His Reluctant Bride (18 page)

“I’m sorry Mrs Kostas, I don’t know what to tell you but I can’t find you anywhere on our system,” Claire replied making Gabby grit her teeth in frustration.

“Can I speak to Mr Cartwright please,” she said trying to calm herself.

“One moment Mrs Kostas,”

It took another two minutes before Mr Cartwright himself answered the phone and Gabby breathed a sigh of relief. Finally everything would be sorted out.

“Hello?” he asked and Gabby smiled.

“Thank god. Mr Cartwright there seems to be some sort of confusion. I’m Gabriella Kostas and I was in your office yesterday. You were supposed to be drawing some papers up for me,” she said in a rush and then her smile faded as there was a silence.

“I’m sorry Mrs Kostas but like my assistant said, you don’t seem to be on our system,” Mr Cartwright said and Gabby froze as realisation dawned.

“But I was just in there with you yesterday. You were handling my case personally,” she pleaded knowing now that there was no mistake.

“I’m sorry Mrs Kostas but I didn’t see you yesterday and I’m afraid that I’m too busy to take on any more cases,” he said firmly. Gabby hung up and then dropped her head in to her hands as she fought the urge to cry. She had been so close to taking that final step and now the rug had been swept out from under her.

The tears didn’t last more than a minute before Gabby pulled herself together and allowed her temper to flare. She knew exactly what had happened. Her husband had used all of his influence and power to squash the divorce before it even got started. The anger inside her built until Gabby couldn’t control it anymore and before she even realised what she was doing she had stormed downstairs and flung open the door to his office.

“Gabriella, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Nik asked as he pressed a key on his laptop and gave her his full attention.

“You know damned well what. You scared off my lawyer,” she accused and shrugged one broad shoulder as he ran his eyes lazily over her slender frame.

“Among other things,” he confirmed and she glared at him. How dared he? Just who the hell did he think he was to be taking control of her life like this?

“You had no right!” she shouted and that snapped him to attention as he leaned forward and offered her a dark and forbidding look.

“I have every right where you’re concerned Gabriella. It is my job as your husband to protect what is mine even when that means protecting you from yourself,” he informed her coldly and she gaped at him in disbelief.

“I am not some possession that you can own Nik. I am a real person with real feelings and I want out of this marriage!” she told him firmly and he raised one brow at that.

“Tough!” he said and Gabby could barely register that this harsh unfeeling man was the same one she had once adored when she was younger.

“I don’t need your permission to leave our marriage and I don’t even need a divorce,” she informed him and without a further word she spun on her heels and marched right back upstairs.

Collecting her suitcase took only moments and it was only then that she realised she had left her bag in Nik’s office the night before. She cursed herself for her carelessness but knew she had no choice but to go get it. She would have simply left it but it had all her money and cards in there.

Steeling herself she took a deep breath then slowly entered his office, once again conveniently forgetting to knock. To her surprise the room was empty and with a sigh of relief she quickly swept up her bag and left the room only to frown at the realisation that her cases had vanished and in their place was Nik with a stern frown on his face.

"Where the hell are my things?" Gabby demanded.

"Back where they belong," Nik replied folding his arms over his broad chest and regarding her thoughtfully while Gabby gritted her teeth at his high handedness.

“Fine, I don’t need them anyway,” she said as she turned and strode for the door while ignoring the fact that he was close on her heels. She searched through her bag for her keys and frowned when she didn’t encounter them. She was certain that she’d left her car keys there yesterday.

"Looking for something?" Nik asked mockingly and Gabby turned to glare at him as she saw her keys dangling from his hand. She would have made a grab for them if she thought it wouldn't result in an undignified tussle that resulted with her being the loser.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ll get a taxi,” she told him firmly. She was furious at the way he was determined to thwart her at every turn. But in the end she would win this battle and she would reclaim her freedom.

"Good luck," he offered before he turned and sauntered in to the house. 

Arrogant Bastard!

But he was right about her needing luck. Seemed that he had gotten there before her and none of the taxi companies would come pick her up. Which left her with two options. Give in or walk. Really, there was no option at all.

Which was how two hours later Gabby finally checked in to a seedy motel room. She was completely and utterly exhausted and it was all she could do to collapse weakly on the bed. It was bad enough having to walk in to town to rent a room but then to have every hotel refuse her was just humiliating. The only place she had found who apparently didn't care who her husband was happened to be the most disgusting place she'd ever seen. Maybe he hadn't even thought she'd try this place. That gave her hope that he didn't know her as well as he thought he did which also meant that she might just have a chance of leaving before he could stop her.

Gabby came awake abruptly from a light doze at the sound of a knock at the door and with a glance at the clock she realised it must be the room service she'd ordered. Clambering from the bed she threw open the door and then froze as she encountered none other than her husband, his expression positively glacial as he glared down at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Gabby asked furiously and his eyes narrowed as he pushed his way in to the tiny room and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing," he told her as he glanced around the room in disgust.

"I think I made myself clear this afternoon," Gabby told him firmly as she did her best to stand her ground though it wasn't easy beneath his blazing fury. She didn’t think she had ever seen him this angry before.

"And I thought I'd made myself clear on the issue," Nik replied as he stepped closer and Gabby stayed where she was despite a sudden urge to flee. Which was ridiculous because she knew that Nik wouldn’t physically harm her. He had never been the type of man who would hit a woman.

“I’ve had enough Nik. Why can’t you just let me go?” she asked as weariness settled deep in her bones but Nik merely shook that dark arrogant head and pulled her body firmly against his.

“Never!” he told her as his dark head lowered and then his lips claimed hers in a hard, punishing kiss that had her moving closer to him and running her hands through his soft hair. Why was it that she could hate him so much one second and want him this much in the next?

It was Nik who pulled away first and Gabby would have been embarrassed that she hadn’t had the willpower if he wasn’t as clearly affected by the kiss as she had been. It still made her wince at the realisation of just how easy she was where Nik was concerned.

“Get your bag,” he instructed and Gabby stared at him in disbelief. After everything he still believed that she would obey his every instruction?

“I don’t think so,” she informed him coldly as she crossed her arms over her chest unaware that it pushed her breasts higher though Nik was completely aware and he couldn’t help his eyes from straying. Then her words penetrated the thick fog of lust and he raised his eyes again and pinned her with a furious gaze.

“This is not up for discussion. Get your things,” he growled and she continued to glare at him.

“We’re never going to agree so just go home Nik and leave me alone,” she said and he sent her that wolfish grin that had made many a female heart swoon.

“"I'll go home, Gabriella. And believe me, you will be coming with me," he announced making Gabby gasp in horror.

"The hell I will," she spat unaware of just how close he was again until his head dipped without warning and caught her lips with his own in an evocative kiss that stirred her senses and made her hold on to him for support without any conscious effort on her part.

It was like her whole body had gone up in flames and she was barely aware of his lips releasing hers, all she was aware of was the sensation he evoked as he trailed his lips down her slender throat and his hand skimmed her bare stomach as he raised her shirt over her head and tossed it to one side then caught one creamy breast in his mouth before offering the same torment to its twin.

As he gently lowered her petite frame on to the bed Gabby was barely even thinking at all anymore let alone realising what a fool she was being. Until he pulled away and left Gabby feeling suddenly cold and alone.

"Get your bag," Nik repeated coolly as he watched Gabby flush and quickly grab her shirt from the floor as she tried to rearrange her clothes in to some semblance of order.

"I don't..." Gabby said and trailed off as she saw the blistering look he gave her.

"You really think I was about to take you here? In this place?" he asked disdainfully and Gabby straightened up at his disapproval.

"I don't see what's wrong with it," she lied.

"This is a place men bring their mistress's for tawdry affairs. It is not the place that they bring their wives," he informed her harshly and Gabby sucked in a breath. Of course he would know all about the sort of places that a man would bring his mistress to.

"I'm sure you'd know all about bringing women here for tawdry affairs," Gabby said and his gaze hardened.

"I'm not going to deign that with an answer," he told her dismissively and Gabby wrinkled her button nose at him.

"Because you know it's the truth?" she persisted and he glared at her.

"Enough, Gabriella. Just grab your damn bag and let’s get out of here," he instructed and Gabby stiffened but did not move from her position on the bed.

"I told you Nik. I have no intention of going anywhere with you," she reminded him and with a sudden sharp intake of breath Nik finally broke. She could see it in his gaze, could see the way his anger suddenly spilled over like red hot lava. And it was all aimed at her. 

Instinctively Gabby moved back but she was far too late and Nik simply caught her by the waist and flung her over his shoulder before collecting her bag and departing the room ignoring her screams and cursing. He didn't even pause in his progress to the car as she rained punches and kicks to anywhere she could reach. She even twisted round so she could bite his shoulder in an effort to be free and she felt mild satisfaction at the hiss of pain he expelled before she found herself shoved in to the passenger seat of his car but he slid in to the driver’s seat before she even had time to escape. He dealt her a quelling look as he ensured her seatbelt was fastened before driving away and leaving her to glare out the window in silence.

When they reached the house Nik waited for her to get out but she remained where she was as she faced away from him and fumed silently. She had no intention of getting out of the car and going back in to the house when it would feel like she was losing the battle between them. She knew she couldn’t show any weakness and had to stay firm on her decision.

“Out the car,” he insisted and she finally turned to glare at him.

“I’m not moving!” she told him and he smiled at that.

"So, you want to play then," he said as he lowered his lips to within inches of hers and Gabby held her breath as she watched his lips, unable to tear her eyes away.

"What I want is to go back to the motel," she breathed and as if she'd broken some kind of spell Nik's face twisted in to anger once more and Gabby found herself no longer captivated by those lips above her but caught beneath them as he delivered a punishing kiss that tore the breath from her throat and made her long for things that she could never have. Like her husband's love.

Nik abruptly pulled away and took a moment to catch his breath before climbing gracefully from the car, walking to the passenger side and holding his hand out to assist her. Instead of accepting it though Gabby folded her arms over her chest and glared at him, silently making her statement that she had no intention of willingly accompanying her husband back in to the house.

"Gabriella, you have two minutes to get out of this car," her husband warned and Gabby simply glared at him and remained as she was. At the end of the two minutes Nik gave a frustrated growl and before she could realise his intention Nik scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder ignoring her screams, demands and struggles as he carried her in to their house and up the stairs. 

"What do you think you're doing?" she shouted as he strode past her bedroom and up the next flight of stairs until he reached his own room and then he placed her none too gently on his bed with a glare that warned against moving from where he had put her.

"I think it is about time we spoke of what is bothering you," he suggested coolly and Gabby glared at him.

"I have no intention of discussing anything with you except the terms of our divorce," she informed him and his expression darkened as he stepped closer.