Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
W illow
Fear.
I should be grateful to be back at the estate in Athens, protected by dozens of burly looking soldiers, but I was calculating how to approach my brother when Dimitrios allowed me to make a call. I knew my tone and whatever I said needed to sound convincing.
I’d occupied my crazy mind, able to dispel the worry by writing a couple of poems. I’d been shocked I’d managed to unlock my creative side, worried that everything I put down on paper would come out in a jumbled mess.
Somehow, I’d managed to speak from my heart through my fingers and imagination. Doing so felt good.
The activity felt normal.
Even if nothing in my little life really was.
Seeing my uncle fighting with Dimitrios had sparked something deep within. I wasn’t entirely certain what emotion it was, but I felt it all the way to my core, like a sharp blade stabbing my intestines. Hearing that he cared about me continued the wave of confusion. I wished the man would make up his mind.
He’d been so sweet at the hospital, worrying over me like a mother would her child. But he’d been so quiet, distraught in a way I’d never seen him.
The entire situation kept me on pins and needles. What I’d spouted off left nothing to the imagination. My uncle not only knew I cared about Dimitrios, he’d also gathered I’d slept with him. Why should I be embarrassed? It was my life and my body.
Groaning, I turned in a circle. I was exhausted and hungry, frustrated and feeling just about every emotion possible. The next few days wouldn’t just be difficult. They’d be heartbreaking. I wasn’t certain if I was a good enough actress to pull off what we’d cooked up. A ruse. The need was almost devastating.
Eleni had delivered several packages to my room, clothing to replace those lost during the recent adventure. I didn’t know what else to call what we’d been through. My side ached, the ugly bruise already starting to turn yellow. Yes, I knew I was lucky to be alive. I also understood that being with Dimitrios meant the possibility of extreme danger.
That didn’t make it any easier to conform to his rules or even to be able to comprehend the danger enough to shake off the fear. Dimitrios knew how to deal with that kind of life. Not me. I preferred quiet times spent with a book on the couch to wild partying. And what the hell was wrong with my uncle? Did he really think I was still a little girl?
I guessed so.
The bags remained on the floor by the dresser. I’d seen the excitement on Eleni’s face and had indulged her with pulling out a few items from the colorful bags. She was still intent on feasting on whatever fantasy she had about Dimitrios and me.
If only our romance was everything she imagined.
As I sat down on the bed, the pad and pen I’d used for creating the beautiful poems slid toward me. I snatched the pad into my hand, reading the heartfelt words I’d written. I’d scribbled down two poems, both of which were sappy as hell. Did they honestly reflect the way I felt?
Yes, I wanted the fantasy. All of it. The romance. The flowers. The sunsets walking hand in hand on the beach. I even wanted the special guy to bend down on one knee while asking me to marry him because I was the love of his life.
I tossed the pad, disgusted with myself. Even if I found my personal Romeo, my bet was the relationship wouldn’t last.
None of them did these days, my parents aside of course. Their marriage had been a fairytale. But hell, their lives had been cut short by greed and power.
“Ugh.”
Everything seemed to repulse me at this point. Yes, I knew I was distraught and had every right to be. How many people could say they’d lived through a plane crash and a shark attack in one day and survived? I bet the odds weren’t good.
It felt like I was mourning a relationship that was a done deal, signed and delivered in blood. I’d had bad luck with guys my entire life. The two blind dates my best friend had hooked me up with had shown potential. But one guy ghosted me after our first date, even going to the lengths of changing his phone number.
The other had ‘forgotten’ to tell me he was married. He’d been shocked more than I’d been when his wife had shown up on our third date. I wasn’t going to even think about the two guys I’d ended up sleeping with. That’s all I’d really call the encounters since one had fallen asleep immediately after unloading on my stomach. The other had thrust his cock inside and that was it.
No kisses.
No romance.
No pillow talk.
And definitely no talk of another encounter. I’d squashed that.
I had to face facts. Dimitrios was everything I wanted, but nothing that would last for the long term. Oh, well. Pity me.
The thoughts racing through my head were ridiculous, but better than constantly being anxious.
Or terrified.
I suddenly couldn’t stay in the stuffy room any longer. Maybe fresh air would cure me. If that was possible. I grabbed my tennis shoes, shoving my feet into them, not bothering to tie the laces. If I tripped going down the stairs, so what?
I’d learned several things about the house, including discovering the back stairs leading to an entertainment mecca. There were two kitchens, not just one, a butler’s pantry, and a huge mudroom, although I doubted that they called the location where the two washers and dryers were positioned that in Greece.
There was also a side door leading to an herb garden and the world beyond. I made my way down the stairs, the noise coming from the preparation area indicating the chef’s staff was preparing for tomorrow’s funeral. Dimitrios had explained there was always a celebration of life after the sadder events and that included lots of food.
My mouth watered from the scent of fresh baked bread and sugar cookies. Hunger got the better of me and I peeked inside the kitchen, noticing a tray of cookies fresh from the oven. No one was paying attention as I snuck in, grabbing just one. It was still steaming, the aroma tickling my nostrils.
How many times had I done this when I’d visited as a kid? There’d always been fresh baked goods in the house. The only difference was that Mrs. Nomikos had insisted on making everything herself. As I headed for the door, I caught a glimpse of her in the corner. My smile was natural. She’d always made me happy, fawning over both Shane and me like we were part of her family. While she’d aged significantly, she still exuded vibrance. This time, she was directing the chef, her hands as animated as her face.
I slipped past the room before I was noticed, trying to remain quiet as I opened the door.
The scents of the various herbs were almost overpowering. The garden itself was as beautiful as everything inside and out. Stooping down, I picked a stem of basil, inhaling before placing the greenery in my mouth.
Just like I’d done as a child.
The taste had always enthralled me. Plus, the simple act brought back fond memories. I needed those desperately right now. It was a connection to a time of life where everything had seemed perfect. At least to a young girl. Would it ever be perfect again?
I headed out the side gate, still munching on a combination of the basil and the warm cookie. A hint of sadness lingered just under the surface. I knew I had to be careful, but the warm fresh air was inviting. Time outside was better than the doctor’s orders. If only I could take a walk in my bare feet on the beach.
Maybe there was a secret way of getting there I hadn’t found when I’d attempted to make my great escape. I almost choked on the last of the cookie. I wasn’t certain I’d make a good criminal. I didn’t have the killer instincts.
My mind was obviously under pressure. I couldn’t believe I’d just thought that.
I headed to the right of the flower garden, occasionally glancing over my shoulder. The foliage was thicker, trees planted close together. They were mostly tropical varieties, some with prickly thorns. I made my way through the sea of green, orange, and yellow, noticing something that looked awfully close to a pathway that now sported ground cover across a good portion.
Taking careful steps, I followed it. About a hundred steps in, the foliage appeared less dense. Finally, I moved into a clearing. The same stone wall appeared on both sides as far as I could see, but I noticed something darker just up to my right. I headed toward the area, amazed how green the grass was. It was also well maintained, the pristine cuts done by a talented landscaper.
I was only a few feet away before I realized what I was looking at.
A gate.
An ornate iron gate. With a huge padlock on it. People had once been allowed to venture outside the gated estate. I walked toward it, peering through the bars. They’d been designed so that climbing over the structure would be next to impossible. While I felt even more like a canary in a gilded cage, I was able to see the ocean over the cliffs. The scent was the same as in Corfu and it just seemed so sad that no one used this any longer.
There had to be a reason. Perhaps thugs had climbed over the top at some point. I could definitely see that happening.
Being here stirred so many memories. So many.
I instantly froze when I sensed a presence behind me, but I didn’t need to be scared. His intoxicating aftershave gave him away. A huge part of me wanted to remain angry with him, but I’d overheard enough to realize Dimitrios did care about me. Maybe at the end of all this I was just his best friend’s little niece, but it felt like so much more. Was I reading too much into my feelings and his?
“Don’t you know that stealing cookies is a crime?” he asked.
His question caught me off guard. “I didn’t steal any cookies.”
“Turn around and tell me that.”
I pursed my lips, trying to keep from laughing as I obeyed him. There was an impish grin on his face, his deep blue eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun.
He narrowed those sexy eyes as he walked closer, lifting his hand and curling every finger closed slowly but his index. Very gently he brushed the rough pad across the corner of my mouth. I could easily see the cookie crumb gathered with his tip.
“Uh-huh. You need to learn the art of lying, little dove. You suck at it.”
For all his ruthless ways, his dominating side, the joke he made caught me at the right moment. I burst into laughter and rolled my tongue all the way around my lips.
“At least now I can start calling you a cookie monster.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
His grin sent a ray of sunshine as well as burning desire straight through me. “You want to make a bet on that? You know I never lose.”
“No, it seems like you don’t.” I noticed he was hiding something with his other hand. “Whatcha got behind your back?”
“Who, me?” He swept the cookie crumb finger into his mouth, making exaggerated sucking noises to tease me. Where had this man come from when an hour before he’d wanted to beat the crap out of my uncle? Well, maybe it had been a little bit the other way around, but as Dimitrios had just said, he never lost.
“Yeah, you. If you think I’m a bad liar, you’re terrible at it.” Actually, my guess was he was damn good at keeping a poker face while telling his enemies what they needed to hear.
Right before he slit their throats.
“A surprise, but you need to come get it. Carefully.” His finger was suddenly pointed toward me again. “I don’t need to cart you back to the hospital.” He backed away, taking careful steps.
Of course I was the kind of woman who never resisted a challenge. When dared to take a risk as a kid, I’d done so, much to the chagrin of my mother. She’d always said if someone asked me to jump off a bridge for big dollars, I’d do so.
I danced from right to left as he switched whatever he was holding from hand to hand. Laughing felt both good and terrible. My side was still tender, laughter reminding me all over again what we’d been through. It seemed like a lifetime ago. When he finally held it over his head, I couldn’t resist and punched him in the stomach.
“Ouch. What was that for?”
“For being so incredibly mean.”
He had the sexiest grin of any man I’d ever met. When he lowered the baggie full of sugar cookies, I snatched it from his hand. “For me?”
“My sweet mother noticed you were in the kitchen. She witnessed your crime. You should know better than to try and get away with something so egregious around her.”
I couldn’t help myself, opening the baggie and pulling out a cookie. They were still warm, the aroma even stronger.
“When I went to your room and you weren’t there, I was disturbed.”
“So you had to find me.” Uh-oh. Had he read the poems? If he had, he’d know exactly how I felt about him. Right now, all I felt was confusion.
He eyed me as if he wanted to devour both me and the cookie.
“Do you want one?”
“What I want I can’t have. Yet.”
I grinned and bit in the sugary masterpiece, purposely making yummy noises. He couldn’t seem to help himself, advancing in two steps. When he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, I didn’t fight him from bringing the sweet treat to his mouth. Even the way he munched on food was sexy as hell.
Dimitrios took his time chewing, licking his lips afterwards. But he wasn’t finished yet, bending his head and capturing my mouth.
I leaned into him, ignoring the tenderness in my side. Why was it that this kiss felt so much like a goodbye? He swept his tongue inside, his moves gentler than I was used to. When he backed away, he offered a mischievous grin. “You really should get some rest. With the funeral being tomorrow, I have a feeling it’s going to be a trying day.”
“What about the engagement announcement?”
His sigh was heavier than I was used to as well. The incident with my uncle had taken a toll. “Tomorrow as well at the party afterwards. My mother gave her blessing. She said if we were celebrating life, Leandro would want to be included.”
“Sounds… tragic.”
“Romantic. I thought you enjoyed romance. Beach walks. Flowers. Dinners.”
“You read my poetry.”
The corners of his mouth slowly turned up in a grin. “You can’t blame a guy for longing to know what his girl thinks about him.”
His girl.
It wasn’t quite a possessive, but I still sensed he wasn’t capable of letting me go.
At least for now.
“Come on. Let’s head back.”
“Before we go,” I said, stopping him. “Why the padlock on the gate? Is it so that your enemies don’t get through, attacking in the middle of the night?”
He glanced toward the break in the stone wall. “There used to be stairs. We took those out as well.”
“An attack?”
“A long time ago. Two men were lost in the fray, my mother and father threatened at gunpoint. To this day she still has nightmares. All four brothers got together, ripping the stairs apart with our hands.”
“I’m so sorry.”
His smile was waning. “It’s to be expected.”
“A sad state of living.”
“Not if you know how to handle each situation.”
Which he truly believed he did. While I’d experienced his grief and anger, two sides of the same coin, his determination had ruled. The man truly believed he could fight all odds no matter the danger.
Or the consequences.
“I hope to be your friend, Dimitrios. Maybe that’s too much to ask, but I think we could both use one.”
He rubbed his knuckles across my face. “I tell you what. We have a house full of people. How about I grab a bottle of wine, we enjoy a nice drive then take a walk on a secluded beach?”
“Sure. Why?” I sensed his suggestion wasn’t about romance.
“First of all. Because I’m the boss.”
Every word dripped of sensual innuendos, but also of a harsh reality that had consumed his life and was about to do the same with mine.
He moved beside me, shoving one hand into his pocket. “Also, because there are some things I need to tell you about my life.”