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It had nothing to do with the way his lips curved when he smiled, or the way a lock of hair fell over his forehead when he nodded to something Theo was saying to him...
No, there was a presence about him, an aura of strength and self-containment, that struck a deep place inside her. And the fierce protectiveness he’d displayed towards those loyal to him made her heart ache.
How would it have felt to be loved and cherished by a man such as him? Tears prickled her eyes at the thought that she’d never find out; never know how it would feel to be loved just once by somebody worth giving her own love to.
Her phone buzzed again.
How soon?????? Answer me now!
In a fit of anger and torment, she turned it off and dashed blindly towards the steps that led to the beach. Tears blurred her vision but she forged ahead, cursing fate for handing her what she most wanted with one hand and ruthlessly taking it away with the other.
Of course, the beach was occupied with more Pantelides Inc. employees. She plastered on a smile and answered greetings, but continued to walk until the sound of partying and music was far behind her.
Locating a rough, flat rock, she sank down and let the tears she’d held back flow. By the time she was wrung dry, her decision had solidified in her chest.
* * *
‘So, how’s your wonder woman doing?’
Sakis barely managed to stop his teeth from gnashing loudly at Ari’s dry query.
‘If you don’t want me to put a dent in that already messed up face of yours, I suggest you watch your mouth.’ He cursed the rough intensity of his tone the moment he spoke.
Sure enough, both Ari’s and Theo’s eyebrows shot up. A second later, Theo chuckled and nudged their oldest brother. ‘The last time he reacted so violently about a girl was when I suggested I bring a lollipop to Iyana when we were kids. I barely managed to avoid being flattened when he tried to run me down with his bike. You better watch out, Ari.’
‘Shut the hell up, Theo.’ Sakis’s mood darkened further as his brothers laughed some more at his expense.
He downed more champagne and raised his head in time to catch Ari’s narrow-eyed stare. Staring back defiantly, he watched Ari’s mouth drop open.
‘Damn it, you’ve done it, haven’t you? You’ve slept with her. Theos, don’t you have any brains in that head of yours?’
Theo let out another rich chuckle. ‘Depends on which head you’re talking about, bro.’
Sakis released the growl that’d been lurking in his chest for what felt like days. ‘I’m warning you both, stay the hell out of my personal life.’
‘Or what?’ Theo countered. ‘I recall you taking delight in causing havoc in mine more than a few times. You sent flowers to that crazy woman you knew I was trying as hard as hell to cut out of my life. And remember that time you stole my phone and used it to sex-text the wrestler brother of that model I was dating? I couldn’t return to my apartment for a week because he’d camped outside my building. Payback’s a bitch, bro, and I’m only getting started.’
He swallowed the searing response because he knew that what was eating at him wasn’t his brothers’ ribbing.
It was Brianna. And the secret text messages she was still receiving.
She believed he didn’t notice her apprehension every time her phone pinged.
Hell, she’d left his bed at five a.m. this morning. When he’d demanded she come back to bed, she’d waved him away with some excuse about making sure everything was in hand for the party.
Five a.m.! Yeah, shocking. Wasn’t that the same time you interviewed her for her job?
He smothered the mocking voice and stared into the golden bubbles. This had gone on long enough. He’d swallowed her explanation without probing too deeply. Tonight, after the party, he’d find out what the hell was making her so jumpy. And then he’d fix it. He wanted her undivided attention on him and he sure as hell didn’t want her leaving him in bed at the crack of dawn to go do...whatever the hell...
‘You’re giving us the silent treatment? Really? Wow, you must have it bad!’ Theo mocked.
‘Sweet mother of— So what if I have a thing for her, hmm?’ he demanded wildly.
‘Some of us would wonder how many times you had to be burned before you learned your lesson,’ Ari said, his gaze and his words holding a steady warning that made Sakis’s heart slide to his toes.
‘She’s not like that, Ari. I...trust her.’ It was true. Somehow she’d wormed her way in and embedded herself deep in a place he’d thought dead after his father’s betrayal. And, Theos, it felt...right. It felt good. He didn’t feel so desolate, so bitter any more. And he planned to hang on to it.
‘Are you sure?’ Ari probed.
