Yuri Read online

  If he shattered her dreams—

  If he told her that she was mistaken, that he was not the other half of her—

  If he admitted to lying about loving her—

  He might as well be Madame.

  And that he could never do.

  He would rather throw away his honor now than hurt her in any way.

  “Yuri?” She was looking at him questioningly, trustingly.

  He heard himself lie, “You’re right.” Slowly, he took her in his arms, and the way she automatically curled her arms around his neck, the way she fitted her trembling body with his even when the hardness of his cock still alarmed her—

  She was killing him again and again with how damnably sweet she was, and he wondered bleakly if the day he’ d deserve her would ever come.

  Tightening his arms around her, he murmured against her hair, “It’s exactly as you say. I see your soul in your eyes.”

  A pause and then, “I’m glad.” Another pause. “Does it mean you also know I’m feeling weird again?”

  Yuri wanted to laugh and groan at the same time. Only Kalli – only his beautiful bundle of honesty – could make his mood swing from despair to arousal in an instant.

  As his body rocked with silent laughter, causing his cock to rub against her mound, she said almost worriedly, “Very, very weird.”

  Bending his head, he whispered, “When you say you’re feeling weird...” He paused and was summarily rewarded with a tiny, sexy whimper.

  “Is that another way of saying you want me to kiss you?”

  Yuri had whispered the words directly to Kalli’s ear, and the effect on her was instantaneous and electrifying. Her body jerked, her knees buckled, and her fingers clutched his shoulders in a desperate grip while the music of his low, sexy laughter played against her skin as the world spun.

  And then they were kissing.

  Mouths fusing, bodies clasped against each other, hearts beating in a hard, exciting tandem.

  If yesterday’s kiss was a gentle breeze, this morning’s was a thunderstorm of passion. And she wanted it. She wanted more. She wanted everything.

  And she told him so.

  Yuri had planned to keep the kiss short and sweet, but then he heard Kalli moan against his lips, “More, Yuri. Kiss me harder. Make me feel feverish.”

  His brain shut down.

  He forgot about being Yuri Athanas, forgot about his rigid observance of proper decorum. Right now, all he knew was that he was a man, kissing a girl who wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  His tongue slid in, claiming and devouring what was his for the taking. He kissed her more. He kissed her hard as promised. And he kissed her long and deep, his tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth until he knew that he had made her feverish. As promised.

  Yuri only lifted his head when he knew they both needed to breathe. “Kalli…” Common sense kicked in, and Yuri stiffened with guilt. What the hell was he thinking, mauling his sweet innocent Kalli in the hallway?

  But then he made the mistake of looking at Kalli—

  Her eyes were glazed, her lips swollen, her cheeks flushed with passion.

  He had to give himself one last kiss, Yuri grinding his mouth down on her one last time. He would have stopped at the first sign of struggle, but instead Kalli responded to his kiss with equal abandon, even rubbing her body against his.

  Yuri managed to tear his mouth away after an eternity. Breathing hard, he gazed down at Kalli in a mixture of disbelief, consternation, and rampaging desire. “How do you do it?”

  To which his innocent temptress only blinked up at him, asking blankly, “Do what?”

  His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Terrify me. Every damn time.”

  The confusion in her eyes deepened. “Me? Terrify you?”

  “Like I’ve never been terrified for,” he said honestly, and Yuri knew it had to be one of the biggest jokes in his life.

  Kalliope Antoniou, a young girl whose condition might make her permanently dependent on the care of other people, terrified Yuri Athanas, who had never suffered a single moment of regret after choosing to leave behind his life as the Athanas heir.

  Unable to help it, he reached for her face again, and his chest constricted at the way she unhesitatingly laid her cheek on his palm.

  No questions, Yuri thought harshly. It was always no questions, no hesitation, no doubts with Kalliope Antoniou, and the world would always think she was crazy for it.

  When he released her, it was as if she sensed what he was already planning to say, a fearful, worried look entering her gaze. “Yuri?”

  God, why did it have to be her?

  Why couldn’t God have given him the usual, selfish empty-headed heiress? He could have lived with that, would have devoted his life to make such a woman happy even when she bored him to death. He would have welcomed any punishment with open arms because Yuri deserved to be punished.

  But instead, he was given Kalli.

  The sweetest, most innocent girl in the world.

  The girl he would never deserve.

  Inhaling heavily, he said, “Kalli, I have to tell you—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a familiar voice call out to them from behind. “Break it off, lovebirds.”

  Chapter Ten

  I’m in big trouble. It was a thought Hallie Athanas seldom had concerning her brother, but it did happen occasionally. Eventually, she had come to recognize such moments when Yuri had a certain look in his eyes.

  Like now.

  When the two reached her, she pretended not to notice how Yuri’s gaze was boring through her and instead addressed his fiancée, saying with a mock sigh, “It’s nauseating for you two to be so lovey-dovey this early in the morning.”

  Kalli gave her a solemn nod. “I’m sorry, Hallie.”

  Startled at the apology, Hallie stammered, “I—”

  Her voice ringing with sincerity, Kalli said, “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad because Andreus hasn’t given you a good morning kiss.”

  Hallie’s jaw dropped. “What?”

  Kalli nodded understandingly. “Aria and MJ told me all about you and Andreus.” She reached out to ruffle Hallie’s head, like a master comforting a disappointed pet. “But don’t worry. I will go to him now and let him know he’s made you sad. I’m sure he’ll be happy to make it up to you.”

  Did Kalli just—

  By the time she realized Kalli hadn’t been joking, it was already too late. The other girl had already hurried inside the dining room, and Hallie turned to Yuri, wailing, “Do something!”

  “What I can do?” His voice was all innocence, but his broad shoulders were rocking with telltale mirth. “You should know by now how she is.”

  “But…” Realizing she was just wasting time arguing with Yuri, she turned around, intending to catch up with Kalli, but her brother’s voice halted her.

  “Not so fast.”

  Uh-oh.

  Hallie belatedly remembered what she had interrupted. “I really have to get to—”

  His voice became softer. “Turn around, Hallie.”

  Her shoulders slumped. When Yuri used that tone with her, she knew it was pointless to try escaping. When Yuri Athanas wanted something done, he wouldn’t stop until things happened the way he wanted.

  When his sister faced him, Yuri said tersely, “Don’t do it again.”

  Hallie didn’t bother pretending not to understand his warning. “But it’s not right.” A mixture of frustration and dismay underlined her voice. “I think she’s perfect for you—” Yuri’s cold gaze made her voice trail off. She wasn’t and would never be afraid of her brother, but she would never go against Yuri either.

  “Whatever happens between Kalli and me,” her brother continued calmly, “it has nothing to do with you.”

  Hallie bit her lip hard. Did he really think those words were enough to get rid of her guilt? Yuri had sacrificed everything for her. Everything, and that included his freedom to
choose the woman he married.

  Even without Hallie saying a thing, his sister’s anguish was palpable and Yuri exhaled his breath. “Can’t you see, Hallie? She’s perfect for me because—” Just thinking about the past made him feel sick with self-disgust. “You of all people,” he muttered savagely under his breath, “should know why I can’t give all of myself to Kalli. But it doesn’t,” he said fiercely, “mean I don’t care for her.”

  Yuri tipped her chin up. “You understand, don’t you?”

  Hallie managed a painful nod.

  She understood that because of her, Yuri no longer trusted himself to love. She understood that because of her, Yuri was not willing to give himself and Kalli a chance. She understood all this, and it made her want to cry so badly at how all this knowledge left her helpless.

  Knowing that the most she could do for her brother now was not to break down, she cleared her throat and said brightly, “We should go before everyone kill us for starving them.”

  Inside the dining room, Yuri took his seat next to Kalli while Hallie slid into her place next to MJ.

  “Are you alright?” Andreus asked from across the table.

  “Yup.” She managed to sound cheerful but studiously avoided his narrowed gaze.

  Breakfast was eaten in silence, and every minute was tortuous. She was sure no one had heard her conversation with Yuri, but even so everyone seemed to be equally tense. Or at least everyone except Kalli, who Hallie saw was clearing her plate in a swift but serene manner.

  It was fascinating, Hallie thought distractedly, watching a very feminine girl demolish her food so relentlessly and beautifully at the same time.

  “Yuri?” Hallie heard Kalli address her brother.

  Yuri turned towards his fiancée. “Yes?”

  “Did you make your sister cry?”

  An awkward silence fell over the table.

  Yuri slowly laid his fork down. At least she lasted ten minutes, he thought absently. He shook his head at Kalli in response. “I didn’t.” And just for the hell of it, he nodded his head at a surprised-looking Andreus. “He did.”

  Andreus sputtered.

  Yuri almost smiled at the evil glare Kalli threw at the treasurer’s direction.

  Considered to be the most dangerous member of the Afxisi, Andreus was almost as tall as Helios and with a similarly powerful build. The wildest rumors about him abounded, and almost everything involved someone else’s death. To go against Andreus Economou was to sign one’s own death warrant, but this fact seemed to have escaped Kalli completely.

  “I told you, didn’t I?” Kalli was telling Andreus reprovingly. “You should have kissed her good morning.”

  Hallie covered her face with a moan.

  Andreus looked like he wanted to gag Kalli. “Are you insane?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kalli snapped right back, “but what’s that have to do with you and Hallie?”

  Andreus’ jaw dropped, and he opened and closed his mouth several times after. It was obvious Kalli’s indirect admission about her mental state had thrown him off.

  Yuri glanced at the others, all of whom looked like they were being tortured. Taking pity on them, he bent close to Kalli and whispered, “I think they want to laugh, sweetheart.”

  His fiancée blinked. “Do they need my permission?”

  Yuri dared not look at his friends this time in fear of succumbing to laughter himself. “Err, no, sweetheart. They are, however, worried you’d be offended if they do.”

  “Ah.” Kalli gave the rest of the Afxisi a queenly nod. “You may laugh.”

  She didn’t have to say it twice. Kellion and Helios doubled over with laughter, MJ coughed, and Aria threw her head back.

  Kalli glanced at Hallie and Andreus, who were avoiding looking at each other. “You do not want to laugh?”

  Her utterly serious note proved too much for the two. Hallie’s laughter spilled out, and even Andreus cracked a grin.

  Kalli turned to Yuri. “It’s good,” she said quietly, “to make everyone happy.” Her voice was as serene as ever, but her violet eyes were shining with pleasure.

  Yuri had to allow himself a smile as well. Bending his head close to her, he murmured, “You do know why they’re laughing, don’t you?”

  Kalli nodded. “They think it’s funny I’m not sure if I’m crazy. But the thing is…” Her voice took on an apologetic note. “I’m honestly not certain.”

  Seeing that she was completely serious, he said slowly, “That’s okay. I think everyone, at one point in their lives, go a little crazy.” He reached for her hand under the table. “But it doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you.” His voice became gentle. “It only means you’re different. Special.”

  Her eyes softened.

  It was his only warning before she once again caught him off guard, leaning close to place a chaste kiss on his lips, and it was over before he could decide if he should kiss her back or not.

  “Kalli…” One of these days, Yuri thought in a mixture of frustration and amusement, he had to tell her she shouldn’t kiss him so easily. But out loud, he only asked mildly, “What do you want to do after breakfast? Would you like to sign up for any of the short-term classes?”

  A pensive look crossed her face before she slowly shook her head.

  “How about going around?”

  “No.” Her brows furrowed like they usually did when she was thinking hard, and Yuri was tempted to kiss the frown away from her forehead.

  Finally, Kalli’s gaze met his. “What do you normally do when you don’t have school or work?”

  Yuri was startled to have the question thrown back at him. “If I have free time, I usually take my bike out for a ride.”

  Intense concentration suddenly blazed from Kalli’s eyes. “And you enjoy doing this?”

  It would have been a stupid question if he hadn’t known how most of Kalli’s childhood years had been spent doing everything that was impossible for her to enjoy. So Yuri said simply, “Yes.”

  Kalli gazed at his eyes searchingly before nodding, as if she had seen something in his gaze to convince her he was speaking the truth. “If that is so, then I want to try it.”

  This time, he was more bemused than surprised. “Why?”

  “Because,” she said simply, “I want to know more about the man I love.”

  Thirty minutes later, and the bikers cheerfully waved goodbye to Kalli. “Take care of that man you love!”

  Yuri’s angelic face looked like it had been cast in stone and after stepping out of their headquarters, he slammed the front door shut as hard as he could.

  Damn their big mouths, he thought irritably. Officers of the club were supposed to be role models, dammit. But instead they proved to be world champions in gossip, with the way Kellion, Helios, and Andreus had blabbed to everyone willing to listen about Yuri’s oh-so-romantic conversations with Kalli.

  As they started to walk, again hand in hand at Kalli’s insistence, he said lightly, “You really should stop referring to me that way.”

  “What way?” Her tone was quizzical.

  He cleared his throat. “About me being…”

  “The man I love?” she asked as they reached his bike.

  “Yes, that.” Yuri had two helmets ready on the seat and as he helped Kalli put on the smaller one, he saw her blinking at him through the slit.

  “But Yuri…”

  He tried distracting her, saying gruffly, “Hold on to me. I drive fast.” She obeyed readily, wrapping her arms around his body as he took his place in front of her.

  He revved his beast to life, let it roar, and then raced down the road.

  He toured her around the university, pointing out other places that hadn’t been included in her official tour. He felt her nod against his back at his explanations, but just as he started to circle back, Kalli tightened her arms around him, asking, “Can we go really fast?”

  He slowed his beast to a stop so he could look at her over his shoulder. “Are
you sure?”

  She nodded vehemently.

  “You have to hold on really tight to me.”

  “I know.” Her voice was patient. “I love you, Yuri. It’s not in me to let you go.”

  Ah.

  His heart clenched. He knew he should say the words back, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to keep lying to her. So he decided on a compromise between his conscience and what she wanted, taking one of her hands and bringing it up to his lips. He said simply, “Thank you.”

  Since the speed limit was too low inside the campus, Yuri rode out to the highway and there he let his beast run free.

  Behind him, Kalli let out an exhilarated laugh as they sped past all the cars, and she shrieked in excited pleasure when he deliberately made his beast lean sharply to the side with every curve they passed.

  “I can almost kiss the road!” Kalli gasped.

  He laughed. “Please don’t.”

  Her arms tightened around him. “I know. I don’t want you to be jealous of the road.”

  He laughed harder.

  Yuri was still smiling at the memory of her words when they made it back to the club’s headquarters. “Did you have fun?” he asked as Kalli handed him her helmet.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He secured the helmets on his beast’s seat.

  Looking up, he was about to ask her if she was hungry yet when Kalli said, “But I still don’t understand, Yuri.”

  His smile vanished.

  “You are the man I love, so why must I not say it?”

  Of course she had to remember their earlier conversation, Yuri thought. He also had to remember that while Kalli might be different, she was nevertheless still smarter than most women.

  Taking hold of her hand, he said finally, “I know I’m…the man you love.” He mentally winced at the words, which were too arrogant even for his own ears. “But some things are better left unsaid.”

  Kalli’s frown deepened. “Do you mean you want me to lie?”

  “Not at all.” An idea occurred to Yuri, and he said slowly, “What I mean is, it’s better to keep things a secret.” Guilt pricked his conscience, but he forced himself to ignore it as he said, “It’s good for lovers to share secrets. It means they have something special between them.”