The Tycoon's Rebel Bride (The Anetakis Tycoons #2)(28)

He needed someone like her.

Alannis wouldn’t challenge him. There was no spark of chemistry between them. Alannis may as well be his daughter for all the attraction that existed.

Maybe Theron wanted a comfortable, dull marriage.

She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t believe that, because if she did, then she’d have to give up, and she wasn’t ready to do that yet.

Reaching for the phone again, she dialed the number that Marcus had given her the night before.

“Marcus, hi, it’s Isabella,” she said when he answered.

“Isabella, how are you?” he greeted.

She sighed. “Word is the proposal is still on.”

“Sorry to hear that. I was certain he was ready to beat me into a pulp after our little act last night.”

“He frustrates me,” she said glumly. “I can’t figure the man out. He’s so controlled in all things except when he’s alone with me.”

Marcus laughed. “I can’t say I blame the man. I have a feeling you’d try the patience of a saint and the vows of a priest.”

“I don’t suppose you could get tickets to the opera tonight? I hate to ask, but I’m desperate. He and Alannis are going to the opera and then to an after-party at the hotel where he plans to pop the question.”

“I’m sure I could arrange it, but how do you plan to stop him from proposing?”

Isabella sucked in a deep breath. “I’m not sure,” she said softly. “But I’ll think of something.”

“I don’t suppose now would be a good time to admit that I hate the opera,” Marcus said with a laugh.

She smiled faintly. “I’m not much of a fan myself, but apparently, it’s Alannis’s favorite performance.”

“Then might I suggest an alternative?”

Her brow puckered, and she sat up in bed, the covers gathering at her waist. “What did you have in mind?”

“How about a date? You inform that security team of yours of your plans for the evening, that you’ll be out with me. I have no doubt that they report to Theron regularly.” Amusement threaded through Marcus’s voice. “It’ll drive him crazy that he’s stuck at the opera with Alannis, and he’ll have no idea what we’re up to, whereas if we’re both at the opera, he’ll be able to see us.”

“But what about the party and his plans to propose?”

“I’ll have you to the party before Theron arrives. Maybe by then you’ll have come up with a plan.”

“I don’t know,” she said slowly.

“Come on,” he cajoled. “We’ll have a nice dinner. It’ll drive Theron crazy. Then you show up at the party. He’ll be putty in your hands.”

“All right,” she conceded.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at seven then. I’ll call right before I arrive so you can come down.”

They rang off, and Isabella swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Once again, she was in need of the perfect dress. Something gorgeous. She wasn’t sure they sold dresses for the occasion of preventing a marriage proposal.

She had a sudden, alarming thought. Did this make her the other woman? Was she a femme fatale breaking up a relationship? The thought was an uncomfortable one, and it didn’t give her a good feeling. But on the other hand, she knew that she and Theron were right for each other. Even if he didn’t know it yet.

Besides, nothing was settled yet. Alannis wasn’t wearing a ring, and no commitment had been made. Until that happened, all was fair in love and war.

She almost groaned at the cheesy cliché. Clearly she needed to come up with something more worthy.

Pushing herself up, she headed for the shower. She only had until tonight to figure out how she was going to prevent Theron from making a huge mistake. And to prevent her own heartbreak.

Theron picked up the phone as Madeline called back to say that Reynolds was on the phone to give his daily report. He listened as Isabella’s head of security listed the morning’s activities which consisted of shopping and lunch alone at the hotel.

His hand tightened around the receiver when Reynolds got to her plans for the evening. An outing with Marcus Atwater.

He swore in Greek and then quickly recovered. What was she thinking? Surely she couldn’t be attracted to a man such as Marcus. He was smooth, too smooth, and he’d been all over her at the party.

Not to mention he had a different woman on his arm every week.

“You are to keep a close watch on her,” Theron ordered. “I don’t trust this man she’s going out with. Under no circumstances are they to be left alone.”

“Yes, sir,” Reynolds replied.

Theron hung up the phone, his lips compressed into a tight line. Was she just trying to drive him insane? She had to know he wouldn’t approve of her spending time with Marcus after what had happened the previous night.

And maybe she could care less what he approved of. She hadn’t exactly paid him any heed in any other area.

He leaned back in his chair and opened his desk drawer, reaching for the small black box that nestled in the corner. His fingers touched it, and then he picked it up and opened it.

The diamond ring sparkled in the light as he studied it. Tonight he’d put it on Alannis’s finger. So why wasn’t he more enthused? Why wasn’t he looking forward to his future?