Tess came in after lunch as she normally does, but I was stuck in my office with our head of security over some bullshit attack that happened to one of our ships off the coast of Somalia. Fucking pirates. It’s really not my job to deal with security issues, but our operations officer was out of the office, and I was the only chief executive his secretary could track down. The head of security didn’t look all that happy to see me, but he gave me the basics anyway. The ship had been moving more of these medical supplies that we seem to be shuffling all over the world, so it was discouraging to hear that we’d lost something that might have been needed by good people.
I spent a large portion of the meeting watching Tess at her desk outside my office window. I never used to keep the interior blinds open, but I find myself doing it more and more just so I can have a look at her. I’m like a kid standing outside a candy shop with his nose pressed up against the glass. I can see it all, nearly smell it, almost taste it, but never really reach it. I’m finding it more and more difficult to concentrate at work with her only a few feet away, yet miles in terms of practicalities. Maybe this is the real reason they say not to get involved with someone you work with. It’s a little like being Tantalus in the bowels of Hades.
By the time I’d ushered every needy employee out of my office, it was well after the end of the day and Tess was long gone. I texted her to see if she could meet me, but she was in the middle of a study session with some classmates. Now I’ve come home, and I’m exhausted, cranky, and lonely, not necessarily in that order.
“What’s up, man?” Christos asks as he comes into the living room rubbing a towel across his head. He’s obviously just come from the shower, and he’s bare-chested, his hair damp and his feet shoeless beneath a pair of designer jeans.
I’m slouched on the sofa with my tie off, my shirt untucked and a bottle of beer in my hand. “Long-ass day,” I reply.
“I’ve got the perfect solution,” he says. “Go change into some club wear and we’ll hit ladies night. There are going to be hundreds of hot women trolling for drink specials.”
I glance at him from under my eyebrows. Christos and I haven’t been right for weeks now, we gloss over it, but things haven’t been the same between us, and I know he feels it too. I’ve spent my whole life with him, knew him better than I knew myself sometimes, but now, after twenty-four years, I’m painfully aware that these days I don’t know him as well as I thought I did.
In spite of that, I want to fix things with him. He’s my brother, and I love him. The problem is, I’m not sure how to do it when I’m keeping things from him—namely my relationship with Tess—and while we haven’t discussed it, I feel pretty sure that Tess wouldn’t like the idea of me picking up other women at bars while I’m sleeping with her. I damn sure know I’d have to put my fist down some guy’s throat if I found him with Tess. All of this means I’m going to have to say ‘no’ to Christos’s invitation and that’s going to piss him off.
I take a long swallow of my beer. “Yeah, not tonight, but thanks. I’m too wiped out.”
Christos scowls at me and crosses his arms. “Do you know how long it’s been since you and I went clubbing? Or did anything together for that matter?”
I keep my eyes on the label of the beer bottle in my hand. I can’t look at him, because he has a point.
“I know, man, I really do…”
“Come on. I won’t even chase any skirts. It’ll be you and me. We’ll have some drinks, argue over the World Cup lineup.” He sits down next to me and leans forward, elbows on his knees. He looks at me sideways, his expression earnest, the usual crowd-pleasing Christos banished for a brief moment. “I want to spend some time with my brother,” he says quietly. “Not to be girly, but I kind of miss your ugly ass.”
I don’t look at him, but I can feel his eyes on me, and I smirk, knowing it’ll piss him off. “Aww, that’s so special, baby,” I croon. He slugs me in the arm. Hard. “Fuck. All right all ready. I’ll go out with you, but no chicks. And no discos, I can’t stand a whole night of that fucking bass. Let’s shoot pool or something.”
He grins. “Pool it is. I’ll whoop your ass and you can buy all my drinks.”
“You wish,” I shoot back.
“You’re getting old,” he says as he walks back to his bedroom to finish getting dressed. As if eight months makes me substantially older than him. “You don’t stand a chance.”
Tess
It’s nearly ten o’clock when I get done with my economics study group. I’m exhausted and starving, and all I want to do is dissolve into my bed with Netflix and a bowl of cereal. Unfortunately, when I walk into my apartment Cass is bouncing off the walls and Anton is not far behind.
“You’re here! You’re here!” she cries, leaping across the room and grabbing me in a hug.
“You’re drunk! You’re drunk!” I reply, mocking her.
“Not even close. Just a wee bit tipsy,” she gushes, arm around my neck as Anton chuckles from the sidelines.
“What have you been feeding her?” I ask him, one eyebrow raised.
“We’ve been at the café down the street…”
Oh. The one with the ouzo that’ll knock you on your ass faster than Rhonda Rousey. “Did he let you get the ouzo sampler?” I ask Cass, rolling my eyes. She loves the ouzo sampler, but she shouldn’t be allowed to have it. It makes her crazy.
“Maaaybe,” she sings.
“God, Anton, how could you? It’s Thursday night. She’ll never make it to class in the morning.”
He shrugs. “She’s funny after the ouzo sampler. And frisky too,” he adds, wiggling his eyebrows.
Cass giggles before leaving me to throw her arms around Anton’s neck. “Oh yes I am, baby.” She kisses him all over his neck and jaw, and his grip on her hips tightens, making her moan.
I put my hands over my ears and scrunch my eyes shut. “Stop it, stop it, stop it. Ugh.”
Anton laughs again and I open one eye to see if the coast is clear. He’s peeled Cass off of his chest and has her contained, her back to his front, his arms locked around her waist.
“The best thing we can do is get her sobered up,” he answers.
“Yes.” She nods her head up and down seriously. “Must get sobered up.”
“And how do we do that?” I ask, finally going to the living room and dropping my book bag on the floor.
“We go to a bar,” she exclaims.
* * *
Somehow the convoluted logic of taking a drunk woman to a bar to sober her up has landed me at this pub near the campus. Anton swears the greasy food will help keep Cass from the pain she was sure to feel tomorrow morning, and Cass refused to go unless I came along. The place is packed, apparently there’s a special on both shots and fish and chips, so every college student on this side of the island has decided to stop in.
“We’re never going to find a table in all of this,” I tell Anton as he leads us through the mess of tables, stools and people.
“I’ve got a friend who works here,” he answers, looking back over his shoulder. “I texted him, so he’s saved a table for us.”
Sure enough, we get to the far side of the room, and there’s a table with a big reserved sign sitting on it. It’s in a great spot, right next to the pool tables, and not too far from the bathrooms, but out of the main traffic pattern.
“Well done,” I tell Anton as we all sit down.
“Thanks,” he says. “Only problem is we’re going to need to go to the bar to get our order put in.”
“I’ll do it,” I say. “You stay here with her.”
“I’m not deaf you know,” Cass pipes up. “I might be ouzoed, but I can still hear when you talk about me like I’m not here.”
“Ouzoed?” I ask, trying not to laugh.
“Whatever,” she slurs before leaning her head on Anton’s shoulder.
Anton takes out his wallet. “Grab us two fish and chips plates and a couple of waters,” he says, handing me forty Euros. “I�
��ll take a draft beer too. The guy you want to order from is Stavros.” He points toward the bar. “See him with the black t-shirt?”
I stand from my chair so I can see over the heads of the people at the table next to us. Sure enough, behind the bar is a tall guy with dark blonde hair in a black t-shirt.
“Yep, got it. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I tell them. Cass mumbles something and Anton and I grin at each other. She really is a funny drunk.
After I nudge and squeeze my way up to the bar, I spend a few minutes trying to get Stavros’s attention. But I’m short and the bar is tall, so finally I jump up and down when he’s turned my direction, waving my arm in the air and shouting his name.
He leans over the bar, watching me with a grin. “Well, hello little elf. What can I do for you?” he asks.
“I’m a friend of Anton’s,” I tell him. “He said to order with you?”
His smile grows. “You’re Tess.”
“Yes!”
He looks at one of the guys on a barstool next to me and says something to him in Greek. The guy doesn’t look very happy and snaps back at him, but Stavros waves a dishtowel at him and the guy slides off the stool, gesturing for me to take it. I give him a smile which he doesn’t return before he stomps off. Once I’m settled on the stool, I’m finally tall enough to look Stavros in the eyes. They’re very nice brown eyes, and they go well with his blonde hair. He’s got a Jensen Ackles kind of thing going on.
“Make yourself at home, Tess.” He rests his elbows on the bartop in front of me, looking a little like a friendly wolf. Then he pours a shot of something amber and slides it toward me. “For Anton’s pretty friend. On the house.”
I smile politely at him. He’s cute, but he’s not Niko. “Oh, I probably shouldn’t. I’ve got school and work tomorrow.”
“That’s top shelf tequila,” he tells me nudging it closer. “It’s the smoothest stuff on the planet and I promise it won’t give you a hangover.”
I look at the pretty liquor and then around the room at all the other college students drinking, dancing, making out. It’s hard sometimes, always doing what you should, instead of what you want. And right now I want to have a drink, relax, maybe flirt—just a tiny bit—with the cute bartender.
I reach out and grab the shot glass, wink at Stavros, and toss the tequila back, wincing at the burn as it travels down my throat before it lands in my stomach warming me from head to toe.
“Atta girl,” Stavros chuckles. His hand reaches toward me ostensibly to take the shot glass back, but he manages to hook a couple of fingers around mine. “Now, what can I get for you?”
“You can start by getting your hands off of her,” a voice says behind me. I twist in my seat to discover Niko glaring at my hand in Stavros’s.
I yank my hand back. “Hi. What are you doing here?”
He glances down at me, his face softening a touch. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“Mr. Stephanos,” Stavros says, his hands well on his side of the bar now. Cass wasn’t joking, everyone on the island does know Niko. “What can I get for you?”
Apparently Stavros has forgotten that I was here first.
Niko’s jaw tenses again. “You can get the lady whatever she needs and put it on my bill. Then you can get me a Septem ACE,” he says imperiously.
Stavros has a weak smile as I tell him my order, then he slinks off like a dog who’s been scolded.
The space around me has magically emptied, and Niko slides in to the bar, standing next to my stool and rotating it so I’m facing him.
“I see the prince of the island is back,” I mutter, one eyebrow raised.
“You’re kidding me, right?” he snaps.
I scowl at him. “You scared the crap out of Stavros and he was only doing his job.”
“And his job included touching you?”
I open my mouth, then shut it again, not sure how to respond to that.
He leans forward into my space, taking a good portion of the air with him apparently since I gasp like a fish out of water. His fingers capture my chin, holding my gaze to his. “That wasn’t the rich boy talking, that was the jealous one,” he rasps, watching my every movement like a hawk with its prey.
“We haven’t talked about this stuff. If we’re seeing other people and that whole…thing,” I whisper, my eyes glued to him as well, my heart racing like that poor little rabbit’s about to be eaten for raptor dinner. Because, well, mostly what we’ve done is have sex. Great sex. Lots of great sex. I sigh, momentarily distracted.
“Let me make it simple for you,” he says. “I don’t want anyone else, and I don’t want you with anyone else either.”
Nothing like bluntness to clarify a situation.
My throat is dry and I swallow before I can answer him.
“Okay,” I finally squeak out.
He spears his fingers into my hair, pulling me closer. His lips hover over mine. “We may not be able to go public at the office, but I have no interest in sharing you with anyone.”
“I like that,” I breathe out before he kisses me, his lips firm, his touch insistent.
Someone clears their throat near us, and Niko breaks the kiss, staying mere inches from my face, his hand still cupping the back of my head possessively.
“Sorry, Mr. Stephanos,” Stavros says. “But the lady’s order is up and I wouldn’t want her food to get cold.”
Niko gives him a quick nod. “Have that delivered to my table in the back,” he instructs. He glances at me, and I furrow my brows at him. “Please,” he tacks on, a smirk working its way across his face.
Niko follows me back to the table Anton and Cass are at. I introduce him—Cass pats him on the cheek and tells him he’s a good dog—then he invites us all to sit with him and Christos at their table.
I never have a chance to ask him how we’re going to act in front of Christos. He’s Niko’s best friend, but he also works with us. How is this supposed to work? I have a headache before we even sit down.
Once we’re settled and everyone’s been introduced, Niko throws an arm around my shoulders and relaxes, a big smile on his face. Christos takes one look at us and a scowl lodges itself in between his eyes. I wiggle uncomfortably, trying to dislodge his grip, but he only tightens it. I see Anton raise an eyebrow at me across the table where he’s supervising Cass as she shovels in the fish and chips.
“We weren’t supposed to let people at the office know,” I grit out as I lean my head toward Niko’s ear. “In case you’ve forgotten Christos is one of those people.”
“He won’t say anything.” Niko grins.
“He obviously doesn’t approve.”
He turns to me, so freaking pleased with himself. “Hey, we got this. I promise. He’s pissed because it was supposed to be the two of us having a guys’ night. He doesn’t care that you and I are seeing each other.”
“Actually, he might,” Christos says from the end of the table.
Niko levels a look at him and I feel my cheeks start to burn.
Christos shrugs. “Sorry, either you’re not that quiet or I’m not that deaf.”
Niko doesn’t shift in his seat even a touch, continuing to rub his thumb up and down the patch of skin where my top meets my shoulder. But I feel his body tense, his muscles tightening, and looking at his face in profile I see his jaw muscle twitch.
“You need to step down,” Niko says quietly.
“Why?” Christos asks, leaning forward with his elbows on the table, his expression determined. “Because you want a yes man instead of a true deftheri?”
Now Niko removes his arm and rotates toward Christos. “Don’t be a fucking dick,” he warns.
Christos snorts. “You know what I think of your choices right now, but you don’t want to hear it. I can’t do what I’m supposed to if you won’t let me.”
Christos’s voice has gotten progressively louder, and Anton is shooting daggers at me from across the table now. Even Cass has stopped eating and
her still somewhat foggy eyes are darting between Christos and Niko.
“You need to go walk it off, brother,” Niko says, his jaw grinding more. “I’m not going to do this with you right here.”
Christos stands up abruptly, tipping his chair over. It clatters to the floor loudly. He gives the table a shove at the same time. Cass squeaks and Anton yelps, “Shit!” as their plates slide into their laps.
Before Niko can stop him Christos has stomped off, shoving a few guys out of his path along the way.
What. The hell. Was that?
Niko wraps his hands around the edge of the table and carefully pulls it back into place.
“I’m sorry,” he says, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He glances at me then back to Anton and Cass. “My cousin’s normally a great guy. Maybe he’s had more to drink than I realized.” He darts a look at me. I’m so shocked I just stare at him. “Please let me pay to get your clothes cleaned.”
“It’s not necessary,” Anton says, but I can tell he’s pissed, and his lip is curled in disdain as he looks at Niko and slowly picks pieces of fish from his lap and replaces them on the plates. He keeps one hand on Cass the whole time as if he’s worried something else will come flying at them and hurt her.
Cass stares forelornly at the mess on her plate. “Damn,” she says. “I wasn’t done yet.”
Anton pats her on the back. “It’s okay baby, I’ll get you some ice cream on the way home.” He looks at me. “Given the greasy clothes and all, I think it’s time for us to take off…” He shifts his gaze between Niko and me, unsure of how to proceed.
“Can I get you a taxi?” Niko asks.
“No, we drove,” Anton answers.
“Then I’ll get Tess home,” Niko jumps in.
Anton still looks irritated. “You okay with that, Tess?” he asks.
I almost say ‘no’. Niko has been lording it over everyone since I ran into him. The least he could have done was ask me if I wanted him to take me home. But then he leans over and whispers in my ear. “Pretty please?”
The Heir: A Standalone Greek Billionaire Romance Page 14