The next evening…
Aimee paced her suite of rooms, struggling to get her emotions under control. After making love with Alexi in the pool house, they’d both fallen asleep. She’d awakened shortly before midnight, dressed, and crept up the stairs to her rooms. She’d dismissed the maid keeping watch over Damien, locked both the hallway and patio doors, and then taken a long hot shower.
It was now evening of the following day, but the passing time did nothing to ease her self-recriminations. “You were supposed to be exerting your independence and resisting that Greek devil, but no! You had to go and sleep with the most amazing, sexy, and stunning specimen of maleness you’ve ever met. You acted no better than a dog in heat last night.”
She sighed, looking out at the stars, which were beginning to appear. It doesn’t even matter that making love with Alexi was the best experience I’ve ever had. Now I have to deal with the aftermath.
The differences between Alexi’s wealthy lifestyle and her precarious existence were hard to miss. He was richer than she could imagine, lived a life she only read about in the tabloids, and liked being in control of his world. She could learn to deal with the first two, but never the third.
A knock on the hallway door heralded Kassi’s arrival. “They’re here! Leo and Gemma are back!”
Aimee pushed her morose thoughts aside, anxious to see Gemma but not wanting to intrude on a family reunion she had no right to be a part of. “I’ll come see her in a little bit. Does Tressa still have Damien?”
Kassi gave her a funny look. “Yes, but you should come down now. They held dinner when you and Alexi both declined to come downstairs and Tressa sent me up here to tell you we are eating now. Together.” When Aimee didn’t immediately respond, she added softly, “It will seem very rude if you stay up here.”
Aimee’s shoulders sagged. “Very well. I’ll come downstairs.” No matter how uncomfortable seeing Alexi after their illicit joining the night before would be, his parents didn’t deserve to be treated with disrespect. They’d done nothing but welcome her into their home and their lives.
Kassi linked her arm through Aimee’s elbow once they were in the hallway. “So, what’s up with you and Alexi? You two looked pretty cozy last night, and yet today you’ve stayed hidden in your rooms and he’s been acting like a bear with a thorn stuck in his paw.”
Aimee adopted an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But speaking of last night, is everything okay?”
Kassi’s smile faltered, but only for a moment. “Just a slight disagreement with someone who thinks they know everything. I can’t stand guys like that, can you?”
Aimee shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
They reached the bottom of the staircase. Aimee could hear Gemma’s voice even before they entered the dining room. Gemma was seated next to Leo, Damien standing on her lap while he patted his father’s cheeks. Vasil sat at the head of the table, with Tressa seated on his left side. Alexi was seated next to his mother, and two additional places awaited Aimee and Kassi.
Gemma looked up and waved at her. “Hey, there you are! I’d give you a hug but as you can see, I’m a little busy right now.”
Aimee smiled at Damien. “He’s happy to have you both home.” She headed for the empty chair next to Gemma, but Kassi pushed past her, claiming it for herself. Aimee glared at her, but not wanting to cause a scene, she backtracked around the table and took the empty chair next to Alexi.
She edged as far away from him as possible, cursing her hormones when they immediately set up a chant for a repeat of last night’s performance. His unique smell wafted to her nostrils and she felt her insides melt as she remembered breathing him in last night.
Alexi leaned toward her. “Everything okay?” he whispered.
She glanced at him and quickly looked away, fighting a blush. “I’m fine.”
“Where have you been all day? I came to your rooms, but the doors were locked.”
“I had things to do.” It was harder than she thought to resist him. Her entire body strained to be closer to him. Aimee firmly directed her attention to Damien’s antics as he rejoiced in being the center of attention.
“Malakíes!” Alexi snapped.
His rising voice caught Kassi’s attention. “Cousin, you know no member of your mother’s kitchen would ever serve such a dish. Bullshit belongs in the fields.”
Aimee covered her mouth in silent laughter when she saw Alexi’s face turn red. His harsh, “Mind your own business!” brought forth another surge of giggles she found hard to contain.
“Your mother allows you to curse at her dining room table?” she asked softly.
Alexi glared at her, but was prevented from answering her when Leo grabbed his attention. “Alexi. We should talk.”
Tressa looked at both of her sons and then sighed. “Dinner will be served in twenty minutes. Can you talk fast?”
Leo and Alexi nodded dutifully, excusing themselves from the table.
Gemma kissed her son’s head. “I’ll be up to read you a story in just a little bit.”
Tressa and Vasil took Damien upstairs so that one of the maids could give him his nightly bath while the rest of the family enjoyed a quiet dinner.
Aimee took advantage of Leo’s absence to sit next to Gemma. “You look a little pale. Are you getting sick?”
Gemma shook her head. “I don’t think so. I wasn’t feeling very good this morning when we changed planes and threw up a couple of times. Leo made me promise to see the doctor tomorrow if I’m not feeling better. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Kassi leaned forward. “Can you believe how much Leo and Alexi look alike now? Before I could tell them apart because Alexi’s hair was short and he wasn’t as tanned. The media is going to have a field day when this story finally comes out.”
Aimee gave her a stern look. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything.”
“I won’t, but you know it’s going to come out sometime.” Kassi shrugged. “They can’t stay holed up in the house forever.”
*****
“We have to be careful about leaving the estate,” Alexi warned Leo as they waited for Piotr to join them. He’d been told to arrive an hour after Leo and Gemma, not wanting to raise the media’s suspicions.
Piotr joined them in the front room, saluting as he entered. “We really need to figure out a way to get rid of those vultures hanging around the front gate. If the media get hold of the situation...”
“They’ll go away in time.” Leo turned to look at his brother, his arms crossed over his chest. “Now that Piotr is here, tell me what’s going on.”
Alexi gave Piotr and Leo the condensed version of what had been occurring for the last two years. “I thought this person would have gone away when news of my death became public knowledge, but it seems the threat has now transferred to you,” Alexi looked at his brother, “and the women. Pictures of Gemma and Kassi were included in some of the emails.”
Leo cursed and clenched his fists. “I won’t stand for anyone threatening my wife or this family. Enough is enough.”
“This person needs to be hunted down and stopped.” Piotr’s declaration had all three men nodding in agreement.
Alexi paced the room. “I tried having the emails traced, but they’re being routed all across the globe. A friend is looking into it further for me.”
“A friend?” Leo inquired.
“Yes. Now, Piotr, what plans have you made to ensure this family stays safe?”
Piotr outlined his security plan, including guards on Damien and Aimee. “I’ve told my men to stay out of sight, but only if they could do so and still perform their duties thoroughly. There are certain members of this household that will be less than thrilled to know their every move is being monitored.”
Alexi eyed him. “Anyone in particular you care to mention?”
Piotr shook his head. “You know I’m referring to Kassi, but let’s leave her out of this for now. I have it under control.”
Alexi hesitated. He’d done a little investigating of his own, and discovered that Piotr and Kassi had a history together. Before coming to live with his family, Kassi had been dating Piotr almost exclusively. Piotr was several years older than Alexi’s lovely cousin and independently wealthy in his own right, and yet he’d taken a position as head of security for Moustakas Shipping. The only reason Alexi had been able to come up with for this career choice was so that Piotr could keep an eye on the one woman who drove him crazy.
Alexi met Piotr’s gaze with an unspoken promise in his eyes. “We will discuss Kassi, but I agree, that conversation is for another time.”
Piotr inclined his head. “So, what’s the next move?”
Alexi narrowed his eyes. “We lure this coward out into the open.”
“Do you really think that is wise?” Leo asked.
“Everyone is here and going to be under surveillance. There won’t be a better time,” Alexi told him.
“Do you have a plan in mind?” Piotr asked.
Alexi’s expression hardened. “I’m going to send this person an invitation to meet with me, but I’ll be pretending to be Leo. Let’s give them the chance they want—but on our terms and in a place and time of our choosing. I’m betting whoever is sending those emails won’t be able to resist.”
“That could work.” Leo stroked his chin. “Especially if they think I’m the only one they have to deal with. Finding out we are both still very much alive and aware of their existence should give us the advantage.”
The three men looked at one another and then nodded. A plan had been formed, now they simply had to refine the details, execute it and keep everyone safe until it reached its conclusion—the elimination of their mutual enemy.
*****
Piotr excused himself from the front room, taking a small detour to check in on Kassi before leaving the estate grounds. Of all the people he had to safeguard, Kassi was the most headstrong and most willfully disobedient.
She seemed to delight in thwarting his attempts to ensure her safety on a day-to-day basis. Even after she’d had several harrowing rescues from overzealous admirers, she still refused to heed his advice and steer clear of the underground nightclubs. Her stubbornness and refusal to let him explain what had happened a year earlier seemed to be the driving force behind her irresponsible decisions.
Just the night before, he’d trailed her to one of the less desirable parts of town, filled with university students with no brains and a thirst for trouble. She’d been fighting off two drunken frat boys. Piotr had intervened, forcing her from the basement of the building and driving her back to the estate in stony silence. He’d lost his temper and told her she needed a keeper. She’d not only cursed him, but she’d refused to let him apologize and now wouldn’t even speak to him.
He rounded the corner and then froze as Kassi stepped out of the dining room. She had her head down and didn’t see him until she was almost upon him. When she looked up, Piotr could see so many different emotions pass through her eyes, it was hard to focus on just one.
Anger was evident. But beneath the anger was a vulnerability and pain Piotr ached to erase. “Kass.”
The shortened form of her name drew her immediate ire. “My name is not Kass!” she spat at him, turning on her heel.
“Prinkípissa…” Piotr reached for her, missing her arm by a mere fraction of an inch.
Kassi wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t touch me. Don’t talk to me. In fact, why don’t you find another one of your goons to follow me around and ruin my life?”
Piotr sighed. “Still can’t admit you shouldn’t have been in that dive?”
Kassi sneered. “Regardless of what you might think, I don’t need a keeper. Nor do I need an overbearing asshole following me around. Just leave me alone.”
Kassi’s voice had risen and Aimee appeared in the doorway. “Is everything okay?”
Kassi nodded and turned her back on Piotr. He wished he could demand she come back and explain why she was so adamant about not letting him do his job, but this evidently wasn’t the time or place. He offered a nod to Aimee. “Good evening. I’ll see myself out.”
He made his way out of the house, ignoring the half dozen reporters still camped outside the estate’s gates. Alexi had a plan in place, and whether Kassi liked it not, she would have his protection until the threat was neutralized. Just like every member of the Moustakas household was going to be protected. Piotr smiled grimly. Whoever was sending those emails was in for a surprise the next time they came after the family.