Eligible Greeks: Tycoon's Revenge: Proud Greek, Ruthless Revenge / The Power of the Legendary Greek / The Greek Millionaire's Mistress

She was exquisite, he acknowledged grimly. He welcomed the wave of black hatred that surged through him, but to his disgust another, unbidden emotion stirred within him. Nothing had prepared him for the impact of seeing Tahlia in the flesh, and to his fury he felt an unmistakable tug of sexual interest.

An awkward silence hovered in the air after Crispin’s introduction, and as the gallery-owner cleared his throat Thanos acknowledged that he could not give in to his inclination to fasten his hands around Tahlia’s slender neck and squeeze the life from her body.

‘Miss Reynolds,’ he murmured smoothly, extending his hand to her. He noted that she hesitated before she responded, and her hand shook very slightly when she placed it in his. Her fingers were slim, and as pale as milk. It would take a fraction of his strength to crush them in his grasp. He tightened his grip rather more than was necessary, and when her eyes flew to his face he stared at her impassively.

The brief pressure on her fragile bones could not compare with the pain his sister endured every day, he thought savagely. Melina had been in hospital for six long months, and would have to undergo many more weeks of physiotherapy before she would walk unaided again. Thanos did not blame the driver of the car which had ploughed into Melina. The police had assured him that the man behind the wheel had stood no chance of avoiding the young woman who had run into the road without looking.

No, he held two other people responsible for the accident which had almost ended Melina’s life—and those same two people had callously broken her heart. Tahlia Reynolds was a predatory bitch who had been having an affair with Melina’s husband, James Hamilton. Melina had been distraught when she had discovered them together in a hotel bedroom, and she had fled outside onto an unlit country road, straight into the path of an oncoming car.

Thanos released Tahlia’s hand but continued to scrutinise her intently. According to the recent press reports she had been up to her old tricks with another married actor. Did this woman have any scruples? he wondered savagely. How dared she stand there staring at him with her startling bright blue eyes, her mouth curved into a hesitant smile?

Soon she would have little to smile about, he brooded. He had already dealt with his ex-brother-in-law. Immediately after Melina’s accident James had fled to L.A., but the actor had quickly discovered that no Hollywood director would work with him after Thanos had threatened to withdraw his financial backing of various film projects if James Hamilton was given so much as a walk-on part. James’s acting career was dead and buried, and Thanos was determined that it would never be resurrected. Now he wanted revenge on James’s mistress.

Tahlia’s hand was still tingling as if she had received an electric shock. Some indescribable force had certainly shot from her fingertips all the way up her arm when she had shaken Thanos Savakis’s hand, and now she felt strangely light-headed. The champagne must have gone to her head, she thought ruefully. The peculiar feeling that had swept over her when Thanos’s skin had briefly come into contact with hers was not an intense reaction to the sexiest man she had ever laid eyes on, she told herself firmly. And yet she could not deny that he unsettled her.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr Savakis,’ she said politely. ‘Are you here in London on business, or…?’ She tailed away uncertainly, entranced by the sudden smile that lifted his features from handsome to breathtakingly gorgeous, and revealed a flash of white teeth which for some inexplicable reason made her think of the story of Red Riding Hood and the cunning wolf.

‘Business…and pleasure,’Thanos drawled, relieved that he was once more in control of his hormones. He trailed his eyes over Tahlia. She was exquisitely packaged: designer dress, shoes and handbag, not to mention an eye-watering collection of sapphires and diamonds that sparkled enticingly against her creamy skin. Her outfit must have cost a fortune, he thought cynically. Tahlia was clearly used to the finer things in life, and he was going to take enormous pleasure in putting an end to her pampered, self-indulgent lifestyle.

He had expected her to show some sort of reaction when he introduced himself, but there had been no flicker of response in Tahlia’s eyes at the name Savakis. Presumably she had been unaware of James Hamilton’s wife’s maiden name—no doubt she and James had not spared a thought for Melina during their secret assignations. Molten fury seared his insides. He wanted to vent his anger and denounce her as the heartless whore who had wrecked his sister’s life—let the members of London’s high society who were gathered in the gallery hear what a cheap little tart she was. But with a huge effort of will he resisted the urge. There would be time enough to tell her what he thought of her after he had brought her to her knees.

‘I see that Earl Fullerton has just arrived,’ Crispin Blythe murmured. ‘I’ll leave you two to have fun. I suggest you ask Tahlia to give you a tour of the gallery, Thanos. She has a special relationship with the artist, and is the best person—apart from Rufus himself, of course—to talk about his work.’

‘Oh, but…’ Tahlia stared after Crispin, unbearably embarrassed by the obvious way he had manoeuvred her and the sexy Greek together. Thanos’s mouth was still curved into a smile, but the faintly derisive gleam in his eyes unnerved her, and she could not shake off the idea that for some reason he had taken an instant dislike to her. ‘I mustn’t monopolise your company, Mr Savakis,’ she murmured, glancing rather desperately around the gallery, in the hope that she would spot someone she knew.

‘What exactly is the nature of your “special relationship” with Rufus Hartman?’ Thanos queried coolly. ‘Is he one of your lovers?’

For a moment Tahlia was too taken aback to reply. With a sinking feeling she realised that Thanos had probably seen the newspaper reports of her supposed affair with Damian Casson. Her temper flared. So much for Crispin’s assertion that no one believed the rubbish that was written in the down-market tabloids. ‘I really don’t see that it’s any of your business,’ she said coldly, ‘but as a matter of fact Rufus isn’t attracted to women,’ she added. She was not sure why she had lowered her voice, because Rufus was quite open about the fact that he was gay. ‘He is a good friend with an incredible talent.’

Thanos’s dark eyes roamed lazily over her, as if he were mentally undressing her, and Tahlia felt horribly exposed in her low-cut gown. Her eyes seemed to be drawn to his face of their own volition, and she could not help but focus on the sensual curve of his mouth. His kiss would not be gentle. The thought crashed into her head and her face burned as she imagined him lowering his head and covering her lips with his. Heat coursed through her veins, and when she tore her eyes from him and glanced down she was mortified to see the outline of her nipples clearly visible beneath her dress.

Tahlia had turned her head again, and seemed to be scanning the room for someone. ‘Are you searching for anyone in particular?’ Thanos queried, his eyes narrowing when she shrugged her slim shoulders. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. He noticed a dusting of gold freckles along her collarbone and the slopes of her breasts and felt a tightening sensation in his groin. His fierce awareness of her was both unexpected and infuriating, but it was satisfying to see the evidence that she was equally aware of him.

If she had been any other woman he would have wasted no time in seducing her. With her track record he doubted she would need much persuading into his bed. Disgust swept through him and he ruthlessly banished the image of peeling the straps of her blue silk gown down her shoulders and exposing her slender naked body. She was his brother-in-law’s whore, he reminded himself grimly, and it was inconceivable that he could desire her when he had sworn revenge on her for the pain she had caused his sister.

Thanos’s accented voice was deep and sensual, and it sent a little shiver of awareness down Tahlia’s spine, but she was determined to ignore the effect he had on her. ‘I’m looking for an Arab prince—Sheikh Mussada,’ she said coolly. ‘Do you know him?’

‘I know of him—as, I imagine, does everyone else here tonight, seeing that he has recently taken over a major high street bank.’

‘Yes, I believe he is the fifth richest man in the world,’ Tahlia muttered distractedly, supremely conscious of the exotic scent of Thanos’s aftershave. She wondered if it would appear impolite if she walked away from him, and then—re-calling his dig about Rufus being ‘one of her lovers’—wondered why she should give a damn what he thought of her. The Prince must have arrived by now, she thought, as she craned her neck to peer into the larger gallery.

Thanos frowned, wondering what had caused the hectic flush on Tahlia’s cheeks. ‘Didn’t Sheikh Mussada marry recently?’ he queried tersely, a sudden suspicion forming in his brain.

‘Yes, but apparently his wife hates flying, and never travels abroad with him.’

Tahlia thought of the business cards in her purse. As she had driven to the gallery she’d indulged in a daydream in which Sheikh Mussada admired her sapphire necklace and asked her where he could buy something similar. That would be Tahlia’s cue to invite him to visit one of the Reynolds Gems shops—she would arrange to open the store out of hours if the Sheikh preferred, and expert assistants would be on hand to help him purchase a gift for his wife. In the daydream, Sheikh Mussada was so impressed by Reynolds’ stock of jewellery that he requested their catalogue to take back to Dubai. Soon afterwards they would be flooded with orders from the Prince and his numerous wealthy relatives.

‘Oh, that must be him.’ Tahlia felt a spurt of excitement as the throng of guests parted and she glimpsed a man wearing traditional Arab robes. This was her chance to save her family’s business. The sapphire collection she was wearing tonight was truly spectacular, and Sheikh Mussada was reputed to be an enthusiastic collector of top-quality jewellery. All she had to do was somehow gain his attention.

‘Hey, don’t run away.’

Warm breath feathered Tahlia’s neck, whispering across the stray tendrils of hair at her nape, and she jerked her head around, startled to discover that Thanos had moved and was now standing much too close for comfort.

‘Sorry?’ For a few seconds she had been so caught up in her daydream about the Sheikh that she had almost forgotten about Thanos. Almost, but not entirely, she conceded ruefully. He was not an easy man to forget, and as she stared at his beautifully sculpted face and glimpsed the flare of sensual heat in his eyes her breath snagged in her throat.

‘Our host has assured me you are an expert on Rufus Hartman’s work, and I wholeheartedly approve of his suggestion that you should give me a guided tour of the exhibition,’ he murmured.

‘I assure you I’m no expert,’ she replied quickly, feeling as though she were drowning in Thanos’s dark eyes. His lashes were ridiculously long for a man, she mused, and his skin gleamed like polished bronze, stretched taut over his magnificent cheekbones. He swamped her senses, and her heart slammed painfully beneath her ribs when he reached out and trailed one finger very lightly down her face.

‘Your skin is as soft as satin,’ he said, his gravelly accent sending a frisson of awareness down her spine. ‘I have to admit that I am captivated by your beauty, Tahlia.’

He had to be kidding, Tahlia decided as she struggled to drag oxygen into her lungs. Surely the sexual hunger blazing in his eyes could not be real, when a few moments ago he had been sending out distinct vibes of barely leashed hostility? She was puzzled by his sudden change of attitude, and even more confused that he was staring at her as if she were his every fantasy rolled into one.

‘I…’ She seemed to have lost the ability to think. She moistened her parched lips with the tip of her tongue, saw him focus intently on the betraying gesture, and felt liquid heat surge through her veins.

‘Why don’t we start with the landscape in the corner?’ Thanos suggested briskly, and he slid his hand beneath her elbow and steered her firmly across the room—out of Sheikh Mussada’s view.

Did she get a kick out of seducing other women’s husbands? he wondered furiously. He had noted the determined gleam in her eyes when she’d spotted the Sheikh—the way she had stroked her fingers over the sapphire necklace, drawing attention to her slender throat and the provocative swell of her breasts. Beneath her beautiful shell Tahlia Reynolds possessed a cold and calculating heart. James Hamilton was not blameless, but Thanos was convinced that Tahlia had deliberately seduced his sister’s husband—and now she was planning to turn her sorcery on the happily married Sheikh Mussada.

Not if he could help it, he vowed grimly. He was not going to let Tahlia out of his sight for the rest of the evening—even if it meant having to pretend that he had fallen under her spell.

CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_b6a6481a-8667-5af6-ac13-330b19a09c20)

TAHLIA glanced surreptitiously at the clock on the gallery wall and was shocked to see that almost an hour had passed since Thanos had asked her to act as his guide around the exhibition. She could hardly believe she had spent so long in the exclusive company of the sexiest man in the room, and she could not help but find his attention flattering. His hand was resting lightly in the small of her back, and she was agonisingly aware of his lean, hard body, so close to her that she could feel the warmth that emanated from him and smell the subtle scent of his cologne. He seemed in no hurry for them to part company—but she was supposed to be networking, offering business cards to anyone who admired her necklace. So far she hadn’t done a very good job of drumming up new business.

‘I’m sure Rufus will be able to discuss his work in far more depth than I can,’ she murmured, as Thanos halted in front of a painting that looked as though the artist had flung splodges of vivid colour onto the canvas, and which to Tahlia’s eyes did not resemble anything vaguely recognisable.

Thanos followed her gaze across the room to where the long-haired and bearded Rufus Hartman was chatting with a group of guests.

‘But he is not nearly such an attractive guide,’ he drawled, a gleam of undisguised sexual interest in his eyes as he turned back to Tahlia, stealing her breath. Thanos Savakis was an outrageous flirt, and her common sense told her she should walk away from him and keep on walking. But her usual caution seemed to have deserted her; she was blown away by his charismatic charm, and when his mouth curved into that devastatingly sexy smile her heart began to race.

Thanos glanced back at the picture. ‘Mr Hartman’s abstract paintings are the sort of thing I’d like to have in my new hotel. They’re contemporary and eye-catching and would suit the modern design of the building.’

‘I understand you own a chain of hotels? Crispin mentioned it,’Tahlia admitted, flushing at Thanos’s quizzical expression.

What else had Crispin told her? he wondered sardonically. That he was a billionaire with a penchant for blondes? Had Tahlia asked the gallery-owner to introduce them, confident that he would find her red-gold hair and milky-pale skin intriguingly different from the dozens of bleached blonde, sunbed-tanned women who were milling around the gallery, eyeing him rather than the artwork on display?

‘I own hotels in many parts of the world, including the Caribbean and the Maldives, and I’m currently in negotiations to buy the Ambassador Hotel, where I am staying on this trip to London.’

Tahlia’s eyes widened. The Ambassador was one of the most exclusive hotels in the capital. She had taken little notice when Crispin had said that Thanos was a billionaire, but now it struck her that he could probably buy Reynolds Gems out of his petty cash.

‘My latest development is in one of the Greek Islands,’ Thanos continued. ‘The Artemis is a five-star hotel, offering the ultimate pampering experience—superbly equipped gyms, spas and beauty parlours, together with shops selling designer clothes and jewellery.’

‘It sounds wonderful,’Tahlia murmured, her mind focusing on Thanos’s mention of jewellery shops within his hotel. Unconsciously her hand strayed to the row of sapphires and diamonds around her neck. The ornate necklace was not the sort of thing she usually wore, but it was undoubtedly impressive, and tonight she needed to impress.

Thanos’s gaze followed the movement of her hand. ‘Your necklace is almost as exquisite as the woman wearing it,’ he remarked.

She blushed. ‘It’s just one of a wide range of pieces made by the expert goldsmiths and designers at Reynolds Gems. Our gemologists source the finest precious stones and diamonds to ensure that every piece of jewellery is of top quality.’ Tahlia hesitated. Was it fair to subject Thanos to the hard sell when they were at a party, not in a boardroom? Their business needed all the help it could get, she reminded herself, and she had to seize every available opportunity to promote the company.