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Santorini

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Chapter 26: Santorini (Jules's POV)

"Yes, yes, I will fly in tomorrow and meet you and Alex and Naomi at the hotel," I laughed, squeezing Mom in a hug before doing the same to Dad and then stepping back. 

"We," Christian said, sliding the cart over to my Dad after loading their suitcases on top of it. "She means we will fly in tomorrow," he corrected, glancing down at me. 

I turned to look at him, quickly tearing my gaze away while clearing my throat. "Don't miss your flight, you guys should head inside," I said to my parents. 

"All right, we'll see you soon," Mom grinned, kissing my cheek and then pulling Christian down, doing the same to him. 

He chuckled and stood back upright once she stepped back, glancing at me and laughing out, "Okay." 

"Mom!" I exclaimed, staring at her in disbelief. 

"What? Please, we've known him for years now, shut up Jules." 

"All right, that's my cue to take your mother away," Dad snickered, putting an arm around her shoulder and steering her inside before coming back for the trolley. "Bye, peach," he said, kissing the top of my head and then patting Christian's shoulder. 

"Bye!" Christian and I called out after them simultaneously. As soon as they were out of sight, I spun around to face him. "Jesus," I mumbled, reaching up and swiftly wiping the lipstick my mother smeared on his cheek. "She needs to get a hold of herself." 

"I don't mind it," he replied with a small shrug. "At least it's got you looking at me again since you came over for dinner." 

My fingers slowed before freezing on his skin. 

It had been nearly a week since I went over to Christian's house for dinner that night and got a candlelight dinner I wasn't expecting instead. We would fly out to Santorini tomorrow and from that night until now, I tried my best to avoid Christian. 

That night, even if our conversations were solely about the past, I didn't hate it. Sitting with him on that couch while he charmed me with his dimples and platonic caresses, I didn't hate it. What I hated was waking up the next morning with Christian's arms around me. What I hated, even more, was my reaction the next morning. I had forgotten everything for a split second, everything that happened in the past. 

It felt like we were together again, like nothing ever went wrong, like we were still engaged and in love and waiting for the right moment to get married. And I held him tighter. I touched his face. I leaned in to kiss him too before reality crashed down and hit me like a wave. Then I kicked him off the couch. 

He woke up wincing and touching his torso while the air was knocked out of him. "Jesus Christ, Jules, what is wrong with you?" He squinted his eyes open, staring at me before propping himself onto his elbows. 

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?!" I stared at him in disbelief. "We slept together!" 

"Really?" he smirked in amusement. 

I grabbed the cushion from under my head and threw it at his face. "Christian!" 

"We must have fallen asleep, calm down." 

"I told you to wake me up when the power came back on!" 

"I fell asleep before the power came back on," he replied casually before rising to his feet and stretching, his t-shirt riding up and revealing a bit of his torso. His sweatpants hung low and that little sliver of his abs down to his v-line was all I needed to feel my heart racing. 

"I have to go," I mumbled out before grabbing my things and leaving without another word. 

From that day until now, I avoided Christian as much as I could at work. I wasn't stupid, even I knew that he was letting me play my own game. If he wanted, he could corner me and force me to talk to him, but he kept it professional for my sake and saved me from that embarrassment. 

This Saturday morning, however, I had to face the music and call him to help drop my parents off at the airport. They didn't suggest it but I knew that they would definitely think something was wrong if Christian didn't see them one last time before they flew out. My parents were flying back home to Chicago first and then later today itself to Santorini where they would meet Alex and Naomi and start preparing for the wedding. We would meet them tomorrow directly at the hotel. 

We. Not just me. 

"Shall we go? I still haven't packed," Christian said, wiping my cheek with his thumb. 

I swatted his hand away and did it myself.

"Oh," he mused, "still avoiding me, are we?" 

"Don't push it," I muttered. 

"Why are you so embarrassed? It was nothing we haven't done before," he said casually before opening the passenger door for me, gesturing for me to take a seat. "We've done much more than just cuddling," he smirked. 

"Yes. Things we will never do again," I warned, glaring at him before sitting down. 

"Never say never, Milaya," he winked before closing the door and rounding the car to get to his side. 

My eyes narrowed as I watched him. "You're awfully chirpy today, Christian, it's freaking me out." 

"I'm relishing the trip to come, Red. I haven't taken a day off from work in a long time." 

"You're a workaholic," I pointed out. 

"Workaholics sometimes need the right distractions." He shifted gears before turning and placing an arm behind my seat, glancing at me before backing the car. "You are the perfect one." 

"I'm a distraction, is it?" I scoffed, glaring at him. 

"Oh, so much more, Milaya," he smiled, his dimple flashing before he focused on the road ahead. "I've told my staff to prepare the jet for tonight." 

"Why tonight? We won't fly out till tomorrow." 

"Early morning tomorrow. Five in the morning." 

I groaned, "I don't want to wake up that early." 

"If we leave New York at five, we'll get there by four in the afternoon which in Santorini is eleven at night since they're seven hours ahead of us." 

He looked at me. "We need a night to rest up too, don't we?" 

I eyed him with suspicion. "You sound more prepared than me." 

"I might be," he teased. "I'll drop you off at your apartment and pick you up at five tomorrow morning. We'll head straight to the jet after that." 

"Okay," I agreed. 

Despite ignoring and avoiding him these past few days, things had started to feel a bit more natural between us again. Our conversations weren't forced all the time and whenever we were alone and it was just us, we managed to talk without arguing about everything. Hell, we even agreed on some things. We were finally being civil. 

But whenever my parents were around, I began to falter, yet it felt like Christian was there to catch me. When I couldn't bring myself to hold his hand or smile at him, he locked our fingers together and stared at me, feigning such adoration in his gaze that my parents were completely fooled. 

A pang of guilt shot through me every time I remembered how it was all a lie. Even Christian was having too much fun. He enjoyed getting that attention and love from my parents, perhaps because his parents have been entirely too cruel to him. I despised his parents and Christian knew that. He agreed with me. Every time they tried to put me down, he fought for me. My parents treat him like their son, so I can see why Christian treats them like the parents he's always wanted. 

I would hope that whatever happened between us wouldn't change that. Even after this is all over, I would hope that if he ever speaks to my parents or stumbles upon them somewhere, he still loves them just as much because I knew that even if my parents found out what Christian did, they would always adore him just a bit more than they should. Especially my Mom. I hoped I wouldn't become the reason his relationship with my parents is tainted. 

It's an odd aspect to obsess over, something extremely trivial in this situation but... I couldn't forget the despicable things I'd heard about Christian's parents and not just from him but even Audrey. They were horrible to their children from the beginning and it broke my heart every time I thought about it. They manipulated their kids. 

One thing that gnaws at me is that when they tried Audrey to manipulate me since I was their biggest business rival's daughter, she didn't do it. When they pushed Christian to do it, no matter how hard he always fought for me, no matter how much he loved me... He did. 

At least he agreed to. He did it partially anyway, so I hate him for all the right reasons. He did all the wrong things. 

His car slowed down to a stop in front of my apartment and I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Don't sleep in tonight, make sure your stuff is packed, and don't be late when I get here," he instructed like I was a child. 

"I'm an adult, believe it or not," I said to him sarcastically. 

He watched me in amusement. "Don't forget to pack your chargers. You always forget." 

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, Mr. Lukov. Worry about yourself." 

"Sometimes when I'm around you, I seriously do," he sighed as I climbed out and headed inside without saying goodbye. "Bye!" he called out after me. 

I glanced at his car over my shoulder, noticing that he waited until I got inside to drive off. 

Well, Santorini, here we come...

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Chapter 26

this was a bit of a filler chapter cuz I had to bridge that gap between the present and the day they flew out, I had to get that time jump in

next ch: brothers