The Greek Rule (The Greek Series) (19 page)

Why should she hide? He was the one who had hurt her. He had not even waited twenty-four hours to make love to another woman. They had been together less than five hours ago. She had not left the island yet. He was supposed to wait until she left the island to replace her.

Athena’s chin trembled as she struggled to contain her tears. She could play the game as well as anyone. Heather’s dream wedding would not be ruined. They’d never know how she felt. She’d turn the tables on him and show him that she did not care. He too could be replaced.

“Get control of yourself. You knew this was going to happen. You let it happen because you broke your rule.”

The words shattered the night, stark and raw with her pain. Only she did not want to believe them. She’d trusted him, she loved him.

Her legs could not carry her any further, and they dropped her in the garden. Tears stung her eyes as she brought her knees to her chest and began to cry.

Within moments, Spiro Strintzaris yelled to her, “
Kori mou
, what is wrong? Are you hurt?”

Freezing like a deer in headlights, Athena could barely see through her tears. She could not speak.

“Athena!” He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “
Kori mou,
speak to me.” The alarm in his voice dimmed those headlights.

“I’m okay.” She looked into his eyes, the eyes he had given Alexandros, and started to cry. “Please, I need to be alone,” her voice faded into the tears.

The big man sat on the ground beside her and opened his arms. “Come here. Let me help you, please.”

She let his arms close around her shoulders as she lowered her head into his chest and wept. He stroked her hair, kissed the top of her head, and spoke to her in a calming voice. “
Kori mou
, how can I take away your hurt? Tell me why you’re upset. What can I do to make it better?”

Athena just stared. She couldn’t tell him.

“
Paidi mou
, did someone bother you?” Spiro’s voice was strained. “Please talk to me. I want to help, and you’re tying my hands. Did anyone touch you?”

She had to tell him. This poor man thought someone had physically abused her. “No, nothing like that. I made a bad decision and abandoned my beliefs. It’ll cost me dearly now.”

“
Kori mou
, don’t let a bad decision upset you so. We can fix it if you tell me what went wrong.”

“I don’t know how it could be fixed.” She was controlling her sobs. “I have to leave. I want to be alone to think.”

“Okay,
paidi mou
. Do not cry. We can easily arrange for you to leave the party. I will call Alexandros to take you home if you wish.”

“No!” The harshness in her voice shocked even her.

He held her at arm’s length and studied her away face with the patience of a father soothing his young child.

She regained control and pleaded, “Not Alexandros. I do not want to go with him. I don’t want to go to Villa
Kalithea
.”

“
Kori mou
, please tell me what has happened.” Spiro’s eyebrows drew together and formed an angle over his nose. He took a long time to speak again. “I cannot understand this. You were so happy a few minutes ago.”

She sat silently, but refused to talk. She let him place his arms around her trembling shoulders again, her body shaking with sobs she was burying in his chest.

“Please,
kori mou
,” he urged for her to look at him. Locking his palms around her face, he wiped her tears, his sincerity touching her soul. “You have my word, I will stand by you, and I will not betray your confidence. I just want to help. You must let me help.”

“He is inside making love to a woman…the green gown,” she began shaking all over again.

“Who? I don’t understand.”

“Alexandros” she cried. “He is with this woman in the bedroom—he—he said he was so happy to see her.”

“
Paidi mou
, are you sure? Maybe you misheard. Perhaps you are mistaken.”

She shook her head.

“I know my son, as I know my own hand, he loves you. He has never shown any affection, no matter big or small, for any other woman but you in front of the family. He doesn’t hide his feelings for you. He wears them proudly on his sleeve.”

“No, Mr. Strintzaris, I’m not mistaken. I saw him. Heard him. He told her they would have privacy in the room, and then he locked the door.”

“
Dropi
!” Spiro replied, his voice a mixture of shame and anger. “How could my son do this to you? And here in my home! I will find out the truth. There must be an explanation.”

His words made her sob more. Now his father was angry.

“Athena, do you want to stay here tonight?”

“No, I want to be alone. I need to get my things from
Kalithea
, and I will leave. I really want to go away.”

“You cannot do that,
kori mou
. You are in my care until the day of the wedding. You cannot leave until you go to Crete for work. We have some rental property on the eastern part of the island. I will arrange for you to stay in the holiday cabanas until I find what has happened.”

He kissed her forehead and helped her to her feet. Walking toward the house, he told her the driver would drop her off tonight, she would find the necessities in the bungalow and he would take care of this. He stopped in front of the entrance and asked her to wait for him to return.

Athena paced the drive. Her shoulders drawn against her torso to shield the pain. The sound of Alexandros’s voice froze the blood in her veins.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What is wrong,
agape mou
?”

Agape mou
! He had no right. She turned to stare up into Alexandros’s face.

“Do not dare
agape mou
me!” The venom in her eyes stung. “It was fun, now leave me alone.”

She turned to hide her tears, feeling him come up behind her and grasp her shoulders. She jerked at his touch. “You know my rule. Now leave me alone!” she shouted. “Just go back to what you were doing.”

Alexandros dropped his hands and balled his fists at his side. He was not sure he could control himself. He would never hit a woman, but he wanted to shake her until she took back those despicable words.

Clenching his teeth, he grabbed a hold of her arm and swung her around.

“Your rule. Eh? The rule that a Greek is not good enough for you! Is it regrets that plague you? Well look in the mirror and see what you are!”

“I know what I am. A fool.” She twisted out of his hold and walked away from him. “Look, it’s nothing personal, we had fun, but now I have things to do. I must go. Please go back the party.”

“I don’t care about the party! What is wrong with you?” Alexandros couldn’t believe what he heard spill from her lips. It was illogical.

He approached her again. She jumped. He stopped. Frightening her was not his intention. But he couldn’t keep the anger from building as his eyes burned, and he tried to recognize the woman standing in front of him. “We need to talk.”

“Alexandros.” She spoke his name as if it hurt her.

“What is wrong with you? What’s happened?” Running his hand over his face, he stalked toward her and began to raise his voice. Looking into her eyes, he could see her mind devising a plan. “And don’t lie to me. I want the truth.”

“The truth? You want the truth?” She raised her chin and spoke directly to his face.

She was distraught and he wanted to take her pain away, to make it better.

“Athena, I don’t know what’s happened, but please let me take you home and we’ll–” A cold chill traveled down his spine as a horrific thought occurred to him. Immediately, against her will, he took her into his arms and held her against his chest.

“Is Giorgios here?”

“No. What gave you that idea?”

“Then, what is wrong? You look as if you’ve lost a loved one, or you’ve been horribly hurt. And you are angry with me for no reason. What am I supposed to think?”

“No, no. It’s nothing like that.” She softened her voice and skimmed her fingers over his solid forearm. “Please don’t ruin the party for Costa and Heather. We’ll talk later.”

“Okay, let’s go home. We’ll talk there, now.” He took hold of her arm.

“Please say goodnight first. Please, for me.”

He could not believe her. Say goodnight? His priority was with her, but he did not want to fight any more.

“Wait here, I will be right back.”

She sighed as he strode into the house, glancing over his shoulder to check on her.

“Goodbye Alexandros,” she whispered, a tear escaping her eye.

Spiro came down the stairs as the car pulled up. Handing her an overnight bag, he said, “Eleni keeps some clothes here, they should fit. I have put my cell phone and some money in the bag. Call me if you need me before I call you tomorrow. I promise to get to the bottom of this, fix it and to let you know.”

“There is nothing for you to let me know. However, I am grateful to you. Goodnight,” she said in a shaky voice.

“
Kalinihta, kori mou.
” He brushed his lips across her temple and helped her into the car.

****

Athena could see the cabana on the black sandy beach. Someone had preceded them and turned on the lights. It was a little glow in the vast darkness. The driver insisted on walking her to the door, placing the overnight bag in the small bedroom, and adjusting the climate control unit before leaving.

“Miss Athena, please use the climate control at night. We have never had any problems, however it is very dark on the beach for a woman alone.”

“Thank you, I’ll be fine.”

“There’s a basket with bread on the counter, and a few things in the refrigerator for the morning. Fifty yards up the road is a small store for anything else you may need. Makis runs the
taverna
next to them and has the best calamari on the island. Mr. Spiro has alerted them of your arrival. They are expecting you tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” She just wanted him to leave. She didn’t care about any of this. All she wanted was to get into to bed, close her eyes, and make it all go away.

The driver studied the expression on her face and hesitated. Could he tell something was tearing at her? That she was not here for a pleasant beach holiday, and she was running from something or someone?

“Miss Athena, the cabana has no phone. Please hold mine.”

She assured him she had a phone and she felt very comfortable alone on the beach. Besides, the other bungalows appeared occupied. She would be fine.

He walked to the kitchen counter, telling her his name was Demosthenis. He wrote his number on a pad, and asked her to call him if she should have the need.

“Thank you, Demosthenis. Goodnight.” She closed the door behind him, placed her back against it, and slowly sank to the floor.

His name was Demosthenis. Just like her brother’s. What would she do when her Demo arrived? How could she have been such an idiot?

The tears lost no time returning, burning her cheeks as they rolled. She had lost control, was spent and slept where she had landed.

Chapter Twenty

Alexandros was baffled. Where was Athena?

His fingers strained the steering wheel as he turned the car into
Kalithea’s
drive. He made it up the stairs in four swift strides only to find her room empty for the second time tonight.

She was still on the island. She had not left from any of the three airports and could not tonight. There were no more outbound flights. The last ferry had sailed at midnight, and the next would not depart until tomorrow afternoon.

No one was at
Cardia Mou
, and he was alone. Perhaps he had not seen her when he searched for her at the party. Maybe she had decided to stay there with Costa and Heather. He picked up the phone and dialed.

“
Ne?
” His father’s sleepy voice answered.

“Baba, sorry to wake you.”

“Is everything all right?” Spiro asked, sounding alarmed, no doubt because of the time.

“Baba, is Athena with you?”

“No.” Spiro hesitated as if contemplating his answer. “She is safe though.”

“Where is she?”

No answer. Silence filled the line.

“Baba, the last time I saw her she was not okay. She was upset and made no sense.”

“Can you honestly blame her?”

What was his father alluding to? What had he missed that had upset everyone? Alexandros’ body tightened with each thought, feeling as if his shoulder would separate from his neck at any moment.