I don’t want you to leave Greece.”
She struggled to stifle her moan. Of all the things he might have said, his blunt answer wasn’t even on her list. Now if Rand had said, “I don’t want you to leave Austin…” But he hadn’t said anything. As for Andreas, she knew his agenda had nothing to do with her personally.
“I don’t understand.”
He took a deep breath. “Leon’s in a panic right now, but in another day or two he’s going to conquer it. When he does, the children need to be here, not clear across the Atlantic.”
Gabi was the one starting to panic and shook her head. “I can’t stay on Crete.”
His pewter gaze pierced her. “Why not?”
“B-because my parents need to get their life back,” she stammered. “The boys and I need our own home.”
He took a step closer. “You’ve had a home here for months. I would imagine your parents will be devastated when the babies are gone. Therefore that couldn’t be the real reason you’re so anxious to take flight. Do you have a lover in Alexandria waiting for you?”
Taking the out he’d proffered, she said, “As a matter of fact I do. Not that it’s anyone’s business.” While she spoke, she watched a young couple who’d wandered into the park and had started kissing.
“You’re lying. Otherwise he’d have flown here to whisk you and the children back to Virginia weeks ago.” The comment had come out more like a soft hiss. He would make a terrifying adversary if crossed.
She turned her eyes away from the amorous couple. “If you must know, I want the children to myself.”
“So they’ll know you’re their mother,” he deduced. “That makes perfect sense, but you don’t have to go to Virginia to do that.”
Gabi sucked in her breath. “I don’t have the means to earn a living right now and Dad’s home in Alexandria is paid for. With my savings and his financial help, it will work until they’re in school and I can go to work.”
He shook his dark head. “I’ve learned enough to know your father has the means to help you move into your own place here on Crete where you and the boys can be close by but still independent. Why are you afraid to tell me the truth? What’s going on?”
Andreas saw too much. “There are already too many questions being asked about the paternity of the twins. My parents don’t know anything. If it got out about your brother and Thea, my family as well as yours would suffer and you know it. That’s why I want to take them back with me.”
“Out of sight, out of mind, you mean.”
“Yes.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “That might work for a while, but it’s inevitable the day will arrive when the secret comes out. They always do. By then the damage will be far worse, not only for the families involved but for the twins themselves.”
“I realize that, but for the present I don’t know what else to do. There’s—” She stopped herself in time, but Andreas immediately picked up on it.
“What were you going to say?”
“N-nothing.”
“Tell me!” he demanded.
Feeling shaky, she said, “I should never have come to your office.”
“That isn’t what you were about to blurt.”
The man had radar. At this point she had no choice but to tell him. Not everything, but enough to satisfy him.
Taking a few steps, she sank down on the park bench. He followed, but stood near her with his tanned fingers curled around the back railing. “Thea’s husband would love to hurt our family for backing her in the divorce. He’s capable of making trouble that could make things unpleasant for Leon, too.”
“You’re talking about Dimitri Paulos.”
Gabi got up from the bench. “How did you know?”
His eyes played over her. “I did a background check. Thea’s passport alerted me she has an ex. Has he threatened you personally, Gabi?”
She pressed her lips together. “No, but suffice it to say he was furious when Thea divorced him. If not for diplomatic immunity through Dad, I don’t even want to think what might have happened to her. Dimitri considered her his possession. Thea was convinced he’d hired a man to follow her everywhere.”
One black brow lifted sardonically. “My father and I have had business dealings with Dimitri’s father in Athens. I’m familiar with his son’s more devious methods.”
That shouldn’t have surprised Gabi. Andreas knew everything. “The trouble is, before she died she told me he was still out for blood wanting to know who made her pregnant. If he were to learn your brother is the father of her twins, he’d love to feed that kind of gossip to the newspapers just to be ugly.”
“He can try,” Andreas muttered with unconscious hauteur. After a palpable silence he said, “Since your parents must be waiting for you, I’ll walk you back.”
Gabi shook her head. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I insist.”
He cupped her elbow and they started walking. Far too aware of his touch, she eased away from him as soon as they reached the street and moved ahead at a more brisk pace, but his long strides kept up with her.
When she nodded to the guard doing sentry duty, she thought of course Andreas would say goodnight. Instead he continued on through the front courtyard with her.
She halted. “You don’t need to see me all the way to the front door.”
“But I do. I want to speak to your parents.”
What? Her body tautened in defense. “No, Andreas! My parents aren’t involved in this. That’s the way I want it to stay. If Leon decides to claim the children, then I’ll tell them everything. If there’s any discussion about this, he’s the one who needs to do it.”
He cocked his head. “In an ideal world, it would work that way, but he’s not ready yet.”
That was obvious enough.
Reaching out, Andreas grasped her upper arms gently. She wished he wouldn’t do that. It sent too many disturbing sensations through her body. Her awareness of him was overpowering.
“I have a plan that will solve our immediate problem, Gabi, but you’re going to have to trust me.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Thea trusted me. Now look what’s happening because I broke my promise to her. After her wretched divorce and subsequent death, my parents have suffered enough pain.” Her voice throbbed. “Please just go.” She stepped away from him.
His jaw hardened. “I can’t, not when things haven’t been resolved yet. You know the saying about being forewarned. If our two families
