Alex kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry this had to happen to your family, Giannina.”
She lifted wounded, wet brown eyes to look at him. “I could feel his resentment of me and my brother from the moment he moved in. He had a mocking attitude none of us could stand. It still astounds me that my aunt could have fallen in love with him. But she admitted those feelings wore off once they were married.”
“Chemistry draws people together, even someone like the man she thought she loved.”
“He never loved her!” she cried. “She was the means to an end. I’m glad he’s been caught. The worst is over for her now.”
At this point, she rose up. “He used to watch me at the newspaper with those icy eyes, wishing I were nowhere around.”
He pulled her close once more. “You need never worry he’ll torment you or your family again.”
“I’m so thankful he’s been caught.”
So was Alex. With Hatzi’s capture, Alex prayed she would accept him when she learned who he really was. A new nightmare had begun. With reluctance, he let her go and rolled off the bed.
“Why don’t you freshen up while I fix us something to eat. We both need food and coffee.”
She made a slight nod.
Euphoric over Hatzi’s capture, he got busy in the galley to give her privacy. Before long she joined him and sat down at the table.
“I just talked to Nico.”
That didn’t surprise Alex. She’d once told him her brother was her rock. He believed it. Pleased to see she’d started to recover, he said, “Do you think the news shocked him?”
She stared at him over the rim of her coffee mug. “You mean that Ari’s a cold-blooded murderer? No. Nico said he thought Ari was capable of anything. He couldn’t be happier to know our uncle has finally met his deserved end. My brother will tell our parents and find a way to inform our aunt.”
“That’s good. Hatzi will be held in a Greek jail until the Hellenian authorities have him extradited to Loria. Your brother can arrange for him to sign those divorce papers before he’s transferred.”
“You’re right.” She took a bite of sandwich. Alex was glad to see she could eat. He’d been afraid she might have been too upset. “Mmm. This is good. I didn’t know you were a cordon bleu chef as well as a journalist.”
“My lifestyle means I’ve learned how to stay alive on my own cooking.” His gaze studied her features. “I need to fly back to my uncle who has helped me all these years and tell him what’s happened. Will you come with me? We’ll fly in his private jet. It’ll only take a half hour.”
Her eyes lit up, thrilling him. “I’d love to come. But if we have to travel all the way to Lisbon, that’ll take much longer tha—”
“My uncle hasn’t lived there for a long time,” Alex interrupted.
“I don’t understand.”
No. There was so much she didn’t know yet, but soon.
“Uncle Zikos is a very wealthy man with residences in half a dozen countries. We lived in Portugal for a time, but these days he’s been staying at his home in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where his family’s oil reserves are located. With contacts all over, he’ll have heard of the arrest and much more.”
She went quiet, but he could hear those wheels turning in her head.
“I’m afraid I’ve overloaded you with too much information, Giannina.”
“Not at all,” she murmured. “It’s just surprising to learn things about you I never knew before.”
“For your safety I wasn’t free to tell you everything when we met in London. After today’s revelation about Ari, you’re my only concern. But maybe you’d rather be with your family and get back to work on the story. We can fly to my uncle’s another time.”
“Philip—” she blurted, shaking her head. “I’m fine. Honestly. I’ve always wanted to meet the family that raised you.”
“Before we get there, I want to fill you in on my uncle’s situation. My aunt died of pneumonia last year.”
Another surprising revelation. “I’m sorry. I’d hoped to meet her.”
“It’s very sad you can’t. You would have liked her. As for my two cousins, both are married now with children and live away, so there’s only my uncle at home.”
“Then he must miss you very much when you’re gone.”
“That works both ways.” He flicked her a glance. “You’ll like him a lot. He’s been anxious to meet you too, believe me. I don’t think he has a single enemy, except for those factions in our world who bring hate and chaos.”
“He sounds like my father. Baba’s not only well loved, but a fighter for freedom. When he learns the whole truth about what Ari did, I’m sure he won’t be surprised. You have no idea how good he was to my uncle, who harbored an obsessive jealousy of him and everything he stood for.”
“Some men are beyond redemption and need a miracle to intercede for them.”
“He had my angel aunt Olga, but he was too filled with malice to know it.”
His blue eyes pled with her. “Let’s forget him and enjoy this time together.”
“There’s nothing I want more.”
“Neither do I.” Grateful that she didn’t hate his guts yet, he got up from the table, admiring her indomitable spirit. “I’ll be waiting for you on deck.”
CHAPTER FOUR
PHILIP’S INVITATION WAS what Giannina had hoped for three years ago! It had finally happened. She couldn’t wait for him to take her on a tour of the city and show her where he’d gone to school. What were his favorite haunts? Was there a certain bistro he loved? A favorite place?
To guard her heart, maybe she shouldn’t be going, but she couldn’t help herself. She’d never fallen out of love with Philip, and a lot of things about him were starting to make sense. He’d been hiding things from her. Now was her chance to find out what they were so there’d be no secrets between them.
Philip had the backing of a wealthy uncle so he could go where he wanted, when he wanted, in pursuit of a news story. For now, he had an apartment in the posh section of Salonica and had access to this sleek cruiser to get him around.
Dazed by all this, Giannina got busy and did the dishes. Her next task was to gather her overnight bag and camera case. She straightened the bedding on the bed she hadn’t slept in and went up on deck.
He’d been watching for her and handed her a life jacket, which she put on. After handing it to her, his hands slid up her arms in the old familiar way. But suddenly he let her go. When he didn’t follow through with another kiss, she wandered over to the side of cruiser, having to pretend it hadn’t affected her. She wanted him so badly it was torture.
Soon they were speeding past Mount Athos. There was no sign of the other two boats. Though the scenery was magnificent, her gaze fell on Philip, the most attractive man she’d ever met or known. He’d shaved and changed into an open-necked sport shirt. Was it any wonder Khloe had practically fainted at the sight of him back at the office?
Giannina touched fingers to her lips where he’d kissed her earlier. She could still feel the sensation that had swept through her. Yet oddly enough she didn’t need to recall her brother’s sage advice. He’d warned her this could be a dangerous situation if she allowed Philip to take advantage of her. Yes, he’d invited her to meet his uncle. But what Nico didn’t know was that she had no idea what the future held where Philip was concerned.
While they’d been on the bed in the cabin, he’d held and comforted her, nothing more. She’d wanted him to make passionate love to her and didn’t know what to make of his behavior. It disturbed her that she still loved him so terribly.
If he’d felt the same way about her three years ago, they’d have been married by now. Though he insisted that he’d always loved her, the fact that he’d never taken her to bed puzzled her more than ever.
Today she’d learned som
e surprising things about his past where his wealthy uncle was concerned. She suspected she didn’t know half of what Philip was all about. Talk about him being an enigma! The only way to get through this situation was to be patient and hope for more. A few brief kisses and touches weren’t enough.
She looked out over the water, watching some sailboats in the distance. Truly no more magical place existed than this part of the Aegean. She’d love to go sailing with him. She’d love to do anything with him!
A full sun shone on the blue of the water, a blue almost as beautiful as the color of his eyes. Her gaze darted to him. The sun gilded the dark blond tips of his hair. She should have kept her camera case around her neck so she could take more pictures of him when he wasn’t looking.
But that was a foolish thought since she probably wouldn’t see him again once she returned to work. She’d promised herself to get rid of those postcards, but they remained stashed away in her dresser at home. It really was past time for her to move on and find a love she could depend on.
Philip would go his secret way. He said he’d given up journalism. To do what? Still, it didn’t matter. Better not to have any more remembrances of him. While she was deep in thought, he called to her. “Come and sit near me. I want to hear about your life. We have a lot to catch up on.”
Her life? How ironic when she didn’t know nearly enough about his. But she did his bidding and planted herself on the padded seat. “Since you know I’ve worked at the newspaper since returning from London, there’s very little to tell.”
“That’s not true,” he came right back. “I want to hear how many men at the paper are besotted with you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Probably several dozen. But we have a rule about fraternizing with the staff, so my ardent suitors are found elsewhere.”
“There must have been someone.”
“But nothing serious,” she answered honestly. Her love for Philip had ruined her for other men. “Like your work, mine has pretty well consumed me.”
“It’s possible that one of these days soon you’ll be busy publishing an amazing new story.”
“You mean besides the story on Ari? A bigger one? The one you won’t be covering?”
He nodded.
Philip was being mysterious again. Frustrated by his behavior, she shifted in place as they sped through the water. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather hear about this huge change you’ve made that has brought your career as a journalist to an end.”
* * *
Philip flashed her the kind of smile that had captivated her in the beginning. The man was so incredibly attractive, she looked away. Her intense desire for him frightened her.
“I want a family,” came his admission. “It means I can’t be a journalist who travels around Europe at a moment’s notice.”
“Some reporters do both,” Giannina reasoned while reacting to what he’d just said. “There’s a married man on my staff who makes it work.”
“How often is he in Salonica?”
She bit her lip. “Not as much as he’d like to be, I’m sure.”
“That’s the point. I intend to stay home and take care of my family.”
Giannina had no idea he felt that strongly. “I guess my first question is, where will home be to you? In Croatia near your uncle?”
“No.” He sat forward. “I have other plans.”
She groaned inwardly. “Does that mean you already know what you want to do for a living?”
Their gazes fused. “I know exactly.”
“That sounded final.”
“It is. But I’m not certain if the woman I want to marry will be happy with my choice.” She sucked in her breath and struggled not to reveal the splintering pain his words had inflicted. He grasped her hand. “Surely you know that woman is you. It’s always been you.”
“Please, Philip. Don’t joke about anything this serious.”
“Were those hundreds of postcards a joke?” he demanded.
“But—”
“I meant what I said on them,” he broke in on her. “One day we’d be together forever, if it was what you wanted too. Why do you think I want to take you to my uncle’s? He’s been forced to hear me talk about you for three long years. He’s delighted I’m finally free to go after the love of my life.”
She really was the love of his life?
“I realize I’ve waited too long to come for you, though there were life-and-death reasons I couldn’t reveal to you at the time. I know you loved me once, but I fear you can’t forgive me for staying away this long. Not only that, I have other concerns. You’ve only known me as a journalist. If we were to get married and I worked in government, you might not like it.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “You plan to run for a government office?”
“Not run. It would be a case of being a part of one.” He flashed her a glance. “Does that surprise you?”
Giannina was trying to take it all in. “I don’t know. What government are you planning to work for?”
“A new one.”
New? There he went again, not giving her a full answer. “Somehow I don’t see you as a bureaucrat.”
A faint smile appeared. “You mean the type concerned with procedural correctness at the expense of people’s needs?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you implied it, Giannina.”
She cocked her head. “What would you do exactly?”
“Help bring about change to better life as we know it. My work over the years has taken me many places. I’ve seen and written about things no man should have to witness, let alone live through. Now I’ve had enough of being a bystander. It’s time for me to do something fundamental that could make a difference to people.”
“I had no idea you felt so passionately about the news you’ve covered. I admire you for wanting to promote changes in government when it’s so hard to do. For you to want to make a difference excites me.”
“But would you be able to handle it being married to me, knowing it will be a full-time job?”
When she’d given up hope, Giannina couldn’t believe the day she’d been waiting and praying for had finally come. Had he really proposed to her?
“How can you ask me a question like that? I want you to be happy. If that’s the job you want, then I want it for you. Unless, of course, you end up neglecting me,” she teased.
He didn’t lighten up and shook his head. “I’m afraid that could happen in any marriage, no matter the kind of work or profession. Sometimes it’s the wife who’s the workaholic and the husband suffers neglect.”
Again his comments astonished her. “Do you think I’m that type?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Does it worry you?”
“Maybe.”
Philip, Philip. “Are you saying I didn’t live for you when we were in London? That I didn’t try to drag you back when you left my apartment three years ago?”
“That was different. We weren’t married.”
“Are you saying I didn’t chase after you like some of the women in the audience once you’d given that lecture?”
“You weren’t like that.”
“I was exactly like that, but I wanted you and didn’t dare act like the others in case it turned you off.”
“It worked, Giannina,” he murmured, but there was no smile. The knowledge that he’d just proposed marriage to her in the most unorthodox way she could have imagined had stunned her beyond belief.
“What are you thinking, Philip? From what I understand, most husbands don’t want a wife who clings to them constantly. Though there are some married couples who work together, I think it would have its own problems.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” He started to slow down the boat. They’d reached the pier in Salonica. Before she knew it, he�
��d glided the cruiser into the slip with expertise. Rigas waved to them, having come in on the other boat. The police must have brought her uncle on their boat, but she didn’t see it. Philip shut off the engine.
“Giannina?” He’d turned to her. “Do you still love me? Can you forgive me for staying away so long?”
The question caught her totally off guard. “How can you ask me that when you know you’re my whole life!” she cried. “Why am I here now if I haven’t forgiven you? No sooner did you come to my office than I told you I wanted to go with you on your boat. Ari had nothing to do with my leaping at the chance to be with you again. If that doesn’t tell you everything you want to know...”
He cupped the back of her neck and gave her a kiss to die for. When he let her go, he said, “I’m afraid there’s much more I need to tell you about me. It could affect the way you feel.”
“Then tell me now,” she begged him.
“I’d rather wait until we reach Croatia, where we’ll have total privacy. Will you trust me putting you off just a little longer?”
She pressed an urgent kiss to his lips the way she used to do. “I guess I’m going to have to. Don’t keep me waiting too long.”
“I swear I won’t.”
They both got to their feet. She removed the life jacket and put it on the banquette. After grabbing her overnight bag, he cupped her elbow and they stepped onto the dock. While Rigas tied things up, they left for the parking area and got in Philip’s car. He put her bag in the back seat and they were off.
“What’s going on in that fascinating mind of yours that has made you go quiet?” They were headed for the airport.
“Maybe it’s because you’ve just asked me to marry you.”
He grasped her hand. “I wanted to ask you in London.”
“Every night we were together I hoped you would propose,” she admitted.
“I ached to. Don’t you know I love you with every fiber of my being, Giannina?”
“Philip.” She half moaned his name. “I feel the same way.”
Harlequin Romance April 2021 Box Set Page 5
