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Chapter Three

As soon as he left the senator’s office, Mitch called his brother.

Lance answered on the first ring. “What did he say?”

“He agreed.”

Lance released a breath.

“You’re sure you’re ready to deal with the backlash?” Mitch asked. “This isn’t going to look great for you.”

“After the way I humiliated her, I would say I probably deserve it. I’m just sorry that you have to go through this.”

“Sorry for what? You were going to make the same sacrifice.”

“But I didn’t. I went with my heart.”

“I’m sure Lexi and I will eventually grow fond of one another,” he lied. It was probably more likely they would live completely separate lives. If they didn’t kill each other first.

“I just feel guilty as hell making you do this. Now that I know what it feels like to be with someone I love and trust, I want the same for you. I want you to be happy.”

“When our company is thriving and we’re leaving our competitors in the dust, I will be. Besides, you know I don’t believe in love. Life doesn’t work that way. Not for me, anyhow.” Nor did he want it to. It was tough to betray a man who refused to leave himself vulnerable. No woman would hurt him the way his mother had.

His brother could see right through him. “Not all women abandon their families,” he said. “And when Mom did, I’m sure she had her reasons.”

Of course she did. Their father was a bastard, emotionally, and at times physically, abusive. But if she loved Mitch and Lance, why leave them behind to suffer in her place? Why not take them with her?

He had no doubt that Lexi was self-centered and spoiled enough to do the same. If she did agree to marry him, he would insist they remain childless. It would be cruel to bring a baby into a loveless shell of a marriage. Sometimes he wished his parents would have spared him the burden of ever being born.

“There is a catch,” Mitch told him. “Alexis has to willingly accept my proposal.”

Lance let out a low whistle. “Maybe it was my imagination, but there didn’t seem to be any love lost between the two of you when I broke the engagement.”

Lance had no idea. “He also warned me that if I hurt her, he’ll crush us.”

Lance chuckled. “The old goat doesn’t pull any punches, does he?”

“You’re not concerned?”

“Why should I be? I have total faith in you.”

Mitch hoped that faith wasn’t misplaced. He’d already let his brother down once, betraying him by sleeping with his soon-to-be fiancée. Although it wasn’t as if Lance loved Lexi, or thought of the marriage as anything more than a business arrangement. Mitch, on the other hand, had honestly believed there had been a connection between Lexi and him. If he had known that Lance loved Kate the night that he slept with Lexi, he might have asked Lexi to marry him, instead. But she had only been using him.

Ironic that he would be stuck marrying her regardless.

“You can still back out,” Lance said.

No, he couldn’t. This marriage was imperative. “I’ve already made my decision. I’m going to call her right now and set up a meeting.”

“Suppose you ask, and she says no.”

A very likely scenario. But every woman had a weakness. He would find hers and use it to his advantage. “I’ll just have to make her an offer she can’t refuse.”

Though she hadn’t yet sought her father’s approval, Lexi laid out her clothes for the maid to pack. Her plane departed the day after tomorrow and nothing short of the apocalypse would stop her from being on it. The way she figured it, an emotional meltdown during supper and tearful pleading should bend him to her will.

Her cell phone rang and she checked the display. It was a Houston number that she didn’t recognize. Curious, she answered.

“Lexi, it’s Mitchell Brody.”

Her heart plummeted to her toes at the sound of his voice. “Hello, Mr. Brody,” she said in her coolest tone.

“I was wondering if we can arrange a meeting. This afternoon, if possible.”

A meeting? What could they possibly have to say to each other?

Fear slithered down her spine. He couldn’t know about the baby, could he? Only Tara knew, and she swore not to breathe a word to anyone.

She was being paranoid. Of course he didn’t know. Anything he could possibly have to say to her at this point was irrelevant.

“I’m afraid I don’t have time,” she told him. “I’m packing for a trip. Perhaps we could schedule a meeting in a few weeks, after I return.” Maybe by then she would know what she planned to do.

“I’m afraid this can’t wait,” he said. “It’s urgent that I speak with you today. I can be there in twenty minutes.”

Though he was the last man on earth that she wanted to see right now, her curiosity had been piqued. Maybe he wanted to beg her forgiveness, tell her that calling their night together a mistake had been a gross error in judgment.

Maybe he was coming to tell her that he loved her. She could at least hear him out, let him grovel a little before she told him to go to hell.

“Fine,” she said.

“I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

Mitch was at her door in fifteen. When the bell rang, she waved the butler away and answered it herself.

She’d almost forgotten how beautiful he was, how tall and dark and imposing. How delicious he smelled. Some small part of her ached to be close to him, to touch him again, to vault herself into his arms. Probably thanks to the pregnancy hormones that had been wreaking havoc with her emotions the past few weeks.

The easy smile Mitch usually wore was absent. His jaw was set and his expression serious. In fact, he looked almost…nervous. She didn’t think men like Mitch ever got nervous.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me,” he said.

She folded her arms across her chest. “What was so important that it couldn’t wait?”

“Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

She nodded, and he followed her across the foyer to the study. When they were inside, she shut the door. “Well?”

“First, I want to apologize again for my brother’s behavior.”

“Don’t bother. He did me a favor. We would have been miserable together.” She paused, then asked, “How is Lance?”

“Great. Very happy.”

“I’m glad. But that isn’t what you came here to talk about.”

“No, it isn’t,” he said, looking troubled. “As you probably know, Lance and I are still in need of your father’s support.”

“Good luck with that.” Her father had been furious with the Brody brothers, and still was, as far as she could tell.

“I had a meeting with him today.”

Her eyes widened. “He actually agreed to meet with you?”

“I can be very persuasive.”

He didn’t have to tell her that. Had he not been so persuasive, she wouldn’t be in her current dilemma.

“The senator and I have reached an…understanding.”

Why did she get the feeling that she wasn’t going to like this?

“What kind of understanding?”

“Your father has promised his support if you marry me, instead.”

Marry him? After what had happened with Lance, would her father honestly force her to marry the other Brody brother? And why hadn’t he said anything to her? Why hadn’t he warned her?

“Another business arrangement?” she asked, and Mitch nodded. “Do I have a choice in the matter?”

“In fact, you do. The stipulation was that I have to convince you to marry me.”

Her mouth fell open. “He actually said that?”

“Essentially, yes.”

She could see that the prospect of having to beg Lexi to marry him made Mitch uncomfortable. As it should, after the way he’d used her. Score one for good ol’ Dad. And she knew exactly why the senator had agreed to this arrangement. He’d mentioned more than once that he believed Mitch possessed presidential-size political potential. Social status meant everything to him and he would love nothing more than to see his precious daughter serve as first lady to the nation.

Whether or not Mitch was the least bit interested in a political career, Lexi didn’t have a clue, and the idea of spending the rest of her life married to someone so coldhearted and manipulative—too much like her father—turned her already questionable stomach.

Yet she couldn’t deny that this could be the answer to all of her problems. Marrying Mitch would give her child legitimacy. Although people—her father in particular—might get suspicious when she gave birth to a full-term-size baby two months early. But she could figure that out later.

The real question was, could she stand to be married to Mitch for the rest of her life?

Even if she did decide to marry him, she wouldn’t let Mitch off the hook too easily. She was going to make him work for it.

“After the way your brother humiliated me, what makes you believe I would even consider marrying you?” she asked.

“Because I have a plan that will leave my brother looking like the humiliated one.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, unable to resist taking the bait. “How will you manage that?”

“It will be leaked that you and I have been secretly seeing each other, and that I seduced you away from my brother that week in D.C. People will be led to believe that you were planning to break the engagement, only Lance did it first, before you had the chance.”

“And what will make them believe that? What if they think it’s just gossip?”

“My brother and I will have a very public argument to drive the point home.”

Reputation was everything to men like Lance and Mitch, so she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit touched. “Lance would do that for me?”

“We’ll do anything for the sake of our business.”

So, they weren’t doing this for her. They were doing it for their business. Her vindication was just a convenient side effect. She should have known.

Ironically, their so-called plan wasn’t that far from the truth. Mitch had seduced her, and for a short time she had seriously considered choosing him over his brother.

“Does Lance know what happened?” she asked.

“You mean that night at the hotel?”

She nodded.

“Of course not. As far as he’s concerned, this is a total fabrication.”

And she could see from Mitch’s demeanor that he intended to keep it that way. That would be tough when news of the baby broke. Lance was eventually going to find out.

The truth was, she cared little about her humiliation, and what people might think of her. For the baby’s sake, however, she would be a fool to turn down Mitch’s offer. A marriage to him would grant the kind of life that the baby deserved.

“My answer is yes,” she said. “I’ll marry you.”

He looked surprised that she would acquiesce so easily. “We should do it soon. I was thinking a small civil ceremony at the courthouse.”

The sooner—and the simpler—the better as far as she was concerned. So much for the extravagant and blissful white wedding she had always dreamed of. “Fine.”

“And we should plan a honeymoon. To make it look more authentic.”

She thought of the nonrefundable trip she had just booked. “I’m leaving for a seven-day trip to Greece the day after tomorrow. Would that be authentic enough for you?”

He nodded. “That would be perfect.”

“I’ll have my assistant book you a seat.”

“And I’ll have mine make the wedding arrangements.”

“All right.”

“While we’re away, I’ll arrange to have your things moved into my townhouse.”

She hadn’t given any thought to the fact that he would expect her to live with him. But of course he would. Married couples lived together. Although the idea of living under his roof made her feel vulnerable. Would he try to run her life, controlling her every move the way her father had? Would she be moving from one prison to another?

And if so, what choice did she have?

Mitch must have read her expression. “You’ll have your own room,” he assured her. “You’ll want for nothing.”

Unfortunately, that wasn’t true. She wanted something he wasn’t capable of giving. She wanted to be loved. She wanted someone to respect and appreciate her for who she was deep down inside. And while he did seem to appreciate what she was doing for him, the love and respect part seemed impossible. Maybe she wasn’t worthy. Maybe that was the price she paid for wealth and security. Or maybe the sad truth was, she just wasn’t all that lovable.

“You won’t regret this,” Mitch assured her, which she found terribly ironic, seeing as how she was beginning to regret it already.

“Are you ready for this?” Lance asked Mitch the following evening. They sat across from one another at a linen-draped table in the elaborately decorated dining room of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. It was the most public place they could think of for the desired result. If all went as planned, word of what was about to transpire would burn up the town like flaming tumbleweed in the dry season.

“I’m ready,” Mitch said.

It was a little hard to believe that this time tomorrow he would be married and on his way to Greece. Twenty-nine was too damned young to be a husband, to be tied down. Not that he or Lexi were thinking of this as a real marriage. It was a business arrangement. One that would no doubt cost him dearly. Both emotionally and financially. That was evident from the astronomically priced wedding ring she’d chosen. Her expensive taste apparently knew no bounds.

A grin kicked up one corner of Lance’s mouth. “I’ll go easy on you, little brother.”

“Don’t bother. Whatever you can dish out, I can take.” God knows that there were many times he’d gotten a lot worse from their old man. “We have to make this look real, Lance.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” he said, and just like that, the grin faded. Lance assumed a look of pure disgust, and said in a voice loud enough for the entire room to hear, “You son of a bitch.”

A hush fell over the room and all heads turned in their direction. No turning back now, Mitch thought.

He held up both hands in a defensive gesture and said in a pleading voice, “Let me explain.”

Lance stood so fast his chair flipped backward onto the floor, narrowly missing the table behind theirs. He grabbed his half-full highball glass, rose to his feet and with a flick of his wrist flung the contents into Mitch’s face. As the alcohol burned Mitch’s eyes and soaked through the front of his shirt, he couldn’t help but think, what a terrible waste of the club’s finest whiskey.

Gasps of surprise filled the silence as Lance stormed from the dining room. Mitch grabbed a linen napkin from the table and wiped his face. With all eyes on him now—most of them friends, neighbors or business associates—he jumped up from his chair and followed his brother to the crowded main lobby, calling, “Lance, wait! I can explain!”

He caught up with him just outside the dining room door. To anyone watching, Lance appeared enraged. “Explain? What sort of man seduces his brother’s fiancée?”

Mitch heard gasps from the crowd.

“We didn’t mean for it to happen,” he said, finding it ironic that if Lance had discovered the truth, Mitch probably would have been saying the same thing. Although it would have been a lie. Lexi had admitted to using him to rob her husband of her virginity. Seems the joke was on both of them.

“As far as I’m concerned, you and Lexi deserve each other,” Lance spat, and turned to leave. Just as they had choreographed, Mitch grabbed his arm.

The fist came at him so swiftly that, had he not expected it, he wouldn’t have had time to duck. As it was, Mitch could only stand there defenseless as Lance’s fist connected squarely with his jaw. The blow knocked him backward several feet. He lost his balance and ended up on his ass on the unforgiving marble floor.

Lance shot him one last seething look, then shouldered his way out the door. Mitch’s behind ached something special, his jaw stung like a mother and his pride had taken a hit, but the reaction from the patrons told him it had all been worth it. A steady buzz of voices hummed through the lobby and at least half a dozen people were jabbering excitedly into their cell phones. He gave it an hour before the entire population of Maverick County heard the news.

Mitch swiped a hand across the corner of his mouth and came back with a smear of blood. Two employees appeared at either side to help him to his feet, and the hostess handed him a napkin to stop the bleeding.

“I’m all right,” he mumbled, shrugging away from their help as though humiliated and distraught. From outside, he heard the squeal of tires and knew Lance was peeling out of the lot, putting the finishing touches on their little charade. And what a show it had been.

He just hoped it was worth it.

Chapter Four

With only Tara, Lance, and Mitch’s best friend Justin Dupree to serve as witnesses—her father had been called to D.C. on so-called urgent business—Lexi and Mitch said their “I do’s” before a county judge the following morning, then drove directly to the airport to catch the first leg of their flight to Greece.

Lexi sat beside her new husband in first class, eyes closed, willing her stomach to settle. Either her hormones were wreaking havoc on her nerves, or her morning sickness had taken a severe turn for the worse. If it was the latter, to hell with having three or four children. This kid could count on being an only child. Up until now, she’d suffered only occasional, mild nausea. Today, she had vomited three times. Once at home, right after she crawled out of bed, once in the ladies’ room of the courthouse, and again in the airport bathroom just before their flight boarded. She was beginning to think this trip was a bad idea.

Even worse than marrying Mitch Brody.

“Are you all right?” Mitch said softly.

Far from it. She swallowed back the bile rising in her throat and opened her eyes, grimacing once again when she saw the angry-looking bruise that spanned the left side of his jaw and the nasty gash at the corner of his mouth.

“I’m fine,” she lied.

There was concern etched on his face. He folded the newspaper he’d been reading—the financial section, of course—and set it in his lap. “No offense, but you’re looking a little green.”

How nice of him to notice. “And you’re looking black and blue.”

He reached up and rubbed a palm across his jaw, wincing slightly.

“I can’t believe he hit you. Couldn’t he just have pretended to punch you?”

Mitch shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “I told you, it had to look convincing.”

Apparently it had. According to Tara, the entire town was buzzing with gossip, and every chance Tara got, she helped out by fanning the flames. In no time, everyone would be convinced that Mitch and Lexi had been having a secret affair. News of the baby would only cement the rumors.

Even though Lexi knew Mitch and Lance had ultimately done it for their business, she couldn’t help but feel honored that they had gone to such lengths in part to salvage her honor.

And she thought chivalry was dead.

Despite his casual attitude, it must have been humiliating for Mitch. Or maybe he was one of those men who honestly didn’t give a damn what anyone thought.

“I could ring the flight attendant for an ice pack,” she offered.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Do you need anything?”

She shook her head, which was a mistake because the movement made her stomach lurch. She wished she’d chosen a more casual outfit for the flight instead of the fitted silk suit she’d worn for the ceremony. Something loose and comfortable, like her pajamas.

“You don’t look well,” he said.

“Thanks.”

“That wasn’t an insult. I’m concerned.”

“I’m just a little airsick. It happens sometimes. And it’s kind of embarrassing, so if you don’t mind, can we just drop it?”

“Sorry.”

After that, they sat in awkward silence. During their week together in D.C. they had seemingly endless conversations. Most people viewed her as a spoiled and witless debutante, and her father didn’t help, perpetuating the rumors by pampering and coddling her. But Mitch had seen past that. He had listened to her, made her feel…special. Now she had no idea what to say to him.

How about something along the lines of, By the way, did I mention that I’m pregnant with your child?

She had planned to tell him in the limo on the way to the airport, but she’d been otherwise occupied, trying not to be sick all over the leather interior. She’d decided to wait until they settled into the villa in Greece. She didn’t doubt the news was going to come as a shock, but she was sure that when he grew used to the idea, he would be happy to be a father.

As if reading her thoughts, Mitch said, “Maybe we should have a talk about our expectations in regard to our relationship.”

She hoped he wasn’t talking about sex, because that hadn’t been part of the deal. This was supposed to be a business arrangement. She had no intention of being his concubine. “What kind of expectations?”

Her wariness seemed to amuse him. “Not the kind you’re obviously thinking of. Our relationship stops at the bedroom door.”

“Good,” she said, feeling relieved. And strangely enough, a little disappointed.

“What I meant, for example, is that as a part of my business, it’s required that I occasionally attend social functions. As my wife, I will expect you to accompany me, and of course I’ll do the same for you.”

That didn’t sound so terrible. “I can do that.”

“You’ll also be expected to host several parties.”

That was something that she was actually quite good at. “Of course.”

“And since I’m not particularly fond of seeing my name in the tabloids, or being the source of the latest gossip, I think it should appear to everyone that we’re happily married. If word gets out that this is part of a business deal, we’ll never hear the end of it. I personally value my privacy.”

Personally, she didn’t give a damn what people thought. But for the baby’s sake, it would be best if they kept up a ruse of wedded bliss, so the child wouldn’t feel unwanted.

“As soon as we get back to the states we can start house hunting. Or if you prefer, we could build.”

“What about your townhouse?”

“It’s too small for our needs.”

“If you think so,” she said. She had never actually been there, but she couldn’t imagine that someone as wealthy as Mitch would live anywhere that could be considered small. Although she couldn’t deny that the idea of having her own home was a little exciting. All of her life she had lived in her father’s Houston estate or D.C. townhouse. He hadn’t even allowed her to decorate her own room, preferring instead to let a professional choose the decor. She had never had a place that was truly hers.

“Of course, you’ll be in charge of the household,” Mitch continued. “You’ll be responsible for the hiring and dismissal of the staff.”

“Will I be allowed to decorate?” she asked.

The question seemed to puzzle him. “Of course.”

“I won’t need your approval for every little thing I do?”

He looked confused. “Is there a reason you should?”

She had just assumed that, like her father, Mitch would deem her untrustworthy or incapable. Or maybe he was just saying these things to lull her into a false sense of security. Maybe he would be an overbearing tyrant.

And maybe you’re paranoid.

“Other than the obvious financial requirements, is there anything specific that you expect from me?”

She wasn’t sure what he meant by financial requirements. Did he think she would expect him to pay her a salary? “What ‘financial requirements’ are we talking about?”

“Credit cards, cash. As I assured you, you won’t want for anything.”

Despite what most people believed, she wasn’t the spoiled, pampered heiress they described in the society pages of the paper. Her father had always provided her with a generous allowance for clothing and essentials, but otherwise kept her on a pretty short fiscal leash. He monitored her credit card statements to be sure that she wasn’t spending his money on anything inappropriate, and he limited the amount of cash she was allowed. She’d always wondered what it would feel like to be financially independent, to not have someone scrutinizing her every move.

If Mitch did give her financial freedom, maybe this marriage deal wouldn’t be quite as miserable as she’d expected.

“Come on,” he said. “There must be something you want.”

Though she was going to wait, he’d left the subject wide open, and she couldn’t resist dipping her toes in to test the waters. “What about children?”

“What about them?”

“Well, I know this is just a business arrangement, but I’ve always wanted kids.”

The dark expression that spread across his face chilled her to her core. He shook his head and said, “I think that would be a bad idea.”

Oh, this was not good.

Maybe it was the act of conceiving the baby that he had a problem with. Maybe he no longer found her attractive. Their kiss after the vows couldn’t have been colder or more formal. Maybe she had been so terrible in bed that first time, he had no interest in a repeat performance.

“If it’s the intimacy you’re concerned about,” she said, “there are other ways—”

“It has nothing to do with that. I feel it would be unfair to bring a child into a loveless marriage.”

Her stomach bottomed out. How would he feel if he didn’t have a choice in the matter? Would he insist on a divorce? Tell her father the truth about what happened in D.C.? Or even worse, would he disown his child? Then where would she be?

A sense of panic filled her. There had to be a way to convince him, to make this right. “Maybe if we—”

“No,” he said firmly, his mouth set in a stubborn line. “There is no maybe. I’ll give you anything you want, Lexi. Anything but this.”

Just because they didn’t love each other, it didn’t have to mean their child wouldn’t be happy. Her mind worked frantically on a way to make him change his mind.

What if she did everything he asked of her and became the perfect wife? Then would he accept the idea of having a child? But is that what she really wanted? To live a lie?

At this point, did she even have a choice?

Mitch felt slightly guilty for denying Lexi something she obviously longed for, but she would just have to get used to not getting everything her greedy little heart desired. He was sure that no matter how much she thought she wanted children, she had no idea what kind of responsibility it would be. He knew from experience that spoiled debutantes like her didn’t have time for anyone but themselves. She would grow tired of the burden, just as his mother had, and walk away. He refused to allow his child to grow up unable to count on the one person who was supposed to provide unconditional love.

They endured the remainder of the nine-hour flight engaged in occasional strained small talk, with Mitch always initiating the conversation. The way she had talked nonstop in D.C., he could only assume that she was now giving him the silent treatment. She probably wasn’t accustomed to people not catering to her every whim.

Well, she would have to get used to it. He didn’t intend to deny her happiness, but he wasn’t about to pamper or spoil her, either. It was time she began living in the real world.

After a brief layover in London, which Lexi spent the majority of in the ladies’ room, they boarded a flight for Athens. Lexi fell asleep the minute the wheels left the tarmac and didn’t wake until they landed. A limo met them outside the airport to bring them to the port of Lavrio where they boarded the small passenger ship that would take them to the island of Tzia.

Two hours later, and sixteen hours after they left Houston, they finally arrived at the villa where they would spend the next week. About half a mile east, he could see rows of densely built houses that looked like windowed shoe boxes clinging to the steep slope that bordered the village of Loulida, and nothing but open countryside for at least half a mile in every other direction. When Lexi said the area was secluded, he hadn’t realized just how alone they would be.

Mitch let Lexi have the top-level master suite and took one of the three guest bedrooms on the ground floor for himself. It was more than enough space for him, and a large sliding glass door conveniently led to the swimming pool, hot tub and pool house, where he guessed he would be spending much of his time. Just off the bedrooms was a spacious living room with a full bar and plush, comfortable-looking furniture. The middle floor held a modern and wellequipped kitchen with an adjoining dining room, while another comfortable sitting room led to the main terrace and the barbecue area.

The interior was a combination of vibrant colors and innovative designs that could have very comfortably housed half a dozen people or more. His preference would have been a place that was smaller, and more intimate. But someone like Lexi would want the biggest and most luxurious lodging available. Although he was a bit surprised that she hadn’t hired a full staff to cater to her. She hadn’t even arranged for a chef or a maid.

“I think I’ll lie down for a while,” she said, when he carried her luggage to her room for her. She was still looking a little green, and he couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. He had never been one to suffer from motion sickness, but from the looks of it, the last day had been hell.

“Can I bring you anything?” he asked. “Something to eat? A cup of tea?”

“I think I just need to sleep for a while,” she said, but looked at him a little funny, as though she couldn’t figure out why he was being so nice to her.

That makes two of us, sweetheart. Must be jet lag, or temporary insanity.

“I’ll be in my room unpacking if you need me,” he told her, then he left her room, closing the door behind him. Something seemed different. Lexi was acting almost…humbled.