Page 24 of Slightly Married
I straightened to my full height, looking down at them with coldness. “I’ll consider marital advice when you stop living like a monk. When was the last time you had any pussy, Aris?” I turned to Dimitrios. “And you can lecture me when you stop paying for pussy.”
With that, I strode from the room, leaving my brothers’ laughter behind me.
The elevator doors closed with merciful swiftness, sealing me into blessed silence. I loosened my tie, allowing myself a moment of disorder as I leaned against the wall.
My brothers’ teasing had struck a nerve, not because of their juvenile humor, but because they’d highlighted the bizarre reality of my situation.
I was a married man who had never spent a night with his wife. A man trying to conceive a child through scientific means while engaged to another woman.
The doors opened onto the executive parking level, and I was halfway to my car when my phone vibrated. Stella’s name appeared on the screen, the timing so uncanny I nearly laughed.
“Kostas?” Her voice trembled. “I’m at Athens General. It’s Papa. They found him unconscious in his study.”
My irritation evaporated instantly. “I’m on my way,” I replied.
Twenty minutes later, I found myself at Athens General Hospital, where Giorgos Pavlou had been admitted for alcohol poisoning. Again.
Stella was already there, her face drawn with worry as she stood beside her father’s bed. When she saw me, relief overcame her countenance.
“Kostas, thank you for coming,” she said, reaching for my hand.
I nodded, my attention on the gaunt man before me. Giorgos had aged a decade in the months since Theo’s death. His skin held a yellowish tint from liver damage; his hands trembled even in sleep.
“How bad this time?” I asked quietly.
“They pumped his stomach,” Stella replied. “Doctor says his liver is...” she trailed off, unable to finish.
My fingers instinctively moved to the scar along my ribs, tracing its ridged outline through my shirt. I should have been the one who took that fatal bullet instead of Theo, who had only been there because I’d convinced him to delay his trip to Germany by one day.
Guilt seeped into every part of me, overwhelming my senses. If I’d been more vigilant, Theo might still be alive. Giorgos wouldn’t be drowning his grief in spirits, and I wouldn’t be engaged to Stella.
Giorgos stirred, his bloodshot eyes focusing on me. “Christakis,” he croaked. “Come to check on the old man?”
“You need help, Giorgos,” I said, cutting through pretense. “Real help. I’ve made arrangements at the Helvetia Rehabilitation Center in Switzerland.”
“Sending me away?”
“Saving your life,” I corrected. “For Theo’s sake. For Stella’s.”
Something in my tone must have reached him. His expression sobered as he glanced at his daughter. “When?”
“Once you’re stable to travel. Everything’s arranged.”
Giorgos nodded slowly. “I’ll need money. To close up the house, pay bills...”
“It’s already in your account,” I replied. The amount I’d transferred was more than necessary, but I owed him this and more.
Later, as we walked to the parking garage, Stella linked her arm through mine. “Come back to my place,” she suggested, leaning into me. “I could use the company tonight.”
I stopped, turning to face her. “Stella, we’ve discussed this. Until we’re married, there won’t be any intimacy between us.”
Disappointment swept across her features. “But I crave your touch, Kostas. The one night we shared was the best sex of my life.” Her eyes searched mine. “Wasn’t it the best for you, too? How can you ask me to wait a full year before experiencing that again?”
“That night was... complicated for both of us. I made a commitment to honor our engagement properly, and that means waiting until after our wedding.”
“Of course,” she conceded. “You’re right. It’s just...” She glanced away. “Sometimes I forget what a traditional man you are, Kostas.”
I almost laughed. My supposed traditional values were merely a shield to keep her at arm’s length.
