The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (17 page)

Nikos struggled but Alex held him down effortlessly with one hand while his other hand held his gun. His eyes darted around and when the sounds of gunfire stopped, he lifted himself from the cover of the taxi and fired several shots.

“You won’t be able to save her if your brain is blasted to bits on the pavement!” Alex hissed.

“I have to help her!” Nikos shouted.

“Nikos!
Stop this insanity and use your God-given brain to assess the situation!” Alex hissed and then smacked him in the head.

Those words, along with the stinging pain near his temple calmed Nikos enough for rationality to creep back into his brain.

“Where are they?” he asked.

“Some are already inside the shop but they don’t dare approach Cassia
because she is out in the open. If they go nearer, my team and I will be able to take them out. So they’re staying near the back and shooting at everyone who tries to approach.”

“Cassia is left there vulnerable. What if your team shoots her?” Nikos said through gritted teeth.

“They won’t shoot her; they’re damned good. The men won’t shoot her either because they need her. If the going gets tough, the most they can do is take her hostage until they can negotiate with us for a way out. When they emerge, my snipers will take care of them,” Alex told him and pointed to a spot above the buildings.

Nikos saw a glint of metal and
he felt slightly reassured.

“Do the police already know of this?”

“Yes. They know my name too and who’s backing me up on this case. They won’t interfere unless I ask them to. They know my team and they know we can handle it,” Alex answered.

Nikos breathed a sigh of relief. He placed his full trust and confidence in Alex and his men. They were the best in the field.

“What do we do?” Nikos asked his friend.

Alex completely understood what he was feeling.

He had been in situations like this hundreds of times before. Every time that he was on a mission, he felt the thin line between rationality and anxiety. Sometimes he crossed that line and went into full blown panic. But that was what got a soldier killed.

With time, he learned to control his emotions. Rationality played before emotions. He always used logic no matter what the situation.

“Sit here and wait,” he answered.

Alex reached into his back pocket and retrieved a pistol for Nikos. He handed it over to his friend.

“For your protection. Still know how to use that thing?”

“Of course, I do,” he snarled.

Once more, Nikos lifted his head and looked at Cassia. She looked so helpless on the floor that his heart squeezed with every breath. Her eyes were closed and his gaze zeroed in on the blood surrounding her.

Alex gripped him by the collar of his shirt and looked straight into his eyes.

“Calm the
fuck
down!”

**********

“I can’t,” Nikos’ voice broke as replied.

A thousand emotions assailed him at seeing her like that. He did not understand why he was feeling this way. He hated how he couldn’t think. He hated how he couldn’t function logically or rationally and could only panic.

Alex must’ve noticed his slip and looked at him from head-to-toe.

“I didn’t realize you felt this strongly about your estranged wife,” he teased in an attempt to lighten the situation.

“Just get her out of there,” he pleaded.

Suddenly, a black massive
Hummer skidded to a halt on the street before them.

Out came more men dressed in black.
They were reinforcements of those attempting to kidnap his wife.

“Shit,”
Alex muttered at the same time that Nikos cursed under his breath in his own native tongue.

The mercenary lifted his hand and touched his earpiece. He barked several orders to his team. Nikos didn’t understand a word of it for he was looking at his wife.

He saw her chest rise and fall and it calmed him a little bit. But fear still twisted his gut when he saw that her beautiful features were twisted in a mask of pain.

“Stay down,” Alex commanded.

One of his men threw an Uzi submachine gun to him. Alex quickly grasped it and the roar of gunfire echoed as he squeezed the trigger, discharging a storm of bullets. Three men dropped dead while the others ran for cover.

Nikos looked to his left when he saw a flash of black and saw more enemies come from the other side. He then relied on his reflexes as he lifted the pistol from the ground and fired several shots. He missed several times as he did not have a steady hand like Alex.

While the sound nearly made him deaf and the recoil hurt his hand, all he could think about was how these men intended to hurt his
wife
and how he would never allow them to. He had to protect her. So he focused and fired again.

He was so focused on his left that he left his back unprotected. The moment he turned around, h
e was suddenly rooted to the spot when a gun was pointed to his face. He took a deep breath and sent his elbow into the man’s ribs. It made him drop the gun and Nikos kicked it out of reach. He aimed another punch towards the man’s nose and the force made him stagger backwards. Nikos then dived towards the discarded weapon and fired a hole into the man’s skull.

He almost gagged at the sight but he kept himself in check by staring at the other direction and taking in several breaths of air.

Suddenly, he was flashed back to another scenario. It was two years ago and the scene was
exactly
like this. Only that it was him who was bloody and it was his bodyguards firing against the enemies to keep him and Antonio safe.

But they were outnumbered.

Immediately, he felt fear and panic sliding down his spine.

No.
Not now.

Nikos shook his head and tightened his grip on the pistol.

He could not be weak. Not at a time like this. Cassia and Alex needed him.

H
e shook his head and focused harder. Alex threw him a magazine clip and said, “Cover me.” Nikos nodded and reloaded his pistol. The two of them crouched low and moved slowly to the front of Cassia’s shop. Suddenly, the men ran outside the shop. When he saw that they didn’t have Cassia, he aimed the gun at the bastards and squeezed the trigger. He did this until he ran out of bullets and none of them was left standing.

The sound of gunfire
stopped and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the police sirens in the distance. He lifted his head and saw several bodies on the floor. There were more of them piled outside Cassia’s shop.

“All cleared,” one of Alex’s men told him. He and Alex stood up and ran inside the shop.

He was almost afraid of touching her in fear of causing her more pain. Her eyes opened and sheer terror was written all over her face.

“Shh...it’s me, Cassia. You’re safe now,” he crooned as he gently brushed the hair away from her face. He wanted to lift her into his arms but he was too scared to move her because of her injury.

“Nikos...” she sighed.

He ran his hands down her arm, not caring one bit that he was already covered in her blood. He checked her for injuries and saw a bullet hole near her shoulder. His grip on her tightened as his fury overtook him once more. He let her go when she winced and he cursed himself for being a fool.

Nikos withdrew his handkerchief from his pocket and used it to press Cassia’s wound and stem the bleeding.

She winced again at the pain and he felt like his heart was being clawed out.

“I’m so sorry
, glikiamou
...”

Her eyes slowly drifted shut. Nikos was so shocked that his heart stopped beating for a second. But when he saw that she simply lost consciousness, it was as if air was let back into his lungs and he could breathe and function again.

“Medics are on their way. But from judging the wound, I don’t think the bullet hit any major arteries. She’ll be fine,” Alex told him.

“But why isn’t she awake? Why is there so much blood?”

“It’s a wound, Nikos. There’s bound to be blood.” Alex rolled his eyes. “As for her being deeply asleep, I think she might have also been hit with a sedative so they could snatch her away more easily. This is better; she won’t feel the pain,” Alex continued.

Nikos only nodded because his throat suddenly felt too tight to form any words.

The medics arrived and they carefully lifted Cassia onto a stretcher. They rolled her towards the waiting ambulance and when one of the wheels hit a rock, the stretcher was jolted so badly.

“Careful!” Nikos roared.

Everyone flinched, including Alex.  The medics nodded apologetically to him and this time, they wheeled Cassia faster but more gently. Nikos climbed onto the ambulance and he glared at everyone inside as though threatening them to just try and tell him that he couldn’t be there.

Alex also climbed in and the ambulance made its way to the hospital.

Nikos held Cassia’s hand while the ambulance hurtled through the streets of New York. All the while, he was thinking that her safety was now his main concern. They would go somewhere safe. He’d hire hundreds of men if need be just so he could protect her.

He cursed under his breath, shocked at the intensity of his own thoughts. Alex was right. Since when did he care so much? Since when did he feel this way about the woman who destroyed his life?

Nikos comforted himself by thinking that she was still his wife. No matter what, they were bound before God and before man. Naturally, he had to care at least a bit. Naturally, he had to feel at least some emotions for her.

Also, if she died, what would happen to their contract? Would he forfeit all rights to the company he worked so hard for? Death was not part of their contract and he did not know how this would affect his life.

Yes, surely that was the reason why he felt this way.

He just had to protect her. It was one of his responsibilities as her husband. Now he’d never let her out of his sight.

She would come with him. He did not care if she did it willingly or if he would have to chain her to his side.

November 18, 2013
Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell
New York City

“Do it gently!” Nikos shouted.

Everyone in the emergency room of the hospital already lost count of how many times Nikos Demakis delivered this outburst. By now, they shouldn’t have flinched at his tone for they should have been used to it. But it was just so loud and came unexpectedly that all the doctors and his attendants still winced.

Cassia sighed and rubbed her temples.

“Please have him sedated. Or sedate
me
instead. Anything.
Please
,” Cassia begged.

Her head pulsed with a headache from pain and then also from Nikos’ bellows. Also, his mere presence brought her pain. But she did not discount the fact that she would not have been here if only she heeded his and Hector’s warning earlier.

What the hell was going on?

First Hector told her to take a vacation and then Nikos told her that she was in danger. Cassia shook her head and rolled her eyes. She was too tired and distraught with pain to think clearly right now. She would just have to think about it some other time.

The young doctor smiled at Cassia and Nikos felt his temper flare up more.

He was about to shout but the doctor stepped back from his wife and said, “You’re all done.”

“That’s it? She won’t have to be confined?”

“No, Mr. Demakis. It’s just a flesh wound. The bullet went through her shoulder and did not hit any major blood vessels or any bones. She just needed to get a few stitches and to rest that arm. I’ll be giving her some medications for the pain. But aside from that, she can go home,” the doctor announced.

“Can she travel?”

“Provided that it is not a rough journey and that she takes her medications on time and gets plenty of rest, I see no reason as to why she cannot travel.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

“Wait, Nikos. Travel?”

“
Ne
,” he confirmed. “We will be going to my island in Greece where you will be safe.”

Her eyes widened with rage.
“Are you serious? Hell no!”

“We will talk about it later.”

The doctor hurriedly moved away from Nikos and back to his own desk.

“Scared the crap out of that young doctor with all your glaring and shouting,” Alex announced from behind him.

Nikos only glared at him.

“By the way, the additional security I hired for you just arrived.”

“Thank you, Alex. Again, I find myself indebted to you.”

“It’s nothing. Though I really want a
Lamborghini for Christmas,” Alex teased with a wide grin. “I trust you have everything handled here? I have to go and search for those men and for any evidence they might have left behind.”

“Yes. I have kept you from your assignment long enough. Thank you for all your help today. Call me when you need anything.”

“And you call me when you find out anything from her,” Alex whispered and with a soft smile he walked out of the emergency room.

“Alex!” Cassia called out. He stopped on his tracks and turned around to look at her.

“Thank you for what you did today. Thank you for saving me.”

He threw her a mock salute and then turned around once and walked out of the hospital.

After a few more seconds, Nikos went to Cassia who was still sitting in bed. He nodded to the bodyguards outside the room and they moved in closer.

“I’d just settle the bills and we’d get going,” Nikos told his wife.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have my purse. I’d just pay you back when I get home.”

His entire body stiffened at her words.

She was
his
wife! Of course he’d pay for her hospital bills! He was damned rich he wouldn’t go poor from paying damned hospital bills. There was no way he’d let her pay him back.

“No. I’ll pay for it,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Fine, Nikos. Whatever you want,” Cassia lazily drawled with a roll of her eyes.

Quite frankly, she’d had enough of this day.

First there was Hector’s very short and uninformative call. He just told her that he was hiding from something and that she must hide too. But she decided to follow him so she made reservations for her vacation.

Aside from that, she also got shot and was caught in the middle of a gunfight. Then she was brought to the hospital and had to endure Nikos.

At this point, she’d do and say whatever he wanted just so she could go home and rest in her apartment.

Nikos came back a few minutes later, his mouth set in a grim line.

“Can you walk?” he asked her.

“I got shot in the arm, Nikos, not in the legs. I can manage,” she replied. “But thank you for everything you have done for me today. And your friend, too.”

A muscle throbbed in Nikos’ jaw and his hands clenched tightly into fists. By the gods, this woman drove him to insanity!

He counted to ten and forced his breathing to become even so that he could calm down. Cassia had just been through a rough ordeal and she should not be stressed further.

“Let’s go then,” he said as he offered her his hand.

He sighed with relief when she took it. Her touch was like a brand. It sent heat down his arm and electricity down his spine. Unbidden memories of their wedding night rose to his mind. He felt himself responding to her closeness and he cursed himself a fool for the hundredth time.

He must not think about these things right now.

The bodyguards Alex hired for him quickly flanked both of them. When they left the hospital they were immediately on alert. Even when they were inside Nikos’ SUV, they didn’t relax their guard.

The moment Cassia’s back touched the plush leather interior it looked as though tiredness overwhelmed her entire body. She squirmed until she found a comfortable position and closed her eyes.

Nikos looked at her and he stifled the urge to gather her in his arms and hold her close. Then he reeled with shock at his own thoughts.

Now where did that come from?

He stopped himself from reaching across the space between them and placing her head on his shoulder or brushing that stray lock of hair away from her cheek.

He knew she wasn’t ready for that yet.

Neither was he.

They’d just end up having another fight and he’d rather they both reserved their energy for later. He knew she would not like it when he told her that he really intended to bring her to his private island in Greece. There was also the inevitable talk about what happened earlier and what Hector Petrides had to do with all of this.

After a few more seconds, Cassia’s breathing evened. Nikos told his driver to drive slowly. He reached
under him and pulled out a small pillow and a thick blanket. He placed the pillow under her head and wrapped the blanket around her.

Then, he contented himself by sitting back and looking at her while she rested.

A few minutes later he looked down and noticed the dried blood in his shirt.

He crinkled his nose in disgust and decided that a bath would be the very first thing on his list to do once they arrive at the on his plane. For now, he just grabbed a hand towel from the back of his car and
emptied the remaining contents of his bottled drinking water on it. He rubbed it on his skin until all traces of the blood vanished. He then grabbed a new shirt and changed.

After an hour of being driven through New York City traffic, Cassia opened her eyes and looked wearily at her surroundings. She seemed to be confused but when she looked at the man beside her, the haze in her eyes quickly cleared.

“Nikos? My apartment is at 157 West 57
th
Street
.
Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe,” he replied tersely.

“Where exactly is that?”

“I told you. My home.My island in Greece.”

“I thought that was some sick joke! You can’t seriously consider bringing me to Greece!”

This time her voice was more of a growl. Nikos could definitely hear the threat behind the question.

“We will go to Greece,” he said firmly.

“No way!”

Her voice was loud enough that the driver flinched and swerved to the right. Nikos quickly grabbed Cassia so that her injured shoulder wouldn’t hit the door of the car. He cursed in his native tongue as he held her tightly but she pushed him away and he was forced to let go.

Nikos decided to vent his anger on the driver instead. He barked loud and low and told him to be more careful next time.

“There’s no way in hell that I am going to Greece with you, Nikos Demakis. No
fucking
way.”

She said his name with such disdain that he winced.

“Yes, you are. I will keep you safe there, Cassia
Demakis
.” He emphasized her last name and this time it was she who flinched.

He had hoped that she would sleep throughout the ride to the airport but it seemed as if the fight would have to happen early.

Nikos rubbed his temples and faced his spitfire of a wife.

“Cassia, we will go to Greece so that you will be better protected. I live in a private island so it’s much better. It’s safe and it’s built like a fortress.”

“I don’t care! I can protect myself, Nikos! I also have money! I can hire a team of bodyguards!”

“Their loyalty can be bought. When it comes to security, I trust only my own people and Alex’s. My home is in a small island that can only be reached by boat or by plane. It’s a convenient location.”

“Again, there’s no way I am going to Greece with you, Nikos. You hear me? No way!”

“Remember our anniversary dinner at the restaurant? Well, just think of this as the start of us spending time together,” he suggested.

The man truly had some nerve.

“I already told you no! Have you forgotten that I’ll be divorcing you?! Have you heard nothing of what I’ve told you?” Cassia seethed.

“Hearing and understanding are two different things. Yes, I heard you but I chose ignore what you said. I told you that divorce is out of the question. There will be no divorce, ever. Now, the only option left is whether you want to make the rest of our lives hell or if you will try and work with me to attain some sort of peace between us.”

Cassia glared at him and then threw her head back and gave a sarcastic laugh.“That’s never going to happen. In your eyes, I am a lying, money-grabbing, spoiled bitch.”

“I will reconsider all your past lies and behavior if you, too, would decide to bury the past so we could both move forward,” Nikos declared calmly.

“No.”

“Very well then, choose the hard way. We are still going to Greece. End of story.”

“I can’t just go to Greece! My life and my work are here! I have several social commitments!”

“We can always fly back for those if needed. My private jet is at your disposal. By the way, from your shop, I saw that you were already planning for a vacation. My assistant saw the list and the things you’ve packed. I asked him to bring all of it and to go back to your apartment and get the others so that you’d have everything you need when we land on Greece. I have several free rooms in my house and you can convert one of them into your office or studio.”

“Everyone will look for me!” Cassia shouted.

Nikos just raised an eyebrow.

“Then I’ll tell them you’re with me; that we are in our home in Greece. It’s natural for a husband and wife to get together.”

“But...but—“ Cassia spluttered.

“Ran out of excuses,
agape mou
?”

Her jaw fell open at the arrogance displayed by the man in front of her. She wanted to say a clever retort but the shock and fury going through her body seemed to also numb her brain. Instead, she looked out of the window and took several deep breaths to calm herself while thinking of another excuse.

“I can’t go to Greece because I have a vacation planned with someone.”

Nikos lifted a brow in query and then leaned forward and placed his chin in his hand.

“By all means, tell me. Is it with Hector Petrides?”

“None of your business.”

“It is my business because you are my wife and you are under my protection. You carry my name and everything you do has an effect on me and the company.”

“I didn’t give a
shit
what you did all those years, Nikos. I didn’t bat an eye when you dated all the supermodels in the world. I did not lecture you with
‘because you are my husband, every bimbo you dated reflects on me and the company.’
So don’t give me that reason. It’s bullshit.”

“I didn’t know you kept tabs on me all those years,
agape mou
. Contrary to popular belief, I did not date all the supermodels in the world. That would have been impossible.” Nikos grinned.