CASSANDRA

"I can't return to Japan yet," I informed Dan one morning when we decided to have breakfast with him in town.

Several days had passed since Loukas and Sapphire's wedding anniversary and since then I had been stuck here in Greece against my wish.

So many things had happened that night, from learning about my father's illness, reluctantly undergoing siblings with Calix, and dealing with the aftermath of our unexpected kiss before that fateful night ended. All in all, there was so much going on happening in my life that I could barely keep up.

"You may return to Japan without me. I'm sorry that our trip didn't turn out how I expected it to be." I informed him apologetically.

A wide smile appeared on his handsome face. "Oh, don't worry about me. On the contrary, I don't have better things to do back at home so I decided I might as well stay here with you."

For a moment, my heart warmed at the thought. He was a friend that I could count on but then, my eyes narrowed in his direction. "You did not choose to stay because you are after some gossip, aren't you?"

The corner of his mouth quipped with a mischievous smile. "Of course not."

I threw a disapproving look at him because I didn't trust the smile on his face at the moment. "I don't believe you."

He roared with laughter. "Fine. I admit I can't resist. Hey, it's not every day I get to witness some drama from you. Besides, as I said, I am free at the moment. I might as well explore Greece while I am here." He gave me a side-eye look. "If not for that murderous ex of yours. I might as well stay in your apartment so I didn't have to book a hotel and save money but I don't want to die here in Greece."

I shook my head in disbelief. I should have expected it from him. I mean, of course, who could resist some hot tea? "I admire your honesty, Takaaki. But you are always welcome to stay with me. I have a spare bedroom in my apartment."

He grinned at me shamelessly while eating his authentic Greek breakfast. "Really? That's good to know but as I said, I don't want to die yet. I am too young to be murdered by a jealous ex. By the by, any update?"

I sighed deeply. "Still the same. Dad is still in the intensive care."

"Is he conscious? Have you talked to him yet?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. He wakes up from time to time but he is mostly unconscious most of the day. I have been visiting him constantly but I haven't had the chance to talk to him."

"Do you want to talk to him?"

I was silent for a moment, weighing on how to answer him. I met his gaze. "Honestly? I don't know. Yes, it was unfortunate that he became ill but that doesn't mean that I could easily forget what he did to Mom when she was still alive."

Dan gave me a sad smile. I was grateful that he wasn't forcing me to forgive Dad just because he was critically ill. Forgiveness takes time and you cannot force someone to give it to the person who hurt them. Just like me, until now it still pains me whenever I remember the betrayal of Dad and Calix's mom with their spouses.

"What about Mr. Jealousy?" Dan asked, dragging me out of my reverie.

I shot him an alert look. "What about him?"

My good friend grinned at me devilishly. "Any update about the status of your relationship with your ex?"

I looked away from his knowing gaze and I felt my cheeks warming up. I reluctantly recalled the kiss we shared many nights ago. "Still the same. Nothing had changed," I lied smoothly.

"You are a terrible liar, Cassie," he remarked. "I know when you are lying to me. I thought we were friends. I am the only one thinking that I am your best friend."

I scowled at him. He was using dirty tactics to nudge my conscience, didn't he? "I told you--"

Dan rested his arm on the table and leaned forward until our faces were only inches apart. My heart was beating fast not because he was sitting far too close to me at the table but because it felt like he was about to interrogate me. "If only you could see the way your face became bright red upon hearing his name. I am pretty sure that something happened that night he took you out of the Spiridakou private island."

I could feel my face turned in a deep shade of red remembering the intense kiss we had that night.

"See I am correct with my hunch," Dan commented smugly.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said with finality. The last thing I wanted was to discuss my messy love life with this man.

He groaned looking at me with disapproving eyes. "Oh, come on, I thought we were friends? I have been baring my whole life to you even my unfortunate love life. I thought you would do the same with me. I guess I was wrong, Cassandra."

My brows furrowed. "What do you want to know? I told you nothing happened."

"Nothing happened?" He echoed. "Well, allow me to remind you that you guys took a sibling DNA test to make sure once and for all that you are not blood-related."

I shook my head firmly. "I'm sure the result will come back the same."

"Have you ever considered if the result turns out negative?" Dan asked casually. "If that happens what will you do?"

I bit my bottom lip. "I haven't thought of that possibility yet. Besides, I don't want to hope only to be disappointed later."

My friend was silent for a moment. I didn't know what was going on inside his head at the moment and how I wished I knew. I heard him take a deep breath before clearing his throat. "What if... This is only a big 'what if', okay? What if, you found out that you aren't siblings at all and the first test was only a mistake? Are you going to take him back?"

My heart constricted and I couldn't answer right away. Would I dare to risk my heart again? "I don't know," I answered slightly louder than a whisper. "This isn't the same as before. Things have changed."

"You mean that model with him at the party?"

I nodded reluctantly. I think there was more to them than mere acquaintance. He wouldn't take her to their family's private island if he was not serious about her.

"I hate to break this up with you, Cassie, but in case you didn't notice it was obvious as the day that man is still head over heels in love with you."

I smiled sadly. "He's mad at me for leaving two years ago."

"That's understandable. The poor man was so in love with you and you left without a word with him that's why he got mad but that didn't mean that he had forgotten what he feels about you."

I refused to believe his words because if I allowed my heart to hope that was the case and only to realize in the end that it had been my mistake. I didn't think I could recover from another heartbreak. My heart kept on breaking by Spiridakou men.

"If don't believe me then I don't know how to explain his jealousy. You have to remember how Calix Spiridakou gave me hell on our last photoshoot. I am still having a nightmare because of it."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're so dramatic."

He gave me a horrified look. "I am not being dramatic, my Cassie! You must be aware of how possessive and jealous your ex was. He kept on sending me a deathly glare during the party. I thought I would not see the sunrise again and he will bury me somewhere on their island that night."

"Calix is not like that," I informed him waving my hand dismissively.

He raised an eyebrow in my direction. "Is he? Perhaps He is a different person when he is with you. I will bet my life on it that he will do anything to take you back once the result is out."

Before I had the chance to answer, someone interrupted our conversation. "So this is where you went, huh?" I looked up to see the stranger who stood next to our table and the first thing I noticed was the dagger look in his blue gaze. 

I abruptly stood from my chair surprised to see him. I haven't told him where I would be going this morning. How in the world did he find me? "Calix! What are you doing here?"

He spared Dan a condescending look before focusing his glowering blue eyes on me. "Aren't I supposed to be the one asking that question? What are you doing here? Why are you having breakfast with this man again? Didn't make myself clear last time that I don't want you seeing this man alone?"

My mouth hung open while looking at him as he fired his question nonstop.  He grabbed my hand and pulled me next to him. He looked down at my friend with an irritated look. "You. Go back to your country. Vacation is over."

"Calix!" I protested. I couldn't believe that he was being rude to my friend who didn't do anything wrong to him.

I was grateful that Dan didn't bother to take offense to his rude behavior. Dan smirked at him. "Relax, my friend. I am not the enemy here. I assure you that Cassie and I are just friends. There's no need to be jealous."

"Bullshit," he muttered under his breath. 

I have had enough of his rude behavior. I glared at him darkly making sure he knew that I didn't appreciate his disrespectful manner. He probably sensed the disapproving look I was throwing in his direction, and the annoyance on his face lessened a bit.

He cleared his throat still stubborn asking for an apology from Dan. "You are welcome to stay here for as long as you want but stay away from Cass."

Once again, Dan merely smiled at his outburst. I threw an apologetic look in my friend's direction but he just shook his head silently telling me that he didn't mind Calix's unwelcoming attitude. "We have to go," Calix announced all of a sudden.

Neither Dan nor I had the chance to say anything Calix was already dragging me out of the restaurant. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I asked heatedly, trying so hard to remove my hand from his grip. "Let go of me. I am not coming with you anywhere."

"The DNA result is here," he said simply. 

Just like that, my whole body went rigid. I felt that the blood on my body ran cold. I suddenly felt nervous as I didn't know how to react to this news. Would the result be just the same as the last one? "So?"

He looked at me with a frown. "Did you hear me? I said the result is finally here."

"Yes, I heard you!" I replied with a frustrated sigh. "I am asking about the result. Are we blood-related as expected?"

His eyes narrowed in my direction and then he looked away as he took a deep breath. "I don't know yet. The result is in my place. Let's check it out."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you didn't even bother to check for the result when you received it and you decided to look for me first?"

He shrugged unapologetically. "What can I do? Finding you first is more important than that fucking result. I told you before that I didn't like it when I couldn't see you. It gives me anxiety that you will vanish again just like last time."

For a moment, the anger in my heart wavered. I think he was truly traumatized when I ran away two years ago. That must be the reason why he couldn't trust me. I took a deep breath. "Fine. Let's check the result so we can move on, all right?"

There was something in his eyes that I couldn't comprehend at the moment. Was it, hidden anger? If it was indeed rage that I saw in his eyes he didn't say anything until he arrived at his apartment just a short drive from downtown.

My eyes instantly narrowed when I saw a lone envelope on the coffee table in his living room and it was already opened. I knew without a doubt that was the DNA result. He tricked me! He already knew the result and he deceived me into coming into his.

I was about to confront him about this but as I turned around to show him my wrath he already closed the distance between us. He trapped my face with his hands and kissed me deep and hard.

I tried to break off the kiss but he was persistent. Kissing me as if he had been starving for all of his life for me. He invaded my mouth mercilessly, coaxing my mouth to soften up for him while his other hand began to travel on my body until it settled on my waist pulling me closer to his body.

I whimpered and that proved to be my fatal mistake. I gave him a small opening to slide his tongue inside my mouth giving me a torrid French kiss. My knees began to buckle and I was helpless to do anything except hold onto his shoulder blade for support. 

His mouth left mine for a moment so he could start giving me an open-mouthed kiss on my jaw, on the length of my neck, and down to my cleavage before claiming my mouth once again in a deep kiss.

When I felt that he already succeeded in frying my brains out. He finally broke the kiss I wouldn't be surprised to know if my lips were red and fluffy at the moment. I was breathless, my brain had stopped functioning a long time ago, my heart was beating wildly in my chest and my underwear was so wet because of his kisses. And yet, he seemed all pleased with my current state. 

He traced my lips with a well-satisfied smile on his face. "Aren't you going to check the DNA result?"

I couldn't look away from his intense blue eyes. "I-I think...I...have some idea."

"That's right," he answered with a victorious smile on his face that I hadn't seen in a while. "Nothing can stop me now. You are mine from the start. I don't know what the fuck happened to the first DNA but I was sure as hell now we are not a sibling. You are mine, Cass. From the moment I saw you until eternity."

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked nervously when I saw him stripping his clothes.

He raised a brow at me as if I was being ridiculous. "Didn't I tell you? I will take you to my bed as soon as I have the result?"

"I-I didn't agree on that..." I trailed off my words when he abruptly slid his hand inside my knickers.

He smiled wolfishly in my direction. "Oh, yeah? But I think you are more than ready for my possession, Cass. Look how wet you are."

"Stop that," I instructed sternly. I bit my bottom lip when he began rubbing my clit. "I will not sleep with you."

He chuckled softly and made the hair on my nape stand up. He leaned forward until his mouth was on my ear while his hand was still continuously doing something naught in my feminine area. "You think you can resist me? I manage to keep you in my bed while you are still helplessly in love with my cousin. Do you think I can't do that again?"

"Stop touching me," I fought back the temptation so hard. I wouldn't be affected by his touch. I need mental strength. I could do this. 

He playfully bit my earlobe as he inserted one finger inside me. Oh, mother of Lord... "You like this, don't you?"

"No..."

"No?" He echoed with low laughter in his voice. He began placing an open-mouthed kiss on my neck. He also diabolically inserted another finger inside me and started moving them in and out. I couldn't help but moan at the sensation.

"Oh, Calix...please..."

"Please what, Cass?" He gave me a wicked smile. "What do you want? Tell me."

I glared at him vehemently. Oh, he wants to punish me by begging, isn't he?

"Come on, my Cass. I don't know what you want until you tell me."

He knew exactly what I wanted, all right? He just wants to punish me and let me say the whole thing for his satisfaction. "Take me to bed now, damn you!"

The grin on his face widened considerably, he dropped his head to give me an intense kiss before answering with scorching blue eyes. "I thought you'd never ask, moro mou."