Gemma shrugged, looking smug. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
Aimee rolled her eyes and then turned as Kassi and Tressa came into the room. Kassi’s smile looked forced, but Tressa’s was heartfelt and tearful. “I would say they’ve heard the good news.”
Tressa took Gemma’s hand between her own. “This is the most wonderful news. Vasil asked me to convey his congratulations and has decreed we shall have a celebratory dinner this evening. Everyone will be here, please?”
The three younger women nodded. Tressa gave Gemma a hug and excused herself. “I will start making preparations now.”
“Hey, do you still want to get out of here and take some pictures?” Kassi asked Aimee.
“That sounds great. Let me gather up my stuff and we can go.”
“I’ll go see who’s available to drive us there and back. In light of recent events, I was thinking we could go down to the docks instead of the market?” Kassi asked.
“That works for me. I just need some generic photos to put up on the freelance board.” She’d already explained to Kassi and Gemma how she’d signed up as a photographer with a local freelance agency.
“Have you had any interest so far?” Kassi asked.
“I had a couple of emails but I haven’t heard back from them since I replied to their initial inquiries.”
“You will when the time is right,” Gemma told her with a smile that never quite reached her eyes. She hid a yawn. Catching sight of her reflection, she grimaced. No wonder every one thought she was sick! Her skin was pale, with faint shadows showing beneath her eyes.
Aimee’s expression showed concern. “We’re going to get out of here and let you rest. See you in a few hours.”
Gemma nodded, gathering Damien into her arms. “Be careful you two.” They didn’t seem to hear her. She bit her lip. She had the strangest feeling something was very wrong... Probably just the hormones. Pregnancy does that to you. She turned her attention back to Damien.
*****
Aimee pulled the door to Gemma’s room closed behind her and jogged after Kassi. “Let me grab my camera and we can go.”
“Parking can be a bear so we’ll just get someone to drop us off close and we can walk. Wear comfortable shoes,” Kassi said.
“I will. I’m excited to see the docks.”
Kassi smiled. “I guarantee these won’t be like anything you’ve ever seen before. We’ll have to head back in plenty of time to get ready for dinner, or we’ll both be in trouble with Tressa. She’s a sweetheart most of the time, but I wouldn’t want to get her angry.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.” Aimee planned to take as many pictures as possible and spend the rest of the evening editing them and putting them on her portfolio page. The more she thought about working as a photographer, the more excited she became. The only shadow over her plans was the money she didn’t have to pay for the schooling she truly thought she needed. That, and a whole list of new equipment.
As she headed downstairs to meet Kassi, she pushed those negative thoughts aside. Alexi, Gemma and Leo thought they could just step in and take over her life, using their money to help her out, but Aimee was determined to do this on her own or not at all.
Chapter 12
Later that evening…
Aimee watched Vasil tap his glass. He stood at the head of the large formal dining room table. Conversation halted, and every face in the room turned toward him. Tressa was dressed very elegantly and beamed with pride as she observed her family.
Leo sat with one arm lying across the back of his wife’s chair and his other holding her hand. He looked at her with so much adoration. Aimee felt any lingering remnants of doubt about Leo and Gemma’s relationship slip away. He might have been a jerk when he first arrived in the States, but Gemma’s influence had mellowed him.
And Gemma. Gemma was beauty personified tonight. At Leo’s insistence, she’d spent the day resting while various family members and household staff had taken turns amusing Damien.
Kassi and Aimee had been gone for most of the afternoon. Although Kassi smiled and joked with her adopted family, Aimee sensed there was something on her mind. She’d hoped to quiz her about it, but the busy docks weren’t exactly the place for a heart to heart.
And Alexi... Aimee resolutely kept her eyes away from him, but every time he moved, she was aware of it. He sat next to her, his sheer proximity electrifying. His movements had so much power, that even when he leaned back in his chair, she felt an urge to do the same. Sitting next to him was torture.
Aimee stiffened as she felt Alexi’s breath on her neck. He’d leaned in close to whisper. “Did you get some good pictures today?”
Aimee gave him a sideways look. “Yes. I need to talk to you later.”
Alexi’s mouth turned up. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Aimee blushed and then shook her head. “No, I just want to talk. We shouldn’t…that shouldn’t happen again.”
Alexi touched the back of her hand lying in her lap, keeping his action hidden from the others in the room. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? You didn’t enjoy yourself the other night?”
Aimee glanced around the table, making sure no one else could hear their conversation. “No, I just don’t think…”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Gemma asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
Alexi sat back in his own seat and Aimee forced a laugh. “Nothing important. Have you heard from Tyler yet?”
Gemma smiled. “He called right before we came downstairs. He’s thrilled about the baby. He’s also decided that he wants to continue his graduate work over here so he can study Greek at the same time. This term ends in a few weeks and then he’s going to pack up his stuff, do the same with mine, and move to Greece.”
Great. I’m going to be even more alone! Aimee tried to smile, seeing how happy Gemma was knowing her brother would be close at hand once again. I’m a bad friend. Why can’t I be happy for her? Sure, she didn’t always like the way Tyler acted towards his sister, or the fact that he was just like all of the other young men she knew. Ready to take a free ride, no matter how hard others had to work to provide it. To his credit, he had grown up a lot since Gemma had moved to Greece. Aimee credited that solely to Leo.
“Aimee?” A frown formed on Gemma’s face.
Aimee shook herself back to the present conversation. “That’s great news. Tyler is going to love living over here.” Don’t mind me, I’ll just go back to the States, find another dead-end job, and maybe in another year or two I’ll have saved up enough money to come back.
“What’s placing that frown between your eyes?” Alexi leaned close to her once more.
Aimee swallowed. “Nothing. I think maybe I had too much sun today, I’m getting a headache.” She had a strong desire to be away from this family celebration as it didn’t really include her. I’m not a part of the Moustakas family, and I never will be. I’m just visiting. I need to remember that.
“Gemma. Leo. I’m really happy for you both, but I think I’m going to go up and lie down. I’m really not feeling all that well.”
“What? Oh no! Aimee, what can I do? Do you need the doctor to come back?” Gemma asked, concern in her voice.
“No, I don’t need the doctor. I think I’ll just call it an early night.”
“While I wish you would stay and celebrate with us, I also want you to take care of yourself. Are you sure you don’t need the doctor?”
Aimee firmed her resolve. “You don’t need me to celebrate and my head is really starting to pound. I’ll take some medication and see you in the morning.”
She pushed herself to a standing position, avoiding Alexi’s look. “Mr. and Mrs. Moustakas, congratulations on becoming grandparents again. Gemma’s a great mother.”
Tressa smiled at her. “Thank you, my dear. We agree. Can I have someone bring you anything?”
“No, I don’t really have the stomach for food when a hea
dache comes along.”
“Well, if that should change during the night, just use your bedside phone and the kitchen staff will be happy to bring you whatever you’d like.” Tressa gave her a motherly look.
Aimee smiled tightly and then left the room. The kitchen staff will be happy to bring me whatever I’d like. Even at three o’clock in the morning. Another benefit of being extremely rich I hadn’t considered. Gemma is so lucky!
She changed out of her dinner attire and then tried to rest, feeling only slightly guilty for having feigned a headache. In truth, her heart hurt, not her head. After twenty minutes of lying on her bed, trying to turn her brain off, she grabbed her camera and slipped out the patio doors. As she and Kassi had arrived back at the estate earlier today, she’d had an urge to take some pictures of the estate itself. Now that it was clear she would be leaving sooner rather than later, she wanted some pictures for her own memories.
The moon was still high in the sky, and the gardens were expertly lit up with hidden lights that beamed yellow light up from the ground. She wandered around the side of the house, walking through the grass as she tried to get the entire structure into one frame. She didn’t realize she was almost at the security gates until she heard a voice call her.
“Hey! Do you work inside?”
Aimee turned around at the sound of English being spoken. She stood a few feet away from the guard shack. The guard was absent, presumably doing a perimeter check. The man who had spoken to her was on the other side of the gate, a news media logo on his shirt. “Were you talking to me?”
The man glanced around and then nodded. “James Tribett. Do you work inside?”
“No, I just came over for the wedding.”
“Ah. You’re a photographer?” He indicated the camera in her hands.
“I’m trying to be,” Aimee told him. The guard was coming back towards her but had yet to see her talking to the reporter. “Why are you guys hanging around out here day and night? What do you hope to gain from it?”
“News. Pictures. Everyone knows Leo got married to an American, but so far they haven’t given any interviews and no one has been able to get any pictures of them together.”
Aimee blinked. “No one?”
“No one. It’s a race right now to see who comes up with something printable first.”
“And what does one win if they succeed?” Aimee asked, knowing her time to talk to this man was short-lived. The guard had spied her and was quickening his pace.
James gave her an interested look. “Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering what a picture is worth these days.”
“Ten grand.”
Aimee was shocked. “Ten thousand dollars for one picture?”
“To start with, maybe more if the picture was really good.”
Ten thousand dollars... I could pay for school and new equipment. Just for a picture of Leo and Gemma together in their wedding attire. I have lots of those pictures and selling one to this guy… Well, it isn’t like it would actually hurt Leo and Gemma. I could even get their permission first.
“Miss Myers, is there a problem?” The guard approached, spying the reporter standing on the other side of the gate.
“No, I was just trying to get the entire house in a picture.”
“And that man standing behind you? Was he bothering you?” the guard asked sternly.
“No, he was just making small talk. It was refreshing to talk to someone who speaks English.”
“Well, you really shouldn’t have anything to do with them. Can I offer you an escort back up to the house?”
“No, I’m just going to wander around for a bit. Thank you for the offer, though.”
The guard looked uncertain, but when she made no move to leave her current position, he gave the reporter a stern look. “Leave her alone.” He moved over to the guard shack, but remained outside, keeping an eye on Aimee and the reporter.
“I’m going to head to my right.” Aimee spoke quietly, pretending to raise her camera and take aim at the house. “There’s another gate a hundred yards away. Meet me there.” She lowered her camera and then waved at the guard. “Goodnight.”
The guard seemed relieved. “Goodnight, Miss Myers.”
Aimee sauntered away, keeping her pace slow and steady as she walked away from the guard. She reached the maintenance gate ten minutes later and was pleased to see the reporter standing on the other side. She got right to the point. “What kind of money would your newspaper pay me for a picture of the happy couple?”
James’ teeth shone white in the moonlight. “Ten large ones. You have such a picture?”
“I took lots of pictures the day of the wedding. I’ll sell one of them to you if you promise me the story that accompanies it isn’t sleazy or derogatory in anyway. Gemma is my friend and she doesn’t deserve that.”
The reporter agreed. “I’ll make sure the picture just runs with a caption declaring how happy the newlyweds are.”
“Okay, you have a deal. Where should I send the picture and when do I get paid?”
“Mercenary. I like it.” James grinned. “I’ll have a check made out to you tomorrow. You bring me the picture on a flash drive, no emails. Once I confirm the picture is there, you get the check. Easy as pie.”
“Frankly, I’ve never made a pie but I don’t imagine it would be easy.”
“Whatever. When do you want to meet?”
“Tomorrow morning? Around ten o’clock. We can meet right here so the guard doesn’t get suspicious. The Moustakas don’t like reporters very much.”
James laughed derisively. “No one likes us. That’s the idea.”
Aimee didn’t understand that, but this man was going to give her enough money to stay in Greece for the next little while. She wouldn’t let Alexi or Gemma and Leo pay for her tuition or buy her camera equipment, but she would stay with them. At least in the short term.
She headed back inside the house, her steps lighter and a soft smile upon her face. I don’t have to go back to the States!
Chapter 13
Aimee snuck back up the balcony stairs, a smile on her lips. A solution to her most pressing problem was right within her grasp.
She passed the bench where she’d helped Alexi with his headache the first time. It was now cloaked in shadow. A throat cleared. “Feeling better?”
Aimee gasped and spun around, clutching her throat with one hand and her camera with the other. “Alexi! What are you doing out here?”
He came to stand before her. “I think that’s my question. Your headache is gone?”
Aimee’s eyes slid away from his. “Yes. I just went to get some fresh air.”
“With your camera?” Alexi lifted her hand holding the device and raised an eyebrow.
Aimee pulled her hand away. “I take my camera with me most of the time these days.”
“Why did you really leave the dinner table?” Alexi stepped closer to her.
“I wasn’t feeling well. I told you.”
“You were lying. No one gets over a headache that fast.”
Aimee moved back a step. As Alexi matched her step for step, her nervousness increased. She found herself backed against the cool stone of the building and put one hand up to ward him off. “My head was hurting and now it’s not. I’m going to bed.”
Alexi reached for her shoulders. “Good idea. Your room or mine?”
Aimee shoved him away. “Neither! I told you, that was a one-time thing.”
“It doesn’t have to be. I like you Aimee, and we are good together. Besides, you did say you needed to talk to me. Now seems like the perfect time.”
Aimee took a calming breath and then moved away from him. “I got a response back from my friend in D.C. about the email address. He managed to trace the IP address to an address here. In Thessaloniki.”
“What? The emails are coming from right here?”
“At least the most recent ones. He said he could go back to the beginning and probably trac
k those addresses down as well, but it probably wouldn’t do you any good now.”
“No, just the most recent location works. Can I see that email?”
“Sure.” Aimee led the way towards her rooms, feeling Alexi following close behind her. She turned her laptop on and showed Alexi the address, shocked when he cursed violently after reading it.
“What is it? Do you recognize that address?” Alexi didn’t respond, pacing her room, his hands clenched tightly. “Alexi?”
He stopped and looked at her just as his cell phone rang. He answered it, keeping his eyes on hers. “Talk.” Aimee could feel the anger building in him as he stared at her.
She moved back a step.
Alexi spoke a few terse sentences into the phone and ended the call. He didn’t take his eyes off her.
“Who was that?”
“Who did you meet down at the gate?” he demanded.
The gate? “What? What are you talking about?”
“Minutes ago, the guard caught you talking to one of those reporters. I want to know what you told him.”
Aimee was now furious. “I don’t have to tell you who I was talking to. I’d like you to leave. Now.” She crossed her arms over her chest, her anger at his high-handed demands barely containable.
Alexi reached for her shoulders. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what you’ve done. Who was that man and how long have you been feeding him information about us?”
Aimee struggled to remove his hands. “Let go of me. I haven’t told anyone anything about you. He was just a reporter and he could speak English. It was a refreshing change to hear someone speaking English and we chatted for a minute. I’ve never met him before in my life.”
Alexi searched her eyes and then cursed once. He pulled her up, slamming their mouths together. The kiss wasn’t polite and it wasn’t gentle. It was a violent exchange filled with pent-up lust and high emotions. Alexi moved his lips to her jaw, nipping his way down to the collarbones. “Don’t talk to those vultures. Don’t even look at them.”
Her Greek Protector Page 12