Read Online The Highest Stakes of All by Sara Craven - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sara Craven
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discarded.’
‘Whatever I did, I did for my—for Denys.’ She managed to keep her voice steady, although her mind was whirling frantically. I was right, she thought. But how did he know so much? How?
‘And he needs me,’ she went on. ‘So, I—I can’t leave France. Can’t leave him behind. And I—won’t.’
‘Your loyalty is touching, but misplaced, Joanna mou,’ he said coldly. ‘Is it possible you can still care about him, after what he has done?’
‘I do more than care.’ She lifted her chin defiantly. ‘I love him, and I always will—whatever he does.’
‘Then I hope for your sake that the English saying is wrong—and that absence does not make the heart grow fonder.’ His tone was cynical. ‘Because you will never see him again.’
She caught her breath. ‘What have you done to him?’ she queried hoarsely. ‘Oh, God, you haven’t—hurt him?’
For a moment he looked almost startled, then his mouth hardened. ‘I did not have to,’ he told her brusquely. ‘He has damaged himself quite enough, I think, and must live with the consequences.’ He paused. ‘I wonder, too, how much your loss will really matter to him when he has so many other problems pressing on him. After all, one woman is very like another.’
She flinched from the callousness of the remark. ‘You think that he’ll simply let me go? That he won’t come to find me? You’re wrong.’
‘But there would be no point,’ he said gently. ‘He will never again be able to afford you.’ He paused. ‘If he ever could.’
‘Then at least let me see him—to say goodbye.’ She was pleading unashamedly now. For her father the initial shock would be wearing off now, and she knew he would be guilt-stricken and desperate. How he’d react if she simply vanished—if he had no idea where she’d been taken—didn’t bear thinking about.
For a moment she was tempted to tell Vassos Gordanis the truth. To say, He’s not what you think—he’s my father. Knowing what he’s condemned me to will be the end of him.
But something kept her silent. Because the evening’s disasters had involved far more than just a card game, she thought. There was real animosity seething below the surface and until she discovered its cause it might be better to keep quiet about her relationship to Denys in case it simply added fuel to the flames, she decided, repressing a shiver.
‘Your goodbyes were said, Joanna mou, when he decided to bet against me.’ His voice was inexorable. ‘And I think you will find me an adequate substitute for a man three times your age.’ His smile mocked her. ‘Who knows? You may even discover that you enjoy sharing my bed.’
Oh, God, he was so sure of himself, she thought, her inner chill turning to fury. So arrogantly certain that any girl would succumb eventually and welcome him as her lover. That he probably wouldn’t even have to try …
‘Never,’ she said, her voice shaking. ‘Never in this world. Because you are totally vile. Vile and—disgusting. And I hate you. Just the thought of having you touch me makes me feel physically sick. So please don’t wait to pass me on to the next man. Sell me now, because I’d rather be with anyone else on earth than with you.’
His brows lifted. ‘I would not be so sure,’ he told her sardonically. ‘Nor do you have the power to be selective about your future, thespinis. Like it or not, at the moment you belong to me, and I alone shall decide when to let you go and on what conditions. As I thought I had made clear.’
She stared at him. ‘Why are you doing this? Because it makes no sense.’ She drew a small, harsh breath. ‘I don’t believe you even like me, let alone—want anything from me.’
He shrugged again. ‘As I remarked just now, Joanna mou, you come to me highly recommended. And now this discussion has gone on long enough,’ he added, yawning, as her hands clenched involuntarily into fists at her sides at his cold-blooded retort.
‘Whatever I did, I did for my—for Denys.’ She managed to keep her voice steady, although her mind was whirling frantically. I was right, she thought. But how did he know so much? How?
‘And he needs me,’ she went on. ‘So, I—I can’t leave France. Can’t leave him behind. And I—won’t.’
‘Your loyalty is touching, but misplaced, Joanna mou,’ he said coldly. ‘Is it possible you can still care about him, after what he has done?’
‘I do more than care.’ She lifted her chin defiantly. ‘I love him, and I always will—whatever he does.’
‘Then I hope for your sake that the English saying is wrong—and that absence does not make the heart grow fonder.’ His tone was cynical. ‘Because you will never see him again.’
She caught her breath. ‘What have you done to him?’ she queried hoarsely. ‘Oh, God, you haven’t—hurt him?’
For a moment he looked almost startled, then his mouth hardened. ‘I did not have to,’ he told her brusquely. ‘He has damaged himself quite enough, I think, and must live with the consequences.’ He paused. ‘I wonder, too, how much your loss will really matter to him when he has so many other problems pressing on him. After all, one woman is very like another.’
She flinched from the callousness of the remark. ‘You think that he’ll simply let me go? That he won’t come to find me? You’re wrong.’
‘But there would be no point,’ he said gently. ‘He will never again be able to afford you.’ He paused. ‘If he ever could.’
‘Then at least let me see him—to say goodbye.’ She was pleading unashamedly now. For her father the initial shock would be wearing off now, and she knew he would be guilt-stricken and desperate. How he’d react if she simply vanished—if he had no idea where she’d been taken—didn’t bear thinking about.
For a moment she was tempted to tell Vassos Gordanis the truth. To say, He’s not what you think—he’s my father. Knowing what he’s condemned me to will be the end of him.
But something kept her silent. Because the evening’s disasters had involved far more than just a card game, she thought. There was real animosity seething below the surface and until she discovered its cause it might be better to keep quiet about her relationship to Denys in case it simply added fuel to the flames, she decided, repressing a shiver.
‘Your goodbyes were said, Joanna mou, when he decided to bet against me.’ His voice was inexorable. ‘And I think you will find me an adequate substitute for a man three times your age.’ His smile mocked her. ‘Who knows? You may even discover that you enjoy sharing my bed.’
Oh, God, he was so sure of himself, she thought, her inner chill turning to fury. So arrogantly certain that any girl would succumb eventually and welcome him as her lover. That he probably wouldn’t even have to try …
‘Never,’ she said, her voice shaking. ‘Never in this world. Because you are totally vile. Vile and—disgusting. And I hate you. Just the thought of having you touch me makes me feel physically sick. So please don’t wait to pass me on to the next man. Sell me now, because I’d rather be with anyone else on earth than with you.’
His brows lifted. ‘I would not be so sure,’ he told her sardonically. ‘Nor do you have the power to be selective about your future, thespinis. Like it or not, at the moment you belong to me, and I alone shall decide when to let you go and on what conditions. As I thought I had made clear.’
She stared at him. ‘Why are you doing this? Because it makes no sense.’ She drew a small, harsh breath. ‘I don’t believe you even like me, let alone—want anything from me.’
He shrugged again. ‘As I remarked just now, Joanna mou, you come to me highly recommended. And now this discussion has gone on long enough,’ he added, yawning, as her hands clenched involuntarily into fists at her sides at his cold-blooded retort.
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