by Lilly LaRue
“Until he married his assistant without a hint of warning,” said the Englishwoman, sporting a diamond wedding ring set with a diamond the size of an ice cube.
“Now, she has returned to her pursuit.”
Leah hid a grimace by taking another glass of champagne from a circulating tray.
“Most disgracefully, she continues to pursue Salus,” said the older Greek woman.
As one, all the women turned their gazes to Maia, still talking to Nikos. “Maybe she has found a new victim,” said the Englishwoman.
The older woman shook her head. “There is nothing new about that victim, Liv. Nikos Andrakis and Maia were once engaged.”
Leah choked on the second glass of champagne she had just taken a first sip from.
“My dear, are you all right?” asked the older woman.
Leah nodded. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“I pity his wife,” said the youngest woman. “He keeps her hidden away, and now he is humiliating her with his ex-fiancée.”
The Englishwoman scoffed. “I hardly think he’s humiliating his wife by talking to someone he knows.”
“Liv, you still don’t fully understand our ways,” said the older woman, but not unkindly. “Many Greek husbands are philanderers, and Greek wives are expected to turn a blind eye. Look at the pair and tell me their conversation is innocent.”
Trying to detach her perceptions from the equation, Leah eyed her husband and the other woman as impassively as possible. Maia leaned in close to Nikos, her hand on his shoulder in a possessive fashion. While Nikos didn’t appear to be as eager to touch the other woman, he definitely wasn’t backing away.
“We’re being terribly rude to discuss this in front of you without even proper introductions,” said the third woman suddenly, turning to look at Leah. “I am Sophie Russo. This is Calista Kakos,” she said of the older woman, “And Olivia Volakis.”
The Englishwoman extended the hand with the heavy rings. “It’s actually Harcourt-Volakis, and I prefer Liv.”
Leah took her hand, putting off the moment when she had to reveal her identity as the wife to be pitied. “Are you related to Salus?”
She nodded, sending waves of black hair rippling around her face. “I’m married to his brother, Ioseph.”
Aware that they were waiting for her name, Leah released Liv’s hand, took a long drink of champagne, and said, “I’m Leah Andrakis, married to Nikos Andrakis.” As the other women gasped, quickly looking away in their discomfort, she drained the glass of champagne and strolled away, hoping she looked half as composed as she strove to, instead of revealing the tattered mass of nerves she was on the inside.
Seeking sanctuary in a powder room, Leah locked the door and leaned against the counter, taking several minutes to process what she’d learned and to restore her calm. She shouldn’t feel so betrayed that Nikos had never told her about the engagement. Theirs wasn’t a normal marriage, so she had no right to be upset at the revelation or to feel jealous seeing the two of them together.
Her lips tightened as she met her eyes in the mirror. However, she was entitled to respect and to be treated like his wife in public. Humiliating her wasn’t part of their deal. He hadn’t yet crossed any lines of impropriety, but Nikos was dancing at the edge. It crossed her mind to saunter back into the party to Nikos and Maia, thread her arms around Nikos, and kiss him senseless, just to remind everyone to whom he was married.
Shaking her head, Leah opened her purse instead, removing a tube to freshen her lipstick. If she were Nikos’s true wife, she wouldn’t have had any compunction about reminding Maia of that fact, but it would be hypocritical to do so when she and Nikos both knew their marriage was coming to an end.
With a small pang in her chest, Leah took a deep breath and left the powder room, surprised by the flow of traffic passing. She soon realized the guests were moving to another room and assumed it was time for dinner. Leah refused to look for Nikos and joined the procession with her head held high.
She jumped slightly when someone placed an arm around her waist. Leah instantly recognized Nikos’s touch and scent but didn’t look at him.
“There you are. I was looking for you.”
“I’m sure,” she said icily.
Nikos frowned as they entered a large dining room arranged with multiple tables, complete with place cards. Servants in black tuxedos milled about, helping guests find their spots. “Is something wrong?”
With a shrug, Leah said, “No.” She turned her head from him under the guise of looking for their seats. The search for their spots took under a minute, and she groaned quietly when she saw Calista and Caesar Kakos seated at the head table, along with a younger man who appeared to be dateless, and three open spots. At least Hestia wasn’t seated there. She was in no mood to hear more about the woman’s couture wardrobe.
As she slid into her seat, ignoring Nikos’s assistance, Leah glanced at the remaining name card, somehow unsurprised to see Maia Papadas in elegant script on the crisp white paper. Had it been a random accident that Nikos’s ex-fiancée was also assigned to their table, or had she arranged it with one of the servants? Or had he? The last thought was too unsettling to think about, and she struggled to push it out of her mind.
To her credit, Calista didn’t avoid Leah’s gaze, and she didn’t act uncomfortable around them. The older woman wasn’t quite so adept at hiding her reaction when Maia approached their table, standing by her chair as though she didn’t have the strength to pull it out herself. When the unknown man and Nikos both got to their feet to assist her, Calista grimaced.
Biting back the impulse to giggle, unsure if the giddiness came from amusement or lingering shock, Leah reached for a crystal goblet of ice water, hiding her own expression of disgust by taking a sip. Nikos surrendered the pleasure of seating Maia to the other man and returned to his seat. As he settled, his hand dropped onto her shoulder, and she quickly shrugged it off.
To her relief, Calista made an effort to engage her in conversation, negating the need to address the questions in Nikos’s eyes. It physically hurt when he turned to Maia, falling into a quiet conversation that she did her best to block out.
Calista seemed to be aware of her reaction and set out to keep her distracted with lighthearted topics. To her surprise, Leah found Calista a charming conversationalist and managed to ignore the fact her husband acted like she didn’t exist. They were discussing the Kakos’ recent yacht purchase and their plans to sail around the Greek islands when Maia’s cold laugh cut through their conversation. Caesar and the other man fell silent as well, all eyes turning to Maia.
“What amuses you, Maia?” asked Calista.
“That.” Maia gestured toward a heavily pregnant woman making her way across the dining room, probably in search of a bathroom.
“Why do you find Helene funny?” Calista regarded her with barely concealed dislike.
“There are so many reasons. She looks ridiculous in that gold tent.” Maia shrugged. “What can you expect from someone who is not one of us? The woman was devious enough to trap her boss into marriage by getting pregnant, but she will never be clever enough to fit into our world.”
“I think she is lovely,” said the man who remained unnamed to Leah.
Maia snorted, contorting her face into an expression that greatly detracted from her classical beauty. “I think she is disgusting. I refuse to have anything to do with her.”
“There is no reason to be unkind to a pregnant woman,” said Nikos, sounding annoyed.
Either Maia didn’t catch his tone or didn’t care. “You cannot expect me to treat her as an equal. It is clear she doesn’t belong.” Her dark eyes settled meaningfully on Leah for a moment before her tirade continued. “She might be able to lie and trick her way into Salus’s bed, but she cannot trick her way into acceptance by his peers.”
“I doubt she tricked Salus into anything,” said Caesar. “He is an astute man.”
“You can’t think he deliber
ately impregnated her?” Maia laughed again, though it was more of the screech of metal against metal than a sound of amusement. “I am certain he only married her because of the baby.”
“If that is so, I find it refreshing,” said Calista in a tone laden with ice. “So many men we know keep mistresses. If one falls pregnant, the woman usually receives money and disappears from his life. Regardless of the circumstances of conception, I find it admirable that Salus has lived up to his responsibility.”
“I agree,” said Leah, surprising herself by contributing to the discussion. “I know it isn’t healthy for a child to grow up with parents who argue all the time, or who are miserable, but children need both parents—particularly when they are young. In that situation, I think you have to set aside what you want and think of your child, at least during the formative years.”
She looked at Nikos, who was frowning at her. “You disagree?”
He shook his head, his voice husky when he said, “No. No, I do not.”
She found his intense gaze disturbing and quickly looked away, once more immersing herself in conversation with Calista. It pleased her to see Nikos wasn’t so eager to speak with Maia now, though she didn’t know if that was because of the other woman’s behavior or because he kept staring at her, a thoughtful look on his face. Leah wondered what ideas spun in his head, and if they should worry her.
They arrived back at the villa late. Too much champagne and a little too much wine with dinner had left Leah feeling mellow. Some of her anger at the discovery of Nikos’s previous engagement had faded, and she didn’t pull away when he put a hand on her back as they walked up the marble stairs.
“That is better,” he said as they traversed the steps to the second floor.
Leah cocked her head to look at him. “What’s better?”
“You’re no longer acting like my touch scalds you.”
She blushed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Liar,” he said with a soft chuckle. “A block of ice would have been warmer to me than you were this evening.”
“That’s silly.” Leah waved a hand as if to dismiss the whole idea, though her stomach knotted.
They stepped onto the landing, and he surprised her by taking her hand. Nikos stopped, pulling her around to face him in a stance that could turn intimate in a second. “I don’t know what I did to offend you, but I am pleased you are no longer in a snit.”
She gasped. “A snit? It wasn’t a snit, and you know what you did.”
He frowned. “I haven’t a clue, Leah mou.”
Leah pulled away, continuing determinedly toward the master suite. “You can’t be that dense, Nikos. And I’m not your Leah.”
He didn’t reply until they had entered the bedroom. His hands on her shoulders made her freeze, but it was the softness of his voice that kept her from moving away. “Please tell me why you are upset, Leah.”
She turned slowly to face him. “I was humiliated. You cozying up with your ex-fiancée had all the gossips’ tongues wagging, and I bore the brunt of the comments.”
Nikos scowled. “Women have nothing better to do than talk about others?”
Leah rolled her eyes. “Men can be just as bad, and you know it.”
After a moment, he nodded. “I apologize if you were humiliated.”
She shrugged. “Thank you.” He seemed so open tonight, with a gentleness displayed toward her that she had never seen. It gave her the courage to ask, “Were you really going to marry Maia?”
His expression became guarded, but he said, “Yes. I was much younger than.”
Pushing her luck, she asked, “What happened?”
Nikos frowned. “I realized our relationship lacked the necessary depth to last a lifetime. She must have reached the same conclusion, because she married someone else within weeks of ending our short engagement.”
She mulled over his words. “Wait, who ended it? You or her?”
With a sigh of impatience, he tugged at his tie. “What does it matter now, Leah? That was years ago.”
Eyes narrowed at his evasion, she murmured words of agreement and turned toward the nursery. “Good night.” Nikos reached for her, and she didn’t resist when he turned her back to face him. “Was there something else?”
He cursed under his breath in his native language. She didn’t understand the words, but she heard the frustration loud and clear. “Yes, agape mou. This.”
Even before his head descended, Leah knew Nikos was going to kiss her. Deep in her heart, she had known all night that every glance and touch was leading to this moment. She held her breath, knowing she should turn away but unable to do so. When his lips touched hers, she sighed, melting against him.
Her lips molded to his, and Leah savored the feel. He opened her lips with his to thrust his tongue inside her mouth, exploring the depths. Eagerly, Leah stroked his tongue with hers. He tasted like the ouzo he’d had after the meal, along with something intangible.
Nikos pulled her closer, until their bodies fit together as though made for each other. Leah deepened the kiss, burying her hands in his hair to drag his head lower. She was desperate for the taste of him, her need sublimating all self-control.
She moaned when he put one hand on her back while the other ventured lower, to cup her bottom. A jolt shot through her when he lifted her slightly, aligning their lower bodies. His proximity was intoxicating, and the sensations he evoked threatened to overwhelm her.
Nikos pulled his mouth from hers, brushing tender kisses across her cheek. “Se thelo, Leah,” he said in a thick voice.
She shook her head. “I don’t know what that means, Nikos.”
He lifted his head so that their gazes locked. “I want you, Leah. I want to touch every inch of you, to learn all your secret places, to watch you come apart in my arms. Se thelo.”
Nikos’s words were like ice water tossed in her face, completely dousing her arousal. “Why?” she asked in a distant tone, pulling away.
He frowned, looking confused. “You are a beautiful woman. My woman. I want to make love to you.”
Leah took another step back. “You once told me you would never want me, Nikos. Do you remember? On our wedding night, you made it crystal clear that you didn’t desire me and never wanted me in your bed. What changed your mind?” He stared at her, mouth agape. She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep from turning into a screeching banshee. Three years of hurt and anger threatened to explode, but she refused to let him see how deeply his rejection had affected her.
“Nothing’s changed, has it, Nikos? I’m just a warm body, conveniently available.” Her shoulders sagged when he didn’t reply. “Good night, Nikos.” This time, he let her go without trying to call her back, to her mingled relief and disappointment. Her heart ached, and all she wanted was to forget about this night and to expunge the memory of his kiss from her mind and body.
In the nursery, Leah stripped off the expensive evening gown and tossed it away before slipping into her nightgown and crawling into bed. Shivers racked her body, though the night was warm. It was reaction, her body’s way of processing what had just happened, along with what had happened three years ago.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of their wedding night, but unable to do so. As she had done so many times in the early days of their marriage, once again, she relived the night’s events in her mind.
Chapter Four
As planned, theirs had been a simple civil ceremony in front of a justice of the peace, with Arianna as their only guest. Nikos’s way of announcing the marriage was hosting a reception following the ceremony, and the house had been crowded with guests. By the time the evening wound to a close, she was exhausted.
Leah made her way upstairs to the suite the housekeeper had shown her before the ceremony, while asking how she wanted her clothes arranged. The austere room suited Nikos, with its massive antique furnishings, dark brown carpet, and beige walls. The room wasn’t conducive
to passion, but she assumed she wouldn’t even notice the décor once Nikos started making love to her.
She bathed meticulously and slipped into a nearly transparent white negligee. The color was appropriate for a virgin bride, but the style was anything except innocent. Lost in the sea of garments at the boutique where she’d selected it, along with many pieces of her new wardrobe, she had deferred to the saleswoman’s suggestion. Examining herself in the mirror, she nodded her approval, deciding the lingerie lent her an air of sophistication she sorely lacked.
Would Nikos be pleased or disappointed to find out she was a virgin? At the age of twenty, she was only one of a few young women in her circle who hadn’t yet gone to bed with a man. Leah wasn’t prudish, but she also didn’t want to jump in to bed with just any man, and none of the boys she’d dated had come close to tempting her to go that far. None had measured up to Nikos.
A faint smile curved her lips. She could admit that she loved Nikos and had for years. He was the standard to which she held all other men, and none had been equal. The circumstances of their marriage were tragic, but she was determined to make the best of the opportunity. By the end of the marriage contract, she hoped Nikos would love her as much as she loved him, and that their arrangement would become permanent.
A colony of butterflies danced in her stomach as she opened the bathroom door to enter the bedroom. Nikos stood a few feet away, in the process of unknotting his tie. At first, he didn’t look at her, and she stood before him, feeling exposed in more ways than one. A chill in the air made her shiver, but she resisted the urge to wrap her arms around her body to warm herself, and also to hide her skin.
When he did look at her, his eyes had widened with surprise. For a moment, his gaze had flicked lower, but quickly returned to hers. “Did the housekeeper show you your room?”
She frowned. “No. She put my things in here.”
Nikos nodded. “We’ll be sharing a dressing room.”
“Oh.” Confusion swirled through her. “Do you prefer to sleep alone?”
His abrupt answer should have told her all she needed. “Yes.”
