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‘And when exactly were you going to tell me about this?’
‘I wasn’t,’ Kate replied hotly. ‘And, considering the way you’ve just reacted like a chest-beating caveman, who can blame me?’
‘And how do you expect me to react?’ On his feet now, Nikos closed the space between them with a single lethal stride. ‘When I open the paper and see this sort of filth staring back at me?’
Kate took in a breath, willing herself to stay calm, not to let him get to her. ‘I’ve told you what happened. I am not going to explain myself any more.’
‘Well, that’s fine.’ Nikos glared at her. ‘Because I don’t want to hear any more. I leave you in charge of Sofia for a couple of hours and this is the result. You do realise you’ve jeopardised everything I have been trying to achieve? Undone everything we have been working towards? Once the Greek press get hold of this—if they haven’t already—it might well affect the court’s decision.’
‘Surely not?’ Kate’s fingers fiddled anxiously with the gold stud in her ear.
‘My new bride draped between the legs of a stranger while the minor I’m trying to become guardian of looks on in horror? What do you think, Kate?’
‘I will explain. Go and speak to the court in person—make them see it was all a misunderstanding.’
‘It’s way too late for that, Kate. The damage is done.’
‘No... It can’t be...’
‘Excuse me.’ A door opened and the clipped English tones of a polished PA interrupted their fight. ‘Mr Lewis will see you now.’
‘One minute!’ Nikos rapped over his shoulder.
‘Of course...’ With a look of surprise, the PA retreated.
‘We’d better go in.’ Kate drew in a ragged breath.
‘Still thinking about your precious business, Kate?’
Nikos threw the words at her with such vicious scorn that Kate flinched.
‘You set up this meeting, Nikos, not me. I don’t want to keep Charles Lewis waiting. That would be very bad manners.’
‘Then by all means go ahead.’ Nikos stepped out of her way. ‘Don’t let me stop you.’
‘You...you aren’t coming in with me?’
‘No, Kate, I am not. Do you really think I can sit beside you as your husband when you’re plastered all over the papers like that?’ He jabbed a finger in the direction of the newspaper.
‘Mr Lewis won’t be interested in my private life. He probably hasn’t even seen the paper.’
‘But I have, Kate, and that’s enough.’
‘Very well.’ Kate pulled on a cloak of defiance. ‘I will go in alone.’
‘Yes, you do that Kate. I’ll see you back at the hotel this evening.’ He glowered at her, his lip thinning with hostility. ‘On second thoughts, don’t wait up. I may be late back.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IT WAS GONE midnight when Nikos finally returned to the hotel. Channelling his frustration into work, he had rented an office in the Shard for the day and fired off emails, demanded to see business reports, chased up contracts and negotiated new deals as if his life depended on it. Or his sanity.
Maybe it did. It wouldn’t be the first time he had used work as his salvation.
To some extent, it had served its purpose. With his brain engaged in the complex legalities of negotiating a new deal or monitoring the figures on a volatile stock market, he had successfully managed to blot Kate out. But the second he’d stopped—the second he’d picked up his coffee cup and stared out of the window at the city of London—he’d found himself right back in Kate’s thrall, his mind whirring with a surge of thoughts and conflicting emotions. None of which he wanted to examine.
As he let himself into their suite of rooms Nikos was determined that tonight was going to be a Kate-free zone—both mentally and physically. He would pour himself a drink, go to bed—alone—and get some sleep.
The place was in darkness, but as Nikos flicked on the light switch in the living room he saw with a stab of frustration that he wasn’t alone. Kate was uncurling herself from the sofa, blinking against the light.
