by Pamela Ann
The horror of what I’d truly done didn’t settle until a few days before I was bound to go back home. He was talking about me moving to Greece, telling my family, talking to my brother and having a family of our own. Right, like moving to another country was plausible, not. I decided to lay it out for him then, saying that it was over and that I didn’t want to be married. I couldn’t be sure what I’d told him since things progressed very quickly then, but I knew I aimed to hurt and I thought I had, until he showed up a week later and saw Brody.
My thoughts halted when he moved to my side, studying my face, almost caressing it before his features hardened, cold as ice. “That was the guy in your bed before me?” he questioned, showing no emotions.
Of course he’d remember. Nodding, I answered him, “Yes. That’s him.”
He arched that ebony brow of his again, eyes radiating with contempt. “You’ve stayed with him this long, yet you couldn’t wait to get away from me a month later? Tell me, were you involved with him when you married me in Greece?”
When a person gets into sticky situations such as these, it usually gives you a second to respond to sound sincere instead of a big fat liar. The urge to lie was on the tip of my tongue, almost spilling out before I took a stance and decided to tell him the truth. “I grew up with Brody. We had a sexual relationship, but I ended it before I left for Greece.”
Dimitris snickered, looking like… a good wet dream. “How convenient. Did you also merely happen to slide back into this relationship the second you get off the plane, married to another man and all?”
He was so strikingly beautiful; it was somehow hard to look at him without having a mini heart attack. “We ended things before I left, Dimitris.” I tried to stay calm, but it was impossible to achieve that kind of façade. I scolded myself, telling my brain that he was in a relationship with Claudine, but my body seemed to have missed the message.
Something erupted from him. “Damn you! You know well enough that it was far from over, Lindsey! I fucking loved you! I married you for crying out loud!” He inched into my face, roaring his words out.
For the entire time I spent with him, even when I broke things off, I had never seen him this angry. It hurt, I wasn’t going to lie; however this was the best for the both of us. “I told you I didn’t do love, but you didn’t care and went ahead with it.”
“You did, I remember… but when you’re with me…” he paused, looking away, “you looked like you did, though. When you kissed me, it felt like you did. I cannot believe I was wrong all along. I wanted only to see what I needed to see.”
This confrontation was killing me inside, but I knew we needed one before we signed those papers. A closure before we put this hellish predicament behind us.
His eyes were on me, possibly waiting for me to deny or declare something, yet I wasn’t going to give him anything. I had nothing to give, to him or any man.
“Are you in love with him?” Dimitris spat out with an accusing tone.
You had no idea, did you? My mind mocked. “All my life,” I whispered, knowing that this was something I’d accepted.
Dimitris gave a nod, as if understanding it all. “I was just a distraction, sadly.” His strong voice from a few minutes ago was gone. He sounded thoughtful, sad. “Thank you for clearing that up. At least, now, I can move forward without doubts holding me back, thinking things like what had I done wrong with you or if there was something I could’ve done to make you come back. I didn’t realize that I had already lost before I had even began.”
Not glancing his way, I stared out the window again, hardening my cold, bitchy heart. “I sent you emails and messages about sending me the divorce papers, but you never responded. Why did it take you all this time?”
“I was busy.” He made a great emphasis on the word “busy”, as if not wanting me to miss that innuendo.
I knew, of course I did. He had been busy with women.
We had both moved on. The divorce was both our best interests. It’s been a year almost. It really was time.
“Do you know what room number you’re in or do you want to meet somewhere else if your boyfriend is staying with you?” the emotionless man asked.
“No. I will be alone, but I haven’t checked in yet.” Out of nowhere, an idea came through. “Why don’t you just drop it off tonight so I can fax it to my lawyers tomorrow? I guess, we both want to be free from this as soon as possible.”
He studied me for a second before he spoke, “Very well. Expect me at midnight.” He gave me a curt nod and then retreated towards the door, leaving me in the room, not knowing what to do.
I exhaled a long breath, feeling ill. I should’ve been relieved that this was actually happening, though I wasn’t feeling anything close to celebratory. In fact, I was feeling very hollow.
Absentmindedly, I took hold of my phone and dialed the hotel’s number to book myself a room for the night. It was only ten-thirty so I still had an hour and a half until I met him.
Coming out of the room, I immediately sought Brody to say goodbye, but when he saw me, he became concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive? You don’t look okay to me.”
“I have a headache. I’ll see you soon, ‘kay?”
Being around Brody usually made me feel good—though I never said it out loud—but tonight, that effect was nowhere to be found. He pulled me against his hard chest and I found comfort in it. I closed my eyes and basked in his scent. Brody. He and the scent I had loved all my life.
Maybe it was high time to think about Brody and me after all. The second I hear that my divorce is final; I was going to think it through and consider it. As scary as that sounded, I had to be brave and give this a try. “Two months, Brody. If you can wait; it’s two months.”
“Then, I’ll be waiting for two months. It’s about time we give this love a shot,” he assured me, smiling down on me.
Giving him a tight smile, I looked into his face. “I know,” I murmured, understanding before I untangled myself from him. “I’ll see you soon. I’m going to call it a night. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
He kissed my forehead before lifting my chin to see straight into his heart. “Make sure you do, pookie. You know how worried I get when you don’t.”
“Night, Brody.”
“I love you.”
“I know.” He never failed to let me know, not after that night he made love to me. Not once did he fail.
Chapter 2
At exactly midnight, I heard a knock on my door. I was making my way towards the entrance when I halted my steps, a little shaky. Closing my eyes, I commanded myself to breathe and calm it down a notch before I had a full-blown panic attack. I hadn’t had one in over a decade and I’d be damned if I started to have one now. “Focus!” I hissed out loud before I strolled towards the door, opening it.
I caught myself before a loud gasp came out of my mouth when I found Dimitris standing there. He stood, one arm against the doorframe, the other in his pocket while he just stared at me for a few seconds. Few, yes, but it felt like time suspended between us while we drunk each other in. If he wasn’t so irresistible… I thought recklessly.
“May I come in?” Dimitris spoke, breaking my thoughts.
Without a word, I motioned for him to come in. He walked past me, striding towards the middle of the living room, taking in the blast from the past surroundings. The design was a retro-chic theme. Funky, fun, upbeat and just what I needed it to be like right-the-hell-now.
“Do you want a glass of wine? Water?” I offered, my eyes straying away from his enticing backside.
He shook his head before spinning around to face me, nonchalant. “No. I don’t plan to stay long.”
Right. He wanted to get rid of me now; that’s why he was advancing on this divorce. Bringing the big weight of his money and his name around, but when it was me who had wanted it, he had simply ignored the request.
I didn’t even notice the folder he was holding until he lifted it, pointin
g towards the couch. “Shall we?” Dimitris politely asked, irritating me like no other.
We sat on opposite sides of the couch before he laid out papers in front of me, explaining where I should read and sign. There were a lot to sign, too.
My rattled mind perked up when he started speaking again. “You didn’t sign a pre-nup. So, you’re basically entitled to half of what I own, if you so wish it.”
Not in this lifetime, I didn’t. I left him… after four days. The only thing I was entitled to was a bitch-slap. Money-hungry-woman certainly didn’t need to be attached to my name. “I don’t want your money.”
He was looking at me, thoughtful for a moment. “Thought as much. In any case, I’m still giving you a hefty settlement.”
Did he not hear me? Where was the angry man from earlier? What the hell happened to that man? I didn’t want this complacent Dimitris that everyone liked. I wanted that Alpha Greek; the possessive, magisterial, tempestuous, passionate kind of man. That I could handle, but this sweet looking, understanding yet composed one, I couldn’t.
“I said I don’t want your money. I have my own.”
He hardly gave me a shrug, past acknowledging my wants. “I don’t care if you do or don’t want it because I’m giving it to you. You were my wife, though the marriage lasted for four days, I’m still giving it to you. Do whatever you want with it. It doesn’t matter. I’m closing this part of my life with no speck of doubt in it. This settlement’s a part of it. So, let’s not argue about that, Lindsey.” Dimitris was getting worked up and, for once, I was tempted to see him break that calm façade and see that passionate man which lurked within.
I had enough money of my own from my trust. Besides, I didn’t want anything from him. Not only was I undeserving, I had also caused him grief. “I really don’t want it, though. Give it to someone else, Dimitris. Heck, give it to your girlfriend. I’m sure she can get more of those massive diamonds that she sports all the fucking time.” Okay, that was too much. That simply revealed that I was stalking him online, but hell, Claudine never stepped out without a minimum of ten grand worth of jewels draped on her. Who did that?
Fuck, I thought when those eyes simmered before me. I found myself clenching my vaginal muscles so hard, almost to the point of being out of breath. Those damn, stupid eyes dropped on my breasts then back to my gaze, impaling me. “Lindsey, will you please, for once, stop being so difficult. You were the one who walked out on me, so give me this courtesy, at least, and not hinder every good intention I have.”
Was this his way of manipulating my thoughts, with my body? Hell.
I didn’t know if I was bailing out because he was such a good man and he deserved so much more or if it was because I couldn’t handle being around him any longer. If giving me this settlement would ease his conscience, then so be it. “Fine. Fine. Let’s have it your way.”
“Good. These are the contacts to give your lawyers to reach mine,” he said, placing a business card atop the papers before he stood up, readying to leave.
I tensed as I followed him towards the door. A sharp breath escaped when he was about to open the door, but stopped, spun around and placed a kissed on my cheek.
Summer. The word popped into my mind when I first smelled him. His smell reminded me of that great summer we’d had. It was playing havoc with my senses and I had to harness my arousal before I did something shameful.
“Farewell, my dear wife,” he murmured into my ear, caressing my soul before parting with it, unlinking the bond.
Dimitris left before I had the chance to say my goodbye. I suppose it was best that I didn’t. He was a good man. It was just unfortunate that he had come across a woman like me one summer afternoon.
Chapter 3
Approximately a month later…
Blasphemous Movie Premier After Party
I was at my best friend, Emma’s, movie premier when I saw him again. Dimitris was one of the main characters in the movie. He once told me that he took up acting to make his parents mad. What he hadn’t expected was that he’d end up liking it. Even knowing that sooner or later he’d have to give it up, he still pursued it.
The time to give it up was now upon him. This movie would be his last one before he followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the vast empire his forefathers had built across the globe.
From my friend, Amber’s, innocent remark about Dimitris’s girlfriend, Claudine, looking “gorgeous”, to Emma wanting to talk, I was ready to scream and stomp out of here, but of course, I hadn’t lost it completely.
So I complied, sliding out of the booth, we both went outside, towards the hotel garden. I barely had time to enjoy my surroundings, let alone breathe the fresh air when Emma came in for the kill.
“I know you’re married to him,” Emma said when we reached a bench to sit on.
How many people did that jerk tell about this farcical marriage anyway? “What the hell did he tell you?” I demanded, looking away, abashed and embarrassed at my very humungous mishap.
“That you guys are divorcing.” Emma paused, giving me time to process things. “Why marry him at all if you didn’t plan to stay in it? Four days, Lindsey? That’s so unlike you.”
Emma, of all people, knew the difficulty of temptation while still loving someone deep down. After all, didn’t she have that same thing with my brother while she pined for Bass? “He expected so much out of me. I got scared. I wasn’t used to being almost smothered with attention; it was refreshing for a change. I’ve loved Brody all my life. I don’t know what made me say yes when he popped the question. We were both drunk, dancing in a club. I admit, leaving him was fucked up, but I didn’t want all the obligations that came with marrying someone like him. It wasn’t what I wanted.” This was something I would never do again, drunk or whatever I may be. Marriage wasn’t a joke and I should’ve thought more instead of being in a great orgasm haze for the entire time with Dimitris.
“I guess it’s a good thing that you realized that in the very beginning before you got pregnant or something.” Emma strode over and gave me a comforting hug. “Follow your heart. You’ll be surprised what it’ll show you.”
Babies? Hell, no. I was allergic to them, thank you. I shivered when Emma let go of me. After she went looking for Bass, I was still stuck out here, pondering what she had just told me.
Maybe I should just go home and forget this night ever happened. I was about to stride back inside when a dark form dressed in a black tux with his wavy, dark hair swept back, looking polished and downright lethal to my over-quivering senses, stopped me from going anywhere.
My tongue tingled, as if tasting something delicious, as saliva gathered on my tongue.
“I need to speak to you.” Dimitris was in his standoffish, detached-from-any-human-being type of mood.
I was a sad excuse of a horny woman because, though I was eating up the sight of Dimitris like he was a piece of my favorite chocolate, I didn’t want to desire him. In fact, I should be feeling the opposite, but the absence of him was making my hormones run riot—remembering how delicious and scrumptious he was.
Collecting my usual sense of calm and indifference, I matched his gaze. “Yeah? What about?”
“My grandfather found out and halted the divorce proceedings.”
I could hear a bomb explode somewhere inside of me. Maybe it was my lungs because I was suddenly out of breath and I desperately needed a good supply of air to survive this ordeal that had landed on me. For him to seek me out meant that this was a MAJOR deal. Huge. Colossal.
“Why? Why would he do that?” I whispered, almost screeching even with the quite tone.
Dimitris stepped closer, taking over the small freedom I had from his handsome form. “He demands to meet you in person. In fact, grandfather wants to get to know you and have you stay in Greece for a week.”
Was his grandfather for real? What if I told him to shove his “demands” and ship them to hell? “I don’t do well with demands from my brother;
what makes you think I’d do it for a stranger?” I folded my arms underneath my breasts, serious as a heart attack.
“Because this particular stranger holds the power over the both of us about this divorce. This stranger wouldn’t have been one if you had allowed me to introduce you to my family.” He stopped, looking like he was about to snap before I heard the gnawing sound of his jaw locking together. “This is the first divorce my family has had to deal with. He does not take this lightly. He possibly wants to understand our motives; why we didn’t belong together. How hard could it be? Surely you can spare me seven days in exchange for the kind of havoc you’ll be causing my family?”
Seven days to pay for my stupidity, I could do that, right? Face an old man and tell him that I wasn’t interested in being married to his grandson, who was extra close to his mother for my own liking. “Well, it looks like you’re not giving me any choice. Greece it is.”
He gave me a curt nod, which made me look at his chin, remembering how I used to kiss it so much.
Dimitris spoke, breaking my nostalgic memories of him., “I leave before dawn. My parents wanted to meet Claudine so you’ll be flying out with us.”
Hell, fucking shit. You mean it gets better than the bomb he just dropped about his grandfather? Boy, aren’t I one lucky woman tonight. “Does she know about me?” The past and the present, all in one place. Karma kill me now, please.
“Yeah, she does. She’s okay with it. She’s really a great woman. You’ll like her,” Dimitris assured me as if I was enquiring about her credibility instead of some psycho territorial snatch.
Well, I was sure Claudine would be “okay” with it and I was also sure she was a “great” woman, but hell would freeze over before I exchanged words with that skank—she was my replacement, of course she’s one. “How about I fly out commercial? That should save tons of awkwardness. Besides, I really don’t want to be around any of you, to be honest.”
