Danger and passion collide on the Greek island of Mykonos

HELENA SQUEEZED THE WOODEN SHIP railing until her knuckles whitened. Trying to control the turmoil of her emotions, she took a deep breath of fresh, salty air and let it out slowly. Her heart still thundered in her chest. Am I really going through with this?

An eerie feeling washed over her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She scanned her surroundings uneasily. The ship deck was full of people—mostly families. What about him? she wondered, and releasing the railing, turned on her heel. A tall, slim man dressed in black, standing on the other side of the deck, stared at her intensely with piercing eyes. Helena swallowed hard. Pushing back the fear, she stared right back at him. Being among so many people gave her a sense of security. The man hesitated for a moment and then walked away.

Stop being paranoid! she reprimanded herself. There’s nothing to worry about… Then again, what was that last night? She shivered, thinking of the night before when someone accidentally bumped into her on the pavement in front of her hotel and pushed her right in front of a speeding car. If the hotel concierge hadn’t pulled me back at the very last minute… Closing her eyes, she shook her head to clear her gloomy thoughts. Everything is going to be all right. I need to do this for my father.

A little girl’s laughter brought her back to reality. She turned and looked at the happy, little face. I could have been happy like that if only…

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and stood still, enjoying the caress of the warm sunlight on her face and the revitalizing sea breeze blowing softly through her hair. What an amazing sensation! She opened her eyes and let the captivating scenery fill her vision. It took her breath away. This is how Dad must have felt every time he stood on the bridge of his ship. Leaning against the railing, she was mesmerized by the magnificent view of the crystal clear, sapphire waters of the Aegean Sea. Her thoughts flew back to cherished memories of her childhood, and she was overwhelmed. She could hardly wait…

Feeling restless, she looked around her, wondering how much longer it would take them to get there. Mykonos was only a few hours trip from Athens, but it seemed like ages to her.

It had been thirteen years since she last saw the amazing, blue waters of the Aegean and the beautiful island where she was born. She was only eight years old when her father was declared dead, and her heartbroken mother took her to England.

Since then, the shadows of the past kept her mother away from the island she used to adore. Only after her mother’s death had Helena decided to come back to meet her only living relatives, and to try to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death.

Now, as the ship approached the shores of Mykonos, Helena closed her eyes and saw her mother’s pale face, staring at her with eyes wide open from anxiety and fear. Don’t go back! Don’t ever go back! I want you to promise me… Helena could still hear her soft, trembling voice whispering while she was squeezing her hand tightly.

Her heart fluttering like a little bird, she swallowed hard. I have nothing to worry about, she tried to reassure herself. All she needed were some answers, and after that, she would head back to England and go on with her life. However, deep down inside, she knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. She had this eerie feeling that destiny was waiting just around the corner for her…

***

Thinking back, she could vividly remember her happy childhood. They used to live in a big, white house on top of a cliff, overlooking the Aegean. She would wake up in the morning and run to her balcony to enjoy the breathtaking view.

Her parents were so happy back then. The main offices of her father’s shipping company were in Piraeus—the harbor of Athens—but he ran the business mainly from the island, in order to spend as much time as possible with her mother and her.

Mykonos was a beautiful island that took her mother’s breath away when she stepped foot on it as a young bride, twenty-two years ago. The beauty of the land and the kindness of the people kept her captive for a long time. Erin, Helena’s mother, was hopelessly in love with her husband, Captain Angelos Sistakis, and never regretted following him to his homeland, or leaving London with its cloudy days behind.

The sunshine in Greece warmed people’s hearts; something about all these islands spread across the Aegean captivated their souls, and they never wanted to leave.

That’s precisely the way Helena felt when her mother told her they were leaving. She’d cried and pleaded to stay, but her mother’s decision was final. Her father’s mysterious disappearance had broken her mother’s heart, and the place had lost its magic touch. Erin just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and leave the memories behind.

However, her mother never forgot the love she and Angelos shared and the happy moments at their house on the island. She spent the rest of her life bitter and miserable. And two years ago, she became sick. As Erin slowly faded away, Helena wondered if she even tried to recover.

For the last thirteen years, her mother hadn’t been the same cheerful and lively woman she used to be. She never got over her husband’s tragic death, but deep down inside, Helena knew it was a lot more than that… Her mother feared for her little girl’s life. She was convinced Angelos’ death wasn’t an accident, and that Helena was in grave danger, as well.

***

The beauty in front of her interrupted her thoughts. She took a deep breath, staring at the shores of Mykonos with the scenic coves and the golden sand beaches. Welcome home, Helena… Her heartbeat accelerated, and anticipation washed over her like a cold wave. Tears filled her eyes, seeing her homeland…the land of her adorable father. She was finally home—the home she’d been deprived of for so long.

She wiped the tears with the back of a shaky hand. It was so unfair to lose her father at such a tender age and to be deprived of everything and everyone she ever knew. Helena, however, knew her mother was scared to death. She lived the rest of her life with a threat hovering over her, every step of the way. Was it real? Helena wondered, and the scene of the previous night’s near miss flashed before her eyes. Was any of it real? She had thought about it a million times. The only thing she was sure about was that the threat felt real to her mother.

And what about Grandma’s diary? According to her mother, Eleana—Angelos’ mother—had a gift of foreseeing future events and had written them down in her diary. A lot of important things that affected their lives were written down in there, years before they happened. If only I could find that diary, Helena inwardly wished. She needed to find it, not only to get some answers but to verify it actually existed. Sometimes, she was worried about her mother’s state of mind. Maybe the pain and years of bitterness had affected her and made her imagine things. Finding the diary would prove Erin wasn’t hallucinating. And this was essential to Helena since her mother had been the center of her world since they left Greece. And now, she was gone, too.

***

As the ship came around a peninsula, Helena held her breath, looking at the cube-shaped, white houses of Chora—as the town of Mykonos was commonly known—glowing in the sunlight. Picturesque windmills and countless churches were scattered higher up on the hill, composing a breathtaking picture.

The port was overflowing with life. Numerous ships and colorful fishing boats were anchored everywhere while dozens of shops were scattered all over the waterfront. People strolled along the dock, enjoying the beautiful, sunny day.

The ship moved closer, and Helena’s heartbeat accelerated. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions of excitement and worry, she felt as if she were floating loose in time and space…

She could hardly wait for the ship to dock. Squeezing her way through the numerous passengers, she managed to be among the first ones to walk off.

Once she stepped foot on the ground, she felt lost with so many people around—passengers disembarking the ship and workers running back and forth, carrying luggage and boxes.

Sitting at tables outside the cafes in the shade of pergolas people were lazily drinking their afternoon coffee while kids attacked their ice creams, piled to the top with fruits and nuts.

Standing undecided, Helena let her eyes wander over the colorful surroundings and listened to people talking in Greek. It was fascinating and so different than speaking Greek at school.

She’d been bilingual since birth. After they had moved to England, her mother had sent her to a Greek school in the afternoons, so she continued her education in the Greek language, as well. Speaking Greek helped her remain connected to her late father and the life she was forced to leave behind.

Suddenly, she realized people were staring at her—admiration mixed with curiosity in their glances. Helena had inherited her mother’s tall and slim figure along with her long, silky blonde hair and expressive blue eyes. Among the dark-haired Greeks with the bronzed by the sun bodies, her pale complexion left her out of place.

Where is my ride? By now, they knew she was coming. She hadn’t written from England as she wasn’t sure she was going through with this. When she arrived in Athens, however, she called her Aunt Sophie and told her she was on her way to the island.

Sophie Sistakis was her father’s younger sister, and Helena remembered her kind face with the warm, brown eyes framed by long, black hair. Her aunt was only eight years older than her and used to take her for walks on the beach, play games with her, and read her stories. She felt ashamed she hadn’t talked to her aunt in all these years.

Hearing Helena’s voice, Sophie was thrilled and told her to catch the next ferry home.

“Miss Sistakis?”

Helena was startled by a deep, sensual voice with a thick Greek accent.

Turning around, she faced a suntanned stranger with a handsome face and a body to die for. He was at least five inches taller than she, and at five feet seven inches, she was no shrimp. His jet-black hair was shining in the sun while his captivating dark brown eyes made her feel small and vulnerable.

Helena hadn’t realized she was staring until she saw the amusement in his eyes and a smile appearing on his inviting lips.

“Yes, I’m Helena Sistakis. And who are you?” she said in English, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

The man hesitated for a moment, searching her face. “I’m Dimitris,” he replied finally. His name struck a chord somewhere deep inside her. Bewildered, she studied him for a minute. No, she thought. If we had met before, I would definitely remember such a hunk.

As his gaze roamed over her, Helena felt butterflies in her stomach. Nervously, she licked her lips and dug her nails into her palms.

“Has my aunt sent you to take me home?” she asked, straightening her back and trying to steady her trembling voice.

“Yes. I’m ready to go when you are. My car is just around the corner,” he replied in Greek, obviously aware she spoke it fluently.

Reaching for her suitcase her hand froze on the handle. The man from the ship stood a few feet away, staring at her, totally unaffected by everything going on around him. Helena noticed the round face with the small, piercing eyes that reminded her of a snake. Her blood turned to ice. “What on earth?”

“Is everything all right?” Dimitris asked.

Absorbed by the hostile expression on the stranger’s face, Helena didn’t respond.

“Helena…” Dimitris’ voice and his warm hand on her arm brought her back to reality.

She glanced at him, puzzled. Dimitris’ eyes were fixed on her, searching her face. Then he peered at the other man.

“Who’s that? Do you know him?” he asked.

“No,” she whispered. “First time I saw him was on the ship. He seemed to be watching me…”

“Wait here!” Dimitris said and strode towards him.

The man turned on his heel and rushed towards the street. Dimitris swiftly took off right after him, like a panther going after his prey. He was closing in on him when a black Mercedes appeared speeding out of nowhere. As the brakes of the car squeaked right in front of the man, he opened the back door and jumped inside. He had barely closed the door when the car launched forward. Dimitris arrived at the street right at the moment the Mercedes was disappearing around a corner.

Helena took a deep breath, unable to move. What was that all about? Who was he? What did he want?

Immobilized, she watched Dimitris reaching in his pocket and getting out his cell phone. He spoke on the phone as he was heading back towards her.

“Is everything all right, Captain?”

Helena glanced at a young sailor who was rushing towards Dimitris.

“Yes, everything is under control,” Dimitris replied, glancing at the street.

The sailor gave Helena a polite smile and walked away.

“We should be going,” Dimitris said, arriving next to her.

Picking up her suitcase, he led Helena on the whitewashed cobbled pavement towards the street.

As they came around the corner of a cafe, she stopped dead in her tracks. An impressive Porsche Cayenne Jeep was parked right behind the building, its black color shining in the summer sun like onyx. Helena took a deep breath, staring at her dream car.

Her thoughts were interrupted as he had already put her suitcase in the vehicle and was holding the door for her to get in. She blushed as their eyes met, and hastily climbed inside. Sinking into the soft leather seat, she admired the luxurious interior and the impressive dashboard. A thrill washed over her. Riding in a Jeep like this was a dream come true. She drew a deep breath and watched Dimitris walk around the vehicle and get in on the driver’s side.

The powerful engine came to life, and the car took off. Helena had to hold on to her seat as he was driving way too fast for these narrow roads. She glanced over at him, trying hard to control her accelerated heartbeat. His eyes were set on the road, and she had a chance to admire the intriguing profile and the broad shoulders. Her gaze moved to the powerful hands with the long fingers holding steadily onto the wheel. A jolt of desire shot right through her. What would it feel like having those hands touching me…caressing me?

Bewildered, Helena snapped out of it, wondering where those thoughts came from. She hardly knew the man. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, flexing her hands to release some of the tension. What is the matter with me? It’s probably due to the adrenaline rush caused by fear. It just can’t be him.

Turning her gaze to the road ahead of them, she took another deep breath, trying to clear the wild thoughts whirling around in her mind.

She sensed his eyes on her. It took all the strength she could muster to keep from staring back at him. The proximity in the confined area of the car was bad enough; she couldn’t handle getting lost in those gorgeous, dark-brown eyes of his again.

Helena kept silent, and so did he.

Trying to draw her attention from his powerful presence, she started noticing the surroundings. They were going up a hill, and things began to seem familiar. She had forgotten how beautiful this place was.

The road was curving around, and she had a great view of the port and Chora with its little white houses built amphitheatrically, overlooking the water. Over to the side, Helena saw a Greek Orthodox Church built on the edge of the hill, dominating the area.

Something about the Cycladic Islands—a group of thirty-three islands in the Aegean, forming a circle around the sacred island of Delos—made people feel as if they were in a dreamland…sandy beaches, architecture in white and blue, and narrow roads leading uphill to windmills and churches, standing there for hundreds of years, dominating people and nature.

Helena always liked Greek Orthodox churches with their Byzantine paintings, their gold and marble decorations, their vitro windows, and the strong smell of incense in the air.

When she finally saw the house at the top of the hill, she felt restless, and her heart pounded faster. Just as beautiful as she remembered, it stood drowned in red, pink, and white rosebushes while a bougainvillea climbed all the way to the second-floor windows. She remembered the exquisite aroma of the flowers and couldn’t wait to get closer. 

Overwhelmed by emotions, she glanced at the man next to her. He was watching her, his penetrating gaze reaching all the way to her soul. Helena drew a deep breath to calm down and instinctively licked her lips. What is he thinking about? He wasn’t the typical Greek; they usually were so open-hearted and friendly.

As the Jeep pulled into the driveway, the front door swung open, and a beautiful young woman with long black hair came outside. She stood at the top of the marble staircase leading to the veranda in front of the house. Helena felt the urge to jump out of the car and run into her arms. Instead, she climbed out slowly and hesitated, staring at her aunt for a few seconds. Astonished, she saw her aunt launching down the steps and taking her into her arms.

Feeling like a little girl coming home after a long trip, she couldn’t help but glance towards Dimitris. He was staring at her intensely, his gaze burning into her skin.

Helena turned back to her aunt. In her crimson red dress and matching sandals, Sophie was more beautiful than she remembered. Her long shiny hair fell in loose, soft waves onto her shoulders, and her skin was tanned. Admiring her aunt, Helena realized for one more time how pale her own skin was.

Her aunt released her hug and took a step back to take a better look at her. Her sparkling eyes gave away how happy she was to see her.

“Welcome home, Helena,” she said excited and turned to Dimitris, who was waiting patiently by the car. “Isn’t she beautiful? She looks just like an angel.”

Helena’s breath caught in her throat as she heard him agreeing with her aunt. She didn’t have time to say anything as her aunt went on. “You look just the way I thought you would. I always knew the cute little girl with the sweet blue eyes and the long blonde braid would turn into a gorgeous young woman.”

Helena felt her cheeks growing warm, and she spoke quickly so that her aunt wouldn’t have a chance to go on appraising her. “It’s so good to see you again, Aunt Sophie. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Then why did it take you so long to come back?” the man asked in a low tone of voice, sounding somewhat sarcastic.

Helena was taken aback by his intervention and gave him a hard look. How dare he get involved in family matters like this?

Her retort died on her lips when Sophie said, “Dimitris, leave her alone. You know it wasn’t her fault.” Then, smiling warmly, she turned to Helena. “You have to forgive Dimitris. He’s been with us for so long that he gets very protective of the family.”

Helena couldn’t get over her aggravation. Feeling bad enough for not having contacted Sophie all those years, she didn’t appreciate a stranger interfering in a sensitive matter like this. She wanted to set him straight but decided to leave the matter alone for now.

Without giving him another look, she followed her aunt into the house. Going through the mahogany doors, she shivered, feeling his intense gaze burning into her back.

Only after she heard the powerful engine coming to life, she realized she was holding her breath. I never even thanked him for picking me up at the port… Never mind. It serves him right for interfering like this.

***

Dimitris drove too fast for the narrow roads of the island. He had to release some tension. Being so close to her after all those years and trying to act totally unaffected were more than he could handle. She had turned out just as amazing as he had imagined. She was breathtaking… And she didn’t remember him.

I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of the mystery romance bestseller Deadly Secrets.

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Best wishes,

Angel Sefer