Page 8 of Her Greek Protector

The vehicle made its way through the gates and up the winding driveway, coming to a stop in front of the large estate Alexi had called home for as long as he’d been alive. He allowed the driver to open his door. “I’ll have a man come out with your payment momentarily. Wait here.”

He strode towards the front doors, opening them and surprising a young woman rushing across the foyer. She came to a sliding stop. The only thing that kept her from falling headfirst into the marble column at the bottom of the winding staircase was Alexi reaching out and catching her around the waist.

“Whoa!” She dug her fingernails into his forearms as she regained her balance.

He took in her long blonde hair, pulled up in a ponytail atop her head, and fair skin tone.When did my parents begin hiring foreigners as domestic helpers?His body responded to her nearness, catching him completely off guard. When she pulled against his hold, he released her.

“Thanks! I wasn’t expecting…” Her voice broke off and her body stiffened when his arm brushed her chest as it retreated.

Alexi had a sudden desire to see what color her eyes were. She had kept her face averted from him so far, something that sparked more than mere curiosity. His body hardened, his fingers itched to run through her hair, and he had a vision of himself pressing this woman against the nearest wall and kissing her senseless.

Alexi was furious at his inability to stay focused on what was truly important.Damn it! I don’t have time for a dalliance with one of the household servants! Get it together!

Adopting a much sterner tone than the situation demanded, he barked at the maid. “Try walking instead of running.”

The young woman stiffened at his tone of voice. Instead of trying to defend herself, she ducked her head. He could see a blush creeping up the side of her neck. Her muttered, “I’ll do that,” was so soft, he couldn’t tell if she was close to tears or angry.Not that it mattered. She’s just the hired help.

The young woman kept her head turned away and slowly walked the rest of the way across the foyer, disappearing from his view. He’d never gotten a good look at her face. Alexi suppressed the urge to call her back.

“Aimee, I found him…” Kassi’s voice faded away as she stepped into the foyer and saw Alexi standing there. She looked puzzled, eyeing his clothing up and down before shaking her head. “Leo, really, that outfit might be going overboard. When did you get back here? I thought Aimee said you guys were having transportation issues and might not be back for a few weeks.”

Alexi looked at his cousin. “Yia, Kassiopeia.” Seeing Kassi first was a stroke of luck. He watched her face as the nickname only he had ever used for her registered in her brain.

The color faded from her face and her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Recognition filled her eyes and she moved forward, reaching a tentative hand out to touch his face. “Alexi?”

Her hands touched his face, his hair, as she took in the healthy tan he’d acquired during his weeks on the island. Before the accident, Alexi had spent much of his time indoors. He’d worked out regularly, but his skin had never gotten deeply tanned like Leo’s, who preferred to spend his days in the sun. Although Alexi hadn’t seen his brother in quite a while, he assumed he bore an even closer resemblance to his twin. Watching Kassi’s face as she examined him from head to toe with her eyes, he knew that to be true.

Kassi finally let her fingers wander to his arm, turning it as she searched for the tattoo and gasping when her eyes found it. Her eyes filled with tears. “You really are Alexi, aren’t you?”

His heart swelled with emotion. “Nai, I am Alexi.”

She shook her head. “But…but we had your funeral…”

He smiled at her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I hope it was suitably elegant?”

Kassi’s eyes widened. She jumped into his arms, knocking them both backwards several feet. “You’re not dead! Leo said you weren’t, but I was afraid to hope…Mou éleipses!”

Alexi hugged her close and repeated the words. “I missed you too. Where is Leo? Is everyone here?”

“Oh! Yourmitérais going to cry…and yourpatéras!Alexi, I don’t know if his heart can handle this. Where have you been?”

“Let’s go find my parents and I’ll make my explanation once instead of several times. Which way?” He turned her around, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and then waited until she pointed to the left. “I’ll let you go first and make sure they are both seated before I come in.”

Kassi reached up a hand, tears streaming down her face, and touched his cheek once more. “You’re really here? I’m not crazy?”

“I’m alive,” he told her. “And I have a driver who needs to be paid.”

Kassi picked up the elegant phone sitting on a nearby table. She gave instructions for someone to take care of the driver waiting in front of the house. “Done.”

Alexi smiled. “You look good.”

“Not as good as you do. I still can’t believe you’re here.”

“Believe it.” He waved a hand towards the hallway, pushing aside the vicious pain that was beating away inside his head. The headache had been steadily growing since the cargo ship had docked in the port. At the captain’s request, he’d been looked over by the ship’s doctor a few hours after boarding the ship for Greece. He’d told the doctor about his memory loss and the terrible headaches, and while the doctor hadn’t been able to rule out something more serious, he suggested the headaches were his body’s way of telling him to relax and not push his brain too hard. Alexi knew he was setting himself up for a horrible headache in the coming hours, but he couldn’t stop pressing for answers, not when he was finally home. There were so many things he needed to do, but first, he had to let his parents know he wasn’t dead.

Then there was the small matter of finding out who had been threatening him to deal with, and then he would head to the States and find Gemma. He’d thought about her many times on the journey home, coming to terms with the fact that he didn’t love her with a passionate, romantic love, but then again, Alexi hadn’t allowed himself to love anyone in a number of years. He’d tried once as a young adult, but that woman had only been after what he could buy her and she’d treated his devotion like it was a curse.

With Gemma, she hadn’t seemed to care how much he bought for her or what places he had taken her. She was just as happy with a hot dog from a street vendor as she was dining at a five-star restaurant. Being with her was refreshing and simple and Alexi longed to feel that way once more. Gemma was a romantic and would expect flowers and poetic words, but he hoped that when he explained things to her, she’d be content with a friendship like no other and the sure knowledge that he would always be there for her. It wasn’t fair, but then, Leo with his endless escapades had proven time and again that nothing in the world was fair. Alexi didn’t want to live like that, but after his accident, his viewpoint had changed. He was going after what he wanted and not letting anything stand in his way.