“I’m sure they would love to hear that saintly Stavros Sporades is nothing but a sadist.”
“I do not care what the media calls me.”
Nausea pooled in her mouth. “They will, of course, dig through the whole story again about that night and Calista.”
If there was fury before in his eyes, now there was nothing but the bitterest loathing for her. And seeing as she felt the same inside, that she despised herself for how far she was taking this, his loathing couldn’t touch Leah.
For once, his opinion of her couldn’t hurt her, as twisted as it was.
“If he even hears a whiff of it—” a vein throbbed in his temple and his hands fisted at his side “—Giannis, who...has done nothing but love you, he will be destroyed to see the Katrakis name dragged through mud. You will kill him with your stupid stunt, and my grandparents...they can’t bear to think of Calista’s death anymore.”
“But you already know that I don’t care about anyone but myself, don’t you?” she bluffed, swallowing the bile that rose through her.
She couldn’t betray the depth of pain that she held at bay every day thinking of her grandfather, of knowing he was close by but not seeing him.
Guilt ate through her insides. But she had no recourse except to threaten Stavros like this. She forced a smile, her cheeks hurting at her continued pretense. “If you don’t want me to drag the Sporades name and the Katrakis name through mud, you will have to agree.”
She opened the door and looked at him again, feeling truly afraid for the first time. She had gambled on the one person that she loved with all her heart. She could never hurt her grandfather. Even speaking about it like this was cutting her in two. But she had to make sure Stavros would believe her capable of it. “You will have to release those funds and you have to cut the strings you hold over my life. The choice is yours, Stavros.”
“I thought I knew the depths of selfishness you could sink to, but you always manage to surprise me, Leah.”
Desolation filled her at the utter resignation in his voice. That he believed her bluff didn’t fill her with relief or gratitude however. Only painted a picture of what her life would be like with him.
And thinking of being caught in a circle of hatred and hero worship, she didn’t have to try to sound like she didn’t care. “What’s new about that, Stavros? And who knows? Once I’m out of your life, you might even thank me for it.”
Without stopping for even a breath, she rushed out of the bedroom and through the corridors, her legs barely holding her up.
She made it to the main deck before she collapsed onto the floor and clutched her knees. Leaning her head against her knees, she fought to corral her uneven breathing.
The very real possibility of Stavros still not believing what she had threatened sent a shaft of fear through her.
Her nape prickled as she heard someone approach, and instantly, she straightened her shoulders. She couldn’t afford to let him see her like this... He would know that she had been bluffing. And she would be worse off than she had started today.
Breathing hard, she composed herself and looked up.
His hip lolling against the bar counter in casual elegance, Dmitri watched her with gray eyes. “Hello, Leah.”
Shuddering, Leah swallowed the hard knot in her throat.
She couldn’t break down now, not when Stavros was so close.
A daring mockery in his gaze, Dmitri extended a hand to pull her up.
Leah grabbed his hand and pushed herself to her feet.
His hands were callous but didn’t leave her shaking like Stavros’s grip had done. His mocking gaze didn’t compel her to react nor did his arrogant perusal leave her off balance and breathless. She didn’t feel compelled to be better than she was, or to give up in frustration because nothing would ever change, as she did with Stavros.
She didn’t feel anything except questionable warmth at seeing a familiar face.
Why Stavros of all men? Was she that much of a sucker for pain?
“I can see that you’re—” Dmitri’s gaze swept over her “—looking astonishingly well, so I’m not going to ask how you have been.”
Set against Stavros’s lacerating contempt, there was a slumbering, almost comforting quality to Dmitri that had always put her at ease. Looking into the bottomless depths of Dmitri’s eyes now, she wondered how much of that warmth was a deceptive facade.
“Come, I’ll take you home. Stavros will thank me for stopping his precious wife from getting arrested for indecent exposure.”
Leah shivered, only barely stopping herself from covering her chest with her arms. Hearing herself referred to as Stavros’s wife, even the mention of that bond that tied them together made her queasy inside, and Dmitri knew it.
Straightening her shoulders and resolutely holding her arms down, she glared at him. “Then he shouldn’t have dumped me in that monstrous tub of yours.”
His laughter swathed her. Leah ducked, just enough when he threw an arm to pull her to him.
“I’m not playing your games, Dmitri, so back off.”
His eyes warmed up even more. The few times she had come into contact with him, he had at least had a kind smile for her, whether real or fake.
Familiar trust awoke in her, something inside her desperate for a friend after Stavros’s stinging scorn.
Unless it was part of his game to get her to trust him and pump her for information so that he could take it back to Stavros... She sighed, feeling immensely tired and lonely.
“I have missed your sharp tongue all these years.”
“Wish I could say the same, but I don’t have your gift or charm for lying.”
Reaching her, he hooked her arm through his and herded her toward the steps. “Let’s not pretend about your talents. At least not with me.”
Swallowing her fear, Leah dragged her feet. Dmitri saw far more than he let on. As different as they were, his friendship with Stavros was as inviolate as their devotion toward Giannis.
Donning that mask of reckless ignorance, Leah faced him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about but I can find my own way, thank you.”
“I heard your conversation, Leah.”
“Then you’re as uncivilized as they say.”
He stared at her with unblinking eyes. “I had the yacht empty in five minutes but I couldn’t leave. I was afraid of what you both would do to each other,” he drawled silkily.
Every time she had seen Giannis with either Dmitri or Stavros, she had felt a yawning chasm in her chest knowing she could never share something like that with her own grandfather. And that it was her choice.
“It doesn’t concern you, Dmitri.”
Grabbing her arm, he turned her. “You’re playing a dangerous game with Giannis’s life, Leah. This is not like one of those antics you used to take up just to make Stavros furious.”
That he had always seen through her ploys unnerved Leah. “All I want is my freedom, Dmitri, a chance to live my life. You get that, don’t you?” she threw back at him, remembering bits and pieces of what Calista had told her about Dmitri’s life before Giannis had plucked him off the streets of London.
“Try a different way then. For once, try to change the dynamic between you two, Leah.”
“How?” she whispered, her voice breaking. “He’s left me no choice. In that moment—” she pointed to the ominously quiet lower deck, her heart pounding in her chest “—it started as a bluff. But I... I don’t know what I’m capable of anymore.”
“Stavros and you are intent on destroying each other.”
“Me destroy Stavros? All the power, all the cards are in his hands, Dmitri. As always.” And the worst part was that she had given it all to him with her irresponsible behavior.
All she had today was the wretched power to hurt Giannis. And Leah was terrified that she would use that power. Desperation turned her words into a pitiful entreaty.
“If you count Stavros as your friend, if you really care about Giannis’s well-being, then convince Stavros that I don’t need his brand of protection anymore. Please, Dmitri.”
* * *
Two days later, Stavros and Dmitri were sparring in the ring in the ultra-sophisticated, custom-built gym attached to Dmitri’s Athens apartment.
It had started when Stavros had suggested Dmitri could work his way out of a temper instead of losing it when Giannis had brought him to Athens years ago, morphed into a way for them to resolve arguments when they struggled to keep up with the rigorous, grueling schedule that Giannis set for them.
A habit they had carried into adulthood.
But today, Stavros was the one who felt bloodthirsty, like he was coming apart at the seams.
After two days in which he had been supremely unproductive, he still hadn’t been able to master his reaction to seeing Leah.
You already know that I don’t care about anyone but myself, don’t you?
Her words rang through him, her glittering gaze and her vibrating body etched into his brain.
The brazen curve of her mouth, the reckless shrug with one hand on a bony hip, her dark brown hair drying in curls around that angelic face... Cristo, he still couldn’t believe that...boldly stunning creature had been Leah.
Leah, who had jumped like a live wire when he had touched her without meaning to...
Leah, who, even at a naive sixteen, had somehow always pushed all the wrong buttons in him...