Scorned (6 page)

“Childhood sweethearts? Just like Leonidas and me. He took a long time to come to his senses. Too long, in fact, that he waited until I was almost engaged to another man until he finally realized he was in love with me.” She took her husband’s hand and lovingly squeezed it. “Thank goodness he did because I’d be married to someone else. Can you imagine that?” She laughed, nostalgic as she remembered the olden days, making both older Kosta men mutter something about women.

I was drinking my water when I almost spat it back to the glass when Maria directed me a question that took me off guard. “Do you plan to marry him? I’m sure he’d love to.”

This was the problem. Brody was the only man I wanted to marry. I used to wear a veil and practice kissing on the mirror, imagining being married to the guy I loved so much. I was young, but I knew it was real then. “He spoke about it, but we’re still young. Maybe in the next five years or so.”

“Well, I’m glad to know you and my grandson are going forward with your lives. I’m sure a divorce would be the best possible way to achieve this said happy future,” Elias spoke up, unperturbed at the sudden quietness of the table.

“Who’s divorcing?” Maria asked, looking at Elias then to Dimitris. “How? You’ve only been seeing Claudine and you guys don’t have rings on, let alone divorcing from the way you two have been acting.”

Elias cleared his throat. “It wasn’t Claudine I was referring to, Maria.”

In a snap, the tension broke and rapid fires of Greek were being thrown around the table. Maria looking more upset by the second. I met Claudine’s dark eyes, which were full of contempt, before she tried to calm Dimitris’s defensive yet ready to fight back state. The increase of quick discussion followed by the sudden stop to it, made me want to crawl underneath the table and hide there forever.

Dimitris stood up, asking Claudine and me to follow him. I couldn’t even muster the courage to look at his family when I left the table and joined the awaiting couple, discussing something in a hushed manner. Claudine was now mad. I didn’t catch anything she said because she had spat a string of French before stomping away, heading towards the stairs.

What was going on?
I wondered, but didn’t have the balls to ask Dimitris since he was already walking out the door with me scrambling to follow at his heels.

The entire car ride back to his villa was awkward and Dimitris didn’t speak until we arrived in his home. Upon opening the main door, he went straight to the bar, opened a fresh bottle of whiskey and directly drank from it. After a few gulps, he slammed it back down on the granite counter, spilling amber contents all over the place.

“I’m taking Claudine back to Paris tonight. My parents didn’t like the idea of housing my “mistress” in their home while I was finalizing this sham of a ninety-six hour wedding.” He took another go with the whiskey before talking to me again. “The night was progressing well, but you had to open up about your damn boyfriend, knowing my Pappou was there, listening to you talk about this man you’re so in love with!” he thundered, moving towards me. “Even for a few hours, your selfishness cannot be tamed.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about that. I got too caught up with your mom and had forgotten why I was there in the first place,” I apologized, but he wasn’t convinced.

“I should’ve expected this of you, but I was hoping for you to prove me wrong. Now my parents are distraught and Claudine is pissed that she’s being shipped back to Paris when she was very excited to be spending some time with my family.”

“Oh, so this is all about Claudine? I don’t give a rat’s ass about her! I don’t care that she was excited to be a part of your family. I don’t care!”

“Right ‘cause all you ever care about is your boyfriend and how you couldn’t wait to leave me to go to him to let him fuck you after you had walked away from me!”

All Hell broke loose as I charged towards him, ready to hit him, when he immediately caught my hand before he took my other hand as well and locked it behind my back. He pushed me against the barstool causing it slide away from the force of our impact and my back hit the granite counterpane. “Damn you for ruining me, Lindsey!” He gritted out before biting my bottom lip, making me hot and dizzy. “Why can’t I walk away from you?” He kissed me softly and we melted against each other. “I want you so much, I’m in pain.”

Don’t stop
, I silently begged when he kissed me slowly, hesitation radiating off him.

A sob came from me when he wretchedly pulled his lips free, breathing against my ear, heavily. “I can’t want you. I just can’t afford it. I won’t be coming home tonight. I’ll be staying in Paris. Maybe I should lose myself in Claudine all night before I come back here.”

I swallowed my pain. His words wounded me and I sure as hell would never forget it. “Then go. No one’s stopping you.”

“Don’t I know it.” He marched out, slamming the door behind him, leaving me.

This was for the best
, I assured myself, over and over again.

“I love Brody,” I whispered into the quiet house, making sure I didn’t forget it.

Chapter 7

The next morning, I woke up to Thea informing me that Elias would be arriving in an hour and a half to take me to lunch.

Jet-lagged and purely haggard, I brought my coffee back into my room and started getting ready to meet Elias. Dressed in a simple, pink cotton dress, light make-up and wedge sandals, I was good to go.

After last night’s dinner, I wasn’t sure what I could expect from his grandfather today. Alone here, without friends, I felt so out of place and so out of my depth. Thank goodness I only had six more days to go through because I don’t think I’d last otherwise.

At precisely half past twelve, Elias arrived, dressed in all white and with a bright smile. “How was your sleep,
pethi mou?
” he greeted me upon entering Dimitris’s home.

“It was sufficient,” I murmured. He gave me a smile before he guided me by my elbow towards the outside settee. When we were both seated, I started the conversation. “About last night, I want to—”

Elias held out his hand, halting me halfway. “I should apologize for my rude behavior.” He looked at me full on, unchallenging and heartfelt. “I hadn’t minded your tales, child, I assure you. What prompted my interruption was the face of my grandson. I didn’t like the hurt I found in his eyes. For that, I am sorry for ruining your first night here.”

Dimitris looked hurt? How? Wasn’t he busy feeding fucking lamb into Claudine’s mouth? “I wasn’t aware…” I said nervously, hoping Elias had misread whatever was in Dimitris’s eyes last night. “His parents, are they furious?”

“It is expected, but furious is a strong word. Maybe upset or disappointed would do. The rest of my family already found out. Tomorrow, you will meet them all for dinner in my home.” Elias studied me, watching my reaction to his unexpected news. “They won’t bite. They are curious to know who Dimitris had chosen for his wife. Leonidas is my eldest, my daughter, Stephania, follows then my youngest son, Yanni. When the time comes, Leonidas steps down from the family business, Dimitris will take his place. He’ll be the head of the family, the one to handle all the business and personal affairs. If one of his cousins needs help, Dimitris will have to find a way to solve the problem. We’re Greek, we protect our family through the bad, tough and worst times.”

Holy shit, how many people did I have to meet tomorrow night?
I thought nervously, pushing the thought away of retching my guts out in the nearest corner. “But I’m divorcing him. I don’t see why that’s relevant.”

He nodded, as if understanding. “You are a Kosta, thus making you part of the family, even if you won’t be for long. You never know, maybe in the next six days you will change your mind. Dimitris is a handsome man, passionate and looks at you with love in his eyes. What could be better than that?”

“We’re not—we made a mistake. It’s that easy.”

“You’re a very stubborn woman, aren’t you?” He laughed, deep and roaring.

I smiled, entertained by his easy laugh. “Everyone that knows me can attest to that.”

“I’m sure they can,
pethi mou
.” Elias got up, holding out his hand to me. “Let’s get you nourished. I’ll take you to a favorite place of mine. You like seafood?”

“Very much.” Taking his hand, we chatted on light subjects while he guided me outside to his chauffeured car.

~L~

I spent pretty much the whole afternoon in Elias’s company. Apart from him dropping hints of his grandson and me reconciling, he was an enchanting storyteller.

I got home at four, exhausted from jetlag and the nagging thoughts of Dimitris in Paris with Claudine. I decided to take a nap and was awakened some time later by a small rap at the door before a young lady entered my room with a tray full of fresh lemonade and some pastries.

“Dinner will be served in one hour on the patio,
Kyria
.”

“Thank you,” I responded, sleepy still. What time was it?
Kyria
… was that Miss in Greek?
They seem to call me that here
, I thought as I slid off the bed and went into the bathroom to shower.

Three hours later, I was enjoying the view of Athens before me; bright lights, awe-inspiring and very much thriving with life. Tonight, I dined alone. Thea informed me that Dimitris would be delayed and might not come back until later tonight or tomorrow morning.

I snorted at the word “delayed.” I’m sure he was getting his satisfaction in Claudine’s body. “Fucker,” I murmured into the night.

Pouring myself a glass of wine, my first in the fresh, second bottle I opened, I took hold of my phone and called Brody. I’m sure he’d appreciate my wake up call.

Brody picked up, grunting out his hello.

“Good morning!” I used my best cheery tone, but got another grunt from him again. “Do you have a hangover or something? If I get another grunt, I’m hanging up,” I threatened, knowing that he’d snap out of it. I was a bad girl, but I couldn’t help it, Brody was very readable to me now—well, now that I knew him well.

“Your voice is so sexy, you’re getting me hard,” he rasped out, his voice giving me a zing. I heard him give a growl of satisfaction, making me pause with my mouth ajar.

“Are you touching yourself?” I hissed out, feigning shock when, deep down, I was very much turned on by the thought of him that way.

“Talk to me like you do when I’m inside you, pookie,” Brody continued. I was getting more aroused, noting how deep and sexy his voice got.

“Brody! Will you stop being such a naughty bastard?” I mused, smiling, but that smile was short-lived because my cellphone was snatched from my hand.

Shit.

Chapter 8

Spinning around in my seat, I found Dimitris cutting my call before he carefully placed it back on the table.

“It’s nice to come home to a wife who’s having phone sex with her lover.” Dimitris loomed above me, dark and forbidding.

“Cut it out, will you? We both had sex with other people. Get over it! You were ramming your cock in Claudine’s French webby cocoon last night so you can’t complain about me having some little sexy time over the phone!” The thought of him with Claudine again made my stomach somersault. Reaching for my phone, I got up to finish my call with Brody. Dimitris’s anger can simmer some more.

“You disrespectful bitch!” he screamed, snatching the phone away before he strode quickly towards the balustrade where he threw my phone out to the city below.

“Aw, hell no! You fucking didn’t!” I ran towards him, barefoot on the grass, ready to throw him out, the way he had done my phone. “You’re going to pay for that, you stupid, Greek moron!” I tried to slap him, but he was quick to catch it. Using my captured fists, I pushed him with all my might, trying to untangle his hold of my wrists, but I ended up pushing him to the ground, losing balance with me atop his body. “Go to hell, you piece of shit!” I slapped him successfully when his hand lessened its hold from our fall.

“Enough!” Dimitris roared, his voice echoing everywhere, making me freeze, somehow scared at his murderous look before he rolled me onto my back. “You want to be a slut, Lindsey?” Those magnetic orbs turned dark, its usual color gone from the turmoil that raged within him.

“No,” I whispered when he pushed himself in between my legs, situating his hardness directly on me, my skirt lifted around my stomach.

“No? I don’t believe you. Let me prove what a lying wife you are, shall we?” Dimitris bit out, finger pushing my silk thong aside before his middle finger lightly dipped into my opening. He groaned, shaking his head at me. “How you lie to me, sweet wife.”

I was biting my lip, trying so hard to not respond to his finger that was doing amazing things to me. “I’m. Not. Your. Wife,” I spat out, fighting to push him off at the same time that I fought the orgasm from his finger. Sweet Jesus, how did we end up going from wanting to kill each other…
to this?
“Stop…” I pleaded, slowly writhing. A sound came from me when he pulled his finger out, from disappointment or relief, I simply wasn’t sure.