If the crew is concerned, shouldn’t we be listening to them? “We don’t have to dock on the island at all,” Gemma said. “We can turn around and go back right now.”
Petrina waved her concerns aside. “These storms pop up all the time and are nothing to worry about. I want to show you this gorgeous little lagoon I discovered a few years back. It’s like a hidden paradise. I think the artist in you will really appreciate it.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Gemma eyed the storm clouds once more.
Petrina nodded. “Yes. Come. They won’t be able to take the boat all the way in so we’ll have to wade the last fifty yards or so. Don’t worry, the water will only be up to your knees and it’s very warm this time of year.”
Gemma took off her shoes and tied them around her neck as Petrina demonstrated. She followed her down the dive ladder until her feet touched the white sand on the bottom. The water only reached her knees. As the two women walked towards the pristine beach, Gemma stored up visuals to remember once she returned to the States.
They reached the beach. Gemma glanced at the gathering storm clouds, but since Petrina didn’t seem concerned, she let her worries go as well. “Where is this lagoon you told me about?”
Petrina led her into the foliage, following a clearly marked trail.
“Are there animals on the island?” Gemma asked.
“No. Just humans from time to time. There is a small estate on the other side of the island where the family stays when they come here, but other than that, it’s an unpopulated island.” Petrina led the way into a clearing.
Gemma’s eyes went wide. Before her lay a small pool of water, surrounded by rock walls that rose several feet above the water’s surface and a variety of flowering plants and trees. A large olive tree loomed to her right. Gemma smiled. I wonder if this is what the Garden of Eden looked like?
“Isn’t is marvelous?” Petrina asked.
“Yes. It really is.” A crack of thunder overhead made Gemma jump. “I really think we should head back now.”
Petrina’s facial expression stiffened and her eyes hardened. “I agree. It is time for me to head back. You however will be staying here.”
“What are you talking about?” Gemma froze as she took in the look on Petrina’s face. Fear and anger warred with each other for precedence inside her.
“With you out of the way, it will take very little work to convince Leo that the only way to save his family’s heritage is to marry me. Don’t worry, little American. I’ll see that your son is taken care of.” Petrina pulled a small revolver from the bag slung across her shoulder. She pointed it at Gemma.
Fear clawed Gemma’s throat. She took a step backwards. “Petrina, don’t do this. I have a baby that needs me. Take me back to the mainland and I will leave with Damien tonight. You can have Leo, I don’t want him.” She tried not to think about how wrong those words felt.
Petrina shook her head. “But that wouldn’t get me what I want. I certainly never intend to get pregnant and ruin my figure. This way I get the best of both worlds. I pretend to be a loving mother who stepped in when you abandoned young Damien, winning me points with Leo and his parents. They will be all for our marriage once they see the performance I plan to stage.”
Gemma’s mind went a hundred miles an hour, desperately trying to think of ways to overpower the woman. If only I’d taken those free self-defense classes the Smithsonian offered all employees last year. “Petrina, there has to be some way we can work this out. I have Alexi’s stock—”
“Not for long. When you turn up missing, they’ll declare you presumed dead as well and the stock will be held in trust for Damien to come of age. Meanwhile, Leo will be awarded the voting rights for those shares of stock.” Petrina grinned, her expression sobering as the distress horn sounded from the beach. “That’s my cue to go. If you don’t want me to shoot you, stay here. Trust me when I tell you it will not cause me a moment’s grief to put a bullet in your gut.”
The venom in her eyes convinced Gemma she was serious. She held up her hands. “Don’t shoot me.”
Petrina laughed. She ran back the way they’d come.
Gemma started after her, but as she rounded a copse of palm trees, a shot rang out. She fell to the ground, the leaves above her shattered from the force of the bullet. She’s really shooting at me! Oh, God!
Gemma sank to the soft ground. Tears blurred her vision as she tried to figure out how to extricate herself from this mess. A crack of thunder overhead sent her surging to her feet. She slowly followed the trail back to the beach, checking carefully each time she cleared more trees to make sure Petrina wasn’t waiting just up ahead to put a bullet in her head.
By the time she reached the open beach, Petrina and her yacht were already headed away from the island. Gemma stared after it helplessly. No doubt she’d had a plausible lie ready to explain Gemma’s absense to her shipmates. She looked around for some other ship that might be passing by, but there were none. The gathering storm had sent everyone rushing back to the mainland. She could no longer see the storm, but she knew it must be drawing closer.
“Dear God, what am I going to do?”The sound of her voice warded off the feelings of helplessness and isolation swirling around her mind. Visions of survival television shows filled her mind. Gemma gave into her tears for several long moments.
What if I die out here? Vasil and Tressa will wonder where I am tonight, but will they look for me here? She gazed out at the vast azure ocean, now frothing with large waves and white-capped foam. Another crack of thunder echoed across the sky. She looked at her surroundings. I should seek shelter…or should I? Does the same rule apply here as it does to the mountains? If I hide in the trees will I be more likely to get hit by lightning?
Close to panicking, she forced herself to seek shelter at the edge of the trees. The wind whipped up and a light rain started to fall. When lightning streaked across the sky, she screamed, but there was no one around to hear her.
Suddenly, she remembered Petrina telling her there was a smallhouse on the other side of the island. Scared but knowing she had no other choice, Gemma set off. She used the beach whenever possible to navigate her way around the island.
The clouds grew darker. Gemma was about to give up when suddenly the estate rose above the trees in the distance. She ran the remaining distance, snagging her clothing and her skin on the vegetation as she pushed herself on.
Surely the house will have some way to communicate with the mainland. I can call the authorities to come rescue me—and then I’ll visit the U.S. Embassy and get their assistance.
She reached the house. After breaking a ground level window, she was able to get inside. She couldn’t seem to figure out how to get electricity. She kept trying a few power switches, then Gemma realized the house was probably powered by a generator. Where that was located and how to use it escaped her. She found a radio, but without power, it was useless.
Her cell phone had no reception out this far. Suddenly, she saw an image of her body being found several weeks or months from now after she’d starved to death. Tears fell from her cheeks. I can’t feel sorry for myself! Gemma brushed her tears aside. She had to find a way to get off the island. For Damien. Those two words became her mantra, giving her the strength to keep trying.
She investigated each room, leaving the lower level for last. She found a flashlight with weak batteries, but it was better than the darkness that was quickly setting in. As she pushed open the last door on the bottom level, she stepped into the large cavern. Water sloshed against the sidewalls of a berth. The relief was immediate and almost overwhelming. There, inside an enclosed berth, was a small motorboat.
It was nothing like the yacht that had brought her to this island, but she opened up the rolling overhead door. Plenty of full fuel cans sat in the back of the boat. Even better, the key was in the ignition. She gave a whoop of excitement when it started right up, the dashboard showing the fuel tank was full. Finally, some good
luck!
Gemma had never driven a boat before, but the controls were clearly marked. It must be similar to driving a car. With the engine started, she directed the small craft out of the berth and into a small lagoon area. After a little bit of back and forth, she had the boat pointed out to sea.
Gemma took a moment to figure out which direction she needed to head. I really don’t want to get lost at sea!
The waves crashed against the sides of the small boat. The sky was a dark, angry gray, split occasionally by jagged lines of lightning. Water splashed over the sides of the boat. Salt water sprayed into her eyes, drenching her hair and mixing with the pouring rain. The sound of the storm was almost deafening and she strained to see the edges of the shoreline.
She headed back around the island, trying to remember what it had looked like when Petrina’s boat had dropped anchor. A loud crack of thunder above had her ducking her head. She cringed, fear sweeping over her. She turned the boat towards the open water. Her eyes were wide, and her hands clenched so tightly on the steering wheel they ached.
Damien!
Thinking of her son, she pushed back her fear and urged the small boat onward. The waves rocked the boat to and fro, growing taller and more violent the further she went. Gemma stumbled as the ocean slammed against the sides of the boat, tossing it recklessly.
Gemma was more scared than she’d ever been before. Worse, she could feel exhaustion dragging at her body and mind. She looked back over her shoulder but could no longer see the small island. Another wave tipped the boat sideways. “I don’t want to die!” she cried. “Screw you, Petrina!”
She gripped the steering wheel, trying to gauge where the next wave was going to come from. She was a sodden mess and could barely see through the waves as the full force of the storm made itself known. She pressed onward, screaming in fear and outrage occasionally, but never releasing her grip on the steering wheel.
Several inches of water now filled the boat, but Gemma wasn’t giving up. Her arms and legs shook from the cold wind whipping around her. Her muscles quaked. As a monstrous wave came directly towards her, all she could do was cry out in despair. The wave didn’t capsize the boat, but it came darn close. If only Leo was here! She’d been so distraught over finding out he wasn’t Alexi, and yet, she and Alexi had never shared the same chemistry as she and Leo. That wasn’t a bad thing, but given a choice between the two brothers, she would have chosen Leo.
I’ll never see Damien on his first day of school! Never see him ride a bike! Graduate from high school or go on his first date! So many things I’m never going to see or do...
Gemma knew she was going to drown at sea. The likelihood of her reaching the mainland was becoming more and more unlikely. As another wave battered the small craft, she wished she had handled everything differently. Her disagreements with Leo’s family seemed so silly in retrospect. Damien did deserve to grow up around his grandparents. God, if I survive this, I promise I’ll find a workable solution with Leo. I’ll be honest about how I feel. I will!
I’ll even agree to marry him if that is what is required. My son deserves to grow up with his mother by his side. Please…I’m not ready to die!
Lightning flashed across the sky. She had only a second to register the monster cresting above her small boat. She braced herself for the impact, grieving for all of the things she’d never gotten to tell Leo. She screamed her fury at the storm. “Why now? He’s never going to know how I feel!”
The weight of the wave knocked her off her feet. She fell backwards, sliding across the slick surface of the boat. Something slammed into her head. The searing pain in her skull was immediate. Her vision went black and her brain shut down while the storm raged around her.
Chapter 14
Leo was frantic. He’d stayed away from Gemma’s room earlier in the day, intending to give her time to cool down so that they could have a reasonable conversation about her and Damien’s future. He’d spent a restless night trying to think of how to fix this situation. The prospect of never seeing Damien again was a bleak one. The child was his twin brother’sliving legacy. Having Damien close felt almost like a part of Alexi had returned from the watery grave that had taken his life.
He’d hoped telling Gemma about the stock certificates and having her speak with his mother would somehow soften her reaction to being deceived. He had to find a way to make things work with her. Not only for Damien and his parents, but also for himself.
Leo was warming to the idea of being an uncle, but that would require Gemma remained in Greece. With Alexi gone, Leo had no choice but to step into his twin’s shoes and start managing more parts of the company. His father wouldn’t work forever. He expected his son to take over for him when the time came.
And then there was Gemma. The ache in his heart when he thought of never seeing Gemma again was worse than the thought of losing Damien. Leo had never considered himself a one-woman man, but since reconnecting with Gemma, the thought of bedding any other woman left him completely unaffected. Petrina had all but thrown herself at him and his body hadn’t reacted with anything but disgust. He wouldn’t name what he was feeling—but he also couldn’t ignore it.
Couple that with how devastated his parents would be to lose contact with their only grandchild and the situation was untenable. He’d paced his rooms, going over one scenario after another until he’d finally come up with a workable solution.
He’d planned to discuss his thoughts with Gemma, but she wasn’t in her rooms. He asked the maids where she was and learned Petrina had spirited her away earlier that morning. He’d asked where they’d gone, but it wasn’t until he’d called her uncle that he’d learned Petrina had borrowed his yacht for the day.
Leo took one look at the gathering clouds and raced for the docks. His worst fears were confirmed when he learned that Petrina had not returned. He’d contacted the Hellenic Coast Guard, using his considerable wealth and the family name to enlist their help. Petrina’s ship didn’t answer any of the radio calls sent to it, and the storm continued to come towards them.
Leo headed for his own yacht. He gave his crew the choice to come with him or remain. All three men solemnly readied the ship for departure from the marina. Leo vowed to reward their loyalty when they returned.
Almost two miles out, he received a call from the Coast Guard, notifying them that they had intercepted Petrina’s boat. She claimed Gemma had chosen to stay on the Moustakas family island. The échase parádeisos, also known as the Lost Paradise, was a good three and a half hours away from the mainland. Leo was furious. What was Petrina thinking, attempting such a long jounrey as a day trip?
Not to mention, not checking the weather in advance... Leo frowned. Her actions showed just how unstable Petrina really was. Upon returning from rescuing Gemma, he would be speaking with his uncle. The woman needs professional help... Provided she wasn’t being brought up on charges that could see her imprisoned for the rest of her life. The full repercussions of today had yet to be seen. Leo forced his mind away from how devastating they might be. He needed all his wits to navigate the storm.
Halfway to the island, the storm hit full force. The crew wore worried expressions, but not one of them voiced the desire to turn back. Unfortunately, after travelling for another forty-five minutes, they were intercepted. The Hellenic Coast Guard demanded they turn back as the storm was worsening.
I refuse to give up the search. They were only a few miles from the island. If Gemma stayed on the island, she would at least be dry, but without knowing how to engage the generator, she would be left to fend for herself in the dark and cold.
Leo thought fast. The coast guard had a very fast skipper, used to navigate rough seas when a rescue was needed and a larger boat would have been a danger to life and property. “Let me have your skipper. I’ll be able to reach the island in less than thirty minutes. I’ll radio in once I’ve located the missing woman.”
The captain radioed his response immediately. “Sir, that
is ill-advised.”
Leo gave the boat a steely glance. His voice dripped ice. “So is allowing an American citizen to perish due to the foolishness of a Greek citizen. I’m trying to stave off an international incident.” Leo knew he was stretching the truth. He prayed the captain wouldn’t ask for more details about the lost woman’s identity. That could be disastrous.
Luckily, the captain wasn’t willing to risk his career over such a manner. He ordered his crew to drop the skipper into the water.
“Efkharisto. Your kindness will be repaid.” Leo readied himself to enter the boat. Each of his own crew offered to accompany him, but he refused, knowing each had a wife and children back home. “Be safe and pray the gods show me favor this day.” He climbed into the skipper and immediately set a course for the island. I only hope I’m not too late.
The darkening sky hindered his visibility. If not for a flash of lightning, he might have missed the small boat floating aimlessly amidst the terrible waves. He turned towards it. As he neared, his heart plummeted. He recognized the boat as one kept on the island. Theós!
It appeared Gemma had attempted to return back to the mainland. Leo’s felt tears sting his eyes. He didn’t see anyone steering the boat. Please, don’t let her die. Damien needs her. I need her.
He pulled alongside the boat, a task made difficult by the crashing waves. Somehowhe managed. Only then did he see the figure crumpled in the bottom of the boat, surrounded by several inches of water tinged red with her blood. Theós! It was Gemma and she was almost blue with cold.
He tied the small boat to the back of the skipper with shaking hands, unable to board the other boat without risking his own life in the process. He desperately wanted to check her for a pulse, but doing so would put them both in grave danger. The waves were only getting bigger and he wouldn’t be of any use to Gemma injured. The next twenty minutes as he towed the boat back to the island were some of the longest of his life.
As soon as he could safely board the other boat, he did. He kneeled beside Gemma in the rain, feeling for a pulse. Her skin was cold and her lips blue. A large gash on the back of her head explained the blood he saw.
Single Daddy's Valentine: (A Small Town Fake Fiancee Romance) Page 27
