GREEK HUSBAND

Chapter 39

'I wanted to see you discuss something...probably something you'll consider quite silly,' Bella warned him uncomfortably, striving to not quite focus on his lean, darkly handsome features with a mouth running dry and a tummy turning somersaults. But there he was, gorgeous, no denying that she conceded helplessly while she fought to concentrate on what she had to say.

Edward had the celebratory champagne standing by on ice. He knew she was pregnant but was convinced that one little sip would do no harm simply to mark the occasion, because of course she wanted to see him tell him that she was ready to marry him. The true celebration would be taking her back to bed again, knowing she was his...finally. When it dawned on him that Bella was burbling on for some strange reason about her uncle's job and her aunt's legal firm, he was perplexed, until the proverbial penny dropped and he made the necessary leap of understanding. Of course, what else would a lying, cheating scumbag do but throw his weight around through threats and intimidation?

'And you're afraid that I took offense?' Edward prompted, taking very much more offense from what she was saying than from anything her shrewish aunt had thrown at him.

'Yes, of course, I know you're not really like that...' Bella assured him.

No, you don't know. They wouldn't be having this conversation if she knew him and without warning, a scorching tide of rage was washing over Edward like a dangerous floodtide.

Bella stared at Edward, noticing that his big powerful body had gone very, very still. His dark eyes shone as bright as gold ingots below his lush black lashes.

'They're my family...I do care about what happens to them,' Bella framed in uncertain continuation. 'They really don't deserve to be dragged into this mess between us.'

'I won't adversely affect their lives in any way if you agree to marry me,' Edward delivered in a tone that brought gooseflesh to her bare arms.

'I beg your pardon?'

'I think you heard me, Bella. If you do what I want and marry me, I will promise not to interfere with your uncle and aunt's continuing employment.'

Before his shrewd, hard gaze, Bella turned white. 'You can't mean that not that you would seriously threaten their livelihoods just because I'm not doing what you want?'

'I mean it,' Edward with fierce emphasis. 'I've run out of patience. I want to marry you and I want that child you're carrying. So, think very carefully about what you decide to do next.'

'But that's complete blackmail!' Bella shot back at him, trembling like a leaf in shock and barely able to credit what he was telling her.

'I never pretended to be a knight on a white horse, Bella. You and that baby are mine and the sooner you acknowledge that, the happier we will all be.'

'I don't belong to anyone. I belong to myself,' Bella argued through gritted teeth, battling a terrifying sense of panic as hard as she could because Edward had just trashed the faith she hadn't known she still cherished in him.

Edward stalked closer, well over six feet of powerfully built and determined masculinity. 'That was before you met me, meli mou. Everything's changed now. We'll get married on Friday.'

'Fri-Friday is only three days away,' Bella stammered, utterly thrown by Edward's controlling behavior.

'I know and I can't wait to sign on that official dotted line,' Edward grated impatiently. 'Then I'll know where you are and how you are.'

'You're out of your mind,' Bella breathed in a daze. 'We can't just get married. You were engaged to Marina!'

'Marina's the past, you're the present,' Edward cut in with a ruthless bite. 'And at this moment I'm only interested in the future and it starts here, now with your answer...'

Bella pinned tremulous lips together in the terrible stretching silence. Her heart seemed to be hammering in her eardrums. He was threatening her aunt and uncle's comfortable life and she couldn't just stand by and do nothing after all they had done for her, she thought wretchedly. They had brought her up, supported her at school, and kept her safe. All right, it had been far from perfect but they were still the only family she had and she didn't want them to suffer in any way by association with her. Edward held all the cards: her uncle's employment, Della's legal firm's dependency on the business Edward sent their way. Della had worked long and hard for a partnership and if she had been rude to Edward—well, she was pretty rude to a lot of people, never having been the type to tolerate fools. Bella's mind and her thoughts were in turmoil.