‘This is crazy,’ she muttered frantically. ‘Nikolos would never agree to marry me in a million years! For goodness’ sake, he’s dating Cassia Morikis…’
Theo Demakis shrugged. ‘So he’s sleeping with the Morikis girl. What’s that got to do with anything?’
Prudence blinked. ‘I…I just thought that if he loves her-’
‘So what if he does? That’s nothing to do with you. He will decide his own options. He’s Greek to the backbone. Believe me, family honour and practical, material considerations will be of much greater importance to him than the current slut in his bed.’
His cold-blooded indifference to her revelation and his careless reference to Nikolos’s sex life shook Prudence to the core.
‘Are you planning to take that cab ride to the airport?’ Theo prompted with impatience.
Prudence went rigid, stress flaring through her small frame like petrol thrown on a fire. Nikolos Angelis would never agree to marry her, she thought feverishly. The very idea of them as a couple was ludicrous. Cassia Morikis was a very beautiful girl: tall and slender as a reed, she had glorious platinum-blonde hair and dainty, doll-like features. But why was she working herself up over something that was most unlikely to ever happen? Why was she daring to inflame her grandfather’s temper with her objections? She had to keep her mother’s needs centre stage in her mind; Trixie had first call on her loyalty and concern. Surely she could safely leave Nikolos to refuse the marriage proposition out of hand for both of them? Her grandfather could scarcely blame her for her prospective bridegroom’s reluctance!
‘Answer me,’ Theo Demakis urged flatly.
‘All right…yes, I’ll stay.’
‘I never doubted it. I was really quite touched by the romantic glow I saw in your face when I mentioned the boy’s name.’ As a stricken look of pained embarrassment filled Prudence’s eyes, the older man laughed and tossed back his drink. ‘I feel like Eros, the god of love. My wealth will be your dowry and at least it will save you from the humiliation of being left on the shelf.’