shop assistant with a shotgun.
Ava had been devastated to discover that her father was a ruthless gangster. Even worse, several national newspapers had published a photo of her and her mother with the suggestion that they must have been aware of Terry’s criminal activities. If Julie McKay had harboured suspicions about her husband, she had not told her daughter. But Ava knew that her mother had worshipped Terry and been blind to his faults.
She stared at the jewellery shop. ‘I can’t go in there.’
Giannis frowned. ‘Why not? Engerfield’s is arguably the best jewellers in London.’
‘What I mean is that I can’t wear an engagement ring or go to Paris with you until I’ve seen my brother and explained that our relationship is fake.’
‘You cannot tell anyone the truth in case someone leaks information to the press. I mean it,’ Giannis said harshly as Ava opened her mouth to argue. ‘No one must have any idea that our engagement is not real.’
‘But what am I going to say to Sam?’
He shrugged. ‘You’ll have to invent a story that we met a few weeks ago, and after a whirlwind romance I asked you to marry me. That will explain why I dropped the charges against Sam because I did not want to prosecute my future brother-in-law.’
‘I don’t want to lie to my brother,’ she choked. ‘I hate deception.’
‘Do you really want to have to admit to him that you slept with me the night we met? That is the truth, Ava, and I will have no qualms about telling Sam how we got into this situation.’
‘You told the paparazzi that I am your fiancée. The situation is all your fault.’ She winced when Giannis tightened his grip on her arm and escorted her through the door of the jewellers.
‘Smile,’ he instructed her in a low tone when a silver-haired man walked over to meet them.
Somehow Ava managed to force her lips to curve upwards, but inside she was quaking as she recognised Nigel Engerfield. Ten years ago he had been commended for his bravery after he had tried to protect his staff from the gang of armed thieves led by her father. At the time of her father’s trial Ava remembered seeing the shop manager’s photograph in the newspapers. Would he remember her from the photo of Terry McKay’s family that had appeared in the press a decade ago? She was sure she did not imagine that the manager gave her a close look, but to her relief he turned his gaze from her and smiled at Giannis.
‘Mr Gekas, what a pleasure to see you again. How can I help you?’
‘We would like to choose an engagement ring. Wouldn’t we, darling?’ Giannis slid his arm around Ava’s waist and his dark eyes glittered as he met her startled glance. ‘This is my fiancée...’
‘Miss Sheridan,’ Ava said quickly, holding out her hand to Nigel Engerfield. She was scared he might remember that Terry McKay had a daughter called Ava.
‘Please accept my congratulations, Mr Gekas and... Miss Sheridan.’ The manager’s gaze lingered on Ava. ‘If you would like to follow me, I will take you to one of our private sitting rooms so that you can be comfortable while you take your time to peruse our collection of engagement rings. Is there a particular style or gemstone that you are interested in?’
‘What woman doesn’t love diamonds?’ Giannis drawled.
Nigel Engerfield nodded and left the room, returning a few minutes later carrying several trays of rings, and accompanied by an assistant bearing a bottle of champagne and two glasses. The champagne cork popped and the assistant handed Ava a flute of the sparkling drink. She took a cautious sip, aware that she had not eaten breakfast. Maybe Giannis had the same thought because he set his glass down on the table without drinking from it.
‘Please sit down and take as much time as you like choosing your perfect ring,’ the manager invited Ava, placing the trays of rings on the table in front of her.
She looked down at the glittering, sparkling rings and felt sick as she remembered how, when she was a little girl, she had loved trying on her mother’s jewellery. After her father had been arrested, the police had confiscated all the jewels that Terry had stolen—including her mother’s wedding ring. Everything from Ava’s privileged childhood—the luxury villa in Cyprus, the exotic holidays and expensive private education—had been paid for with the proceeds of her father’s criminal activities. There was nothing she could do to erase her sense of guilt, but working as a VCO was at least some sort of reparation for what her father had done.
‘Do you see anything you like, darling?’ Giannis’s voice jolted her from the past. She looked over to where he was standing by the window. Sunlight streamed through the glass, and his dark hair gleamed like raw silk when he ran a careless hand through it. His face was all angles and planes, as beautiful as a sculpted work of art. But he was not made from cold marble. Last night his skin had felt warm beneath her fingertips when she had explored his magnificent body.
Ava could recall every detail of his honed musculature that was now hidden beneath his superbly tailored suit. Oh, yes, she saw something she liked, she silently answered his question. His eyes captured hers, and her heart missed a beat when she glimpsed a predatory gleam in his gaze.
Hastily she looked down at the glittering rings displayed against black velvet cushions. Even though the shop manager had suggested she should take her time to choose a ring, she knew that Giannis wanted her to hurry up.
Inexplicably a wave of sadness swept over her. Choosing an engagement ring was supposed to be a special occasion for couples who were in love. The young assistant who had poured the champagne had looked enviously at Giannis and clearly believed that their romance was genuine. But Ava knew she was an imposter. The web of deceit they were spinning would grow and spread as they sought to convince Stefanos Markou that Giannis had given up his womanising ways because he had fallen in love with her. But of course he never would love her. He needed her so that he could win a business deal and she needed him to save her brother from prison.
What they were doing was wrong, Ava thought miserably. How could she even trust that Giannis would keep his side of their arrangement? He was playing the role of attentive lover faultlessly, but it was just an act—although that did not stop a stupid, idiotic part of her from wishing that his tender smile was real.
‘Sweetheart?’ Giannis walked over to the sofa and sat down beside her. ‘If you don’t like any of the rings, I am sure Mr Engerfield has others that you can look at.’
She swallowed. ‘I can’t do this...’
The rest of her words were smothered by Giannis’s mouth as he swiftly lowered his head and kissed her. ‘I think you are a little overwhelmed by the occasion,’ he murmured, smiling softly at her stunned expression. He looked over at the shop manager. ‘Would you mind leaving us alone?’
As soon as Nigel Engerfield and his assistant had stepped out of the room, Giannis did not try to hide his impatience. ‘What is the matter?’ he growled to Ava. ‘All you have to do is choose a diamond ring, but anyone would think you are about to undergo root canal treatment.’
‘I never wear jewellery and I hate diamonds,’ she muttered.
He swore. ‘I thought we had an agreement, but if you’ve changed your mind I will find another way to persuade Stefanos Markou to sell his ships to me—and your brother will go to prison.’
Ava
