by Maya Blake
By the time he joined her an hour later, Brianna was almost delirious with need. As he took her on another sheet-burning journey of bliss, she knew without a doubt that, no matter where she went, her heart would always belong to Sakis Pantelides.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SAKIS’S PRIVATE GREEK home was a sun-baked slice of bliss that rose from stunning turquoise waters west of the Ionian Islands. Traditionally built and whitewashed in true Greek style, the large villa nevertheless boasted extensive modern designs: the swimming pool had been designed around the villa and traversed under the indoor-to-outdoor living room, reflecting Sakis’s love of water.
On her first night here two days ago, Brianna had walked out of her bedroom to find herself faced with an immense mobile hot-tub on her terrace, in which had resided a smug, gloriously naked Sakis with two crystal glasses and vintage champagne chilling on ice next to his elbow. But, if there was one thing she loved about Sakis’s island retreat, it was the peace and tranquillity.
Although on this particular Sunday, with teeming bodies enjoying the unfettered generosity of their host, the island paradise was more island rave.
Brianna stood away from the crowd, absently keeping an eye on a couple of employees who were bent on getting hammered as quickly as possible.
Her phone buzzed in her hand and her heart contracted.
Need update, pronto. G.
Greg’s texts had got increasingly frequent and terse in the last day. Although she’d managed to fob him off with non-answers, she was fast running out of time. From experience, she knew his patience would only hold out for so long.
She fired back an inadequate ‘Soon’, a cold shiver coursing through her veins despite the fierce summer sun.
She’d greedily grasped the chance to spend some more time with Sakis. But, like sand through an hourglass, it had inevitably run out.
Looking over to where the man who’d taken over one-hundred per cent of her waking thoughts stood with his two brothers, her insides twisted.
The three brothers were gorgeous in their own rights. But, to her, Sakis stood head and shoulders above Ari and Theo.
It had nothing to do with the way his lips curved when he smiled, or the way a lock of hair fell over his forehead when he nodded to something Theo was saying to him...
No, there was a presence about him, an aura of strength and self-containment, that struck a deep place inside her. And the fierce protectiveness he’d displayed towards those loyal to him made her heart ache.
How would it have felt to be loved and cherished by a man such as him? Tears prickled her eyes at the thought that she’d never find out; never know how it would feel to be loved just once by somebody worth giving her own love to.
Her phone buzzed again.
How soon?????? Answer me now!
In a fit of anger and torment, she turned it off and dashed blindly towards the steps that led to the beach. Tears blurred her vision but she forged ahead, cursing fate for handing her what she most wanted with one hand and ruthlessly taking it away with the other.
Of course, the beach was occupied with more Pantelides Inc. employees. She plastered on a smile and answered greetings, but continued to walk until the sound of partying and music was far behind her.
Locating a rough, flat rock, she sank down and let the tears she’d held back flow. By the time she was wrung dry, her decision had solidified in her chest.
* * *
‘So, how’s your wonder woman doing?’
Sakis barely managed to stop his teeth from gnashing loudly at Ari’s dry query.
‘If you don’t want me to put a dent in that already messed up face of yours, I suggest you watch your mouth.’ He cursed the rough intensity of his tone the moment he spoke.
Sure enough, both Ari’s and Theo’s eyebrows shot up. A second later, Theo chuckled and nudged their oldest brother. ‘The last time he reacted so violently about a girl was when I suggested I bring a lollipop to Iyana when we were kids. I barely managed to avoid being flattened when he tried to run me down with his bike. You better watch out, Ari.’
‘Shut the hell up, Theo.’ Sakis’s mood darkened further as his brothers laughed some more at his expense.
He downed more champagne and raised his head in time to catch Ari’s narrow-eyed stare. Staring back defiantly, he watched Ari’s mouth drop open.
‘Damn it, you’ve done it, haven’t you? You’ve slept with her. Theos, don’t you have any brains in that head of yours?’
Theo let out another rich chuckle. ‘Depends on which head you’re talking about, bro.’
Sakis released the growl that’d been lurking in his chest for what felt like days. ‘I’m warning you both, stay the hell out of my personal life.’
‘Or what?’ Theo countered. ‘I recall you taking delight in causing havoc in mine more than a few times. You sent flowers to that crazy woman you knew I was trying as hard as hell to cut out of my life. And remember that time you stole my phone and used it to sex-text the wrestler brother of that model I was dating? I couldn’t return to my apartment for a week because he’d camped outside my building. Payback’s a bitch, bro, and I’m only getting started.’
He swallowed the searing response because he knew that what was eating at him wasn’t his brothers’ ribbing.
It was Brianna. And the secret text messages she was still receiving.
She believed he didn’t notice her apprehension every time her phone pinged.
Hell, she’d left his bed at five a.m. this morning. When he’d demanded she come back to bed, she’d waved him away with some excuse about making sure everything was in hand for the party.
Five a.m.! Yeah, shocking. Wasn’t that the same time you interviewed her for her job?
He smothered the mocking voice and stared into the golden bubbles. This had gone on long enough. He’d swallowed her explanation without probing too deeply. Tonight, after the party, he’d find out what the hell was making her so jumpy. And then he’d fix it. He wanted her undivided attention on him and he sure as hell didn’t want her leaving him in bed at the crack of dawn to go do...whatever the hell...
‘You’re giving us the silent treatment? Really? Wow, you must have it bad!’ Theo mocked.
‘Sweet mother of— So what if I have a thing for her, hmm?’ he demanded wildly.
‘Some of us would wonder how many times you had to be burned before you learned your lesson,’ Ari said, his gaze and his words holding a steady warning that made Sakis’s heart slide to his toes.
‘She’s not like that, Ari. I...trust her.’ It was true. Somehow she’d wormed her way in and embedded herself deep in a place he’d thought dead after his father’s betrayal. And, Theos, it felt...right. It felt good. He didn’t feel so desolate, so bitter any more. And he planned to hang on to it.
‘Are you sure?’ Ari probed.
Righteous anger rose on Brianna’s behalf but he stopped himself from venting it. His brothers were only looking out for him.
He wanted to tell them they didn’t need to. But a tiny niggling stopped him. What if they did...?
Brushing the thought away, he turned towards Theo, readying himself for more ribbing.
But his brother’s face had turned serious. ‘Are the investigators close to wrapping up the Lowell issue?’ Theo asked.
The other source of his frustration made his nape tighten. ‘Not yet. They think there’s a third party at play. Lowell may have been double-dealing both Moorecroft and someone else, someone who’s keeping him from talking. They’ve found a paper trail. They should have a name for me in the next twenty-four hours.’
He heard a drunken shout and looked over to see one of his junior executives falling over a pretty blonde. Realising he hadn’t spotted Brianna for a while, he frowned. This was the sort of function wher
e she excelled with her organisational skills.
And yet she was nowhere in sight.
‘She went that way, towards the beach,’ Ari supplied softly.
Sakis looked at his brother and Ari shrugged, an almost resigned understanding in his eyes.
Were his feelings really so obvious? Who cared? Brianna had breached every single barrier he’d put in place around his heart. He craved her when she wasn’t around, and he couldn’t have enough of her when she was.
Some might call what he was feeling love; he preferred to call it... He searched for a suitable description and came up empty. Whatever it was, he’d decided to risk embracing it, see where it took him.
But before that he needed to get to the bottom of what was bothering her.
The junior executive let out another drunken guffaw. The pretty blonde looked ready to burst into tears. Just then a crash came from the other side of the tent.
‘Ari, you go take care of Mr Smooth over there. I’ll go check out the other thing?’ Theo offered.
Nodding gratefully, Sakis discarded his champagne glass and headed towards his other guests. His heart sank when Ari fell into step beside him.
‘Are you sure about what you’re doing?’ he asked.
‘I’ve never been surer.’ His answer held a steady certainty that shifted some hitherto unknown weight from his chest. He wanted Brianna in his life.
Permanently.
‘Then I wish you well, brother.’ Deep emotion and gratitude shifted through him when Ari clasped his shoulder. Before he could swallow the lump in his throat and respond, Ari was moving towards the crowd. Within seconds, the junior executive had been banished to the water fountain to sober up and the blonde was blushing under Ari’s dry-witted charm.
Sakis looked towards the beach just as Brianna reappeared at the top of the steps.
The sight of her made his breath catch. It was the first time he’d seen her in such an outfit. Her dress was made of light cotton in a red-and-gold material and stopped just above her knees. The sleeveless, cinched-in waist and flared design moved with her seductive sway as she re-entered the crowd and smiled at a greeting.
He was striding towards her before he could stop himself, not that he wanted to stop.
Her head swung towards him and Sakis’s jaw clenched when he saw the momentary wariness that clouded her eyes before she blinked it away. By the time he reached her, she had her game face on.
‘It’s almost time for your speech,’ she said.
‘I wish to hell I hadn’t agreed to make one.’ He wanted to take her face in his hands and kiss away whatever was bothering her, office gossip be damned. But she wouldn’t welcome that, so he kept his hands to himself.
Soon, he promised himself.
‘But you have to. They’re expecting it.’
‘Right...fine.’
He started to turn away.
‘Wait.’ She stopped him with a hand on his arm, which she dropped quickly, much to his escalating frustration. ‘I...I need to talk to you. Tonight, after the party.’
Real trepidation had darkened her eyes. The unease he’d banked but which had never left him since he’d seen that first text roared to life.
He forced a nod and went to give his speech, then for the next hour he mingled with his employees, the volunteers and salvage crew. But he made sure Brianna was glued to his side. Whatever it was that needed to be aired, he wouldn’t let it get in the way of what they had.
He breathed a sigh of relief once the boats arrived to ferry his guests to Argostoli, where the chartered flight waited to take them back to London.
Once the last guest had boarded the boat, he headed towards where Brianna was dismissing the catering staff.
Finally...
The need to touch her made his fingers tingle as he came within a few feet of her. She looked up and her desolate expression made his insides clench hard.
‘Brianna? What the hell is it?’
She shook her head and looked around. ‘Not here. Can we...can we go inside?’
Breaching the gap between them, he caught her hand and kissed the back of it as he steered her towards the villa. ‘Sure, but whatever this is let’s make it quick. I’ve been waiting since the crack of dawn to make love to you again. I’m not sure how much longer I can last.’
Her sideways glance was ragged and pain-filled, and he felt his heart stutter then triple its beat as trepidation ramped up higher.
He passed Theo and Ari in the hallway and barely noticed their exchanged glances.
Entering his study, he shut the door and turned to her. ‘What’s on your mind?’
For several seconds, she didn’t speak. She looked lost, miserable, like the bottom had gone out of her world. His heart swelled with the need to take away her pain.
‘Brianna, pethi mou, whatever the hell it is, I can’t fix it until I know what it is.’
That got her attention. She slowly shook her head. ‘That’s just it. I don’t think you can fix this, Sakis.’
His palms grew cold. Clenching his fists tight, he waited.
‘A few years ago, I worked for Greg Landers.’
The name popped like a firework in his brain. ‘Landers? The guy who was working with Moorecroft?’
‘Yes. But back then he owned a gas brokerage firm.’
‘And?’ he demanded, because his gut told him there was more. Much, much more. ‘He’s the one who’s been texting you. He’s G.’ He didn’t try to frame it as a question. He knew.
She licked her lips and, despite the fear and desperation clawing through his belly, he couldn’t stop his body’s sexual reaction. ‘Yes.’
Sakis breathed in deep, but the control kept unravelling. It took every ounce of strength he had to remain standing. ‘Is he your lover?’
She gasped. ‘No!’ A look very much like shame crossed her face. ‘But he was,’ she whispered.
He’d never understood jealousy up until now. Never got why it compelled strong emotion in others. In that moment, he understood. All Sakis could see in that moment was red, fiery red anger, and white-hot pain. ‘Why does he call you “Anna”?’
‘Because that’s my name. My real name is Anna Simpson. I changed it to Brianna Moneypenny after...after...’
‘After what?’
‘After I served just under two years in jail for embezzlement and fraud.’
Ice, sharp and deadly, clenched hard around his chest. ‘You went to jail? For fraud?’
Tears brimmed in her eyes as she nodded.
Sakis couldn’t breathe. His whole body had gone numb. He’d been betrayed again. And this time by a woman he loved. And, yes, he could finally admit that the feeling was love because nothing else came close to describing his emotions.
He tried to move towards her and absently noted that his feet were carrying him in the other direction. Numbness spread until his whole body felt frozen to the core.
‘You lied to me,’ he rasped around the pain gripping his throat.
Slowly, she nodded. Then she cleared her throat. ‘Yes.’
‘You colluded with a criminal to defraud and then you wormed your way into my company and my bed to do it all over again. You were helping him to topple my company, risking the livelihood of thousands of people.’ His voice shook, his insides raw with agony.
‘No! Please listen—I didn’t. I’d never do that to you.’
‘How long have you and Landers been involved in your little scheme?’ he snarled, his senses reeling.
Her arms stretched out towards him, palms open wide in false supplication. ‘There’s no scheme, Sakis. Please believe me.’
His frozen heart twisted painfully. ‘Believe you? That’s a joke, right? How long, Brianna?’
Guilt, raw and gl
aring, slashed across her whitened features. In that moment, Sakis felt as if he’d been turned to stone then smashed into a million pieces.
‘I...I’ve known about it since that last night at Point Noire.’
‘And this abrupt confession? You knew it was only a matter of time before the investigators sniffed you both out, didn’t you?’
Brianna couldn’t stop the distressed cry that ripped from her throat. ‘I wanted to tell you. But I...I didn’t want to lose you.’
His devilish laugh sliced through her chest, shredding her already bleeding heart. ‘You didn’t want to lose me, so you thought you’d do the one thing guaranteed to make that happen? For a woman whose intelligence I once valued, that’s shockingly stupid.’
She flinched.
He barely blinked at her pain. ‘So, what was the plan? I want to hear it. In detail.’
‘Greg wanted information to help him in a new takeover bid: shareholding percentages, personal information about board members to give him an edge.’
His grip on the corner of his desk tightened until his knuckles whitened. ‘And you fed him this information? Come clean now because I will find out.’
‘No! I wouldn’t... I’d never...’ She stopped and swallowed down the sob that threatened to choke her. ‘I know it’s too late for me to make you believe me but—’
‘What did you expect to receive in return?’ he ground out chillingly.
‘Nothing! I wanted no part of it. Greg was blackmailing me. He found out I’d changed my name and threatened to expose me.’
‘Right; next you’ll be telling me you were framed the first time round too.’
‘I was!’
‘You mean a jury didn’t find you guilty and a judge didn’t sentence you?’ Sakis’s numbness was receding and pure rage was taking its place. He welcomed the painful sting in his legs and arms, welcomed the surge of power it brought.
‘They did, but Greg had engineered it and made sure I took the fall.’