fix him with accusing eyes. ‘This isn’t the way to the hospital.’
Even in her confusion, with a frown marring her features, her beauty made his throat constrict.
‘No, it’s not,’ he said, relieved that it was time to sort this out, once and for all. ‘I’m taking you home.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HOME? THE WORD echoed in her ears. Home was an empty bungalow on the other side of the world.
And this was the coastal road leading to the Palamidis villa. The place where she’d known such hopes and such appalling disappointment.
Sophie stared into Costas’ eyes. They were almost black—a sign, she’d learned, of strong emotion. And the way he looked at her—hungrily, so intensely that she should be frightened.
Her breath caught. Sensation shivered down her spine.
Just so had he gazed at her two nights ago when he’d loved her so wondrously.
‘What’s going on?’ Suspicion flared as she took in his utter stillness. He was tensed, completely focused on her, like a predator watching its prey.
‘You’re not taking me to the hospital, are you?’ Realisation came in a rush. But even so she couldn’t quite believe what her brain was telling her.
‘Not yet.’
‘How is Eleni’s condition?’
He hesitated infinitesimally. ‘Physically she’s doing remarkably well. She’ll be coming home to us soon. But she was terribly upset about your plans to leave.’
‘You lied to me.’ The accusation was a whisper. Even in the face of the evidence Sophie couldn’t imagine Costas telling an untruth. ‘You deliberately made me believe Eleni’s condition was worse.’
‘All I said was—’
‘I know what you said, damn you,’ she gasped. ‘How could you be so cruel? You made me think …’
Suddenly he seemed much closer, his wide shoulders and his dark, compelling face filling her vision. He reached for her hand, his fingers hard and warm, but she wrenched out of his grasp.
‘I told you that we needed you.’
‘And you lied.’
‘No, I spoke the truth. We need you. Both of us.’
