The Greek's Baby Bargain

Chapter 1

As the intense heat beat down on her blond hair, Emma clutched her small black purse nervously in front of her, unknowingly allowing her nails to dig into the soft leather. Standing in front of the enormous, intimidating steel and glass structure that housed the headquarters to Christoph Enterprises, she bit her lip in uncertainly. Was this really her only option? Had her life become so completely out of control that she was back in Greece with the hot October sun shining down without mercy, almost making her dizzy? She stared up through the trees at the sun, feeling the sting of the burn on the uncovered portion of her shoulders, fighting the nausea that almost overwhelmed her.

Maybe it wasn’t the heat, she told herself. It might also be that she hadn’t eaten in about twenty four hours now. Glancing at her watch, she noted that it was already after lunch time.

Sighing, she acknowledged that it could also be the fear, no the terror, of facing her husband after four years apart.

She jumped when someone bumped into her from behind. “Excuse me,” she replied, stepping out of the way as the person tried to go through the heavy glass doors. She’d been standing in front of them for several minutes now. It was time to face the music – or the yelling, she told herself.

There was a large courtyard made up of fountains and olive trees with several other native varieties of Greek vegetation. If Emma weren’t so terrified, she would have stopped and admired the landscaping. But the truth was, she fully expected to be kicked out of this building as soon as she stated her name and purpose.

Why had she come then? Wasn’t there any other option? Had she really dried up all other resources?

Sighing, Emma knew that this was a last resort. There was no other place to go. And it was now or never so she’d better get it over with. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she walked forward and pulled the glass door which swung open more easily than she’d anticipated.

“Good morning,” she smiled to the security guards standing sentry behind a marble counter. “I’d like to see Dimitri Christoph.”

The guards were startled by her request. “Excuse me?” they asked, obviously never hearing the words before. They frantically strived to overcome their shock and regain their intimidating stance. “Do you have an appointment?” one of them asked, glaring at her as if he were about to arrest her.

Emma shook her head and smiled with what she hoped was a sincere expression. “No. I don’t have an appointment but,” she started and swallowed, knowing this was the first test, “I think he’ll see me. I’m his wife.”

Even the words sounded strained and felt odd rolling off her tongue. Was she still his wife? She’d left Greece four years ago. Wouldn’t he have done something to dissolve their marriage after this long?

The guards looked even more startled before settling down into distrust. “I’m sorry, but what is your name?” they asked.

“Emma Christoph,” she replied, wishing it wasn’t the case. But if it wasn’t, then she’d have no way of getting to Dimitri, would she? And she desperately needed him. Well, she didn’t need him so much. She needed his money. She’d been turned down by so many banks and her current employer wouldn’t provide an advance on her meager salary. She needed money. Lots of it. There was no other way to get it. He was her last chance.

She watched as the guards picked up the phone and spoke rapidly in Greek to someone at the other end of the line. It took only moments before the phone was put down and she was handed a security badge and shown to a private elevator.

The ride up to the thirtieth floor was terrifying, the bitter taste of fear stinging her throat. In contrast to the heat of the outdoors, the air conditioner made her shiver. Or was that more of the fear, she wondered.

This had to work, she reminded herself. She had rehearsed her speech so many times, but would it work? Would he listen to her? Was there a scrap of compassion left within the man? If not, she was wasting her time and she was in more trouble than she could imagine. Because she’d spent the last of her savings on the ticket out here. She’d bet everything on the hope that she could somehow get through to Dimitri. If she didn’t, all would be lost and she’d be devastated.

Besides, he had billions! Surely he could spare some for her. She’d never asked for anything. Not during their two year marriage, nor afterwards. When she realized her circumstance, she’d just slipped off, knowing she’d never be the wife he needed her to be.

The doors opened and she shivered again in fear. This was it. Her last chance. She had to convince him or all would be lost. And there was so much to lose! Darrin lay in a hospital bed, waiting for a miracle and she had to get it for him. There was just no other option.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Christoph,” an efficient woman greeted her in English. “Mr. Christoph is waiting. If you’ll follow me,” she said and turned to walk down the hallway.

The carpeting was thick and green, the walls were in expensive paneling with muted lighting spaced perfectly to provide continuous light, but not be harsh. Despite the luxurious ambiance, Emma couldn’t help but feel as if she was walking toward an execution.

The massive double wooden doors were open and Emma walked in, astounded by the panoramic view of Athens below her. She didn’t hear the doors close behind her as she gazed out at the beautiful city, the heat glistening off the white buildings and the Acropolis in the distance.

“So the prodigal wife returns,” a deep voice said. “To what do I owe this dubious honor?”

Emma visibly cringed at his words, her eyes snapping away from the peaceful scene outside the windows to search the massive office for the owner of that deep, velvety voice. She remembered that voice so well, but it had never spoken to her in anger or contempt. Only with words of love and compassion, or just passion. Soft words in the night that had heated her blood and stirred her desire to such a fever pitch, she would have done just about anything for the relief only he could provide.

The harshness of his tone today didn’t bode well for her request. She couldn’t give up though, no matter what the odds, she had to take them. Somehow she had to convince him.

Emma walked farther into the office and she didn’t miss the fact that he didn’t stand when she entered. That was definitely a bad thing. If Dimitri was anything, he had meticulous manners when he respected someone. The fact that he remained seated while she entered spoke volumes about his feelings toward her.

Squaring her shoulders, she smiled warmly, hoping she exuded a little bit of confidence. At least more than she was feeling, she told herself as she walked forward on shaking legs.

“Good afternoon, Dimitri. Thank you for seeing me without an appointment.”

“Did I have a choice?” he asked, raising one eyebrow and twirling a gold pen in his long, elegant fingers. “You show up at the security desk and tell them you’re my wife. What was I supposed to say? ‘You must be mistaken, my wife left me four years ago with a curt note’,?”

Emma looked at the carpet, standing awkwardly in front of his large, handsome desk. “It was necessary. Things….happened.” She wasn’t sure what to say but this was not how she had planned this interview. She tried to focus on her plan but her curiosity got the better of her. “Why didn’t you file for divorce?”
Dimitri raised his eyebrows expressively. “Was I supposed to?”

Her words could barely form the words but she forced them out, as much for her own benefit as for his own. “Yes. I assumed you would.”

 

“Is that why you didn’t?”

Emma shrugged. She couldn’t tell him that there was no way she could sever the tie that bound her to him. It was too precious to her. The questions such a statement would raise were too painful and she couldn’t handle giving him the answers. The divorce would have to come from him. “Why didn’t you?”

He shrugged slightly, as if the whole matter were of little consequence to him. “Because it wasn’t convenient for me. Besides, having a wife, albeit an absent one, kept all the ambitious momma’s at bay.”

She tried to hide the hurt his words caused her. He acted as if their entire relationship had meant nothing to him but what was she supposed to expect? Was he supposed to walk in here and declare his undying love for her? To beg her to explain why she’d left and tell her that nothing mattered except the fact that they were back together?

Her face blanched as she realized that was exactly what she’d been hoping for. She loved this man more than life itself and she had been hoping he felt the same way. But that wasn’t the case. She knew that and should never have disillusioned herself that he would need anything other than the perfect wife. One that didn’t run away for no apparent reason as well. He’d never told her that he’d loved her during their marriage so why was she hoping he would do so now? It was a ridiculous fantasy.

Dimitri cursed under his breath and tossed his pen down onto the desk. “I suppose that’s all in the past. What do you want Emma? Be quick about it. I have meetings this afternoon.”

Emma felt as if she’d been slapped, but she couldn’t let it stop her. She’d been to too many banks so this was really her last resort. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the papers out of the folder and placed them in front of him on his desk. “I know you don’t think I deserve this, but I don’t have any other place to turn to now. I was hoping you could help me out by co-signing on a loan for me.”

Dimitri’s hard black eyes sliced from the papers she’d handed him to her face. “What the hell do you mean? You went to a bank? For a loan?”

She tamped down the anger his response engendered within her. She had to maintain her calm. Everything rested on this meeting. It was too important. “Several, actually,” she explained, smiling slightly in an effort to pacify his obvious anger. “But none would even consider loaning me the money until this last one.”

He leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “What was so special about the last one? Did you sell your delectable body to the bank teller as a bribe?”

Emma’s face paled and she looked down, unable to hold his gaze any longer. “He made the connection to my last name and your company,” she said softly. “He explained that he couldn’t loan me the money without any collateral, but if you were willing to sign for it, guaranteeing the loan, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

A nerve started twitching in his forehead and Emma knew that this interview wasn’t going the way she’d planned it. She’d deviated from her speech and was not as articulate as she could be. How was she supposed to anyway when all the old feelings came rushing back to her as soon as she’d seen him? He was too gorgeous, too dark and dangerous while at the same time, she knew he was passionate and one of the most intelligent men she’d ever met in her life. Instantly upon entering the office, all of the old feelings she’d felt for him came rushing back to her and all she wanted to do was to cry on his shoulder and beg him for his forgiveness.

A nerve was twitching in his cheek and she could tell he was beyond furious with her. “Let me get this straight. You’ve gone to several banks and dragged the Christoph name through the mud, begging for money?”

Just as it had in the past, his anger seemed to spark her own. Emma’s eyes flashed fire at his arrogant words. “I wasn’t begging. I was asking for a loan! I’m willing to pay back every cent with interest. There was nothing illegal or unsavory in the request, despite your attempts to paint it black.”

Dimitri glanced down at the loan documents and swore again. “How are you going to pay back this much money? And why would you need such a large sum?”

Emma crossed her hands over her stomach defensively. “I can’t tell you.” Remembering her father’s reaction to Brian’s condition, she knew that many men considered any frailty a weakness that was unacceptable. Her father had hated Brian, projecting a fear of catching the genetic deformity and rejecting his only son. Brian had shriveled up during the years he had lived at the house. When their mother had died, Brian had been moved out of the house, in the guise of helping him but it was really because Edward had hated any sign of weakness. Emma swore she would protect Brian from that kind of hurt again. Dimitri was just as tough and unmerciful as her father had been and Emma would never allow another person to hurt Brian. He’d been through too much already and after the way he’d taken her in four years ago, helping her to heal and become a human being again, she owed him more than she could ever repay. Getting the money for this surgery that could heal him was only a small way she could help.

His mouth twisted in a mocking version of a smile. “And yet you expect me to loan you the money?”

Her spine stiffened at his harsh words but she suppressed the anger, knowing it wouldn’t help her argument. Keeping her tone as calm as possible she said, “No. I just want you to sign the papers. The bank will loan me the money and I’ll pay it back.”

His face showed his impatience. “You’re being ridiculous, Emma. There’s no way you can pay back this amount. You don’t make that much money.”

 

Her startled eyes looked up again, searching his face for answers to that question. “How do you know how much I make?”

Dimitri smiled but there was no amusement in the effort. “I know everything about you Emma. I know that you left me one afternoon four years ago and flew home to London. You left the security of your home and your husband, and ran straight into the arms of another man! You betrayed everything that was between us and didn’t even have the dignity to offer an explanation. I know you now work in a dump of a book store and barely eek out a living. So cut the pretty little plea for money because you can’t afford this kind of a monthly loan payment.”