Page 118 of 2 Books in One Bundle

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

VASILISTOODATthe door to a modest cabin nestled amongst tall dark trees. Though he could hear the sea, he couldn’t see it. He looked over his shoulder at the path he had driven up. The blacked-out SUV looked almost garish in the serene forest.

So much oppressive, insulating greenness.

Helia had retreated and it was his fault, but he would make it right. He had to.

Vasili knocked, and sent up a silent prayer that she would listen.

The door swung open and there she was. In jeans, with her hair piled messily on top of her head, without a scrap of make-up, and she was by far the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Vasili finally breathed a breath that didn’t feel as though it had been forced through a fissure in his chest.

‘Hello, Helia,’ he said.

‘Vasili...’ Shock rippled across her face. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘May I come in?’

He could see the doubt within her. And, as much as it hurt, he didn’t blame her for being uneasy about letting him in.

‘Please. I just want to talk.’

He watched her take a breath and stand aside, allowing him to pass through the door. From the entrance hall he could see the sitting area, the kitchen and the dining table. A glaring reminder of Helia’s past life and how different it was from his.

And against the wall was a packed bag.

‘Join me?’ he asked as he took a seat at the table.

It was a reminder of a different time when he had asked the same of her. Except then he had laid down the rules and expected Helia to follow. Now he would give her the choice.

‘I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Vasili. I don’t know why you’re here, but there isn’t much left to say.’

‘There’s plenty to say. Starting with I’m sorry.’

Helia scrunched up her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself as if she needed protection from him, and it made Vasili furious with himself.

‘Please don’t. It’s not going to change anything.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong. Everything has changed. Let me explain, Helia. I beg you.’

He could hear the rawness in his own voice and wondered if it was his obvious brokenness that convinced Helia to join him at the table. Close enough to touch. But he would not do that until she allowed him to.

His eyes drifted to the bag. ‘Are you going somewhere?’

‘I’m leaving Thalonia. There’s nothing here for me. I need a new start.’

That was the last thing he wanted to hear. Thalonia needed her.Heneeded her. He wouldn’t let her leave without a fight.

‘How did you find me?’ she asked softly. ‘I left instructions not to tell you where I was.’

‘I know. That’s why I paid a visit to Giannis Demetriou.’

Vasili slid an envelope over to Helia and placed a vibrantly purple iris on top of it.

‘What is this?’

He heard her voice catch as her eyes filled with tears.