Page 2 of Her Greek Protector

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.