decision to go on. ‘Do you know how terrifying it was being pregnant, alone in New York? Do you know how much I depended on you to follow me? How can I trust you, Nikos?’
He grimaced. Christa. Marika. Always the ghost of that long ago nightmare.
But now wasn’t the time to talk of the past. He wasn’t sure if there ever would be a time, but for now he had to move on.
‘What happened in the past is in the past,’ he said. ‘Maybe we need to remember the time before…before Christa and Nicky were born. We talked of this when we were kids. We wanted this island to prosper. We both wanted it.’
‘That was kids. Dreaming.’
‘It might have been, but now we can make it a reality.’ He took her hands and held them, whether she willed it or not. But she made no move to withdraw.
‘Thena, I believe if you leave the island now, then Demos will win. He’ll threaten Nicky, you’ll cave in to his demands and he’ll end up as Crown Prince. I will not stand by and let that happen.’
‘You want to be Crown Prince yourself.’
‘I want to change this island,’ he admitted. ‘I won’t lie to you. I want this island to be safe and prosperous. I ache for it. But you’ve known this. You’ve known it’s who I am.’
‘I did think I knew you,’ she whispered. ‘But Marika…she stopped me knowing you.’
‘She was my wife for less than a year.’
‘It doesn’t matter how long she was your wife. I thought you loved me.’
‘I did,’ he said softly. ‘I always have.’ He met her gaze directly, refusing to let her look away. ‘I believe I still do.’
‘No.’ She tugged her hands back. ‘Stop it, Nikos. Don’t you dare say you love me. I have to leave.’
‘You can’t leave,’ he said steadily. ‘Not yet. Okay, forget the emotion. Concentrate on necessity. Thene, this island needs you.’
Maybe he shouldn’t be throwing this at her, he thought ruefully, but if she was only part of the Athena he remembered then she’d have to share this love. This passion.
‘Look at this palace, Thene-look at it,’ he told her. ‘It’s fabulous and if it was restored…the royal family could use part of it, but what a wonderful public place it would be. Alexandros is doing it on Sappheiros. I want to do it, too.’
‘You have it all planned.’
‘Not me,’ he said. ‘Us. We dreamed it, Thene. We walked this island as kids and we wanted it.’
‘We were kids.’
‘And it was dreams,’ he said. ‘But Giorgos’s death without an heir means those dreams can be a reality. Would you willingly stop them happening by handing over to Demos? Does your career mean so much to you that you’d walk away again? That you’d put Nicky’s life at risk in doing so?’
‘That’s not fair.’
‘It’s not,’ he said steadily. ‘Life’s not. But this is your second chance. Trust me. Move into the Eagle’s Nest until we sort Demos out. Put your career on hold. This time it’s not just yourself you’re choosing for; it’s for your son and it’s for the whole island.’
‘You think I chose last time?’ she whispered.
‘When you left…’ He frowned. ‘Of course you did.’
‘I had to go.’ She bit her lip and closed her eyes. She was trying desperately to make her muddled mind think.
If he was right…if she really was in danger, and after this morning she had to believe him, then maybe she didn’t have the luxury of choice
But to trust him… There were still so many questions she needed answered.
‘So…so where does the money come from?’ she asked. ‘You came to Manhattan to find me. You obviously paid for these security guards. I know your fishing pays-but does it pay that much?’
He smiled at that. ‘It does,’ he said. ‘I’ve turned into a businessman. When you have a daughter to care for and there’s nothing else to distract you, it’s amazing how much energy you can put into a passion. I’m a rich man, Thena. But, even if I wasn’t…I’m not in this alone. Alexandros cares for these islands, and so does Stefanos. We’ll do whatever it takes to protect our own.’
‘Your own being Christa.’
‘I meant the islands,’ he said, softly now and steadily. ‘But yes, Christa, too. I know you feel betrayed by her existence and I’m sorry you feel that way. But I make no apologies for her existence. Nothing gets in the way of what I feel for my daughter. But it doesn’t make one speck of difference to what we’re planning. It’s only…You need to be secure and I need to know my son. Where I go, Christa goes. So we’ll make it a family holiday if you like. You, me, Nicky and Christa. Oh, and Oscar bringing up the rear.’
She stared up at him. She should pull her hands away, she thought. She should…she should…
That was exactly what she felt for Nicky. No apologies. Nothing. Nicky just…
She gazed at Nikos and he gazed straight back, unflinching. Strong, direct, secure. Demanding she do what was best for the island. Demanding he get to know Nicky.
Declaring his love for his daughter.
‘You should be Crown Prince,’ she whispered. ‘I’ve never really belonged here anyway. You’ve always been the people’s prince.’
‘You don’t give yourself credit,’ he said. ‘You’re the true princess.’
‘By an accident of birth. Your mother was a princess. If things had been different, you could have inherited the title.’
‘I didn’t,’ he said flatly. ‘I don’t want it. Why the hell would I?’
Because it’d keep me safe, she thought. Because it would let me get on with my life.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said, suddenly weary. ‘Okay. I’ll stay. I’ll stay until Demos is…I don’t know…How can you defuse a threat like that? It might take years. It’ll ruin my career.’
‘You wanted to write a book.’
‘Don’t even go there,’ she whispered. ‘You’ve just told me I have to sacrifice my job because of this island. Don’t trivialise it.’
‘I wouldn’t, Thene.’
‘And don’t call me Thene.’
‘How can I not?’ he said. His hold on her hands tightened. ‘Athena, then,’ he said softly and smiled. ‘I know this isn’t what you want but we’ll make it work, somehow.’
‘You did already,’ she said steadily. ‘More than you can imagine. But in not telling you about Nicky then I hurt you, too. So let’s stick to practicalities. Like drying my hair. And agreeing that we sleep in bedrooms separated by at least two kids. Last night you kissed me…we kissed…and it scared me witless. I lost control and I will not go there again. So I control the locks. If I wish to leave I can at any time. I agree to stay at the Nest for a week and then we’ll reconsider. That or nothing.’
‘Fine,’ he said, and rose. ‘I’ll go home and tell Annia.’
Her eyes flared in sudden panic.
‘Nikos…’
‘You’re safe,’ he told her and, before she knew what he was about, he’d placed his fingers under her chin and kissed her lips. It was a feather kiss, over before it was begun. ‘Two of my cousins are at the head of the stairs and they’ll stay on guard until we move. I promise you’re safe.’
‘For how long?’
‘If I have my way you’ll be safe for ever,’ he said, and he said it as a vow. ‘What’s mine I keep.’
Mine? Was he talking about Nicky? But, before she could respond, he’d kissed her again, harder this time, a kiss to seal a vow.
‘I’ll be back in a couple of hours to collect you,’ he said. ‘Me and Christa. But now I need to organise a supply of dog food and a surfboard. How safe does that sound?’
He smiled, then he turned and strode down the hallway, with Athena staring blindly after him.
