Piotr swung Kassi into his arms and then kissed her lightly. “Happy?”
Kassi nodded, “Very. Are you?”
“I didn’t think this kind of happiness was ever in the cards for me. I didn’t thank you for the photo of my parents.”
Kassi grinned. She’d found a photograph of his parents together and had it enlarged. It had greeted everyone as they arrived to witness them exchanging their wedding vows. It had been a nice touch and a fitting one in Kassi’s opinion. “You are very welcome.”
“Excuse me, but could an old man cut in?” someone tapped Piotr on the shoulder.
They paused and Kassi smiled in recognition, “You’re the man from the village…”
Piotr gave her a funny look and then asked, “You’ve met my uncle?”
“Your uncle? This is your uncle?” Kassi asked in a very hushed tone.
“Yes. Where did you two meet?”
“At the market in the village. The morning I went out to get breakfast supplies, I spoke to him there. He told me all about your family and the wealth you’d been running away from.”
“May I have the rest of this dance,” Andronicus asked. It had been decided that he would retain his name as Cyrus had died and they’d already had to resurrect him once. Twice might be pushing it.
Andronicus took Kassi’s arm and then turned her expertly around the dance floor. “You look radiant. You and Piotr make a lovely couple.”
“Thank you for coming and for finally letting me know who you are. I would have kept your secret, you know.”
“I believe that you would have but I’ve learned I can never be too cautious.”
As the music ended, Andronicus moved her back over to Piotr and then placed her hands in his nephew’s. Kassi squeezed Piotr’s hand as Andronicus handed him some folded up paperwork.
“What are these?” Piotr asked.
“These are the shares you signed over to me. I’m giving them back as well as control of all the companies except one. I am going to retire and that particular business fits well with the rest of the organization I am turning over to Zak.”
“Zak?”
“Zak is superbly equipped for handling the less savory parts of the organization and would never fit in polite society. I’ve already taken steps to help those that wanted to become a contributing part of society to find jobs within your companies and move forward with their lives. Those that wished to remain part of the mafia organization will do so with Zak at the helm. They will continue to operate beneath the radar and will never interfere with any of your businesses or family. That goes for the Moustakas family as well.”
“Thank you,” Piotr said, stunned at this turn of events.
Kassi smiled and then leaned forward and kissed Andronicus on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome.” He looked around at the reception and then smiled. “Your parents would be proud of you this day, Piotr. Never doubt that you are not a good Greek son. You have proven yourself many times over these last few weeks.”
Andronicus took his leave as Leo and Gemma joined them. “What was that all about?”
“Wishing us well.”
“He also returned control of the companies to Piotr,” Kassi told them, turning into Piotr’s embrace. “Life is perfect.”
Leo smiled as he wrapped his arms around Gemma who was watching their son dance with a young girl several years older than he was. “He’s already charming the ladies.”
“Don’t worry, he has many years to practice yet before you have to really start worrying,” Alexi told her as he came up with an arm around Aimee’s shoulders. “Life still going well over here?”
Kassi shared a look with Piotr and then smiled. “I don’t think it could get much better.”
Aimee and Gemma both shared a look and then burst into giggles. “Bet we can prove you wrong.”
Kassi looked at them and then lowered her voice. “What are you two up to?”
Gemma nudged Aimee who smiled up at Alexi. “We got word yesterday that the baby we were thinking about adopting is going to be ours at the end of next week.”
“What? Oh, Aimee, that’s wonderful news.” A childhood illness had left Alexi sterile, but he’d been more than open to the idea of adoption. Gemma was due in a few months as well. After Kassi shared her good news with Piotr later tonight, there would be three happy couples entering parenthood, two of them for the first time.
“Kassi, my dear. Your mother would be so proud of the young woman you’ve become,” Tressa Moustakas said as she and Vasil joined them.
“Thank you, Aunt Tressa. I missed them both today.”
“Be assured, they were looking down from heaven doing nothing but smiling,” Vasil told her. “Thank you for affording me the honor of walking you down the aisle. Now, if you youngsters will excuse us, your mother and I have had enough excitement for one evening. Piotr, welcome to the family.”
“Thank you, sir. Thank you for everything.”
Piotr held Kassi as everyone else started to disperse. Kassi couldn’t wait until they were airborne. She had a wonderful wedding gift for her new husband and couldn’t wait to see his face when he opened up the small box and saw the ultrasound waiting inside.
Piotr was going to make a wonderful father, but for the next eight months, he was going to make a wonderful husband and she was going to enjoy every minute of it. Gone were her insecurities, and in their place was the confident woman who knew who she was and what she wanted out of life, and was brave enough to go after it.
The future was so bright, it almost required one to wear sunglasses. Kassi smiled as Piotr bundled her into the waiting limo.
And it begins…
Epilogue
One year later…
“So, where are we going?” Kassi asked Piotr as the vehicle headed for the private airfield where she knew a jet was waiting to whisk them away. It was just days away from their first anniversary and Piotr had arranged for their three-month old son to spend the next few days with Leo and Gemma at the Moustakas estate.
Piotr gave her a grin and shook his head, “It’s a surprise.” That had been his response every time she’d asked for the last few weeks. Be patient. You’re going to love it.
Normally, Kassi would keep asking, but today she simply settled back in the leather seat with his arm about her shoulders. Two could play this game and as she was holding a surprise to trump them all, she could be patient for a few more hours.
Two hours later they landed in Athens and immediately boarded a sea plane, giving Kassi another small clue. “Piotr?” she questioned as the small plane took off.
“Watch out your window, Kassi,” Piotr advised her.
The plane flew out over the ocean, heading towards the Aegean Sea and as the many islands began to come into view, the plane dropped altitude. Kassi gave Piotr a curious look, excitement churning in her soul. She loved the water and the ocean and one of her favorite places to visit was her cousins’ private island. She’d jokingly told Piotr months earlier that he should have his own island paradise.
She turned to him and asked, “Did you buy it or are we just borrowing it?”
Piotr raised a brow, “It?”
“The island?” she told him, confident that she’d figured out part of the secret.
“Guess the view out the window was a dead give away, huh?”
“Pretty much. So, tell me. Do we own this place we’re headed to?”
“We’re not headed to it, we’re there. Look,” Piotr pulled her back towards the window and they watched the sea plane approach the island and then do a complete circle about it giving them a bird’s eye view of the entire thing.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous,” Kassi told him.
“Good because we most certainly own it and the bungalows, and the small port and dock, and all of the lobster you can ever hope to eat.”
The plane glided effortlessly across the smooth water of a small cover several minute later an
d Kassi wasn’t surprised that several of Piotr’s household staff were there to greet them. A small cart awaited them and after sending the staff up to the main residence with their luggage and the provisions that had been requested, Piotr ushered her into the cart.
“Come. I want to show you something before we go check out the living accommodations.”
He drove the cart up to a small cliff overlook where a small cabana styled structure had been erected. White draperies hung from all four side, blowing gently with the ocean breeze and providing a stark contrast to the greenery that surrounded it.
Kassi was in awe and as Piotr helped her from the vehicle, she remembered to grab the small cedar box from her bag. Piotr led her toward the edge of the cliff and for miles all one could see was turquoise ocean and the occasional greenery of another island close by. She inhaled the salty air and then turned into his arms.
“Happy Anniversary, Kassi. Kanis tin zoi mou pio omorfi. Before I had you in my life, it was dull and grey and I didn’t fully understand what I was missing.”
Kassi felt her heart melt as it always did when Piotr began to woo her with his eloquent words. “You make every day more beautiful for me as well,” she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck and still holding onto the small box.
“This last year has been full of so many exciting things. The companies are doing well. We had our first child. We moved into our own home and now, we will have our own refuge away from the noise and pressures of the world. Our own island paradise.”
Piotr smoothed her hair back off her face and then kissed her tenderly. She kissed him back, moving closer to him as her body began to respond to his touch. His hands skimmed down her back to her waist and he held her against him while the kiss changed from tender to ravishing.
Kassi tipped her head back and to the side when his lips began to wander down her throat and she couldn’t help but smile as the drapes in the cabana separated to reveal a large bed-like structure. “Piotr?”
“Hmm?” he replied, not taking his lips away from her skin. Skin he was slowly revealing as he unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it off one shoulder.
“There’s a bed right over there,” she murmured, delving her hands into his hair.
Piotr lifted his head and grinned at her, “I know. I ask them to put it there.”
Kassi smirked at his expression and then asked cheekily, “May I ask why we aren’t using it?”
Piotr’s response was to swiftly swing her up into his arms and stride towards it. He lightly tossed her into the middle of it and then began removing his clothing. “Strip for me,” he urged her.
He’d already unbuttoned most of her shirt and removing her shorts and sandals took no time at all. Soon she was attired only in the skimpy lace bra and panty set and she leaned back against the pillows and watched as he prowled towards her and then crawled up on the bed.
“You look good enough to eat,” he told her, dipping his head and nipping her stomach lightly.
“The same could be said for you husband.” She reached for the small cedar box and when he would have move forward to continue his seduction of her senses, she held it up and stopped him. “Before we continue, I have a gift for you.”
Piotr looked from the box to her eyes and then pursed his lips, “A gift? For me?”
“Open it,” Kassi urged him, settling even more into the pillows and moving a hand over her stomach unconsciously.
Piotr’s eyes followed the movement of her hand and then he opened the box and smiled. He withdrew the small ultrasound picture and then leaned down and kissed her stomach, moving her hand aside and then kissing her palm. He moved up her body and kissed her with so much passion and emotion, it brought tears to her eyes at the depth of love she felt for this man.
“When?” he asked in a whisper.
“Eight months.”
Piotr nodded and then sank down onto his side, pulling her against him and rolling their bodies until she was lying atop him. “Thank you. I can’t think of anything that would have made this day more perfect than to find out that we are going to be parents again.”
Kassi nodded in agreement and then set about acting the seductress, weaving a sensual spell around them with Piotr’s help that had them both crying out in ecstasy as the ocean moved below them.
Sharing her life with Piotr was everything she’d ever hoped it could be and more. Whatever insecurities she’d had had long since vanished and in their place had risen up a proud Greek woman and mother who knew her worth and reveled in the knowledge that Piotr was her one and only and she was now his.
“Se latrevo, Piotr.” I adore you.
Piotr hugged her closed as they basked in the aftermath of their love, watching the sun begin to set over the horizon.
“Agape mou, Kassi.” He kissed her once more and then held her close until the sun had appeared to have descended beneath the ocean. Their life together was an adventure each day, with each blessing and new discovery only seeking to add to their love for one another. They may have had a rocky start several years earlier, but they had come full circle and were right where they belonged. In each other’s arms.
◆◆◆
The Kafatos brothers need the Moustakas family's help. Book 4 (Protected By Him) follows Ries Kafatos and Stephanie, the American tourist who helps him. Click here to read it! (FREE WITH KU)
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Also By Amanda Horton
All my books are in KU, standalones, steamy and promise a great HEA.
More from the Greek Alphas series:
1. Her Greek Inheritance
2. Her Greek Protector
3. Her Greek Bodyguard
4. Protected By Him
5. Boxset (Books 1,2 and 3)
Other Series:
The Boss's Fiancé : The Complete 5-Books Series
Other Standalones:
1. Fool Me Twice
2. Accidentally Hired
3. Working With The Enemy
4. The Right Swipe : An Online Dating Romance
5. Her Rockstar Friends: A Reverse Harem Romance
6. Single Daddy's Valentine : A Fake Fiance Romance
Greek Recipe
Tiropetes Recipe (Cheese Stuffed Phyllo Triangles)
¼ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 package phyllo dough, thawed
1 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
3 egg yolks
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1 cup melted butter, divided
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour until smooth.
Gradually stir in the hot milk so that no lumps form. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a metal spoon.
Season with salt and white pepper, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
When the sauce is cooled, stir in the feta cheese, egg yolks, Monterey jack cheese, 3 tablespoons melted butter and parsley.
Cut the sheets of phyllo dough into strips about 3 inches wide. Use one stack at a time, covering the rest with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Lay out one piece of phyllo at a time. Brush with butter, and place about 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture on one end.
Fold one corner up to match the other edge. Continue folding in triangle shape until you reach the end of the strip.
Place on a baking sheet and continue with the remaining strips of dough.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. These can also be prepared ahead of time, and frozen after folding. Bake when ready to serve.
Apoláf sete!
E
njoy
Her Greek Bodyguard (The Greek Brothers Book 3) Page 12