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Marina sucked in a breath. ‘So if you’re staying married, why isn’t she wearing a ring?’
Zander smiled. ‘Her wedding ring is being adjusted.’ Dragging his gaze away from Lauranne, his eyes hardened as he looked at Marina. ‘And next time it won’t be leaving her finger.’
His expression was cold and his tone held a blatant warning. Marina’s face lost its colour as she understood the message he was conveying.
Kouropoulos chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the under-current of tension in the room. ‘The female population will weep buckets.’
Starting with Marina, Lauranne thought cynically, noting that the other woman’s eyes had hardened, her face a mask of anger.
As if by telepathy, Marina lifted her gaze and stared at Lauranne in blatant challenge. ‘Zander will do and say anything to get what he wants,’ she said smoothly and Kouropoulos frowned at her.
‘Marina—’
She shot him a look of contempt. ‘Surely you don’t believe him, Theo? This whole reconciliation is staged for your benefit! His marriage was a sham! It lasted a month and it’s hardly surprising when you look at his track record. Zander Volakis will never settle down with one woman. But he’d say anything to get his hands on this island.’
Lauranne caught her breath. It was true, of course, but if Marina could persuade Kouropoulos that she was right then Zander had lost the island.
The island that meant so much to him.
‘It isn’t staged.’ She spoke clearly, her smile faltering as she looked first at Kouropoulos and then at Zander. ‘And I suppose that makes me the luckiest woman in the world.’
Brilliant dark eyes flared with masculine triumph as they meshed with hers and Marina let out a breath in a hiss.
‘For goodness’ sake, Theo. Stop playing the romantic and look at the facts. They’ve been separated for five years. He fired her!’
‘Our relationship has always been tempestuous,’ Zander agreed huskily, reaching out a hand and taking Lauranne’s in his, the warmth and strength of his fingers stoking the dying embers of her courage. ‘And that is part of the attraction for both of us. But in fighting, we have wasted much time. Too much time.’
He lifted her hand to his lips and she felt her heart twist.
He was so convincing.
Marina glared at Lauranne. ‘Once he has the island, he won’t need you any more.’
‘I will always need Lauranne,’ Zander drawled, a strange look in his eyes as he looked at her. Then he turned his attention back to Kouropoulos. ‘So will you sell?’
The older man nodded. ‘Yes. It is exactly as your father would have wished.’
Zander tensed slightly but didn’t respond, rising to his feet in a fluid movement. ‘My lawyer will be here in a few hours. He can sort out the details with your people.’
Kouropoulos nodded, standing up and reaching out a hand. ‘I hope you’ll stay with us for a few more days.’
‘Yes, do stay.’ Suddenly back to her professional self, Marina smiled at both of them. ‘It’s a shame to rush off when things are just getting—interesting.’
Lauranne felt herself stiffen. She didn’t trust the woman an inch. Why would she want them to stay?
As they left the main house Lauranne glanced at Zander anxiously. ‘She’s very upset.’
He shrugged, supremely indifferent. ‘She’ll get over it.’
Lauranne bit her lip, feeling anything but reassured.
Past experience had taught her just how destructive Marina could be when jealous. And surely at the moment she must be feeling very jealous indeed?
* * *
Later that afternoon, Zander went back to the main house to finalise some of the details with Kouropoulos and Lauranne took advantage of the time on her own to have a swim in the private pool attached to the villa.
She slid into the pool, enjoying the feel of the cool water against her heated skin.
