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CHAPTER FOUR
THEMOMENTSHE hit ‘post’ on Instagram, events were set in motion.
She muted notifications on her phone, then turned it off when the calls started coming. First from friends, then from acquaintances, and finally from the media who, somehow, always managed to be able to get hold of private mobile-phone numbers.
After that, there was barely time to breathe. From the choosing of a wedding dress to confirming all the details in a hurry, to the delivery to her home of the most stunning engagement ring she’d ever seen, every minute of every day of that one single week jettisoned her towards this afternoon, a sunny Friday, on the bow of Alex’s mega yacht, surrounded by a select handful of friends, and the only family they had remaining—her parents. Their presence as both Tessa and Alex’s only blood relations underscored his personal motivation in making this marriage happen, highlighting how small their family connections were.
It was a week beset by uncertainty for Tessa. Was she doing the right thing? To launch from one marriage to another seemed like a particularly stupid idea. But then, just when her doubts almost had her convinced to abort the entire plan, she’d catch sight of her father’s expression, his smile, his relaxed state, and she knew that this was worth it. If Jonathan had been her rebellion, then Alex was the path to repentance.
Some gossip rags continued to run whatever salacious detail Jonathan revealed on the reality TV show, which made it even easier for Tessa to convince herself she was doing the right thing. This marriage would put an end to Jonathan’s hold over her, once and for all.
Every detail of the ceremony was perfect. Her father walked her down the aisle, beaming this time, in contrast to the stilted way in which he’d led her to the altar the last time she’d attempted this. The group with whom they’d chosen to mark the occasion were people with whom they could relax, and the ceremony itself was blessedly brief—because, as much as Tessa knew she was doing the right thing, that didn’t stop her from feeling almost suffocated as the formalities went on.
The vows were recited in full, and then, out of nowhere, the reverend uttered those well-worn words, catching Tessa completely unaware.
‘You may now kiss the bride.’
She startled, eyes wide and flying to Alex’s face, as she grappled with this turn of events and kicked herself for not having pre-empted it. Of course they’d have to kiss—and look to be enjoying it.
Conscious of their guests watching, smiling, unaware that anything was amiss, she lifted a hand to Alex’s chest, her fingers splayed across his pectoral muscles, as if to hold him at a set distance—or perhaps to draw him closer? There was no time to analyse her intent. A second later, his hands lifted to capture her face, one on either side, big and strong so her cheeks were completely covered and she was both trapped and caught, neither word holding negative connotations for Tessa.
He angled her face and his eyes lanced hers, mocking, questioning, and finally warning, as he dropped his head lower. His breath brushed her mouth first, warm and heady, so her lips parted of their own volition, and the hand in his shirt tightened, holding on to him for dear life. He dropped lower, his lips brushing hers, teasing her, tempting her, so she moaned, low in her throat, as a thousand memories, wishes, dreams flew into her mind.
There were so many layers to her feelings for Alexandros. As a teenager, she’d loved him—as much as any teenager could love a man. He’d been the object of all her fantasies. Every night she’d lain in bed thinking of him, willing herself to dream of him—because in her dreams, he’d never notice their ten-year age-gap or how gawky she was. After Stavros, and their night together, he’d taken on a new significance, so that she was almost lost to the power of her memories and needs, quite destroyed by the absence he formed in her life, particularly after she’d known the sweet completion of being in his arms.
His total desertion had destroyed her.
She’d been desperate for someone to make her feel whole again. She’d wanted someone to replace Alex, she’d needed to overwrite him, to push him from her mind, and then, Jonathan had appeared, handsome and flattering, fixing her bruised ego with his compliments. She’d thought it was love even when, with the benefit of hindsight, she could quite clearly see it was more a matter of Jonathan loving her family’s fortune.
All her complex memories of Alex washed over her as his lips paused against hers, so she was rammed by the past, the distant past and the tangle of the unknown future, and, out of nowhere, tears threatened to sting her eyes, because she needed this marriage to fix her life, not complicate it.
Had she made a deal with the devil?
For the sake of her father, yes, she had. And now she had to live with it.
She went to pull away, but just as she did so his tongue flicked out, moving between her lips, taunting hers, duelling with it, and she moaned, because on some elemental level, despite what she’d just been thinking, she wanted this, so badly. She ached for him, regardless of how he’d rejected her in the past, regardless of how he’d hurt her.
And what kind of fool did that make Tessa?
She swayed forward, her body melding to his, and then he deepened the kiss with a swift, hungry strength, taking her and turning her away from the guests, his kiss now private and intimate, promising a thousand things that were between the two of them, and no one else.
And just when she felt ready to melt into the deck he lifted up, his dark gaze holding her dazed eyes, and his arm came around her waist for support. Their friends and family cheered, standing to celebrate the new couple, but inside, Tessa was numb.
There was no way she could control this. For the first time since agreeing to this marriage—and his terms—she realised that she was just as powerless to control her feelings for Alex as ever before. She knew how that would end...she had to protect herself.
Alex made a short speech, and then there was cake, and champagne, and finally they returned to the shoreline to allow guests to depart, enabling the ‘happy couple’ to enjoy their wedding night on a boat that more closely resembled a penthouse on water.
Tessa offered Alex a cool smile to prove to him, and herself, that she was calmly in control of their situation, even when their kiss had left her with a thousand doubts on that score.
‘Mrs Zacharidis,’ he murmured, watching her and seeing far too much.
Her lips tightened. ‘I guess it’s official.’
He moved closer, his hand reaching for hers, so she frowned, because they weren’t really a couple and they didn’t need to pretend. But when his fingers curved around hers, it felt...right. Careful, Tessa. She couldn’t trust these feelings. Nothing about this was right—it was simply a means to an end.
‘Any regrets?’
She considered that a moment, then shook her head. ‘You?’
