‘I don’t think I need to escape,’ she replied. ‘I’m not your prisoner.’
‘No,’ he agreed, but his voice was flat.
They didn’t walk far. The sky was inclement and, sure enough, after they’d picked their way through the forest for fifteen minutes or so, until they reached a large, verdant tree covered in spiky little orange and red balls, a few drops of rain began to fall.
‘It’s an Irish Strawberry tree,’ he said, reaching for one and picking it.
‘I’ve never seen that before.’
‘They’re quite common in Greece. There are many on the island.’
‘Where exactly are we, Nikos? I lost my bearings in the storm.’
‘The island is called Therasia Notia. A few nautical miles south of Psara.’
‘I’ve never heard of it.’
‘I’m not surprised.’
‘How can it be empty?’
He looked at her, long and hard, then sighed. ‘Because I want it to be.’
‘That makes no sense.’
Rain began to fall, splishy splashy drops. ‘Come on,koukla. Come back to the cabin.’
She walked quickly beside him, but her mind was still turning over the statement, his certainty that he could keep the island empty, at a single command.
Rain fell heavier though, and lightning began to spark in the sky once more, so she stayed quiet until they’d reached the cabin and moved to stand in front of the fire.
‘Nikos,’ she said, eyes lancing him, holding his gaze. She didn’t need to say anything else; he understood.
‘I own it,’ he said, almost defiantly, as though he was challenging her. ‘The island is mine, and it’s empty because I wish to keep it that way.’
Her jaw dropped. Of course, she knew people who owned things like islands. Some of James’s donors had been that kind of filthy, stinking rich. But even in that rarefied upper echelon, it was, in Genevieve’s experience, unusual. And to keep a beautiful island like this without capitalising on its possible value?
Suddenly, she felt betrayed. It was stupid, because he hadn’t lied to her. But the image she’d had of him as some simple mountain man, existing off the land, was an illusion, disappearing like vapour before her eyes.
‘I see,’ she murmured, unable to keep the hurt from her tone, and hating herself for that. With James, she’d managed to hide how she was feeling. But years of play-acting had exhausted her, so now only her authentic self was on display.
‘I bought it a few years ago, when I was looking to get away.’
She focused all her attention on the fire, ignoring the way he was staring down at her, as if he could read her thoughts if he stared long and hard enough.
‘You just bought an island?’
‘This bothers you?’
She glanced up at him. It was on the tip of her tongue to deny it but, with Nikos, it didn’t feel right to hide herself. ‘A little.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I know I have no right. It’s just, you’re different from what I thought.’
‘Am I? Why?’
She held her hands towards the fire, seeking warmth. ‘You’re obviously very wealthy, for one thing. All of this—’ she gestured around the cabin ‘—is just pretend.’
‘Believe me, it’s not.’
‘But you could jump in your helicopter at any time and fly somewhere else.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘Tell me, Nikos, do you have another home somewhere?’
