Do it—do it now!
'I've got something to tell you.'
Andrea's voice sounded high-pitched and clipped.
'How remarkable. My silent bride deigns to speak.'
His sarcasm cut at her. She lifted her chin.
'You might as well know,' she said, 'I'm going back to England tomorrow. I'm filing for divorce.'
Nikos stared at her, completely stilled. The grey of his eyes was like cold, hard slate. Andrea felt her hands clench at her sides. Her legs had started to ache, sensing the tension in the rest of her body.
'You are mistaken.'
The brief, bald sentence was quietly spoken, but the nape of Andrea's neck crawled.
'I'm not staying with you!' The pitch of her voice had risen.
'And may I be permitted to ask—' the icy softness cut slivers of flesh from her '—what has led you to make this...unexpected announcement?'
Somehow she managed to stand her ground.
"I should have thought it was obvious! Your sole purpose in marrying me was to clear the way to get hold of my grandfather's company. Now you've done that you don't need to stay married to me for a second longer!'
'An interesting analysis, but fatally flawed,' he returned.
'Why?' she demanded.
'Because,' said Nikos in that same soft voice which now, instead of cutting slivers from her, had somehow, she did not know how, started to send shivers of a quite different nature quivering down her arms, 'you happen to possess charms beyond your possession of Yiorgos Coustakis's DNA. Charms,' he went on—and now the shivers spread from her arms across her breasts, her flanks, 'that I fully intend to enjoy.'
He took a step towards her, the expression in his eyes making it totally, absolutely clear just what charms he had in mind.
She jerked backwards.
'Stay away!'
He stopped again. 'Don't give me orders, pethi mou. You'll find I don't respond well to them!'
The edge in his voice, steel beneath the velvet, was a warning.
It was also a trip point.
'If you're after sex go and phone for one of your mistresses!' she flung at him.
He stopped dead.
'My what?'
'You heard me—your mistresses! You're running two that the whole world knows about and God knows how many more besides! Go and phone for one of them if you're feeling horny. But don't damn well come near me!'
His eyes were like splinters.
'And just how, may I ask, did you come by this information?'
b'Oh, I got a full briefing from my grandfather! It was part of his pre-wedding lecture to me not to kick up a fuss about you still having sex with other women. An obedient Greek wife—' she let the sarcasm flow into her voice '—doesn't make a scene over such trifles as her husband's mistresses!'
Comprehension flooded Nikos's expression, masked by anger. Not at Andrea, but at her wretched grandfather. So that was why the girl had done nothing but sulk all day! Thanks, Yiorgos, for another big favour you've done me! Screwing up my marriage before I even get started on it!