I WANT TO BE YOURS

LOVE DEMANDS YOU SURRENDER ALL…

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication
Book Description
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Epilogue
About the Author

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 I Want To Be Yours
Copyright © 2015 by DMMortier.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form whatsoever. The illegal distribution of this book by any
entity (individual or corporation) will be deemed fraudulent.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, actual events and
incidents are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, actual events or locales is
purely coincidental.

ISBN: 978-0-9908588-1-2

Cover Design by Damonza at www.damonza.com

Edited by Rie Langdon (Rie Langdon Editing Services)
Formatted by Damonza at www.damonza.com

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 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated with love to my amazing sister and friend,

Shelby.

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 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Love demands you surrender all…

Niccolo Darian was a man in conflict. Married for six years to a
woman he neither loved nor wanted, and at the same time, friend to a
woman he wanted like no other. The tenacious grip he held on his integrity
and honor was constantly being tested. Finding his wife in bed with another
man should have been painful, but all he could think about was how soon
he could claim the woman of his desire.
Mari Quinn knew it was wrong, but she’d been in love with her
married boss for years. Accepting that he was beyond her reach, she settled
for being his friend and confidant. Respecting his commitment, and
certainly admiring it, she was determined not to do anything to compromise
his relationship with his wife. But her resolve shattered in one night.
In an effort to console Niccolo, Mari gave him more than a shoulder to
lean on. Months later, the consequence of that night irrevocably changed
their lives.

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 CHAPTER ONE

NICCOLO DARIAN CAME to an abrupt stop at the closed door of his

master bedroom. Muted, agonized moans and grunts escaped through the
thick walls of the room, into the otherwise vacant hallway. Confused by
what he was hearing, Nico quietly turned the knob and cautiously stepped
into the room. The scene before him made his stomach churn with the bitter
bile of revulsion.
He watched in morbid shock as the male’s pasty, pale backside moved
with each vigorous thrust into his wife of six years. Celina Darian moaned
with unrestrained, audible enjoyment. Her face was a picture of pleasure-
pain—eyes closed, flushed damp skin, and mouth opened to emit
consistent, loud squeals of delight.
“Oh yeah, baby. So good! Just like that!” Pale Ass implored.
Right before Niccolo’s eyes, their loud, vocal gratifications and
ferocious vigor were followed with a gymnastic contortionism that toppled
them from the bed. They landed with a noisy thump. Undeterred, Pale Ass
continued pounding and grunting encouragements, while Celina screamed
in appreciation of his persistence.
Hell no! Not in my house! These fuckers have a death wish! Jolted,
Niccolo was galvanized into action.
Treading silently, he walked to his side of the bed, reached into a secret
compartment of the nightstand, and felt the comforting weight of his Glock
in his hand.
The couple frolicking on the carpeted floor failed to notice his
ominous presence lurking over them.
With steady fingers on the gun, Niccolo pressed the cold muzzle of his
weapon to the back of the intruder’s head.
 “Get the fuck out of my house,” Niccolo muttered icily.
If he’d been capable of the emotion, he might have found the resulting
horrified screeches and shrieks hilarious, even more than the interloper’s
terrified leap to his feet and his subsequent hopping around in naked,
disoriented panic.
“Nico, I can explain!” Celina cried.
Niccolo didn’t take his glare off the tall, slender blond male standing in
the middle of his bedroom. With teeth clenched and violence oozing
through every pore of his body, he fought hard to control the need to inflict
lethal retribution.
“Really? You’re cheating on me with this puny, small-dick, insipid
motherfucker?”
“Nico, please, listen to me!” Celina, having retreated to the rumbled
bed, clutched the sheet to her bare torso and started crying delicately.
He didn’t look at or acknowledge her.
“Get the fuck out of my house!” Simmering with menacing intent,
Nico discharged his weapon, inches away from the quivering, naked captive
to emphasize his point.
The man looked around in a frantic search for his clothes. Seeing his
prey’s objective, Nico trained the gun on Pale Ass, stopping him in his
tracks. He walked across the room, picked up the clothes, and held them
with his fingertips. He walked slowly to the open French doors that led to
the balcony, stonily gazed back at his prey, and deliberately tossed the
confiscated articles of clothing out onto the lawn.
“Please, Nico, listen to me. I love you! He means nothing to me. I love
only you, baby!” Celina, on her knees in the middle of the bed, pleaded
with him.
“Get out and take this skanky bitch with you,” Niccolo demanded
calmly, completely ignoring his wife’s impassioned pleas.
“No, Nico! You can’t do this to me! Don’t do this to us! I’m your wife,
you bastard! This is my home, too!”
He ignored his wife’s tirade and pressed the discreet button on his
watch. “Gio, get this piece of shit off my property!”
The bodyguard’s bulky figure filled the doorway.
“You son of a bitch! You can’t do this to me! You ignored me for
months! I have needs, too! Do your men know you can’t satisfy a woman?”
Celina screamed, momentarily abandoning her initial remorseful pleas.
Tears drenched her green eyes and leaked down her creamy, porcelain
cheeks. In complete disarray, her golden blond hair draped over her naked
—surgically enhanced—willowy five-feet-eleven body. Celina looked like
any man’s wet dream, as she and her doctors intended. But he had stopped
being affected by it years ago. She’d used that body too many times to try to
control him. The scheming bitch learned pretty early that he was never
going to be led around by his dick.
“How does it feel, Nico? You’re a nutter if you think you could ignore
me! I’m Celina, a fucking supermodel! You can’t just ignore me anymore,
can you? You bugger, ignore this! I hate you!”
He stared at her dispassionately. Not even by an eye blink did he let
any emotion show.
“Please, Nico, I’m sorry. You know how much I love you!”
He didn’t respond. Nothing Celina said could penetrate the shield he’d
put up, upon walking in on this fucked-up scene.
Her slutty ass isn’t worth my neck in a noose.
He glanced at Gio, silently telling him to proceed.
Moving with quiet authority, the muscular six-foot-six, three hundred
eighty pound bodyguard quickly and efficiently removed the protesting
couple from the room.
“I was never pregnant anyway!” was her screamed parting shot.
What the fuck?
Nico shook his head, determined to not let her send him over the edge.
That bitch is crazy if she thinks she can say shit like that and not ensure her
end. He’d only married her six years ago because she’d claimed to be
pregnant, with tests done to prove it.
He had no illusions about what he had just subjected his naked wife
and her lover to. The upscale flat was fully staffed, with two maids, a
housekeeper, a butler, his wife’s two-man security detail, and his security
detail, including Gio. The couple would be escorted down the stairs,
through the vast, elegant foyer and to the elevators leading to the video-
monitored underground garage, encountering various members of his staff
at every turn along the way.
I don’t give a fuck!
 Celina’s betrayal wasn’t as devastating to him as it should’ve been.
After all, he had been emotionally cheating on her. He’d had a longstanding
obsession with his friend and employee, Mari Quinn, for the past two years
at least. Celina had just taken her shit a bit too far, giving him the perfect
opportunity to indulge his forbidden lust.
After a helicopter ride to his penthouse, which was situated at the top
of his headquarters—the Darian Building in Canary Wharf—and numerous
glasses of vodka, Nico had systematically and thoroughly erased Celina
from his life. It had taken him but a few hours. The legal divorce would
come later, but his team of lawyers was engaged and had already secured
his various properties and bank accounts his wife had access to, so she had
no further access to him or his assets.
With that done, he inevitably thought of Mari.
He needed to see her, to talk to her.
She was like a breath of fresh air in his world, where deceit, greed and
selfish indulgence were rampant. They’d been friends for five years. Other
than his father, Mari was the only person he felt absolute confidence in
discussing personal and business issues with.
Well, the little, personal issues he’d ever discuss with anyone. He was
a very private man.
While her breathtaking beauty captivated him, her honesty, loyalty, and
ability to make him laugh kept him increasingly fascinated. She attacked
her job as an executive on his team with inexhaustible energy, dogged
integrity, and an infinite can-do attitude. He was intrigued by the
intelligence gleaming in her beautiful, dark brown eyes, and by the
unexpected wisdom from one so young. He could always depend on her to
be brutally candid, and bring him in line whenever he was being
particularly ruthless, dictatorial, or arrogant.
When had his feelings of respect and admiration for a close friend
morphed into sexual desire? He had no clue. It shocked him. Made him feel
more alive than he’d ever felt before. Despite the diversity in his own
family, she was the only woman of color he’d ever been attracted to. An
attraction he had no control over. It was suddenly there, playing out when
he was most vulnerable—in his unconscious state. About two years before,
he’d begun having steamy inappropriate dreams about her.
 The last time he’d had sex with Celina he’d been partially awake,
having one of the most graphic dreams about Mari he’d ever experienced.
By the time he realized what he was doing, the damage was already done.
He’d felt so guilty about it, he hadn’t touched Celina since. So yes, his wife
had reason to be pissed with him, but not to the extent she’d taken it.
Bringing that prick in his house, in his bed, in front of his employees,
was just fucked up!
Nico had no illusions about how Mari felt about him. How she had
always felt about him. When his world was falling apart around him, he
needed to be around someone who had always been unwaveringly devoted
to him. He knew she looked up to and admired him greatly, probably
thought herself in love with him. Those soulful brown eyes always gazed at
him with unreserved adoration.
And I am just in the mood to enjoy that shit!
They had become friends almost from the beginning of her
employment with his company. As colleagues, they sometimes bounced
ideas off each other, and now they were firm friends. Despite being married,
he’d always made time for their friendship. It had been a bond grounded in
mutual admiration and respect. He had never tested the boundaries of that
friendship, had never veered toward the sexual—it would have breached
both of their principles.
He had no doubt that Mari was fully committed to him. Anything he
wanted done, no matter the inconvenience to herself, she always delivered.
It was selfish of him, but he liked that this brilliant young woman obviously
idolized him. In a moment of frank honesty, he acknowledged that even if
he was free to explore a relationship with her, he probably shouldn’t. She
was still too innocent for someone as cynical and set in his ways as he was.
For a twenty-five-year-old, Mari was woefully naïve about the complexities
of life, the extremes her fellow man would go to in order to achieve an end.
Even knowing this, it didn’t hamper his obsession with her. Everything
about her called to him, deepened the fascination.
He had hated it a few years ago when she’d started dating one of the
managers in the trading room. His jealousy had been irrational but his
feelings for Mari had always been unreasonable. Nico knew he couldn’t
have her, but he also couldn’t stomach anyone else with her, either. Which
was crazy, of course. He had been married long before he’d even met her.
 That didn’t stop him from being happy when a few months later, it
appeared the romance had died a swift death. A year later, she still didn’t
seem to be dating anyone. Checking periodically, on the pretext of ensuring
she was content, he would ask her about her dating status. To be on the safe
side, he kept her with him as much as possible.
Selfish bastard!
This obsession with his employee was getting ridiculous. He was like a
teenage boy with his first crush.
At thirty-eight, I should be shot for even contemplating violating such
an innocent kid.
Impatient with his self-analysis, Nico looked at his watch and gritted
his teeth in resignation. He knew Mari would still be at the office, even at
this time of night. He sauntered to the elevator with a determined stride.
***
The words on the computer screen seemed to blend together. Mari sighed as
tiredness invaded every bone in her body. Her joints ached from sitting too
many hours hunched over her desk. She loved being a part of an elite five-
member executive team; it was invigorating. But at that moment, she felt
like she was eighty years old.
Late nights in the office were a normal occurrence, but tonight the
exhaustion was different. The hectic pace and rush of adrenaline from a
highly technical and complex job was usually revitalizing, but Mari’s focus
wasn’t on the mental exercise of her job.
All the other staff members had left the office hours ago. It was going
on eleven p.m. on a Thursday, and after twelve hours of trying, she was still
unable to break in to the secure firewall of the Cayman Islands bank.
Knowing she couldn’t sign off on the purchase until she identified all
offshore accounts of the CEO, Mari resigned herself to spend a few more
hours trying. With a nine a.m. deadline, she had very little choice.
The members of the team were currently at Darian Headquarters in
London, and had been for the past two weeks, which was in itself a rare
occurrence. They were all used to the hectic fast-paced travel schedule
required in their operation, and were anxiously awaiting the return of their
boss, Niccolo Darian, the Chairman and CEO of Darian Group. The Group
was a consortium of financial, media, and property companies.
 The team, created about three years before, was Nico’s brainchild. In
that time, the team had proven to be extremely successful, more than
doubling the company’s net worth. Their numerous acquisitions, while not
hostile, were certainly not always friendly, either. Once Nico decided he
wanted something, he ruthlessly pursued it. The diversity and expertise of
the team ensured his success by clearing all obstacles in his single-minded
path. They were a close-knit unit. The loyalty among them and to Nico was
absolute.
Each member of the team was among the elite in their chosen fields.
The members consisted of Jarrod Holland as the financial analyst and
Richard Carvine was the international corporate lawyer. Brad Larson was
their expert economist and marketing specialist, and Mari specialized in
everything IT, including cyber-security. In addition to ensuring that the
Group’s data walls were impenetrable, Mari was the technical analyst who
helped procure data about companies and individuals who’d taken great
pains to hide their secrets.
Their five office suites and office of the chairman occupied the floor
below Nico’s penthouse at the Darian Building. They were the only
executives, along with Nico and his personal assistant, on that floor.
Mari sighed.
Not having heard from him in days, she missed Nico. He was
scheduled to return from vacation next week and that seemed like a long
time away. It was the first vacation he’d taken since she’d started working
for the company, and she had to call in the big guns to force him to take it.
She’d called his mother.
Mari had never met her, but had spoken to her a few times over the
phone. The woman knew how to get her four children to obey her.
Nico loved his mother and would do anything for her.
Mari was used to working with him and at least having a meal with
him once a week. This was usually dinner after a long day of work. They
used their time away from the office not just to appease their appetites, but
to bounce ideas off each other. Although they worked closely with the other
team members, their friendship and trust was something special. She found
working with Nico challenging and always educational.
Why pretend?
 She was disgusted by her obsession with her boss. She knew this was
probably why she felt so tired—emotionally tired, depressed and out-of-
sorts. Why she couldn’t think clearly and concentrate on the project at hand.
And that had been happening more and more frequently.
He’d been her friend and confidant since she started with the company,
right out of university five years before. Each day her admiration and awe
of him grew. And there was plenty for her to admire. Many in the financial
world respected Nico’s reputation as a born leader, a titan in the business
world, and a brilliant strategist. Nico had made his first million by the time
he was twenty-one years old and took over the reins of the company from
his father at the age of twenty-eight. By then, he was already a well-
respected figure in the business arena and turned a small, locally-owned
family institution into an international conglomerate. In her eyes, there was
no man greater than him.
Mari rolled her shoulders and continued tapping away at her keyboard,
determined to complete the task at hand. Just as she achieved her goal,
capturing the relevant data, she was interrupted by a loud crash.
Mari raised her head in surprise. All of the offices, except for Nico’s,
had glass walls. The circular layout gave her an unobstructed view of all the
other offices. No one had crossed the floor from the elevators in more than
two hours. The only other entry point was Nico’s private elevator, inside his
office.
There shouldn’t be anyone on this floor at this hour of the night. The
cleaning crew had been in and left hours ago. However, somewhere on the
executive floor, the muffled explosive sound of glass shattering, followed
by an eruption of masculine expletives could be heard. Mari quickly got up
and raced into the hallway. A light was on in Nico’s office, visible from
beneath the door. She stood for a moment in front of the closed door,
undecided.
Should I call security?
Mari could hear some indistinguishable muttering and another crash.
She quietly opened the door without knocking. She gasped, surprised
to find Nico standing with his back to the door, facing the double-paneled
windows overlooking the wharf.
Nico didn’t turn around. Still as a statue, he only moved to lift the
vodka bottle to his lips.
 There was shattered glass scattered on the floor and on the countertop
of the bar in the corner of the office. It was evident a few beverage glasses
had been thrown against the wall. The office smelled like a distillery.
What’s going on?
Nico was supposed to be at his family’s estate in Kent in the English
countryside for much needed R&R. The estate had been a part of the Darian
holdings for centuries, and was where their initial wealth and enterprise had
begun—the Darian Castle Vineyard. Nico’s brother, two sisters, and their
spouses operated the winery. His parents currently lived in the modernized
castle, and his siblings lived with their spouses and children in manors on
the massive property. The estate stretched on hundreds of acres of land and
was equally divided among the siblings. Nico was the only member of the
family who lived in London.
“Out!” Nico said with quiet authority. His back remained to her, his
muscles tight underneath his expensive shirt.
Mari was about to comply, but stopped as he took another large swig
of vodka from the bottle in his hand. She was terrified of this Nico; that
alone gave her pause, as she had never been afraid of or intimidated by him.
“Why are you still here?” He muttered, clearly irritated.
“What’s going on? What happened?” Mari asked as she slowly moved
farther into his office. Her question fell like a stone in the silent room. He
didn’t turn or respond.
He was a big guy, at six feet four inches tall and over two hundred
pounds of pure muscle.
Nico was an extremely beautiful man, with an olive complexion
inherited from his Italian mother, as well as the rakish blue-black, slightly
curling hair, which reached his collar in the back. An unruly lock in the
front tended to fall across his right eye when agitated, or when he moved
suddenly. He had a straight, sharp nose. His silver blue eyes were fringed
with overlong lashes most women would envy, and his lips were deliciously
full and too sexy, Mari often thought. Of course, he’d inherited his frame
from his very English father, which he kept firm and chiseled with an
exercise regimen that was as brutal and consistent as the dawning of a new
day. He ran a few miles every day, and participated in martial arts training
several times a week with his two faithful bodyguards. Arrogant authority
was evident in his rugged, square jaw line and the commanding width of his
broad shoulders.
His thick hair was tousled and the dress shirt he had obviously worn all
day was wrinkled and hanging out of his dark grey slacks. Despite his
disheveled appearance, he exuded an aura of masculine elegance.
Mari had never seen him this unkempt and out of control. He was her
tough-as-nails boss, who let nothing ruffle his emotions. She had witnessed
him in many tense, volatile situations, and he’d never unraveled under any
applied pressure.
“Leave.” His voice seemed tired as he turned to face her.
His blue eyes were more hostile than she had ever seen them, the silver
dominant and pronounced. Mari was stunned by the cold, cynical stare
directed at her. She was sure the dark anger in those eyes couldn’t have
been intended for her. And he’d never spoken to her in that voice! His
appearance definitely indicated something had gone seriously wrong. There
was no question of her staying and helping him. He’d always been there for
her—kind, extremely patient, and encouraging. He was her friend.
“Nico, I can’t leave you like this. What’s going on? Please talk to me.”
He stared at her intently before taking another swig from the bottle.
“Why? Are you going to kiss me and make it better?” Nico asked
conversationally.
“Ah… no, but I can listen?”
“You need to leave now,” he said again, impatiently.
Mari didn’t move a muscle or utter a sound. She simply waited.
“I shouldn’t have come in here.” His voice was hoarse with emotion.
He turned again to gaze out of the window. “Why don’t you get the hell out
of here? I can only take so much of your come-fuck-me looks. Leave before
I take what you’ve been offering me for years.”
Mari gasped in abject horror, stunned by the quiet menace in his voice.

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 CHAPTER TWO

HIS USE OF raw, explicit language was deliberate. Nico wanted to shock
her into leaving. Her luscious rosebud lips were slightly parted as she gazed
at him with those beseeching brown eyes.
By morning, the disaster that was his marriage would be emblazoned
across the front page of every tabloid in London, not to mention
internationally. Celina’s supermodel status certainly guaranteed that her
infidelity would be front page news for the next few weeks. He didn’t give a
damn, other than how this would hurt his family—his parents and siblings
didn’t deserve this.
Such a fucking mess!
Too late, he’d realized his mistake in coming to the office. His
emotions were too savage to appreciate her soothing presence. He could so
easily hurt her. He wanted to hurt her, hurt someone. Dark rage ate at him.
He had no control.
The nerve of that bitch to bring that fucker to my house, my bed! I
should have put a bullet in his ass!
He turned again and looked at her, gorging on the vision she presented
and inhaling her tantalizing scent. He just wanted to bury himself into her
again and again to forget the distasteful images of earlier that day. He
groaned in frustration and ran his hands roughly through his hair in
agitation.
Nico continued gazing at her and took another gulp of the vodka.
Mari’s mixed race was evident in her creamy brown complexion, just a few
shades darker than his own olive skin tone. He was enthralled with its
healthy, youthful hue. Her long, ink-black hair, which she kept in a tight
bun in the office, would fall to her lower back once uncoiled. He had seen
her once, on one of their business trips, with it loose and majestic at the
resort’s pool area. It was a sight that neither he, nor, he suspected, the other
guys, would ever forget. Clad in a tiny, white bikini, with those glossy
tresses caressing her back… he’d almost swallowed his tongue at her
amazingly tantalizing body.
She stood before him now in her armor, her usual uniform of an all-
black pencil skirt suit that molded her curvy hips, with a short classic-cut
black jacket and a crisp white silk blouse discreetly unbuttoned at the top. A
single, long strand of white pearls graced her neck with matching pearl
earrings and a simple white gold watch completing her jewelry.
He knew she wasn’t trying to be provocative, but the strict severity of
the outfit was incredibly sexy on her. At five feet nine, the suit couldn’t hide
the generous fullness of her breasts, her round apple-shaped bottom, and her
long toned legs.

Mari hesitated. Nico was only trying to shock her. Never at any time had he
expressed a romantic interest in her. Men like Nico always had glamorous,
beautiful women at their disposal. No need to go slumming. And with a
wife as stunning as Celina, there was no need for him to even look in her
direction. Mari didn’t kid herself into thinking she could compete with a
supermodel like Celina. And she was absolutely positive he’d never dated a
woman of color. She was definitely not his type.
He’d treated her like a little sister. A friend or confidante, never
anything more. She would’ve noticed if he had. After all, she’d wait
endlessly for any sign, any encouragement, a glimmer of hope; none ever
came.
“Nico, talk to me, please. What happened? I’ve never…” Her voice
trailed off as Nico moved swiftly, stalking toward her, and pinned her with
an even colder glare, as if he was looking straight through her.
Mari retreated with her hands up to ward him off.
Nico stilled a few inches in front of her, not moving a muscle,
watching her in menacing silence. Mari tried to reach him again.
“Nico, you know I care a lot about you. But you’re scaring the crap out
of me right now. What’s going on? Is it your father?” She made her voice
gentle, as if she were trying to soothe a wild beast.
 No response. He looked so cold. His eyes were pure ice. He started to
advance slowly, stalking.
“Dude, you really need to back the hell up,” Mari muttered. His
predatory actions were beginning to terrify her. “Is it Celina?” she
continued, stumbling over her words. “Is she all right?”
“That skanky bitch is fine. But you, on the other hand…” He moved so
swiftly. He held her by her wrists and bodily backed her against the closed
door her.
She shrieked in surprise.
“What are you doing?” His gaze was unwavering, no softness visible
in those cold blue orbs. “Nico, you don’t want to do this,” she warned,
astonished as he crushed her to his big, hard body. This was her no-
nonsense boss, and friend. He not only had a reputation of never
fraternizing with the staff, he actively discouraged office romances.
He swooped down and seized her stunned lips in an angry kiss.
Mari was shocked into immobility. The bitter taste of vodka on his lips
was initially overwhelming. He held her in an unyielding grip; the kiss was
rough and forceful, just taking, punishing and devouring her lips.
Mari lightly touched his face, softly caressed his hot skin, and gently,
hesitantly kissed him back, trying to calm him. She waited patiently for him
to emerge from that cold, angry place he seemed to be in. This was what
she’d always wanted, always hoped for, but not quite like this.
He slowly responded to her soothing touch. He pulled his lips from
hers, not moving away. With his forehead against hers, he stared quietly
into her eyes.
“Forgive me.” His whispered entreaty came as he softly nipped at her
bottom lip.
She whimpered in response.
He then covered her mouth with his forceful, ravenous kiss. The kiss
eased, becoming more sensual and heated. He probed her mouth with his
tongue and groaned appreciatively as she returned his caress. The thick
timbre of his growl sent shivers of blossoming need deep in her stomach
and pelvis. It was pure heaven to her senses as she tasted him, not the
alcohol. She trembled violently, clutching him tighter to her, trying
desperately to get closer to his solid form. Bombarded with too many
emotions, tears leaked from her eyes as passion raged throughout her frame.
 Mari felt lost in him. All rational thought deserted her as she reveled in
his touch and the rock-hard feel of him against her agonizingly sensitized
body. She held him tighter, returning his kiss, and humming in delight at the
piercing assault on her senses. Nico’s hands feverishly roamed up and down
her body, settling on her hips, pulling her tight against him.
“You wear too many damn clothes,” he swore impatiently. With
amazing dexterity in the face of such urgency, he swiftly unbuttoned her
silk blouse, never once releasing her lips. The kiss deepened as his fingers
crushed her bra-clad breast.
She moaned deep in her throat, writhing against him, frantic for his
touch on her sensitive skin.
Nico unclasped her lacy bra. Mari was almost mindless with
anticipation. He stepped away slightly to glimpse what he’d uncovered. Her
dark brown tinted tips tightened even further, and her skin dampened and
became flushed with excitement under his scrutiny.
Upon the first brush of his fingertip over one engrossed nipple, Mari
trembled and couldn’t suppress her moans of encouragement. He gazed at
her breasts with total fascination, cupping and squeezing them, lightly
glazing the peaks repeatedly and then deliberately plucking at them.
“These are fucking perfect!” he rasped and finally took an engorged
bud deep into his mouth, sucking strongly. “So sweet, sweet like ripe
berries.”
Mari had never known sexual need like this could exist. His erotic
exploration made her whimper loudly as the shimmering embers of desire
ignited deep within her.
This couldn’t possibly be happening to her, with him! If she was
dreaming, Mari hoped never to wake.
She began anxiously unbuttoning his shirt, desperate to touch his hot
skin. Soon her questing hands made contact with the smooth, hard contours
of his chest and stomach. He shuddered beneath her touch. She blindly
sought his mouth, loving his taste and the feel of him under her fingertips,
thoroughly enjoying his masculine hand roving up her thighs and across her
belly, and overwhelmed by the effect of their kisses. She was consumed by
an inexplicable craving for his possession, desperate with lust to be claimed
by him.
 Being in love with her boss and friend was so cliché, but she couldn’t
seem to get over it. No one could possibly measure up to him, and after this
encounter she knew she’d be even more enamored, completely under his
spell. His touch, taste, and breathtaking beauty had ignited her passion
beyond anything she’d ever experienced.
But he was also married!
What the hell am I doing?
Mari forcefully pulled away from him. Her body immediately rebelled
against the sudden separation.
“What the fuck?” His eyes were clouded with desire as he reached for
her again, but she quickly stepped out of his range.
“I can’t! I’m sorry!” Her voice was halting and husky with suppressed
emotion.
I have to get out of here!
She spun around and opened the door, but then inexplicably stilled in
the doorway. Sensing Nico’s distress, she turned and looked back at him.
He hadn’t moved. His shirt, unbuttoned, hung out of his pants, his belt
buckle undone. His gaze was unfocused and his skin flushed. He looked
shattered.
Damn! She couldn’t leave him like this. He was her best friend and he
needed her.
“Nico, what’s going on? Please help me understand why you’re acting
like this.”
The sound of their harsh breathing was loud in the otherwise silent,
emotionally charged room.
She couldn’t believe how calm and in control her voice seemed, when
inside she was a mess. The fact that she could string a few sentences
together was a miracle. Her clothes were still in disarray, so she started to
fasten her unclasped bra. Impatiently clamping down on any self-analysis,
she refocused her attention to the matter at hand. She would think about
how she felt later. Nico needed her more.
He needed her now.

Nico groaned with frustration. She would run out of there screaming if she
had an inkling of his dark destructive emotions.
 To bemoan and complain about failure wasn’t in his nature. He never
talked about his feelings or his personal life, not with anyone. Being the
oldest, his family always looked to him for guidance, expected his counsel
and leadership. He’d been head of the family since his father had retired ten
years ago, and his parents deferred all decision-making to him.
“I don’t want to talk. I just showed you what I want. Are you going to
fuck me or not?”
Glaring at him in agitation, she answered him flippantly. “Since you
asked so nicely, I don’t think so.”
He moodily turned and picked up the bottle of vodka from his desk
where he’d left it. Tipping his head back, he gulped a healthy dose while
walking slowly to his chair behind the desk. Nico welcomed the bitter burn
of the beverage down his throat even as he acknowledged his inexcusable
behavior with Mari. He should have his ass kicked for what he’d just done
to his young friend and employee.
Feeling more despondent and older than he had ever felt in his life, he
contemplated how much he should tell her. He slumped inelegantly in the
chair. I’m going to hell anyway!
“Sit.”
Mari cautiously retraced her steps and gingerly took a seat in front of
his desk.
“You want to know what happened. The rest of the world will know by
tomorrow morning anyway.” Nico laughed in self-disgust.
She looked back at him with open acceptance and concern. If he’d
seen even an inkling of pity, he would not have been able to voice his inner
demons. But as he’d anticipated, she offered a supportive, listening ear.
“My housekeeper, who has been in the family since before I was born,
called me today asking me to return to my London flat. I was out on the
golf course with my dad and his cronies in Kent, so being in London today
wasn’t on the agenda. She said my wife had an accident, but she refused to
say what had happened.”
“No! Is Celina all right?” Mari asked.
Nico gave a humorless laugh. “Celina is fine. In fact, when I got there
she was in our bed bonking one of her male colleagues. My housekeeper
thought it was time I finally discovered what I had married. Apparently, this
had been going on for quite some time, and she’d been changing lovers with
each new modeling assignment.” He took another swig of the clear liquid.
“When confronted, her security detail confirmed the many
questionable relationships and suspected hook-ups with her colleagues.
However, they drew the line when she brought one of her lovers to my
home,” Nico muttered bitterly.
“I fucking hate women! I hate their deceptiveness, their single-minded
predatory and mercenary pursuit of wealthy men. They don’t care if we’re
fat, short, stupid, or ugly. They just want a fucking wealthy bastard to
bankroll their useless quest to acquire designer shit! That’s it for me. Never
again will I fall for their crap! They’re all the same, bitches and cheats!
Mari looked stunned.
“Nico, you can’t mean that. There are a number of decent women who
will love you for the brilliant, amazing man you are.”
She stood and walked slowly toward him.
“I don’t understand why Celina would do something so malicious. But
any woman will find you sexy as hell and could make even the more
prudent of us drop our panties with just a glimpse of those beautiful baby
blue eyes. How could she want someone else? It makes no sense.” Earnest
sincerity and compassion filled her eyes.
Nico wondered if she realized what she’d just revealed in her outrage
for him. The cold organ that resided in his chest was momentarily jolted by
her obvious adoration.
“I’m sorry she hurt you like that.” She reached toward him as if to
soothe him, but at his rigid, icy demeanor, pulled back. Her hands fell to her
sides.
He laughed mirthlessly. “Hurt? Celina can’t hurt me. I’m only pissed
that I’ve allowed this amoral, greedy bitch near my family.”
“I don’t understand why your staff didn’t tell you sooner.”
Nico shrugged his shoulder. He didn’t care and didn’t want anyone’s
pity. But he wouldn’t lie to himself: this was exactly why he’d come to her.
He knew she would respond this way, with understanding, loving him and
being there for him. He wanted the solace that her unconditional devotion
would provide.
She was such a delicious temptation, offering herself unconsciously,
her eyes glowing with warm entreaty. Damn if he’d deny himself any
longer.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap.
“You need to stop grabbing me like I’m some damn rag doll,” she
murmured peevishly.
“But I thought you wanted to help.”
“I do, but not quite like this.”
“If you want to help me, this will help me to forget,” he drawled
silkily. He cuddled her closer to him, burying his face in the fragrant skin of
her neck.
She sighed in resignation.
Mari didn’t protest his handling. She sat quietly and allowed him to
vent, at his pace.
“I can’t get the images from my head. How could I not have seen
this?” Nico asked in disgust after a few silent moments. He continued
almost in a bored tone, “I wanted to smash something, smash her. But she
wasn’t worth the effort.” He stood suddenly, pushing her off his lap to begin
pacing, angry energy radiating and dictating his every action.
“Do you know I married her because she was pregnant? At thirty-two
years old, a multibillion-dollar chairman and CEO of one of the largest
companies on the planet, responsible for thousands of employees, and I got
caught with the oldest trick in the book!” His bark of laughter was entirely
self-recriminating.
“I thought, what the hell? I wasn’t likely to marry anyone else anytime
soon, and no Darian was ever born out of wedlock? Well, the joke was on
me, because it turned out she’d never been pregnant! Can you believe that
shit? She very smugly confessed her coup today.” Nico bitterly laughed
again, took another gulp of vodka, and kept pacing.
Mari remained silent, gazing at him with concerned, dark eyes.
“A month after our wedding, I was told she’d miscarried. These things
happened, the doctor assured me, and there was no reason we couldn’t try
for another child. For the past six years, we were supposedly trying to get
pregnant.” Nico smiled grimly as the alcohol began to take the desired
effect, giving him both a nice buzz and a sense of recklessness.
“I don’t understand. Why the affairs? She’d gotten what she wanted.
Why the deliberate attempt to discredit and hurt you?” Mari frowned in
anger, seemingly outraged on his behalf. “But seriously, Nico, who the hell
gets married because of a pregnancy in this century? Your whole reasoning
was flawed to begin with.”
“She did it because in the past two years, I’ve barely touched her, and
couldn’t bring myself to have sex with her for almost six months now. I got
her ass back, though.” His laugh was hollow as he told her of Celina’s walk
of shame.
“That wasn’t very well done of you, Nico. She is your wife.”
“You’re going to defend that bitch to me?”
“Not defending, but regardless of what she did, what you did wasn’t
any better. It was petty and beneath you. And why are you drinking like
this, anyway?” She made a tsking, disapproving sound with her teeth,
shaking her head in disappointment.
“Always my voice of conscience, aren’t you, baby?”
“Look, Nico, cut the crap. I’m not your baby.”
Her sharp reprimand inexplicably excited him.
“You need to get some sleep. Everything will look better in the
morning. It’s time I got home as well.”
Leave? Not happening! Nico stopped pacing to regard her with
intoxicated, unfocused, smoldering intensity.
Dio, she’s so fucking beautiful!
The fact that she worked for him, and the healthy respect he had for
her brilliant mind, had thus far saved her from his advances. The company
had needed her far more than he needed to get her out of his system. But
tonight, those lush curves were too much temptation. Lust rode him hard,
and he just wanted to lose himself in her.
Fuck the consequences.
With vodka and careless disregard bolstering his judgment, he slowly
stalked across the room toward her. His large hands clasped her tiny waist,
lifted her from the chair and placed her on his large, mahogany desk.
Mari squeaked in surprise. “What the hell? Wait! Nico, you don’t want
to do this!”
Ignoring her weak protest, he stepped between her legs, pushing her
skirt up her thighs to make room for him.
“Yeah, I think I do,” he said with ruthless confidence. He greedily
palmed the lush cheeks of her bottom, and pulled her close to his covered,
distended flesh. He groaned in grateful bliss as he savored the feel of her
against him, and held her immobile. The need to possess her surged through
him as he tightened his arms around her.
“Nico, we’re not doing this again,” she whispered with her face buried
in the cavity of his neck. She gripped his biceps with trembling hands. In
fact, her entire body was quivering in agitation.
Her warm breath and husky voice against his skin made his muscles
clench in heightened awareness.
“I need you. Please don’t deny me this.” His voice grew hoarse with
need.
“Nico…”
“Just say yes, baby. I know you want this just as much as I do.”
He growled deep in his throat and softly nipped at her lips, relishing
their softness. “Do you want this? Do you want me?” He sealed his mouth
over hers with mind-numbing intensity. Murmuring his appreciation and all
the wicked things he wanted to do to her, he explored her sensitive skin.

Mari couldn’t deny him; she wouldn’t deny him. She knew this was wrong
for her, a bad career move, and a bad emotional move. She could so easily
get hurt. But she’d wanted this for so long, wanted him for so long.
Tonight might be her only chance ever to have him. If it meant
accepting him on the rebound or whatever it was he was feeling, so be it.
She would take him any way she could get him.
I’m such a friggin’ slut for him!
Ignoring the last remnants of her conscience reminding her that this
was a married man, she kissed him back with equal fervor, eagerly savoring
his spicy flavor. She wound her arms around his neck, melting further into
his warmth. “Yes, Nico, please.”
“Please what?”
“I want… I want you so much.”
“Then you shall have me.” He slid his lips over hers in a thorough
sensual exploration.
With swift, efficient flicks of his fingers, Nico impatiently divested her
of her jacket, shirt, and bra. When she was naked from the waist up, his
eyes became almost silver with smoldering desire.
 “Fuck! I knew you would be this beautiful!” His coarse hands tenderly,
reverently skimmed over her body. “I’ve been dying to gorge myself in this
lush body, these amazing curves.” He held her left breast in his big,
masculine palm. It overflowed in his grasp as he repeatedly brushed the
beaded tip. Her right breast did not escape his attention as he latched on to
her throbbing nipple with eager teeth and tongue.
Mari clung to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on
for dear life as he greedily feasted on one tight tip, then the other. Her
thoughts scattered as each tag on her breast elicited sharp, throbbing need
directly to her clit. She clasped his hair and held him to receive her kiss.
Mari could no longer deny her feelings for him. She wanted him to
understand what this meant to her.
“I love you so much, Nico.”
He didn’t respond to her declaration, only deepened their kiss and
utterly smashed any further thought with his sensual expertise. She couldn’t
get enough of his taste or the feel of his hardness against her naked chest.
His hands were beneath her skirt and inside her underwear, caressing
and gently stroking her naked bottom. Her drenched silk panty was quickly
dispensed of, and her tight skirt was unceremoniously raised to gather at her
waist. He trailed his lips over her quivering body, her cheek, neck, breasts,
concave belly, and finally her inner thighs. Appearing momentarily
paralyzed, he stared at her shaved, moist mound with silent, focused
intensity, his eyes turning molten dark with desire.
“Absolutely fucking beautiful!” he whispered in awe.
Mari’s entire body blushed. She was in no way comfortable being on
such blatant display.
“This body has driven me crazy for years. You’ve no idea how many
times I’ve wanted to take you right here on this desk!”
Spreading her for easy access, he bent and licked her glistening, hard
clit with his tongue, feasting like a man starved. Humming in obvious
enjoyment, he pulled the glistening pearl between his lips and sucked
gently, then more strongly.
“Oh my God!” Mari moaned loudly, finding the skillful proficiency of
his tongue and teeth on her engorged clit sharply erotic.
“So sweet, baby! I could eat you all day.”
 It was too much. Desire, unrelenting need, engulfed and destroyed her
ability to think of anything other than what he was doing to her. Mari
moaned and writhed helplessly, trying to find release from the torment he
was inflicting on her senses. On the sudden introduction of a masculine
finger to her drenched center, she exploded in a mindless orgasm, crying out
his name. Her juices flooded his face and hand.

Her long hair escaped its confines and fell around them in a soft, intimate
curtain. He loved the feel of the silky strands grazing his face and his back
as he held her tighter, once again feasting on her lips, letting her taste her
own essence. He made a guttural sound as the taut tips of her breasts were
crushed against his chest, fueling his desire yet further.
“Are you okay?” With his forehead pressed against hers, he lost
himself in her dark, molten eyes. His emotions for her rode him hard. The
need to possess her bordered on desperation. He trailed his fingers along her
spine and gently grasped her ass cheeks, massaging and loving their
firmness and smoothness.
“Do you still want this? Say you want me.” He held her gaze, wanting
to see her acquiesce to his demand, for her to submit to him.
“You know I want you. I’ve always wanted you, Nico.” Mari left no
doubt on her surrender to his possession. She frantically explored him,
caressing the rigid muscles of his back with the pads of her fingertips. She
clumsily unbuckled his belt, unzipped his tailored trousers, and released his
pulsing member from his briefs into her eager, soft hands. Her fingers were
unable to close around the thick, veined, engorged length, but she gripped
him gently, alternately applying pressure and releasing him enthusiastically.
Despite her obvious lack of experience, he was still undone by her
touch.
“Ah, baby, that’s too bloody good!” Nico gently removed her fingers
from his cock, afraid that he would embarrass himself by ejaculating
prematurely. Being encased in her small hands was only exacerbating his
lack of control. He’d waited too long to appease his lust of her.
He gazed at her naked, sexy body draped on his desk in an
unconsciously provocative pose. It was too much!
 Emitting a throaty growl, he kissed her with forceful, dominating
urgency. Nico was shocked at his body’s response to her—her beautiful
form, her touch, her taste. His knees felt like they would buckle at any
moment, gripped by such startling pleasure he could do nothing to control
the trembling of his limbs. He crushed her against him, wanting to absorb
her into his skin. Holding her lush bottom in his palms, he ground his
arousal against her dewy softness.
She rolled her hips erotically against his stiff length. He deliberately
ground his shaft against her sensitized clit.
He closed his eyes in bliss at the exquisite feel of her wet heat against
him.
Unable to wait another moment to claim her as his, he gently rubbed
the mushroomed head of his shaft from her clit down to the mouth of her
center, over and over. He drenched himself in her heat, ensuring her
readiness. She trembled beneath him, her juices flowing at his gentle
probing.
He suddenly thrust deep within her.
She cried out in stunned pain.
Nico stiffened with shock.
“Are you okay?” He made to pull out of her; she quickly crossed her
ankles at his back and her arms circled his neck. Despite the pain she had to
be feeling, her muscles continued to hold him tight within her core.
“Yes. Nico, please don’t stop.” She couldn’t hide the pain in her voice.
“Dio! You should’ve warned me,” he muttered, still trying to
disengage from her embrace and trying not to hurt her further. He knew he
was a large man. If he wasn’t careful, he could hurt even an experienced
woman, much less a virgin! Nico swore, mentally calling himself every foul
name he could think of.
I’m such a fucking blinker!
If he had thought about it, he should have guessed her innocence.
Again, she surprised him with her generosity. She whispered
encouragingly, nipping at his lower lip, sensually stroking her tongue
against his and finally kissing him for all she was worth. She was trying to
comfort him!
Nico was incredulous that she could continue to be so giving after he’d
selfishly hurt her. He was humbled by her pure, magnanimous heart.
 Mari kneaded his back, grasping his ass in blatant invitation to
continue, her fingertips biting into the smooth muscle.
She tried reasoning. “You need me and I love you. I had to lose it
sometime. Besides, I wanted my first time to be with you,” she murmured,
taking deep breaths, as if trying to lessen the pain. “But did you have to be
so big? You’re like a huge, square plank forcibly wedged into a small
circle.”
Her attempt at humor did nothing to appease his disgust at himself.
“Dio mio! You deserve better than this.” He furiously indicated their
setting and her reclined position on his desk.
“No, there’s no one better. Please just kiss me,” Mari whispered softly,
instinctively and seductively writhing against him. She rotated her hips
against him in slow, gentle grinds in an obvious attempt to alleviate her
growing need.
He couldn’t resist her provocative invitation. He gently withdrew and
slowly thrust into her again, gradually feeding her his broad length an inch
at a time, working himself in her until he was buried to the base. Her sheath
fit snugly around him, squeezing him like a tight fist. He started with
tender, deliberate strokes, guiding his shaft in and out of her channel. He
cuddled her closer to his massive body, aligning as much of himself against
her softness as he could. Her soft skin and scent was addictive. His cock
thickened and lengthened even further at the blissful feel of her wet sheath
gripping him. Making love had never felt this good, this sharp heightening
of his senses, and this mind-blowing obliteration of his control. Every
instinct in his body kept screaming that she was his—made for him, built
for him. There was no other explanation for why she fit him to perfection,
why she felt so right in his arms. Nothing had ever felt this poignant, this
genuine.
He looked down at his hard length, coated with her juices,
disappearing in her enthralling core. The contrast of his skin against her
much darker one was so erotic, he was without words. For the first time
since his teens, he found himself in danger of erupting before his partner.
He gritted his teeth in determination to withstand the acute tingling at the
base of his spine.
He was elated at the feel of her body trembling beneath him, her
vaginal walls contracting and tightening around him. Lifting her legs higher
around his waist, she whimpered and keened mindlessly as he stroked even
more deeply in her.
She kissed him anywhere she could reach: his lips, his chin, his neck,
his nipples. Her complete surrender to him was an aphrodisiac. He couldn’t
get enough of her. It was the most pleasurably erotic experience of his life.
He took her tight nipple in his mouth, mindlessly sucking from one
breast to the other. As his thrusts became more powerful, more out of
control, their passion raged unrestrained.
“I can’t, Nico. Please help me.” Mari seemed terrified of what was
happening to her. Nico could see her pulse beating frantically. She was
violently quivering and digging her nails into his back.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, just let go,” Nico whispered encouragingly,
completely fascinated with her beautiful brown skin as it glowed, flushed
with passion. He wanted to mark her, stamp all over her body “the property
of Niccolo Darian!” He sank his face into the curve of her neck, grasped her
with his teeth, and gently marked her skin.
He rocked into her with tender precision. Her soft, wet tissues engulfed
him, gripping his pulsing length with a devastating effect on his senses.
Tremors gripped his limbs and his spine tingled with desire.
“So damn good!” He praised her hoarsely. His lips claimed hers, and
his tongue drove deep, drinking in her sweetness. His engorged shaft found
her cluster of nerves, ruthlessly hitting just there, over and over again. The
two of them shattered simultaneously in orgasmic euphoria. His roar echoed
throughout the huge office and he collapsed on top of her.
Mari moaned, helpless. Tears ran down her cheeks and dampened her
hair as she convulsed around him.
Nico kissed her deeply as her muscles continued to contract and
squeeze his length. He was again humbled by her complete trust, and was
immensely pleased by her sensual response to him, even as he found
himself embarrassingly weak from his release. He couldn’t seem to prevent
himself from crushing her beneath him.
She didn’t seem to mind. She held him tightly against her damp skin as
the tremors ebbed inside of her.
They remained motionless for a few minutes before Nico gently
disengaged their joined bodies and stepped back from her.
 “Did I hurt you?” he inquired while helping her up and assisting her to
find the clothes they’d carelessly discarded. “I should have been gentler
with you.”
“I’m fine.” Mari wouldn’t meet his eyes.
Her response didn’t surprise him. He knew she would be a little shy
after this dramatic change in their relationship.
“Fuck. I forgot protection.”
“I’m at a safe time of the month, I think,” she said, still not looking at
him.
“I can assure you that I’m clean. I just got tested in my physical a
month ago, and I haven’t slept with that bitch in almost six months.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said softly, apparently determined to dismiss his
concerns.
She tried to tidy her appearance and kept glancing at him from
underneath her long lashes. He stepped into the en-suite bathroom of his
office to retrieve a cloth to take care of her. He was primitively pleased that
she was his alone. After originally setting out to fuck her only to forget the
ugliness of the day, he was ill-prepared for the emotional impact of truly
making love with her. He could still feel her silky walls clutching around
his semi-hard cock. His body was already clamoring to be lost in her heat
again.
Nico returned from the bathroom with a warm, damp cloth, hoping to
convince her to come up to the penthouse for the rest of the night.
She was gone.
Nico swore.
Still unsteady on his feet from the amount of alcohol in his system, he
tidied his clothes as best he could and went to search for her.
He went to her office first. Finding it empty, he returned to his office
and called security in the garage. They confirmed that she had left the
building. Just then, his mobile rang. He fished it out of his trouser pocket
and impatiently stabbed the connect button.
“Where are you, darling? You didn’t give me a chance to tell you our
good news.” On hearing Celina’s voice, he stiffened in rage. For the
thousandth time that day, he asked himself how he could have been so
blind.
 “What the fuck do you want? I don’t have time for your shit!” he said
coldly. Nico was determined this would be the last time Celina would
disrupt his life. No longer would she have direct access to him.
“Too bad, you bastard, I’m pregnant. Can you guess who the proud
papa is?” She laughed wickedly and hung up.
Nico destroyed the few pieces of glassware that remained on the bar.
That bitch was pure poison.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

MARI MADE IT home and ran into her flat as if Satan himself was chasing
her. She locked the door and leaned her back against it with a sigh of relief.
As she slid inelegantly to the floor, her eyes filled with tears and her limbs
trembled with aftershocks.
What was she going to do? Mari never ran away from a challenge, but
she had to admit that this was an extraordinary circumstance. Running
never solved anything, but she’d had to get away, she had to think. Being
around Nico was not conducive to effective or intelligent personal decision-
making, especially when her well-being was at stake. She could still feel his
gentle exploration of her flesh, could feel his thick length in her still-pulsing
core.
She gingerly got up on unsteady legs and ambled along to her
bedroom. It seemed like every muscle in her body ached. Making her
shower as hot as she could take it, Mari soaped and scrubbed her skin,
hoping to diminish her awakened desire for Nico.
An hour later she reentered her bedroom to a ringing telephone. She
hesitated for a moment, already anticipating who it was, but reminded
herself that she wasn’t a coward.
“H-hello?”
“Why did you leave like that? You left before we had a chance to talk.”
Nico began without even returning her greeting.
“There was nothing left to say,” Mari said in a small voice, the energy
draining from her. She sat wearily on the edge of her bed.
“Look, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have touched you, given my
situation.” He gritted the words out, regret evident in his voice. “There’s no
excuse for my selfishness. But I could have sworn I wasn’t alone in wanting
to make love tonight.”
As he sighed again, Mari pictured him raking his fingers in agitation
through his hair, as she’d seen him do so many times in the past. She should
feel some sympathy for him, but right then she was too utterly exhausted
and devastated by her own actions.
“Nico, I don’t regret for a second what happened tonight. It was the
single most beautiful experience of my life. I love you and will always love
you. But I can’t ignore the fact that you’re married, and my boss.” Tears
slowly rolled down her cheeks as her heart broke into tiny pieces. “No, I
can’t ignore those facts and still respect myself.”
He didn’t respond immediately to her impassioned statement. She tried
desperately to control her anguish at his telling silence. She knew he didn’t
love her, but the proof of it completely obliterated her. Her tears poured
unreservedly down her face.
“I would be lying if I said I didn’t want your love, but I’d be a bastard
if I allowed you to think that I could ever love you in return. I like you,
respect you. I’m in complete lust with you. But I don’t love you.”
Mari gripped the phone in anguish.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
He sighed on the other end of the line. Completely unable to utter a
sound without falling apart, she didn’t reply.
“I know you’re not the kind of woman to handle a no-strings-attached
affair. I don’t want to give up the pleasure you give me, but you need to
come into this knowing the score. I’m not sure I’ll ever marry again, and
you need to accept that. ” He grew quiet, the silence heavy with tense
emotion. “Fuck! I’m sorry for being such a sodding bastard! But you’re
mine now, and I will come for you when I’ve gotten Celina out of my life.
Somehow, we’ll make this shit work.”
More tears streamed down her face. Just listening to his voice was
destroying her.
“If you meant what you said about loving me, will you wait for me?
Christ! Forget I asked that. You’d better wait for me!”
She could only whimper softly in distress. No words could pass her
blocked vocal cords.
 “I’m sorry, kid. I don’t deserve you, and bloody well know it.” Nico
continued, seemingly obvious to the destruction he was inflicting. “I don’t
wish to make this more difficult than it has to be. I respect your position and
will honor your decision for now.”
He waited for her response. When none was forthcoming, he sighed in
resignation. “Take care, cara mia. Thank you for being there for me, and
giving me such a beautiful gift. I will always cherish that.” The phone went
dead as Nico terminated the call.
Her cell fell from her lifeless fingers to the thick carpet. She had loved
Nico for so long. She felt hopeless, devastated, defeated. Succumbing to the
oppressive weight of her emotions, she sank heavily into softness of her
bed, her body curled into a fetal position as sobs wracked her frame.
Yearning for a love destined to be unrequited, she mourned the loss of their
short, bittersweet relationship.
Mari knew she had done the right thing. An affair between them could
go nowhere.

Five years earlier

“I wouldn’t purchase at that price if I were you,” Mari advised, brazenly
looking over the stranger’s shoulder.
“What? Are you bloody reading my confidential correspondence and
stupid enough to admit your guilt?” Nico asked coldly, while turning and
pinning her with a steely, silver stare.
Mari stared back at him, thoroughly captivated by his British accent.
Bloody! She was hard pressed to keep a straight face. She hadn’t heard
a British accent in so long.
Mari was sitting across the aisle from him in the first-class cabin. She
grinned, completely unfazed by his anger. He gave her a disgruntled look
and returned to reading the documents in his hand.
Mari wasn’t put out. This guy was seriously hot! The slick, midnight
black hair, angular masculine features, piercing silver eyes… She would
guess his height to be well over six feet, and from the unbuttoned stark
white dress-shirt, the tie carelessly undone, Mari guessed he was also the
silent, brooding, rich type.
 He shook his head disbelievingly, as if he was finding it difficult to
dislodge the image of the girl who couldn’t possibly be more than
seventeen, eighteen years old. Mari grinned again and could only guess
what impression her appearance was having on him.
She was dressed in snug-fitting blue jeans and a white school jersey
with Duke University printed across her chest, which was cut-off at the
midriff to reveal a smooth, flat abdomen. She had long, black hair that often
fell untidily in her face. She was gifted with creamy, honeyed skin and was
above average height for a woman. Mari had been stared at more times than
she liked by members of the opposite sex. It was the reason she had taken
self-defense classes in her early teens.
“Nothing else to do,” she voiced cheekily. “Sir, seriously, that
prospectus has more holes in it than a colander.”
Nico’s lips twisted in distaste at her unsolicited advice. “Excuse me?
Not only have I not asked for your opinion, you’re availing yourself of a
very confidential and private document. If you don’t cease and desist, I’ll
ensure you’re prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” He grumbled to
himself. “This is the absolute last time that I travel on a commercial
airline.”
“It’s your money,” Mari shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and
returned to the laptop in front of her, cursing him under her breath all the
while. Pompous, arrogant, stiff-shirt! What do I care if he wants to waste
his money? He probably deserves it anyway, the jerk! He may be the most
beautiful male on the planet, with the sexiest, huskiest, most cultured voice
I’ve ever heard in my life, but that doesn’t give him a license to be an utter
ass.
“I can hear you,” Nico said irritably. Then he sighed. “I must be losing
my mind.” He looked at her expectantly, obviously not wanting to ask, but
he was just too intrigued. “Okay, I’ll bite. What are you talking about?”
“Well.” Mari got up, immediately forgetting her annoyance with him,
and came over to sit on the arm of his seat. He was even more beautiful
close up. She marveled at her cool demeanor, in crazy contrast to the
relentless butterflies in her stomach. The masculine heat emanating from his
body sent her pulse racing.
Lord have mercy on me!
 She ignored her lustful thoughts and took the pen from his grasp,
surprising him. She began circling the discrepancies, making concise
notations beside each one she’d noted from her seat. Then, just as abruptly
as she’d approached him, she rose again and returned to her seat, as if
nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
Nico simply looked back at her in stunned silence. His gaze darkened
with what Mari thought may have been admiration, but he so quickly
shielded his eyes, she could not quite be sure. He looked back at the report
and read her highlighted sections and notes.
When she thought his focus was elsewhere, Mari gazed at him in
abject wonderment. Had he experienced the same instantaneous jolt of
desire as she had, at the brief brush of her hip against his arm?
She sighed wistfully. There was nothing about her that would affect a
man of his sophistication. He probably dated models, actresses, and
socialites—way out of her league. Mari knew she looked like she had only
recently left high school, certainly not like someone who’d just recently
graduated university. Besides, even if he took an interest in her, she
wouldn’t have the first clue of how to handle a man like him anyway. Her
innocence was probably written all over her face. It was ridiculous to harbor
any hope of mutual attraction.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked irritably.
Mari turned her head and looked at him with a wicked grin. “I’m Mari.
And you are?”
He ignored her question and looked at her with seething annoyance.
It was only then she spied the ring on his finger. The crushing loss
momentarily stunned her. She had to fight hard to regain her cheerful
demeanor.
Appearing completely oblivious of his growing temper, she went on as
if they’d been having a friendly chat. “Wait, don’t tell me.” Mari leaned in
closer to him and whispered impishly, “I can hack into the airline flight log
and find out for myself.”
“What’s with you and illegal activity? Do you make a habit of
breaking the law?”
“Yeah, but I know how to not get caught. I was taught by the best!”
Mari remembered McKenna fondly.
“Where are you from? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that accent before.”
 “I’m from Bermuda,” she replied.
“Why are you going to London?”
“You ask a lot of questions for a guy who don’t like to answer any.”
Mari would never forget Nico’s stunned expression at her ability:
hacking into the airline flight log took her less than ten minutes. They spent
the rest of the flight viewing the personal details of every passenger on
board. They were even able to correctly identify the air marshals on board.
Nico was duly impressed, and told her so.
After confessing she was able to dissect the prospectus he had been
reading by researching the company, the owners, and its management team,
Nico wanted to hire her on the spot. But Mari admitted she was already
being headhunted and was interviewing with the company that was paying
her first class ticket to London. She thought it was only fair she honor that
commitment before she contemplated making another.
Nico waved away her protest and insisted she meet with his second-in-
command. He gave her a letter with specific instructions of her job
description, to be presented at the interview.
Despite the generous offer given by the other company wanting to hire
her, Mari had signed on with the Darian Group within a week. Although
Nico’s offer was extremely generous, there was no way she could give up
an opportunity to work for her first crush. Nico had made a huge impression
on her.
She had worked first in various capacities as a junior executive, before
being promoted to technical lead on special projects.
She’d easily relocated to London from the United States because she
had no ties there. She had no ties anywhere, and her aunts and cousins in
Bermuda didn’t count. They hadn’t wanted her. No one had wanted her
after her mother’s death when she was eleven years old.
Her mother had had very little time for her. She’d been the mistress of
a very prominent, wealthy white politician, and Mari had been the product
of their liaison. She’d learned at an early age not to expect to be
acknowledged by her father, who was married with three children with his
wife.
While her mother relished her position as mistress, Mari had to cower
in shame, never to be given any status in his life. Even when her father
came to visit their house—which he’d financed—he never greeted her.
Even after her mother’s untimely death in a car accident, her father simply
paid her aunt, her mother’s sister, to take care of her. He paid for her
essentials and education, but she had no further contact with him.
She had everything a child could ever ask for: the best private schools,
designer clothes, the latest electronics, everything except the love and
attention of her parents. Her aunt’s only interest seemed to be in gaining
more funds from her father on the pretext of childcare.
Mari met Ian McKenna, a computer science teacher and retired
Interpol agent, in secondary school when she was twelve years old. For the
first time in her life, an adult took an avid interest in her, without wanting
anything from her wealthy father. She expressed her gratitude by applying
herself to her studies and doing everything possible to increase her chances
of becoming an Interpol agent, as McKenna promised she could be.
However, when she was fifteen years old, McKenna died suddenly from an
aggressive case of prostate cancer.
Her aspirations to become part of the agency ground to dust and her
sense of purpose halted. Mari went through an angry, rebellious stage, and it
was only due to oppressive treatment by her aunt and cousins that forced
her reevaluate her future. She refused to give them the satisfaction of
failing, as they all seemed to want. Remembering McKenna’s faith in her
and how he’d trained her himself, personally taking an active interest in the
direction of her studies with the goal to obtain further formal training from
the agency, she refocused her dark energy and continued her studies.
Gaining acceptance into Duke University when she was sixteen years old,
she graduated in three years with dual degrees in electrical and computer
engineering.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

Present
AFTER MORE THAN a month since the night in Nico’s office, Mari still
couldn’t forget. It featured in every dream she’d had since, being replayed,
enhanced, and re-scripted. She woke most nights panting in need.
Mari had seen many headlines in the tabloids about Nico’s nasty
divorce and knew that Celina had tried to blackmail Nico with another
pregnancy announcement. Nico called her bluff and found that Celina had
again not been pregnant. All media outlets showed Celina raging about
Nico being sterile and that being the true reason for their estrangement.
Nico refused to confirm or deny her accusation. The pictures of a
naked Celina and her lover being escorted from Nico’s home by his
bodyguard were still a big news headline. The divorce proceeded with swift
precision and vicious intent by Nico’s lawyers, who were out for blood.
The team had continued its hectic pace on local and overseas
assignments. Mari and Nico worked hard to pretend their intimate night
together had never occurred. But this was a useless endeavor as all it took
was a glance, an accidental touch, the smell of alcohol. The smallest little
thing could recall the incident sharply to her mind. Then the air would
thicken and tense with mutual desire. She struggled to maintain a calm
façade, hoping that none of the other team members would notice and
become aware of her discomfort. She stood firm in her resolve not to give
in to her weakness. Nico was still a married man!
As promised, he didn’t try to change her mind or make her feel
uncomfortable in their work environment. However, it was sad that their
friendship and easy camaraderie was a thing of the past. No more late-night
working together, no more meals out and no more confiding in each other.
Her Saturday morning began as usual, with an intense four-mile run,
light strength training, and a quick breakfast of toast, fruit, and coffee. But
the office party was that night, so instead of spending a few hours cleaning
her flat and grocery shopping, Mari dressed in casual, high-heeled sandals
and a comfortable jersey dress before braving the swanky London shops for
her party dress. After a quick and efficient browse through her usual shops,
she was about to give up her quest, when she spotted the perfect dress in the
window of a small boutique on an obscure side street. A few hours later,
with her purchase making a huge dent in her savings, Mari hustled to find
matching stilettos and accessories. Mission accomplished, she then visited
her favorite hair and nail salon. By the time she arrived home, she had only
an hour to make a respectable entrance at the party, which was being held in
an upscale hotel in the heart of London.
Before jumping in the shower, she called a car service to collect her.
The goal was to arrive at the party a little late, lessening the time she had to
mingle, make small talk, and avoid Nico. She would be lying to herself if
she didn’t admit that the effort she’d made that day was strictly for Nico’s
benefit. With helpless optimism, she hoped she could by some miracle
inspire his lust to turn into love. If he loved her, he wouldn’t have given her
up so easily. If he loved her, that night in his office wouldn’t have been just
about sex, but about mutual desire and respect.
By his own admission, his marriage to Celina was one of convenience,
not love or anything close to it. But Mari didn’t want to be any man’s
convenience, not even Nico’s.
Although she’d refused to have an affair with him, it didn’t stop her
yearning for him. She would often lie awake in her lonely bed in acute
sexual frustration, missing him, missing their close relationship, and
wanting him still. Then the doubts would come, and she’d question her
decision to let him go so quickly.
Should she have given their relationship a chance?
Would it have been better to have what little he offered, instead of
nothing?
Mari knew she wasn’t built like that. There was no way for her to get
that involved with Nico without experiencing a world of hurt at the end of
it! And she knew it would end. Nico wasn’t ready for a lifetime
commitment again, or God forbid, happily ever after.
She dressed meticulously in the blood-red halter dress she had
purchased. It lovingly hugged every curve of her body and was exquisitely
cut to emphasize her fit frame. The vibrant color accentuated the creamy
brown tone of her skin. The soft, delicate silk draped elegantly, caressing
her as she moved.
Mari paused. Do I need this extra stimulation tonight?
With Nico in the room and the feel of the dress against her lotioned-
from-head-to-toe body, she would be lucky to maintain some semblance of
sanity throughout the night. For one month, she’d been in a constant state of
arousal. She definitely didn’t need to up the ante.
Mari glanced in the full-length mirror, critically noting her simple gold
hoop earrings, the blood red stiletto sandals that encased her feet with
matching red-painted toenails, and finally her flawless earth-toned makeup.
A spritz of her favorite perfume and she was ready to go.
The car arrived on time and minutes later, she gracefully strode
through the hotel lobby. Her confident entrance into the party was marked
by a slight yet distinct silencing of the room. Mari hesitantly looked around
for her other teammates, embarrassed by the obvious stir her late arrival had
garnered.
The men were huddled in a corner with their dates, enjoying the upbeat
atmosphere. They had noted her entrance and had immediately waved her
over. The relief their immediate welcome brought was ruined by their
whistles and catcalls as she approached. Her mortification was complete.
I swear I’m going to kill them!

Nico watched her from a secluded corner of the room, where he’d been
conversing with a few of his executives from the Group’s operation in
Australia. She drifted through the crowd of partygoers with effortless grace,
seemingly capturing the eyes of everyone in the room.
Nico was blown away by her exotic beauty. In his experience, the
beautiful women were often selfish, shallow, and completely enamored with
themselves. He found Mari’s complete disregard for her own natural beauty
refreshing. She was simply stunning in that dress, which seductively
molded to her tall, curvy body.
“Bloody hell!” he whispered under his breath. That provocative, apple-
shaped ass, mile-long, toned legs, and perfectly round breasts would drive
any sane man crazy. Desire, hot and fierce, clamored through him. His
libido reacted instantly to her graceful glide through the room. He had to
force himself to remain still and continue his conversation. He diligently
tracked her progress toward the other men on the team, ridiculously happy
that she didn’t have a date in tow.
Selfish, I know, but I’m a selfish bastard when it comes to her!
But there was no way in hell he could stomach that shit after claiming
her. She was his. She just didn’t know it yet.

Mari breathed a sigh of relief that Nico wasn’t in the group with her other
team mates. She needed to gather her strength for the inevitable encounter
with him. Introductions to the current girlfriends ensued, with Mari only
half-heartedly taking an interest. She knew from past experience their
presence in her colleagues’ lives was brief at the best of times, with most
relationships lasting only one night. The men worked hard and played even
harder. They were handsome, young, and wealthy; beautiful women were
never in short supply. She had, for years, ignored their attempts to get her
into their beds. She suspected they flirted with her more out of habit than
any real desire to develop an intimate relationship with her.
Mari tensed suddenly, as the hairs on the back of her neck tingled—
Nico had to be close. She felt his stare as keenly as if he had touched her.
She turned slowly. Her gaze instantly collided with Nico’s, making her the
recipient of his lazy, insolent scrutiny. His smoldering inspection traveled
down her body, lingering on the swell of her breasts displayed by the
plunging neckline of the halter, and her sensual curves delineated by the
dress. His demeanor communicated more clearly than words his desire for
her.
It was impossible for her to look away. Her mouth felt full of cotton.
Her nipples hardened. Desire flared in the pit of her stomach. Her juices
dampened her inner thighs. The spell was unpleasantly broken as a
strikingly beautiful brunette woman embraced and kissed Nico lovingly on
his cheek.
He turned and smiled down at her indulgently.
His tender, loving look for the other woman devastated her. He’s
capable of love, just not with me!
Jealousy surged through her with crippling effect. Mari knew she had
no right to feel jealous. She had no claim on him. But acknowledging that
did nothing to lessen the pain. Slowly and with deliberate care, turning to
her companions, Mari determinedly gave a convincing pretense of enjoying
herself. She spent the reminder of the night skillfully evading Nico’s
attempts to talk to her. By keeping track of him at all times, she was able to
stealthily find another group to mingle with just as he committed himself to
the group she had been in. His date remained by his side throughout the
night.
She said goodnight to her colleagues a few hours later, happy to escape
with her dignity still intact. Unfortunately, after taking a quick trip to the
ladies’ room just before making her escape, she was accosted by Nico just
outside the entrance. He clasped her hand in a firm, brutal grip and pulled
her along to the elevators.
“Let me go. What are you playing at?” Mari whispered fiercely,
struggling against his hold, trying to get away.
Nico ignored her, silently fuming and refusing to let her go.
A number of guests were moving back and forth around them, it was
impossible to get away without making a scene. And with Nico giving
every impression that they were together, by holding her close to his large
frame, Mari was forced to remain silent beside him. However, she was rigid
with restrained rage.
They entered a crowded elevator, again impeding her efforts to escape
him. He inserted a key and they were taken to a private floor of the hotel.
As soon as the doors opened, and they were alone in the hallway, Mari
angrily pulled away from him.
“I’m not going in that room with you, and if you try to make me I’ll
scream this damn place down,” she said with an angry glare.
“What the hell is the matter with you? I have been trying to talk to you
all night. Why are you avoiding me?” Nico nonchalantly leaned against the
wall next to the elevator doors, and regarded her intently.
 “What do we possibly have to talk about?” She mutinously folded her
arms.
“How about how much I want you and how very much you want me,”
he said lazily.
“In your dreams—”
“Hell no!” Nico waved his finger at her. “Don’t even think to deny it.
You can feel my desire just as I can feel yours. Why are you putting us
through this agony?” He moved suddenly to stand in front of her, close
enough that their breaths mingled, but their bodies not touching.
“Why?” His whispered question defused some of her ire.
Mari wrapped her arms tightly around her body, trying somehow to
prevent herself from giving in to her desires. She kept her gaze glued to his
lips, yearning to taste them, to taste him! His shockingly gorgeous eyes
revealed the same intense hunger as the one clamoring through her. He
looked spectacular in his elegant dinner jacket, the brilliant white enhancing
the beauty of his smooth olive skin and midnight-black hair. She stood
frozen in place by the allure of his masculine, dominating presence—his
height and the breadth of his shoulder a testament to his blatant strength.
Mari fought desperately to organize her scattered thoughts. “Because
women mean nothing to you. I’ll bet your poor unsuspecting date
downstairs doesn’t know that you’re up here trying to get in my pants.”
“What date?”
“Black hair, blue eyes, incredible black dress… does that ring a bell?”
Mari asked sardonically.
“Sarah?”
“I don’t care what her name is. You should return to her.”

“Sarah is my sister, not my date. Technically, she came with me, but…”
His voice trailed away as she looked at him in surprise and momentary
relief, which she tried quickly to hide by lowering her lashes. But it was too
late. He had seen and wasn’t fooled in the least.
Nico smirked in triumph as he arrogantly observed the effect his
disclosure had on her. It would take very little to convince her to spend the
night with him. His lips twisted in bitter distaste of his intent to cold-
bloodedly seduce her. Was he prepared to be the bastard to hurt her, and
destroy her remaining innocence? Had he not taken enough from her? Nico
was angry with himself, and for the first time in his life he was ashamed of
his actions. He liked her a lot. Her rare mix of allure and childlike
innocence humbled him.
He closed the remaining distance between them and took her lips in a
deliberate yet tender kiss. He allowed himself to savor a small taste of her
sweetness before putting her away from him. She looked at him in
confusion.
She thinks she’s confused?
Bloody hell! This kid has the power to devastate me.
“I don’t understand. Why did you bring me here?” Mari whispered.
“You know as well as I do, any relationship between us at this time is
detrimental to everyone. This is certainly harmful to our stakeholders, who
have relied heavily on the strength, independence, and scandal-free
reputation of our team. And this is also detrimental to you. Your reputation
of never fraternizing with your employees is a well-known fact. What are
you thinking?”
“I just wanted to talk to you.”
He grinned as she rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth in annoyance.
“Right, like I would believe that shit. Look, don’t think for a moment
that I’m that stupid girl to let you use her whenever the mood strikes you.
I’m not that girl, so back the hell off!”
She’d made him again acknowledge what a bastard he was being. He
silently regarded her from head to toe one last time, smarting from her blunt
reality check. “Just go. This wasn’t one of my better ideas.”
“You’re only now realizing that?” Her glare seared him.
“Smart ass!” He smiled in self-recrimination.
Nico pushed the button to open the elevator, gently steered her inside,
and with a sigh pressed the lobby button. He watched her until the doors
closed, and the elevator took temptation away, for a while at least.
Protecting her from jaded fucks like him was too much damn work! He
wasn’t sure how much longer he could ignore what was between them. Now
that he’d tasted paradise, it was hell trying to convince his dick she wasn’t
for them. He wanted back in her intoxicating body, in the worst way!
One month later
He wanted back in her intoxicating body, in the worst way! She couldn’t be
sure he was even remotely aware of her. Their interactions reverted to those
of affable colleagues. They didn’t try to avoid each other, but there was an
effort, at least on her part, to act as if nothing out of the ordinary had
occurred. He didn’t seek her out and she stayed well out of his physical
space, except for team meetings, which they were forced to endure. She
made many excuses not to attend when he was likely to. However, he made
it easier by maintaining a punishing travel schedule. When the team
traveled with him, she opted to stay behind, conducting most of their team
discussions through teleconferences. He could have insisted that she travel
with the team but surprisingly, had not pressed the issue.
After each meeting or teleconference, her well-fought battle to remain
unaffected by him suffered significant setbacks. She had difficulty eating
and sleeping. She was a mess. Her brain knew he was wrong for her, but her
heart wouldn’t let her forget. She missed him intensely. It was beginning to
affect her health. She was more tired than she had ever been in her life.
The sound of his voice alone shattered her equilibrium and intensified
her yearning. She’d get to the point where her needs were so bad, she was
willing to forget her moral stance and just surrender to his demands. She
would accept any relationship, on whatever terms he wanted. However, just
one glance in his icy blue cynical eyes, and her sanity would return with a
vengeance.
No way is this man ready for my brand of loving.
During the weeks when Celina was most spiteful in the press, Mari felt
such anger on his behalf. Each day he seemed harder, less forgiving. Mari
wasn’t encouraged to tempt fate and chance a debilitating heartbreak by
encouraging a relationship between them. Not that she blamed Nico. She
was grateful for their brief, explosive intimacy, and would never regret
giving up her innocence to him. Finding a way to live without him was her
challenge, and she was determined to begin that process soon. She just
needed time away from him. She finally had to admit the inevitable: a new
job might help. The pain that acknowledgment ignited was excruciating!
The team was scheduled to meet on an overseas location in two days.
Mari couldn’t get out of it. It was gratifying, however, to know that Nico
was unlikely to join them, as he was scheduled to close another deal in
Hong Kong later that week.
Mari contemplated all of this as she sat on the hard examination table
of her GP’s office. A medical check-up was a requirement for each member
of the team before leaving on any international travel, but especially if they
had to travel to more exotic places where medical attention wasn’t assured.
And given her recent bouts of feeling under the weather, she wasn’t taking
any chances.
Her GP greeted her cheerfully. “Hi, Mari. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, just feeling slightly tired most days. I am not sure if there is
something wrong, but I don’t feel exactly ill, just mostly tired and out of
sorts,” Mari explained.
“Let’s see what we have here, then.” He gently directed her to recline
on the table and proceeded with a thorough examination. “When did you
last have your cycle?”
She thought for a moment and mentally went through her activities
over the past few weeks. “I can’t remember,” she stated thoughtfully. “But
it had to be about three weeks ago—it was light but sometimes when I’m
stressed that happens.”
He then asked a nurse to assist in a urine test and left the room to
afford her some privacy. Mari wasn’t concerned. She knew that she took
good care of herself and had never been ill in her life, except for the
occasional light colds. Her workouts were intense and grueling, but this
unusual tiredness was alarming and depressing. She ran four to five miles
daily, did light weight training three times a week, and swam several laps in
the pool of her flat three times a week. She had convinced herself that the
exercise regimen, together with her punishing work schedule, and the strain
from constantly thinking about Nico, were probably contributing to her
weakened state.
The GP returned some minutes later with a broad smile on his face.
“Well you’re definitely not sick. You’re in prefect health, which is a good
thing, because you’re pregnant.”
“What!” Mari was stunned. “But I can’t be! It was only the one time.
This isn’t possible.” She was confused. How could she not have known?
With the emotional turmoil she’d been going through, she hadn’t even
considered it. How stupid was she?
 “It only requires one time, kid,” the GP assured her gently. He gave her
a number of pamphlets to read and suggested some antenatal vitamins.
After recommending several gynecologists she might consult to care for her
during the pregnancy, he again congratulated her.
Mari walked out of the GP’s office in a daze and went back to work
with feelings alternating between stark fear, awe, and extreme happiness.
Was she too young to start a family? But after further thought she was
overwhelmed with elation—finally she could have someone’s unconditional
love and someone upon whom she could lavish her love in return. She was
two months pregnant, she thought in wonder. It was a frightening position
to be in without any family support.

Niccolo sat slouched down in the back seat of his chauffeur-driven

Mercedes-Benz. The words his physician had shared a few moments ago
had left him numb.
His siblings all had multiple children, ten in total. Shit, his brother had
four of them! How could he possibly be sterile?
The visit to the doctor was warranted after Celina’s repeated
accusations of his inability to father a child. He’d laughed at the bitch! But
now the joke was on him.
He thought of that summer when he and his siblings had all contracted
the measles. It had started with his two-year-old sister Sarah, then his nine-
year-old brother Marco, then twelve-year-old Giuliana, and then him at
sixteen years old. They’d all had mild cases of it because of their previous
vaccinations. However, because he had contracted the illness in his teens, it
had rendered him sterile. That wasn’t quite how the doctor worded it,
though. “Low sperm count,” he’d said.
But Nico was a realist. He knew it all equated to the same thing. He’d
never father a child of his own.
How is this shit possible?
Nico felt his emotions churning out of control. His eyes glistened with
the crushing weight of it.

It was well after six in the evening. Mari sat at her desk with a stupid grin
on her face. Just the thought of holding a mini-Nico in her arms in a few
short months was mind boggling. Boy or girl—they couldn’t help but
acquire his most dominant traits: demanding, over-achiever, freakishly
brilliant, and determined. She was giddy thinking of a little replica of Nico,
and had difficulty concentrating on the brief still left to be completed on her
desk.
Richard walked in to her office.
“Hello, Mari. I tried calling you earlier but no one knew where you
went off to.” He looked at her inquiringly.
Mari didn’t bother answering the unasked question. This was one piece
of news that was only going to be shared when it became too obvious to
hide. And by then, she would be working for another company.
“Did you need something?” She sat back in her chair and smiled at
him.
Richard slumped in a guest chair in her office and stretched his long
legs in front of him. Why couldn’t she have fallen for him? Mari thought,
smiling at the boyish picture he presented, slouched like that in the chair.
Richard was intelligent, very good looking, athletically built, and a pretty
funny guy, for a lawyer. His rich, blond hair, hazel eyes, and always
perfectly tanned skin had broken a lot of hearts over the years. While Nico
had a rule against fraternizing among the executives, Richard had no
problem keeping his sample pool to those in the lower ranks. No matter
how badly the relationship ended, there was always another willing victim.
“Nico called and wants an emergency team meeting here in London
tomorrow. He and the rest of team will arrive first thing in the morning.
We’ll decide one way or another to go ahead with the purchase of the bank
in the Cayman Islands, or not. There are a few other scenarios coming up,
along with current operational reports for review,” Richard informed her.
Despite his playboy image, Richard was a brilliant lawyer and a very
good friend. She was closest to him on the team now that Nico no longer
played the role of close friend and confidant. Had the other team members
noticed? Men were often so unobservant. She would be surprised if they
had.
“You know with all the drama surrounding Nico’s divorce, we have to
all pull this deal together seamlessly to ensure continued confidence in our
ability to hold things together.”
 “Yeah, I know. There’s no need to worry. Our shareholders are aware
of our unique team dynamic, and as long as we maintain the status quo, all
will be okay. Despite what’s going on in his private life, Nico hasn’t lost his
focus. He’s still on top of everything as he usually is,” Mari argued loyally.
“Ease up, kiddo. You’ll get no argument from me.” He grinned,
holding up his palms defensively.
“He has taken calculated risks that will pay-off handsomely at year-
end, so those old cronies will have nothing to complain about.” She
continued glaring at him. Mari couldn’t help but admire Nico even more for
everything he’d accomplished in recent months, given the upheaval in his
personal life. He was a consummate businessman, focused and driven to
succeed.
“Again, I agree.”
“I have to finalize this report on my findings, but I think everything
else is ready for review,” she informed him, needing him to take the hint
and leave. She was anxious about the prospect of being in such close
confines Nico again, especially after the amazing developments revealed
hours earlier. She knew she’d have to meet with him, but hadn’t expected it
to happen so soon.
I seriously need to start looking for a new job as far away from
London as I can.
“Anyway, I thought to alert you to the change in plans. The agenda is
being sent by Sharon this evening. Nico arrived from Hong Kong this
morning,” Richard advised.
Sharon Johnson was Nico’s secretary. She was the tough shield that
guarded Nico from any unwelcome visitor and ensured that he had every
comfort within reach at the office. She was not someone to cross if you
wanted to get close to the big man. Mari totally loved her. She was very
outspoken and blunt, to the point of drawing pain from the person on the
receiving end of her sharp tongue.
“What about dinner tonight to go over any last-minute details?”
Richard asked.
Mari grinned at him.
“Richard, don’t you have enough women in your harem?”
“What? I’m truly hurt by your skepticism. I sincerely wanted to
discuss your brief. You know, your use of computer data jargon is
absolutely riveting. How can I resist taking an early peek at what you have
to offer?” He placed his hand over his heart and tried the puppy-dog-
innocent-boy look.
“Yes, I know you want to review my brief, and every other woman’s
briefs.” Mari laughed. “As for jargon, how about we try some of your legal
terms? Like you drawing up a contract giving me that beautiful flat you just
bought at twenty percent below market, seeing as we’re friends and all.”
Richard laughed and walked to the door. “You’re a hard woman, Mari.
My flat and car are my most prized possessions, and so far they’re serious
chick magnets. Don’t stay in here too long. See you tomorrow, kid.”
The sound of Richard’s firm, retreating footsteps pounding on the
marble tiles made Mari shake her head and smile at his confident, flirtatious
swagger. However, she immediately sobered, contemplating her
predicament.
The decision ahead was going to be difficult. Should she tell Nico
about the life they had created together? Cognizant of the very contentious
divorce he was going through, with a woman who was using every trick in
the book to hold on to the title of Mrs. Darian, including claiming that she
was pregnant, made telling him an impossible decision.
Mari shook her head at the woman’s stupidity and wickedness.
She should have left the company weeks ago, Mari admonished
herself. Then she would’ve had time to ease into a disclosure. However,
with the obvious signs her body was determined to make, she had to leave
sooner than she’d anticipated, or the decision to tell Nico would be a fait
accompli.
She’d only stayed because she thought she owed Nico her support. The
exit of one member of the elite team over the past two months would’ve
disrupted their operations, and might have created some unease in the
market. This would have been devastating for the Group’s share prices.
With the recent tabloid speculation on Nico’s sterility, any news of her
pregnancy would certainly put that nasty rumor to rest. Mari wasn’t sure
what to do. Her decision definitely hinged on what was in Nico’s and her
baby’s best interests. She fiercely loved them both, and wanted to do right
by them.
She briefly considered telling him and anticipated his reaction.
Knowing how much he believed in family, Mari had no doubt he would
insist on marriage. For the same reasons she hadn’t consented to being his
mistress, she’d have to decline being his wife. Right now Nico wasn’t a safe
bet for any woman’s heart. Not that she wanted to tie him to her under
duress. Telling him about the baby might pressure him into maintaining a
relationship with her that he didn’t want. He would insist on financial
support, even knowing she didn’t need it. Thanks to his generosity over the
years, six-figure annual salaries and bonuses, clothing allowances, a
company flat and purchased holidays that none of them ever took, she could
stop working and easily support her and her child for years on the interest
alone.
Mari sighed in exasperation. Who was she kidding? She knew she had
to do the right thing. And the right thing was no lies, no secrets!
She had a long night to prepare herself for his presence and the
impossible task that lay ahead.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

MARI WAS RUNNING late. With the knowledge of her pregnancy, it was
as if her body decided it was time for the unpleasant symptoms to set in.
Morning sickness. Intense, acute morning sickness. Mari woke up at six as
usual, but spent the first hour vomiting. Barely grinding through her
exercise regimen, she forced down a light breakfast of dry toast and tea, and
dressed meticulously in a form-fitting suit, determined to enjoy her still-
slim figure for as long as it lasted, and then took more than an hour to
navigate the London commute from her flat at Hyde Park Gate to Canary
Wharf.
Upon entering the executive floor, she sensed the air was thick with
nervous tension. Everyone ran around silently, intent on their tasks. It was
obvious that Nico must be in a formidable mood. The staff always reacted
so when he got like that. Mari ran into her office grabbed her documents
and jump drive and sprinted to the conference room. She stopped at the
closed door and took a deep breath before opening the door and walking
into the room, head held high.
“My apologies.” Jarrod was in the middle of his presentation at the
monitor. Mari nodded and smiled at him first, and then she acknowledged
every other member of the team, before making eye contact with Nico. She
had anticipated the zing to her system, but nothing like the debilitating jolt
she felt upon being ensnared by those intense blue orbs.
Her breath stopped.
“Mari. You are well?” Nico came toward her and held her hands. He
kissed her cheeks in greeting.
Mari was stunned.
 Not because he hadn’t greeted her like this before. In fact, it would
have looked odd if he hadn’t. As the only female member of the team, she
was often treated to male chivalry. No, what stunned her was the total
destruction of all the defenses she had meticulously built the night before.
She was drowning fast. Her senses tingled as she was assaulted by his
devastating masculine fragrance, potent and intoxicating. He had always
been able to do this to her, but now it seemed more alluring. Given the
knowledge of the pleasure she’d derived from him months ago, her body
responded even more amorously to his proximity. Her nipples throbbed
with sexual awareness. Mari was grateful she was still wearing her blazer,
which would mask her embarrassing state of arousal.
Nico obviously didn’t share her fascination. He turned away from her
and ensured she was aware of his irritation. “Where the hell were you? I
have a company to run here. I don’t have time for bullshit!”
Okay, now she understood why everyone was walking around on
eggshells. They were dealing with volatile, impossible-to-please, moody
Niccolo Darian!
Not waiting for or expecting a response, he continued. “We have a
very busy day, and can’t afford any more delays!” He fixed her with an
impatient glare, in total contrast to the gentle kiss of a moment ago. Typical
Nico, but it helped her to achieve some semblance of equilibrium. She was
grateful to the return of the status quo, Nico in his unreasonable moods.
Mari took quick little breaths to get oxygen to her brain as fast as
possible. Taking her seat, she tried to calm down.

Nico sat listening to the reports of the members on the team and was only
half paying attention. His total focus was on the woman two chairs down
from him. He had noticed her nipples through the gaping jacket she wore
and his body responded lustfully in instant arousal. He wanted to take her
out of there and just bury himself in her. His erection pressed hard against
his tailored dress slacks. He was grateful he was safely hidden by the huge,
mahogany conference table. Otherwise, the tent in his pants would be
visible to all. It was difficult to stay away from her as long as he had, and
for as long as he would have to.
 In addition to Celina making his life a living hell in recent months,
he’d been unable to release his pent-up frustration via sex. Having had a
taste of this dark beauty, his dick refused to perform for any other woman.
In fact, his boy shied away, almost withdrawing back into his balls in
retreat, whenever he tried taking another woman to his bed.
He wasn’t ready for the serious relationship Mari would want from
him. And she deserved to have that. But the bitterness and poison invading
his heart from the duplicity of Celina wouldn’t allow him to deal honestly
with any woman.
Celina was hell-bent on making their divorce as unpleasant as possible.
And he intended to fight her every step of the way; she didn’t deserve any
consideration. At the moment, she refused to move out of his ancestral
home. His parents had temporarily moved to his mother’s estates in
Florence, Italy, to get away for the hostile atmosphere at the vineyard.
Unfortunately, his sisters and brother were not so lucky. They had to live
with the situation in order to continue running the winery.
He was determine to get her out of his life, while giving her as little of
his fortune as possible. Not because he couldn’t afford it, but because she
was a scheming, amoral bitch!
Given the recent revelation about his inability to father a child, he was
even more pissed. He grimaced at the black thoughts and strengthened his
resolve to stay away from Mari. His bitterness would only hurt her.

The meeting went on for the remainder of the day, with lunch delivered late
in the afternoon. It was the hardest meeting of Mari’s life. She couldn’t
believe how hyper-sensitive she was to Nico’s presence. Just looking at him
made her throb in places that had no business throbbing in this professional
setting. Her underwear suffered the most, a testament to her lustful thoughts
and irrepressible need. Totally incapable of controlling her body’s instant
responses, she drowned in his domineering aura, his voice, his occasional
sardonic laugh. Her clean-up visits to the restroom were frequent
throughout the day. Thank God she carried replacement panty shields,
allowing her to destroy the incriminating evidence of the inappropriate
responses.
 The team finally concluded at eight, with the agreement to purchase
the bank and have a select management team put in place early to bring the
operation quickly in line with the company’s standard business practices.
A celebratory dinner was held at Luciano’s as usual, with the team in a
jovial mood. For a while, the occasion felt like any other dinner they’d had
together. It was fun and everyone got on well, with a lot of ribbing going
back and forth among them. But not once did Mari address Nico directly.
Nor did he engage her in one-on-one conversation. What she felt was too
raw, too intense. One glance or touch could, in an instant, shatter the entire
illusion she projected for the other team members.

Everyone was on a high from a successful meeting, and no one wanted to

end the day after dinner. Nico took the team to a club owned by a friend of
his. It was noisy, dark, and crowded. Exactly the cover he wanted and
needed. He had long since given up on his ability to walk away from Mari
again. He had to get her in his arms before the night was out—to hell with
the consequences.
Selfish bastard! Yeah, he’d already acknowledged that. He felt the
need to reaffirm his manhood. And since his dick refused to perform for
other women, Mari had just run out of luck. He had to have her again. He
was going to have her!
They were given a table in a private corner of the club. Nico opened a
tab for drinks for them. Too bad Mari was the only member of the team who
never drank alcohol. He would have enjoyed watching her lose some of her
cool.
He watched her moodily for almost an hour, impatiently imbibing the
vodka in his never-ending glass. She loved to dance and was unreservedly
enjoying her four male teammates partnering her through various fast-paced
songs. Nico held out for as long as he could, until he’d had enough of
seeing her in the arms of other men.
As soon as she finished her set with Richard and returned to the table,
he held out his hand to her. Mari stared at him for an endless minute,
seemingly uncertain whether to chance the contact.
Nico smiled in triumph when she reluctantly capitulated. He felt her
immediate tremor as their fingers made contact and his big, coarse hand
engulfed her smaller, softer one.

Mari was acutely aware of the strength in his hold on her.

They moved slowly toward the dance floor. The lights were suddenly
dimmed even more, and the dance music switched to a slow ballad. She
looked toward the DJ, wanting to admonish him for wrecking her hard-
fought, cool façade. Richard, the sneaky bastard, was standing next to the
DJ with a shit-ass grin on his face.
She was mortified.
One of her favorite songs by Jesse Powell began. Whenever she felt
particularly lonely or unable to hide how she felt about Nico, she’d played
this song. She’d listened to this song so much over the past few years.
Richard must have heard her play it on her computer.
This was dangerous. She was in no way ready to confess the depth of
her feelings for Nico. The song reflected everything she was feeling and
every word she wanted to say to Nico. How could she fight this?
Racked with involuntary shivers, she melted into solid planes of his
warm body. His embrace represented everything she’d longed for: comfort,
strength and love.
Oh God, he smells simply divine and feels incredible against me!
Her breathing became choppy with panic as violent need clawed at her.
She felt tearful, acutely emotional from the poignancy of the moment as
Jesse Powell’s “You” crooned throughout the room.
He held her low at the waist and pulled her flush against him. His arms
tightened almost brutally as the lyrics swirled around them. He didn’t speak,
but his body spoke volumes.
Mari couldn’t ignore his pulsing hardness buried against her stomach.
The air was thick with their mutual arousal. She couldn’t stop shaking.
Closing her eyes tightly, she made an effort to quell the aching need to
confess her love. Wanting to shout out “I just want to be yours,” she bit
sharply down on her lower lip to prevent such an outburst.
The enforced restraint made her dizzy and unsteady on her legs. She
placed her head on his shoulder and barely swayed to the music, sensually
rolling her hips in involuntary rhythm with his.
 “Do you really?” Nico whispered close to her ear as the song came to
an end and another came on, his warm breath on her skin reigniting an
already inflamed passion.
“What?” Mari spoke into his chest, not wanting to meet his eyes,
already regretting the brazenness of her dancing. He had to know, had to
have felt, how much she loved him. She was terrified he would take
advantage of it.
“The song? Do you want to be mine?”
“Nico…” she protested, not willing to answer his question.
With her breathy response, she felt him harden even further. He held
her so tight, it was impossible to move, or continue dancing, if you could
have called what they were doing dancing.
“I must tell you I’m not doing too well here. It has become a major
issue.”
Mari stiffened in his arms at his husky admission. She was almost
afraid to breathe.
“Why is that?” She could barely move her lips. Her mouth was dry and
coherent thought was proving challenging. Bees buzzed in her stomach. Her
skin tingled, and her core wept with merciless need.
Lord, please help me!
Nico’s hands gently stroked her, and roving up and down her lower
back, finally settling in a possessive grip on the swell of her bottom. “I want
you. It is probably unfair to ask but I need you, tesoro,” he murmured close
to her ear.
Mari gathered as much strength as she could. Desire was not going to
rule her actions again. She had to remember the baby—and Nico. This
wasn’t good for any of them. She shook her head sadly, “Nico, I can’t.”
He went to interrupt, but Mari placed a finger to his lips to silence him.
“We had this discussion last month and my stance hasn’t changed. I
can’t be less than who I am and settle for an affair with a guy who thinks he
can pick me up when he wants to play and put me down when he is too
busy or otherwise occupied. I won’t be your mistress, Nico,” Mari
whispered adamantly.
“I’m not asking for an affair or for a mistress. In fact, I’m not asking
you for any relationship. I simply want you, this minute, tonight.” Nico put
some space between them, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I’m not asking for
more than that.”
His request floored her.
“No promises, no relationship, no future. I want you and you want me.
There’s no need to make this any more complicated than that.” His molten
gaze never wavered from hers.
“There’s no point to this, Nico,” she reasoned. “It doesn’t matter what
either of us want. There’s nothing in it for any of us. You’re not offering me
anything I can’t get from any other guy here tonight.” Mari was firm and
emphatic. She was proud of how in control she sounded, when in fact she
was anything but.
“But you don’t just wanna be theirs, do you? You want to be mine.”
Nico smirked.
“You bastard!” Mari hissed in disbelief, but without any real anger.

Yes, I know I am a bastard for doing this to her. But he stubbornly refused
to let her reject him. His masculinity had suffered significant blows in the
past few months. Fuck no, not tonight! She wasn’t walking away from him,
and he would use whatever weapon he had at his disposal. If she wanted to
pretty this up with love, then so be it.
“Don’t deny me tonight, baby. I need you,” he whispered huskily in
her hair.
Nico felt her struggle, the violent shivers of her body. He was through
trying to reason with her. Drowning in unrelenting lust, he was blind to any
objection, risk, or obstacle. Logic was no longer a possibility. He’d never
felt this raw desire to possess a woman, to own her, lose himself in her. He
pulled her even closer to him, ensuring she felt the pulsing steel her
proximity elicited. Nico fought for control, but the feelings clamoring
through him were wild, unprincipled, refusing to be suppressed. He placed
one hand on her bottom, and the other crept inside her blouse. He reached
under her bra and palmed her naked, firm breast.
She wavered unsteadily in his arms. He tightened his hands around her,
holding her upright.
“Let’s get out of here,” Nico whispered, ruthlessly tweaking her hard
nipple with the rough pad of his thumb. He was determined to keep her
blind with desire for him as he navigated their exit.

Mari was consumed by Nico. His need became her need, his want her want.
She had no fight left in her. She wanted to be the one to fulfill his needs.
She hated that weakness, but she couldn’t suppress it.
Mari had no memory of Nico getting them out of the club and in the
back seat of his car. She shuddered to think what the guys thought of their
frantic exit. She could only hope they were so busy with other women, they
wouldn’t have noticed what was going on with their boss.
As soon as the door of Nico’s chauffeur-driven Mercedes closed, he
pulled her into his arms and took her lips in a fierce kiss. “I’ve waited all
day for this,” he murmured before devouring her lips again.
Mari was with him all the way. She straddled his lap, her pencil-
straight skirt hiked up to the tops of her thighs. Nico reached inside her
drenched panties and glided a finger gently on her engorged clit, over and
over again.
An avalanche of lust swamped her. Sensually writhing against his
skillful caresses and drowning in his kisses, she couldn’t get close enough
to his intoxicating heat. “I missed you so much,” Mari whimpered.
“Dio mio, you are so wet. I have to get inside you. But not here. This
time I want a bed where I can make love to you all night.” Nico stopped his
caresses and gently moved her to the opposite side of the car. He opened the
connecting panel to the front and gave his driver directions to her flat.
Nico closed the panel and lazily resumed his seat.
Mari quickly bent her head, unwilling to meet his ravenous gaze. She
was embarrassed, as she had completely forgotten about the driver. Pressing
her thighs tightly together to subdue the ardent desire surging in her core,
she looked unseeingly through the car window into the well-lit London
streets. He wasn’t touching her, but her skin continued to prickle under his
intense regard.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” She sighed. “I don’t think we should go any further with this.
Just take me home and leave me alone as we agreed months ago.” Mari
tried desperately to come out of her haze of desire.
What the hell am I doing?
 She was in turmoil. Her sense of right and wrong was again in direct
conflict with what her body craved.
“Nico, I can’t handle an affair with you.” Mari needed him to
understand and give her some breathing room.
He moved closer to her, placed his hand on her upper thigh, and gently
massaged the quivering flesh. He placed feathery kisses all over her face,
her nose, her cheeks, and her ear. The kisses were gentle, soothing, in direct
contrast to the kisses before.
“Cara mia, don’t think. Just feel. I want you and you want me. We
aren’t hurting anyone,” Nico whispered near her ear, trailing soft kisses
down her neck and shoulder. It was so achingly seductive, arousing, that
tears leaked from her eyes as she tried to regain control and make her
objections. His scent, his heat, devastated her resistance. Mari couldn’t deny
her rampant desire any longer. She clasped his silky hair and held him still
for her kiss. Sliding her mouth over his, she probed its depths with her
tongue, took tiny little nips of his lower lip, sucking and tasting him.
Nico let her touch him as she wanted, keeping her in the long, erotic
kiss, keeping her senseless to everything around her. As the driver pulled up
outside of her flat, Nico got out and lifted Mari from the car. With her held
high in his arms, he strode swiftly past a stunned security guard into the
waiting elevator.
Mari waved shyly to him. In the five years she’d taken up residence in
the flat Nico had insisted she have, she’d had no visitors, male nor female.
She wasn’t worried about her reputation. She was more worried about
whether he recognized Nico or not. The last thing she needed was her name
being dragged into his divorce proceedings.
He slid her down his body as the elevator doors closed, holding her
tight against him. With her head resting on his muscular chest, she was
comforted by the strong, steady beat of his heart. His big hands held her
bottom and lower waist, so close she could feel how much she affected him.
His breathing was erratic and his desire pulsed fiercely against her stomach.
The outside world receded. She was cocooned in his masculine heat, in a
sphere that revolved only around him.
As they exited the elevator, she walked on unsteady limbs toward her
flat, with Nico’s hand clutching her waist. He took the keys from her
trembling fingers as she tried, and failed, to open the door. He quickly
inserted the key, ushered her inside, and closed the door behind them.
Mari wiggled out of his grasp.
“Do you want something to drink?” She put some space between them,
trying desperately to get some hold over this fast-moving, out-of-control
situation.

“I’m thirsty, but not for a bloody drink!” Nico ruthlessly eliminated the
space she’d gained and swept her back into his arms. There was no way he
was letting her go now. This had gone too far for him to be denied.
“Nico…”
He ignored her interruption as if she’d not spoken. “I want you. You
want me. Enough with the fucking drama!”
Nico hated that he couldn’t walk away from her. He was resigned that
in order to get over the insane fascination he had developed for her, he had
to purge himself of it. Maybe after tonight. Taking her again and again
would prove cathartic, he hoped. After the fucked-up experience with his
despicable wife, he didn’t need this aggravation. This was it for him, the
last time he would do this with her. He couldn’t afford to let her get more of
a grip on him. He would later appease his conscience by giving her a
special gift from Van Cleef.
She’ll like that. All women love jewelry.
He conveniently ignored the fact that Mari was nothing like the other
grasping women of his acquaintance. He knew she had more than enough
money of her own and didn’t have a materialistic bone in her body.
“Nico, please listen to me.”
“Dammit, Mari, unless you’re going to beg me to fuck you, I don’t
want to hear it!”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Please make love to me.”
Her simple acceptance of him, her desire to give him what he wanted,
pushed him over the edge. With an urgent frenzy, he swept her off her feet
and proceeded down the hall that led to her bedroom. He knew the layout of
the flat well. It was his, after all. He’d secretly loved the fact that she slept
in his bed every night and didn’t even know it.
Yeah, I am one sick fuck!
Setting her feet on the soft carpet as he approached the bed, he slowly
slid her down his body, shivering at the feel of her lush curves gliding
against his aching frame and cradling his hard, bulging length.
“Bloody hell, this sexy body is going to be the death of me!” He
greedily devoured her lips in a kiss that was so carnal, so deep, Mari
quivered violently against him from the sheer force of it.
With dexterous fingers, he swiftly removed her blouse, her skirt, shoes,
lacy bra, and panties, kissing her senseless all the while. Trailing his lips
along her cheek, her ear, and neck, he once again lifted her and placed her
in the middle of the king-sized bed. While shedding his own clothes, he
leisurely perused her naked splendor.
“Nico, please!” Mari gazed at him feverishly. With frantic fingertips,
she sensually plucked at her darkened, turgid nipples, and glided another
hand slowly over her concave stomach to her dewy heat below.
Her seemingly involuntary masturbation ratcheted his lust to
unbearable proportions. “Stop! If you don’t want me to fuck you hard into
the next week, remove those fingers from my pussy.” He almost grinned at
her instantaneous obedience to his command. As it was, he could only
grimace in discomfort.
She was so much his. He was giddy with the power of it. “Have some
patience, baby,” he said soothingly. Quickly stepping out of his trousers and
shoes, he very slowly approached the bed.
“We have all night and I intend that we enjoy every minute of it.” Nico
climbed in the bed and aligned himself fully on top of her. He took her
mouth in a devastating kiss, his tongue sliding sensually against hers over
and over again, until she trembled violently against him.
Taking a hint from her rubbing of her breasts against the light carpet of
hair on his chest, Nico gave her what she wanted and feasted on one of her
rock-hard nipples. He first licked the peaks, before sucking on each one in
turn, until she writhed shamelessly beneath him. Her hands desperately
clutched his ass, trying to direct him to her quivering center.
He resisted and proceeded to torture her by kissing every inch of her
creamy, soft brown skin. He growled in appreciation of her feminine scent
and the taste of her sweetness on his tongue. There was no place on her
body that was not kissed and caressed. Her stomach, her thighs, and her feet
—he turned her over and trailed kisses along her shoulders, her slender
back, her ass.
Mari moaned incoherently beneath him.
“Please, Nico.” She sobbed helplessly.
He groaned at the intensity of his desire. Her unrestrained responses
were driving him crazy, further exacerbating the tenuous hold he had on his
control. He had no idea what kept him from plunging into her like the
demented man he’d become. He had never been so hard in his life. But this
was the last time he would allow himself to indulge in this madness, so he
was determined to claim every inch of her.
“I have to taste you, baby. Your body has been driving me crazy for
months!” He whispered the words against her skin. Her flavor was like
fresh, sweet peaches, piercing clean through his senses. He couldn’t get
enough. The color of her skin, so beautiful, flushed with desire for him, was
a complete turn-on.
Every part of her that he uncovered was so beautiful and perfect, and
she was his.
Mine!
“Say you’re mine,” he demanded against her damp skin.
“Nico…”
“No, just say it and mean it!” He captured her gaze and refused to
continue until he heard the words.
“Yes, I am. I’ve always been yours. Now will you shut up and make
love to me?”
“Always giving me sass! Just remember, every fucking inch of you is
mine!” He growled before kissing her fiercely. He wouldn’t have thought he
was a possessive guy, but he liked that he was the only one ever to possess
her, that he was the first, and if he had anything to say about it, he would be
the last.
If he was capable of falling in love, she would be it for him.
What?
He felt like he was losing his mind. Any thought of exorcising her
from his life was obliterated by the sheer force of possessiveness that
catapulted through him. No, his plans for her were irrevocably changed
after being with her again. He hadn’t admitted how affected he’d been by
their previous encounter. Now he was no longer in denial. Tonight proved
he wouldn’t be getting over her any time soon. He would find a way to keep
her. He was confident of his ability to bring her around to his way of
thinking.
Trailing kisses and nips along her dewy skin until he reached between
her thighs, he probed the lips of her sex with his tongue. He forced agonized
cries from her as he swirled the coarse muscle around and around her
engorged clit before mercilessly latching on to the protruding flesh. Piercing
her heat with one broad finger, he ravenously sucked on her throbbing, tight
bud. Her body trembled in agitation as she moaned helplessly at his sensual
assault. He was relentless, insistent, until she climaxed violently beneath
him.
He had never known a woman so responsive to his touch. It was
addictive. She was like a drug in his blood. Savoring her taste on his
tongue, he continued to lick every drop of her release until she quieted. He
could wait no longer. He rose up over her and claimed her mouth in a
devastating kiss before driving his steely thick shaft deep within her.
Mari shivered so hard, she almost dislodged him. He held her
immobile and proceeded to make long, deep thrusts within her.
As he slowly stroked, she matched his rhythm, locking her legs around
his waist, with her arms clutching the sheets for purchase while she sobbed
his name.
He felt light-headed as his cock agonizingly hardened from the acute
rush of pleasure as her pussy gripped him tight. He fought the need to
release in her immediately, determined to savor the perfection of it a little
longer.
“So good, baby, you feel so fucking good!” Nico praised her.
She arched up against him as his thickness stretched her, scraping
against her weeping walls. He knew he was too big, but she unreservedly
sucked every inch of him in.
He lifted her legs higher, her knees touching her shoulders, as he thrust
harder, deeper. He buried his shaft balls deep in her, ruthlessly hitting her
G-spot over and over.
She screamed her release, loud and long.
 Nico couldn’t hold on. He quickly spiraled out of control with the
incredible feel of her clutching him as his tender feelings for her squeezed
his heart, consuming him. He began pumping into her tight slit with
mindless intensity, with no finesse, no technique, her heat totally destroying
him. An animalistic roar ripped through him as he climaxed deep within,
triggering another orgasm from her.
He collapsed on top of her in satisfied, euphoric exhaustion.
Moments later, he carefully removed his weight from her still lethargic
body.
Mari slept.
He went into the bathroom and cleaned up. When he finished, he
climbed back into the bed and gently placed her under the covers. She
stirred a little, but quietly went back to sleep. He got under the covers as
well and fitted her snugly against him, spooning and trapping her beneath
him.
He couldn’t believe he got hard all over again at the feel of her lush
curves against him. He was tired as hell, but his throbbing cock refused to
go to sleep. He began plucking and tormenting her nipples. They beaded
under his assault and she unconsciously rubbed her round bottom against
him in wanton provocation, her eyes still closed in slumber. He trailed his
fingers into her heat, sliding them over and over from her clit to her damp
center. His hand was soon drenched by her response to his touch. He
pinched her clit hard with his fingertips. Her eyes flew open as her body
spasmed in another startling eruption.
“What the bloody hell was that?”
Nico grinned at her disgruntled inquiry. “Now that I have your
attention…” he whispered huskily. He took his time and made love to her
again, slowly and with endless, torturous patience.

During the night, Mari stumbled from the bed after her fifth orgasm. She
felt boneless and thoroughly loved. She savored the intense feeling of
contentment deep within her and couldn’t remove the silly grin etched on
her face. A visit to the en-suite bathroom resulted in a lengthy, warm
shower. She was distracted by the sensual sensitivity of her body to the
warm spray of the shower, in her hair, on her breasts, on her smooth
stomach. There had been nowhere on her body Nico hadn’t explored. The
sensation of his touch lingered and her body shivered with remembered
ecstasy.
The shower door opened suddenly and Nico’s big, bulky frame
crowded her.
Mari licked her suddenly dry lips. Confronted with his slick, chiseled
body and his dark, brooding stare, her core clenched in blazing awareness.
“The bed was cold without you and I’m not done with you yet.”
“Is that so? Perhaps I need to show you some of my moves, because
I’m not done with you, either.”
“Oh, so now you have moves? Who taught you?” Nico’s eyes
darkened with possessiveness.
“Ah, Nico, you’re far too suspicious. Rest assured, no one taught me
anything. I want to touch you the way you’ve touched me. I want to love
you.” She seductively placed her hands on his solid chest. The feel of his
hot skin beneath her fingertips sent an intense sizzle of desire through her.
“Show me,” he murmured.
She first coated her hands with soap and tormented him slowly all over
his body—every masculine peak, edge, bulge were explored with hands,
lips, and tongue, with movements that were purely instinctive, and infused
with love.
With his hands braced on the shower walls for support, eyes closed,
teeth clenched and head thrown back, Nico growled in appreciation and
agitation, desperately trying to withstand her assault on his eager body. Her
wicked tongue and teeth attacked his masculine nipples, his taut stomach,
his hard buttocks, and then finally his glistening cock. She licked the
swollen head with more enthusiasm than skill, before swallowing him to the
back of her throat.
Nico completely lost it. He pulled his shaft from her mouth, lifted her
with effortless strength, and placed her against the wall. “Now you’ve done
it, little girl. I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’ll never play with the beast
again!” He slammed into her tight, wet sheath with jarring intent. He
pounded into her over and over again, growling in satisfaction as her legs
tightened around his back.
“Oh, fuck yeah!” he roared as his body stiffened and a violent orgasm
gripped him. Mari wasn’t far behind as her climax ripped through her, raw
and primitive, leaving her weak and clamoring for breath.
They stumbled back to the bed, after drying each other’s bodies, and
collapsed in the sheets for much-needed rest.
Mari woke just before dawn as usual. Her memory of the night before
returned in vivid Technicolor, as she found herself trapped beneath a very
masculine arm around her waist and a heavy leg thrown over her hips.
Oh my God, what have I done? Everything she’d promised she
wouldn’t do, she’d done, and repeatedly. Mari groaned in shame, burying
her face in the pillow. Her body ached in places she had never dreamed
possible.

Nico came awake with a sense of wellbeing he hadn’t felt since his college
days. In fact, he felt so good, he wondered if Mari would mind terribly if he
slipped into her tight slit one last time. He couldn’t believe he wanted her
again! This endless craving was bordering on obsession. That thought gave
him pause. No, he only had to have her again and again until he slaked his
thirst, and he would walk away as he always had in the past. There was no
way he would ever marry again. He just had to get over the possessiveness
he felt toward her, and he was certain she wouldn’t object to being his
mistress.
Not now.
He knew just how to persuade her.
He started to massage one breast, and was startled when Mari
immediately rounded on him and slapped his hand away. She then pushed
his leg off her and abruptly got up from the bed.
She looked back at him with silent regret. With alarm, Nico realized
she appeared pale—and about to be sick. “What the…”
Mari sprinted to the bathroom and began retching in the toilet.
Nico got out of bed and followed her to the bathroom.
She lifted her head from the bowl long enough to growl at him. “Get
out!”
Nico ignored her and knelt on the floor with her, holding her hair out
of the way while she retched until there was nothing left. He lifted her up,
flushed the toilet, and held her at the sink while she rinsed her mouth and
cleaned her teeth. He stroked her messy, soft hair and gently rubbed her
stomach.
“Please, Nico, would you give me some privacy?” She seemed weak
and embarrassed. He gazed at her, concern eating at him. She didn’t raise
her head, and he reluctantly left the bathroom.
He returned to the bedroom and gathered his clothes from the chair
where he’d placed them the night before. He found another washroom off
the tiny kitchen, then cleaned his teeth and washed his face. He was on his
second cup of coffee before Mari made an appearance in the kitchen.
She was dressed in a Kimono-style dressing gown with matching
house slippers on her feet. Her long, black hair, now obviously blow dried,
was brushed neatly and shimmered from the little bits of sunlight coming
through the window. Nico noted how fragile she appeared. He checked the
impulse to gather her in his arms. She looked all but sixteen years old. He
swore under his breath as unwelcome doubt consumed him.
What the hell am I playing at? She was too young to handle this. As
his employee, she was his responsibility. He had no business dragging her
into the middle of a bitter divorce. He’d known from the beginning that she
was not mistress material. It would destroy her.
I am such a bloody bastard!
“Are you okay?” Nico was afraid to even touch her.
“No. I’m pregnant.”
“What?” Nico wasn’t sure he had heard her right. He stood frozen in
disbelief.
She looked at him dispassionately for a few moments, watching him
trying to come to grips with what she’d just imparted. She walked past him
and proceeded to pour water in the kettle to make tea.
“I’m pregnant,” Mari reiterated without turning from her task.
Nico felt the blood drain from his face. Fighting to control his
escalating anger and hurt, he ran his fingers through his hair.
Hurt? He was astonished by that debilitating feeling rising up in him.
He closed his eyes against the anguish of it. She had just obliterated
something inside of him. Something he hadn’t even been aware was there.
He had trusted her. She was his, damn it! A rage unlike any he had felt
before filled him and expanded in every pore, leaving him with blessed
coldness. The initial pain had been shocking, nothing he’d ever felt before.
He fought for emotional numbness.
“How the hell did this happen?” he asked in a deceptively calm voice.
He gave a meritless laugh. “No, let me answer that. After all, I was the one
to introduce you to the delights of sex. You just couldn’t help yourself. You
loved it so much, you had to screw any guy who asked. Now last night
begins to make a lot more sense. You are so hot for it, anyone would’ve
done.” His outrage increased with every bitter word he uttered. Even
Celina’s infidelity paled in comparison to this betrayal. He wanted to lash
out, smash something. Smash someone. He recoiled from piercing hurt
invading him, instead embracing the icy detachment he’d perfected over the
past few months.
“How dare you? I knew this would be hard for you to believe after the
schemes Celina has done, but you know me. You were there. This baby is
yours.” She stood in front of him, erect to her full height, her head thrown
back, and glared at him with hurt, dark eyes.
Nico laughed. There was no humor in it, however. He continued to
laugh and leaned against the kitchen counter, too consumed with his private
hell to appreciate any pain she may be feeling.
Mari just stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
“Didn’t you get the memo, sweetheart? I can’t have children. I’m
sterile.” Nico sauntered menacingly toward her. Mari refused to be
intimated by him and held her ground. “So you see, baby, you lose. Another
bitch already beat you to that particular punch line.”
“Nico, I know you don’t believe me.” Nico snorted at the
understatement. Mari continued, ignoring his interruption. “I swear to you
that this baby is yours. I want nothing from you. I just wanted you to
know.” She finished in a soft voice, pleading for him to understand, to
believe.
Nico gazed at her sexy, provocative curves, and felt a moment of utter
disgust at the immediate response of his twitching member to the arousing
sight. There was no way that Mari wasn’t aware of his arousal. She held his
gaze as his head slowly descended toward hers. He hovered over her lips for
excruciating indecisive seconds before pulling back and spinning away
from her. He ran his hand through his hair, while cursing his body’s
weakness.
 He pulled his mobile from his pocket and called Gio.

Mari turned away as she was consumed by a maelstrom of emotions. She’d

imagined that he might not believe her initially, but didn’t expect this anger,
this ugly distrust. Nico knew her. Despite her hurt and shock at his refusal,
she was even more stunned at her immediate response to him. He’d gotten
so close, his masculine heat made her body prickle in awareness. She was
aghast at her inappropriate and unwelcome recognition of him. My God,
how was she to continue at the company?
She heard him disconnect from his call with his bodyguard and bravely
met his gaze.
“I want your resignation on my desk before the end of day. I realize
that in your condition, you may not get another position immediately, but I
can at least give you a good reference and settlement.”
Her eyes pooled with tears. Mari had watched her mother degrade
herself to be with a guy who cared nothing for her, only wanting her body.
She should have known better.
How did I fall into the same trap?
“Kiss my ass, Nico! I will take care of me and my baby. I need nothing
from you!” She was consumed with such impotent rage that her body
quivered. She refused to let the tears fall.

“Good. Have a nice life, Mari. The next guy you try this on may not be so
forgiving. My suggestion to you is that you should learn to curb your
desires and maybe the next time you may know who the father of your baby
is.”
Nico sauntered out the door without a backward glance and was left
with emptiness in his heart that he feared would never heal. He was
anguished by her fall from the pedestal he’d unconsciously placed her on.
She’d been the only woman besides his mother and sisters that had garnered
his respect. The events of a few minutes ago had completely shattered that.
He barely heard her broken sobs as he exited the flat. He didn’t care.
The heart he hadn’t known he had was splintering into a million pieces. As
he entered the elevator, he was stunned by the hot, sticky tears leaking
down his face.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Four years later

MARI RUSHED THROUGH the elevator doors, barely waiting for them to
open properly. She was late again. Her schedule was going to be shot to
hell, but she couldn’t care less.
Alex had been difficult all morning, dreading the time that she’d take
her at the crèche. She hated leaving her baby in the care of others. Mari
smiled at the thought of how Alex would vehemently declare that she was
no longer a baby, but a big girl. At three years old, her daughter brought her
implicit joy. So much so that it was harder every day to let her go to the
crèche, even though it was located in the same building as her firm’s
offices! Her little girl was fast gaining the personality of her father:
confident, assured of her right to an opinion, and stubborn as hell.
Her calendar was filled with meetings that day and the late start was
not going to help. Some buyers were coming in, to review the possibility of
purchasing the small investment firm that she worked for. She knew two of
the banks scouting them; after all, she had approached them upon review of
their corporate structures and cultures in order to ensure an easy transition
of their staff to the much larger organization.
Her boss, and president of the firm, Harry Brennan, had at the last
minute scheduled another bank for later in the afternoon. She was not
concerned, as she trusted he was just as keen as the other top managers to
ensure that the purchaser fit well with their operation. Their goal was to
have the managers retained their positions and not to lose staff. Mr. Brennan
wanted to retire and withdraw the capital he’d invested in the firm, so in
order to realize this, as well as to ensure the continued financial viability of
the company, a merger with another local financial institution was preferred
—but not their only option.
Brennan’s Mutual was a sole proprietary firm operating in a small
suburb outside of London. It afforded the professional staff, all of whom
had worked in demanding jobs in London, the best of both worlds: a job in
a challenging industry without the hassle of London traffic, air pollution, or
hectic lifestyle, plus a lower cost of living, suburban houses, small-town
schools and community life. Mari loved it and was grateful to be able to
offer her daughter this environment. She was confident that her colleagues
felt the same for their families.
The vetting of firms was going well and everyone was optimistic about
the two potential buyers from earlier in the day. The only drawback was
their inability to deliver adequately on the financial package that Mr.
Brennan required. Mari took a break from the meetings in the afternoon to
lunch with Alex in the nearby park. The rest of the managers were having a
working lunch with the other potential buyer, at a restaurant in town. She’d
promised to join them for the presentation in the boardroom later that
afternoon. Her desire to spend time with her daughter far outweighed any
obligation to socialize with her potential new bosses.
After having eaten their packed lunches and engaging in an animated
debate about who was smarter, Dora the Explorer or Little Bill, Mari and
Alex returned from the park. They’d just arrived at the glass front doors of
her office building, when suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood
up, and she shivered in awareness.
Mari stopped and scrutinized her surroundings.
She was stunned by the sight of Nico and her former team emerging
from three expensive, dark sedans in front of the office building.
Mari was certain she’d seen them before they saw her, but she
wouldn’t have been able to move if her life depended on it. She was
completely mesmerized by the fluid, lithe motion of Nico exiting the sleek,
black Lexus, his usual dark sunglasses, superbly fitted custom-made
charcoal grey suit, and his usual “don’t fuck with me” scowl on his face. He
looked elegant and dangerous.
Held immobile by a loud roaring noise in her head, she was stunned by
the avalanche of emotion that ricocheted through her body.
Richard was the first to see and recognize her.
 He came toward her with an unholy grin and wickedly gleaming eyes.
He picked her up in a bear hug and spun her around.
She squealed in indignant.
Alex didn’t take too kindly to this and proceeded to bite and hit
Richard on the leg, while yelling at the top of her lungs, “Leave my
mommy alone!”
Richard, seeming stunned by the miniature attack, abruptly placed
Mari back on her feet and tried to get away from the angry toddler.
“Alexandra Quinn! Behave!”
Mari frantically tried calming her agitated daughter as the rest of the
team, Brad and Jarrod, surrounded her. Each man hugged and kissed her in
turn, while asking about her wellbeing. Their obvious joy on seeing her was
a soothing balm on her still fracturing emotions. With a now restrained and
shy little girl in her arms, the toddler’s dark head tucked in her mother’s
neck, Mari proudly introduced her daughter to the men. On each
introduction, Alex was passed around to each male, despite their chagrin.
They initially held the toddler at arm’s length, seeming terrified of dropping
her. But Alex, always an affectionate, happy child, soon broke down their
reserve and was held more lovingly in their arms. With a grin on her face,
she settled against Brad’s chest, gripping his jacket with sturdy little fingers.
When all was quiet, everyone turned and looked at Nico, who stood
back with his gaze locked on his daughter.

Nico stood apart from the group, quietly observing, brooding and biding his
time. No one looking at him would guess the turmoil bombarding his
system, the shock he felt. At first, he’d had eyes only for Mari. The sight of
her—she was still so fucking stunning! Her skin glowed, her black
gleaming tresses fell gracefully down her back, and her eyes sparkled with
humor. Her curvy body was elegantly encased in a tan Chanel suit teamed
with a white silk blouse. He couldn’t stop the startling, feverish response of
his body.
Then he saw her! The toddler was the most beautiful kid he’d ever
seen.
There was no doubt in his mind that the little girl in Brad’s arms was
his. The men looked back and forth between their boss and the little girl.
Silver blue eyes stared back at silver blue eyes. He would have to be blind
not to see his own stubborn mouth, sharp nose, midnight-black hair, and the
olive complexion that irrefutably made her his offspring. She looked so
much like his sister Sarah when she was a toddler, only a little darker
complexioned. Her little lips were distinctly her mother’s in their pouting,
rosebud fullness.
The tension in the air was electric.
None of the other adults moved, knowing better than to prick his
emotions. His daughter, however, seemed just as enthralled with him as
he’d been with her. The little girl was the first to move, reaching her chubby
arms out to him, almost dislodging herself from Brad’s arms in her
insistence on reaching her father.
Nico launched forward with quick, agile strides and took possession of
his toppling daughter. He held the warm, sturdy body clutched tight in his
arm, holding her close to his heart.
This is my daughter! Alexandra Quinn, Mari had called her.
His eyes glistened with unshed tears as a rush of love and immense
happiness reverberated throughout his entire body. He kissed her gently on
the cheeks, the forehead, and lips, and then buried his head in his daughter’s
tiny little neck. Nico smiled tremulously as his daughter peppered his face
with smacking, loud kisses. For the first time in his life, a feeling of peace
and tranquility settled through his very being, and cleansed the dark spaces
that had resided there for so long.
Nico was amused by the stunned reaction of his employees to this
latest development. They’d all been with him through his bitter divorce, the
well-publicized sterility revelation following the leak of his medical
records, and the less-than-amicable departure of Mari from company. He
had to admit, after she left he’d fallen far off the rails—becoming
impossible to please in the office, and ruthless, almost brutal, when dealing
with competitors. He’d rarely slept. For months after, he’d usually been
intoxicated. Drinking excessively had become the norm. Everyone walked
on eggshells around him, terrified of incurring his wrath. No one dared
mention Mari in his presence: this was grounds for instant dismissal. His
team had been very busy going behind his back, rehiring and soothing the
ruffled feathers of employees and clients. For six months, he’d existed in a
dark haze, physically going through the motions of life but emotionally
dead.
Gio, ever the concerned, loyal employee, one day just stuffed his
drunken ass in the helicopter and took him to his parents’. He’d remained at
the vineyard for weeks, not because he had any great revelation or
intervention, but because he simply didn’t care about anything, not the
company or his family. He’d stopped drinking, however, because his mother
was so pissed with him and would rip him a new one every time she found
anything alcoholic in his hand. She had no problem taking his beverage
from him and slapping him in the back of his head. She was in no way
gentle about it, either. He’d left, returned to work, existing on autopilot.
This was the first real emotion to pierce his heart since his last
encounter with Mari. He had an image of his heart just now being jolted to
life by the delicious feel of his daughter in his arms.
The tense atmosphere was broken on the arrival of the Brennan Mutual
executives, who had accompanied Nico’s team to lunch.
Harry rushed toward them. “Why is everyone still out here? Come
inside. Mari, I’ll start with my introduction in the boardroom with the other
managers while you take the baby back to the crèche.” He obviously didn’t
sense anything amiss.
As Mari’s colleagues preceded them into the building, no one on
Nico’s team moved.
“Well now, this is rather interesting!” Richard whistled in awe.
Nico glared at him to shut him up.
“My bad!” Richard offered with his usual devilish grin.
Mari approached Nico cautiously as everyone remained uncomfortably
silent. Alex was busy inspecting her father’s hair and the diamond-stud
earring in his ear.
“We have to talk.” Nico gave her a hard stare. He turned his head and
looked at his team. “Gentlemen, I’m afraid I have more pressing issues to
deal with. Proceed as we have discussed. I want the papers on my desk by
tomorrow morning. Give my regrets to Harry.” He dismissed the men with
cool authority.
Nico closed the space between them and seized Mari’s forearm. “We
have a lot to discuss.” He steered her toward the waiting car.
 Mari didn’t bother acknowledging his statement. “Don’t touch me!”
She pulled angrily out of his grasp and reached for Alex.
Nico didn’t move a muscle. He held Alex securely in one arm.
“Give her to me, Nico,” Mari whispered.
He ignored her and turned to Gio, who was leaning against the hood of
the Lexus. He came forward.
“Sir?” Gio had watched the proceedings from the sidelines. Nico knew
that his faithful employee and friend would be just as overwhelmed with
emotion as he was. None of them would have been prepared for this miracle
baby. And Alex was a miracle. Gio would understand what this would mean
to him. He’d guarded Nico since birth. His family had served the Darians
for generations. His brothers and cousins worked the vineyards, his wife
took care of Nico’s home, which happened to be wherever Nico was doing
business at the time, and his children were all employed in various
capacities in Nico’s companies. Yes, Gio would understand.
“Here. Take her to the car.” Nico handed Alex over to his most trusted
employee.

Mari went numb with shock. This couldn’t be happening. She tried to calm
herself for Alex’s sake. Right now she was happy and basking in all the
male attention, but any show of agitation from her mother, and that would
change very quickly. She didn’t want to frighten her, and tried desperately
to keep the panic out of her voice.
“Nico, don’t do this.”
“Don’t try my patience, Mari. Get in the car!” Nico stated through
clenched teeth, pinning her with a cold glare.
Mari looked about her, and noted that no one would meet her gaze. She
made as if to approach Richard, but Nico stopped her in her tracks by his
next statement.
“Unless you want me to destroy anyone who dares to interfere with my
wishes, I suggest you don’t encourage any misplaced heroism,” Nico
whispered silkily with menacing intent.
Mari had always prided herself on her pragmatic approach and
levelheadedness in any situation, but her helplessness in that moment was a
foreign situation. Feeling like a cornered animal, she was predictably filled
with fear and rage.
She welcomed the anger, but tried to ignore the fear. Letting icy fury
seep into her veins, she was able to momentarily disregard her heart’s
jubilant response to his shocking presence.
“I won’t be intimidated by you or anyone. You have no right to take
her. You gave up that right.” Her voice shook with her indignant.
He gave her an assessing stare and sauntered toward the car. Alex was
already fastened securely in the back seat of the car. Refusing to respond to
her assertion, Nico held the door for Mari to enter.
The fear suddenly resurfaced, paralyzing her and threatening to
overwhelm her. She shook her head as if to clear it and then chided herself
for being even remotely intimidated by his attitude.
She had done nothing wrong!
In fact, he should be grateful she’d even allowed him to touch her
daughter. If Nico thought for a second that he would just walk back into her
life, her daughter’s life, and direct them at will, well, he was in for a rude
awakening.
“Come, Momma, let’s ride!” Alex cheerfully beckoned with all the
innocence of a child anticipating a treat. Jarred out of her immobility by her
daughter’s voice, she strode reluctantly toward the car. Nico closed the door
firmly behind her and got into the front seat beside Gio.
“Don’t think for a moment that you will get away with this,” Mari
muttered through clenched teeth from her perch in the back of the car.
Nico ignored her and maintained a stoic silence.
Gio sped away from the curb, the powerful vehicle making hardly a
sound.
Mari sat foaming, while listening to Nico try to engage his daughter in
conversation, given her limited vocabulary—asking her how old she was,
what was her favorite this-and-that.
The little traitor was happily basking in her father’s attention.
She was so busy smoldering in her hatred of the presumptuous,
arrogant, pigheaded rat sitting in front of her, that she paid no attention to
where they were going. As Gio pulled up to a gleaming powered-up Bell
helicopter parked on the tarmac, Mari stiffened with defiance, and fear
surged through her. How had this gotten so out of control?
 “Nico, this has gone far enough! This is my life you’re messing with.
How can you think to come here and dictate what we do, where we go! I
won’t let you get away with it.” Mari glared at him with blatant defiance,
her body violently trembling in distress. She tried to calm down, to think
clearly. She couldn’t afford to lose control. There was too much at stake.
“Do your worst, cara. You’ve kept my daughter from me long enough.
My daughter, Mari! She will never sleep outside of my home again, this I
promise you!” Nico’s silver stare was cold as granite. He exited the car and
opened the door for Alex as Gio opened her door.
“You bastard! Don’t you dare take her on that thing!” Mari screamed at
him as he unbuckled Alex from her seat and started to board the helicopter.
The toddler couldn’t help but notice her mother’s anxiety. She started to cry
then, reaching out for Mari. Alex refused to be quiet as her father tried
unsuccessfully to soothe her. She glared at him and stubbornly continued to
holler. Looking over Nico’s shoulder for her mother, Alex insistently
squirmed to escape his arms.
It was impossible for him to board the helicopter with a protesting,
determined three-year-old.
“Stop being such a bleeding drama queen!” Seething with anger, he
glared at Mari. “You’re frightening her unnecessarily.”
“Oh, that’s rich! I’m frightening her. You created this, with your
moronic arrogance and insistence on kidnapping us. Give her to me! And
watch your language around her!” Mari shouted above the combined noise
of the powered-up aircraft and screaming toddler. She angrily wiped the
tears from her cheeks, barely realizing that she had started crying.
“Get on the bloody aircraft and she’s all yours.” Nico shouted above
the noise.
“You bastard!” Mari screamed, striding angrily toward Nico’s
retreating form.
“I think you’ve said that already. Either board or we’ll leave without
you. I won’t ask again.” Nico turned and proceeded to board.
Her blood ran cold.
She knew he was deadly serious. His actions repeatedly showed he
cared nothing for her. For the first time since she’d known him, she was
truly terrified of him. In all her experiences with him, he’d never been this
hard, this angry. Fear settled in the pit of her stomach, making her
incredibly nauseous. Mari reluctantly boarded, entering the aircraft in his
wake.
As soon as she was seated, Alex was placed in her arms. Nico sat
across from her. Gio went up front with the pilot. Nico gave her two
headsets to block the shocking noise of the aircraft. In seconds, the
helicopter was in the air.
As soon as she was fitted with the noise-reducing device, Alex buried
her tiny face in her mother’s bosom and promptly fell asleep, thoroughly
exhausted from her recent tantrum. Mari held her tightly and plotted their
escape.
Mari would have agreed to let Nico see Alex whenever he wanted.
She’d never had a problem with that. Especially after seeing Alex’s reaction
to him, she would agree that they should maintain some form of a
relationship. A relationship based on her terms, not his. However, now she
was so pissed, she couldn’t see straight.
If he thought his autocratic arrogance was going to intimidate her, he
had another think coming. She had no intention of allowing him to get away
with this behavior. Obviously, he’d forgotten who he was dealing with.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

MARI WAS LIVID. Undiluted rage consumed her, escalating as they

arrived at the penthouse of Darian’s office building. The building had long
been outfitted with a helicopter landing pad to provide easy transportation
to anywhere in London and accommodate Nico’s manic schedule.
He ushered them quickly into the flat. Mari had been there before. It
was still a daunting and impressive spectacle every time she saw it.
Accessible by an elevator that ran from the executive floor of the building,
it spanned about five thousand square feet on two levels, featuring ivory
marble floors in the foyer throughout the lower floor, surrounded by
double-glass windows and French doors opening onto four terraces. The
rooms were accentuated with natural wood ceilings and moldings, elegant
drapes, and strategically placed antique rugs. The flat had an indoor heated
swimming pool and Jacuzzi, plus a high-tech fitness room. The kitchen
would be the envy of any celebrity chef. A study with an impressive library
and an entertainment room with a plasma screen were Nico’s most used
rooms. The living room was designed for hosting small gatherings, while
the five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms on the upper level were
available for use by Nico’s elite team.
On his insistence, Mari took Alex to one of guest bedrooms so that she
could continue to nap. She’d had slept blissfully throughout their journey,
seemingly exhausted from the dramatic events of the day.
Nico waited at the door of the bedroom with an obvious, impatient
energy. With a flick of his head, he beckoned Mari from the room and
strode purposefully to his study. Mari glanced around to ensure everything
was as she remembered so that when the time came, she could make a
speedy escape.
 Nico entered his study, closed the door firmly behind her, and strode to
his desk.
She refused to be intimidated by the show of aggression and authority
in Nico’s demeanor as he stood behind his desk.
“Sit!” Nico pointed at the chair impatiently.
“No, I think I’ll stand. This won’t take long. What more could you
possibly have to say after bringing me here against my will and causing
unnecessary distress to my child? Your behavior has permanently prejudiced
any goodwill I may have extended to you,” Mari stated coldly

Legs braced apart, hands on his hips, his dark jacket opened, he glared at
her steadily. His demeanor and voice were laced with quiet aggression.
“How could you do this to me, to our daughter? Didn’t you think I deserved
to know I had fathered a child? What did you hope to gain by this
deception?”
“Are you crazy? I told you that I was pregnant! You decided in your
all-knowing omnipotence that I wasn’t telling the truth! How could you
possibly blame this on me? You have nothing to be angry about.” She
advanced on him in spectacular outrage. “I did what you asked me to do.
Have a nice life, you said! Well, I did, and I do. Alex is my daughter,
nothing to do with you!” Mari shouted in his face.
He moved so swiftly, she had no time to avoid him. “You dare to deny
she’s mine?” Nico snarled while seizing her forearm.
Mari tried to escape him, struggling like a wildcat to dislodge him. She
hit his arm, slapped his chest, his face, anywhere she could reach with her
free hand.
“Stop it!” He held her tight against him to impede her attacks.
Wrong move!
The simmering arousal he’d been sporting since he saw her again
intensified to sizzling proportions. He closed his eyes, fighting to ignore it.
Still trying to get away from him, Mari seemed oblivious to his plight.
“I haven’t confirmed or denied anything. But you’re not going to steamroll
into my life as if you’ve some right to do so. I gave you numerous
opportunities to be a part of our lives. You denied us at every turn. I’ve kept
nothing from you, certainly not my daughter!” She momentarily pulled
away from his grasp, spun around, and marched to the door.
Mari didn’t get very far before Nico grabbed her arm and pulled her
back against him. She tried to scream but he silenced her with a scorching
kiss. It was hard and punishing, bruising her soft lips, not meant for
pleasure, but to convey the frustration he felt.
Mari tried to struggle out of his arms, to no avail.
Nico was determined to let her go when he was ready. His strength was
impenetrable.
Her long-remembered taste exploded on his tongue and penetrated the
dark fog of his rage. He clutched her tighter to his chest as desire pulsed
around them.
She stiffened and became passive in his arms, not returning his kiss or
responding to it.
He knew this was her way of fighting him, but he would have none of
it. He pulled her even more securely into his arms, ensuring there wasn’t an
inch of her body that wasn’t surrounded by his. His lips eased, becoming
more persuasive as he roamed his hands possessively over her curves. The
kiss became soft, a tender exploration, compelling her to respond. He
plundered her mouth, sliding his tongue sensually against hers. He made a
guttural sound in the back of his throat as his body shuddered with pleasure.

Mari was drowning in his scent, his heat, his arrogance, his dominance. All
were conspiring against her, completely exacerbating her resolve to remain
unaffected by him. She couldn’t fight him and fight herself as well.
She wanted this, needed it, even.
Unable to withstand his allure, Mari achingly gave into him, locking
her arms around his neck, writhing against him passionately and draping her
limbs around him like clinging vines.
What followed was a total devastation of her senses, an obliteration of
any resistance she might have mounted. Why him? No one else could make
her ignite like this, completely eroding her moral high ground. With him
she had no sense of right and wrong, no defense against him. The feel of his
hard, warm masculinity against her made her throb violently with arousal.
She couldn’t get enough of him.
 Nico groaned in frustration, trying to get at her skin. He flicked open
first one button on her blouse, then another, until it was completely opened
and she was vulnerable to his ardent caress.
He deepened the kiss, holding her lips captive, driving them both
mindless to everything around them. All that mattered was this moment, his
touch, his taste. She was insatiable in her quest to gorge herself on what
she’d been missing for four lonely years.
His hands were busy in her opened blouse, lightly, feverishly stroking
her bra-clad breasts and their protruding peaks. He impatiently unclasped
her bra from the front, pushing the garment carelessly aside. He stepped
back a little to admire his prize. His eyes were glazed with lust, and raw
desire to take what was before him.
“They are a little bigger than I remember. Did you breast-feed my
daughter?”
“Yes,” she cried softly. “Nico, please!” She pleaded with him to touch
her where she ached the most.
His eyes darkened with satisfaction. The blue in their depths
intensified further as his attention reverted back to her breasts. Her nipples
hardened at his continued, blunt stare. He growled gutturally as his hands
circled a plump globe. He took his time and gently caressed the throbbing
tip. Mari whimpered and couldn’t suppress the trembling of her limbs at his
touch. She sank her fingers in his hair as he sucked them strongly into the
warm cavity of his mouth. Each tag of his tongue made a virtual link to her
throbbing clit. He flicked his attention from one breast to the other, making
her forget where she was and the fact that she was mad as hell at him.
Under his touches, his past rejection was forgotten and the pain he’d
inflicted ignored.
Mari reveled in the feel of his lips at her breast and his big hands
exploring her sensitive skin. She couldn’t stop her own frantic probing of
his hard contours and smooth, bulging muscles. His hair, so much like
Alex’s, felt like silk in her hands. She caressed his broad, sculpted chest, the
graceful lines of his back, the hard walls of his stomach, and then the
granite swell of his masculine ass. She shivered violently at the feel of him
beneath her fingertips, and was overwhelmed with longing to have him
deep inside her.
 Her nipple popped from his mouth as he suddenly, inexplicably
stopped his seduction. He held her firmly away from him and stepped back.
She struggled to regain her breath and make sense of the abrupt end to their
lovemaking.
“How many men have been in my daughter’s life?”
“What?”
“You heard me. How many other men have you introduced to my
daughter as her uncle, or mommy’s special friend?” Nico asked impatiently.
Mari gaped at him in incredulous disbelief. “Are you kidding me?
After everything that has passed between us, this is your most pressing
question?” She shook her head in disgust, muttering underneath her breath.
“Answer the fucking question.” His anger returned hot and swift.
“You know what you can do with your questions? Kiss my black
behind!” She had to get out of there, regroup, and decide what to do. With
Nico blocking the exit, her options were limited. She was suddenly
exhausted, both physically and mentally. After so many turbulent emotions,
she felt herself wilting right there in front of him. She had to get out before
she broke down from total exhaustion.
“Has it been so many that you can’t even remember?” he persisted
silkily.
Clenching her teeth in frustration and deliberately ignoring his
question, she quickly refastened her bra, buttoned her blouse, and tidied her
hair as best she could.
“Answer me!”
She regarded him with a withering glare. “Sorry, I’d forgotten. I’m a
whore, right?” She weakly held her hand up, as if to ward him off before he
could respond. “Nico, please. Save your bullshit for someone who gives a
damn! I need to get back to my daughter. She must be awake by now and
you’re wasting my freakin’ time with your nonsense.”
Ignoring his angry glower, Mari didn’t wait for his response. Instead,
she edged swiftly around him and escaped.

Nico watched her leave. He had to let her go. Fighting to regain control, he
raked his hands through his hair in agitation. His response to her was too
destructive, so out of control. He didn’t expect to still want her so much.
The last time, she had almost destroyed him.
This wasn’t what he wanted right now!
They had too many issues to work through. Most pressing was his
need to ensure his place in his daughter’s life. Mari had, so far, stubbornly
refused to refer to Alex as his daughter. While he acknowledged his role in
her defiance, he couldn’t continue to allow her to keep him away from the
girl. They had to move past this point. This time, he intended to keep them
both in his life.
God, I have a daughter!
A feeling of exhilaration and immense joy consumed him. He picked
up the phone on his desk. His first call was to his parents. He had to hold
the phone away from his ear at his mother’s piercing screams of joy. After
promising to bring Alex for a visit as soon as he could arrange it, Nico
called his lawyer and then called Gio. They had a lot of work to do to
ensure his daughter’s future.

As tired and as bone weary as she felt, Mari knew she had to act now,
before Nico eroded any desire on her part to leave him. She gathered her
daughter in her arms.
Mari crept down the stairs with a sleeping Alex held close to her body.
She could see Nico’s study door open, with Gio in deep discussions with
him inside. Martha was busy in the kitchen. It was almost too easy, she
thought, and they silently exited the flat.
She took the elevator to the garage floor without it stopping once in its
descent. They exited the building through the service delivery area without
any security blocking her exit.
Alex woke as soon as they entered the sunlight. She immediately
wanted to be let down to better view her new surroundings. She didn’t
protest or fuss the abrupt change away from her familiar environment.
Thank God my child is so sweet-tempered!
It was the middle of April, in late afternoon, so although the sun was
out, there was still a decided chill in the air. Mari’s goal was to get to
Richard’s flat, fifteen minutes away by taxi. Richard had given her a key
when she was pregnant with Alex. It served to ensure she always had a
secure place to stay in London. She very quickly hailed a taxi, and was
taken to her destination without further incident.
The doorman recognized her as they entered the building and waved
an enthusiastic hello to Alex. Alex skipped along behind her mother and
waved a cheeky greeting back. The key on her ring opened the locked front
door. Mari sighed with relief.
Upon entering the flat, she immediately went to the kitchen and started
preparing a light meal for them. The flat was the usual bachelor pad. But
thanks to Richard’s housekeeper, who came in twice a week, the fridge and
cupboards were always adequately stocked. Although the housekeeper was
scheduled to come in the next day, Mari still ensured she left everything as
neat and tidy as she’d met it.
“Man gone?” Alex asked her suddenly.
Mari was surprised that Alex was already missing her father.
“Not man, baby. Daddy. Can you say ‘daddy’?”
“Daddy! Daddy!” her daughter triumphantly chanted.
Mari smiled at her easy acceptance and cheerful personality.
Once she and Alex were fed and comfortable, Mari took her to the
bedroom for a bath, and soon after put her to bed.
She stood under a hot shower, contemplating her dilemma and trying
to come to grips with having Nico back in her life. Seeing him today had
been a shock to her system. She was annoyed to find that after all that had
passed, she still loved him. She would be extra vigilant in preventing even a
glimmer of her feelings for him to be revealed again. No matter what
transpired between them, her love for Nico wouldn’t be a determining
factor this time around. She had her child to consider. Alex’s wellbeing was
all that mattered and would dictate her action. After experiencing her
parents’ indifference, Mari was more determined than ever to do better, to
be the conscientious, selfless parent Alex needed.
So Nico could command, threaten, dictate, swear, or try to seduce her
as he had today, as much as he wanted. It would all be for naught. She
would be immune to any inducement that would jeopardize the life she
wanted for her daughter, and being controlled by Nico would do just that.
Nico viewed everything as either a possession or a family obligation. He
was a fantastic son and older brother. But she wanted more than that for her
daughter. Mari wanted Alex to feel loved at all times, not to be seen as an
inconvenience or an obligation.
Exiting the bathroom with her damp body scantily shielded by a bath
towel, Mari quietly entered the darkened bedroom, taking care not to wake
her slumbering daughter.
“Get dressed. My car is out front.”
She screeched loudly in shock upon hearing his clipped command.
“What? How did you get in here? How did you find us?” She gaped at
the figure of Nico, reclining nonchalantly on an oversized armchair in a
shadowy corner of the room. It was impossible to see his face, but the quiet
authority in his voice was unmistakable.
He approached her without speaking, but he didn’t need to use words.
The harsh, angry glare in his eyes and the rigidity in his body were
testimony to the volatility of his emotions.
“I’ll not tell you again. Go and get dressed if you don’t want to leave
here just as you are.”
“This is ridiculous. Where is Alex?” Mari suddenly realized that her
daughter was not on the bed sleeping, as she’d expected. A chilling shiver
of unease tingled down her spine, especially as she saw the humorless smirk
on Nico’s face.
“What have you done?”
Nico silently turned and walked out of the bedroom.
Mari sprinted after him, frantic with fear for her missing daughter,
“Nico, wait! Where is my daughter?”
“Are you coming with us or not? I have no intention of having a
conversation with you in another man’s home.”
“What? This is Richard’s flat.”
“Yes, I know. And when I get my hands on him, even his mother won’t
be able to recognize his face.”
It wasn’t what he’d said that gave her pause, but it was how he said it,
completely without emotion or expression. Cold. She couldn’t let him
blame Richard for sheltering her.
“Richard doesn’t know I’m here.”
But Nico was no longer listening to her. His long strides took him to
the front door of the flat and his hand was on the handle, ready to open it.
 “Wait! Give me a minute to get dressed.” Mari didn’t wait for him to
agree, but quickly reentered the guest bedroom and slipped back into the
soiled clothing she’d recently discarded.

Nico sat in the back seat of his black Mercedes, chauffeured by Gio,
brooding in simmering rage. Mari was determined to stoke the fires of his
anger at every turn. First, she’d kept his daughter from him, which he’d
briefly considered forgiving her for, as he’d played a role in her actions.
Then she’d tried to disappear with her again, not aware that they’d been
assigned bodyguards as soon as they’d entered his home hours before.
No way would he allow his daughter to be unprotected. He’d been
stunned when one of the guards called to say she’d exited the building.
They hadn’t intercepted her because he’d made it very clear that no one was
to touch her. And by the time they’d called to advise him, she’d slipped into
a waiting taxi. They followed her and waited for his arrival.
Her unforgivable offensive was in running to her lover for assistance!
His jaw tightened and his fist clenched with the need to smash Richard’s
face in. How dare he touch his woman, the mother of his child? He felt out
of control, thoroughly disgusted with the duplicity of women.
His daughter’s innocent voice pierced through his murky, dark
thoughts. “Daddy, ride in the car?” The sound of Alex’s sleepy inquiry
quelled his volatile musing. She sat in a newly installed child seat between
her parents and gazed at him with wide-eyed expectation.
“Yes, baby. We’re going for a ride in the car,” Nico answered softly.
His emotions clogged his throat and with overwhelming, piercing joy, he
felt tears well up. He’d never thought he would ever hear the title “daddy”
in reference to himself—five letters that had become the most important
word in his life.
Thankfully, Alex’s constant stream of baby chatter diffused some of
the volatile emotions masked by the adults’ silent brooding.
“With all this security detail, one could be mistaken in thinking the
royal family was in this car,” Mari whispered angrily.
“You don’t know when to stop, do you?” Nico asked in impatient
disgust.
 Again she was saved by Alex’s baby chatter, her little girl determined
to gain the attention of the new man in her life.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

MARI STOOD AS still as a statue and waited for Nico to enter the foyer of
the flat with their sleeping toddler.
He placed Alex in Gio’s care, and instructed him to take his daughter
to her bed. He then took Mari’s forearm in a punishing hold and pulled her
toward his study.
“Sit!” Nico instructed coldly as he proceeded to the mini-bar and filled
a tumbler with an amber liquid. After consuming the contents, Nico filled it
again and sat behind his desk.
“Arrogant much?” Mari snorted, maintaining her stance just inside the
doorway. “Don’t think that I’m the least bit intimidated by you. All of this
pulling me here and dragging me around is unnecessary and really pissing
me off!”
Nico just looked at her over the rim of his glass and silently scrutinized
her. “Keeping my daughter from me, from her family, from what is
rightfully hers was crime enough. You compound it by taking her away
from me again. Are you forgetting who the fuck you’re dealing with?” he
asked in a deceptively soft voice.
“Alex is my daughter, not yours! You didn’t want her, remember?”
“Dio mio! You knew that I didn’t believe you. Given what medical
professionals told me about the impossibility of it, I couldn’t believe you! It
was your responsibility to her and to me that you convince me of the truth
of her existence. You gave up after some trifling attempts.” Nico was
getting angrier by the minute, but he didn’t let that show in his voice. He
leaned nonchalantly back in his chair.
“I tried! You wouldn’t listen. You wouldn’t take any of my calls and all
of my letters were returned to me unopened.” Mari glared at him.
 “Basta!” With blistering impatience, he sliced his hand through the
air. He sprang from his chair, muttering incoherently in Italian as he paced.
Although Nico was as English as they came, he often slipped into his
mother’s tongue when agitated.
“You could’ve tried harder. You’re a fucking hacker, for Christ’s sake!
If you wanted to, you could have contacted me at any time. I have seen you
in action too many times to believe that you tried hard enough!” He was
unwilling to give any quarter. “We live in an electronic world. Who the hell
sends letters?”
“I probably could’ve contacted you electronically but why should I
continue to be humiliated by you and be called everything from a whore to
a mercenary bitch?” Mari trembled with indignation at the unfairness of the
charge levied by him. “Do you know that while I was in labor with your
daughter, you were out on yet another date, another woman in your bed?”
“I was told that it was virtually impossible for me to father a child!”
Nico ran his hands through his hair in agitation, his steely blue eyes etched
in anguish.
“Virtually impossible, Nico, but not totally impossible. I sent you
pictures of the ultrasound, pictures of her birth, pictures of her first step and
first birthday… how much more effort should I have made? They were all
returned unopened. Yes, we live in an electronic world, but I thought the
hard copies in your hand would help you accept the truth. How much
understanding should I have extended to you, when you showed me none?”
Her voice rose in rage as she enunciated each word with her distinct Island
accent.

“I didn’t know! The letters stopped coming to me after your first attempt. I
made it clear that I wanted no contact from you. Sharon would have carried
out my orders without exception. She didn’t tell me that you were still
trying to contact me four years later.” Nico was humbled by her attempts
and ashamed of his treatment of her. How could he have possibly misread
the situation so badly? He had ruthlessly eliminated her from his life and
simultaneously had eliminated his daughter from his life as well. His
stomach churned with anguish as he acknowledged how much he’d missed
of his daughter’s early years. He had no one to blame but himself.
 “That doesn’t make what you did okay! You knew me better than
anyone and should have given me the benefit of doubt, Nico. I’d never
given you a reason to distrust me. I didn’t deserve to be painted with the
same brush as Celina. What she did was terrible, but it was asinine to
assume every woman was just like her!”
Her bitter indictment made him feel inches tall. Mari might not have
deserved the scorn and hatred he had felt for her in the past, but that didn’t
mean he would relinquish his right to his daughter. The elation he felt,
holding his own flesh and blood, his living, breathing stamp on the world,
was too great, too miraculous to give up so easily. He would fight with any
means necessary, and if that meant fighting dirty, well then he had to. He
owed it to Alex, to himself, and to his family to maintain possession of his
daughter.
“Regardless of what has transpired before, I want my daughter. She
will be a part of my life whether you like it or not. I have no intention of
ever letting her live apart from me again.” Not allowing any emotion in his
voice or his face, Nico regarded Mari with icy determination. “You of all
people know the magnitude of my wealth and the responsibility that entails.
She is the heir to an old and traditional heritage, whose forefathers were
wealthy and powerful men. Alex has to be molded by me to take her place,
along with my nieces and nephews, to manage our vast and complex
legacy.”
“I think she has quite some time before the little princess has to take
over your oppressive fiefdom.” Mari smirked. “I still don’t understand how
you intend to have her in your life by being a dick to me.”
“Before you anger me further, I suggest you go to your room and think
about what lengths I would employ to keep my daughter. You can decide to
be included in our daughter’s life or not. Right now, I don’t give a damn
which option you take.” The need to enforce his will overrode any
willingness to negotiate with her.
“You’re so quick with the threats. Ever tried asking nicely? Just know
that I would die before I let you or anyone take my daughter from me.” The
hard glint in her eyes put him on notice that he would have a serious fight
on his hands. “No court in the world would award you custody over me. I’m
not completely defenseless. Remember that! You need to think of what
lengths I would go to keep my daughter safe.”
 “Fighting me on this is pointless. I have more resources to fight. I now
have possession of my daughter and she is going nowhere. Talking about
this in terms of custody is ridiculous. I have custody of both of you now!”
Nico was already impatient with the lack of control he seemed to have over
the situation. He needed another few hours to ensure that his plan was
flawlessly executed and she had no room to maneuver. He needed her
cooperation to make his plan work, but he had to ensure she had no wiggle
room.
“Look, it has been a long day already. I know you’re tired and
probably hungry. If you promise not to do another disappearing act, we can
finish this discussion tomorrow. We will both be in a better mind to make
compromises. I know you’ll fight for our daughter. You’ve already proved
that you would. But think about what is best for her, not that you’re pissed
with me. Making decisions on emotions is not advisable.” He had to get her
out of there so that he could move up his plans and ensure his success.
What he hadn’t disclosed to her was that he was also determined to
claim her. She was his woman, and he would make damn sure she would
never escape him again.
“Are you even listening to me? Any thinking I’m willing to do would
have to be done away from here. We’re not staying here. You have no right
to keep us here!”
Nico lazily perused her body, so deliciously delineated in the silk white
blouse and tan pencil skirt of her suit. Although it extended below her
knees, the provocative side slit and her sinful curves threatened to derail his
tenuous grip on his control. He fought with everything in him not to spread
her over his desk at that moment. The remembered bliss of being buried
deep inside her made his dick lengthen, made him want to be encased in her
heat.
He felt his body moving closer toward her. His actions were almost
involuntary, like a heat-seeking missile targeting her essence.
No. This has to stop.
He spun suddenly, effectively breaking the connection, and restoring
some of his equilibrium. He returned to his desk and sat back down, looking
at her with simmering lust. He strove for calm. Wanting to tone down the
escalating emotions, he projected an unaffected façade.
 “Unless you want to be fucked in the next two seconds, I suggest you
take my advice and go to your room. We will deal with Alex first, then I
will take care of you,” Nico drawled huskily. “Go to your room, Mari. I will
have Martha send up a tray so that you may rest. We will finish this
discussion tomorrow.” He wanted to keep her off balance: that was the only
way to win with her. He admired her fighting spirit, but with him she would
learn that he always got what he wanted, and right now, he wanted his
daughter—and her.

Mari reluctantly left the study, informing him coldly that she’d already
eaten, and angrily mounted the stairs. She couldn’t help but note the added
security of two men outside her room. Glaring at them stonily, she entered
the room assigned to her and Alex. Mari spied her daughter sleeping
peacefully in a tiny cot beside the queen-sized bed. She was gently snoring,
totally oblivious to the turmoil spiraling around her.
The room was beautifully decorated in soft spring colors that,
surprisingly, soothed her volatile emotions. Wanting to get out of the clothes
she’d worn all day, she entered the walk-in closet, only to be stunned to find
her own clothes meticulously hung inside. They had obviously been
collected from her house. Nico’s audacity knew no bounds! His swift action
forced her, reluctantly, to admit that she was slightly apprehensive of his
impressive resources.
If he found out she’d listed him as the father on Alex’s birth certificate,
he’d also learn just how many rights he possessed in regard to his daughter.
She’d done it, because she had no extended family and had to ensure Alex
was taken care of if something happened to her. But Nico didn’t need to
know that she’d given him “parental responsibility” for their daughter. The
bastard didn’t deserve her consideration after his caveman behavior.
Getting angry again was not only pointless, it was a waste of energy.
She only hoped that her house had been left properly secured. She couldn’t
afford to be intimidated by his display of aggression. Her daughter’s future
depended on her ability to hold her own against Nico. Over the years, she’d
amassed a net worth in the millions. Nothing in the realm of Nico’s
imposing resources, but certainly nothing to dismiss, either. However,
common sense demanded that she not react emotionally to his treats. She
had to be methodical and realistic, and focus on what she wanted for her
and Alex.
Discarding her soiled clothes and putting on her comfortable cotton
sleep shorts and shirt, she slipped between the clean, crisp sheets.
In those few moments between sleep and wakefulness, she sluggishly
resolved not to be seduced by Nico. She didn’t miss the determined,
possessive glint in his eyes as he’d lazily perused her body. However, she
refused to be distracted by their mutual attraction. Oh, but how she yearned
to give in to it! As much as she hated his arrogant attitude, she loved his
dominance. Damn if that made any sense, but she loved his rugged, alpha
masculinity, his possessiveness, and his dark, brooding sensuality. He
embodied elegant male beauty, so deliciously virile.
She sighed wistfully. Mari grimaced in disgust at her hopeless
musings. How could she be attracted to him still? Hadn’t he wreaked
enough damage on her personal life? So much destruction, in fact, that she
hadn’t been able to be even be attracted to another man in all her adult life.
He had permanently spoiled her for other men.
She pulled the covers over her head in resignation. Hopefully, a new
day would bring inspiration, and resolution.

Mari woke late the next morning—the first time that had happened in years
—initially disoriented and then alarmed upon not seeing her daughter.
Determined not to overreact, she approached the empty cot on unsteady
legs. A note in Nico’s bold handwriting stated, “Relax and come down
when you want. I’ve taken Alex to work with me. We’ll be back at noon.”
His mobile number was also provided. Having no other option other than to
trust him to keep his word, she took out her cell to call him.
“Good morning, bella.” The rich timbre of his voice completely
disarmed her and her core pulsed in recognition.
“Is she okay?” Mari was finally able to get the words out, past the
cottony dryness in her mouth.
“Our daughter has boundless energy and is an incredibly happy child.
Thank you.” His solemn words went a long way toward defusing her
lingering anger and distrust.
 “You’re welcome. Alex will be back at noon?” She needed his verbal
reassurance.
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Disconnecting from him, she then checked on the security of her house
by calling her neighbor and friend. It took very little for her to remember
the solid brick structure of her first real home. It stood charmingly against a
backdrop of the evergreen countryside. Red, pink, yellow, and white roses
formed hedges at the perimeter of her small garden. Mari felt such a sense
of accomplishment every time she arrived home. It was her pride and joy
and she had no intention of leaving it unattended. A few minutes later, she
was marginally satisfied that her house was indeed secure, as her neighbor
assured her that the gorgeous Italian who introduced himself as her fiancé
had paid her handsomely to keep an eye on the place. Disengaging the call
proved difficult as Audrey insisted on gushing over Nico, and didn’t seem
to want to let her off the phone. She couldn’t believe how much Alex
resembled her father. Mari was only able to end the call by promising to
have lunch with the woman soon.
Her next call was to her office, to Harry Brennan, her boss. He was
glad to hear from her, but also wanted to reassure himself that he’d done the
right thing by allowing Nico to leave with her. He was uncomfortable by the
team’s lack of action in assisting Mari when they’d realized she hadn’t
returned for the meeting. However, he wasn’t certain what was going on or
how any of it would affect the tenuous situation the firm was in. An
amicable resolution of the current deal, tentatively formulated over lunch,
was at stake, after all. And Nico wasn’t a man he wanted to tangle with.
Mari assured him she was fine and appreciated his concern. There was
no need to tell him of her personal issues.
“The proposal from the Darian Group is in your Inbox for review. Can
you take a look at it before our meeting later this morning?” Harry asked.
“Yes, I can do that. What time is the meeting? I can try and get there.
That is, if you can assist me in getting out of London. I’ll send you my
analysis en route.” She was determined to restore some normalcy to her life.
No way would she allow Nico to destroy the career she’d built.
After obtaining the promise that air transportation would be there
within the hour, Mari next called Richard on his mobile.
 This would not be an easy call, as Richard had no previous knowledge
of her intimate relationship with Nico. In fact, Richard had never seen Alex
until the day before. He had known of her pregnancy: when she’d left the
Group, she’d given her reason as wanting a less stressful job. He’d offered
his assistance if ever she needed it. Mari had been careful that no one who
knew Nico, and her past association with him, ever met her daughter. The
resemblance to her father was too obvious, especially as the girl got older.
“How are you, kiddo?” Richard asked.
Mari almost started crying right then. The gentleness in his voice made
her want to beg for his support but she was determined not to involve him
in her fight. Nico would definitely destroy him, as he’d promised.
“I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know that I crashed at your flat last
night, but Nico was not happy finding us there. I suggest you tread carefully
around him today.”
Richard whistled with his usual, carefree humor. “Do I even want to
know what’s going on?”
“No, it’s best you know as little as possible. Things will probably get a
lot worse before they get better. He is being his usual ruthless, stubborn self
and I don’t see an intervention by you or anyone else soothing his ruffled
feathers. He’s just being obstinate and unreasonable right now.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Mari was surprised by his brave offer. He had to know Nico could
demolish him without breaking stride. “Hell no! You know who we’re
dealing with. Nico would flatten anyone who got in the way of him and
Alex. Please stay out of this.”
“You have done a fantastic job here, by the way. The folks here at
Brennan certainly think the world of you. They also need you here badly to
ensure their best interests are being considered. We are being as equitable as
we can, but it is almost like taking candy from a baby,” Richard finished
dryly.
“I don’t believe that for a second. Harry can certainly hold his own in a
pinch.” Mari laughed, as Richard had intended her to. “However, I will be
there shortly and we’ll see how easy it is. I give you fair warning that I will
drive a hard bargain. I know how valuable a diamond like Brennan Mutual
would be in fitting into the corporate structure of the Darian Group.”
 She quickly showered and armored herself in a maroon Valentino
dress.
Mari made it up to the executive offices with fifteen minutes to spare
before the meeting was to begin. This gave her time to assemble her notes
and have a brief meeting with the other executives of Brennan Mutual
before the Darian Group team arrived. Everyone was still very positive
about the deal, but it was clear that they were curious about mysterious
relationship between her and Nico. No one voiced their concerns, but it was
evident, by their fishing queries, they’d hoped she would shed some light
about it.
They were doomed to wait a long time for that. She never discussed
her personal life with anyone.
Richard, Brad, and Jarrod entered the boardroom together and an
amicable negotiation ensued. One hour into the meeting, the door was
suddenly thrust open and Nico entered. His imposing presence intimated
dark emotions. His face was hard as granite, and his steely gaze was
reserved exclusively for Mari. He closed the door firmly as he advanced
into the room and walked purposefully toward Mari’s side of the table.
She quickly rose and stood immobile next to her chair, having already
anticipated a confrontation with Nico. She was just not expecting it here,
and definitely not so soon. She’d had every intention of being back at his
penthouse before noon.
“Be reasonable, Nico. We are in the middle of an important negotiation
that will impact hundreds of Brennan Mutual employees,” Mari murmured
with cool composure. Where that calm voice had come from, she had no
idea. She was a quivering mess inside. The other executives in the room
were speechless. Mari noted the awed expression on Brad’s face at her bold
attack. She fought to keep the apprehension from her eyes.

Nico would never admit to anyone how inappropriately aroused he got at

that moment. Her unflinching defiance excited him. He fought hard to keep
the grin of approval and pride from his face. Even so, he had no intention of
leaving there without her.
“I agree and this can easily be dealt with,” he drawled. He looked over
Mari’s head at Harry and asked with chilling confidence, “How much?”
 She is so much mine! Within a day or two, my stamp of ownership will
be all over her ass.
“What?” Harry was flabbergasted.
“How much to have you sign on the dotted line?” Nico asked while
maintaining a predatory gaze on Mari.
Harry, being nobody’s fool, named an outrageous price, more than
twice what he had just negotiated.
“Done!” Nico stated with brutal clarity.
“Satisfied?” he asked the angry woman in front of him.
“Hardly. Nothing short of your blood on the floor will do, but it’s still
early,” Mari said with a sardonic twist of her lips.
Nico leaned close to her and whispered, with deadly promise for her
ears only, “Love the dress, as you anticipated I would. I’m going to fuck
you so good, you’ll scream my name for all of England to hear.”
He stepped back, ignoring her glare of outrage, but instead focused on
her puckered nipples as they responded to his wicked promise.
“Richard, get this wrapped up,” Nico ordered without taking his eyes
from Mari’s face. “I have to remind someone of who I am.” He then seized
her hand in a tight grip and quickly escorted her from the room.
She barely had time to grab her handbag as she inelegantly stumbled to
keep up with Nico’s aggressive strides. She only vaguely noted the
astounded expressions on the faces of the executives sitting around the
boardroom table. This embarrassment would haunt her for life.
As they entered the elevator, Mari tried to pull away from the firm
hold Nico had on her arm.
“Bloody arrogant bastard! That was not necessary!”
Nico simply gave her a cold, angry glare and held her in an even more
forceful hold. He had to mentally restrain himself, to make sure he didn’t
bruise her. Before the elevator doors closed, Gio and another bodyguard
joined them, creating an impenetrable wall in front of them.

Back at the penthouse, Mari exchanged her suit for fitted jeans and a top,
and ran downstairs to find Alex. She had no idea where Nico had gone after
he’d ceremonially deposited her back at the flat. With a warning to stay put,
he went out again.
 The toddler was happily playing with the remainder of the food on her
plate, the majority of which had made into in her hair and all over her face.
Mari busied herself by cleaning her daughter up and spent an enjoyable
afternoon with the energetic toddler in the indoor, heated pool.
As she and Alex played noisily, Martha and Gio came out numerous
times to ensure they were okay and didn’t need anything. The first time she
saw Gio, she’d thought Nico was back, but was soon disabused of that
notion as Gio told her that he’d been assigned as Alex’s personal
bodyguard. Nico was taking no chance that Mari might again disappear
with his daughter. Guards were posted at every point of access throughout
the entire building.
Never mind that she was a grown-ass woman, and could have called
the authorities at any time she wanted. Needless to say she just hadn’t
wanted to leave Nico. Not yet. She was almost afraid her desire to give
Nico space in their life was more from her unrelenting love for him than
any real effort at compromise for Alex’s benefit.
Hissing through her teeth in disgust, Mari vowed to give Nico piece of
her mind as soon as he returned. He was the cause of her ridiculous, stupid
behavior. Her life had gone so far out of her control. It was made more
difficult by the unwanted desire she felt for her tormentor. Her immediate,
eager response to him was embarrassing. It inhibited her ability to think
clearly, to separate what was best for her and Alex. This was exactly the
scenario she’d hoped to avoid.
She ate a solitary evening meal after putting Alex to bed. Martha and
Gio ate in the kitchen, while she dined at the enormous rectangular table
capable of seating twenty people at a time. She didn’t feel comfortable
sitting with the two older people, as they were in essence her jailors. Even
though she knew them both, from the team’s numerous visits to the
penthouse, she didn’t want to hear their further endorsement of Nico. Their
loyalty to Nico was evident, and their displeasure at Alex’s absence from
Nico’s life was palpable. Conveniently forgetting that they’d been
instrumental in keeping her away from Nico during her pregnancy, they
now felt no qualms on keeping her prisoner for him.
Their numerous attempts to soften her attitude toward Nico would
almost have been laughable, if the situation wasn’t so serious. During the
day, they’d made various comments about the little princess being such a
blessing, how devastated Master Nico would be to not be able to share in
her life… what a wonderful father Master Nico would be, and other
unsolicited observations. She felt like shouting, what about me? What about
her needs? What about what she wanted? What about her future, her life?
Nico didn’t give her any hope that she would be able to resume her career.
She loved working for Brennan, and loved what she had been trained to do.
Why should she sacrifice her life to give Nico what he wanted? But even on
the heels of that thought, the voice in her head was unrelenting. Alex needs
her father, too! Although she wanted to ignore them, their remarks did force
her to reevaluate her misgivings about allowing Nico back in her life.
Mari went up to your room shortly thereafter. She was more exhausted
than she’d initially anticipated. Her thoughts were so chaotic, so confusing.
After taking a shower and cleaning her teeth, she fell asleep almost
immediately upon getting into bed. She had no idea what Nico was
planning, but knew that whatever it was, she’d better be prepared to fight.

A few hours later, Nico crept up the stairs and couldn’t resist taking a look
in at his baby daughter. As he stepped into the room, he was humbled by the
sight of the two most important people in his life, his woman and his
daughter, curled up on the bed in peaceful slumber. They slept blissfully,
unaware that their world would soon change dramatically. He’d called his
parents and siblings, who were ecstatic for him, and ready to assist and
support whatever action he deemed appropriate.
He silently went on to his room. Tomorrow was going to be another
hectic day.
***
Mari woke to sunlight streaming through the windows. She reclined on the
bed for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. As she realized Alex was
again not in her cot, she suddenly jack-knifed into a sitting position on the
bed. But unlike the day before, there was no comforting note to explain her
whereabouts. She sprang from the bed and raced to the bathroom, quickly
using the loo and cleaning her teeth.
Her thoughts were scattered, unsettled. She didn’t know why, exactly,
except that she was extremely uneasy. She fought to remain calm. Alex was
safe. Nico would never let any harm come to her.
 In her haste, she decided not to change out of the oversized sleep T-
shirt, figuring that it hit mid-thigh and covered her up enough. “Alex!
Alex!” Mari was alarmed at the stillness of the flat. She went into the
kitchen and found it empty and quiet, no trace of coffee, or for that matter,
breakfast being made. Martha had obviously not been in there that morning.
That terrified her as nothing else would have. Her baby was not in the flat.
She sensed it, and was becoming more frantic by the minute.
She entered Nico’s study next, ready to kill him with her bare hands.
Somehow, she knew he was there.

Nico waited patiently, silently, as Mari advanced farther into the room. The
murderous expression on her face temporarily gave him pause. He
reminded himself of how important it was he showed her no mercy, and
gave her no escape route. He hardened his heart against the anxiety he noted
in her face. Despite her current fragile state, he knew she had the power to
lacerate his well-laid plans.
He glanced briefly at the closed folder on his desk. He had received the
report just that morning, a report generated by his security team after he had
initiated an investigation of Mari’s life since she’d disappeared from his
life. The report gave a detailed account of her activities for the past four
years.
It noted damningly that upon each of her visits to London, six in the
past four months, she had stayed at Richard’s flat. He remembered their
enthusiastic initial meeting in a new light, and fought to quell his rising
anger. His daughter wouldn’t grow up with any other father but him. The
thought of Mari in Richard’s arms was so disturbing, Nico ruthlessly
clamped down his thoughts on that, not wanting to go there. Mari always
had the ability to evoke this strong, volatile response from him. He refused
to analyze his feelings further. All that was important was that Alex was his
daughter and Mari was his woman. The sooner she realized this and
accepted it, the sooner everything else would fall into place.
“Alex has been sent to the estate in Kent with my parents. We will join
her shortly, after we are married,” Nico stated calmly, masking the
tumultuous emotions simmering in every pore of his body.
 Mari stood silently at the entrance to his study. She was like an
avenging, dark angel, glaring at him menacingly through the fringes of her
hair. Her breathing was audibly fractured and getting louder, her fury like a
living being, her eyes dark with the promise of violent retribution.
“Nothing to say?” Nico waited, deliberately poking at her fragile
temper. “Good. Go get dressed. We have a plane to catch. Your packed
luggage and a change of clothes have been left in your bedroom. You have
an hour before we leave for the airport. I suggest you use the little time you
have left effectively. You don’t look too hot right now.” He smirked and
started gathering the papers scattered on his desk.
He was just barely alerted to the danger by her animalistic growl.
She flew across the desk at him, with vicious swings of arms and legs
aiming to inflict bodily harm, yelling, calling him foul names he’d never
heard before.
He was careful in restraining her, trying not to hurt her, but she was a
mother cat whose kitten had been taken from her. She was tireless, frantic in
her assault.
Damn, she got me in the eye. That shit hurts!
“I swear, Nico, if you don’t return my daughter to me this minute I will
kill you!”
Nico lifted her viciously squirming body up over his shoulder and
carried her out of the room. Mari never stopped furiously swearing at him
and hitting him wherever she could reach during the brief journey to her
bedroom.
He threw her effortlessly to the center of the bed. He followed her
down, holding both of her hands in one fist above her head and imprisoning
her limbs with his big body.
“Calm your little arse down! I don’t want to hurt you!” Nico yelled in
her ear above the racket she was making.
“There is no way you can hurt me any more than you already have.
Alex and I have never been apart!” Mari wailed and convulsed in an
anguished cry. The tears streaming down her face were heartbreaking. She
bit her lip and sobbed brokenly. Nico had to steel himself against the need
to comfort her.
He turned his head, not wanting her to see his emotional response to
her distress.
 “Basta! Stop this! You are unnecessarily getting yourself in a state, for
nothing. The longer you fight this, the longer she’ll be without us. Despite
our short acquaintance, I miss her already too.” He paused, giving her time
to quiet down.
“You have to marry me or you’ll never see her again,” Nico stated,
determinedly holding her immobile as she renewed her fight.
“I don’t want to marry you, you autocratic, insufferably arrogant
bastard! I hate you!” Mari spat at him.
Bloody hell! She almost connected to my family jewels.
They wrestled for a minute longer before she abruptly went very still,
seemingly worn out in the face of his unyielding strength.
Nico sank briefly into her softness, exhausted from restraining her. He
was suddenly conscious of his hips fitted snugly against hers, with only a
tiny panty and his trousers between them. His shaft lengthened upon feeling
her heat beneath him. The need to dominate her was overpowering.
Nico aligned his body to cover hers, while keeping her hands secured
above her head. What had started as a calculated attempt on his part to
intimidate her to his will, resulted in an explosive amount of lust slicing
through him.
“Dio mio, what the hell am I going to do with you?” Nico groaned
deep in his throat and gave in to the devastating need to kiss her.
Her sweetness exploded on his tongue as he slid his lips over hers. She
trembled under him, trying to burrow closer to him. Her response fueled his
lust and every muscle in his body vibrated in intense arousal. His years of
abstinence, as his dick had refused to cooperate for any other female,
severely exacerbated his ability to rein in his desire. He was so hard, he
could barely hold back from plunging into her heat without preliminaries.
The kiss went on and on, intoxicating him more than any alcohol could.
He could taste her tears in the kiss. It was almost his undoing. He
stroked a possessive hand over the swell of her breasts, gently grazing the
hardened nipples visible through her shirt. .
Her gasp of pleasure triggered another shock of lust that shot
immediately to his groin. He dragged his mouth away from hers, feasting on
the sight of the darkened, rigid nipple he’d uncovered. Plucking at the peak,
he watched in fascination as it tightened further under his tender caress.
Mari arched into his hand, silently, begging him to relieve her distress. He
gently blew on the nipple before taking it deeply in his mouth, tormenting
her with his tongue and teeth.
Nico rose up and engaged her lips in another devastating kiss. It was
wild, carnal, and erotic. He impatiently tore her tiny panty from her hips
and then sensually probed her wet center.
A ringing noise pierced his dense sexual haze. Mari, still trying to kiss
Nico’s lips, whimpered when he abruptly stopped kissing her and leaped
from the bed. Her eyes were misty with feverish need. She looked at him in
complete confusion. She shook her head as if trying to clear her foggy brain
and focus on what he was trying to tell her.
“That’s our ride. Get dressed and meet me downstairs,” Nico stated
huskily. His movements were slow but methodical, aware of her distress
and mindful of his body’s painful protest of the abrupt interruption in the
proceedings. He fought the overwhelming need to soothe her, and held on
to his resolve to see his plan through as quickly as possible.
She had to marry him. He had worked tirelessly yesterday to secure a
marriage license from a small Caribbean island where he held some
business interests.
“Nico, I don’t think…”
“That’s just it, Mari. Don’t think. Come with me. Marry me and give
our daughter her heritage, her family. Don’t take that away from her. We
need to put her best interests first and ensure that she is given every
opportunity to maintain what is rightfully hers.”
“That’s not fair! I’ve always done what’s best for my daughter.”
“Well then, you shouldn’t have a problem doing this one more thing.
We need to do this and get our daughter before she starts missing you as
much as you miss her. I’m sure she’s fine with my parents, but the kid only
met them this morning.”
He took a long, lingering look at her, still displayed in careless
abandon on the bed. His gaze was slow and deliberate, traveling the length
of her body, returning her troubled gaze with a smoldering, wicked gleam of
his own. “The quicker we get married, the quicker we can finish what we
started.”
Mari ignored his provocative comment. “Did she cry? Did she ask for
me?”
 He was not surprised by her concern for their daughter’s distress. He’d
been relying on it.
“Only a little, but I’m sure she’s fine now.” Nico was sure God would
forgive his lie. Alex had been too enamored with her new cousins to pay the
adults any attention. When he’d left his daughter at the estate, she was
happily playing with her them and their puppies. But he knew Alex’s
supposed misery was the catalyst that would spur Mari along.
“Go! I will be down shortly. This isn’t over, Nico. If you think I’ll ever
let you touch me again, think again!”
Nico wasn’t worried about her threat. They both knew neither of them
could resist the other, even if they tried.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

MARI READ AND reread the document Nico had given her. A prenuptial
agreement was expected, given Nico’s vast wealth, ensuring the limitation
of risk on his assets. Protecting his family, and by extension, the Group’s
employees, was a given. Her payoff increased by the number of children
from their union, but was nonexistent should there be any infidelity on her
part. Nico would retain custody of their children, which Mari strongly
objected to. She drew a line through that statement, and looked at Nico,
who was sitting across from her on his private jet.
“Alex stays with me always,” Mari stated defiantly. “There is no need
to mention other children, as I’m never going to sleep with you again.”
“You say that now, but it will be you tearing at my clothes to get in my
pants soon. You can pretend and lie to yourself as much as you like, but we
both know how much you want me. If I reach for you right now, I’ll bet I
will find you wet and ready to do whatever I want.” Nico gazed at her
indolently.
“In your dreams, you bastard!” Mari was incensed by the accuracy of
his statement.
“In fact, if I spread you on the floor right now, I could make you
scream for me in ten seconds flat. But you would like that, wouldn’t you?
No, I think I will make you beg.” Holding her mutinous stare, Nico leaned
in close, so that their noses almost touched as he whispered into her parted
lips. “Only until you beg me, will I give you what you want. And Mari, I
promise you, we’ll not leave our bed until we have both gotten our fill. I
will take you hard, then soft, fast, and then slow. There will be no area on
that beautiful body that I will not kiss, lick, or caress. But only when you
beg me for it. Only then will I satisfy us both.” Nico returned to his seat and
picked up the prenuptial agreement and made the necessary changes,
initialed them, then gave it back to her to continue reading.
Mari was speechless. His unapologetic audacity infuriated and aroused
her in equal measure. The dampness between her thighs was testament to
how swiftly she was rendered weak with desire for him. How the hell was
she to function after that display of verbal seduction? Damn him anyway.
The arrogant, ruthless bastard was deliberately trying to send her crazy. She
sat there, fighting to regroup, long after Nico had flipped open his laptop,
deliberately dismissing and ignoring her.
Mari glared at him. She held herself rigid, trying to suppress her
escalating need, all the while angrily devouring him with her eyes. His
words shouldn’t have aroused her to this level. But he was right. She was so
wet for him, almost vibrating with the need to feel his hard length deep
within her. Entertaining herself with visions of having him at her sensual
mercy served only to exacerbate her sexual frustration. A few fortifying
breaths later, she was able to articulate, with some coherency, her proposed
amendments to the contract.
They agreed on joint custody in the event of a divorce and were finally
ready to sign off on the pre-nup. Nico called two smartly dressed young
flight attendants, one male and the other female, over to witness the signing.
They both looked as if they’d come straight off the catwalk: slender, tall,
and beautiful. They were courteous and polite and didn’t so much as blink
when they were asked to witness the very personal document. They
dutifully signed without reading the pages.
Once they left, Nico gave her an emerald-cut diamond engagement
ring in a chased platinum setting. He placed it on her finger himself, giving
her a swift, hard kiss before returning to his seat. “That was my
grandmother’s ring.”
“Thank you. It is beautiful,” Mari murmured, somewhat uncertain if
this was the same ring Celina had worn.
“No, Celina didn’t want ‘old junk’. Her words, not mine,” Nico
supplied.
Mari was embarrassed she’d asked the question aloud without
realizing it.
Ignoring her discomfort, Nico took out his mobile and punched in a
few numbers. He spoke softly into the phone before giving it to her.
 “Hello?” Mari looked at Nico, wondering who could be on the other
end. Nico simply regarded her with an unreadable expression.
“Hi, Momma!” Alex’s little, excited voice came on the line.
“Oh, Alex! How are you, baby?” Mari asked with the phone clutched
tightly in her grasp, her vision obscured with involuntary tears.
“I’m fine. You comin’ to get me, Momma?” Her child’s innocent
inquiry evoked a maelstrom of emotions that tore at her.
“Soon, baby. I just have to go somewhere with Daddy and then I will
come get you.” Tears streamed down Mari’s cheeks as she bit her lip to
keep the sobs at bay. This was the longest she had ever been away from her
daughter. And Nico expected her to last two whole days without seeing her?
“Okay! Papa and Mama here. Gio and Martha, too. Can I have a
puppy, Momma? Tony say I can have one of his!”
“We’ll talk about it when I get there, okay, baby?” Mari fought for
control. She could barely speak above the tears clogged in her throat. “Be
good until Daddy and I come for you.”
“Okay! Love you, Momma. I got to go now. Amanda is playing with
my new doll! Bye!”
The phone was dropped at the other end and was immediately picked
up by someone else. A booming male voice came on the line and introduced
himself as Nico’s father.
“Alex will be fine. She’s a bit excited with all of the activities going on
around here at the moment. So don’t worry. You and Nico have a good time.
We will call if she shows any sign of distress.”
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Mari said tearfully.
“No thanks needed. We are grateful to you for giving us this
miraculous baby and allowing us into your lives. She is a credit to you. We
trust all goes well with you and my son.”
Mari didn’t know what to say except “thank you”, and returned the
phone to Nico. He spoke to his father another few minutes before
disconnecting the call.
“The flight will take another seven hours to get to our destination.” He
looked at Mari’s tear-stained face with some concern. “If you would like to
rest, or clean up, there is a bedroom and bathroom through those doors,”
Nico advised, indicating a set of double doors to the rear of the jet.
“Why?” Mari asked.
 “Because you need to rest. It’s a long flight.”
“No, why are we flying to an island on the other side of the world to
get married when we could get married in England and I could be with my
daughter sooner?”
“I have my reasons,” he said dismissively.
“What? That’s it? You have your reasons and I am supposed to accept
that?” She looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
Nico ignored her and went back to typing in his laptop in front of him.
“You know what? I’m going to be a little fairer to you than you’ve
been with me by giving you fair warning,” Mari began conversationally.
Nico looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.
She continued in a calm voice, one she was far from actually feeling.
“Tell me what I want to know, or that wildcat you were accusing me of
being a few hours ago will pale in comparison to what I will be in a few
seconds.” She crossed her long legs, drawing attention to their toned,
shapely length, and looked him calmly in the eye.
“I don’t respond well to threats.”
Without warning or further words, Mari snatched his laptop from its
perch on the table in front of him. She sprinted to the other side of the
cabin. Nico didn’t move a muscle.
“Now, as I was saying…” Mari gave him a devilish grin. With a few
strokes on the laptop, she disabled it. “You want this back with all of its
files intact and no damage to the Group’s network? I suggest you start
talking. Now that’s a threat!”
Nico looked at her, his expression blank, except for his silver-blue eyes
blazing back at her with promised retribution. “Give it to me, or I spank
your ass and you won’t sit down for a week.”
“Shit!” Mari couldn’t believe how quickly her crotch flooded by that
threat. “A spanking, you say? Em… are you sure you want to threaten me
with that? Because I gotta tell ya, that’s not an incentive to desist.”
He was on her so fast, she could not believe a man so big could move
so fast. He lifted her by her waist to a spot against the wall, and pinned her
there with his massive, hard frame. He took the laptop from her with ease.
“Go rest and stop trying to get me to fuck you. I will fuck you when
you’re my wife!”
 Nico stepped away from her and opened the laptop. He very quickly
reversed the disabling commands that she had programmed in the device. “I
never forget a lesson learned.”
“Shit!” Mari said again, wishing she’d never shown him that particular
recovery method.
“I got married in England before. I don’t want this marriage to have
any similarities to that event,” he said without taking his eyes from the
laptop.
It seemed that that was all he was going to say on the matter, because
in the next instant the female attendant entered the cabin, obviously
responding to some silent command he had sent.
Mari thanked him sarcastically and allowed the attendant to escort her
to the bedroom. The woman followed her inside and indicated where
everything was, including an en suite bathroom equipped with a large
shower. Her overnight bag had been pre-packed by Martha, and a king-
sized bed sat invitingly in the center of the room.
Mari thanked her for her help, and went immediately to take a much-
needed shower. She carefully hung up the fitted orange spaghetti-strap dress
and its matching short-sleeved jacket.
The shower was refreshing and invigorating. However, Mari didn’t
want to return to the main cabin to engage in any more verbal sparring with
Nico. She was tired of going over the same ground and getting nowhere.
She knew it was cowardly, but she needed to regroup in order to fight
another day.
She fleeced a robe from its perch in the bathroom and reclined on the
bed to think.

She must have fallen asleep, because the next time she was conscious, she
noted that the room was darkened, more conducive to sleep, and that the
shower in the bathroom was running.
She smiled to herself, gleefully, as an inspired plan formed in her
mind. Nico wanted her to beg, but what if she turned the tables on him and
made him beg? She whipped the robe off her body and discarded it
carelessly on the armchair beside the bed. She quickly brushed her hair until
it had a healthy shine and was like silk to the touch. She climbed back in
bed, this time removing the top comforter, placing herself between the
white satin sheets.
She heard the shower shut off and had to fight to control her breathing.
He hadn’t even entered the room, and already her composure was
dwindling. She forced her body to remain still. She took slow, deep breaths,
and pretended to be asleep as she heard the bathroom door open.

Nico exited the bathroom while towel drying his hair, another towel slung
carelessly around his hips. He walked farther into the bedroom and
immediately noted the discarded robe thrown on the armchair. He stared
transfixed at the outline of the naked figure of his soon-to-be wife,
pretending, very badly, to be asleep.
The sheets were stretched tight around her, from the top of her breasts
down to her feet. He couldn’t help but notice her long, shapely limbs were
spread in blunt invitation, her left leg bent, with her foot touching her right
knee. His gaze fastened on her round, melon-sized breasts, erotically
outlined against the satin material. He watched her twitching eyes as he
advanced toward the bed, and grinned to himself. Did she think he would
give her what she wanted, without her begging, as he’d promised she would
have to?
My sexy fiancée has a lot to learn about her future husband.
He had to admit he was enjoying her attempt at seduction. Nico sucked
in his breath, and then promptly forgot to breathe, because even as he
watched, the luscious figure moved sensually to assume a more comfortable
position in the middle of the bed. The right leg was thrown even wider and
the sheet slipped just below her nipples, which stood erect, begging for
attention.
Nico looked his fill and took in quick, shallow breaths as he tried to fill
his starved lungs with much needed air. The little witch! The liquid fire that
filled his groin almost brought him to his knees.
He watched as Mari’s eyes opened slightly. She tried to peer at him
without alerting him that she was awake.
The little sneak!
Nico discarded the towel around his waist. He almost laughed out loud
as her eyes briefly widened on the sight of his blatantly visible, rock-hard
shaft. His breath quickened in fascination as her hands slowly covered her
breasts and she gently, leisurely, rolled her nipples with her fingers. She
licked her lips and opened her legs even wider, silently begging him to take
her.
He simply stood at the foot of the bed, willing his now leaking cock to
calm the hell down.
“If you want me to make love to you, cara mia, you will have to ask
nicely,” Nico drawled in a slightly bored tone. He smiled grimly at her
determination to not respond to his edict. He regarded her for another few
seconds before climbing in the bed, positioning his naked frame on top of
the sheets. He closed his eyes with deliberate calm. She would never know
how much he suffered for those few hours, how difficult and painful it was
to deny his body’s screaming desire.
His years of abstinence had never been this torturous.

Mari lay there rigidly, silently willing him not be able to resist her. The
smell of his soap, clean and masculine, made her clit pulse in fevered
anticipation. She held her breath for a few more minutes, and was about to
give in and beg him to take her, when she heard his soft, gentle snore.
Are you kidding me? The bastard has fallen asleep. Mari was so angry,
she was practically frothing at the mouth. She was tempted to end his
miserable life right then and there. How could he sleep when she was
suffering so? She had no idea how long she laid there in agitated longing
before she fell into an exhausted sleep.
***
Mari woke to a gentle shake upon her shoulder. She opened her eyes,
initially disoriented, not recognizing her surroundings, and noted an
impeccably dressed Nico, sitting on the bed close to her hip. He caged her
with his arms placed on either side of her head and leaned in to give her a
kiss on her slightly parted lips. He smacked her sharply on the hip and got
up from the bed.
“Ouch!” Mari yelped. “Hey, what the hell?”
“Get dressed. We will be landing in one hour. You haven’t eaten all
day. A light meal will be served in ten minutes. We’ll have a proper dinner
when we arrive on the island.” Nico abruptly left her and went back into the
main cabin.
Mari quickly cleaned her teeth, applied her makeup, and dressed in her
traveling gear. She had no idea what to expect from Nico. Her failed
attempt at seduction was very discouraging. Was she to go through her
entire marriage to Nico being at a disadvantage? Where he could arouse her
simply by looking at her, or by being in the same room, while he could so
easily walk away from any temptation she posed? It was disheartening.
Mari loved him so much, it hurt. She had always loved him, and she
despaired that her love would never be returned with the same fervor. It had
been easier when she’d thought Nico was incapable of love. However, she
knew this wasn’t the case. She had only to recall his expression when he
looked at Alex. His whole demeanor bore witness to his undeniable love for
his daughter. There was no question of his feelings on that score. She felt
crippled by the hopelessness of Nico even liking her half as much. His love
seemed so unattainable at this point.
They wanted different things from life, held different values, came
from different backgrounds, and adding to that, concerns that haven’t ever
been voiced. They were each from a different race. Never having gone out
as a couple, meeting his friends, or even his family, she had no idea if their
lives together would be compatible. Would his family, friends, and
colleagues accept their relationship?
It was difficult enough having an interracial relationship, but having
one without mutual unwavering love and support? In Bermuda, these
relationships were common, but in their social environment in England,
they were quite rare. But he was such a stubborn man that if anyone had a
problem with their relationship, he would say “fuck ’em!”
She had to agree with him there. The color of her skin had never
defined nor confined her, and she hated thinking about it now. However, she
could only pray and hope that they would be able to resolve whatever issues
it may present.
Mari consoled herself that at least Alex loved her unconditionally, and
any other children she might have would do the same. She was sure the love
of her children would sustain her though the empty, difficult years ahead.
While she could do nothing about her love life, Mari was at least
determined that Nico should recognize her professional ability. He was
archaic enough to believe—still!—that women should remain at home once
children were involved. He had to allow her back on the team, or she would
seek employment outside. There was no way she would stay at home, while
he continued to enjoy a fulfilling professional career. She would certainly
like to spend as much time at home as possible, but there was no law
against her working from home or having flex hours with any firm that
employed her.
Mari entered the main cabin to find Nico already working his way
through a pot of coffee, his laptop opened in front of him, and his cell phone
glued to his ear, while he perused several documents. He looked up as she
entered, and beckoned for her to be seated at the dining table.
As soon as she sat, the attendant placed a tray in front of her. A garden
salad, grilled chicken and vegetables, and assorted fruit were revealed.
Mari nibbled at the offering, while thinking how best to broach the
topic of her working for the team again. She wasn’t anticipating an easy
discussion, but she was determined he would listen to her.
Nico disconnected his call.
“What’s on your mind? You seem very intent on something.” Nico
took the seat across from her.
“We have discussed very little about how this marriage is going to
work. You have decreed we get married, and have forced my hand by
kidnapping my daughter. I want to know precisely what you expect from
me.” Mari held his gaze without wavering.
Nico regarded her silently. He leaned back in his seat and stretched his
legs out in front of him. “I expect what any man expects from his wife:
loyalty and commitment to our marriage, our children, and to my family’s
reputation and business. I expect fidelity to me in all things and at all times,
and honesty without reservation. You do that, we’ll rub along nicely.”
“What you have described is implicit in the word marriage, and it’s
also what I expect from you. However, I was referring more to the practical
side of married life. While you are at work all day, what am I expected to
do?” Mari asked cautiously taking a sip of her tea.
“What women who are wives and mothers do to care for their families.
Be supportive to your spouse, take care of our children, maintain our home,
go shopping, redecorate, and entertain our guests. All of those things are
necessary and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Do whatever you want to do
within those parameters,” Nico said impatiently.
“You’re kidding, right?” Mari placed her teacup down, stood, and
began to pace.
“That’s what you expect from me?” Mari knew of his archaic views,
but she was still disappointed that he didn’t have more respect for her
professional capabilities, and for her as an independent person, confident in
her ability to direct her own life.
“Look, as my wife you’re expected to attend many social functions,
represent the family at charities that we sponsor, and any that you want to
take up yourself, of course, and act as hostess when we entertain. You
should expect that requirement will escalate in the first year of our
marriage. Being my wife is not an easy task and your personal appearance
will be in heavy demand,” Nico said impatiently. “I’m not sure what you’re
worried about. I’m sure you’ll adapt easily.
“I have a degree from Duke University, Nico. I am not willing to
completely give up my professional life to this extent. I want to continue
working.”
“You know that’s out of the question, not to mention there’s no need
for my wife to work.”
“If you’re not willing to at least give me my job back with the team, I
will work for another company, but I’m not staying home.” Mari finished
militantly without even responding to his statement.
Nico’s expression immediately became volatile.
“If this is some attempt on your part to get back to working with
Richard, you can forget it.”
“What? What does Richard have to do with anything?”
Just then, the pilot came over the intercom, asking them to fasten their
seat belts in preparation for landing.
“Wait. This discussion is not over,” Mari said emphatically as Nico got
up to return to his landing seat.
“No, I suppose you don’t think it’s over. However, let me warn and
remind you, that under no circumstances will I tolerate infidelity again from
my wife. As far as I’m concerned, this discussion is over.” Nico gave her a
hard stare and took his seat.
 The aircraft continued to make its smooth descent. Mari took her seat
as the attendants cleared away the remaining food.
“Nico, you’ll not get your way in this. This is my life and I will have
some say in it.” Still shivering with indignation, Mari glared fiercely at him.
“I don’t suggest that you disobey me. The job of my wife and the
mother of our children will require your full attention. These roles are very
demanding. Don’t underestimate the challenges you will face.” Nico flipped
open a discarded periodical and buried his head behind it, signaling an end
to any further discussion.
Mari sat fuming in her seat. While she acknowledged the importance
of the roles of mother and wife, she felt able to handle both and still
maintain a professional career. Besides, she worked a full-time job with
Alex as a single parent and felt she had managed the load well. She and
Nico had sufficient money to hire the best help. If it got to be too much,
then she should be the person to determine that, not Nico.
Beautiful turquoise waters and white sandy beaches came into view as
the aircraft descended. The island’s beauty was unmistakable but was
completely wasted on her at that moment.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

THEY ARRIVED AT the international airport late in the afternoon and

were greeted with blazing sunshine and intense heat. The air was so humid,
her skin immediately glistened with moisture but the slight sea breeze made
the heat bearable. The runway was surrounded by an evergreen pine forest,
and led into a rustic-looking building that serviced as the terminal. Despite
the unimpressive exterior, the building was air conditioned and modern on
the inside. Their swift process through immigration was Mari’s first
confirmation of where they’d just landed—Providenciales, Turks and
Caicos Islands. Like Bermuda, Turks and Caicos was a British Overseas
Territory. She remembered reading that the island had, a few years before,
been embroiled in a political scandal, which resulted in the local premier
resigning amid accusations of corruption, and Britain took temporary
administrative control of the island. After new elections, the government
was now stable.
The route to their destination featured a spectacular view of beautiful
beaches with white sand and turquoise water, tropical flowering plants with
an abundance of leafy green shrubs, large palm and cider trees, Colonial-
styled government and other office buildings, bright colorful houses, and a
plethora of small shopping centers. The road was narrow and winding with
traffic moving at a relatively leisurely pace through the streets.
They journeyed from the airport in a chauffeur-driven black Escalade
limo, while Nico’s security team followed in a black Escalade. The scenery
helped sustain Mari’s desire to ignore Nico’s domineering presence. She
was far too busy fighting the feeling of nostalgia at her remembered island
life. Since she’d moved to England years before, and before that, the years
in university, she’d not returned to Bermuda. Convinced that there was
nothing there for her, Mari was surprised at the sudden wistfulness for her
childhood home.
Thoughts of her parents and other relatives soon dominated her mind
as they approached their destination.
Mari continued to ignore Nico as they crossed over a wooden bridge,
entered a security-monitored gate, and drove along a mile-long path
surrounded by lush, green tropical trees and flowering plants. They exited
the limo and entered a Colonial-style mansion, which featured a long
wooden verandah in the front of the building. The property had bountiful
palms, flowers, and numerous other tropical shrubs and trees that further
enhanced the earthy, tropical island ambience. The ten-bedroom mansion
sat on a twenty-acre estate, with two separate three-bedroom guesthouses.
Mari felt like she had entered a whole new world. This was in stark
contrast from rainy, cloudy London they had just left behind. It had an
immediate calming effect on her chaotic emotions.
Three Turks and Caicos Islanders, smartly dressed men and a woman,
stood at the entrance to welcome them. Enthralled by the ambience of her
surroundings, Mari paid very little attention to the reception party. The
inside of the house was just as impressive as its beautiful, naturally
landscaped exterior. She and Nico entered a spacious, formal marble foyer
of contemporary design with three massive glass walls. The walls gave the
illusion of bringing the outdoors inside. Each wall featured glass doors
leading either to an Infinity pool with a tropical waterfall, a well-manicured
lawn with organic, vibrant-colored gardens, or smooth cobblestone paths to
the visible pristine, powdered beach. Upon entering, the gentle splash of the
ocean slapping against the sand could be heard and a clean, crisp ocean
breeze coming through the open louvered windows dissipated the humidity,
eliminating the need for air conditioning.
After ensuring their every need was taken care of, and delivering them
to the master suite that featured two bedrooms with en suite bathroom and
connecting doors between the rooms, the staff finally left them alone.
Mari walked around the room, taking in the view from the opened
window and was arrested by the shimmering, multi-hued water gently
rolling on the clean, white sand. The deserted beach contributed to the sense
of calm and serenity that settled Mari’s remaining agitated nerves instantly,
completely.
 From his stance behind her in the middle of the living room, Nico
started speaking. Mari turned and was once again arrested by how beautiful
he was. His tall, athletic frame was encased in dark, stylish trousers and a
stark white shirt with two buttons open at the neck. He stood regarding her
with an expressionless silver gaze. It was impossible to determine his mood.
“There are a few documents that have to be filed today to ensure a
valid marriage license tomorrow, as well as a few bits of correspondence I
have to attend to. I’ve arranged for a local stylist to assist you in the
selection of your wedding gown and any other essentials you may need for
tomorrow’s ceremony. I’ll collect you for dinner at seven-thirty p.m.
However, the staff can provide a light meal for you in the meantime.” Nico
walked toward the door leading to one of the bedrooms and turned as he
held the handle.
“By the way, the wedding ceremony is scheduled for four p.m.
tomorrow, so you may organize your day accordingly. A hair stylist and spa
facility have been made available to you.”
“I need to speak with Alex or your father again. I need to know that
my baby is okay.” Mari was again feeling desolate from her coerced
separation from her child.
“It is very late in England now. However, one of my parents may still
be up.” Nico retrieved his mobile and pressed a single number. He spoke
softly into the handset for a few minutes before passing the phone to Mari
and exiting the room.
Mari spoke briefly to Nico’s mother, who assured her that Alex was
doing well, missing her of course, but she was distracted by all the new
experiences around her. Nico’s sister Sarah and her children were spending
the night so Alex could sleep with her cousins. They were all getting along
famously. It seemed that the toddler had already bonded with Gio. Every
time she remembered missing her momma, she would go to Gio for comfort
and his steadfast presence.
Before ending the call, Mari promised Nico’s mother they would
return to England as soon as the wedding ceremony was over.
Mari looked at the closed connecting door but heard no sound of
Nico’s presence in the suite. She felt tired and sticky, and with no idea when
the stylist would arrive, she went to the other bedroom to shower and
freshen up.
 The stylist arrived half an hour later. Lyn was a cheerful, energetic
thirty-something-year-old, who immediately made Mari feel confident in
her ability to find something elegant to wear. Mari was impressed with her
expertise and ability to assist in every aspect of her wardrobe.
With Mari invigorated by her shower and a change of clothes, they
worked steadily past six p.m. to select her ensemble from among the ten
designer gowns Nico had flown in for her. By the time Lyn left, they had
chosen an ivory antique lace off-the-shoulder Vera Wang dress with a hand-
embroidered crystal bodice. The matching silk cathedral train was edged
with lace and tiny crystals. High-heeled sandals and accessories were also
available. An appointment with the hair stylist and a visit to the spa for the
next day was made. Mari was told Nico had already decided on the décor
for the ceremony, arranged for a local officiant to perform the nuptials, and
had selected the background music and photographer for the event.
Despite not being given any choice about the ceremony, Mari was very
pleased with her selections. The wedding dress was like a dream and she
shuddered to think how much it had cost. But the fairytale design was better
than anything she would have ever envisaged. By the time the other woman
left her suite, Mari had a wistful smile on her face and an optimistic outlook
for her future.
Her skin glowed and her smile was a little brighter as she let surface
the love she felt for the two people in her life. As it blossomed, she hugged
the knowledge of her love for Nico and Alex like a warm blanket. This
marriage was the best option for them all. They finally could be the family
she’d always wanted. She couldn’t wait for Nico’s reaction to the dress, and
couldn’t help but hope he would fall a little in love with her, too.
Nico had also provided a selection of other dresses for her to wear
while on the island. Her new wardrobe included a gold Grecian-inspired
lace designer dress, a simple, black fitted cocktail dress, and a lilac deep V-
necked chiffon gown that fell to her ankles and fit like a dream. Out of all of
them, the lilac was her favorite: it was ultra-feminine and deceptively sexy,
with a side split that ran from mid-thigh to her ankle. Designer sandals and
jewelry were provided to complement the dresses.
Mari put on the gold lace dress and carefully applied her makeup. She
left her hair fall softly in a long side bang, then down her back in a cascade
of whimsical, silky curls. Mari had no more than five minutes before Nico
would come to collect her. She could hear him moving around in the sitting
area of their suite as she hurried to complete the final application of
perfume, lipstick, and jewelry.
Nico tapped on her door scant minutes later.
Mari didn’t know what to expect from the night. Banking all
hostilities, she was determined to make the best of it and hoped to maintain
an amicable truce leading into their wedding.
As he entered through the connecting door, Mari found Nico’s blatant
in-your-face attractiveness unsettling. Her gaze was fixed to the sight of his
broad shoulders, delineated by the expensive, tailored charcoal grey blazer
and dark blue-long sleeved dress shirt that emphasized the piercing blue of
his eyes. She despaired that she wouldn’t have a chance in hell of resisting
his allure tonight, if the already debilitating churning in her stomach was
anything to go by.
Oh Lord, give me strength!

Nico was arrested by her golden, exotic beauty. It didn’t help that he was
remembering her explicit display in the bedroom on the plane a few hours
earlier. He ached to bury his fingers in her silky hair and simply absorb her
scent, her essence, deep within him. In that moment, he wanted her more
than he wanted to breathe.
The atmosphere was thick with their mutual arousal. He moved toward
her. A primitive need to dominate controlled his actions now. Nico clasped
her by the waist, his fingers sinking into her softness as he clutched her
against his heated flesh.
His amorous intent was averted as a loud knock came at the door to the
suite.
Nico swore under his breath. He reluctantly released Mari and went to
answer the door. Mari followed slowly behind him, stopping briefly to
collect her purse. She arrived just as he was dismissing the young maid.
“We will be right down.”
“What’s going on?”
“Not sure. She said we have visitors downstairs.”
“Well, I guess we’d better go see who it is,” Mari said breathlessly,
obviously still suffering the effects of their brief contact.
 Moments later, they arrived in the sitting room to a grinning Richard,
with Brad and Jarrod looking on sheepishly.
“Hope we didn’t come at an inconvenient time. We were in the
neighborhood and thought to join the festive newlyweds,” Richard said with
a mischievous grin, cheerfully ignoring Nico’s murderous glare.
In the awkward, tense silence, Mari stepped forward to intervene.
“Hiya, gentlemen! I’m so happy to see you. We’re just leaving to go in
to town for dinner. You’re certainly welcome to join us.” Mari ignored
Nico’s hostile stance as the men embraced her with polite kisses and hugs.
Nico stood silently, brooding in the background.
She arranged drinks all around and anxiously took fleeting looks at
Nico.
Seeing Richard in the same room as Mari after his discovery of their
relationship made him almost feral. He was vibrating with the need to mark
his claim on her. On edge, and on the precipice of beating the other man
into a pulp, he listened coldly as Mari engaged in small talk with them.
“The wedding is tomorrow and I’m glad you came to support us.”
Mari beamed at them, obviously elated by their presence.
Richard cleared his throat and was about to speak. Nico icily
interrupted him. “Carvine, you’d better have a fucking good reason for
being here. Aren’t you supposed to be closing the fucking Brennan deal?”
“Given the outrageous price you agreed on for the company, the
contracts were signed rather rapidly before anyone changed their minds or
came to their senses.” Richard joked with obvious disregard for Nico’s
lethal temper. “Our brilliant strategy for further negotiation was no longer
necessary. And we wouldn’t miss Mari’s success in finally roping your
ass!”
If Mari hadn’t stepped in to remind him of their dinner reservation, he
didn’t know if he would have been able to contain the need to rearrange the
younger man’s face.
Roping me? What the fuck does that asshole know?

As the maître d took them to their table, Nico clasped her possessively by
the waist and ensured she sat as close to him as possible. Richard looked at
the seating arrangement and regarded Nico smugly. He was about to
comment on Nico’s aggressive display when Mari gave him a hard stare and
shook her head, silently appealing to him to not provoke an already volatile
situation. They all knew not to mess with him when Nico was in one of his
kill moods. His responses were not always reasonable, or painless.
Mari took in the tastefully chic surroundings and was happy to bask in
the attention of four shockingly handsome men. She noted the reaction of
the other diners as they entered the French restaurant. Nico’s presence alone
would have stopped traffic—he oozed wealth and elegance. But with
Richard, the golden Adonis with wicked green eyes, and Brad and Jarrod,
both tall, dark-haired, big attractive Englishmen in tow, their appearance
created a spectacle. Their team had always garnered attention when they’d
appeared together, both for their attractiveness and for their ruthless
reputation.
Happy to be in each other’s company again, they fell back into their
usual camaraderie and were enjoying their dinner immensely, determined to
ignore Nico’s sour mood. They were in the middle of the main course when
she thanked Richard for the use of his flat a few days earlier.
“There will be no need for you to use his flat in future, or he yours,”
Nico responded in a chilling, hard voice.
Mari started to placate him, but Richard had other ideas.
“Mari and Alex are welcome to my place at any time. In fact, she can
keep the key. One never knows when I may be needed again.” He grinned
unrepentantly.
Nico breathed harshly and leaned menacingly across the table at him.
“Over my dead body, or better yet, over yours. Carvine, if you value
your golden head, I strongly suggest you stay the hell away from my family,
or not even your mother would recognize your carcass.” He muttered the
words through clenched teeth.
Mari was puzzled by Nico’s anger. She squinted at him with growing
suspicion.
“You couldn’t possibly think there was a relationship between Richard
and me, do you?” Mari regarded Nico inquiringly. A cold dread settled deep
in her chest. This couldn’t be happening again.
“You may not have a relationship now, but it was evident that you did
have one by your numerous visits to his flat in the past three years. You
were not very discreet in conducting your affair.”
 Richard laughed out loud at the accusation, in a fit of amusement so
great tears streamed down his face.
Everyone looked at him as though he’d lost his mind!
Mari gave him a cold glare as he sobered and started to respond to
Nico’s accusation. “Stay out of this, Richard.” Mari had no idea whether his
response would have been helpful or whether he would continue to torment
Nico. She was adamant that their contretemps stopped immediately. Nico
would learn to trust her, or there was no point in them getting married the
next day.
“You’ve had me investigated?” She was incredulous. The silent, grim
set of his mouth was answer enough. He continued looking at her coolly.
“That’s so underhanded, Nico! You’re such a bloody control freak, and
a ruthless bastard! Then you have to compound it by once again jumping to
wrong conclusions about my behavior. You convicted me without even a
hearing in my defense.” Mari was aware their heated discussion was
drawing unwanted attention, but she didn’t care. She felt violated, and his
continued distrust hurt like hell.
“I hope you hire better investigators next time, because their
information is severely flawed. Yes, Alex and I stayed at Richard’s flat on
numerous occasions when I had to go to London, but your spies should
have also reported that each time we were there, he was out of the country.”
Feeling dead inside, Mari spoke in an emotionless voice. She held her hand
up to forestall Nico’s response.
“I knew he would recognize that Alex was your daughter. She looked
too much like you, so we went to London when there was no chance any of
you were in the city. Since you continue to view me as a promiscuous
woman, there is no need for this marriage tomorrow.” Mari took her
engagement ring off and threw it at him. She stood suddenly, pushed back
her chair, and stormed from the restaurant.

“Wow!” Richard ventured.

“There was nothing going on with you two?” Nico had to ask, slipping
the discarded ring in his pocket. He was still numb from the tongue-lashing
Mari had given him. He was ashamed of his contribution to the hurt he’d
noted in her eyes.
 “What a bloody cock-up! I doubt Mari’s even aware that there were
other men in existence when you were around, Nico. She looks right
through all of us and has done so for years.” Brad shook his head in awe at
Nico’s cluelessness.
Nico regarded them all intently as each of the other men nodded their
heads in agreement with Brad’s statement. Raking his fingers through his
hair in agitation, Nico closed his eyes and swore with creative, graphic
disgust.
“Fuck, I’ve handled that badly. I doubt very seriously Mari will be in a
forgiving mood any time soon.” He grimaced on his observation.
“So, gentlemen, since this is my last night as a single man, I feel the
need to get smashing drunk!”
“Ah, Nico, don’t you think you should go and talk to her?” Jarrod
asked, with concern etched in his expression.
Nico laughed humorlessly. “Mari has no other alternative but to marry
me tomorrow. I still have our daughter. And quite frankly, gentlemen, if I go
back to our room before she remembers that, she’ll make sure I’m rendered
one hundred percent sterile.” Nico finished with a self-deprecating smirk on
his lips.
They spent the rest of the night, until the early hours of the morning, in
a local bar, and then ensured Nico was returned safely to his darkened suite
and solitary bed.
***
Waking from a light slumber, Mari barely heard Nico’s arrival in the early
hours of the morning. She reclined on her bed, fuming at his arrogance and
assured belief she would marry him no matter what he did to offend her.
Mari had returned to the room indignant and deeply hurt by his
continued distrust. Maybe she had to take responsibility for his assumption
that she was eager to hop into bed with the first available male, since she
had never said no to him, and in fact was always eagerly ready for his
possession. Regardless of what had given him that impression, she had to
sort out their impasse now, before walking down the aisle later that day.
Acknowledging that she was already hopelessly in love, she knew that
if they didn’t resolve their issues, she’d always regret it. The fact that he
still had Alex was not a motivator. She was confident that, if she were to try,
there were other options to getting Alex back. Also, there was no way Nico
could keep Alex away from her; the bond between mother and daughter was
too strong.
Mari crept silently into Nico’s room. He was stretched out on his back,
his large frame dominating the California-king bed. He was still clothed,
with his shoes discarded and his dress shirt fully unbuttoned. As she
approached, Mari noted that Nico’s eyes were open and alert. The two
simply stared at each other across the chasm that separated them.

“Come here.” Nico opened his arms for her to come to him.
Mari didn’t hesitate, but climbed onto the bed and draped herself on
top of him.
He folded her in his embrace, soaking in how good she felt against
him.
“I’m sorry for believing those things.” Nico whispered close to her ear,
holding her tight around her waist. He was afraid to touch her anywhere
else. His silk shirt was soon drenched with her silent, anguished tears.
Acknowledging again that his anger and jealousy had done this to her, he
was gutted to realize he had so thoroughly and unintentionally hurt her. This
was not his proudest moment.
Unlike before, her hurt now hurt him.
Not only was she the mother of his child, she had become his life. He
had been going through the motions of living while they were apart, but
having her in his life gave him purpose, made him stronger, more
determined to succeed and provide for his family.
He vowed that the lessons learned from his dealings with Celina would
no longer influence their relationship. The bitter poison of his past would no
longer play a part in their lives. His experiences were all interwoven
patterns in the fabric of his life, but no longer would he allow the ugly bits
to dominate that fabric. The resentment and anger slowly drained away, to
be replaced with undiluted, liberating love for Mari and his daughter.
Finally letting the startling love he felt for her give him solace, he held
her tighter and rocked her gently, whispering soothing words in the dark of
the night.
 Her tears ceased after a while and she fell asleep in his arms. He gently
rearranged her, spoon-fashion in his arms, making sure she was in a
comfortable position. Reaching for his mobile, he issued new instructions
for later that day.
They slept.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

WHEN MARI WOKE, she was alone in Nico’s bed. Remembering the
chaotic rollercoaster of the day and night before, she grimaced with
lingering emotion. While she was grateful for Nico’s apology, an apology
she’d not expected, it hadn’t resolved any of their issues. The comforting
warmth of his rugged masculinity had beckoned and rendered her incapable
of voicing her concerns. His sincere remorse had completely disarmed her.
The ensuing tears had been cathartic.
Lyn was already in the suite, however, busily gathering all of the items
needed for the bride to get dressed, and coordinating her appointments for
the day.
Mari declined breakfast, but accepted coffee and then went for a three-
mile jog on the beach before undertaking the many appointments she had
set up for the day. Nico had left a note advising that Richard would walk her
down the aisle and they would see her at the ceremony. Although the men
were staying on the estate, she didn’t encounter anyone en route to the
beach.
With the jog invigorating her body and clearing her mind, Mari went
through the day both anxious and happy at the same time. She was happy to
be marrying the love of her life, finally, and anxious because she hadn’t
been able to talk to Alex all day. She wanted to speak to Nico about it, but
she hadn’t been able to contact him all day, either. Mari was surprised how
quickly she had adopted the habit of relying on Nico. It both frightened her
and made her grateful, afraid to depend on someone else when she never
could have in the past, but happy that she and Alex were no longer alone in
the world. They were now part of a large, extended family.
 Nico had sent her presents throughout the day, She’d received her
eight-karat emerald-cut diamond and platinum engagement ring, which
she’d thrown at him the night before, with a note in his strong, bold writing:
“Don’t remove again!” Next, he sent her a stunning Cartier diamond
necklace, followed by a matching diamond bracelet that arrived as she took
a break for a light lunch, and Cartier diamond drop earrings were delivered
while she dressed. Each gift had the same note in bold script. “Thank you
for our daughter,” she read out loud, touching the heavy cream-colored card
with an unmanicured fingertip. By the time she was dressed, Mari was
grateful that Nico traveled with such heavy security, because between the
clothes and the jewelry, she was certain she was draped in millions of
dollars.
The delicate Vera Wang lace dress had a low-cut neckline with sheer
lace edging that provocatively but tastefully displayed her generous
cleavage, and an inset Empire waist, from which yards of silk fell gracefully
to the floor. The dress was embroidered with Swarovski crystals in the
bodice and flowed elegantly over her stunning slender-but-curvy figure.
With a side slit that ran mid-thigh, her honey-toned long legs would be
visible with each lithe stride.
Her hair was worn in a sophisticated upsweep. Caught up at the back,
her tresses were adorned with a diamond tiara on loan from an exclusive
jeweler on the island. A sheer, fine lace cathedral train extended three yards
behind her. Strappy gold five-inch Manolo Blahnik sandals completed her
outfit.
Mari blushed upon noting the reaction of the ladies assisting her to
dress. Lyn, the makeup artist, and the hairstylist sighed, smiling in awe at
the beautiful picture she presented.
A knock sounded at the door. Lyn indicated that it was time to go and
that Richard had arrived to escort her down to the ceremony.
Mari nervously left the safety of her bedroom to meet Richard in the
sitting area of the suite.
Already feeling beautiful from her team’s complimentary response, her
confidence was further bolstered by Richard’s reaction. He gave her a long,
appreciative whistle, followed by, “Nico’s one lucky bastard!”
On their descent down the spiraling stairway, as Lyn held her train, he
kept her thoroughly entertained with outrageously raunchy banter.
 They stepped onto the cobblestone path in the full glare of the
sunshine, and proceeded down the path that led to the Infinity pool, which
they would have to pass to enter the terraced Versailles-style gardens where
the wedding ceremony was to be held. Richard kept up the relentless
teasing to distract her, and to settle her nerves.
“Are you ready, kiddo?” Richard asked as they arrived at the pool area.
She knew she was doing the right thing, but she couldn’t help the brief
moment of panic that assailed her. This step she was taking was enormous.
“Yes, I think I have waited for this moment all my life.” She stopped
and looked at Richard for assurance.
He simply smiled encouragingly.
“Nico and Alex are my world. I love them so much!” Mari breathed
deeply, trying to calm her frayed nerves.
Mari gazed at the setting of her wedding as they stood at the entrance
of the garden, suddenly astounded at the spectacular setting before her. The
aisle was lined with a white, shimmering carpet outlined with red roses
along the sides. White ribbons with red and white roses draped the chairs,
and the archway was adorned with exotic tropical flowers and red roses.
Stunned, Mari took in the presence of so many guests in attendance. Her
breath stopped on the sight of one special guest in particular.
Alex barreled down the aisle to meet her mother with excited squeals
of “Momma, Momma, Momma!” As her little legs eliminated the distance
between them, she almost tripped on her long, beautiful ivory dress, so
similar to Mari’s. She propelled her pint-sized body into Mari’s skirts.
All of the adults in attendance laughed at the toddler’s uninhibited
display of happiness. Mari reached down, scooped Alex into her arms and
hugged her tight, raining kisses all over her face.
The sound of the opening bars of Jesse Powell’s “You” filled the
garden. Mari immediately locked on to Nico’s elegant presence at the end
of the aisle.
He remembered!
It was her song, the one she’d always associated with him, and the one
they’d last danced to. The jolt of utter love infusing her heart at the sight of
Nico standing with the priest at the altar made her feet seem like they were
walking on air. Nico was so breathtakingly beautiful. Her pulse quickened
and suddenly she couldn’t wait to reach his side.
 “Thanks, Richard, for escorting me this far, but I think this little girl
and I have to go get our man!” Smiling with the sudden desire to solidify
their family, she held Alex hand and they continued along the red-petal-
carpeted aisle with light, slow steps and with a gentle roll to her hips,
completely in sync with the music.
Nico grinned then, seeming to enjoy her confident, provocative strides.
She smiled tremulously back, not missing a beat in her graceful glide
down the aisle.
Alex, not to be outdone, happily danced along with her mother,
enjoying the spotlight.
Nico claimed his family halfway up the aisle with a firm grasp of
Mari’s waist. He picked Alex up and anchored her on his hip. After a slow,
lazy perusal of Mari from head to toe, Nico gave her a smoldering gaze,
leaving little doubt of his appreciation of the incredible vision she made.
His grip tightened around her body, demonstrating more effectively than
words that he considered her his. He kissed her lips softly, gently nipping
her lower lip. He raised his head and held her gaze for a few silent moments
before leading his family to the waiting priest.
They were married a few minutes later, and sealed their union with a
much more satisfying, lengthy kiss that was only interrupted when Alex
insisted on getting in on the action. They turned with blinding smiles to
welcome and join their guests in a lavish reception, held right there in the
gardens.
Nico’s parents, his two sisters, and brother were there, along with their
children and spouses. But what shocked Mari more than anything was
meeting his mother. She’d had no prior warning that his mother’s mocha
skin was darker than hers.
How had I not known that about him?
Mari’s next door neighbor Audrey was there with her family, as well as
executives from Brennan and from the Darian Group who had worked with
Mari in the past, and Barbara the caretaker from the crèche at Brennan had
been flown in for the wedding. There were more than thirty people in
attendance, including the children. Mari was touched at Nico’s
thoughtfulness, considering she had not expected any guests at their
wedding. He had gone to a lot of trouble to make the day incredibly special
and memorable.
 Forget the jewelry and designer clothes he’d given her… her friends
and extended family were the most beautiful gift he could have given her
today. And she loved him even more for it.
His parents welcomed her to the family and again thanked her for the
gift of Alex, who had disappeared in the tropical garden to take part in a
rambunctious game of hide and seek with her cousins.
Lord only knew if Alex’s ivory dress will make it through the day!
They spent a few minutes chatting with his parents before they were
inundated with well-wishers. His mother was the typical no-nonsense
Italian, infused with a wicked sense of humor. His dad, whom she’d met
before in the office, was an older, more laid-back version of Nico, both in
appearance and personality.
“Well, Mrs. Darian, you are a very gorgeous bride. How soon can we
get out of here without offending our guests?” Nico whispered close to her
ear.
Mari smiled. “Speaking of guests, when did you arrange all of this?”
“Last night after you left me at dinner. The guys and I got busy on the
phones and arranged two private jets to transport everyone here.” He
regarded her with a smile.
“Why? That must have been hugely expensive and inconvenient for
everyone,” Mari asked, puzzled by his attitude and apparent change of
heart.
“I told you last night that I was sorry for hurting you again and I
wanted to make amends,” Nico said softly, whispering sincerely. “Every
bride should feel special on her wedding day. However, I don’t think that
anyone anticipated a bride as beautiful as you.”
“I’m profoundly grateful for everything you’ve done today. Everyone’s
presence, especially our daughter’s, has made today one of the happiest
days of my life.”
“And the happiest?” he asked.
“That was the day that Alex was born. Nothing could top that.”
“You can express some of your gratitude now,” Nico whispered,
pulling her closer.
“Nico…” Mari tried unsuccessfully to disengage from him and
whispered unsteadily. “I never knew your mother was black.”
“Why? Do you have a problem with my skin color?”
 She punched him in his rock-hard stomach, hurting her hand in the
process. “Ouch!”
“So much sass!” He grinned at her. “You’re not supposed to be so
sassy to your amazing husband.”
“Well, my husband was being a dick!”
“Don’t lie. You think I’m even sexier after meeting my parents, right?”
Mari rolled her eyes at his one-track mind. But she had to admit, it
gave him just a little more swag.
“I think you should kiss me and make it better.” He tenderly nipped her
lower lip.
“I didn’t hit you there.”
“No worries. One of your kisses will ease the pain anywhere on my
body,” he murmured against her mouth. He began with a gentle, leisurely
exploration of her lips before sliding his tongue over hers.
His flavor burst on her tongue. The solid security of his arms was
intoxicating. She quickly overheated and returned his hungry kiss with
equal fervor. Nico gently stroked her back, trailing his fingers along her
spinal column. He ravenously devoured her lips, the kiss becoming more
erotic and urgent.
They abruptly pulled apart as the teasing catcalls and whistles from
their guests penetrated their passionate interlude. “You’re right, this isn’t the
time or place. But very shortly I will have you all to myself. It has been too
long,” Nico whispered huskily.
“You’ve probably destroyed whatever lipstick I had on!” she cried
anxiously.
Nico laughed unrepentantly and kissed her hard again before turning to
greet their abandoned guests. Mari took a few minutes to slip away to the
bathroom to repair the damage that Nico’s advances had made. Lyn was
waiting in the wings to assist.
She looked in the mirror at the stranger she’d become. Never before
had the sparkle in her eyes been so bright, nor the glow in her cheeks so
luminous. Never had she felt like laughing outright, for no apparent reason.
The warm reception from Nico’s family was a surprise, but she was so
grateful for that. Any doubts she had about her skin color being an issue for
them had been completely dispelled. They had embraced her and Alex as if
they had always been a part of their family. She was truly happy for the first
time in her life and wished that the day would never end. She exited the
bathroom to collect her daughter and husband, and enjoy the rest of their
wedding day.
Mari looked across the garden at her daughter, still running around
happily, playing with her cousins and knew she had made the right decision
for them. Since birth, Alex had had no one but her mother to call family.
Now she had a multitude of relatives and people to lend support if
something should happen to her. This marriage was the right thing for her
daughter.
She looked up and caught Nico’s gaze as he conversed in the corner
with a group of men including his father and brother. The total respect and
love the men had for each other was apparent in their interaction. They were
men of great power and wealth, and it oozed through in their proud posture.
Mari maintained his mesmerizing gaze for a moment, before joining the
women at a shaded table in the garden.
“Mari, I’m so happy for you,” Audrey exclaimed. “You two look like
you’re so much in love. I get goose bumps just from the way you look at
each other.”
“Thank you,” Mari said softly. She didn’t want to tell her friend that
what she was witnessing was pure lust, not love. Maybe love on her part,
but Nico would never love her.
“This wedding is like a fairy tale. Your dress is so beautiful and the
setting so exotic. Nico arranged for my family and me to remain here for
the week at the resort. He’s so generous!” Audrey gushed.
“We are truly grateful to you and your family for being there for Alex
and me over the past four years. You were there for us during my
pregnancy, when Alex got sick and I didn’t have a clue, and there for us
when we needed something done in the house. Who else would tell me
where to find the most reliable plumber or electrician? Thank you for
everything.” The two women embraced warmly.
Upon hearing their exchange, Nico’s mother smiled and asked Mari for
more details about her pregnancy. A discussion ensued that had each
woman reminiscing and laughingly recounting her first child’s birth.
Nico approached stealthily, suddenly wanting to reclaim his bride. He didn’t
understand his need to keep Mari close, but he refused to question it.
“Did you curse Nico every time the pain came from the contractions?”
Nico’s sister Sarah asked jokingly as she noted her brother looming in the
background.
“No, I was too busy crying for him. I was pitiful!” Mari laughed.
“Besides, there was no point. The nurses who attended me were convinced
that I was a loose woman who got what she deserved. Every time I
exclaimed in pain they reminded me that I was paying for Eve’s sins,
because I had committed one myself.”
Nico paled. A tumultuous feeling of anger and remorse jarred him.
This was his woman and his daughter. He should have been there. Because
of his stubbornness and distrust, he hadn’t protected them as he should
have. There was no one to blame but himself. He wanted to lash out at
someone in retribution for Mari’s abysmal treatment.
“Which hospital was this? Who were the nurses?” Nico asked angrily.
Mari laughed nervously. “Nico, there is no need to be angry. It all
worked out fine and that happened a long time ago.”
“That may be so, but they will pay for hurting you. If you don’t tell
me, I can find out the relevant information without your assistance. The
longer it takes to get the information, the angrier I’m more likely to get,”
Nico promised darkly.
“Nico, they may have been mean biddies, but they took good care of
Alex and me. If they weren’t so hard on me, I could have very easily let
depression set in. I was overly emotional and needed that kick of bitter
reality to help me to be stronger and more determined.”
Nico ignored her attempts to pacify him.
His mother raised one dark eyebrow and gazed at him sternly. “There’s
no need to get your knickers in a twist. Just make sure you’re there for the
next pregnancy and there’ll be no issue. Now, don’t you think it’s time you
fed us?”
Nico regarded her, debating whether to pursue further. But he knew
from prior experience it was pointless arguing with his mother.
The wedding dinner proceeded smoothly, with the adults seated at a
large, rectangular table that easily accommodated them all, and the children
who occupied a table nearby were treated to a variety of favorites like pizza,
chicken nuggets, French fries, hot dogs, and miniature desserts. They only
complained when told to eat their vegetables first. The atmosphere was
festive and everyone enjoyed the lavish array of entrees and wines provided
directly from the Darian cellars. There were no speeches, except for a few
spontaneous toasts aimed more at teasing the newly married couple.
***
The Caribbean night air was sweetly perfumed with whiffs of jasmine and
frangipani. The humid stillness was made pleasant by the constant, gentle
ocean breeze from the nearby beach. The heat also lessened as the orange,
setting sun slowly disappeared below the horizon. The guests savored the
tropical ambience, made the more extraordinary by the surrounding natural
palms, hibiscus, fruiting native sea grape trees, and bougainvillea trees.
Deserts, consisting of a variety of island specialties, were served, and
Nico pulled her from her chair and into his arms to begin dancing on the
terrace. He held her close, oblivious to the audience around them, and her
futile attempts to put some distance between them. The other adults joined
them, but Mari barely noticed. She concentrated on maintaining her
equilibrium as the hard planes of his body heightened her awareness of him.
She fought hard to still the clamoring of her escalating desire.
It was obvious, a few dances later, that the long flight from England
and the excitement from the day had taken its toll on the children. They
were practically asleep at the table. The children were collected by their
respective parents, with Sarah herding Alex to sleep along with her
children.
Mari kissed her daughter and promised to collect her the next morning.
“Oh, there is no hurry,” Sarah laughingly teased. “You may have other
uses for the morning than worrying about this little tyke. Enjoy a lay in.
Breakfast will be a long, drawn-out affair and the children will love an early
splash in these beautiful, clear waters.”
“The flight is scheduled to leave early tomorrow evening, so everyone
who wants to return to London then should have a late lunch. Dinner will be
served on the flight back. The jet will be sent back next week for those of
you who are staying for the week,” Nico advised everyone. “Mari and I
thank you for coming and participating in our day. Enjoy the facilities and
we will see you tomorrow at lunch.”
 “Are you ready to go, Mrs. Darian?” Nico gazed at Mari inquiringly
and clasped both of her hands in his.
She suddenly felt perched on the edge of a cliff and her breathing
became shallow with the uncertainty of what was to come. She was no
longer a virgin, but a feeling of ineptness assailed her. Nico had known so
many beautiful women. How could she possibly please him?
Why was she worried about that anyway? To make love with Nico
tonight would be tantamount to her endorsing his treatment of her, of his
caveman approach, dragging her to the altar, or else, coupled with his
arrogant statement that she’d beg him for it. Mari stiffened in remembered
indignation.
“Come. Everyone is waiting for us to leave so that they can seek their
beds or enjoy the rest of the night in town,” Nico whispered close to her ear.
They took their leave amidst a chorus of goodbyes, hugs, and kisses.
As Nico approached the doorway leading inside the mansion, he
swung Mari high in his arms and carried her over the threshold, up the long
staircase, and into their suite.
“Why did you do that?” Mari asked breathlessly.
“It’s a time-honored tradition. It’s a part of the script. We have
performed many of them today. It seemed fitting to perform this as well,”
Nico drawled.
“Oh.” His cold confession was as if he’d punched her in the gut. “I’m
sorry. I’d forgotten that today was all make-believe, not real, of no
significance to you.”
“That’s not what I said, dammit!”
“But it is what you meant! As we no longer have an audience to
observe us or appreciate our performance, and this marriage is not the
traditional kind, there is no need to keep up the charade.” Mari was
mortified that she had bought into the happily-ever-after the day had
promised.
“It’s just as well, then, that there’re no more traditions for us to
perform. After all, I have already deflowered the virgin, so you can rest
easy,” Nico sardonically informed her.
“You bastard!” She strode angrily to her bedroom door.
Nico blocked her escape by placing his big body in front of her. Mari
quickly put some distance between them.
 “What the hell is going on with you? You seemed to have enjoyed the
day. You were smiling and joking with everyone, posing and glowing for
the cameras, and giving me such provocative looks. What is this really
about?” Nico gave her an inquiring stare, his gaze piercing with volatile
emotions.
“Yes, I enjoyed the day, and I’m grateful for you making it so. But that
doesn’t change the fact that you manipulated and coerced me into this. And
as you just reminded me, this is not the marriage that everyone out there
seems to think it is. I temporarily believed in the façade. That’s on me. But
I’m finally awake again. I’m going to my room and you can go do whatever
the hell you want to do.” Mari trembled in agitation.
“You may lie to yourself all you like, but you’ll never convince me
that you don’t want me. Neither of us can control what’s between us. We
have felt it since we first met on that plane, all those years ago, and our
desire for each other hasn’t abated since. In fact, it has only grown. We’re
married, tesoro. There’s no need to hide what we want.” His eyes smoldered
with obvious need. The heat from his body came at her in tsunami waves as
he crowded her.
“Whatever. I’m so done with this. Just let me pass.” Her voice was
husky with emotion.
He gave a sharp, humorless bark of laughter. “You amaze me. Again
with the games! You’re trying to make me angry enough to just take you,
right? Then you can console yourself that I coerced you into responding,
that you didn’t want this as much as I did.” Nico narrowed his eyes and
purposefully closed the distance between them.
“I will never sleep with you again, you arrogant, insufferable bastard.”
Her furious declaration was, unfortunately, unconvincing to her own ears.
She moistened her suddenly dry lips as she gazed into his mesmerizing
eyes. Mari was reminded of how graceful and darkly beautiful he looked, of
how he’d taken her breath away every time she saw him. His subtle cologne
surrounded her and filled her senses. She averted her eyes with difficulty,
trying to shut away the provocative image and not wanting to give away the
effect he was having on her. Yes, she wanted him, but she wouldn’t give
into it. She must not give into it.
“I assure you that when you come to our bed, there’ll be very little
sleep involved. Your beautiful, erotic display on my plane two nights ago
suggests I won’t have to wait very long for you to give both of us what we
want. I have thought of little else, and my body has been painfully aroused
since.” Nico moved closer to her, until their bodies were mere inches apart
and their warm breaths mingled.
“Did you think I was immune?” His gruff inquiry made her close her
eyes, trying to barricade her senses to his effect on her. “Your sassy lips
begged to be kissed. Your curves were exquisitely spread before me, daring
me to fuck you senseless. But dumb fuck that I am, I denied myself the
pleasure of taking what was on offer, and suffered the most painful erection
of my life. I want to sink into you so hard and fast, so deep, that we couldn’t
tell where I began and you ended.” Nico whispered with dark promise. He
held her stunned gaze with his daring her to deny their mutual desire.
She swallowed audibly, stubbornly trying to hold on to her anger, but
she was already damp and pulsing with the truth of her need.
He suddenly grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. Mari
gasped at the swiftness of his actions.
Nico quickly and impatiently ripped open the tiny rows of buttons that
had been so meticulously fastened hours earlier by Lyn.
“What are you doing?” The violence of his action momentarily
brought Mari out of her passion-drugged state. “Stop that!” She tried
desperately to get away from him.
Nico held her securely with one massive hand, holding both of hers
against her quivering stomach, while he diligently dealt with the remaining
fasteners. As the dress slid down to her hips, Mari doubled her efforts to get
away, swearing at him and straining against his brute strength.
Nico smacked her lightly on her bottom to quiet her. “Behave,” he
admonished. “Isn’t this what you want, for me to help you make up your
mind?” Nico unclasped her demi-bra. He freed her hands and used both of
his to palm her breasts. He brought her back flush against his solid front, so
that her bottom aligned with his throbbing shaft.
“Or is this what you want?” he whispered in her ear, gently kneading
her breasts while plucking at the hardened nipples and kissing the scented
skin of her neck and shoulder. Nico ruthlessly seduced and obliterated any
resistance left in her body.
Mari was consumed with such blazing, insistent hunger, she eagerly,
shamelessly responded. She writhed against him, mindlessly trying to get
closer to his overwhelming masculinity.
“Answer me, dammit. Is this what you want?” Nico asked mercilessly.
“Yes,” Mari hissed. She was incapable of denying him.
Nico abruptly let her go and stood away from her. Mari stumbled as
she desperately tried to clear her confused mind. Why had he stopped? She
turned slowly, cautiously, not at all sure if her trembling limbs would
embarrass her further. Incapable of speech, she gazed at Nico with muted
inquiry.
“I’m through playing games with you. Be an adult and stop acting the
Victorian virgin. You are my bloody wife! If you want me, come to me
honestly and openly. I’ll be in the room on the other side of that door. I
won’t touch you again unless you come to me.” He purposefully stepped
around her, went into his bedroom, and firmly closed the door behind him.
Mari bent her head in shame. How could her body so completely
betray her? The ache in her stomach intensified. Its debilitating effect
ricocheted throughout her body. Her resistance dwindled further and her
disgust with her behavior knew no bounds.
But then she reminded herself of her resolve to have a relationship
built on more than just the slaking of sexual need. While she loved him
dearly, what he felt was lust, plain and simple, and that lust would die a
swift, painful death. What then? How would she survive? What would
become of their so-called marriage?
But he was right. Why was she still denying her desire for him, her
need for him? Despite having accused him of forcing her to marry him, she
knew that wasn’t true. She loved him and knew that her wanting, her desire
for him, would never end. Why was she punishing herself like this? She’d
married him because she wanted to—no force on earth would have kept her
away from him once he’d asked her to be his wife.
Mari wearily went into her bedroom and divested herself of the torn
wedding gown. She removed her makeup and took a long, leisurely hot
shower. As she dressed for bed in her usual nightshirt, she suddenly came to
a decision and went through her drawers to find the negligee Lyn had
placed in her wardrobe. She quickly dressed in it before she changed her
mind, and walked purposefully toward Nico’s bedroom.
Love was all about risks. How could she claim to love him without
taking some risks? At the door, she waited and listened for any sign of
activity. There were none. All was silent in the suite. She could only hear
the rugged, harsh sound of her own breathing.
Mari opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit room. Nico lay in
the middle of the king-sized bed, propped up against a number of pillows in
naked, glorious splendor. Her gaze traveled from his muscled, massive
chest to his flat, chiseled stomach, to the lean hips that blatantly displayed
his astonishingly aroused stated, and to his trunk-like, steely thighs. He
looked like a Viking warrior, imposing in strength and size, not at all like
the executive he was. How could she have forgotten the power and
primitive masculinity his naked body exuded?
She slowly raised her gaze to his face and was captivated by the
sensual blaze in his unwavering scrutiny. The naked hunger in his eyes took
her breath away and further ignited the embers of her desire.
She whimpered.
“You came,” Nico stated, refusing to release her from his smoldering
gaze.
“You were right. I need to show you that I am your woman. But Nico,
I’m so terrified of disappointing you! Despite what you think, I’ve not done
this since you. I don’t know if I can please you,” Mari whispered.
He made to get up from the bed but Mari held up her hands
imploringly, silently begging him to remain where he was. She was
trembling so much she had no idea how her knees were supporting her.
She slowly started to remove the sexy garment.

Nico laid there, immobile, filled with such punishing desire he couldn’t
have moved if his life depended upon it. Assailed with the knowledge that
she was still exclusively his, he watched her silent, slow removal of a
negligee that had left nothing to the imagination. As she disrobed, the blood
rushed to his already hard cock. She shyly stood there, naked, at the foot of
the bed, like a woodland nymph. He was captivated by the changes in her
figure after giving birth to their daughter. While her stomach was still
relatively flat, he loved the softer, feminine curve. Her breasts were firm but
at least a size bigger. He loved her much rounder ass, which made the arch
in her spine and her hourglass shape more pronounced. Her skin glowed
like warm honey.
 “You’re bloody beautiful!” Nico growled with the need to touch her.
Despite being pissed and disillusioned with her, he’d missed her every
single day of their separation. He had purposefully not allowed himself any
access to her. And now that she was here, giving herself to him, he felt
awed, humbled, and exceedingly fortunate.
Desire, raw and white-hot, splintered his control. He vaulted from the
bed to stand before her, pulling her soft curves into his arms and holding her
against his overheated flesh.
“You could never disappoint me. As for pleasing me, you please me
just by being you.”
He captured her lips in a bruising, hungry kiss and lifted her high in his
arms, right there in the middle of the bedroom. With impatient fingers, he
found her shaved slit and dragged a broad digit along her sensitive,
engorged clit.
“Nico, yes please!”
The husky sound of her voice made his muscles clench in awareness
and desperate to get inside her. Discovering her saturated, hot center, he
hardened even more painfully. His need was too great. He’d waited too
long. There was no time for preliminaries. He walked the short distance to
the nearest wall and pinned her back against the hard surface. The muscles
in his arms bulged with brute strength as he fitted her legs around his waist
and gripped the globes of her ass. He was so gone, he couldn’t think
straight, completely on fire to claim her. He braced his legs apart for
leverage as he held her body against the wall with his rock-hard frame.
Probing her wet folds with the wide head of his shaft, he impaled her with
the angry, thick length.
She gasped his name in stunning approval.
He froze. Then, as he sank into her heat, jarring pleasure ricocheted
throughout his body at the first exquisite feel of her after such a long
absence.
Nico rolled his hips, thrusting his engorged length slowly, with infinite
tenderness, into her over and over again. “Every inch of you is mine now.
Every fucking inch!” he growled.
Mari keened in enjoyment, clutching her legs tighter around his waist, her
arms like a vise around his neck. She writhed against him, rotating her hips
to meet each thrust, clutching his hair, holding his head still for her kiss, and
thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth.
With her breasts sensually abraded by the light carpet of hair on his
solid chest, and the feel of the hard muscles of his chiseled abs and arms
caressing her sensitive skin, she was undone. Mari was lost as her passion
surged and her world spiraled out of control. She was filled with him, his
shaft like a club wedged inside of her.
“Nico!” she cried as he thrust faster, deeper within her, feeling him in
her stomach with a sort of pleasure-pain that made her quiver
uncontrollably. Each thrust and roll of his hips resulted in an erotic
stimulation to her feverishly aroused clit.
“You feel so fucking good!” His eyes were glazed with passion. “This
is mine, Mari. Say it!” He spoke fiercely as he held her tighter and powered
into her. “Say it.” He abruptly pulled out. The swollen head of his shaft
caressed her entrance as he willed her to submit to him.
Mari tried desperately to impale herself on him and regain his hard
shaft by tightening her legs around his back. Nico refused to budge, silently
demanding her surrender.
“Yes, yes, I am yours. Please, Nico,” she sobbed. He rewarded her with
a strong, deep thrust into her starved pussy. He plundered her mouth with
his tongue, tasting, licking, giving them both what they craved. His kiss
pushed her over the edge, triggering intense tremors in her core, which
drenched her inner thighs and his sac. Her muscles contracted strongly
around his cock, absorbing each powerful glide.
“I love you, Nico,” Mari whispered as he released her lips from their
mind-numbing kiss. “I’ve always loved you.”
Gripping her ass even more tightly in the palms of his big hands, he
thrust mindlessly, repeatedly into her, and with each thrust she chanted her
love. He sank his teeth into the skin of her neck, marking her, as if he
couldn’t help himself. He sucked strongly, her body bowed against his, her
cries echoing in the room as the hot lava of her orgasm erupted and she
convulsed in ecstasy. Her damp body shivered uncontrollably from the
power of her release.
 He drove into her like a piston, in wild frenzy before exploding,
growling loudly with shattering fulfillment.
Mari slowly unlocked her trembling limbs from Nico’s back and slid
down his body, but she had to maintain her hold on him. Her limbs felt like
limp, wet noodles, incapable of moving even if she’d wanted them to. His
solid strength was all that held her upright. She shyly averted her eyes in
remembered embarrassment of her confession of love. He didn’t give any
indication he’d heard her, but she was equally sure that he had. He would
have had to been deaf not to.
Nico carefully lifted her into his arms again and placed her gently in
the middle of the bed. He kissed her all over: her lips, her neck, her
shoulders, her breasts, the flat plane of her stomach. He took his time
caressing and pleasuring her and reigniting her passion to a fever pitch. He
held her hands securely over her head and entered her with a deep,
relentless thrust. Her body arched. Her hips lifted and took him deeper into
her. Their lips melded and hungrily devoured each other.
His silent loving brought tears to her eyes and for those brief moments,
Mari felt blossoming hope for the success of their marriage.
Slowly, and with infinite care, he stroked deeper and deeper into her.
The wanting, the passion, the fire was unbearable. Mari erupted as the
sensations poured through her.
But he wasn’t done with her yet. He turned her over and brought her to
her knees. Mari had never felt so exhausted and yet so sexually fulfilled.
But he soon had her mindless for more, as he plucked at her nipples and
rubbed her swollen clit with rough, thick fingers until she was writhing in
his arms, begging for his possession once again. Gripping her round bottom,
he glided gently into her tight core. Her sensitive walls clutched around his
length, jealously hugging his bruising shaft. She thoroughly enjoyed the
erotic feel of his thick cock sliding insistently in and out of her.
He continued to plunder her depths, battering her walls with relentless
strength, while whispering words so raw and so crass, she could only blush.
But every word made her more aroused, their wickedness inexplicably
turning her on. She convulsed uncontrollably and climaxed hard. It
triggered Nico’s powerful orgasm and his seed bathed her womb.
Nico gently turned her on her back and kissed her. Too exhausted,
Mari couldn’t return his kiss. She collapsed in a tired heap, enjoying his
gentle petting and soft praises.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

Two months later

THEY WERE AT yet another cocktail party that Nico had to attend in his
capacity as chairman of the Darian Group. Mari had lost count of the
number of functions they had attended as a couple since their wedding. The
functions themselves were not a hardship to endure, but it was the constant
stream of beautiful women vying for Nico’s attention. To give him his due,
Nico never strayed far from her side. He kept her close and seemed to be
oblivious to their interest.
But his continuous PDAs surprised her. Nico had always been a very
private man, and it astounded her how affectionate he was. His kisses were
frequent and often gently caressed any part of her body within reach,
keeping her deliciously primed for him. Their desire for each other had
gotten sharper, stronger, and didn’t seem to be abating in the least. Mari was
grateful for that, but was on constant pins and needles, waiting for him to
lose interest.
She and Alex had visited Nico only once in his office since their
marriage. The women had immediately taken Alex, passing her around and
making a big fuss about how beautiful she was. Mari had been alone with
Nico for not more than five minutes before he’d pounced. Draped over his
desk, her dress pushed up to her waist, her underwear confiscated, and her
round bottom angled to receive him. She bit her lip, desperate to suppress
her cries of enjoyment at the delicious feel of his cock in her quivering heat.
Nico thought it was hilarious that his bare-assed wife had to serenely
converse with his employees moments after they’d finished, as he’d kept
her silk panties in his pocket. After that episode, Nico had forbidden any
future visits to his office. Despite his enjoyment of it, he wasn’t happy with
his behavior. “My office is not a fucking bedroom!” had been his exact
words.
They moved out of his penthouse into a house on the outskirts of
London a week after their wedding, and Nico turned the penthouse into
another suite of executive offices. She and Alex had settled nicely into the
routine of Nico’s life. He hadn’t yet taken any more trips abroad on
business, but instead had been content to delegate these duties to Richard,
much to Richard’s delight.
Barbara, from the crèche at Brennan’s, had been hired as Alex’s new
nanny. Mari was happy because her little girl was so happy and was already
confident of her place in her father’s life. She was definitely daddy’s little
princess, following him around with rapt devotion whenever he came home.
The only dark clouds on the horizon were Nico’s refusal to
compromise on her desire to work, and the reality of her one-sided love.
She continued to tell Nico nightly that she loved him. He neither
returned her endearment nor acknowledged her expression of it. Mari knew
that Nico had to feel something for her. His gentle handling of her and
seemingly unquenchable lust for her suggested as much.
Finding a job had become her number one mission. She was still
determined to work, whether he approved or not.
Mari looked around for her target and saw him, Simon Andrews,
conversing with another gentleman in the corner. Simon was one of the
most sought-after bachelors in London. His wealth and power, not to
mention his movie-star good looks and big, athletic body, made him a prime
target for an endless horde of beautiful women.
Simon had offered her a job a month ago, on learning she was floating
her resume for an executive technical analyst position. Her acceptance of
the position was even more appealing to him because she had once been a
part of Nico’s inner sanctum. On that night, Nico had approached them and
gripped her waist possessively. Simon had given a wicked grin and doubled
his offer to Mari while maintaining eye contact with her husband. Nico had
coldly declined on her behalf and walked away, taking her with him. She
couldn’t understand his objection to Simon’s job offer. The man ran a chain
of high-end international hotels, completely outside Nico’s business
interests.
 Reluctant to shatter the fragile truce they had enjoyed since their
wedding night, she hadn’t called him out on his high-handedness.
Unfortunately, tonight, Mari couldn’t care less about their truce. She
was bored and was slowly going out of her mind waiting on Nico to come
home from work every day. There was only so much shopping and
decorating she could do, and she had reached her limit weeks earlier.
Their home had been decorated with the help of Nico’s mother and
sisters, and was maintained by the ever-efficient staff that Martha had hired.
With Barbara to help with Alex, Mari had a lot of free time. It didn’t help
that she was probably pregnant again. If her stubborn husband found that
out, he’d be even more of an ass about her returning to work.
It’s time I retake my independence!
Nico was engaged in a lengthy discussion with two Russian
businessmen who didn’t speak English very well, so the conversation was
in their language. With Nico distracted, she slipped away from his side and
cautiously made her way over to Simon. He watched her approach and
immediately dismissed the gentleman standing next to him to give her his
full attention.
“Is that offer still open?” Mari asked without preamble.
“And what does your possessive husband have to say about you
working for me?” Simon inquired guardedly.
“I’m only interested in a job, Simon, nothing else. There is no need for
you to provoke Nico by insinuating there’s anything more.” Mari gave him
a hard glare, determined that he understood she was not amused by his
flirtation.
“Come to my office tomorrow. We can work something out.” Simon
handed her his business card.
“Not fucking happening!” Nico said fiercely, taking the card from
Mari’s grasp. He dumped it in a wine glass on a tray held by a passing
waiter.
“Nice seeing you too, old man.” Simon extended his hand again in
greeting. Nico coldly regarded him and rudely ignored the gesture. He
anchored Mari to his side, his grip tight around her waist.
“I have told you before that my wife isn’t interested in working for you
or doing anything else with you. Let me make myself very clear. Stay the
hell away from my wife!” His icy glare and furious tone was not lost on the
other man. However, Simon only grinned in response.
“Nico, I asked him for the job, not the other way around,” Mari
whispered trying to bring an already volatile situation to calm. “I want to
work for him if the position is still vacant.” Even knowing that the job was
possibly only available because of who she was married to, and her past
association with his company, she didn’t care. But Simon would be an idiot
if he thought she would betray Nico in any way.
Nico ignored her interruption and continued glaring at Simon. “Do I
make myself clear, Andrews?”
“Perfectly.” The two men stared silently at each other for a few
seconds before Simon turned to her with his signature charming smile back
on his face. “Mrs. Darian, it was nice chatting with you, as always.” Simon
nodded in salute and took his leave.
Nico’s body vibrated with rage. His facial muscles were stony with
unleashed anger.
“We will discuss this at home,” he hurled at her through clenched
teeth.
“But I—”
“Not another word. We’ll talk with the people I came to see tonight
and then we will go home. Don’t test my bloody patience further.”
“Are you sure you want to go there with me right now? I’m not Simon
for you to dismiss or drag around on a leash, like some damn lap dog. I’m
your wife and entitled to your respect and consideration. You can stay and
converse with whomever you like, but I’m taking my black ass home.” Mari
angrily stepped away from him, fully aware that there was only so much he
could do to stop her without making a scene. Tears filled her eyes and she
blindly stumbled out of the room where the party was being held.
She exited the front entrance of the hotel and began to hail a cab.
Nico’s large hand closed around hers and clasped her fingers firmly in his.
Mari refused to look at him, but she didn’t pull her hand away. She knew
that it would be a waste of time and energy. And they were both aware of
the tabloid photographer lurking in the background.
The valet brought Nico’s Jaguar around. They traveled home in tense,
angry silence.
 Nico barely brought the car to a stop before Mari opened the door and
angrily strode into the house. Gio had opened the front door when the car
had come in the gate and she walked through without breaking her stride,
still offering a short greeting to their faithful employee. Unfortunately, Nico
was right behind her and he followed her to their bedroom, firmly closing
the door behind him.

“You will stay away from Simon Andrews or you’ll not like the
consequences,” Nico said in a deceptively reasonable voice. He was
consumed with such white-hot rage. The thought of his wife working for a
leech like Simon Andrews made his skin crawl. Feeling territorial and
unbalanced, he ground his teeth together as he looked down at his beautiful,
defiant wife.
“I told you I wanted to work again, but you refuse to discuss it. Simon
was the only one brave enough to consider my resume.” Her stance was
determined, indicating she’d no intention of being intimidated by him.
“There’s no need for you to work. My wife does not work! If you need
to find something to occupy your time, call my mother or sisters. I’m sure
they can find something in their respective charities for you to do here in
London,” Nico stated angrily.
“I’m not interested in doing only that! I already help them, but it’s not
enough,” Mari reasoned. “I need to work, Nico. I am bored and feel like I
am not contributing to anything.”
“You are my wife! You contribute to our marriage. You are only
required to take care of Alex and me, and of course any other children we
will have. This is not up for negotiation. You knew this before we were
married. This is the second time that you have tried to solicit Simon’s help.
Do you think I wouldn’t destroy him? What is it you really want from
him?” He silently regarded her with a cold glare. “Is it this?” he asked
softly before pulling her to him and crushing her lips in a fierce bruising
kiss.
Mari strained against his hold, trying to get away from him. “No, Nico,
stop this. This is not about Simon. This is about us, about how we’re going
to live our lives. I’m not Celina! Stop punishing me for what she did!” she
implored desperately.
 What the hell was she talking about? He hadn’t cared one bit about
who Celina talked to or who she fucked.
Mari owned him!
But she didn’t know and he wasn’t about to tell her. He knew he was
being unreasonable but couldn’t stomach the thought of his beautiful wife
working in close confines with men like Simon. They would want to kiss
her, touch her soft, honey skin, to make love to her, like he’d always wanted
to. For years he’d lusted after her, watching like a hawk even though he’d
had no right to. No way would other men look at his wife like that. Hell, no!
Even now, despite being married to her for a few months, he still
lusted after her, couldn’t come close to trusting himself around her in an
office setting, day in and day out. A predator like Simon wouldn’t think
twice about making a move on her. The man had no scruples.
“Stop? But you don’t want me to stop making love to you, do you?
You love me, remember? You love what I do to you. You’ll be begging me
for it shortly.” He suddenly picked her up and threw her on the bed,
knocking the wind right out of her. Before she could get her bearings, he
stretched on top of her, his hard frame pinning her. He crushed her lips in a
demanding kiss. Mari pushed at his shoulders and angrily tugged at his
silky, black hair. The kiss softened, and soon her hands were holding him to
her instead of pushing him away. In direct contrast to moments before, she
tenderly caressed his hurt scalp with soothing fingers.
Nico cackled triumphantly.
Mari stiffened and bit down hard on his lip.
“What the—?” Nico pulled away and looked at her in astonishment.
“I’m not letting you get away with ignoring my wishes again. You’re
not having your way in this, Nico. Get off of me!” Mari cried angrily,
fiercely pushing at his immovable frame.
“Bite me again and I will spank your ass,” Nico drawled. “Do you
fancy him that much? Is this why you suddenly don’t want me now?”
“You deserved it and I have no idea why you’re so fixated on Simon.
Simon is the only one in London willing to hire me because you’ve
threatened everyone else. I simply want to work!”
“Do you? I’m giving you an opportunity to work right now. My wife
has no need to work, except in my bed,” Nico whispered silkily.
 Mari was so incensed by his insensitive words, she tried to knee him in
the groin. He quickly blocked her assault and crushed her under his weight
so she had very little room to move.
“You little wildcat! Stop before you hurt yourself!” Nico told her
sternly.
He was immediately contrite after voicing the nonsense about his wife
not needing to work. But he was too pissed to apologize or soften his words.
Knowing her body as well as he did, he couldn’t help but note that she had
conceived again. She’d once told him that she was never regular with her
menses. However, he would stake his fortune on his prediction. Her breasts
and nipples were already larger. And he noticed they seemed a little more
sensitive to his touch. They’d not been using any form of birth control, but
he was still stunned this had happened again given his fertility limitations.
She hadn’t mentioned the possibility of being pregnant, but he was
determined to handle her carefully.
“Get off me! I hate you, you bastard!” Mari shouted at him.
Losing all patience, Nico pinned her hands above her head. He sealed
their lips together, devouring her, while he slid his hand under her dress,
grazing her stockinged leg, past her garter, roving up her thigh to her panty-
clad hips. He released her lips to trail kisses down her cheeks, the perfumed
crevice of her neck, her ear, and finally, her breasts.

Mari fought to withstand his seduction. She was desperate to resist him, and
held herself motionless, afraid to move for fear of giving her yearning away.
Suddenly ripping her panties from her, Nico’s skillful fingers
mercilessly stroked and caressed her quivering mound. Her traitorous body
couldn’t help but respond. A tiny, involuntary moan escaped her. Desperate
to stop the irrepressible need and rampant desire, Mari tried again to
dislodge him, squirming and frantically straining against his firm hold. Nico
laughed wickedly and pinned her more firmly to the bed.
His lips latched on to one hardened nipple and then the other, moving
back and forth between them, driving her insane with need. She whimpered
helplessly. He slid a finger against her tight, drenched slit. Liquid fire
clamored through her body. She mindlessly writhed against him, trying to
get closer, trying to take him deeper in her. He released her breasts to
reclaim her lips in a relentless, sensual kiss. A second finger entered her
heat. He swallowed her cries as he moved his fingers in slow, insistent
thrusts in and out of her. He removed his fingers and placed his engorged
shaft at her entrance, rubbing its tip against her.
Mari curled her legs around his back, silently begging him to take her.
She refused to verbalize her plea.
“Do you want me, baby?” He seemed to be taunting her.
She was pissed but was too far gone with sexual frustration to call a
halt. He resisted every attempt she made to impale herself on his cock.
“Do you, cara mia? Say it. Say, ‘I want you, Nico.’”
She stubbornly held her lips firmly closed.
He suddenly sank into her with a powerful thrust.
She moaned long and loud.
He pulled out of her. “Tell me you want this, you want me.” He
tenderly kissed along her cheek, her neck, her breast, and pulled a pebbled
bud into his mouth. “Should I stop?” His husky voice acted as an additional
stimulus, making excruciating need claw through her.
“No!” she cried, locking her legs more fiercely around him. “Please,
Nico, I want you. I need you!” she begged with helpless tears clogging her
voice.
Smiling with triumph at her response, he rewarded her with sensual,
hard, balls-deep thrusts, and claimed her mouth with long, drugging kisses.
She arched her body, grinding her hips against him, clasping him to her,
caressing his hair, his back, and his tight ass.
Nico grunted with approval. He suddenly increased his strokes,
feverishly slamming into her until they both convulsed in fulfillment.
Moments later, he gently petted, licked, kissed, and caressed her
between her thighs all over again. Her cries filled the room as he pulled her
engorged clit between his teeth, tenderly nibbling her. Every time she came
close to climaxing he drew back, soothed her, and then started the seduction
all over again. He kept at her until she grew hoarse. She was so primed for
his possession, it took only one hard thrust, and she exploded around him.
Latching his lips around her sensitive nipple, he slowly rocked into
her. With each delicious roll of his hips, and each tug on the tips of her
breasts, he further inflamed her desire. When she shattered and tightened
like a fist around him, he quickened his strokes until his seed flooded into
her.
A few minutes later, Nico disengaged from her and climbed from the
bed. He zipped his pants, which had only been lowered, straightened his
shirt, and looked at her perched inelegantly on the bed. She was still
clothed, with her dress hiked up to her waist, and her breasts freed from the
deep vee of the neck line.
“Don’t go near Andrews again.”
Mari was too exhausted and ashamed to adjust her clothes or posture
as he silently left the room.
She was so angry she could spit, loathing him so much at that moment.
Why would he not listen to her? She felt wounded, betrayed. Nico, her
employer, had praised her brilliance and celebrated her achievements at
work. At one time, she had at least had his professional respect, but now she
didn’t have even that.
He doesn’t love or respect me!
A wife would be more than just his lover and mother of his child. She
wailed silently, feeling hollow inside.
Stumbling to her feet, Mari slowly made her way to the en suite
bathroom. She stood staring at her reflection despondently, trying to come
to grips with the empty reality of her marriage. She felt desperate, wounded.
Those thoughts repeated in her head like a broken record.
After stripping, she turned away from her nakedness, feeling ashamed
and unworthy. She entered the shower, letting icy cold water cascade over
her. Desolation overwhelmed her. Her body bowed and her knees buckled
as she wept. She slid to the floor of the shower stall in a pitiful heap. Nico
feels nothing for me. I’m nothing to him. Her tears flowed down her cheek.
She stayed in that position until she could cry no more. She slowly got up,
despairingly soaped herself clean, and then climbed out.
She curled up in their bed in a fetal position and waited for sleep to
claim her.
It was at the fringes of sleep that Mari got angry at herself. She wanted
to remember this moment, this hurt. She needed to remember to strengthen
her resolve to take control of her life. She was not this broken, pitiful
woman who would let any man control her. That bastard Nico could go to
hell, as far as she was concerned. She’d done exactly as she promised
herself she wouldn’t do. Nico didn’t control how she lived her life, she did.
If she wanted a job so badly, tomorrow she would go and find one. She still
had a few good contacts, contacts that Nico could not influence or
intimidate. Damn, she was a grown-ass woman who’d run her life
successfully for years without a man. She’d done it before, and she would
do it again.
Nico came into bedroom a few minutes later. Mari settled her
breathing into a slow rhythm, pretending to be asleep. She need not have
bothered. Nico slid into bed after his shower and promptly fell asleep.
It was the first time since their wedding night that Nico hadn’t reached
for her and held her through the night. Despite the fact she would have
rebuffed him if he had tried, Mari was still hurt he hadn’t even bothered.
Tears leaked out the sides of her eyes, wetting the pillow. So much for being
a strong black woman, she thought sadly.
I’ll be strong tomorrow. She cried silently until she fell into an
exhausted sleep.

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 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

WHEN MARI WOKE the next morning, Nico had already left for work.
She quickly got up, completed her exercises for the day, and spent the
morning with Alex. Her equilibrium immediately restored by the
unconditional love of her child, she approached the day with renewed
optimism. If she wanted Alex to grow up respecting her and to learn how to
demand respect for herself, Mari had to carve out a more meaningful life.
The role of a mother and wife was honorable, but it wasn’t all she was or all
she had to offer.
By midday she had driven to central London, ready for her one-thirty
appointment, with her documents tucked safely in her bag. Now all she had
to do was to get rid of her surveillance team. Nico had insisted that she had
adequate protection for both herself and his daughter.
Mari knew better. Nico wanted to ensure his second wife didn’t cheat
on him like the last one had. Mari usually didn’t mind, and often forgot that
they were there, but today she didn’t want Nico to know what she was about
until she got the job. Then she didn’t care what he thought.
She walked into her favorite department store, selected a few items,
paid for them, and then went into the dressing room to put them on.

Nico was in the middle of a board meeting when Gio interrupted suddenly
and asked to speak to him. His blood immediately ran cold. Was it his wife,
his daughter, who was hurt? Gio would never disrupt an important meeting
unless something grave had occurred.
With halting, gentle words, Gio told his boss that his wife might have
been trapped in a fire at a department store in Trafalgar Square. The
security team had been waiting for her to exit the fitting rooms when an
explosion had erupted in the building. It was a chaotic scene as everyone
tried to escape in a panicked frenzy. Their search for Mari in the women’s
fitting area had initially been hampered by the terrified stampede, and then
by the swiftly escalating fire. The team had been forced to leave by the
building’s security. The explosion devastated the main storage rooms and
started a fire in the entire shopping center. It very quickly raged out of
control as highly inflammable garments ignited, and fueled it further. The
popular stores had held hundreds of people; however, the casualties were
apparently limited to those who had been trapped in the dressing rooms of
the initial department store. Emergency vehicles arrived and took away the
severely injured, with many being treated right there on the streets.
Unfortunately, no one knew how many were still inside. They didn’t expect
survivors.
The security team had frantically searched the crowd for a glimpse of
Mrs. Darian, hoping she had gotten out in the mad rush. They found a clerk,
who, after looking at the photo they presented, only confirmed that she had
seen the woman enter the dressing room. She wasn’t sure she had gotten out
in time. They tried again to re-enter the building; however, the authorities
were letting no one through.
The security lead had then called Gio with the grim report.
Nico looked at him blankly for a moment. Blessed numbness invaded
his entire body. On autopilot, he got up and instructed Gio to take him to the
site. Gio reluctantly drove him to the gutted building.
Emergency vehicles and personnel were still on scene, trying to secure
the area and preparing for the recovery of the dead. There were numerous
whispers of the explosion being a terrorist attack. The international news
media was out in full force.
They explained to Nico, and many of the other grieving family
members, that since most of the dead were buried under the rubble of the
building, it would take a while for them to ascertain the extent of the
damage and definitively say how many victims there were, and to
accurately identify them.
Nico showed no outward reaction to the news. He walked around and
questioned the store worker that his men had spoken with. She told him the
same thing she had told them. Nico looked around at the sea of people and
news reporters. It all seemed surreal. His men had been able to move both
their car and Mari’s before the police had secured the scene.
He’d left Mari that morning sleeping peacefully in bed. Maybe not so
peacefully. He’d heard her crying the night before. He couldn’t help but feel
her silent sobs. Refusing to give into her, he’d chosen to ignore the tears.
My wife will not work.
He stood in one spot lost, motionless, his eyes taking in everything
going on around him. Nothing touched him or penetrated his consciousness
until he caught sight of Mari’s silver-grey Mercedes, parked next to his car.
Then it became real.
He started trembling uncontrollably.
Gio, who was watching from a discreet distance away, quickly
approached his boss and helped him into the car, cognizant that at any
moment reporters could realize who he was and see the obvious distress in
his eyes.
Nico couldn’t control the shudders wracking his body or the flow of
tears scorching his cheeks. He loved her so much. Why had he never told
her so? Why did he not do more to ensure her happiness? Why hadn’t he
told his pregnant wife that he loved her? Did she even realize that she was
pregnant? Nico felt such deep sorrow for never knowing his unborn child, a
child conceived in their love. Anguish completely overwhelmed him, and
fresh tears drenched his face. He was completely undone.
A kaleidoscope of images flashed in his mind: Mari giggling as he did
his push-ups with her lying beneath him, Mari laughing out loud at corny
jokes he and Gio were recounting, Mari writhing in ecstasy in his arms,
Mari’s defiance in the face of his stubbornness. This brought a fresh jolt of
pain to his heart. His body bent as he buried his face into his knees in
anguish.

Mari and Audrey sat in the restaurant giggling over the antics of Audrey’s
boys, with Audrey warning that Mari would soon experience the joys of
siblings playing vicious pranks on each other.
“I look forward to it.” Mari smiled at the thought of having another
baby. Knowing Nico’s difficulty with fertility, she was in awe of conceiving
again so soon. She caressed her stomach in sheer joy, feeling healthy and
strong. This day couldn’t get any better.
She had gotten the job working for Richard. He’d suddenly taken over
the reins of his family’s shipping business after his older brother had
brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy. Richard needed all the
help he could get and Mari was ecstatic to help him. He had taken a flight to
Greece immediately after their meeting. She was scheduled to start and
head the London office on Monday.
She knew it was time she told Nico about expecting their second
child… how would he feel about this?
He would be forbidding for the first news, but definitely happy about
the second. He had bitterly regretted not being there for Alex’s birth.
“Are you pregnant again?” Audrey asked, obviously noting that
faraway look on Mari’s face as she lovingly rubbed her stomach.
“Yes, but I haven’t told Nico yet. Do you think he noticed? I’m at least
two month. I haven’t seen my menses since meeting Nico again. ” She
looked at Audrey inquiringly.
“How often do you make love?”
Mari gave her a meaningful stare.
“He noticed!” she and Audrey said in unison. They laughed and were
continuing to enjoy their outing when Audrey’s phone went off.
It was Audrey’s husband making sure that she was okay. He explained
about the explosion and fire in her favorite department store, frightened she
might have visited it. Audrey confirmed she had been there earlier in the
day but had left long before the fire.
As Audrey rang off, she explained to Mari what her husband had said.
They both looked at each other in horror as they realized what a close call
they had escaped.
“Oh my God, Audrey! Nico is going to kill me! I tricked my security
detail into thinking that I was still in that store. They must be frantic by
now. What if they think I was in there?” Mari was horrified to think of what
was being told to Nico. He might not love her, but she was sure he would at
least care if she died.
“It will take me hours to get home at this time of day. I need to call
him!” She fished in her bag unsuccessfully for her phone, only to remember
she’d left the phone in her car. Her phone had a tracking device in it and she
hadn’t wanted Nico to know her whereabouts today. Mari scrambled to her
feet, gathering her handbag and frantically fishing out sufficient money to
pay for their meal.
“You can use my phone to call him.”
Mari tried calling Nico’s mobile from Audrey’s phone, but it went
straight to voicemail. She became even more panicked.
“You have to go home now. Come, let’s go.” Audrey got up quickly
from her chair. “Everyone must be beside themselves!”
“You’re probably right. I better do this on my own, though. Nico will
be furious once I explain what had happened today and I don’t want you
caught up in that. You should go home and hug your traumatized husband
and I will go and try to appease mine.” Mari anxiously called a car service
to take her and Audrey to their respective homes.
The car was about half a mile from her front gate, when Mari noted the
frenzy of reporters and television crew outside. She quickly instructed the
driver to turn around and take her back to an obscure gate on the other side
of the property. Thank God Gio always insisted that she and Nico have the
key for the back gate in case of an emergency, and tonight was an
emergency. The presence of this much press could only mean the worst:
Nico and everyone else thought she was dead!
As she disarmed the alarm on the gate and opened it with her key, she
shook her head in horror to think of how she could possibly explain what
she’d done. It was not going to be pretty. She edged along the perimeter of
the lawn, trying desperately to avoid the security cameras. The sensors
would only be turned on much later that night, so she didn’t have to worry
about them. There was a distinct chill in the air and she wasn’t dressed for
the two-mile trek to the house.
By the time she arrived to the pool area, she was shivering in earnest.
Just then, a bulky figure wrestled her to the ground. She screamed in fright
and instantly realized that it was Gio.
“Gio? Get off of me!” she demanded.
“Madam?”
“Gio, you are heavy! I can’t breathe!” Mari tried desperately to get
from under him, but Gio was immobile with shock.
“What the… ?”
 Mari quickly interrupted him as he sprung to his feet. “No, I know this
must look bad but there is a reasonable explanation for everything. This was
an honest misunderstanding.” Her statement was met with a look of horror
and disapproval by a stunned Gio.
“That it may well be, Madam, but the house is in an uproar. Nico is in
a bad way. We were frightened for him.” Gio’s frown conveyed just how
worried he’d been for his employer.
“What are all these reporters and news people doing here? I tried
coming through the front but couldn’t get past,” Mari asked as Gio helped
her up from the ground.
“It is all over the news that you perished in the fire,” he stated grimly.
“What? Already? I have only been out for a few hours!”
“Madam, you left the house at 10:30 a.m. and it is now a little after
6:00 p.m. Long enough for every hospital in London to be contacted, long
enough for your presumed death to have been announced, and long enough
for your in-laws to arrive.”
His disapproval couldn’t have been more damning. Mari stiffened with
worry. She was deeply saddened about the chaos she had inadvertently
created. She just wanted to get inside, explain, and alleviate everyone’s
grief.
She started walking, then running toward the house, not waiting for
Gio to follow. She entered through the kitchen door. A stunned Martha
looked at her as if she was seeing a ghost.
“I know, I know,” she stated, running through the kitchen. “Gio will
explain it all to you.” She then continued through and came to a halt in the
drawing room, as a sea of faces turned astonished gazes upon her.
“I can explain, but I need to talk to Nico first. Where is he?” Mari
hurriedly interrupted any attempt to question her. No one answered. They
were still too shocked. Mari impatiently turned and rushed to Nico’s study.
She halted at the threshold, took a deep, fortifying breath, and silently
opened the door. He was not in there. She impatiently slammed the door
and sprinted up the stairs to their bedroom.

Nico stood with his back to her, gazing unseeingly out the window into the
lush garden beyond. He stiffened, his face wet with tears, and his body
frozen in anguish. Above the smell of the vodka in his hands, he smelled his
wife. Her perfume was always subtle, but it was her essence he always
smelled when she entered a room. He had always liked that about their
relationship, that they both had such sensitivity to each other’s presence.
But he had been smelling her fragrance since he’d entered their bedroom,
and there he’d stayed since he’d returned home. This was the one place in
the house that was strictly theirs. She was evident everywhere in the room.
He would always keep it so. If he could smell her, feel her aura, then it
would not be so bad. He would not have completely lost her. He could keep
her alive in his heart, his mind, for their daughter.
“Nico?” Mari whispered.
His body stiffened even further.
“Nico, look at me. I am here,” Mari cried.
“Mari? Amata mia?” he whispered tearfully.
“Yes.” Emotions constricted her vocal cords.
“Nico, look at me. I didn’t die in that fire today. In fact, I wasn’t even
there.”
He could feel the heat of her body now, her scent stronger. He was
afraid to believe.
“Nico, I…”
He suddenly turned, his breathing choppy as if he’d run miles.
“Mari? Dio mio!” he whispered in wonder and pulled her into his
arms, holding her tightly, trying to absorb her into his skin. He kissed her
long and hard, devouring her lips and frantically running his hands all over
her, marveling in the feel of her flesh beneath his fingers.
He suddenly pushed her away from him, remembering how pissed he
was with her.
“Where the hell were you all day? Why are you just getting home?
Didn’t you hear the news broadcast? Who were you with? Why didn’t you
call me?”
“I can explain.”
“Wait, are you all right?” Nico asked and anxiously started checking
her body for injuries. “Where were you? They told me you were dead.
Dead, Mari, do you have any fucking idea what I’ve been through today?”
Nico walked away from her and started pacing back and forth.
 “I just wanted some time to myself to get my life back on track,” Mari
said tiredly.
He stopped abruptly in front of her, his eyes pinning her in place. He
was ready to do battle.
“What do you mean get your life back? You’re not leaving me, do you
hear?” He glared at her fiercely. “You are my life. I love you.”
“Wait, what?”
“You heard me, I love you. You’re not leaving me.” He angled his
head and captured her lips in a tender kiss without touching her anywhere
else. The kiss was meant to convey all of his pent-up emotions. His love!

Mari wound her arms around his neck and held on tight as desire flared
swiftly through her body. She was filled with such joy, such astonishment at
his declaration, she could not gather her thoughts. She poured all of her love
and hope into that kiss, telling more eloquently than with words how much
she loved him.
“I love you too, so much. I have waited so long to hear you say that,”
Mari whispered against his lips.
He lifted her in his arms and sat in a chair with her on his lap. “I know.
This may sound stupid but at first I never recognized what I felt for you as
love.”
He fell silent for a moment, trying to find the words to explain to her
what she meant to him. “Lust, possessiveness, respect, admiration, and
need, I understood. I felt that!” He swallowed painfully. “But love? Love
annihilates you, make you surrender shit you never intended. It’s fucking
painful, but so fucking liberating! At our wedding I thought I knew then
that I loved you. But today, today was so fucking bad!” Tears made his eyes
shine like sapphire under intense spotlight. “I learned that life without you
means nothing. I will never again go through what I just went through.”
He looked at her fiercely. “You’re not bloody leaving me! I will double
your security detail. They are obviously not keeping you safe enough and
not keeping adequate track of your sneaky ass!”
“Wait, Nico. I never said that I was leaving you, but I need to work. I
know you don’t want me to, but I think I have worked out a compromise.”
He began to interrupt her. Mari gently placed a finger to his lips. She
explained how she’d gotten away from her security detail and why she was
so late returning.
“Don’t ever do something so reckless and irresponsible again! You
were given protection for a reason! There is no point in them being there if
you’re constantly working to undermine their jobs. You left yourself open
to any would-be kidnapper, rapist, or murderer. The Darian name carries a
lot of responsibility and risks.” Nico’s arms tightened around her as he
thought of all the things that could have happened to her.
“I won’t do it again, I promise. Did you mean it? Do you love me?”
“Of course. I’ve loved you for years without realizing it. I was celibate
for more than four years because I couldn’t get over you. Did you think I
would have arranged a wedding like ours if I didn’t love you?” His warm
breath caressed her cheek.
Mari turned to fit her lips over his in a kiss filled with promise and
commitment.
“I only wanted to be yours! I’ve always loved you, Nico. You’ve been
it for me since I met you.” she whispered, her eyes glowing with emotion.
“Thank God!” He lovingly buried his face in the curve of her neck,
breathing her in.
“Do you have something to tell me?” Nico whispered.
“I got a job?”
“What? It had better not be with Andrews because I will kill him with
my bare hands.” He said the words without heat, not moving his head a
millimeter.
“No, I am now working for Richard. He will have to resign from the
Darian Group, by the way.” She smiled at his stunned expression.
“I knew I should have beaten the shit out of that pisser months ago!
But I will deal with that prick later.”
“No, you will not!”
“I will buy his company.”
“You won’t be doing that, either.”
“What the fuck am I allowed to do?” He shook his head in irritation as
she continued to giggle.
“What else do you need to tell me?”
“Richard says to tell you we’ll need to temporarily borrow a few more
assets—capital and human—to bolster our efforts.”
 “I think you had better tell me later what you and Richard have cooked
up. He’s seriously stretching the bounds of our friendship!” Nico drawled.
“Do you have anything else to tell me?”
“I have signed on to help out at the War Child Charity once a week,
and donated a million pounds in Alex’s name to their ongoing efforts. There
are too many children affected by wars around the world. I want to help in
some way. We can do so much, Nico. Since we don’t need my salary, I
thought I would use that to help this project.”
“I can see that I will have to ask you this open-ended question at least
once a week. When did you do this?”
Mari laughed. “Only a few days ago. I was going to tell you but I got
distracted when you came home.” She smiled, happy tears flooding her
eyes. “It feels good to be held like this and to be able to talk so openly.”
Nico’s hand settled on her belly and gently caressed it. “The Group
will certainly contribute to your project. Anything else you would like to
tell me?”
“In a few months, we are going to have another baby,” she said shyly.
Nico kissed her passionately, letting his hands rove up and down her
back, her stomach, overwhelmed with the gifts she had brought into his life.
He was blissfully happy.
“Nico, your parents must think I am very rude. They are out there
waiting for us to join them. We need to go relieve their worries.” Mari
slowly stood up.
Nico held her hand and tugged her into his arms.
A knock sounded at the door.
Upon Nico’s command to enter, Gio popped his head in and asked if
everything was okay and whether they needed anything. He left them a few
moments later, mollified, and grinning as he heard his employer’s next
words.
“You know, wife, I am still going to spank your ass for putting me
through this,” Nico whispered, palming said ass.
“Tsk, tsk. You keep promising.” Mari smirked. “All I hear is talk but
no action, big guy.”
Nico growled. “I got your all-talk right here!”
In seconds she was slumped over his lap, bare ass in the air, and a
wicked grin on her face.
OceanofPDF.com
 EPILOGUE

MARI’S GAZE WAS glued to Nico’s impressive, forceful figure. She was
very proud of him as he addressed the executives and staff of the Darian
Group at the annual Christmas party.
She would never have believed that their relationship could have
blossomed and deepened as much as it had in the past seven months.
Despite her new career with Richard’s company, she and her husband had
gotten closer, taking great pains to carve time out for each other despite
their hectic schedules.
“Just a few more minutes,” Mari mumbled to her distended stomach.
Now more than forty weeks pregnant, her baby was impatient to meet its
parents. All day, she had been experiencing sharp pains lasting for mere
seconds. Now the pains were coming faster and lasting longer. Her belly
tightened with each spasm.
As Nico finished his speech, Mari stood with everyone else in the
room to give him a hearty round of applause. Unfortunately, when she
stood, the pressure in her belly intensified as another contraction gripped
her.
Mari pasted a smile on her lips and remained in stoic silence until her
unsuspecting husband approached their table.
“Take me to the hospital now, please. I think our baby wants to finally
meet us!” she whispered urgently as Nico kissed her dewy lips in greeting.
She giggled when she saw the panicked look on her husband’s face.
With strong arms under her back and knees, he lifted her high in his
arms and clutched her against his chest. “I love you, cuore mia!”
Tears blinded her as it always did every time he called her “my heart”.
“I love you too,” her voice was hoarse with emotion.
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THANK YOU SO much for taking time out of your precious relaxation
time to read Nico and Mari’s story. I trust you have enjoyed it as much as I
enjoyed writing it. “I Want To Be Yours” was my first novel. This has truly
been liberating to finally publish it.
I’m hoping to publish by next novel “Secret Lovers” in March 2015. You
may contact me at authordmmortier@gmail.com. I would love to hear from
you. Your feedback is very important to me.

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