www.millsandboon.co.uk

      CONTENTS

      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

      CHAPTER ONE

      NIC LEANDROS eased the powerful Lexus down into the underground parking area beneath a luxurious apartment building located in Sydney’s suburban Double Bay, slid into a reserved bay and cut the engine.

      His cellphone rang, and he quickly checked the caller ID, uttered a husky oath, and let the call go to MessageBank.

      Sabine…again. How many times had she called today? Four…five? The woman was becoming obsessive, he admitted with a wry grimace. He hadn’t expected an easy end to the relationship. But how long would it take for Sabine to understand no meant precisely that?

      It had been months since he’d cut the ties, politely refusing her veiled invitations until her protestations reached desperation point, whereupon he refused to take any of her calls. For the past several weeks she’d virtually stalked him, resorting to SMS text messaging several times a day and turning up wherever he happened to be…in his favoured Melbourne restaurants, at two parties and a fundraiser.

      He’d issued a warning, followed it with legal action. Yet Sabine still persisted.

      Nic crossed to the bank of lifts. He had no need to check the apartment number or the floor on which it was situated, for it was one of several owned by the Leandros Corporation and occupied until very recently by his young half-brother.

      Sixteen years his junior, Vasili had been a much-loved addition to the Leandros family twenty-one years ago. To his father Paul, a delight, and the apple of Nicos’ adored stepmother Stacey’s eye.

      Nic reflected on the affection they’d shared, despite the gap in their ages. Vasili’s upbringing had followed an identical path to his own…strict and loving. How else could it be beneath Stacey’s guiding hand?

      Yet Vasili had developed a recklessness Nic had never aspired to. He’d sailed through scholastic studies, gained a degree in business management, and entered the Leandros Corporation at the bottom of the corporate ladder…as Nic had, succeeding without any seeming effort.

      Vasili had remained in Sydney acquiring corporate skills, while Nic was based in the Melbourne head office, in between extensive travelling between America and Europe.

      Yet their bond had remained a close one, despite the vagaries of distance.

      Good-looking, fun, Vasili had had a love of life, girls, and fast cars…in that order.

      Tragically, it had been the fast car—a Lamborghini—that caused Vasili’s death little more than two weeks ago.

      Nic had been aware of the numerous girls who sought Vasili’s company, his bed, and his share of the Leandros fortune. Although Tina Matheson had been the first girl Vasili had invited to move in with him.

      What Nic hadn’t known was news of Tina’s pregnancy. Stacey had been Vasili’s only confidante in that piece of information, the day before his untimely death.

      There had been no mention of it…hell, no visible sign of it as the slender auburn-haired girl had stood at Vasili’s grave-side ten days ago.

      Among the grief-stricken, Tina had stood apart. Cool, controlled, with a fragility he’d instinctively felt the need to ease.

      Yet he’d been polite on introduction, distant as befitted the solemnity of the occasion, and had stood in silence as Stacey had issued Tina with an invitation to join the family in a private wake.

      Tina’s refusal had surprised him. Given the circumstances, he’d thought she’d use any advantage to further her relationship with the Leandros family.

      If he was honest, he’d have admitted he wanted to see her again in less sombre surroundings, for there was some indefinable quality about her that intrigued him.

      Her stance, the way she held herself aloof. The classical, fine-boned features, cream-textured skin. Eyes the colour and brilliance of emeralds, deep, unfathomable.

      Untouchable, he’d reminded himself.

      His half-brother’s woman. The mother of Vasili’s unborn child.

      The existence of a Leandros grandchild had provided an element of hope for Paul and Stacey Leandros. The child of their child. A child who would share Vasili’s inheritance, and take its rightful place in the Leandros family.

      Both Paul and Stacey had assumed Tina would welcome their support, their help. Dammit, their unconditional affection and love.

      Except Tina had politely refused Stacey’s, then Paul’s advances. Something that merely accelerated Stacey’s grief to an inconsolable level.

      Now it was Nic’s turn to attempt to sway Tina’s decision. At any cost, Paul had determined.

      Money. Sufficient of it could buy most anything, anyone, Nic decided with wry cynicism as he passed through security and rode the lift to the penthouse level. Besides which, he was a shrewd judge of character, a lauded strategist…and he had a few contingency plans.

      It was simply a matter of determining the one most likely to succeed, and putting it into action.

      Seconds