The Greek Rule (The Greek Series) Page 8

  Stunned, Athena didn’t know how to reply. She smiled and stared at the women placing gifts on the bed. Catching her breath, Athena saw, from the corner of her eye, Eleni coming toward her. She sighed in relief.

  “I’m so glad for my cousin. They will make each other very happy. I’ve arranged a car to take us to Asteri, the island’s newest dance club. John’s wife, Maria, will be joining us as well.” Eleni’s eyes twinkled as she turned and walked back toward the bed.

  ****

  The dance club was the trendiest on the island. The women followed the maître d’, and made their way between crammed squirming bodies on the dance floor. Four unescorted women entering the club turned many heads as they were shown to their table. Champagne on ice awaited them, together with a bowl of fresh strawberries.

  The islanders came to offer their good wishes as the night progressed. It was a fun and relaxed atmosphere with dancing, pleasant recollections with friends, and plans for the future.

  Athena was returning from the ladies’ room when she saw a man sitting at the table. The fine hairs on her body prickled a warning. There was something wrong, something she didn’t like about the guy. She just didn’t know what.

  Obviously, her friends had invited him to their table and seemed to be enjoying his company. He had the same handsome appearance as Alexandros. Dark wavy hair that rested above his collar, strong Greek facial features, and broad muscular shoulders were obvious traits, but that was where the similarities ended. When he raised his eyes, she looked into cold darkness.

  “These are the types of friends you should introduce me to,” he said to Eleni. An icy shiver ran down her spine as he stood to greet her. His eyes skimmed over her dress and nodded.

  “Athena, this is my brother, Giorgios,” Eleni said, unaware of the devious curl forming on the man’s lips.

  How could this be? Giorgios was supposed to be in Athens. He was supposed to be in rehab. Did the other women know what he had done?

  “Finally, we meet.” Smiling wickedly, he moved toward her like a slimy snake.

  Giorgios pulled out her chair and Athena lowered herself to the edge of the seat, her eyes searching the other faces for answers. Giorgios sat beside his sister and ordered more champagne. He charmed the other women, relating news from Athens and old family stories. Heather and Eleni laughed at his jokes, but Athena could not relax. The darkness his eyes belied his apparent sincerity. He may talk sweet, but he felt dangerous.

  Inching his chair closer to Athena, Giorgios placed his arm across her back and tried to engage her in conversation. Apparently, he didn’t realize how much she knew about him and continued as if he were a welcomed member of the party.

  Giorgios kept the champagne flowing with a heavy-hand, so she sipped her glass, but refused refills. Forty-five minutes passed before Athena could excuse herself again. She walked across the dance floor and out to the club’s balcony. She needed time to think.

  Her friend thought Giorgios was a beloved cousin, when in reality he had accused her future husband of theft. Athena should tell Heather who Giorgios really was. He had embezzled company funds, and had lied to save his own sleazy hide from Alexandros’s wrath. Why was the serpent here now? Did he want to infuriate his cousins further, or was this some type of payback?

  “Athena, is something wrong?” Heather joined her on the patio, obviously aware that all was not fine.

  “No, it’s nothing. I guess I’m a bit more tired than I initially thought. I just came out for some fresh air.”

  She could not put a damper on the evening. She would try to keep her friend away from Giorgios, minimizing contact until it was time to go home.

  Grabbing Heather’s hand, she guided her friend to the dance floor, hoping to put distance between them and Giorgios. Maria joined them for the next song, leaving brother and sister at the table.

  The club was very crowded, and the friends danced amongst the tourists for a good while. Traditional Greek music began, and the women joined the long circles winding around the whole dance floor. When they passed their table, Eleni joined them, but Giorgios went to sit with some friends at the bar.

  Returning to the table, Eleni raised her glass to the other women. “I want to make a toast. To Costa, the man who has brought us Heather, a friend we can grow old with!”

  “Gia mas!”

  The women clinked their glasses. Giorgio’s dark gaze stretched across the club, locking on Athena as she brought the glass to her lips. She finished her glass and saw him stand, shaking his friend’s hand. He walked towards the exit and she finally relaxed.

  Everything would be okay, she reasoned. Giorgios had left, and she would not ruin Heather’s party. Settling into her chair, she leaned comfortably on the table with her elbows.

  “No, no special man in my life right now. I better put on my sneakers to catch that bouquet for luck then,” Eleni said, pretending to lace her shoes and push up her sleeves. The women laughed and raised their glasses for a toast again.

  Athena’s fatigue rapidly increased and the loud music was starting to annoy her. Heather and the others went to dance, but Athena sat at the table feeling every bit of energy drain from her body. Ordering some mineral water, she hoped her head would feel better soon. The heat and noise of the club were making her dizzy. She’d wait for the water and then go out on the balcony for some more fresh air.

  ****

  Alexandros stormed into Asteri. He scanned the room finding three of the women on the dance floor. Athena was not there. Fear ripped through him.

  A few long strides and he saw her at the far side of the club at the champagne tables, Giorgios’s arm wrapped around her. Her head rested on his cousin’s shoulder, her eyes shut. Giorgios caressed the side of Athena’s exposed neck as his mouth lowered to the smooth skin above her chest.

  Alexandros did not think. He lurched forward, quickening his steps. Barely breathing, he closed the distance before his brother and the rest of the bachelor party even entered the room. His fingers wrapped around his cousin’s collar pulling him out of his seat.

  Maintaining a tight hold on Giorgio’s shirt, Alexandros nudged Athena back down onto the chair.

  Turning his attention back to his cousin, his eyes burned and he cursed in Greek.

  “Don’t touch what is mine,” Alexandros growled, bringing his fist to split Giorgio’s lip.

  Costa pulled him off before he could get another punch in. “Alexandros, don’t do this now. I’ll handle it.”

  “It’s already handled,” Alexandros spat as his fingers tightened around Athena’s arm and pulled her possessively against him. “Make sure he never walks on my side of the street again.”

  “He is not in rehab,” Costa stated. “The authorities are on their way to take him in.” He then gestured to Athena. “She doesn’t look good. Should we call a doctor?”

  Alexandros looked down and saw Athena’s eyes flutter closed again. He loosened his grip and she slouched. Damn, she couldn’t even stand.

  “Next time there will be no authorities, just the priest and the grave diggers!” Alexandros warned Giorgio. He glared at his bloodied cousin as he gathered her limp body into his arms and carried Athena out to the car.

  Keeping her on his lap as the driver closed the door, he cradled her against his body.

  “What happened?” she whispered, her hand coming to rest on his heaving chest.

  “Nothing, agape mou, nothing.” Alexandros ran his fingers through her hair. “Sleep. I have you now,” he said, kissing her head and pressing her closer to his heart.

  Athena felt like home to him. She was a perfect fit. She was his unwinding. When he was with her, when he touched her, he felt complete. How could he have left her exposed like that?

  He vowed that from that moment forward, he would not allow anything to hurt her again.

  Chapter Twelve

  Alexandros opened his eyes as the first morning rays of light danced into the bedroom. He pulled Athena a little bit c
loser. Her hair sprawled across his chest and her soft breath caressed his skin. She slept soundly, safe in his arms, making a small noise with each breath escaping her lips.

  He gently traced the outline of her neck as she dozed. His fingertips relished the journey on the smooth golden surface of her skin and ached to explore further. Painfully aware of her warmth settling against his abdomen, her leg cradling his thigh, and her female scent in his nostrils, all setting his loins aflame, he shifted away from her.

  If circumstances were different, he would be waking her at this moment, making real the images of heated lovemaking that tortured him as he watched her sleep.

  He pictured her opening her eyes as he entered her soft and sweet body. He would kiss the morning sleep from her mouth, taste those rising nipples that taunted him through the white undershirt he had dressed her in, and make her undeniably his. He wanted her to awaken just as he possessed her, for her eyes to fill with desire for him. Her pupils would grow wide, her breathing would be fierce, and her fingers would bury themselves in his back.

  Enough!

  This was absurd. She needed him as much as he did her. He would not fantasize about her any further. She must realize, as soon as possible, that her rule was not meant for him.

  He was the exception.

  Brushing his lips over hers, he removed her golden arm from his chest and slowly stepped out of bed.

  Alexandros turned on the shower and let the cold water soothe his skin. Hitting the wall with his fist, he let some explicit Greek words escape his lips.

  He should have anticipated last night. He should have remained in Athens until Giorgios was locked behind bars. Athena had paid the price for his lack of foresight, and he did not want to think about what could have happened if he had not found her when he did.

  When the water turned from cold to frigid, Alexandros decided to end the shower. Knotting a towel around his middle, he took out a bottle of water from the room’s fridge and went to sit beside Athena on the bed. He stroked her cheek until her eyes opened to his.

  “Kalimera, agape mou.”

  Pulling the sheet up around her, she moved away. He watched realization dawn in Athena’s eyes as she noticed that she was in his undershirt and that he was on her bed in a towel. Her eyes asked him what her mouth could not.

  “Don’t worry. You would remember if I had made love to you last night,” he assured her.

  “What happened? Why are you here?” she asked, sitting up and rubbing her forehead with stiff fingers.

  “He drugged you,” Alexandros said, fighting to maintain his control. Pushing the water into her hands, he motioned for her to drink as he explained. “Bastardos! I should have known he would come after you, I should’ve been with you.”

  “Please, Alexandros, I don’t understand. Tell me again what happened.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “Last night, Giorgios came into Asteri looking to take something from me. He wanted to find my Achilles heel and strike. He knew of you because I’d stupidly told him about you when I’d returned form Naples. Being a fool, I confided in him. That was before I knew what he was doing. Giorgios knew how I feel about you and figured he would get to me through you.”

  Athena nodded, indicating that he should continue.

  “Eleni told him about the bachelorette party she planned, and luckily, she told me too. I asked my friend Takis, the club’s manager, to watch out for you. Thank God I did that at least.”

  “But how did I— did we, get here?”

  “Thee mou! Do you not see?” Smacking his thighs, he stood, shook his head, and paced around the bed. “Takis thought he saw Giorgio drop something in one of the drinks, your drink. He realized that after you returned from dancing, before Giorgio went to sit by the bar, you never got up from your seat. He called me.”

  “Heather?”

  “Eleni and Heather had no clue what he did to you, so when you said you wanted to rest, the others went ahead to the dance floor. I found you in his arms.”

  “Thee mou!” she cried. Scalding tears rolled down her cheeks. The site of them burned a hole in his heart.

  “No, not tears, I cannot see you cry.” Alexandros sat beside her and wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. “Takis was watching. He was ready to intervene if I did not make it in time, or if Giorgio tried to remove you from the club. Thee mou, I did make it.”

  “With some questions, we found out what Giorgio had purchased from an unsavory character earlier last night.” He took her tight fist into his hand and held it close. “The doctor said it would not be harmful to you and that you could just sleep it off. It simply made you unaware of what was happening, and you could not think for yourself. Doctor Petrakis assured me there are no lasting effects.”

  “Where are my clothes?”

  “I brought you home, helped you change, and you slept. Thankfully, safe at home.”

  “Just slept?” she asked, her voice trembling.

  “Just slept,” he assured her. “Drink some more water. It will help your head.”

  She gathered her knees to her chest, rocking her body as she drank. The pillow beside her had been used, and both sides of the bed were rumpled. She had shared his bed and did not even remember it. Her gaze darted around the room and found their clothes spread on the window seat.

  “Are you hurt?” Athena couldn’t see anything, but the clothes were soiled.

  “No. Why?”

  She pointed to his shirt. “There is blood on your sleeve.”

  “That is his blood. Not mine, his. Bastardos!”

  She continued to rock on the bed as he paced the room.

  “I’m sorry, agape mou. I should have protected you better. I should have anticipated last night. It is my fault he had the opportunity to do this horrible thing to you. Athena, please forgive me.”

  Athena watched his shoulders come closer together as he sat on the chair and massaged his temples. She felt his regret, his misplaced sense of failure. Last night she’d recognized that Giorgio was up to no good, but she had refused to do anything about it. It wasn’t Alexandros’ fault, how could he have known?

  She got out of bed, walked to him and tilted his face up to hers. “I needed you, and you came.”

  Wrapping his arms around her knees, Alexandros pulled her toward him. He kissed her stomach and then stood to take her face in his palms.

  “I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Thank God you are okay.”

  “It’s my fault.” She looked up into his hurt eyes. “When I saw Giorgios, I knew that he wasn’t right. I was aware of what happened between you, but I don’t think the other women were. My instinct told me to leave the club, but I didn’t want to ruin the night. I didn’t want to put a damper on the party. I made the wrong choice. I should’ve listened to my gut.”

  “It is definitely not your fault. Don’t ever say that. But, I promise not to leave you accessible to anything like that again. I promise to listen to my instinct, and I will be with you. Do not worry about Giorgios anymore. He has been dealt with. He is in custody. I won’t let him near you again.”

  Feeling her knees wobble, she sat in the chair. Alexandros tried to make her comfortable, but she wanted time alone. He told her to go back to bed, take the aspirin he had left on the nightstand, and rest. He went to get something for breakfast.

  Athena could not stay in bed. She got up, determined to put last night behind her and make the most of the day. Putting his shirt in the sink to soak, she made the bed and opened all the shutters to air out the room.

  Something deep inside was different. She shrugged, deciding not to analyze any further.

  ****

  Upon Alexandros’s return, she was showered, dressed, and sitting on the veranda by the little blue table.

  He laid the tray down and looked at her with worried eyes. “Do you feel better now?”

  “I do, and I’ll be good as new after I have some coffee and a newspaper.”

  They
ate in silence, reading the papers. She was so grateful for his comforting company and allowed herself to relax.

  He folded the NEA and appeared to be examining her with a long, detailed sweep of his gaze over her body. “Do you really feel all right?”

  “I really do.” She flashed him what she hoped was an assuring smile.

  “How can you answer with the easy smile of someone who has spent the last week relaxing on the beach? There is no trace of the night’s happenings on your gorgeous face.” He grinned approvingly and kissed the back of her hand. “I’m awed with your resilience.”

  “Stop it.” She shifted her balance. “It’s not that—”

  “Athena, you’re a very strong person, and I admire you more with every moment we spend together.”

  “Sure. So amazing that I put myself in danger last night.”

  “Don’t talk like that. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Forget it.” She waived her hand in the air. “I don’t want to discuss it any more. Let’s do something special today. Okay?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Anything.” She shrugged and tucked her fingers under her thighs. “What did you have planned?”

  “I wanted to pickup a wedding gift for Heather. The store is in Athens, so I was thinking of combining the shopping trip with a visit to one of our ships. Do you feel up for a helicopter ride today, or would you rather I have the present brought here?”

  “Do you know what you want to get?”

  “Not specifically, but I know where I want to buy it and approximately what I want. They could send a few pieces, and I will choose. The other option is that we go together and make a day of it. We could spend the afternoon shopping and watch Athens light up after the sun goes down. I would really enjoy spending time together, if you feel up to it.”

  “I absolutely adore Athens at night.” Athena’s spirits lifted as she anticipated the trip. “My favorite thing to do is to sit at Lycavitos Mount and look down at the city when it is dark. I just don’t want Heather to think I abandoned her.”