A Perfect Wife: International Billionaires V: The Greeks by Caro LaFever Read Free Book Online

through him at the baseless accusation. “I’m not a man to spill secrets. Certainly not to women.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” Storms of blue washed over the violet. “I remember now. You despise women, don’t you?”
    Another accusation. This time accurate. How did she know this, this element of his personality? Aetos found himself floundering before a woman for the first time in almost twenty years.
    The realization did not lighten his mood. “Who are you?”
    “Why, I’m Natalie.” She ignored the threat in his words, and instead, foolishly, gave him another of her witchy smiles, along with another lie. As if she held all the cards. As if she was in control. Of him.
    No one—ever—controlled him.
    One stride and he was before her. His hands grasped her shoulders. He glared into her widened eyes and relished her gasp of dismay. “Enough.”
    “Let me go.”
    There weren’t any more smiles or accusations. Only fear mixed with horror filled her expression. Her milky skin turned as white as the marble of an ancient Greek statue. A savage pleasure roared in him. A triumphant burst of satisfaction that he held her in his hands and in his power. No female would ever hold the upper hand with him.
    Ever again.
    “Let me go.” Her voice was marginally stronger, but he felt the tremble of her muscles.
    “We’ve played your game for too long. Now it’s time to play mine.”
    “This isn’t a game.”
    He tightened his grasp. “No, it isn’t. I’m glad you finally accept this.”
    The smell of her drifted into his nostrils. Wildflowers. Rain. Fresh. The tendrils of scent swirled into his brain, blurring his senses. For a moment, he swore he held a modern day Circe in his hands, a female demon come to destroy him and turn him into a dumb animal.
    “ Skýla !” Cursing her, he thrust her away. He paced to the door and took in a deep breath of clear air. With relief, he sensed his brain coming back to life, the muscles of his chest relaxing. The heat of his skin, the skin he hadn’t realized was on fire, turned quickly to cold resolve.
    “Let me go and I won’t say a word.”
    He laughed. His back to her allure, he leaned against the door, blocking her. “You take me for a fool?”
    What was he going to do with her? She was right. He couldn’t throw her into a dungeon, though the thought pleased a primitive part of him. He couldn’t take her to the police. She would eventually get her story out. And he couldn’t merely let her go. That would entail trusting her, and he never trusted a woman.
    What the hell was he going to do with her?
    His cell phone chirped in his pocket. The noise filled the silent room with an irritating call. Who would be calling him at five a.m.? Not even his efficient staff would call at this time of day.
    Aetos slid the phone out and glanced at the number.
    His giagiá . That would be the type of person who would call at five a.m.
    This was not the time to bring his grandmother into the picture.
    He let the call go to voicemail. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he turned to face the witch.
    She stared at him, clutching her old jeans again. For a second, he felt the draw once more. The wild length of her blonde hair, the richness of her eyes, the pale beauty of her skin.
    He turned his attention away from her siren allure.
    Then the answer came to him, quite easily. The idea burned his pride, but he had no choice if he wanted to get her out of his life with his reputation intact and his family safe. She was a woman, in the end. Not a siren, not a sorceress. Just a woman. Best to be done with her once and for all. He opened his eyes to stare at her. “How much?”
    The woman jerked as his cold words hit her. “What?”
    His phone buzzed once more.
    With a growl of disgust, he yanked his cell out of his pocket again. Doris, his cousin. Gripping the phone and ignoring this call, too, he glared at the woman. “How much is it going to cost me to get rid of you and keep your