Chapter 5
Unfortunately, when dinner was served, Dimitris adamantly urged me to join them. I wanted to punch his balls. I wanted to claw his eyes out and stomp on his dick, just so he would know how furious I was with him, however the attendants were around the area and I wouldn’t dare lose my bearings right in front of the girlfriend; hell to the no. So, I had to control my irrational reactions.
Past caring about any kind of decency, I followed Dimitris, barefoot and disheveled, to join them for dinner. Claudine, the French, beautiful woman, had a smile on while holding out her perfectly manicured hand to me. “Nice of you to join us, Lindsey.” When I didn’t take her hand, she withdrew it, acting as if my rejection hadn’t happened.
Dimitris almost pushed me to move, making me slide into his vacated seat before he sat next to me. “Excuse Lindsey’s dour mood; I did warn you about her attitude, Mon Ange.” My Angel.
F*cker. I hated him. His angel? Are you kidding me! That’s it! I’ve had enough crap for the day. I decided to ignore them the whole time I munched on whatever my hands could get. If Claudine directed me a question, I ignored her like a choleric child, moody and ill tempered.
After my silent dinner, I headed straight to sleep. The exhaustion and stress of being around Dimitris as well as his Mon Ange were driving me insane. I kept asking myself why the hell I should be jealous, but I didn’t have an answer other than “just because”.
~L~
A quick stop to refuel in London and four hours later, we arrived in the smoldering heat of Athens.
Claudine was ahead of us as we deplaned, speaking vivaciously in French before Dimitris stepped closer to inform me about his plans. “You’ll be dropped off at my villa first because I have to take Claudine to my parents’ home before joining you.”
He had a villa? “Villa? What happened to your building?”
“It’s still there,” he answered curtly, ready to walk ahead of me.
My curious nature had to know the reason. “Why would you buy a villa then, if you have your home?”
He looked like he was thinking about my question. It took him about a minute to reply, “Because I don’t go there any longer. Out with the old, in with the new; isn’t that how the saying goes?”
Why did I get the feeling that he was referring to Claudine and me? Ass. I merely gave him a piercing look before he strode to the awaiting car and briefly spoke to a man who was dressed in a business suit, possibly someone who worked for his father. There were two awaiting limos at the tarmac; both had the chauffer standing next to the opened door. Claudine took the first one, still attached to her phone, barely giving the driver a glance.
I was at least happy with the fact that I wouldn’t be riding with them. Almost reaching the other limo, assuming that it was meant for me, Dimitris caught up with my strides. “There’s dinner prepared at my parents’ villa tonight. My grandfather insisted to bring you there. Will you be ready in two hours? I know you must be jet-lagged, but he’s very persistent.”
Damn, I would barely have the chance to gather my thoughts and get my crap together before I had to face his family. God knows what awaited me. I had heard scary stories about Greek families placing their sons above all, so my apprehension could be a little biased, though. “Am I allowed to say no?” I asked, still looking ahead and giving the best smile I could muster to the driver who smiled back nervously before peeking a frightened look at Dimitris.
I slid inside the cool confines of the limo and was surprised when Dimitris spoke to the driver quickly before joining me inside the car and shutting the door with him.
“Aren’t you riding with her?” I asked, snidely.
“I am, but you and I need to talk.” He looked at me darkly with his jaw locked together, losing his cool. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t smile so invitingly towards any of my male employees. We haven’t officially divorced so you’re Mrs. Kosta in my home country. I expect you to act with decorum and not flirt your way around men here.” He held up his finger, stopping me from biting his head off. “I know how you work; you’re a flirt. We both know that, but you’re carrying my name here. You can’t simply act like Lindsey Mason. You have to be Lindsey Kosta. I’m hoping this doesn’t leak to the media, but if it does, I don’t want any news about you being reckless while you were in my country.”
“Dimitris!”
“Seven days, Lindsey. One week. It’s not that much to ask,” he grounded out like the voice of reason.
“Fine. I can’t flirt with any man under your payroll. Got it. What else?” I snapped, glaring at him while at the same time wanting to get lost in his eyes. Mad woman. Why, yes, I certainly was one.
“Yes. Wear a damn bra!” he shot out before opening the car door and leaving me more enraged than I already had been.
Like I care! Just because we’re in his country, didn’t mean he had become my rhyme or reason. I wasn’t going to bend over and let a man give me orders about what I wore or couldn’t wear. Didn’t he know me already? I wasn’t to be trifled with because I would do the total opposite.
His villa sat atop a hill with a breathtaking view of the magnificent Acropolis far ahead. It had a massive pool and a beautiful garden with all sorts of roses of different colors. The blossoms’ intoxicating fragrance added to the setting. Dimitris’s home was grand and beautiful. I stood there, appreciating everything, but couldn’t help thinking that he probably had chosen this home for Claudine, or maybe they chose it together.
Thea, the sweet, aged woman who told me she had been Dimitris’s nanny since he was a baby, greeted me kindly, but there was something about the way she looked at me that made me uneasy, like she was measuring me up or something. Knowing Dimitris told me that it was only his grandfather that knew about our marriage, I found it odd for Thea to be acting this way. Maybe she liked Claudine and thought I was usurping her? By the way she spoke about Dimitris, or Kyrios to them—the master of the house. It didn’t take much to know that she was simply in awe of him.
“Kyrios told me to put you in this bedroom. His is right over there, the last one to the right.” Thea pointed out kindly, her accent made me warm to her. She reminded me of those ladies that ran the taverna’s along the shores of Aspasia during my summer here last year. They were amazing and loving women.
The room overlooked the garden and I was delighted for the thoughtfulness of Dimitris. Though he may hate me, he still remembered how much I liked the smell of flowers.
“Someone will be here shortly to bring you your things, along with some refreshments.” Thea bid me goodbye then, while I stood there, feeling at a loss.
Everything felt different this time in Greece. Last year, everything was new to me and I was very much excited about everything. Now, I really felt like I didn’t belong, as if I shouldn’t even be here.
Seven days. How hard could it be? I was almost assured that it’d pass by in no time and then I would be back home to live my life as Lindsey Mason, newly divorced and single.