Marley nodded, but for her, the moment was ruined. Gone was Chrysander’s fun-loving mood. The passion that had sizzled between them just minutes ago was now a cold blanket thrown by his trusty assistant.
He took her upstairs and ushered her into the shower. When she stepped out, he’d already dressed and gone back downstairs. With an unhappy sigh, she gathered the towel around her and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Chrysander entered his office, irritation replacing his earlier good mood. He stared hard at Roslyn, who stood to the side. “I do not appreciate this intrusion,” he said crisply. “There was no call, no warning, nopermissionasked to come out to the island.”
Roslyn paled and her eyes widened.
“This is my private living area, and as such, you do not have free rein as you do in my business settings. Are we understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she said stiffly.
“Now, what was so important that it didn’t warrant a phone call?” he demanded.
“I’ve discovered that another design was stolen,” she said softly.
“What?” Curses spilled from his lips, and it took a moment for him to realize he was speaking in Greek, and Roslyn didn’t understand a word of it. He shook his head and put both hands down on his desk. “What design? Tell me everything.”
Roslyn’s expression hardened. “It’s an older one, a design you discarded. It was the original plan for the Rio de Janeiro hotel. But still, she must have sold it to Marcelli with the others, because his hotel going up in Rome bears a remarkable likeness. I saw the proofs myself just two days ago.”
Rage burned like acid in Chrysander’s veins. “Do my brothers know of this yet?”
Roslyn shook her head. “I thought you would want to tell them.”
He nodded and closed his eyes as he turned to look out the window to the beach. Every time he thought he had come to terms with Marley’s betrayal, the past came back to haunt him. As much as he wanted to forget, to move on, to put the past behind them, it always came back, insidious and unrelenting.
He struggled to remember how Marley could have gotten access to the hotel plans. He certainly hadn’t guarded himself at home. As careful as he was in the office and in all other aspects of his life, he’d been relaxed and free with her, never thinking to protect his interests from her.
How could he build a life with her when he could never trust her? Was he a fool for building a temporary relationship when it would all come tumbling down the minute she remembered? When she’d have to face the sins she’d committed and reap the consequences of her betrayal?
Through it all, he could only remember one thing. The way she’d looked the night he’d confronted her in their apartment. The absolute shock and horror on her face. Could anyone fake such a reaction that well?
For the first time, he took a long, hard look at the woman she’d been during their time together before her abduction and the woman she’d been since. There was no marked difference. The only inconsistency was her betrayal.
“Chrysander.” Roslyn spoke up in a soft voice.
His eyes narrowed at her use of his name. It was not something he ever tolerated from his employees, though he wasn’t sure why it bothered him coming from someone he had worked closely with for some time.
“You won’t allow her to do it again, will you?”
He turned around to face her. “No, it won’t happen again,” he said tightly, anger creeping up his spine. His anger wasn’t totally at Marley. For some reason, it rankled that Roslyn would think to warn him away from Marley.
Roslyn looked uncomfortable. “I just hope she doesn’t ruin things for you with this hotel deal. Not again. It’s too important.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your concern. I will handle Marley.”
She flinched at his tone. “I apologize. This company, this job, is very important to me. I’ve worked hard for you, sir. I worked hard on the Paris deal.”
Chrysander let go of some of his anger and blew out a sigh. She had worked hard, and he could see why she would harbor some anger toward Marley even if he wouldn’t tolerate it. Even if he didn’t feel she was justified in that anger. That thought struck him hard, because it meant on some level he didn’t believe Marley capable of her crime.
“I appreciate your concern, Roslyn. However, it is not your business. If that is all you wanted, then I’ll call for the helicopter to return you to the mainland.”
She looked as though she would protest, but then she nodded.
Thirty minutes later, Chrysander escorted her out to the helipad, and as soon as the helicopter lifted off, he turned and strode back into the house.
His anger and uncertainty evaporated when he entered the bedroom and found Marley sitting on the bed, wrapped only in a towel, her expression sad and distant.
He knelt in front of her and touched her cheek. “What is it,agape mou?Are you all right?”
