The Greek Tycoon's Wife Read Free

one that lasted for ever. She wasn’t actually sure she wanted to. The idea of falling victim to such a blind, relentless passion was actually rather scary.
    â€˜You do appreciate that it’s very unlikely that the sort of man who would marry you for a one-off payment would be satisfied with that?’
    â€˜How do you mean?’
    â€˜I mean there’s a strong possibility that a man like that would have questionable scruples. He’d be back for more,’ Harvey explained bluntly. ‘And then there’s the question of making yourself vulnerable to blackmail.’
    â€˜But there won’t be any money, I’m giving the rest away.’ Katie couldn’t help but think that dealing with hardened criminals had made Harvey a little overly suspicious.
    â€˜That’s another thing—is it really wise to give up your entire inheritance too?’
    â€˜Non-negotiable,’ Kate interrupted abruptly.
    â€˜In that case—’ the lawyer sighed ‘—how do you feel about raising the amount you’d pay the groom?’
    â€˜By how much?’
    Harvey told her and she gasped. ‘You’ve got to be kidding…?’
    â€˜It might seem a lot, well, actually it is a lot,’ he conceded. ‘But in the long run I really think this is your safest bet. As it happens I know of a person who needs an injection of cash and for reasons I can’t go into he prefers not to approach the usual sources…’
    â€˜Five hundred thousand pounds is quite a big injection,’ she began doubtfully.
    â€˜True, but the capital left over would still be more than enough to provide a very generous income for the Grahams, and there would be no question of this man ever demanding anything else of you or troubling you in any way. I’d personally guarantee that.’
    â€˜Why does this man need so much money?’ she asked bluntly.
    â€˜I’m really not at liberty to discuss that, the choice is yours. All I can say is that I will personally guarantee this person’s integrity.’
    Even if this man was shady, what were her alternatives? She could advertise in a personal column but, Harvey was right, what sort of weirdos would respond to an ad for a husband?
    â€˜All right, then.’
    â€˜Excellent. All I have to do now is persuade N…him…’
    â€˜Persuade him …?’
    â€˜Don’t worry, dear, I’m sure he’ll come around,’ Harvey soothed.
    He had come around and up until now Katie had had no reason to regret her decision.
    â€˜So this man you married, he could be anywhere, doing anything…he might even be dead. Oh, that would be convenient.’
    Her friend’s joking words jolted Katie back to the present. ‘Sadie!’
    Sadie grinned sheepishly. ‘Well, it would. I’m just being practical.’
    â€˜I want to divorce the man, not put out a contract on him!’
    Sadie normally respected the younger girl’s reserve but at that moment her curiosity got the better of her. ‘So all you know about this man is his name?’
    Katie had never elaborated beyond saying that marriagehad been the only way she’d been able to inherit the money from her Greek grandfather’s estate. Which begged the question why was Katie flat broke these days?
    Katie nodded. ‘Nikos Lakis.’ She found herself strangely reluctant to say the name.
    â€˜Is he Greek?’
    â€˜I assumed so.’
    â€˜Nikos Lakis…mmm. Did he look as sexy as he sounds?’ Sadie giggled huskily. ‘Or was he short, fat and balding?’
    â€˜I can’t remember,’ Kate replied shortly. She wasn’t quite sure why she lied. Many of her memories of that day were hazy, but not the face of the man she had stood beside and exchanged solemn vows with.
    She didn’t know what she’d been expecting but it hadn’t been Nikos Lakis.
    Harvey, watching her face anxiously as the tall