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Smiling, I turned from the railing and crossed the deck to the shaded lounge. There, lying amongst the cushions, was the reason for my heartbeat. The reason I needed to keep fighting for my unknown future.
‘Are you awake, my precious boy?’
At the sound of my voice Andreos Xenakis kicked his plump legs, his arms joining in his giddy response as his searching eyes found mine. For an instant my breath caught. The similarity between the piercing grey eyes of father and son was so visceral, I froze.
Another insistent cry had me reaching for him. His warm, solid weight in my arms quieted the worst of my trepidation, and soon even that evaporated beneath the sheer joy of cradling him, feeding him, doing such mundane things as changing his nappy and handing him his favourite toy, basking in his sweet babbling while I enjoyed the stunning view and just...being.
Pushing away the terrifying news the doctor had given me that day in Switzerland and the choice I’d had to make, I breathed in relief when the boat slowed and a staff member approached with a courteous smile.
‘We’re here, miss. Your picnic is set up for you on the shore.’
Whatever the future held, I would deal with it.
After all, I’d dealt with so much this past year.
Except the future had found me before I was ready. And it came in the form of a solitary figure with furious gunmetal eyes and a gladiator stance, waiting with crossed arms on the jetty as the sailboat returned to the exclusive resort.
My heart leapt into my throat, my breath strangled to nothing as I watched the figure grow larger, more broody, more formidable.
More everything.
He’d grown harder. Edgier. Or perhaps that was all imagined. A product of those feverishly erotic dreams that frequently plagued me.
Whatever... The man who watched me in silent condemnation as the boat gently butted the wooden planks on the jetty had zero mercy in him. And when his gaze shifted to Andreos and widened with chilled shock I had the distinct notion that I’d played this wrong.
I’d been too selfish.
Taken too much time for myself.
Too much time with my son.
‘Axios.’
He didn’t respond to my whispered utterance of his name. He couldn’t take his eyes off Andreos. His strong throat moved in a swallow and his pallor increased as several expressions charged through his eyes.
Shock. Amazement. Utter fury.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked.
Finally eyes the colour of a dark arctic night clashed with mine. ‘What am I doing here?’ he asked with icy incredulity. ‘This is what you have to say to me after the stunt you have pulled?’
My insides shook but I forced myself to hold his gaze. ‘You’ll want to discuss this, I’m sure, but can it wait till—?’
‘I’ll want to discuss this? Are you for real?’
A drowsy Andreos stirred in my arms, his senses picking up on the frenetic emotions charging through the air.
‘Miss, would you like us to—?’
‘Leave us.’ Axios’s tone was deep. Implacable.
I wasn’t in the least bit surprised when the staff hurried away.
‘How did you find me?’
It seemed a monumental feat for him to drag his gaze from Andreos.
‘Through an act of sheer coincidence. The owner of this resort happens to be a business acquaintance of mine. He was on a rare tour of his property when he spotted you. Had he not chosen to take his yearly tour this last week...’ He stopped, shaking his head as if grappling with the sheer serendipity of the occurrence that had led him to me.
