Pollyanna and the Greek Billionaire (Innocent and Betrayed) Read online

  But of course, his little blowfish hadn’t asked any of those. Instead, she had asked him the most ludicrously personal things –

  Things that SHE hadn’t even asked, Kyr couldn’t help thinking, not once in the nine years they had been together.

  Why?

  Did that mean she had never loved him at all?

  Just thinking about her put Kyr in a bad mood, so much so that he sought distraction the easiest way possible, with his best form of entertainment right in front of him.

  When she had asked him what his favorite hobby was, he answered silkily, Fantasizing about being a playboy with you.

  And she had given him what he wanted.

  Eyes wide as saucers, mouth forming a large ‘O’—

  It was his favorite blowfish look, and Kyr had thrown back his head and laughed, the sound still rusty because he hadn’t found anything funny in the past few years.

  The fifth day, he had taken her to the island’s only mall, which had its own cinema and indoor theme park. It was the first time he had gone out with her in public, and even though he and Pollyanna hadn’t been affectionate with each other in any way, the sight of them still had everyone talking.

  He had known what was going on in their minds, of course.

  The master was with the Floros’ goddaughter. Why? Was he planning revenge? Was it to make his ex jealous?

  Yes, he had known, but he hadn’t given a damn, knowing as well that at the end of the day, their loyalty was to him.

  They would not tell Pollyanna anything, not even if she asked.

  But she hadn’t.

  A combination of innocence and inexperience had prevented her from realizing that the locals’ interest in them ran a little deeper than the usual fascination people had for rich-boy-poor-girl romances.

  For Pollyanna, everyone was staring because they had a hard time believing that he was spending time with an ordinary person like her. These were her exact words, and not for one moment had he considered correcting her.

  Instead, he had said smoothly, ‘You only have to say the word, you know.’

  Say the word about what?

  If you want me to do more than just spend time with you.

  Again the blowfish look, combined with a fierce blush that seemed to spread to the rest of her body. It had been a marvelously arousing sight, one that had remained with him even when he was back at the resort.

  That was the first and only night he had masturbated to the memory of her. Closing his eyes, he had imagined how beautiful her curvy body would look if it were rosy all over and that was it for him, Kyr coming hard – harder than he had with the last woman he had fucked.

  And that, too, had been a sign.

  You want her too much, his conscience had warned him. Leave her before you take her virginity and break her heart after.

  But this, he ignored as well.

  He had no choice.

  It was already too late.

  She had gotten under his skin.

  Yesterday, he had taken her to the extreme sports park of the island. The first activity they had tried was the rope course, which required them to cross a flimsy rope bridge several hundred feet off the ground. He had stepped forward first, Pollyanna following behind him.

  I’m nervous and afraid all at the same time. Pollyanna had made her confession as they moved further into the bridge.

  When he had glanced back at her, she had looked back at him with cheeks rosy with excitement and a sheepish smile playing on her lips.

  And to his shock, this childish look of hers had done things to his libido that not even other women, even when they were fully naked, had been able to achieve.

  It had his body reacting violently, and Kyr had ended up sporting a raging erection up in the air, his cock seemingly unaffected by the fact that there was a yawning cliff right under them, just waiting to give humans a shortcut to hell.

  It hadn’t helped at all that by the time they had made it to the halfway point, Pollyanna had been completely glued to him, arms wrapped around his waist and young breasts rubbing against his back with every cautious step she took.

  Upon reaching the tree house at the other end, Kyr had only glanced at the service technicians waiting for them and the men had gotten the message. By the time Pollyanna had finished removing the harness, it was only the two of them, causing her to blink in shock as she asked, Where did everyone go?

  They’re waiting for us below, he had answered tautly. The truth was, he had not wanted anyone to see Pollyanna, who was seemingly unaware of the fact that her pointed nipples were left arousing telltale marks on her shirt.

  Instead, her eyes were filled with concern…for him, and at his frown, she had asked tentatively, Did you have a hard time at the bridge, too?

  Kyr had wanted to laugh and groan at the irony of her question even as he managed to say with a straight face, I guess you could say that.

  Worry in her voice, she had then asked, Is there anything I can do to help you? Make you feel better?

  Yes. His tone had been unequivocal.

  How? Hers had been eager.

  He had replied bluntly, Allow me to be a playboy.

  Her face had paled, her mouth opening and closing several times. Thinking he had been too forceful, he had been about to tell her to forget it when he heard her say almost inaudibly, ‘Maybe…just now?’

  The words had been the greatest and most pleasant shock of his life. Are you sure? His voice had been thick with lust, his mind already going on overdrive.

  Only if you promise…it’s just now. Here. Where no one will see. Her voice, on the other hand, had been very much breathless, with a tiny thread of fear that, instead of making him feel remorseful, had only served to heighten his desire for her.

  I promise.

  His answer had made her draw her breath hard, and her voice shook when she had asked, ‘What do I have to do?’

  He had answered by cupping her face, and she had responded by giving him his favorite blowfish look. It had made his lips curve in amusement, but it hadn’t succeeded in deterring him from his objective.

  ‘Close your eyes,’ he had advised and without waiting for her to answer, he slowly bent down to kiss her. He caught a glimpse of panic in her eyes before her lids drifted shut the same moment his lips touched hers.

  It had been the softest, most tender contact, and yet it had also been hot and electrifying, the chemistry between them off the charts that it had her gasping in shock and Kyr almost shuddering.

  After, he had cupped her face and deepened the kiss, Kyr barely in control of himself. He had tried to be gentle the first few moments, using only his lips to nip hers and coax Pollyanna out of her inhibitions. And when she had finally melted against him, kissing him back, all hell had broken loose. Kyr had driven his tongue inside her mouth, exploring every inch before prompting her tongue to dance with his. He had sucked on her tongue, her lower lip, and when it still hadn’t felt enough, he had ran his mouth down the slender column of her neck and sucked hungrily on her wildly beating pulse.

  When he had reluctantly ended the kiss and released her, she had almost fallen to the ground, her knees giving out. He had caught her with a hoarse laugh, asking, Seriously?

  It was my first kiss, she had answered, sounding awkward and defensive at the same time.

  A part of him had expected it of course, but even so, hearing her confirm it with her own words was another thing, and Kyr had drawn the most incredible sense of satisfaction from the reality.

  He was her first kiss, and it had made Pollyanna lose her balance.

  It was a heady thought, especially for someone like him. No one would ever make Kyr admit it, but when Ana had left him so publicly, it had significantly dented his belief in himself. After Ana, Kyr had begun to believe that women were only interested in him for the shallowest reasons, and that none of them would stay with him once the going got tough.

  Or at least no one except for his Pollyanna, Kyr had t
hought while rappelling out of the tree house, a still weak-kneed Pollyanna secure in his arms.

  And now it was the seventh day.

  Would he be able to convince her to let him be a playboy again?

  A playboy, to have fun with, but not a lover or potential boyfriend, Kyr thought. He hoped she knew why he was always keen to make the distinction. He wanted her to be clear that a playboy was all he could be with her or anyone else.

  Did she understand that?

  He heard footsteps behind him, and he turned.

  What he saw seemed to portend the answer to his question.

  It was Dinah, and by the look on her face, she knew exactly what had been going on between him and her goddaughter.

  Chapter Four

  For ten minutes, Kyrillos Gazis exchanged small talk with the woman who had almost been his mother-in-law. She was seated on a boulder a few feet away from the first row of bushes, looking exactly like she always had except for her eyes, which were a lot warier than they used to be.

  As for Kyr, he remained on his feet, his elegance in no way dimmed even though his time working at the fields had left him dirty and sweaty.

  Looking at him was more than enough to hurtle Dinah back into the past. And what a humiliating past it was, for everyone, she thought sadly. So far, the billionaire had allowed Dinah to take the lead in the conversation, but she knew there was more to it than a mere sign of respect. No, she knew him better than that, knew it was only the younger man patiently biding his time and using it to study his opponent, as was his wont.

  Four years, Dinah couldn’t help thinking even as she continued to babble nonsensically. Four years had passed, and even now, she only had to look at Kyr’s face, see the way it had changed, and the guilt inside her made Dinah want to weep.

  How cruel Ana had been, she thought painfully. To this day, she couldn’t figure out what she and Ezio had done wrong that could cause them to produce a daughter without a heart.

  And now, there was Pollyanna, Dinah thought tiredly. She was the complete opposite of Ana. Had Kyr noticed this, too? And if he had – was it why he had been spending the entire time with the young girl? Was it all an elaborate plan for revenge?

  The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, and Dinah said abruptly, “Polly still doesn’t know about you and Ana.”

  “I see.” The billionaire spoke with his usual cultured drawl, but his tone was a lot colder than she was used to, and it startled her, made Dinah realize that Kyr had truly changed…maybe even permanently. Her guilt intensified at the thought, Dinah remembering the time when Kyrillos Gazis had once been almost as nice as her dear Pollyanna.

  She heard herself say then, “I’m still undecided about telling her.”

  Kyr raised a brow. “Are your words meant to imply some kind of threat?”

  “Of course not!” Dinah was dismayed at how cynical the billionaire had become. The old Kyr would never have thought of that of her.

  “Then what do you mean?” His voice was mocking.

  Taking a deep breath, she asked frankly, “What are your intentions towards Polly?”

  “Intentions?” Kyr’s lip curled. “Isn’t that a little too dated, considering—”

  She cut him off, saying sharply, “Not with girls like Polly, and you know what I’m saying is right.”

  Kyr’s jaw clenched. Touché. He wanted to answer back, but how could he when he knew the older woman was right? Women like Polly were rare, so damn rare that Dinah was to be commended for daring to stand up to him in order to look after her goddaughter.

  Which brought them back to her original question, Kyr thought tautly. What were his so-called intentions to Pollyanna?

  Looking away from him, Dinah said quietly, “Do you know we disowned Ana after what she did to you?”

  He tensed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “We regretted it afterwards and tried to contact her, but she…well, she made it clear that she considered us dead to her for taking your side.”

  Kyr’s fists clenched.

  “Our lives were never the same again after that night, but then Pollyanna came to us, and she made us remember how happy we used to be. I’ll always be grateful to her for that, and that’s why…” Dinah forced herself to face the billionaire. “I know my daughter’s actions are unforgivable, but please don’t…don’t involve Polly if all you have in mind is revenge.”

  ****

  When Pollyanna heard the knock on the door that night, she jumped to her feet and rushed to open it. Earlier, Dinah had told her that she had a nice fun talk with the billionaire, and while Master Kyr had to attend to urgent business and leave without telling her goodbye, he had promised to come back and join them for dinner.

  And now he was really here, Pollyanna thought, and the sight of him had her feeling giddy and breathless. As always, he was the picture of gorgeous perfection and effortless sophistication, dressed in a V-necked light wool shirt with its sleeves pushed up to his elbows and plaid trousers.

  “Hi.”

  Normally, he would have taken note of her squeaky voice and teased her about having a crush on him because of it.

  But this time, all he did was smile briefly, asking, “May I come in?”

  It was her first inkling that something was very, very wrong and as the night progressed, the feeling only worsened. Dinner was an awkward affair, with Ezio quiet and reserved, Dinah taut, and Kyr cold. It made Pollyanna wonder about the reason he had always refused to come to the house in the past. Had Kyr and her godparents had a fight before?

  When dinner was over, she was about to offer to help with the dishes but Dinah waved her away, telling her to have fun and take Kyr out in the patio.

  “The moon and stars are out,” Ezio added. “The night’s too pretty for young ones like you to waste cooped up inside the house.”

  It made sense, but Pollyanna’s instincts begged her to make an excuse so she and Kyr could stay inside the house. “I don’t know about that,” she stammered. “I think it’s too cold outside—”

  Her godfather shot her an odd look. “Then grab yourself a shawl if you want.”

  And when he used that voice of his with her, she knew there was no arguing with Ezio or even Dinah.

  She turned to Kyr, saying woodenly, “Shall we?” She wasn’t certain why, but she had a really bad feeling that if she and the billionaire had a private moment to themselves, it would be over.

  And she was right.

  At the patio, they took their seats on the couch, both of them careful to occupy each end, which left a terrible, gaping space between them.

  In the corner of her eye, she saw the billionaire take a deep breath, and panic got the better of her. Desperate to forestall whatever he had to say, she began to blab. “Have you ever tried spotting the constellations in the sky? I have, and even without a telescope. It’s possible, really, and I’ve done it. You just need to pick the right time to do it. In fact, it’s kinda easy, too, once you get the—”

  “Pollyanna.”

  She paled at the way he called her. It sounded so…formal, like the way people who used to be friends talked to each other.

  Kyr saw her lip tremble at his tone, and he swore in his mind. But what else he could do, dammit? He did not have revenge in his mind, like Dinah had feared, but even so, he knew Dinah was still right to be concerned.

  The longer he stayed in her life, the more hurt he would end up causing her – hurt that she hadn’t done anything to deserve. Among all of them – her godparents, Kyr, and Ana – she, Polly, was the only innocent one. But because of the way he had foolishly handled things, she stood to experience the greatest hurt.

  “Could you look at me?” he asked tensely. When she shook her head vehemently, he drew a tense breath, saying, “Polly—”

  “I don’t want to,” she whispered. “I think I know what you’re going to say, and I just—” She breathed hard, and her body had started to tremble at the strength required to hol
d back her tears. “Can you at least tell me what Nona’s told you – what she’s done to make you decide to…leave me?”

  Ah, fuck.

  How did he answer that without talking about Ana?

  Closing his eyes, he forced himself to lie, saying, “She’s made me realize, rightfully so, how young you are.” He managed a mocking smile. “In particular, you’re too young to waste time with someone like me.”

  “And that’s it?”

  His gaze unreadable, he replied tonelessly, “That’s it.”

  The answer hurt, and the pain doubled when she watched Kyr get back to his feet with swift grace. Was it really that easy for him to discard her? Oh God, he made her feel disposable.

  A hot rush of tears swelled behind her lids, and Pollyanna quickly lowered her head, not wanting Kyr’s last sight of her to be one in tears. You can cry later, Polly, she told himself fiercely, when he’s gone.

  But it was no use, and she drew a deep, shuddering breath in a futile effort to control her sobs.

  “God, Polly.” She suddenly felt arms close around her, and by the time her head jerked up and her dazed eyes clashed with Kyr’s bleak ones, he was back on the couch and she was tumbling onto his lap.

  “K-Kyr?” she stammered, wanting to hope but not having enough courage to do so.

  His arms tightened around her.

  “I should leave you,” he said harshly.

  Oh.

  She went back to blinking as fast as she could. Oh, Lord, do not make me cry—

  “But when I saw you about to cry—”

  Oh.

  Polly didn’t even stop to think about it, simply cried harder and louder.

  “Idiot.” The billionaire’s lips twitched, but his gaze remained troubled, and her heart squeezed at the contrast.

  “Don’t go.” She could no longer stop herself from pleading, even though it hurt her pride to do so.

  When more tears fell, Kyr wiped them away gently. “Polly, stop.” When the tears continued to stream down, he asked slowly, “Do you know some women become more beautiful when they’re crying?”