Securing the Greek's Legacy by Julia James

course. ‘Then I will put in an application to adopt Georgy myself, as his closest, most suitable relative on his father’s side.’
    He had said it. And it had on her the impact he’d known it must. She paled again, her skin taut and white over her cheekbones.
    He pressed on relentlessly. ‘Do you really want to take the risk that my claim to Georgy may supersede yours, despite my only being his second cousin, not his mother’s sister, as you are?’
    She seemed to shrink away from him, and the flash of fear in her eyes was the strongest yet. He could see her face working, her hands clenching and unclenching in her lap.
    He covered them again with his own. Set his gaze on her. ‘It doesn’t have to be like that—truly it does not. I do not want confrontation or conflict. I want you to trust me—trust me that what I am suggesting, that we solve this situation by agreeing to marry, is the best way forward.’
    She was still shrinking away from him, her expression still fearful.
    ‘I need you to trust me,’ he said again.
    She could feel his gaze pouring into her, willing her to accept what he was saying. But how could she? How could she possibly accept it?
    He’ll try and adopt Georgy himself! He’ll use the pots of money he’s got—that Georgy’s great-grandfather’s got—and throw it at lawyers and judges and just go on and on and on...
    And it was not just his money that would give him the power to take Georgy from her...
    Fear coursed through her again—so familiar—so terrifying.
    She gave a little cry, jumping to her feet, pulling free of the clasp that was so warm and strong on her hand.
    ‘I don’t want this! I don’t want any of this! I just want to go back to the way it was!’
    He got to his feet too. A sigh escaped him. He understood her reaction.
    ‘I, too, wish we could go back,’ he said quietly, but now the quietness was different. It was threaded with sombre emotion. ‘I wish I could go back to before Timon was diagnosed with terminal cancer, to before he gave that lethal car to Marcos, to before Marcos smashed himself to pieces in it. But I can’t go back. And neither can you. All we can do...’ his eyes sought to convey the ineluctable truth ‘...is go forward as best we can.’
    His eyes went to Georgy. Softened. Then back to Lyn, standing there trembling in every line of her body.
    ‘And the best that we want is for Georgy.’
    Right on cue Marcos’s baby son seemed to hear himself addressed and turned his head enquiringly. Anatole went over and hunkered down to pay him attention. Lyn stood, looking down at them both. Emotion was churning in her over and over, like a washing machine inside her.
    Anatole glanced up at her. He could see how overwrought she was. It was time to lighten the atmosphere.
    ‘Come,’ he said, holding out a hand towards her. ‘We have had enough heavy stuff for the moment. Let’s take a break from it. Tell me,’ he asked, glancing towards the swings and slides, ‘can Georgy go on any of those yet?’
    She nodded, swallowing. ‘He likes the slide, but you have to hold him—don’t let him go!’ she said.
    ‘Great,’ said Anatole.
    He unfastened the safety belt of the buggy and drew Georgy out. Georgy gave a crow of excitement. Lyn stood watching them interact—Anatole talking to him in what she realised must be Greek. A little pang went through her. Georgy was as much Greek as he was English. Could she truly deny him all that his father’s family could offer him?
    He will be the heir to a fortune.
    She might not care, but wouldn’t Georgy want that inheritance when he grew up? Wouldn’t he want to be part of his Greek heritage as well?
    Yet what Anatole Telonidis had just proposed was absurd—no one could say otherwise, no one at all!
    A chill crept through her. Except if she did not agree to that absurdity then he had made it very clear—ruthlessly clear—that he would seek to adopt Georgy himself.
    Fear knifed her. I can’t lose