Page 42 of Her Greek Protector

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?”