Illicit Night with the Greek

Her heart banged hard against her chest when she saw him sprawled on a heavy wood chair. Stergios had discarded his business suit for a long-sleeve blue T-shirt and faded jeans. His large feet were bare and his damp hair was slicked back.

There was a clear liquor bottle and a shot glass resting by his hand. She caught a scent of the strong alcohol and suspected it was Tsipouro. Only Stergios would take a drink made for social gatherings and treat it as a solitary event.

Stergios didn’t glance up. “Go away, Jodie.”

She jerked, unaware that he had seen her. Jodie grabbed the collar of her robe closer as she fought for courage. “I wish I could, but my movements are extremely limited.”

He lifted his head and silently glared at her.

“Anyway, I’m hungry,” she announced as she padded barefoot to the large refrigerator. “Do you have anything for the prisoner? Maybe some bread and water?”

“Go back to your room,” he said as he returned his attention to his shot glass. “I am not in the mood for company.”

Jodie closed the refrigerator door and studied him. She hadn’t seen him in this kind of mood. It was stormy and unpredictable. “Then just ignore me. You’re a pro at it.”

He gave a huff of a laugh and slumped against his chair. “You refuse to be ignored. You know how to get attention. You can’t help it.”

“I don’t like being invisible,” she admitted.

“I could never accuse you of that.” He poured another shot and held it out for her.

She crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen counter. “No, thanks. I don’t drink.”

“Liar,” he said huskily. “It was one of the top three reasons you got kicked out of school. Boys, alcohol and cheating. And didn’t you say you snuck into the wine cellar with Dimos to find alcohol?”

“Reason enough to give it up, don’t you think?”

He gave her a mocking salute with the shot glass. Downing it one gulp, he set the glass down with a thud.

“I’ve never seen you like this, Stergios,” she murmured. He often moved with fluid grace. Tonight he seemed uncoordinated. “Are you drunk?”

“I’m working on it.” He pushed the shot glass away as he grimaced. There was a beat of tense silence before he spoke again. “You were right about me. I am my father’s son.”

“I didn’t say that,” Jodie insisted. She didn’t know much about Elias Pagonis but she knew his actions had been reprehensible.

“You didn’t have to. I...kidnapped you,” he said with an odd hitch in his voice. “I can’t remove all traces of my actions but I will make it right. A helicopter will be here first thing in the morning and it’ll take you to the wedding. I will remain here.”

She stared at him. There had to be a catch. Why was he allowing her to attend the wedding? Stergios Antoniou never admitted defeat.

He dragged his gaze to meet hers. His dark eyes were troubled and filled with remorse. “I’m sorry that I frightened you.”

Jodie drew her head back at the surprising apology. “You don’t make me scared. You make me angry,” she clarified.

He gave a harsh bark of laughter. “Typical. You don’t even know when to be worried. I should warn you that I’m in a very dangerous mood.”

“Stergios...” she said as she approached him.

“You know what I’m capable of when I’m sober.” Stergios rubbed his hand against the dark stubble on his jaw. “You should go hide in your room.”

Jodie ignored the trepidation curling deep in her belly. “No, you can’t just send me away and act like I don’t exist.”

“You don’t understand.” His voice was strained. “I am feeling volatile.”

“You usually do when I’m around.”

He went still and gave her a sidelong look. “Careful, pethi mou.”

“And you carry around this guilt about what happened between us in the wine cellar. Why? I take equal responsibility for that.”

“You feel guilty, too,” he decided. “Guilty for going too far. For surrendering to me.”

She felt her skin heat as she remembered the glorious moment she had yielded to him. “I don’t feel guilty.”

“Then why did you lie?” He sat up straight in his chair. “That’s what I can’t figure out. Why did you tell everyone that we didn’t have sex that night?”

“No one would have believed me.” It wasn’t the full truth but it was a reason Stergios could accept. “Your family acts like you are a god who can do no wrong. They treated me like I was a plague that kept returning.”