Page 7 of The Forgotten Wife

“Good.” Nick raised an eyebrow as the ex-special forces soldier hesitated. “Is there anything else?” Allen had expressed reservations about Nick’s presence on the plane, and he still sensed the other man’s diffidence.

When Allen shook his head, Nick turned away from him and shrugged on the Kevlar jacket he’d left on his seat. Strapping on the belt containing his handgun, he checked the GPS device in his breast pocket.

“For chrissakes, man, sit down. Before I make you,” Alex bit out. “We’ll find her. We’ll bring her home. And you can take delight in tearing strips off her. Or doing whatever it is that you two do when you’re pissed off with each other.”

Gritting his teeth, Nick sat down. After he secured his seat belt, he tilted his head back and rested it against the hard metal. Closing his eyes, he felt the fear he’d been holding back engulf him, his imagination throwing up scenarios that chilled him to the bone. What if he was too late? What if she was?—

No. With steel will inherited from his Greek forebears, he cast the images aside and replaced them with positive thoughts.

What would his wife say when she saw him again for the first time in six months?

“No.I willnotsleep with you.” Belle shook her head for emphasis. “You’ll put me in here with the rest.” She hoped her assertive tone would convey her determination not to succumb to Mwana’s despicable demand.

She watched his vivid scar dance in the dim light of the cave as a smile lifted his mouth.

“I’m not sure you understand. I don’t wish you harm. I only wish to keep you safe, Mrs. Andreakos.”

Cold dread invaded Belle’s bones. He’d found out who she really was.

“Yes, I know your real identity,” he confirmed, his voice markedly chillier than it had been this afternoon. “Which makes you all the more…interesting.”

“I assure you, it doesn’t.”

“I beg to differ. I’m sure the world—and certainlyI—would love to know what the wife of a billionaire is doing in a place like this.”

“Nick Andreakos and I, we…we’re no longer married.” She squashed her guilt at the white lie and curbed the shaft of pain at the words. Calm…she needed to remain calm. “So if you’re thinking of trading me in for ransom, you’re wasting your time.”

Interest sparked across his face, altering his expression from dangerously formidable to merely terrifying. “You’re no longer married?”

She didn’t want to tell an outright lie, so she shrugged. “N-not all marriages work out.”

“Even if you’re no longer married, I’m sure you will fetch a handsome fee. And you’re still useful to me in different ways.”

“How? I’m just a teacher.”

“No, you’re far more than that.” His eyes narrowed on her face. “But I’m yet to determine whether the benefit of having you around outweighs the risks.”

She breathed through her fear and eased her face into a relaxed smile. “Is that why you’ve relocated us to the caves instead of the camp? Surely you don’t believe that I or any of the missionaries have done anything wrong? We’re only trying to help your people.”

He drew closer, bringing his large, imposing body into her personal space. She forced herself to remain still.

“That’s just it. Nobody asked for your help. You Westerners think you can go anywhere you want and take over people’s lives.Force your will on others regardless of their feelings,” he said in a tone which was soft yet intensely unnerving.

“I didn’t— I don’t. I thought I had something to offer the children,” she said.

“And what prompted your magnanimity? What made you come here in the first place? Was it out of pity or, more likely, a sense of superiority?”

“I just wanted to make a difference, go somewhere I was needed.”

One brow spiked. “Ah, the common ailment of the Western world. You woke up one day, looked around and decided Africa was the right place to come and find yourself, yes?”

“I didn’t make the decision on a whim, if that’s what you’re implying. And I don’t know why you’re condemning Westerners. Aren’t you one yourself?”

He folded strong arms across his chest. “Don’t let the colour of my fair skin deceive you, my dear. Nawaka is my home—its blood-red soil flows through my veins, and I will defend her with my last breath. Can you say the same about your intentions for my country?”

The vehemence in his voice made her hesitate. In that moment, Belle knew her very safety could be balanced on the knife-edge of her response. “I know I can’t claim the birthright or devotion you feel for this place, but that doesn’t mean I take my position here lightly. All any of us were trying to do was help?—”

“No one’s asked for your help.” Again he interrupted, his harsh tone echoing eerily in the cave. “You take time out of your schedules when you feel like an exotic holiday, interfere in other people’s lives, and then when things get too uncomfortable, you jump on your planes and disappear. Perhaps it’s time to send a clear message once and for all.” His words unnerved her, as did every step he took closer.

---