Leo lifted and dropped a shoulder as if to suggest that, regardless of his polite assurance that her wearing the ring would please him, he was, in fact, quite indifferent. ‘I think your mother would appreciate the conventional touches, particularly when we are getting married so quickly.’
Letty slid the ring onto her finger, relieved that it fitted, her face warming with colour. ‘How soon do you expect the wedding to take place?’ she asked apprehensively.
‘Within a couple of weeks.’
Letty was aghast at that short time frame. ‘But—’
‘Now that we’ve agreed on how to move forward, why would we waste time?’ Leo incised. ‘I would appreciate it if you tried to spend some time with the children between now and then.’
‘Of course. I only have to give a week’s notice at work,’ Letty mumbled, flustered by the fast pace of events and feeling more than a little overwhelmed by the prospect of marrying Leo, even though it wouldn’t be a normal marriage, no matter how hard they tried to pretend otherwise.
‘I’ll organise a list of surgeons for you so that you can have your mother booked in for the procedure she requires. I would also suggest that you look at a list of properties I have available to choose accommodation that would suit your mother and brothers better than your current home,’ Leo added. ‘My lawyers will contact you with regard to the legalities of our agreement. Unfortunately, I’ll be in Greece over the next few days handling the amalgamation of your grandfather’s company with mine. If you need to contact me, you have my number.’
Letty breathed in deep and slow to steady herself. All of a sudden she was seeing that her world was about to be turned inside out and that while the end result might be a great improvement, it would also be even more challenging than she had expected.
‘Er… I hate to mention it,’ she muttered uncomfortably as she considered her family’s most pressing problem and the state of sleepless anxiety that same problem kept her mother in. ‘That loan—’
Leo studied her, dark golden eyes hardening to a bright diamond glitter. ‘That will be dealt with without your input. It will be settled, and those men will never bother you or your family again,’ he swore. ‘You will also have a security team protecting you from now on.’
‘For goodness’ sake!’ Letty began in disbelief.
‘And a car and driver to take you wherever you want to go,’ Leo completed as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘I want you to be safe. I don’t want to take the risk of anything happening to you. On our wedding day you will become my wife and Isidore Livas’s heiress and such precautions are, sadly, necessary in the world that we live in.’
‘I disagree,’ Letty protested.
‘You don’t have to agree with me. As of today, I am taking full responsibility for your safety and that of your family. You will no longer need to keep a cricket bat behind the front door,’ Leo informed her grimly. ‘Anyone who threatens you now will have me to deal with!’
‘Careful, Leo,’ Letty murmured after she had got her breath back, her eyes colliding with his shimmering angry appraisal. ‘Your crocodile instincts are showing…’
Leo expelled his breath in a hiss. ‘The sight of that cricket bat incensed me,’ he admitted grudgingly. ‘I will not have you living in fear any longer.’