The Mistress: The MistressWanted: Mistress and Mother Read online

  “Like you knew she was stealing from us?” Piers retorted.

  “Shut up, Piers,” Theron said mildly. “The important question is, what are you going to do? She obviously can’t be trusted. What does she have to say for herself?”

  Chrysander’s head pounded a bit harder. “There is a complication,” he muttered. “She doesn’t remember anything.”

  Both brothers made a sound of disbelief. “Quite convenient, wouldn’t you say?” Piers interjected.

  “She’s leading you around by the balls,” Theron said in disgust.

  “I found it hard to believe myself,” Chrysander admitted. “But I’ve seen her. She’s here...in our—my apartment. Her memory loss is real.” There was no way she could fake the abject vulnerability, the confusion and pain that clouded her once-vibrant blue eyes. The knowledge of her pain bothered him when it shouldn’t. She deserved to suffer as she’d made him suffer.

  Piers made a rude noise.

  “What do you plan to do?” Theron asked.

  Chrysander braced himself for their objections. “We’re flying out to the island as soon as I feel she’s well enough. It’s a more suitable place for her recovery, and it’s out of the public eye.”

  “Can’t you install her somewhere until the baby comes and then get rid of her?” Piers demanded. “We lost two multimillion dollar deals because of her, and now our designs are going up under our competitor’s name.”

  What he didn’t say but Chrysander heard as loudly as if his brother had spoken the words was that they had lost those deals because Chrysander had been blinded by a woman he was sleeping with. It was as much his fault as it was Marley’s. He’d let his brothers down in the worst way. Risked what they’d spent years working to achieve.

  “I cannot leave her right now,” Chrysander said carefully. “She has no family. No one who could care for her. She carries my child, and to that end, I will do whatever it takes to ensure the baby’s health and safety. The doctor feels her memory loss is only temporary, merely a coping mechanism for the trauma she has endured.”

  “What do the authorities have to say about her abduction?” Piers asked. “Do you know why yet, and who was responsible?”

  “I spoke briefly with them at the hospital, and I have a meeting with the detective in charge of the investigation tomorrow,” Chrysander said grimly. “I hope to find out more then. I’ll also tell them of my plans to take her out of the country. I have to think of her safety, and that of the baby.”

  “I can see you’re already decided in this,” Theron said quietly.

  “Yes.”

  Piers made a sound as though he’d protest but was cut off when Theron spoke once more. “Do what you have to do, Chrysander. Piers and I can handle things. And for what it’s worth, congratulations on becoming a father.”

  “Thanks,” Chrysander murmured as he pressed the button to end the call.

  He set the phone aside. Instead of making him feel any better about the situation, his discussion with his brothers had only reinforced how impossible things were. He didn’t doubt that Marley didn’t remember him or the fact that she’d stolen from him. Her confusion couldn’t possibly be that feigned.

  Which left him with the only choice he had, one he’d made the instant he’d known she was pregnant with his child. He would keep her close to him, take care of her, ensure she had the best care possible. He’d hire someone to stay with her when he couldn’t be there and to provide the more intimate details of her care. It would enable him to keep her at arm’s length while still keeping a close watch on her progress. And he would set aside, for now, the anger over her betrayal.

  Chapter 4

  The next morning, Marley sat across from Chrysander as he watched her eat breakfast. He nodded approvingly when she managed to finish the omelet he’d prepared, and he urged her to drink the glass of juice in front of her.

  Despite her anxiety and uncertainty, it felt good to be taken care of by this man. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure of her place in his world. He was solicitous of her, but at the same time he seemed distant. She wasn’t sure if it was out of deference to her memory loss, and he had no wish to frighten her, or if this was simply the normal course of their relationship.

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled absently. The idea that this could be ordinary bothered her. Surely she hadn’t desired marriage with someone who treated her so politely, as though she were a stranger.

  And yet, for all intents and purposes, they were strangers. At least he was to her. A flood of sympathy rolled through her. How awful it had to be for him to have his fiancée, a woman he loved and planned to marry, just forget him, as though he never existed. She couldn’t imagine being in his shoes.

  He’d watched her closely through breakfast, and she knew she must be broadcasting her unease, but he said nothing until he’d cleared their dishes away and taken her into the living room. He settled her on the couch and then sat next to her, his stare probing.

  “What is concerning you this morning, Marley?” Chrysander asked.

  His gaze passed over her face, and his expression left her faintly breathless.

  “I was just thinking how perfectly rotten this whole thing must be for you.”

  One eyebrow rose, and he tilted his head questioningly. He looked surprised, as though it were the last thing he’d expected her to say.

  “What do you mean?”

  She looked down, suddenly shy and even more uncertain. He reached over and touched his fingers to her chin. He slid them further underneath and tugged until she met his gaze.

  “Tell me why things are so horrible for me.”

  When put like that, it sounded ridiculous. Here was a man who could have, and probably did have, anything he wanted. Power, wealth, respect. And yet she presumed to think it was so terrible that his mousy fiancée couldn’t remember him. It would have been enough to make her laugh if she hadn’t felt so forlorn.

  “I was trying to imagine myself in your place,” she said sadly. “What it feels like when someone you love forgets you.” His thumb rubbed over her lips, and a peculiar tingling raced down her spine. “I think I would feel...rejected.”

  “You’re worried that I feel rejected?” Faint amusement flickered in his eyes, and a smile hovered near the corners of his mouth.

  “You don’t?” she asked. And did it matter? She hated this lack of confidence. Not only was her memory of this man stolen, but any faith she had in who she was to him had been erased, as well. She hated the idea that she couldn’t speak of their relationship frankly because she worried that she might make errant assumptions and look a fool.

  Embarrassment crept over her cheeks, leaving them tight and heated as he continued to stare at her.

  “You cannot help what happened to you, Marley. I don’t blame you, and neither do I harbor resentment. It would be petty of me.”

  No, she couldn’t see him as petty. Dangerous. A little frightening. But not petty. Was she afraid of him? She shivered lightly. No, it wasn’t him she was afraid of. It was the idea that she could have been so intimate with a man such as him and not remember it. She couldn’t imagine ever forgetting such an experience.

  “What happened to me, Chrysander?” A note of pleading crept into her voice. Her hands shook, and she clenched them together to disguise her unease.

  He sighed. “You had...an accident, pedhaki mou. The doctor assures me your memory loss is only tempo
rary and that it’s imperative for you not to overtax yourself.”

  “Was I in a car accident?” Even as she asked, she glanced down, searching for signs of injury, bruising. But she had no muscle soreness, no stiffness. Just an overwhelming fatigue and a wariness she couldn’t explain.

  His eyes flickered away for the briefest of moments. “Yes.”

  “Oh. Was it very serious?” She raised a hand to her head, feeling for a wound.

  He gently took her hand and lowered it to her lap, but he didn’t relinquish his hold. “No. Not serious.”

  “Then why...how did I lose my memory? Did I suffer a concussion? My head doesn’t hurt that way.”

  “I’m very glad your head doesn’t pain you, but a head injury isn’t what causes memory loss.”

  She cocked her head to the side and stared at him in puzzlement. “Then how?”

  “The physician explained that this is your way of coping with the trauma of your accident. It’s a protective instinct. One meant to shield you from harmful memories.”

  Her forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows came together. She pressed, trying to struggle through the thick cloak of black in her mind. Surely there had to be something, some spark of a memory.

  “Yet I wasn’t harmed,” she said in disbelief.

  “A fact I’m very grateful for,” Chrysander said. “Still, it must have been very frightening.”

  A sudden thought came to her, and her hand flew from his in alarm. “Was anyone else hurt?”

  Again his gaze flickered away from her for just a second. He reached up and recaptured her hand then brought it to his lips. A soft gasp escaped her when he pressed a kiss to her palm. “No.”

  She sagged in relief. “I wish I could remember. I keep thinking if I just try a little harder, it will come, but when I try to focus on the past, my head starts to pound.”

  Chrysander frowned. “This is precisely why I do not like to discuss the accident with you. The doctor warned against causing you any upset or stress. You must put the incident from your mind and focus on regaining your strength.” He placed his other hand over her abdomen and cupped the bulge there protectively. “Such upset cannot be good for our baby. You’ve already gone through too much for my liking.”

  She tugged her hand free and placed both of hers lightly over his hand that was still cupping her belly. Beneath his fingers, the baby rolled. He snatched his hand back, a stunned expression lighting his face.

  Her brows furrowed as she gazed curiously at him. His hand shook slightly as he returned it to her stomach. His fingers splayed out, and once again her belly rippled underneath his palm.

  “That’s amazing,” he whispered.

  He looked so completely befuddled that she had to smile. But on the heels of that smile came confusion. He acted as though he’d never experienced their baby kicking.

  She licked her lips and cursed the fact that she couldn’t remember. “Surely you’ve felt it before, Chrysander.”

  He continued his gentle exploration of her stomach. It was a long moment before he spoke. “I was often away on business,” he said with a note of discomfort. “I had only just returned when I learned of your accident. It had been...a while since we’d been together.”

  She let her breath out, relief sliding over her and lightening her worry. If they had been separated for a time, it would explain a lot.

  “I don’t suppose it was the homecoming you expected,” she said ruefully. “You left a woman who knew you, who was pregnant with your child and planned to marry you. When you came back, you faced a woman who treats you like a stranger.”

  She glanced down at her finger automatically as she spoke. No ring adorned it. She frowned at it before she quickly looked back up, trying to make the uneasiness disappear once more.

  “I was only happy that you and our baby were unharmed,” he said simply. He eased away from her, shifting his body until more space separated them. His gaze still drifted back to her belly as though he was fascinated with the tiny life making itself known there.

  A buzz sounded, and Chrysander stood and strode to the call box on the wall. Marley strained to hear who he was speaking to, but she only heard his command to come up.

  He returned to her and sat down, collecting her hands in his. “That was the nurse I hired to look after you. I have a meeting that I can’t miss in an hour’s time.”

  Her eyes widened. “But Chrysander, I don’t need a nurse. I’m perfectly capable of remaining here while you attend to your business.”

  His grip on her hands tightened. “Humor me, pedhaki mou. It makes me feel better knowing I’m leaving you in capable hands. I don’t like to think of you having need of anything in my absence.”

  A smile curved her lips at his insistence. “How long will you be gone?” She hated the hopeful, almost mournful quality to her voice. She sounded pathetic.

  He stood as the sound of the elevator opening filtered into the living room. “Stay here. I’ll return with the nurse.”

  Marley relaxed against the back of the couch and waited for Chrysander to return. His attentiveness was endearing, even if unnecessary.

  A moment later, he walked back in with a smiling woman dressed in slacks and a sweater. She beamed at Marley as she stopped a few feet away from the sofa.

  “You must be Marley. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Mrs. Cahill, but please do call me Patrice.”

  Marley couldn’t help but return the older woman’s smile.

  “Mr. Anetakis has discussed his wishes with me, and I’ll do my utmost to make sure you’re taken care of.”

  Marley pinned Chrysander with a stare. “Oh, he did, did he? May I ask what his instructions were?”

  Chrysander made a show of checking his watch. “Her instructions are to make sure you rest. Now, I’m sorry, but I must go out for a while. I’ll return in time for us to have lunch together.”

  “I’d like that,” she softly returned.

  He leaned down and stiffly brushed a kiss across her forehead before turning to walk away. Her gaze followed him across the room, and she realized how clingy she must look.

  With effort, she dragged her stare from his retreating back and looked up at Patrice. “I’m really quite fit,” she explained. “Chrysander makes it sound like I’m a complete invalid.”

  Patrice smiled and winked. “He’s a man. They’re famous for that sort of thing. Still, there’s no harm in a little rest, now is there? I’ll see you to bed, and then I’ll see about making us a nice cup of tea for when you wake.”

  Before Marley even realized what was happening, the other woman was effectively shuttling her toward the bedroom. She blinked when Patrice tucked her solidly into bed and arranged the covers around her.

  “You’re quite good at this,” Marley said faintly.

  Patrice chuckled. “Getting my patients to do what they don’t want to is part of my job. Now get some rest so that man of yours is happy with me and with you when he returns.”

  Marley heard the light sounds of Patrice’s shoes as she walked from the bedroom. When the sound faded away, Marley glanced to the fireplace on the wall opposing the foot of her bed. Chrysander had started the flame the evening before, more for coziness than actual warmth, because the apartment suffered no chill. Even the floors were heated, which she loved, because she hated to wear shoes indoors.

  The thought hit her even as a burst of excitement swept over her. What else could she remember about herself? She concentrated hard, but
the effort caused her head to ache again.

  The baby moved, and she slid her hand down to rest over her swollen abdomen. The movement eased the discomfort in her head, and she smiled. Despite the temporary loss of her past, she had a future to look forward to. Marriage and a child. She just wished she could remember how she’d gotten to this point.

  With a sigh, she resigned herself to living in the moment. Hopefully her memories would return and fill in the gaps.

  She dozed, and when she awoke, she looked at the clock by her bed and saw that an hour had elapsed. She felt refreshed and drew away the covers, wanting to get up and move around. The constant rest was starting to make her restless.

  Though she was dressed in soft pajamas, she nevertheless reached for the silk dressing robe lying at the foot of her bed. Tying it around her body, she walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where she found Patrice.

  She smiled at the other woman and assured her she was feeling well when Patrice prompted her. Patrice nodded approvingly, and as if sensing Marley’s need to be alone, excused herself.

  Marley took the opportunity to explore the spacious penthouse. She walked from room to room, acquainting herself with her home. Only it didn’t feel like home. She could see Chrysander in the style and makeup of the decorations and furnishings, but she couldn’t see anything that made her feel as though she’d made any mark on the apartment. For some reason, that discomfited her. She felt like a guest intruding where she didn’t belong.

  When she entered the master suite, her frown grew. Chrysander had placed her in what apparently was one of the guest rooms. She hadn’t given any thought when he’d put her to bed and seen to her comfort in the extra bedroom. She’d been too overwhelmed, too focused on trying to process everything.

  She retreated, unable to shake the thought that she was somehow trespassing. Next to the master suite was a large office. It was obviously Chrysander’s work space. The furnishings were dark and masculine. Bookcases adorned the back wall, and a large mahogany desk sat a few feet in front of them. Her feet brushed across a plush rug as she walked farther into the middle of the room.