Page 157 of Modern Romance December 2025 1-4

On cue, I hear the distant sound of a helicopter. It’s getting closer.

My brother is here.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Rafael

The sound ofZakynthos’s helicopter is getting closer and closer, and I can’t stop the intense satisfaction that curls through me.

My contact in Athens alerted me this morning that Ulysses had left and that he was bound for Palermo, which made me extremely pleased with the decision I made yesterday to call in my favour from Vincenzo Argenti. It’s an old favour and he’s powerful. I wasn’t sure if he’d come through, but he’s always been a man of his word and, sure enough, he came, bringing along his family priest.

And not before time.

Anger flickers in Olympia’s golden eyes, making them glow. I knew she’d be angry that I didn’t tell her this morning, but I couldn’t risk it. She had to be mine before her brother got here in case he decided to take her back with him. I wanted her to be legally bound to me so that there would be no escape. She’s loyal to him, she loves him and all I have on my side is that I’m the father of her child and some physical chemistry. I needed more to hold her here.

He could still take her.

He might. Or she might go with him. But now we’re legally married and that’s a tie that cannot easily be undone.

You should have told her he was coming, though.

She’s angry, but for a second I thought I saw something like hurt flicker in her eyes. But no, it couldn’t be hurt. She doesn’t love me and I don’t love her, so why does it matter that I didn’t tell her? I did say I’d be honest with her, but I didn’t lie.

A lie by omission. Also, you promised her.

I did, it’s true. But I didn’t actively move against Zakynthos. I merely married his sister, something I was always going to do.

Besides, I didn’t want to break the fragile détente we reached last night beneath the Christmas tree. Even so, what she’d said about it being okay to love someone who hurt you stuck in my brain and I couldn’t get it out. I’d spent all night thinking about it, about my father, and what he did, and how it hurt me, and how badly it hurt still, no matter how I try to deny it.

I don’t want to keep thinking about it though, I want her, so I shove the thoughts aside, reaching for her instead, wanting to hold her, maybe turn her anger into desire the way I’m so good at. But she takes a step back, drawing herself up, her back straight as a board, her eyes glowing. ‘You said you wouldn’t treat me the way Ulysses does,’ she says.

I want to close the distance between us, but I don’t move. ‘And I meant it. How am I treating you like he does?’

‘You didn’t listen to me. I told you I wanted you to drop your revenge plan.’

‘I did,’ I insist. ‘The wedding was always going to happen and—’

‘You didn’t tell me he was coming,’ she snaps. ‘You didn’t because you wanted me married to you so he couldn’t take me away.’

There’s nothing I can say to that. It’s the truth. ‘Why does that matter?’ I demand. ‘I want you with me, so yes, I hurried the marriage along.’

‘But don’t you understand?’ She stares at me as if I’ve changed before her eyes into someone she doesn’t recognise. ‘You didn’t listen, and Ulysses didn’t listen either. It’s always about him, about his guilt, never about me or what I want. I told you that. And now you’re doing the same thing. You married me to get back at him, so you can have his company. It’s all about what you want, Rafael. None of it is about me.’

The force of her words slams into me like thrown stones. She’s so heartbreakingly beautiful standing there, with the dragonfly I had made for her glittering in her hair. My wife.

She’s right. You’re not thinking about her. You’re only thinking of yourself.

The sound of the helicopter is getting louder and louder. Zakynthos is nearly here. I wanted to meet him with her beside me, letting him know how completely she’s mine, but Olympia takes a couple of steps towards me. ‘I’ll meet him,’ she says forcefully, reading my mind. ‘Youstay here.’

‘No,’ I shoot back. ‘I won’t allow—’

‘I don’t care what you’ll allow,’ she interrupts. ‘He’smybrother and he’s here forme.This has gotnothingto do with you.’

And before I can say anything, she storms past me and out of the living area. My instinct is to go after her immediately, but some lost part of me resists. It knows she’s right, even though I protest the thought. Thisisabout me and what I want. It’s not about her, not about what she wants, and the very least I can do is let her meet her brother alone.

So I don’t follow her, even though every part of me is screaming to do so. Instead, I grit my teeth and stride to the windows that overlook the lawn so I can see Olympia in her red dress, a streak of brilliant scarlet against the green grass.

I fight the need to go to her as the helicopter touches down, shoving my hands into my pockets instead, watching as the rotors slow, the door opens and a man leaps out. He’s tall and powerfully built, and he moves with purpose.