‘Well I don’t understand or accept it. Your resignation has been refused. You will stay until your contracted period is up or I will sue you for breach of contract.’
Her shock was visible. ‘You wouldn’t...’
‘Wouldn’t I? Leave before September and see for yourself.’
‘The exhibition is almost complete,’ she said, breathing heavily, angry colour heightening her cheeks. ‘Come the Gala and we’ll be ready for visitors—my job will be done. Anyone else can carry on.’
‘“Anyone else” will not have the breadth of knowledge you’ve developed about my grandfather and our ancestors. You signed that contract and you will damn well fulfil it.’
She jumped to her feet, her hands balled into fists. ‘Why are you doing this? Why can’t you just let me go?’
‘Because we belong together,’ he snarled. ‘You’re mine—do you understand that?’
‘No, the Princess belongs to you. Not me. I belong only to myself. You can insist I work the rest of my contract—that’s absolutely within your rights—but that doesn’t change anything else. I will work out the contract if I must, but I will not share your bed. I will not be your mistress.’
Helios could feel the blood pumping in his head. His veins were aflame; needles were pushing into his skin. Deep in his gut was something he couldn’t identify—but, Theos, whatever it was, it hurt.
He’d known from the outset that Amy was a woman of honour. Her excitement at his job offer had been so evident it had been contagious, but she’d refused to agree or to sign the contract until she’d spoken to her bosses at the British Museum face-to-face. If there had been any hesitation from them in letting her take the role she would have refused it, even though it was, by her own admission, a dream come true.
If it was such a dream then why was she prepared to walk away from it now?
And if she was so honourable how could she already be actively seeking a new lover?
He needed to get out of this apartment before he did something he would regret. So many emotions were riding through him it was impossible to distinguish them. He only knew his fists wanted nothing more than to smash things, to take every ornament and piece of furniture in this apartment and pulverise it.
For the second time in as many weeks the violence that lived in his blood threatened to boil over, and he despised himself for it almost as much as he despised Amy right now for seeking to leave him. But, unlike his violent father, Helios knew his own temper would never be directed at a woman. It was the only certainty he could take comfort from.
Striding over to her, he took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. Theos, she had such delicate features and such gorgeous skin. He didn’t think there was an inch of her he hadn’t stroked and kissed. He refused to believe he would never make love to her again. He refused.
‘If you understand nothing else, understand this—you will always belong to me,’ he said roughly, before dropping his hold and walking out of her apartment.
* * *
Amy’s phone vibrated, breaking her concentration on the beautiful green sapphire ring she was supposed to be categorising but instead could only stare at with a lump in her throat.
This ring had belonged to Helios’s mother. This ring would one day soon slide onto Princess Catalina’s finger.
The message from Leander was simple and clear.
She doesn’t want to meet you. Do not contact me again.
She read it a number of times before closing her eyes and rubbing at the nape of her neck. A burn stung the back of her retinas.
She had never expected her birth mother to welcome her long-abandoned daughter with cheers and whistles, but she had expected something. Some curiosity, if nothing else. Did she not even wonder what Amy looked like? Or who she had become?
But there was too much shame. To Neysa Soukis, Amy was nothing but a scar on her memories; a scar that had to remain hidden.
If Amy were a different person she would force the issue. She would stalk Neysa at her house until she was browbeaten into seeing her. But even if she was capable of doing that what would it accomplish? Nothing more than Neysa’s further contempt and probably a restraining order to boot.
All she wanted was to talk to her. Just once. But clearly she wasn’t worth even that.
‘Are you ready to go yet?’
Blinking rapidly, she looked up and found Greta standing in the doorway.
Amy turned her phone off. ‘She doesn’t want to meet me.’
At least with Greta she didn’t have to pretend.
Greta came over to her and put an arm around her back. ‘I’m sorry.’
Amy sniffed. ‘I just thought...’