Page 14

Nine

C ALISTA

“We should sit in the park for a while.” Leon tilted his head and gestured toward the moonlit path. His lips curved into a gentle smile.

“I’d love that.” I allowed him to guide me to a nearby stone bench that looked over intricate patterns of trees and bushes laid out as far as the eye could see. The scent of the rich, green earth mixed with the salt of the sea filled the air.

We strolled to a bench and sat.

It happened so quickly that I hadn’t had time to react. One minute, I’d been strolling around the grounds, eager to have a few moments to collect my thoughts, and the next, Dominic had cornered me behind a set of trees .

Before I could take a breath, he’d launched straight into a speech as though he’d stood on that spot every night rehearsing each line.

He rattled off his accomplishments like they weren’t the achievements of someone living in the shadow of his brother and family.

He listed off his titles, his investments, and his political ties.

Then, he started in on my legacy, insisting there was no better choice for me, as if he were offering me a gift.

He passionately asserted that marrying him was the only way to secure the Vitalis reputation.

Every word felt like a weight pressing into my ribcage.

My pulse pounded, but I froze. Fingers trembling, I fished my phone from the pocket of my dress and slid my thumb across the record button.

I’d recorded most of Dominic’s rant and was proud of myself for that.

But when he’d grabbed me so forcefully, my memory snapped open.

All the trauma I’d gone through had come flooding back into the forefront of my mind, too many nights spent hiding, too many bruises I’d refused to name.

Panic rose in my throat, bitter and familiar.

My muscles coiled, ready to strike, but my voice went quiet.

If Leon hadn’t walked up when he did, Dominic would have been on the ground holding his balls and wailing in pain.

Leon’s arrival turned Dominic’s fury toward someone bigger and broader. I heard the edge in the asshole’s voice as he squared off against Leon, saw his shoulders inflate with wounded pride. He shouted over the scrape of their shoes on stone, a raw challenge corralling the darkness around us.

I started at the trees swaying in the night breeze.

“I was ready to put him in his place,” I said, voice rough. “I shouldn’t have hesitated.”

Leon tipped his head toward me. “From what I heard, you’d already put him in his place.”

I whispered, “As soon as he touched me, I should have fought. I spent months training for moments like that, and I let fear override every lesson.”

I scanned the gravel at my feet, searching for the exact second I let my weakness overcome my extensive training.

“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself, Cali,” Leon said.

“You’ve gone through a lot. And most people wouldn’t have been able even to utter the words you did.

Dominic is an asshole, but he’s intimidating, as well.

From my perspective, you measured every risk, gathered proof, and stayed alive until help arrived.

That took more strength than knocking him flat. ”

I met his warm gaze, discovered something steady within it, and felt the tension in my shoulders diminish.

“You are a nice guy, aren’t you, Leon?”

He shrugged, shoulders rising in a reluctant arc. “I try. Some people disagree, but I’ll always be good to you, Cali. I promise.”

“Are you sure you want to marry someone as broken as me?” I whispered.

Leon leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his eyebrows lifted in that look I knew so well. “Is that what you believe about yourself?”

His question settled over me like a silent weight. I stared at my hands, knuckles white against the fabric of my dress.

“Sometimes,” I said.

He searched my eyes before speaking again. “I don’t believe in perfection, Cali. I’m far from perfect myself. But the way I see it, you and I have endured a lot of similar traumas.”

He lifted my hand, warmed it against his palm, then laced our fingers together.

My pulse throbbed. His hand felt solid and sure, a spark traveling through my veins.

His thumbs traced gentle paths across my knuckles. “If broken means we’ve felt life’s hardest edges, so be it. Maybe our fractures match. Maybe we can help each other heal.”

My heart swelled at his words.

Without hesitation, I cupped his face and pressed my lips against his, kissing him swiftly, confidently, and with intent.

He didn’t hesitate, kissing me back. His lips were warm and soft against mine, and all the emotions I’d been trying to hold back rushed to the surface, overwhelming me and leaving my head spinning and my heart racing.

“Cali,” he said. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered.

You possess strength, intelligence, and kindness.

To address your question, it would be the greatest honor of my life to become your husband.

However, I want you to understand that I would never pressure you into anything you’re unprepared for or don’t wish to pursue.

Simply express your desires, and I will do everything within my power to make them a reality.

Everything is under your control, and we will proceed at your speed. ”

My chest tightened at his words. When Leon spoke, my world contracted until only his voice was warm and steady, like an anchor in a storm. He was powerful and intelligent and sexy.

Most of all, he was kind. He had shown me nothing but complete respect. How could I not fall in love with a man like him?

His kindness cut through everything else. He treated me as though I mattered more than any mission, more than any title. In his presence, I felt less like a pawn on a chessboard and more like a woman worth every risk.

But terror knotted in my stomach. I wanted to plunge in headfirst, to let joy carry me away. Instead, my fingertips tingled, and my chest tightened, because I understood exactly why.

Fear.

The memory came unbidden: my mother’s trembling hands as she read my father’s letters during the siege, my father’s fierce love having made them both targets.

Our so-called allies had turned their loyalty into a weapon, gleeful to hold their devotion over them like a dagger to the throat.

Love like that left you vulnerable in the worst way.

Pain.

It was such a mind-fuck. As much as I was afraid, I couldn’t look at Leon without being excited at the same time. The thought of moving through the world with him was thrilling.

The thought of marrying him…

Waking up in the same bed with him…

Going to bed together and all that entailed.

Suddenly, the dream I’d had about him the other night flashed in my head, and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. Was it possible to feel shy and bold at the same time?

The urge to tell him what I was thinking overwhelmed me.

And yet, there he was, essentially telling me he was willing to be patient and let me set the pace of our relationship. Did he think I wanted to go slow? It would make sense that he would, given my background. After all, he was only being thoughtful.

But I couldn’t help but wonder what he would think if he knew about my dream. What would he think if he knew I was considering sharing a hell of a lot more than a kiss with him?

I yearned to be alone with him.

To feel his lips on mine again. To feel his hands running over my bare skin, to feel safe enough to let go and lose myself in the desire I felt for him.

After that dream, I’d felt like we’d already made love, and I’d been letting the images play in my head over and over, constantly aroused by the thought of it all.

That was what gave me the courage to kiss him like that.

The urge to confess, to spill all the images playing on repeat in my mind, throbbed low and deep inside me.

But he’d already told me I could set our pace.

Gentle, patient, respectful. He didn’t know I wanted more than a slow dance.

I wanted to slide my fingers into his hair, to feel him shiver under my touch.

I wanted to go back to his place as soon as possible.

I knew he had two residences, the main one at his estate in Vouliagmeni and the other in Central Athens.

I drew a steadying breath, squared my shoulders, and met his gaze. “Is your house nearby?”

His pupils dilated, a slow smile curving his lips. “It’s not too far from here.”

“You said I could ask for anything.” Relief and desire coiled together inside me.

His brow furrowed. “Always.”

I leaned in. “Then I don’t want to go slow. After the ball, will you take me there?”

For a moment, his expression stilled as if he’d been holding his breath. Then, pleasure spread across his face, and he stepped closer. His stubble grazed my cheek, warm and reassuring.

“Anything you want, always,” he murmured, brushing his lips to mine in a soft, promising kiss, and then stood and pulled me up with him.

“Are you ready to join the others? I’m suddenly keenly interested in getting this over with as quickly as possible.”

He winked, that mischievous glint in his gaze as he offered me his elbow.

I slipped my hand into his, smiling up at him. “More than ready.”

Together, we walked up the staircase heading back into the ballroom in search of my family, my heart still pounding. But this time, excitement, not fear, led the way.