Page 44 of Reunited By the Greek's Baby

A vertical line appeared in the centre of his forehead. ‘You’re right.’ He paused. ‘I’m used to keeping trouble to myself. But since it’s important to you...’

His eyes held hers and Isla felt that powerful tug of connection. Too late she wondered at the wisdom of calling him on this. Weren’t there things she didn’t want to share, most notably her feelings for him? She was about to tell him it didn’t matter when he spoke.

‘I had a price on my head in prison and someone decided to claim that reward.’

‘What do you mean a price?’ Surely he hadn’t been there long enough to make enemies.

‘It was common knowledge that Spiro Stavroulis would pay handsomely to anyone who injured me badly enough. He’s the grandfather of the man I was supposed to have killed.’

Her stomach hollowed. She wanted to object that Theo was innocent, then remembered what he’d said about Stavroulis wanting a scapegoat. What must it have been like for Theo, locked away for something he didn’t do, surrounded by violent men, under threat?

Isla drew her knees up and wrapped her arms tight around them, hunching into herself at the thought.

She heard whispered swearing and then there was a wave of water as Theo moved to her end of the bath. He sat beside her, bare hip to bare hip, one arm around her, pulling her against his solid torso. She went willingly, glad for the contact. It was a comfort having him here, so obviously alive and well.

‘IknewI shouldn’t have told you.’

‘Of course you should. I’d rather know the truth than be left in the dark.’ She lifted her head and met his gaze. ‘Was it a knife?’

After a moment he nodded. ‘An improvised one with a razor blade.’

Isla blinked, trying to clear the image her mind conjured. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘There’s nothing to be sorry about. You’re right, I need to let you in more if we’re to have a future together.’

It was on the tip of Isla’s tongue to tell him they didn’t have a future, not in the way he wanted, but she didn’t say it. For suddenly she found she wasn’t as vehemently opposed to marriage as she should be.

Taking comfort in his closeness, reliving the horror of his danger and now feeling a rush of relief, she faced the strength of her feelings for Theo. Despite what she’d told herself in London, those hadn’t changed.

Could she really be thinking of marrying him?

Surely not. She cared too much for him while he...

She shivered. This time she couldn’t tell if the tremor was from trepidation or something else. What shedidknow was that, despite the past, he was important to her.

She lifted her hand to trace the scar. ‘I’m glad you’re safe.’

Theo captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, his eyes holding hers. ‘So am I. I’d much rather be here with you.’

His crooked smile said volumes about that experience but she’d pressed him enough.

‘Thank you for telling me.’ It might be a straightforward story but Isla felt his sharing it with her was significant. Like when he’d told her about his childhood, but this time it was something he’d got no benefit from sharing. The information about his family had been part of his plan to persuade her into marriage.

‘You’re right. We need to understand each other better. In the past we shared a lot but on reflection we never discussed anything truly important.’ He grinned. ‘Except for the love of your life—archaeology.’

A smile tickled Isla’s mouth. ‘And the love of yours—football.’

He was right. They’d talked a lot, getting to know each other, but for all those conversations they’d never delved deep. The true sense of connection had come in other ways, when they made love, but also in the mutual understanding that hadn’t seemed to need words.

‘While we’re sharing... There’s something I want to ask you.’

Slowly Isla nodded, mentally readying herself for a question about her opposition to marrying him.

‘You said you didn’t know your parents and that you were brought up by someone else. Were you adopted or fostered out? Who raised you?’

Isla felt her jaw slacken. Theo had seemed so single-minded, going to so much trouble to persuade her into marriage. Why deviate from that? Knowing about her childhood wouldn’t get him closer to that goal and he was a man who focused on achieving his goals.

Her childhood was a cold, disappointing place that she tried not to revisit often. It would be easy to shrug off his question but she didn’t. Because what she’d said about Theo not sharing applied to her as well.

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