Page 29 of Pregnant Behind the Veil (Brides for Greek Brothers #3)

Michail

Six years later

“Xavier!” I shout. “Get out of that olive tree!”

“I’m just showing Simon how to climb!” my son shouts back.

I roll my eyes as Gavriil lets out a bark of laughter. “Are you seriously okay with your three-year-old climbing trees?”

Gavriil shrugs as he sips his whiskey. “Got to learn sometime. I knew kids who could filch a wallet at his age.”

Adessa, Rafe and Tessa’s older daughter, bounces up to us. She gives us a gap-toothed smile.

“Uncle Gavriil, will you teach me how to filch?”

Gavriil chokes on his drink as I throw my head back and laugh. I can only imagine what Rafe would have to say about his daughter learning how to pickpocket.

“Maybe when you’re older,” he says as he wipes two-million-dollar whiskey off his chin.

“Teach her what?”

Tessa navigates her wheelchair between our chairs.

“Nothing, Tess.”

“Liar.” Tessa leans over and kisses him on the cheek, then grimaces, her hand moving to her swollen belly. “Don’t do anything to stress me out. I need these babies to stay put for another four months.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rafe advancing across the lawn, trying to look like he’s not checking up on his wife and failing miserably.

“How are you feeling?” he asks as he leans down and kisses her cheek.

“Pregnant.” She smiles up at him. “And happy.”

I glance around the north shore of our island. Once Gavriil, Rafe and I all officially received our inheritances, we sat down to decide what to do with all the money, properties and investments. Much of it was given away or invested.

None of us had wanted anything to do with the villa that had served as the backdrop for so much pain and suffering.

But surprisingly, we all agreed we wanted to explore our Greek roots.

To start a new legacy with the Drakos family.

So we pooled our resources and purchased this island a few miles south of Santorini.

Drakos Development oversaw the construction of a luxurious cream-colored villa with soaring pillars, balconies that curved out over the water and a saltwater pool overlooking the sea.

A grove of olive trees takes up most of the east side of the island.

A sandy beach lies to the west, crescent shaped with pale sand that hosts beach towels and tubs of toys during the summer.

Tessa and her interior design team personally decorated every room, including twelve bedrooms. Enough for us, our wives and our growing families, as well as visitors like Juliette’s honorary mother, Dessie, and my mom.

Well, at least there’s room for now. Half the bedrooms are taken up by us and our children. Next year, there will be Rafe and Tessa’s twins and my daughter.

Warm hands slide down over my shoulders. My body hardens as Alessandra leans down and kisses my ear.

“Hey, handsome.”

I grasp one of her hands in mine and guide her around the lounge. My gaze slides up and down her body, the red sundress showing off her long legs and the swell of her belly.

“Hi, beautiful.”

I ease her down onto my lap and kiss her deeply. Beneath my hand, our daughter gives an indignant kick.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re going to have our hands full?” I murmur against her lips.

She chuckles and glances over her shoulder at Xavier, who is now dangling by his legs from a low-hanging branch as Simon claps his hands enthusiastically.

“Going to?”

It never fails to amaze me how much my wife accomplishes.

She took the year off we’d planned to spend time with Xavier.

Time I knew had not only been beneficial for our son, but healing for her.

When she’d returned to Regent after Xavier’s first birthday, she’d taken the firm by storm, attracting new clients and earning a reputation for her financial savviness and ability to connect with clients.

A reputation that followed her three years later when she opened her own firm. I never felt prouder than the day Xavier and I helped her cut the red ribbon on the door to her new office.

I lean back against my chair. Alessandra leans into me, her head resting over my heart.

“Dinner!” Juliette calls from behind us.

Xavier manages to untangle himself from the branch and scampers up the lawn to the porch where Juliette is setting down a plate of freshly baked pita and a bowl of tzatziki. Simon is just behind him, trying to mimic his older cousin’s movements.

I tighten my grip on Alessandra and stand. She shrieks and clings to my neck.

“I’m too heavy!”

“I recall you saying that once before.” I kiss her again, savor the taste of her. “You were wrong both times.”

She shakes her head even as she curls into my embrace. My grip tightens on her.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper against her hair.

My wife smiles up at me, love shining in her eyes.

“Now and forever.”

* * * * *

Read on for an extract from KING’S EMERGENCY WIFE by Lucy King