The Greek’s Hidden Vows by Maya Blake

CHAPTER FIVE

ALEXISKNEWTHIStrip was different the moment they landed on Drakonisos and spotted the small convoy of vehicles through the window of the plane. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of the old man leaning against the first SUV.

With shocking white hair and steely grey eyes, Costas Drakakis stood tall and proud despite the walking stick propped next to his right hip. His olive skin gleamed vibrant under the Greek sun. From where she sat, Alexis could detect no signs of illness or weakness. Certainly nothing that would cause his grandson to commit to spending weeks on end on this island, as idyllic as it was. ‘I thought you said your grandfather was ill?’

It took a moment for Christos to respond, his eyes narrowing at the faintly accusatory note in her voice. ‘One of the first lessons my grandfather taught me as a boy was never to take anything or anyone at face value. He didn’t exempt himself from that assessment and I suggest you don’t either.’

She bit her lip, her gaze swinging back to the unexpected welcome party as the plane finally stopped.

The moment the doors were unlocked and the steps lowered Christos rose, his hand extended to her. ‘Come, Alexis.’

‘If I said I wasn’t ready, would it make any difference?’

The corner of his mouth tilted, but there was very little mirth in his face. ‘The only reason he’d accept our tardiness is if we emerged looking like we’d just had wild sex. Is that the impression you wish to give?’

Heat stung her cheeks and she knew her face was furnace red. ‘Of course not.’

His eyes darkened and those sinful lips twisted. ‘Shame. I find myself in a mood to oblige.’

He was toying with her. Because that layer of tension that’d been evident in his demeanour when he’d spotted his grandfather was still there, perhaps even growing with every moment they delayed.

With very little choice but to remain on this wild roller coaster, Alexis placed her hand in his. And immediately tensed as his fingers closed firmly over hers, giving her no room to escape the electric sizzle that raced up her arm. Caught in a sensual storm, she was all but boneless when he tugged her upright, going willingly into his personal space when he nudged her closer. Then instead of walking her out as she’d expected, he simply stood there, staring down at her.

‘Perhaps I should kiss you, ensure that dreamy look remains in your eyes,’ he mused, his voice a rough rumble that said he was caught in whatever this maelstrom was too.

‘There’s no look...you’re imagining things.’ Her attempt to tug herself out of his hold backfired when he released her, only to slip his hands around her waist, imprisoning her against his lean, muscular body. The heat unravelling through her body intensified.

‘Am I, yineka mou?’

She gave a soft gasp, a reminder of what those two words meant sliding through her hazy brain.

My wife.

He had every right to call her that now they’d returned once more to the location of their agreement.

Alexis swallowed, wondering why the word affected her more now than it ever had before. Love, marriage or emotional entanglements of any kind weren’t on the cards for her. So why let herself imagine what it would be like if this were real? If it weren’t all make-believe?

Strong, demanding fingers slid into her hair, clenching the heavy mass ever so slightly. The barest hint of his power made her hyperaware of the animal ferocity of the man holding her. Of the renewed hunger she’d experienced that night on his sofa roaring to life inside her. The expertise with which he’d delivered pleasure. How much she wanted an authentic repeat performance.

He tugged her head back, exposing her neck as his gaze dropped to her mouth. Spikes of hunger lanced her and she licked her lips.

‘You want it too, don’t you?’ he asked, his voice a low, sexy rasp.

‘Christos...’

‘All you need to do is ask for it,’ he encouraged throatily.

Against her belly, she felt the pressure of his shaft, the sexuality bridled beneath his suit, and the tiniest moan escaped her. Yes, she wanted this. She was human after all. A woman with needs. Needs she’d denied for years.

But with Christos Drakakis? When every single clue pointed to this being a disaster?

‘Don’t overthink it, Alexis.’

The hand she’d braced on his chest unfurled. Searching. Exploring. The quickening tempo of his heartbeat against her fingers made her yearn for skin-to-skin contact. For the pleasure of hearing him just as shaken as she was by their chemistry.

Even if it was pure folly? No. Because Christos wasn’t Adrian. He wasn’t leading her on with clever and manipulative words. He wasn’t leading her on at all. If anything, he’d thrown the ball firmly in her court. And all she wanted, in this moment, was a kiss. Nothing more.

Liar.

His fingers tightened, drawing her attention back to him. To the fevered gaze fixed on her lips. To his lowering head, the brush of his breath on her skin. ‘I want to taste you again, glykia mou. I want to hear that little throaty sound you make when you’re turned on.’

Every atom in her body leapt in giddy excitement, pulling her up onto her tiptoes. Her hand had crept around his neck almost of its own accord and the luxuriant springiness of his hair teased her fingers.

Her gaze swept up, compelled by his. Met and held. Her lips parted, her yes one single breath away—

‘If you weren’t ready to disembark, perhaps you should’ve instructed your pilot to circle the airspace a little while longer.’

The heavily accented rasp of the voice that evoked an image of reckless years spent smoking expensive cigars and drinking ouzo made them spring apart. Or certainly made her attempt to. Christos’s steel-strong arm around her waist and the fingers spiked into her hair prevented her escape.

She turned, a flush creeping up her neck when she saw Costas Drakakis standing ten feet away, walking stick in hand and his eyes fixed firmly on them.

While Alexis burned with embarrassment for being caught in a melodramatic clinch, nothing in Christos’s face betrayed discomfort at being discovered in a compromising position with his executive assistant.

No, not his assistant.

His wife.

Here, now, in this moment, she wasn’t just his trusted employee. She was his wife. As the heavy weight of the priceless diamond and platinum rings on her finger signified.

A wave of icy realisation doused the flames of her arousal as Christos dropped his hand from her hair, his other sliding down her arm to capture her wrist after briefly lingering on the wedding ring.

‘Pappous. We were on our way out. You didn’t have to come up.’

The old man snorted. ‘It didn’t seem that way just now. It was that or burn to a crisp out there waiting for you two.’

Alexis cleared her throat and pasted a smile on her face, even as the cold thought continued to bloom inside her. ‘Costas, it’s lovely to see you again.’

Eyes so much like his grandson’s it was eerie flicked to her. ‘Is it? You could have fooled me by keeping me waiting.’

‘Behave, Pappous,’ Christos chided, his voice wrapped in an undeniable layer of warmth that made her curious about their relationship.

Unlike other families, they didn’t move to hug and exchange exuberant greetings, but a look arced between them for several seconds, as if they spoke their own silent language.

Seconds later, the moment was over. Behind Costas, a tall man dressed in discreet medical scrubs appeared, his eyes on the older man.

Sensing his presence, Costas snorted again. ‘As you can see, my guard dog is at the ready. Be kind and let’s get off this tin can, ne?’

‘Of course. After you,’ Christos invited.

They exited the plane with her hand clasped firmly in his. And while she breathed a sigh of relief when Costas boarded the front vehicle and she and Christos the second, with their luggage loaded onto the third, her nerves were still all over the place as they drove away.

For the first few minutes, she stared out of the window, basking in the stunning vista of Drakonisos under the dappled light of the afternoon sun. As Greek islands went, it was one of the largest privately owned ones. It was named for its dragon-like shape as well as the craggy cliffs that lined the north of the island. Its beautiful underbelly consisted of two jaw-dropping beaches, one on the doorstep of the sprawling villa, and the other in a secluded cove half a mile away. And despite having visited twice, she knew there was far more to explore on the island. But that was a delight for later.

Nerves still jangling and knowing she couldn’t keep the question firing in her brain to herself, she turned to Christos and murmured so the driver couldn’t hear, ‘Did you know he was boarding the plane?’

He shrugged with a carelessness that set her teeth on edge. ‘I suspected he might. My grandfather isn’t known for his patience.’

‘And you didn’t warn me?’

One eyebrow quirked up. ‘So you would do what? Maintain a healthy six feet of space between us? Wasn’t it better that he caught us like that? Your blushing certainly added the perfect touch.’

‘I’m glad all this amuses you.’

‘And I’m glad to see you’re aren’t blowing anything out of proportion. At all,’ he said dryly.

Irritation sparked through her, thankfully blanketing some of the arousal still dancing beneath her skin.

‘Are you hanging on to your annoyance in place of something else?’ he enquired, after another scrutiny of her face.

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

He gave a lopsided smile, then inclined his head. ‘Take that road if you must. But for the record, I wasn’t pleased that we were interrupted.’

‘Because it would’ve played further into your hands, of course.’

His smile disappeared. ‘What?’ he bit out.

‘It was all staged for his benefit, wasn’t it?’

A harsh gleam flickered in his eyes. ‘What a cynic you are.’

‘I don’t hear you denying it.’

‘Whether it was or not doesn’t matter. You’re not forgetting your role, are you?’ he asked quietly.

Alexis shot a glance at their driver before flicking her gaze his way. She couldn’t quite settle on his face because she was a little terrified she would give herself away. ‘Of course not.’

If anything, his features hardened, as if her flippant answer didn’t please him. ‘Then what’s the problem, exactly, glykia mou?’

That endearment burrowed inside, seeking a vulnerable place she couldn’t allow it to go. ‘I don’t like being blindsided.’

‘Life isn’t set out in perfect little boxes you can tick off at your leisure, Alexis. You need to be prepared for the odd curveball.’

She stiffened. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘There’s a reason you left your last firm, isn’t there? Things didn’t quite go according to plan?’

Her lungs flattened, her heart striking up a terrible hammering that attacked her ribcage. ‘You know about that?’

He inclined his head with the slightest nod. ‘Ne,’ he responded in his mother tongue, perhaps because they were in his homeland.

‘Why haven’t you asked me before?’

‘Perhaps because I was attempting to be discreet. But now it’s out in the open—’

‘It’s still not up for discussion,’ she responded hurriedly, feeling blindsided.

‘You’re not the only one who doesn’t like surprises. But I didn’t go digging, if that’s what you’re worried about. I find gossip distasteful. I would much prefer to hear about the whole thing from you.’

A small part of her yearned to discover what he knew and how he’d found out, while the rest shied away from knowing. ‘It’s nothing that affects our working relationship.’

‘What about our private one? And before you say we don’t have one, think again.’

She looked out of the window to buy herself some time. The last thing she wanted was to admit to the degrading humiliation of her one failed relationship. To the utterly blind error of judgement she’d made that had nearly cost her everything. Would he trust her judgement if he knew the true details? ‘Can we just chalk it up to a relationship that didn’t work out?’ she eventually managed.

‘That depends.’

‘On what?’

‘On whether it colours all your decisions.’

She snatched in a breath. ‘Do all your relationships colour yours?’

‘Very much so.’

Not the answer she expected, she reflected as she searched his face. Found it, much like many times before, an enigmatic book. But this time, within those grey depths she spotted something. Barely a glimmer but she saw it. Pain. Bitterness.

Right before he blinked and neutralised his expression. She bit her lip, torn between curiosity and reservation.

After several moments, the corners of his lips lifted. ‘Not going to give in to your curiosity?’

She shrugged. ‘Your past private life is your own. Much like mine is my business.’

Before he could respond, the vehicle slowed to a stop.

Alexis stepped out with relief, pulling in a long breath of fresh air in the hope of restoring the few layers of sanity she’d lost since their embrace on the plane.

The villa was set on the highest point of the island to take full advantage of the breathtaking views. Past cypress trees, perfectly pruned hibiscus bushes, bougainvillea hedges and impeccably manicured lawns, the sea glinted like a blanket of gemstones, an endless invitation for a cool reprieve out of the June heat.

From past visits, she knew the beach was less than five minutes away, that the Drakakis yacht and speedboat were moored out of sight around the cove. She’d declined an invitation to waterski with Christos on their last trip but had the stomach-fluttering experience of watching him ski with breathtaking style.

Her belly heating on that recollection, she turned towards him and saw his gaze on the far distant view. Towards the other side of the island, where the terrain was craggier. Shadows flitted through his eyes, his jaw clenching then releasing before he sucked in a long deep breath. A light breeze tossed a lock of hair across his forehead, but Alexis was certain it didn’t register. He was caught in whatever memories made Drakonisos a place he wanted to possess. A place that had prompted a man with cynical views on relationships to enter a marriage of convenience with an employee. As she continued to watch him his features softened and he gave a slow exhale, the kind that came with inner contentment. Perhaps even...peace.

Sensing her regard, he turned to her. ‘Shall we get out of the sun before Costas grumbles at us again?’ he said evenly, but that faraway look in his eyes took another moment to dissipate.

She nodded, although her senses remained a little askew as she turned towards the villa.

Costas’s home was a sprawling, multi-level whitewashed traditional Greek villa but with every modern amenity conceivable. Despite her previous visits, Alexis’s breath still caught when she stepped onto the smooth terracotta tiles of the wide hallway and looked up at the large rectangular stained-glass windows that let in endless sunlight. That light glinted over light stone-coloured walls, complemented by gold-accented local Cycladic art and white furniture. Several masterpieces were dotted along the vast hallway that led to a large living room, beyond which the terracotta tiles were replicated on a sun-soaked terrace.

That was where Costas had headed and where she and Christos followed to find a long table of refreshments awaiting them. The knots that had barely loosened when she’d stepped out of the plane began to tighten again as Christos’s hand landed in the small of her back.

He led her to the table and drew back a chair for her.

No reprieve, then...

‘We’ll have refreshments while our luggage is unpacked.’

With no option but to accept the invitation, she took a seat and smiled at the older man.

Paxos, one half of the middle-aged married couple in charge of keeping the villa and grounds in pristine condition, stepped forward and poured an ouzo-infused punch Alexis knew could be lethal if not consumed with caution. Then he served delicate pastries and sandwiches, which she helped herself to as Costas conversed in Greek with his grandson.

When a small silence fell at the table, she glanced up.

‘Kalos orises spiti,’Costas rasped.

‘My grandfather says welcome home.’

The old man’s eyes were fixed on her, reading her every expression, her every interaction with his grandson. While she hadn’t doubted Christos’s emphasis that this trip was different, she’d secretly hoped it was exaggerated. Costas’s laser-focused gaze confirmed Christos’s assessment. This visit was different. She was being analysed. Their relationship was being vetted.

Acutely mindful of that, she forced a smile. ‘Efkharisto,’ she replied.

A shade of warmth stole back into the old man’s eyes and she allowed herself the merest inch to relax as he turned to his grandson.

‘If you’re here to check on me, I suggest you instruct the staff not to unpack your luggage. I’ve had my fill of shameless meddlers for quite a while,’ he griped in English.

Christos took his time to sip his drink before resting muscled forearms on his armrests. ‘I am here to check on you,’ he replied without apology. ‘And we intend to stay until I’m satisfied.’

His grandfather’s eyes narrowed. ‘Is that the only reason?’

‘Play your games all you want with me, old man. Just remember I’m not a weak opponent.’

Costas’s weathered cheeks cracked the smallest smile and, within it, Alexis saw satisfaction. Anticipation.

He might project the outward appearance of a grumpy old man but, as was evidenced by his presence at the airstrip, Costas was glad his grandson was here.

They enjoyed their refreshments for a few minutes, before Christos resolutely set his napkin down. ‘I would like the unvarnished report on what’s going on with you.’

His grandfather’s smile was pure wickedness. ‘Your strong-arm tactics on my physicians didn’t work?’

‘We both know you made it deliberately difficult, just so I would come here and find out for myself. So enough with the suspense.’

The older man shrugged, not in the least bit unnerved by the accusation. ‘It’s the usual. Old age after a life well lived.’

‘Details, Pappous.’

Costas’s gaze flickered to Alexis before returning to his grandson. ‘Now that you’re here, perhaps I will give my doctors permission to speak to you. They can fill you in on all the gory details.’

Impatience vibrated from Christos, but, perhaps knowing he wouldn’t gain any more headway on the subject, he nodded. ‘Very well. I’ll speak to them when we’re done here.’

‘And once that’s out of the way, you might let yourself relax a little, enjoy this party your cousin has been threatening to throw in my honour.’

Christos stiffened. ‘What party?’

‘A birthday party, I hear. A rather large one.’

Alexis’s gaze flicked to Christos to see his eyes frosting over. ‘You gave Georgios permission to throw you a party without consulting me first?’

Costas shrugged. ‘Your cousin insisted, even though this isn’t a milestone celebration. And my grandnephew has been more...available lately. Much more than my own grandson and his new bride, who I thought would be on their way to becoming a...larger family by now,’ he said, his eyes dropping blatantly to her stomach.

Alexis gasped. ‘We... I...’

‘You’re embarrassing my wife, Costas,’ Christos said, a hard edge to the softly spoken words.

That Drakakis steel entered Costas’s eyes as his gaze returned to Christos. ‘Perhaps a little bit of embarrassment is necessary. I’m not going to live forever, you know. And since you claim to be married but are still maintaining separate residences, I find myself wondering whether you’re pulling the wool over an old man’s eyes.’

Her jaw gaped. ‘How—’

The words dried in her throat as Christos’s firm grip found hers beneath the table. ‘The intimate details of my marriage are none of your business, old man. Tell your spies to retreat if they value their skins. And if you’re playing my cousin off against me—’

‘What if I am? What will you do about it?’ his grandfather asked brazenly, dropping any attempt at diplomacy.

Christos’s jaw tightened. ‘You would do that?’ he asked, an enigmatic tone wrapped around the words.

The old man remained inflexible for another second before he relaxed in his seat. ‘You said you’re up to the game? Prove it.’

The words still echoed in Alexis’s head as they finished their refreshments and Costas’s nurse firmly steered the old man away for a rest.

As Alexis and Christos retreated to the suite in the left wing of the villa, she all but felt the tension vibrating off him.

The moment the door shut behind them he muttered a curse under his breath.

‘He knows we don’t live together,’ she said. ‘And he’s been keeping tabs on us.’ Alexis wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about being under such scrutiny.

His lips pursed. ‘Yes. And I’m fairly certain I know who’s behind it.’

‘Your cousin?’

He shrugged, clawing his fingers through his hair as he began to pace. ‘We’ve been married for a year. If he’d known all along that we lived separately, he would’ve said something before now. I can only conclude that he’s been fed the information recently.’

She wrapped her arms around her middle, the silken web closing over her making her shiver. ‘So what are we going to do about it?’

He slowed to a stop, his laser gaze fixing on her. Whatever he read in her face made his lips thin. ‘You don’t need to worry that your precious Hope House will suffer because of this, Alexis.’

Hurt made her gasp. ‘That was the last thing I was thinking of. If you must know, I was thinking of you!’

He tensed. ‘Me?’

‘I saw your face when we arrived. This place means something to you. More than a simple birthright you don’t want your cousin to claim.’

For a moment, he looked poleaxed. Then his features shuttered. ‘The why doesn’t matter. It’s the how we need to concern ourselves with.’

The hurt she felt at his shutdown was as bad as the Hope House dig. But she was determined not to show it. She was too busy grappling with the unnerving emotions she’d been unable to control all week.

‘I think we can be assured the none of your business argument isn’t going to fly with him,’ Christos said, resuming his tight pacing. ‘The only way to kill his suspicions is to successfully convince him that this marriage is real.’

His words steeped her deeper in the present, her pulse rattling faster as her gaze darted around the room.

Their suite was the last word in comfort and luxury. Each suite had twin dressing rooms, a sumptuous living room and private terrace.

In the past, Christos had yielded the bed to her and slept on the sofa. But, in light of the altered dynamic between them, her attention was held most of all by the four-poster bed dominating the room. Heat unfurled through her at the thought of Christos in that bed. With her.

Their bodies sliding, straining and locking together. The pleasure he’d harnessed and then detonated in her.

A small sound escaped her throat before she could stop it.

Then she watched as Christos presumably mistook the sound for distress, his eyes hardening. ‘I’m not going to unleash my animalistic desires on you right this minute, if that’s what you’re concerned about, Alexis.’

Rather than disclose the reason for her fluster, she brazened it out. ‘You said you hadn’t had a woman in a year. Maybe you see this as an opportunity to scratch an itch?’

His lips curled with distaste as he stopped in front of her. ‘What an unsavoury turn of phrase. I prefer the more authentic and earthy description of lust, sex and mutual satisfaction.’

She grew hot again, an alarmingly frequent occurrence every time he was within touching distance. His scent reached out and wrapped around her as he stood staring down at her.

‘We’re both adults, Alexis, with needs. If we decided on a mutually satisfactory path to pleasure, I know I can trust in your discretion.’

The very idea sent another minor earthquake through her system. ‘Aren’t you even a little bit worried that I might turn overly emotional if we indulge in whatever it is you’re insinuating?’

His gaze grew contemplative. ‘Besides your wish to secure the future of Hope House, why did you agree to my proposition?’

It was her turn to tense. ‘Why does it matter?’

‘You’re young, attractive, with a bright future ahead of you. And yet you agreed to tie yourself down for three years. Why?’

She forced a laugh, desperate for something to break the sharp awareness zinging in the air. ‘Isn’t it a little too late to be asking me these questions?’

He caught a stray lock of her hair, twisting it around his finger, while his gaze remained fixed on her face. ‘Why the evasion? Answer the question, Alexis.’

‘Because I’m not interested in relationships. Not any more,’ she confessed with an upsurge of bitterness that seared her throat. ‘And the agreement we made stated specifically that there would be nothing...intimate.’

Something flickered in his eyes. A blend of satisfaction, challenge and...anticipation. ‘Maybe not before, but we both know things have changed now, after what happened two months ago. You feel it with every breath. So do I.’

‘That means nothing,’ she argued, despite the sizzle in her belly and the tightening of her core. ‘Our agreement stays as it is.’

He curled her hair behind her ear and smiled when she shivered. ‘You can hide behind the letter of the agreement if it gives you comfort. But this thing between us isn’t going away, glykia mou. No matter how much you deny it. As for worrying about your being overly emotional, why would I? You’ve remained consistently unflappable in the face of every circumstance. Are you warning me that might change if I take you to bed?’ The brush of his fingers over her cheek and the electric pleasure they created only emphasised his words.

‘First of all, you’re not taking me to bed. Second, I was being facetious since the reason you fired so many of my predecessors was because they deigned to look at you with stars in their eyes.’

‘They did. And that’s the difference between you and them. You just said you don’t do relationships. That assures me things won’t change, so we won’t have a problem.’

‘What about your own lines?’ she challenged.

For a moment he stilled, his lashes sweeping down to hide his expression. When they lifted, the heat in his eyes seared her to the bone. ‘I find you more alluring than I anticipated. What better way to work through the...situation than to immerse oneself in it? Work it out of our systems, so to speak?’ he asked indolently.

She wanted to condemn him for being a calculating bastard. But could she conscientiously do so when he was only speaking his mind? Wasn’t the one thing she’d despised Adrian for more than anything the lying sweet talk he’d spouted simply to manipulate her?

The mere thought of Christos sweet talking anyone brought a strained smile.

‘Something amusing you, glykia mou?’ The endearment held an edge to it.

‘I had the frightening notion of you attempting to sweet talk me into your sensual web.’

‘I prefer plain-speaking.’

She swallowed, his very potent vitality threatening to consume her. ‘I can see that.’

‘Then perhaps the time for talking is over?’

He breached the last few inches between them and took her mouth with his. The fever that had brewed just below the surface for two months now flared strong and consuming once more. They devoured each other until their breaths grew frantic, until she felt as if her whole body were a flame of desire. She’d imagined a lot during those forbidden hours in her bed when she’d allowed Christos to fill her thoughts. This surpassed her every fantasy. Each stroke of his tongue felt like a brush with pure bliss, as if she were touching heaven itself.

‘Christos.’

‘Yes. Say my name, matia mou.’

Dear God, what was she doing? ‘Christos...stop. I have another question.’

His breath shuddered out and he held himself still for a long moment before he stepped back. ‘What is it?’

She scrambled to get her thoughts together. ‘What was Costas talking about? What games are you two playing?’