Her jaw set with renewed determination as she reversed us away from the damaged saplings. “Let’s do this.”
Later that evening, I found myself alone by the cliffside overlooking the sea. The moon cast a silver path across the dark water, and the distant lights of a passing boat glimmered. Tia had fallen asleep after we ate, exhausted from our day of driving lessons and non-stop sex, but sleep eluded me.
I picked up a stone and hurled it into the darkness, listening for the distant splash. What the hell was I doing? The plan had been simple. Seduce Tia, flaunt our relationship publicly, and break Katalina’s heart. A perfect revenge. But now...
I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated by my own conflicted thoughts. Tia had trusted me with her battle with cancer, her survival, the reason she cherished each sunrise.
The messages from Katalina had stopped coming three days before. I’d deleted her number from my phone without even realizing the significance of the act.
The revenge that had consumed me for years now felt childish. What would destroying Katalina accomplish when Tia looked at me with such trust in her eyes?
“You’re overthinking,” I muttered to myself, kicking at the rocky ground.
This was just sex—incredible, mind-blowing sex, but still just physical attraction. The fact that Tia had been a virgin complicated things, but it didn’t change the fundamental plan.
Did it?
I thought of how she’d straddled me on the beach this morning, not to seduce me but to comfort me about my mother. I’d never told anyone how I felt about my mother’s death. Yet I’d told Tia without hesitation.
No, I decided, pushing myself up from where I’d been sitting. I was in too deep to change course now. The contract, the project, the pictures I would upload of us on social media were all arranged.
Besides, Tia was resilient. Even if things ended badly between us, she’d recover. She’d survived far worse than a broken heart.
I ignored the sick feeling in my stomach as I headed back to the cottage, carefully sliding into bed beside her. She murmured something in her sleep, instinctively curling her naked body against my chest. I wrapped my arm around her, breathing in the scent of her hair.
Just a little longer, I told myself. Just until her work was complete. Then I could end things cleanly.
The fact that the thought brought me no pleasure was something I refused to examine too closely.
13
I settled into the sleek leather chair at Olympus Motors’ executive conference room, spreading my portfolio across the polished table. We’d left Thalassía by helicopter an hour ago.
Aristides had insisted we needed proper facilities to review my preliminary plans, abruptly arranging this meeting at corporate headquarters.
“Let’s begin with your assessment of the foundation issues,” Aristides suggested, already examining the structural reports I’d completed. “How does this affect your design timeline?”
“The eastern wing has more extensive damage than initially apparent,” I explained, pointing to my detailed notes. “But I’m still confident we can complete the design phase by our September deadline.”
For the next hour, we moved through my proposals. Both Christakis men were astute, their questions revealing deep knowledge of both construction and historical preservation.
Dimitrios offered consistent support, while Aristides challenged me to defend my choices. Kayla occasionally added comments about the aesthetic appeal of certain elements.
“Your curved column design is particularly noteworthy,” Dimitrios commented, examining my most daring proposal. “It honors classical proportions while introducing a contemporary element.”
“I wanted to respect tradition while acknowledging that this is a restoration, not merely a replication,” I explained. “The curves echo Thalassía’s coastline while actually improving structural integrity.”
“And you’ve verified the load distribution?” Aristides questioned.
“With three separate engineering consultants,” I confirmed, turning to my calculations. “The design enhances stability while maintaining classical aesthetics.”
Aristides nodded thoughtfully. “It’s bold. But executed properly, it could become a signature element.” Coming from him, this felt like high praise.
The meeting was progressing better than I’d hoped when Kayla’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, then let out an audible gasp.
“What is it?” Dimitrios asked.
Kayla looked up, her eyes darting to me with unmistakable pity, before she quickly composed herself. “It’s nothing,” she said unconvincingly. “Just an... unexpected message. Please, continue.”
