Page 14 of The Heir Affair

‘Who’s Alex?’ Theo replied.

At the exact same time as Xander said, ‘No, you are not.’

He snagged Poppy’s arm yet again to prevent her marching off.

‘You cannot return to Galicos now,’ he continued, struggling to contain his increasingly volatile temper at her belligerent expression. ‘Did you not hear what my brother said? There are already reporters on the dock.’

He had always hated the press, and had kept a low profile in the media—giving only a few interviews over the years exclusively to the business press—for the simple reason he did not want people prying into his past, or judging him and his brother for the things they had once had to do to survive.

He wasn’t ashamed of those things. But having that part of his life exposed to media scrutiny would allow others to control the narrative and make assumptions about him that might not be beneficial to the image he wished to promote for Caras Shipping. One of the main reasons he had insisted that the engagement to Princess Freya be announced only a few months before their proposed wedding was to maintain his low profile in the press for as long as possible.

But now, Theo’s news that Poppy and he had been spotted leaving the wharf together seemed surprisingly fortuitous, as it gave him an opportunity he intended to exploit. He did not want her leaving the yacht. Not until they had got a few crucial things straight. One of which pertained to the baby. And one of which pertained to the insane chemistry—which had not abated in the least in the past five months if that kiss was anything to go by.

He did not intend to let her out of his sight again. And especially not in her current condition. The idea of her supporting herself on a waitress’s salary was ludicrous. He understood she had her pride. But he had learned at a young age there were several things more important… One of which was the security only wealth—and lots of it—could give you.

‘So what? I’ll just ask whoever takes me back to drop me off away from the main dock,’ she said, still struggling against his hold. ‘Will you let go of me?’

‘No, I will not. You are not leaving this yacht. It isn’t safe. For you…or my child.’ He ground the words out.

‘Why not?’ She glared at him, freeing her arm a second time. ‘They don’t know me from Adam, and I certainly don’t intend to broadcast our connection.’

His anger flared. Was she ashamed of him, then? Why? What had he done to be treated with such contempt? Had she not kissed him back with the same hunger he was struggling to control?

Before he could formulate a coherent response though, which did not involve throwing her over his shoulder, carting her down to the Sunrise Suite and locking her in, his brother interrupted them both.

‘Chill out, guys. There’s no need to yell.’

‘I’m afraid there is every need to yell,’ Poppy yelled. ‘To get your brother to listen to me. He promised he’d take me back when I wished and now he’s breaking—’

‘Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, miss.’ Theo lifted his hands in a defensive gesture, but the admiration in his eyes suggested he was enjoying Poppy’s refusal to see reason.

It figured!

Xander swore at Theo then added in Greek, ‘Do not encourage her foolishness. You’re supposed to be on my side.’

‘I am on your side,Alex,’ he teased, also in Greek.

‘Stop talking in Greek.’ Poppy slapped her hands on her hips, which made her blouse stretch over those full breasts. He blinked, trying to ignore the renewed shot of lust and how much he wanted to capture those tight peaks between his lips. Her breasts had been incredibly sensitive that day—would they be even more so now?

‘I know perfectly well you’re both talking about me,’ she continued, looking almost as frustrated as he felt while he tried to drag his mind away from her breasts and back to the problem at hand. ‘And it’s incredibly rude to discuss me while I’m standing right here in a language you know I don’t understand.’

‘To be fair, miss,’ Theo began, the mocking smile turning into a grin, ‘no one has ever accused either one of us of having good manners.’

Poppy opened her mouth again, looking almost as annoyed with Theo now as she was with him. Which was a minor improvement. But before she could let rip at his brother, Theo stepped closer to her and rested a consoling arm over her shoulders.

‘Hey, I’m sorry, okay, miss…’ He dropped his voice to a friendly murmur. ‘What is your name, by the way? Xander didn’t introduce us…’

‘Poppy… Poppy Brown,’ Poppy replied, looked momentarily nonplussed with Theo’s familiarity.

The sudden burst of relief that Xander finally knew Poppy’s last name was followed by the bigger surge of jealousy.

If his brother didn’t lift his arm from her shoulders in the next ten seconds, he would throw him overboard.

Perhaps sensing Xander’s anger with him, Theo removed his arm, but he remained by her side, then shot Xander a conspiratorial look that seemed to be saying,Don’t worry, I’ve got this…Before he sent Poppy a far-too-charming smile.

‘I’m sorry to say, Poppy, that my brother is not wrong about the situation in Galicos.’ Theo tugged his phone from his pocket, clicked on something and handed it to her. ‘Nowhere there is going to be safe. You were both photographed leaving the restaurant where you work, and it’s already hit the Internet.’

Poppy took the phone to examine the photographs. Then pressed trembling fingers to her mouth.