Page 51 of Modern Romance September 2025 1-4
Besides, Katla has no use for my anger and, right now, neither do I. Instead, I let her go and lean back against the rail that runs around the interior of the lift, folding my arms. ‘I mean, if you think you’re safe from a man who’d physically threaten you at a staff Christmas party, then you’re sadly mistaken.’
She eyes me warily. ‘Yes, that seems obvious. I’m going to call the police and then—’
‘No,’ I cut in. ‘It’s Christmas Eve and too late to organise decent protection for you. Which is why I’ve decided that you will be accompanying me to Athens on my jet.’ It’s the most obvious course of action to take. Yes, the police will certainly want to hear about her ex, but it’ll take too much time for them to do anything, and she needs protection from himnow. Therefore,Iwill be her protection.
Her eyes widen. ‘Go with you to…to Athens?Now?’
I have no need for subterfuge, so I incline my head. ‘Yes, now. Tonight.’
‘No,’ she says, still looking thoroughly shocked. ‘Of course I can’t come with you tonight. I barely know you and you’ve just threatened—’
‘I will not hurt you,’ I interrupt, cutting through her objections, getting right to the heart of what she truly wants to know, since I have no patience with protests and excuses. ‘Do you believe me?’
Her stare flickers, as if she hadn’t been expecting me to get straight to it so quickly. ‘Yes,’ she says at last, sounding reluctant, as if she doesn’t like the fact that she believes me.
I find that amusing, but I don’t smile. ‘And do you trust me?’
This time her reply is much quicker. ‘No,’ she says. ‘Not as far as I can throw you.’
‘Good,’ I say, because I’m not offended. ‘I wouldn’t trust me either.’
‘Well, then, I—’
‘However, if you believe that I won’t hurt you, then you can believe I will also protect you,’ I say, impatient now. ‘I’m a dangerous man, it’s true, but I’m not dangerous to you.’
Her eyes narrow. ‘I can look after myself, Mr Zakynthos.’
‘Like you did just then?’ My amusement has gone now, and all that’s left is will—mywill. ‘Because it looked to me as if you needed help.’
She flushes and her mouth hardens yet again. She doesn’t like having her vulnerabilities pointed out, that’s obvious—and, to be fair, no one does. However, I have made my decision. She is coming with me and I will not take no for answer, not when her safety is at stake.
‘He wouldn’t have done anything to me,’ she says after a moment. ‘He only wanted me to come home.’
‘Yes, by being physically threatening,’ I say. ‘Why are you making excuses for him?’
Her flush deepens and she looks away, her jaw tight.
‘I know you don’t want to come with me,’ I say into the heavy silence. ‘But I’m afraid you have no other option.’
She glances back, dark-blue eyes stormy. ‘Why? Would you make demands like this to another random woman or am I just special?’
‘You are special,’ I tell her without hesitation, and that too is the truth. ‘I told you that you were rare and unique, and I meant it. Make no mistake, I would protect another random woman, but you agreed to give me your time, Katla. Which means you’re now my responsibility.’
She scowls. ‘I don’t want to be your responsibility.’
I stare back, implacable. ‘What exactly is your objection? Is it me? Or is it going to Athens in particular?’
Her gaze doesn’t flinch. ‘All of the above. But you in particular. Your arrogance, for example, is astonishing.’
‘So people tell me,’ I murmur and, believe me, I know I’m arrogant. But if there’s one lesson I’ve learned is that this world does not reward diffidence. If you want something, you have to take it. You can’t wait for it to be given to you. ‘But I believe you can handle it for the sake of staying alive.’
She snorts, glancing away from me once again. I’m right, of course, and she doesn’t like that I am. Still, part of me is arguing that she’s right to be upset with me, especially after her experience with her ex just before, and that I’m doing the same thing in forcing her to go with me. That the only difference is that I am not physically threatening her.
That part of me has Olympia’s voice, and it’s true, she wouldn’t approve of this—she’s never been a fan of my more autocratic decisions—but she knows I won’t compromise when it comes to safety. She’d understand why I’m bringing Katla with me and why I will brook no argument.
Still, Katla should have some reassurances, especially when we don’t know each other well and I’ve just told her I want her in my bed. That part hasn’t changed. However, I don’t want her thinking I’m spiriting her away just to ravage her somewhere else in private.
‘Don’t fret,’ I say into the heavy silence. ‘My home in Athens isn’t some evil lair. Not with my younger sister also living there.’
