Greek Billionaire's Blackmailed Bride (The Rosso Family Series, #1)
Greek Billionaire's Blackmailed Bride
The Rosso Family Series, Volume 1
Leslie North
Published by Leslie North, 2015.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
GREEK BILLIONAIRE'S BLACKMAILED BRIDE
First edition. June 21, 2015.
Copyright © 2015 Leslie North.
Written by Leslie North.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Leslie North
Greek Billionaire’s Blackmailed Bride
Dedications
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Read an Excerpt from the ‘Greek Billionaire’s Forbidden Lover’
Also By Leslie North
Greek Billionaire’s Blackmailed Bride
By Leslie North
The Rosso Family Series
Book 1
Blurb
Greek banking heir Antonio Rosso is shocked when his late father leaves the beloved family villa to the one woman he thought he’d never see again: Claire Bennett. After a hot and heavy fling, things ended abruptly when she was accused of being a gold digger. But now, to hang on to the home that meant so much to his mother, Antonio will not only have to get back into the beautiful American’s good graces, he’ll have to convince her to marry him.
When a job brings her back to Greece, voiceover artist Claire Bennett should have guessed Antonio was behind it. With his entitled upbringing, she knows he’s learned to use his money to get his way. After the way she was treated though, she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. He may be even more sinfully handsome than she remembered, but if he thinks she’ll agree to a sham marriage, he has another thing coming.
Claire is determined to prove she can’t be bought or sold, and Antonio needs nothing more than a temporary arrangement. But when their spark reignites, can they ever get past the ugly history between them?
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Dedications
I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews, and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible.
I’d also like to say a special thank you to Leslie’s Lovelies who have had a huge role in making this book – you’re the best! THANK YOU for all your support.
If you’d like to join Leslie’s Lovelies and get exclusive advanced review copies of my latest books, please check out the Official Page here: http://leslienorthbooks.com/about/leslies-lovelies/
Chapter One
It was almost too bad Petrakis hadn’t died instead.
Antonio Rosso listened to the man drone on...and on. He knew Petrakis had never approved of him, but the lawyer seemed to be taking pleasure in detailing every bequest in the will—every small donation, every tiny remembrance, every charity that would get part of his father’s vast estate. Or had this been his father’s idea? Matthias Rosso had been a despot in life—and in death he still wanted everyone to dance to the tune he set. Antonio shifted on his feet, and got a glare from his sister, Alexandra.
Both his sisters had straight, black hair—like his mother had. They also had the same dark eyes. An old familiar pain twisted inside Antonio—regret his mother had not loved, the ache of memory, the wish just to see her once more. But he did see her—he could see her any time he looked at his sisters. He wished that was comfort enough, but he would have to make do with no more arguments with his father.
Alexandra gave him one more glare that told him to behave. Even though Antonio was the eldest, Alexandra had become their mother after Livia Rosso had died. She sat next to Eva now, holding Eva’s hand, while Antonio stood, leaning on a bookcase filled with musty, leather-clad legal volumes. At least Antonio assumed they were legal books. His mouth twitched at the thought of opening one and finding a Playboy centerfold.
Petrakis raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. Antonio tried to pay more attention. Did Petrakis think he was telling them anything new? Matthias had already told them most of this time and time again, usually with the stipulation that if they did not behave they would get nothing.
Antonio listened to the list of residences scattered around Europe and even in North America—his father’s hobby, he thought, collecting places as well as people, and money that could have been better spent.
Finally Petrakis got to the family.
“To my daughters Alexandra and Eva, I leave each a trust fund of fifty-million US dollars to be administered by their older brother Antonio until each of my daughters reaches the age of twenty-five. If either of my daughters should marry before the age of twenty-five, I leave it up to my son to release the trust or to continue to manage it.” Antonio straightened, anger tightening his jaw and stomach. Petrakis glanced at him. “Your father included that condition because he didn’t want his daughters to be targets for men who would marry for money only. It is your decision as to whether any man is to be entrusted with such a large sum of money.”
Antonio snorted. “As if they aren’t smart enough to know that. My father thought we lived in the eighteen hundreds, when wo
men couldn’t be trusted with anything. He glanced at his sisters. Alexandra sat still, her dark eyes flat, but color burned in her cheeks. Eva kept her head down. Antonio would have to talk to them later. They could break this trust—or he would simply put them in charge of their own money.
Petrakis shook his head and began to read again. “To my son, Antonio, I leave this world with a heavy heart for the wrongs I have done. There was a time when Antonio found it easy to trust others. But that changed, and I blame myself for that. To make up for this, I leave the rest of my estate to my son, with the exception of the Villa Livia on Kato Antikeri, which goes to Claire Bennett.”
Antonio straightened. His sisters did as well and Eva asked, “Claire who?” She looked at Antonio, but he did not remove his stare from Petrakis. The lawyer put down the will and folded his hands on top of it.
Crossing his arms, Antonio asked, “Tell me what it’s going to take to break this will. I am not allowing my mother’s house—the place where she is buried, the villa named after her, to go to...to an American.”
“You know this Claire?” Alexandra asked.
Antonio ignored her question as well.
Petrakis lifted an eyebrow. “There is one more condition.” He cleared his throat and read, “Everything will be held in trust for my son until he is married. At that time he may do as he pleases, and if he marries by his twenty-fifth birthday, the rest of my inheritance, including the Villa Livia, will go to him.”
Alexandra gave a gasp. “That’s next month! That’s crazy!”
Petrakis put a hand on the document. “Your father was of sound mind. The bequests are all reasonable, if a touch...unusual.”
Antonio gave a snort. “Anything can be broken—overturned. How do we end this farce?”
“If you contest the will, you will forfeit your inheritance—and that of your sisters. Weren’t you listening earlier? That clause is in the first paragraph.”
Jaw clenched tight, Antonio shook his head. But it was Eva who spoke up. “Our mother loved the Villa Livia. How could father leave this to a stranger?”
“Oh, Claire Bennett is not a stranger,” Antonio said. He could still see her face—that perfect face framed by honey-blonde hair, and the sparkling, wicked green eyes. He remembered a tall, skinny girl, with long legs and a too-American pushy attitude. He’d almost fallen for her—but he’d been smart enough to know that a penniless American girl on a scholarship to study art was the type to flirt with, but never to marry. His father was right about one thing—the old man had taught him to be wary.
But it was also just like his father to try and manipulate him this way. His father had always been one to play games with the lives of others. But this was too much, even for the mighty Matthias Rosso.
He knew what his father wanted—but he wasn’t going to play that game. He would find a way out of this. And he would find a way that kept his sisters’ inheritance intact.
Antonio glanced at his sisters. He owed them something of an explanation, so he said, the words clipped, “Claire Bennett is the one person in the world I had hoped to never meet again. Ever.”
Chapter Two
“Hey, Brenna! Just wanted to let you know I arrived in one piece.” Claire Bennett scanned the luggage area for her bags. She’d been flying for the better part of a day, and Brenna had texted that a driver should be waiting to meet her after she collected her luggage.
“How is it being back in Greece?” Brenna asked. She sounded worried, but then Brenna worried about most things, including Claire’s career these days. Sometimes Claire wondered if Brenna wanted to be back to friend status instead of friend and agent—but Brenna had always loved a challenge. Claire not so much.
She covered up a yawn and wished they had chairs in baggage claim. “It’s strange. I mean, Greece is a beautiful place.” She glanced outside at the blue sky that was only partially hidden the city’s pollution. “But I’d forgotten how the time difference messes with me. It’s only ten here local time, but I feel like it should be more like ten at night with me tucked in bed somewhere.”
She found her bag on the carousel and grabbed it. “Is the film maker sending my driver?”
Brenna’s warm grin came over the phone in her voice. “No. I had the studio make the arrangements. Documentary filmmakers are apparently too busy being artists to deal with reality.”
Claire slipped on a pair of sunglasses and stepped outside. “Well, that’s good. I could do the narration in post, but it was Nick Stavos who insisted I had to see the major historical sites of Greece in order to talk about them.”
“Never mind you’ve already seen most of them. This is already opening doors for you. I’ve got your tape out to a couple of other studios. Now that you’re in Greece for two months everyone wants a meeting.
Claire pulled in a breath. Athens still smelled like Athens—meaning the air warm and humid and mostly scented car exhaust, but with a hint of something exotic. It would be better on the islands where the sea breezes and the dusty olive groves would remind her more of her last visit to the Mediterranean.
And she was not going to think about anything other than art and antiquities this time.
She spotted the driver, a guy in shirt sleeves and holding a sigh with her name printed in block letters. “Just found the driver. Thanks again. I’ll call you later.”
“No worries,” Brenna said. “Text me whenever you finally catch up with yourself and your sleep. And have some fun while you’re there. You’re twenty-four, and you need to know there’s more than work out there.”
Claire disconnected the call and headed for the door the driver held open. She left her bag on the sidewalk for him and he tossed it into the trunk. He got into the driver’s seat and took off so fast the whiplash pushed her back into the seat. The car smelled new and the driver seemed to know his way. She settled back and watched streets and buildings zip by.
Athens had changed since she’d been here as a student. She recognized the main landmarks—how could you miss the Acropolis?—but she was soon lost. The driver stopped before a modern building and she glanced up at it. “Aegis Studios?” she asked.
“Top floor,” he said. He jumped out and pulled out her luggage. “Your luggage will be waiting for you in the secure storage behind reception here.” He gave her a grin.
She shook her head but followed him inside. He gave her another grin and sauntered off with a whistle.
Glancing around she decided Aegis Studios was doing okay. Marble floors, more marble on the walls, dark wooden desks for security and reception. A guard nodded at her and led the way to a bank of elevators. He inserted a key into the elevator control, and a moment later the doors swished open.
Claire smiled at the man and stepped into the elevator. More luxury with thick carpet, mirrored walls, and all shiny brass trim that looked as if it had just been polished. “Will the director...?”
The elevator doors closed, cutting off her question. She let out a breath and rubbed her palms to smooth down her dark blue skirt.
In deference to the high humidity she’d known would be ever present, she’d changed after her flight in the airport bathroom into a light linen blouse in a pale yellow and a cotton-blend skirt. The bright yellow gave her skin a healthy glow, making it appear as if she had been spending time in the sun, when in fact she had been holed up inside her apartment for months.
Her skirt ended a few inches above her knees and the fabric was guaranteed not to wrinkle. She checked her makeup and hair in the mirrored wall of the elevator. She wore her hair long and straight these days, but Greece’s weather was already curling the ends.
She stared at herself and smiled. You’ve got the job already. Remember, just be yourself, smile, and for heaven’s sake – if they don’t speak good English ask for an interpreter! You don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.
Misunderstandings—the story of her life.
The elevator pinged, the doors opened and Claire clutched her purs
e strap and thought, wow.
Crystal chandeliers adorned the ceiling, casting their reflection on the marble flooring in front of the elevator. That gave way to a plush, deep blue carpet that extended the length of the hallway in either direction.
She headed to the main doors, which stood open.
The room seemed to be a large conference room. An impossibly long, highly polished wood table occupied the middle of the room with high-backed, leather chairs. Windows lined one wall, looking out over the city, and she could see the blue of the ocean in the distance. A man stood in front of the windows, hands in his pockets and his back to her. He had on a white, button-down shirt, charcoal trousers, and what looked to be Italian loafers.
She blinked, but it couldn’t be. A lot of men in Greece had that curly, black hair—and so what if his shoulders were broad and his back lean.
And then he turned.
Antonio Rosso stared at her, cool as ever, his expression calculating and calm—just as it had been the last time she’d seen him. When his father had taken her apart. Heartless bastard!
Claire took a step backwards. She lifted her hand to her throat. She couldn’t mistake that face—and those icy blue eyes. “What’s going on here?” she asked, hating how her voice had gone all husky and soft. “I’m here to meet Nick Stavos, not you.”
“No, you’re here to meet me.” He held out a hand. “Welcome to Aegis Studios—it was a new acquisition for my father, but now it seems to be mine.”
Chapter Three
She stood there, staring at his outstretched hand. Face warming, Antonio stuffed his hands back into his pants pockets. He’d thought he’d been prepared to see her again, but that had changed the moment she stepped into the conference room. His pulse jumped and quickened. He forced himself to stay where he was near the windows. He could smell her scent—something spicy—and he didn’t dare move closer to her. He let his eyes skim over her. Her hair was longer, her body had more curves. She was no longer a girl—and judging by the clothes no longer a starving student.