Her Greek Protector
Page 1
Table of Contents
end
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Novella Sample
Novella Sample 2
Short Story
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© Copyright 2016 by (Amanda Horton) – All Rights reserved. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this document is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publishers.
Her Greek Protector
A Billionaire Second Chance Romance
By: Amanda Horton
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Details can be found at the end of the story.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Novella Sample
Novella Sample 2
Short Story
Prologue
Ranongga Island, South Pacific…
Two weeks earlier…
The retreating tide sucked the sand from beneath his feet, just as it had stolen his boat, his memories—even his name. The man calling himself Edward stood fast, his lip curling. The sea had stolen everything else, but it wouldn't take him. Not today.
His gaze was fixed on the speck in the distance, slowly but surely becoming bigger and bigger. Now, it was recognizable as a ship—a big ship, heading directly to the island he’d been living on for the last five weeks. A remote island he couldn’t have found on a map if he’d tried. He didn’t even know how he’d come to be there. From the warm weather, he assumed he was somewhere south of the equator, but that was the extent of his knowledge.
“Lopeti!” He waved to his constant companion since he’d washed up on the beach. He pointed out to sea. “Ship!”
The young man followed the direction of his pointing finger and a broad smile split his face. “Sip! Mi baim long nap!” He waved, indicating Edward should follow him to the beach.
Edward shook his head, only slightly understanding the language spoken by the islanders. Communication was a matter of guesswork, trying to correlate what was going on around him with the words he heard. Occasionally, he understood a single word, but somehow, he also knew those words were not his native language. If I knew what languages I spoke, maybe I could figure out where I’m from. “We should go join the others.”
Lopeti merely grinned and shrugged, clearly not understanding him completely either.
Edward didn’t let that bother him. He could remember things like the name of an ocean, or a few words here and there, if not his own name. He held a burgeoning hope he would eventually regain his memories.
Lopeti waved to him from the top of the exposed reef that protected the island in this location, pointing to the ship. He called out something that from the tone sounded like an exhortation to hurry. Edward smiled and a few moments later, both men jogged across the uneven ground towards a sandy beach area.
Edward arrived at the beach and raised a hand over his head to block the glare of the sun off the water. He could see the cargo ship even more clearly. It only had a few containers on its deck, and there was a green and gold emblem on the front bow, but he couldn’t make it out from this distance. He sank down on the sand, watching as a small boat was lowered to the ocean. Lopeti joined him. Soon they heard the rumble of a motor as the boat approached the island.
When the boat was bobbing in just a few feet of water, four men jumped over the sides and pulled the boat up onto the beach. Edward and Lopeti stood up and edged towards the group of men. Two more men alighted from the boat just as several of the elders from the village arrived to greet them, a rag-tag group of curious onlookers in tow.
Taha, the village head man, bustled forward. “Halo! Yu helpim mi pipel?”
One of the crewmembers stepped forward. “Eimaste edó me promítheies anakoúfisis. Wara. Kaikai.”
We are here with relief supplies. Edward gasped loudly in shock. I can...I can understand them! He started laughing hysterically, the relief a dizzying rush of emotion.
Everyone present backed up a step and looked at him warily. “Edward?” Lopeti turned to frown at him, puzzled.
“I can understand them. I can understand you!” He pointed to the ship’s crew members. “I can understand you!”
One of the men stepped forward. “Sir, you speak Greek?”
Greek? Edward stared back at him. A myriad of pictures flooded through his brain. Azure sea and brilliant sand. A feeling of pride as he looked upon a white columned temple.
The crew members gave him a curious look. The man in charge approached him. “What is your name?”
“They call me Edward. I had an accident and washed up on the beach, there.” He motioned to a place about a hundred yards down the coastline. “Is that what language you’re speaking? Greek? Does that mean I’m Greek?” Searing pain lanced from one side of his skull to the other. He pressed a hand to his head, his eyes closed as he sank to his knees. He felt as if his brain was swelling in reaction to the rush of surfacing memories.
He’d remembered bits and pieces of his life over the last week. Faces with no names, foods he couldn’t remember if he liked, and a boat he couldn’t be sure he’d ever sailed on. The most prominent memory was a green and gold emblem. A capital letter M and a funny capital letter E encircled by a golden ring of fig leaves. He’d found it disconcerting that he knew what the leaves were, but not what the letters stood for.
The crew member turned to speak to the others just as Edward opened his eyes and looked up. Suddenly, all of his questions were answered. There, on the back of the man’s shirt, was the logo of his memory. The M and the E, one green and one gold, the circle of leaves representing his father’s dedication to his family, his employees, and their clients. The insignia of Moustakas Shipping.
My family’s shipping empire!
“Edward?” Lopeti squatted down next to him, touching his own head and speaking to him in a worried tone. He couldn’t understand the words, but Edward knew he asked if his head was hurting.
“Not Edward. My name is Alexi,” he murmured, more for his own benefit than anyone else’s. He looked towards Lopeti, nodded gingerly and stood up, allowing the young man to steady him when his balance wavered.
“Sir, are you okay? I am the ship’s first mate, Kosmo Stephanopolous. How is it you speak Greek and are on this island?”
Alexi needed a few moments to process everything. “I’m sorry…I’m not feeling well.” Alexi turned and pointed towards the boat he and Lopeti had been planning to take fishing. He used hand signals to indicate he wanted to leave now.
Lopeti looked at him curiously, clearly wondering why Alexi was willing t
o forego what would be the biggest event to happen on the island that day. Just as Alexi despaired of explaining, Lopeti flashed a huge grin and headed back down the beach.
Alexi spoke to Kosmo. “How long will you be here?”
“We have some relief supplies to bring ashore. We want to be on our way by this evening. Is there something you need?”
Alexi nodded. “I will find you for the noonday meal. We can talk more then.”
“Very good. It will be nice to have someone to talk to who understands what I’m saying.”
Alexi hurried to join Lopeti, his mind racing as it struggled to keep pace with his regained memories and the impact of remembering who he was. I’m Alexi Moustakas. Youngest son of billionaire Vasil Moustakas. I have a brother, a mother, and a cousin… Why did they not search for me? What has happened that I have been missing more than five weeks and no one knows where I am?
*****
Alexi joined Lopeti at the boat, and they took it out to one of their favorite fishing spots. The calm waves, gentle breeze, and silence on the water soothed Alexi's troubled mind. Lopeti took his nets and headed to the bow of the boat, leaving Alexi at the back, alone with his thoughts.
My name is Alexi Moustakas. I have a twin brother, Leo. My father is Vasil and my mother is Tressa. I was born in Thessaloniki, Greece.
He continued to mentally repeat his name and family lineage, giving his brain time to process these new revelations as more and more memories returned. There were still some blanks. He devoted several long moments to racking his brain for the answers. He needed a game plan for getting his life back together, but some memory he couldn’t quite get a hold of was causing alarm bells to go off.
I was living in Paris… Why Paris and not Greece?
His head pounded, but he couldn’t stop digging through his foggy memories for answers. Not now. He was so close to solving the riddle of who and what he was. He had the strangest sense he was in danger.
I was protecting the family. Someone was trying to harm me and I stayed away. I was on an extended sailing trip when the storm came up.
He recalled the ferocious wind and waves which had battered his small yacht, eventually causing it to sink. He and his severely injured crew members, Adelfo and Panos, had climbed into the survival raft, hoping the storm would pass them by and they would be found.
Adelfo died before the first twenty-four hours had elapsed. Two days later, Panos also died from his injuries, leaving Alexi alone in the raft. He’d hated letting their lifeless bodies slide over the side of the raft, but he’d been adrift on the open ocean with no way of knowing if help would arrive before he succumbed to a similar fate.
Then the seas had turned stormy again. He’d seen land in the distance and paddled desperately with his hands to move the raft in that direction, but the raft was no match for the massive waves and wind. His last memory was being thrown from the raft with the sure knowledge he was going to die.
“Edward?”
Lopeti’s voice brought Alexi’s mind back to the present. He stood, helping his friend pull in the net.
Not Edward. My name is Alexi. He knew who he was, and that the cargo ship anchored just off the island belonged to his family. Had his ship not been wrecked, he could have been the one who authorized the shipment of humanitarian supplies. Instead, he had to convince the crew members to help him. I must get home.
More memories returned as he worked. I was in danger. Someone was trying to harm me. I don’t know who. I can’t tell the men on that ship who I am. What if the threat still exists?
Alexi’s mind settled as he realized what actions he had to take next. “Let’s go back.” He gestured towards the shore. They had enough fish for the day and having made his decision, Alexi wanted to act on it. He wanted to see his parents and brother again. He needed passage on the ship. But how?
*****
Shortly before Alexi had washed up on the island's shore, a series of earthquakes devastated the area, triggering a tsunami which should have wreaked havoc across the small island. Ranongga Island had actually risen over half a dozen kilometers above the ocean’s surface in places, the result of uplift on the tectonic plate the island was set upon. That uplift saved most of the island from suffering massive water damage when the tsunami hit. From what he’d been able to ascertain from his limited ability to communicate with his rescuers, other nearby islands hadn’t been quite so lucky. Humanitarian relief vessels had been travelling amidst the islands for the last few weeks, but this was the first cargo ship that had actually dropped anchor there.
Alexi walked out of the ocean, rubbing at his temples as another headache threatened. The pain was a constant reminder of how he’d arrived on the island—no idea of who he was, where he was from, or what had happened to him. He’d had an enormous knot on the back of his head and was severely dehydrated. Since then, the islanders had nursed him back to health.
Arriving back at the small village, Alexi sought out the crew members he’d earlier met. “Kosmo.”
“Alexi, come and join me.” Kosmo indicated a vacant seat at the table, occupied by the other crew members.
Alexi got right to the point. “I need to speak with your captain.”
Kosmo’s raised an eyebrow. “That is an unusual request. My I ask why?”
Alexi shook his head. “What I have to say to the captain is very sensitive and I would prefer to have you trust me. I know we have just met, but it is very important that I speak with the captain of your ship.”
Kosmo looked skeptical, as did the other crew members. “I will agree to this provided you give me your solemn promise that you mean no harm to us or the ship that brought us here. You are a fellow countryman and for that reason, I will personally take you out to the ship once we finish our meal.”
“Efkharisto.” Alexi felt more confident that everything was going to work out fine. He barely remembered eating the food Lopeti brought him, his mind fixated on his upcoming meeting with the ship’s captain.
As soon as the meal was over, Alexi, Kosmo, and two other crew members set out for the cargo ship. Alexi made short work of climbing the ladder to reach the deck, doing his best to ignore the pain in his head. Hand over hand he climbed, the action both familiar and welcoming.
Once on the deck, he scrubbed a hand over his thick beard. If only he had some way of shaving. That aspect of personal hygiene wasn’t something the islanders worried about as they didn't seem to grow facial hair. Alexi had not been born with the same genes. He’d always needed to shave twice a day if he was going out in the evening. His twin brother was the same, as was his father.
“I was told you asked to speak to me.”
Alexi turned at the sound of the deep voice. He saw the uniformed captain stride across the deck. The man was imposing, standing at least as tall as Alexi’s 6’4” height, with a full head of white hair and a full beard. His broad shoulders and commanding presence let anyone who saw him know this man was used to being in charge.
Alexi drew himself up to his full height, extended his hand, and spoke firmly. “Nai, kapetánios. Is there someplace we could speak privately for a moment?”
The captain narrowed his eyes, but after eyeing Alexi carefully for a long moment, nodded. He strode towards the ladder leading up to the mid-deck. He gave orders for the crew members working there to leave and then turned to face Alexi. “Now, we are as private as I am comfortable with. Please say what you have to say.”
Alexi took a deep breath. “My name is Alexi Moustakas…”
The captain reared back. “You lie! Alexi Moustakas was lost at sea several months ago…” He stopped speaking as Alexi extended his arm, displaying the small tattoo on the inside of his upper arm, placed there shortly after he and his brother had been born.
Alexi’s tattoo was a circle with an A on the inside. Leo’s tattoo was a circle with an L on the inside. The tattoos had enabled both family and staff to differentiate between the two infants and later the two mischievous
boys. They were also visible proof to those favored with knowing about the tattoos that the now adult men were who they said they were.
The captain’s eyes widened. Clearly, he had heard tales of Vasil and his twin boys. His eyes misted over with tears and he held his hand to his heart. “You survived! You didn’t go down with your yacht! Your last known location was almost a hundred miles north of these islands! Everyone thinks you're dead!” He enthusiastically shook Alexi’s hand. “Captain Colin Rodis, at your service. I sailed with your father when you and your brother were little boys.”
Alexi shushed him. “Please keep your voice down. For reasons I do not want to explain, I would prefer to let everyone continue thinking I am dead, at least until I reach Greece.”
“They had a funeral for you,” the captain told him. “Your brother is now running the company.”
“Leo is running things?” His playboy brother? “Is he doing a good job?” Alexi couldn’t help but ask.
The captain nodded. “I believe so. I’ve been at sea for the last three weeks so I’m not up to speed on everything that has been happening… We need to get you back to Greece, but that will take many weeks.”
Alexi nodded. “I’m aware of that, but I have no paperwork to verify my identity so getting there faster is not an option.”
The captain frowned. “We were supposed to return to Greece by going around Africa. We can cut through the Suez Canal, speeding up our travel by several weeks. I’ll have to give some sort of explanation for deviating from my assigned course, and for the extra expense…”
“Let me worry about that once we get back to Greece. I will ensure you are not punished, but handsomely rewarded, as well as your crew.”
The captain grinned. “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking… How come you didn’t get someone to take you to one of the larger islands? With all of the relief ships coming this way, you could have gotten home sooner.”
Alexi smiled and then pointed to the logo emblazoned on the side of the ship. “I arrived on the island with no memory of anything. The company logo brought it all back to me, my name, what happened to my yacht… There are still a few unanswered questions, but I believe they will come back in the coming days.”