The rebel bachelor is back...

To claim her baby!

In this Greek Island Brides story, pregnant surrogate Popi Costas is faced with raising her late sister’s child alone, until the baby’s wealthy uncle arrives to take charge! Apollo Drakos is distractingly handsome, but Popi won’t let that stop her from fighting to keep the baby. Yet as she gets to know the man behind the wild card reputation, Popi’s reconsidering welcoming Apollo into her new little family...

Award-winning author JENNIFER FAYE pens fun, heart-warming, contemporary romances, filled with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published, with books translated into nine languages, she is a two-times winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. She has also won the CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, been named a TOP PICK author, and has been nominated for numerous other awards.

Also by Jennifer Faye

Heiress’s Royal Baby Bombshell

Once Upon a Fairytale miniseries

Beauty and Her Boss

Miss White and the Seventh Heir

Greek Island Brides miniseries

Carrying the Greek Tycoon’s Baby

Claiming the Drakos Heir

And look out for the next book

Coming soon

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Claiming the Drakos Heir

Jennifer Faye

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09117-6

CLAIMING THE DRAKOS HEIR

© 2019 Jennifer F. Stroka

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

TODAY WAS THE WEDDING.

And nothing was going to go wrong.

Popi Costas assured herself that all would be well on this gorgeous autumn day. After all, she’d gone over every detail at least a dozen times. This was the most important wedding that she’d ever planned—even topping the royal wedding they’d hosted earlier that year.

This was the last wedding on Infinity Island before the groom, Xander, brought in work crews to give the private Greek island a much-needed facelift. In fact, they’d been having all the residents pack up their things so they could be put into storage while the renovations took place.

In the meantime, Popi planned to visit with her parents until the work on the island was complete. And after all the misery they’d faced that summer, they all needed some happiness. She could barely believe two months had passed since her adopted sister and brother-in-law had been alive in one breath...

And gone in the next.

How had it all gone so wrong? Popi had asked herself that question countless times. And she’d never come up with a sufficient answer. All she knew was what she’d been told—her sister and brother-in-law had died in a boating accident.

Something had triggered an explosion and no one had escaped the blazing inferno in the middle of the sea. It felt as though a piece of Popi had died along with them. If only she’d have said something... Done something...

She halted her thoughts. Today was about her best friend, Lea, getting married to the love of her life. If two people ever belonged together, it was the two of them—

Knock-knock.

Popi lowered the curling iron she’d been using to put elegant barrel rolls in her long hair. With only half her hair curled, she really didn’t need any interruptions right now. If it was Lea, she would let herself inside. So it had to be someone else. Maybe if she ignored her unwanted guest, they would go away. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

Popi sectioned off more hair and rolled it onto the iron. She needed to get to the reception as soon as possible to make sure everything was in place. Even though she’d just been there less than two hours ago and gone over the plans with the staff for the umpteenth time, she still worried something would go astray.

She didn’t know why she was so nervous. She planned weddings for a living—big ones, small ones, traditional, original and everything in between. But this wedding was for her dearest friend. And Popi needed it to go off without a hitch.

Just then the baby kicked. Being almost nine months pregnant with her niece or nephew added a whole new level of turbulent emotions to the situation. When she’d agreed to be the surrogate for her sister, she never imagined life could be so cruel and at the same time provide such a precious blessing—a little piece of her sister lived on.

Popi placed a protective hand over her abdomen. “Don’t worry, little one. I will make sure you are safe and loved.”

Popi unrolled the iron. She never considered becoming a parent while she was still in her twenties, but there was no way she would turn her back on her sister’s baby. Though she tried to put on a brave face, on the inside she was worried about being a good parent. She’d been reading parenting books but would it be enough?

Her life was about to change in so many ways, as the baby was due in a couple of weeks. Not long at all—

Knock-knock. Knock-knock.

So much for ignoring them.

“Anyone home?” A male voice called out through the open window.

Who could that be?

Popi wasn’t expecting anyone. Everyone she knew was getting ready for the wedding. And then the thought of something going wrong with the wedding had her rushing out of the bathroom in her fluffy, short pink robe that barely fit over her baby bump and with a large portion of her hair pulled up in a big orange clip.

Popi swung the door open. Her gaze took in the man’s scruffy but sexy appearance. From his longish hair to the thick scruff trailing along his dark, tanned jawline—his slack jaw, as though he’d opened his mouth to say something but totally forgot what it was he’d been meaning to say.

His casual white shirt and cargo shorts let her know he wasn’t one of the wedding guests. Nor did he work on the island, as she knew everyone. That meant he must have been hired to help with the island renovations. But what was he doing here today?

When her gaze returned to his face, she noticed his rounded eyes were blue—not just blue, but a light blue that caught and held her attention. But his gaze wasn’t meeting hers. In fact, his gaze was aimed southward.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. “You’re pregnant.”

She stifled a laugh at his obvious discomfort. Had this man never seen a pregnant woman before? Or was she so large now that it bordered on the obscene?

Popi pressed a hand to the small of her back, trying to ease the ache. “You win the gold star for the day. I am indeed pregnant. Very pregnant.” And then realizing that by putting her hand behind her back that her fuzzy robe was straining to cover all her amplified curves, she immediately lowered her arm to her side.

Was it just her or did the man look distinctly pale? Not like he hadn’t seen any sun recently, because he most definitely had a better tan than her, but rather his face had drained of its color.

Struggling not to squirm under his bold stare, she asked, “What can I do for you?”

He cleared his throat and raised his gaze until those dreamy blue eyes finally stared into her own. “Are you Popi?”

“I am.”

“I don’t know if you were expecting me—”

“I wasn’t.” The movers weren’t scheduled to arrive until tomorrow to transfer her belongings to storage. “Today is a really bad day for me.” It was the worst day for a surprise. Her focus was supposed to be on Lea, not anything else. But apparently this very strong, very handsome stranger hadn’t gotten the message.

He had broad shoulders and his shirt clung to his muscled chest, while the short sleeves wrapped snuggly around his bulging biceps. One arm had a tattoo of a map of the world overlaid with a compass. From the looks of this man, he didn’t believe in spending much time indoors. And the sun gods had blessed him with strength and the most amazing tan that accentuated the lines of his muscles.

Popi swallowed hard. Maybe she’d been too focused on her problems lately to notice what was around her. Or else it was the pregnancy hormones. But this guy looked good enough to serve up on the top of a wedding cake.

Realizing she was once again staring, Popi lifted her gaze, finding she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. “You’re early.”

“Early?”

“Yes. You aren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow. I have a wedding today.” But it wouldn’t hurt to get a move on the work, since she hadn’t finished packing, and she wanted to get to the mainland and her parents’ house by tomorrow evening.

Confusion reflected in his eyes. “I didn’t know about any wedding. No one mentioned it.” Then his brows lifted. “Are you getting married?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. Her irritation with him drained away. “Not a chance. It’s my best friend’s wedding and I’m coordinating it.”

“Oh.” He looked caught off guard and unsure what to say or do next.

“No worries.” She stepped back. “Come on in. You can move all the boxes out of the guest room and stack them here in the living room. They’ll be ready for pickup in the morning.”

“You want them moved now?”

“Yes.”

The man’s face creased with worry lines, but she didn’t have time to answer whatever questions he had. How many questions could there be to move boxes from one room to the next?

She checked the time on her watch. “I have to hurry.”

“But—”

“I can’t answer questions now. If it’s too much for you, you’ll have to come back tomorrow.” She turned for the master suite. No moving man, no matter how hot she found him, was going to hold her up. She had a bride waiting for her.

CHAPTER TWO

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

Apollo Drakos stood slack-jawed as the woman sashayed down the hallway, but to be honest her sashay was more like a waddle. A cute waddle, but still a waddle all the same.

How could she still be pregnant?

His attorney had assured him the baby was born, though no one had been able to tell him if it was a boy or girl. Not that it mattered to him. Either way, he was still claiming his niece or nephew.

The attorney had gone on to inform him that Miss Costas would have a strong case to gain full custody of the baby, as well as control over the child’s inheritance. The attorney even seemed to think that with Miss Costas being adopted and not the child’s biological aunt, it wouldn’t be enough to sway the judge from giving her custody. But did Popi really want to take on that responsibility? Or was she doing it out of necessity?

Apollo knew he had no one to blame for this mess but himself. While Popi had been here, helping to make his brother and sister-in-law’s dream of a family into a reality, he’d been off on another adventure—avoiding the fact that he was the unwanted son, the outcast. But he’d come here as soon as he’d heard. That had to count for something, didn’t it?

But how was this going to work now that he knew Popi was still pregnant? Although it did look as though she was going to give birth soon. Not that he was an expert on pregnant women. Yet all of her was thin except for her stomach. It was very round indeed. Funnily enough, from behind you couldn’t even tell she was pregnant. However, the cute little waddle did give it away.

It wasn’t until now—seeing Popi round with a baby—that he realized how much she’d done for his brother and sister-in-law. Not everyone would step up and offer to carry someone else’s baby—certainly not him, if that were even a possibility.

Gathering himself, Apollo pressed his lips together in a firm line. Who exactly did this woman think he was? And where was she moving to with his brother’s baby?

The baby belonged at the Drakos estate, which was situated just outside Athens. It was a place Apollo rarely visited. Though the vast estate was aesthetically beautiful, it held many dark memories. When Apollo was a kid, it felt more like a prison he so desperately wanted to escape. While his older brother, Nile, had been cast as the “good son,” Apollo had been labelled “worthless” by their father.

Apollo slammed the door on the bad memories. But no matter how many times he turned his back on the past, the door would eventually creak open once more. He’d heard it said that you can’t outrun the past. He should know—he’d been trying for years and it was still just a blink away.

He needed to concentrate on the here and now. Everything was such an utter mess. If only he’d have come home when his brother had asked...

But being away on a two-month hiking expedition in the Himalayas, he’d been out of contact with the entire world—including his older brother, Nile. At the time, Apollo found it so freeing. A chance to let go of the ghosts of the past and embrace the present. At the time, he’d had no idea how much that freedom would cost him.

When he’d returned to civilization, he’d been unconscious, injured and alone. By the time he’d been able to speak on the phone, he’d had no one to call about his accident because his brother had been furious with him during their final phone conversation. After surgery and therapy for his broken leg, a private investigator had tracked him down at the hospital. It was then that he’d received the worst news of his life.

His big, strong, protective brother was dead.

Apollo’s footloose and carefree life had come to an end in that moment.

All of the things that he’d put off—all of the words that he’d hesitated to say to Nile—the overdue apology, the thank-you, the I love you, brother—the chance to say any of it had slipped through his fingers. His brother would never know what he meant to him—how much he longed to mend their relationship.

In that moment, Apollo had never felt so alone in his life.

And then in the next breath, the investigator had informed him that he had a niece or nephew. Apollo’s heart had leapt. There was another Drakos in this world. He wasn’t alone.

He had one last chance to make it up to his brother for cutting loose and leaving home all those years ago. He’d let Nile deal with all the Drakos’ business and their father. But on one sunny afternoon, his brother’s life had been cut incredibly short, as was his sister-in-law’s.

A boating accident. Who dies while boating?

It seemed unreal. So implausible. And yet the sharp pain of loss was quite real. And to add salt to the wound, it had happened almost two months ago. His brother and sister-in-law had been laid to rest and Apollo hadn’t been there for any of it because no one knew where he was...except his brother.

He’d once again let down Nile. But that wouldn’t happen again. He was on Infinity Island to retrieve his niece or nephew...even if it meant he had to wait for its very precious arrival.

Apollo’s thoughts turned back to Popi. He knew she’d been through a lot—he knew better than anyone. How would she react when she learned he was there for the baby?

Maybe she’d filed for custody of the baby because she didn’t think he’d want to take responsibility for the baby. Maybe once he explained things to her, she’d realize the baby belonged with him, where the child would be groomed to take over the Drakos empire. Could it really be that simple? Would Popi hand the baby over to him like she’d been planning to do with his brother and her sister?

Apollo thought about following her to the back of the bungalow and reasoning with her. But then he recalled that little pink robe. He swallowed hard. Did she realize it barely covered her? It was so tantalizing, hinting at the curvy goodness that lay beneath. But the robe never really revealed anything scandalous. It was more the knowledge that she didn’t have a thing on underneath that turned his blood red-hot.

He tugged on his shirt collar. It was a bit warm out, even with the sea breeze. His mind was still replaying the images of Popi. He’d gotten a good view of her shapely legs. They were long and smooth. His mouth grew dry. Why did this woman have to be so good-looking? It was a distraction that he didn’t need or want.

His back teeth ground together. He had to get past the superficial. His purpose for coming to the island couldn’t be forgotten. If he stayed focused, he would soon forget about Popi’s finer assets. At least he hoped so.

Apollo walked back out the front door. He started down the steps with no particular destination in mind. He didn’t even know anything about this island, except that the woman who was carrying his last living relative lived here.

He came to a stop and turned. Why was he walking away? Maybe because that’s what he’d been doing his whole life. But no more.

Apollo returned to the porch and took a seat in one of the two wicker chairs. They looked stiff and uninviting, but once he was seated, he found them surprisingly comfortable. He lounged back and decided to learn more about Infinity Island. He pulled out his phone and typed the name into the search engine.

He was surprised by the large number of articles written about the island. In his limited experience with women, he knew it may take Popi quite some time to get ready. He settled back in the chair, pulled up the first article about this “wedding” island and started to read.

To his surprise there was a picture of Popi, smiling at the camera. She was arm and arm with another woman. He wondered if this was today’s bride. The caption beneath the photo said that the other woman was the owner, while Popi was the wedding planner.

Apollo inwardly groaned. This woman believed in hearts, flowers and happily-ever-afters. Those were things he’d purposely avoided all his adult life. What exactly had he gotten himself into? Maybe he should have let his army of attorneys handle it. But he didn’t want to put either of them through a long, drawn-out legal battle. They’d already been through so much—especially Popi.

And so he kept reading about the island. The more he knew, the easier it would be to reason with her, should it come to that. After all, the heir to the Drakos fortune couldn’t be raised in a hut on some small, out-of-the-way island...

A movement out of the corner of his eye had him glancing up. In a whirl of coral gauzy material, and with long brown curls bouncing, Popi walked swiftly away from the bungalow. Apparently she hadn’t noticed him sitting off to the side.

He got to his feet and slipped the phone in his pocket, but in just that small amount of time she’d darted down a path. The problem was there were a lot of paths, and he wasn’t sure which one she’d gone down. How could a very pregnant woman move so quickly?

He knew she was busy with the wedding, but after it was over, perhaps at the reception, he could grab a moment of her time. He just wanted her to know he was here now. She didn’t have to go through the remainder of this pregnancy alone.

CHAPTER THREE

SHE DIDN’T NEED any more complications.

Popi made a mental note to let the supervisor in charge of the move know about the man showing up at her bungalow on the wrong day. And on top of it, the man hadn’t done anything she’d instructed him to do. In fact, the man had done absolutely nothing. He better not even try to charge time for today. She wouldn’t stand for it.

Popi headed straight for the Hideaway Café. She refused to let herself get utterly distracted by that man—no matter how sexy he was with those mesmerizing blue eyes and that intriguing tattoo on his bicep. She halted her thoughts. She had a very important wedding today. Everything else would have to wait until another time—including the mystery man.

Popi came to a stop on the patio of the café. This was Lea’s dream wedding spot. It had the most awesome view of the bay, but as beautiful as the view was, it wasn’t Popi’s vision for saying “I do.” Whenever she got married, she loved the idea of a lush garden. Intimate and yet with hundreds of colorful blooms in every shade imaginable.

Popi paused to take in the view. She’d worked closely with Lea to plan this wedding down to the finest detail. Lea had told her not to push so hard, but Popi needed to focus on the wedding. Working was her way of dealing with the loss of her sister. The work kept her grounded when everything around her felt as though it was spinning out of control.

All the outdoor white tables with their colorful umbrellas had been removed to make room for rows of white folding chairs. Lea had opted for wildflowers, which included locally grown orchids. Popi hadn’t been sure about the idea, but now seeing them in arrangements throughout the venue, she had to admit it looked stunning.

There was little more than an hour until the wedding—time that would be needed to get the bride ready. Though Lea had moved to the island little more than a year ago, she was embracing the Greek culture, and the older women on the island had filled Lea’s head with all the wedding traditions. Lea was excited to merge some of the old ways with some of her own traditions. It would make for a beautiful wedding.

After inspecting the venue preparations, Popi took off for Lea’s bungalow. Thankfully there was a golf cart at the offices. She planned to acquire it, as her feet were getting tired and the event hadn’t even begun. Carrying around an extra human was taxing.

She placed a hand on her aching lower back. “Not that I’d have it any other way. We’ll make your parents proud.”

She sat in the cart and then set off down the familiar path. One of the first Greek traditions they’d dealt with was setting the wedding date. When the elders on the island had heard the wedding was to be in August, they immediately spoke up. They advised that if the wedding must be in August, then the first two weeks of the month should be avoided at all costs, as they were reserved for religious reasons.

Neither Lea nor Popi were very religious, but, they reasoned, why tempt fate and the ire of the elders? As such, they planned the wedding for the last weekend in the month. Everyone seemed pleased with the decision, as Xander had arranged for a cruise ship to take everyone from the island for a Mediterranean cruise right after the reception.

The plan was, while they were all off on a two-week cruise, followed by temporary lodgings in Athens, the island would undergo extensive renovations. When the citizens were allowed to return to their bungalows, everything would be updated and the crews would be out of their way. It was quite an amazing gift from the bridegroom to his new extended family.

A couple of minutes later, Popi pulled to a stop in front of Lea’s bungalow. The bridegroom wasn’t there. He was bunking with the island’s handyman, Joseph, until the wedding. In the time Xander had been on the island, the older man had taken him under his wing, like a father would do.

When Popi entered the bungalow, she was surprised to find so many women rushing around. But she didn’t see Lea among them. And then her name was called. She glanced around, finding Lea waving her to the guest room.

Popi made her way to Lea. Once inside the room, she closed the door. “What are you doing in here instead of your room?”

Lea rolled her eyes. “The elders are so caught up in the wedding. They think my soon-to-be husband is in line to be a saint for all he’s doing for them that they don’t want to jinx anything.”

“Do I dare ask what that means?”

“They’re preparing the marital bed... Um...what did they call it? Oh, yes, to krevati.”

“What?” She’d heard of the tradition but she’d never heard of anyone actually doing it. “You mean like with the rose petals, ribbons and money?”

“And rice. Don’t forget the rice. They’ve been here cleaning and putting fresh linens on the bed. I had to talk them out of rolling an infant on the bed. I told them we didn’t need any help in the fertility department.” Lea ran a loving hand over her own expanding midsection.

Popi burst out laughing. “Definitely not. But they could have just rolled you around on the bed.”

“Don’t give them any ideas.” Lea shook her head. “So I’ve been hiding in here.”

“You don’t have time to hide. It isn’t long until you say ‘I do.’ I’ll just go get some makeup and I’ll be right back.”

Popi was the maid of honor, or koumbara, and it was her responsibility to see that the bride was ready on time. The rest of the bridal party soon showed up, including Lea’s assistant and her soon to be sister-in-law, Stasia. Because an odd number of attendants was good luck. And three attendants were the best.

Together they worked until Lea was all done up with her long hair pulled up with just a few strategically placed curly wisps of hair softening her face. A wreath of fresh flowers was clipped into place.

Popi stepped back and took in Lea’s dress. It was truly breathtaking. White tiers of Chantilly lace, tulle and ribbons adorned her. There was a V-shaped neckline with delicate straps over her shoulders and satin ribbon wrapped around her waist. She truly looked like a Greek goddess.

“You’re perfect,” Popi announced. And the other young women readily agreed.

“Not quite.” Lea slipped off her white heels.

“What are you doing?” Popi frowned. “Is it your shoes? Is something wrong with them?”

Lea shook her head. “Does someone have a pen?”

“I do.” Stasia pulled a fine black marker from her purse.

Popi watched as Lea wrote the names of her bridal party on the bottom of her shoes. Lea had written her name first, before Popi could tell her not to do it. It was another Greek tradition that the names of the single ladies be written on the bottom of the bride’s shoes. The names that are worn off by the end of the evening will soon be married. Popi was certain that her name would still be there, because there was no chance she was getting married anytime soon. She already had her hands more than full with the little bundle of joy inside her.

As though the baby sensed her thoughts, it kicked. Once. Twice. And the last kick was swifter than the others, sending Popi bending over. She pressed a hand to the area where she’d been kicked.

“Are you okay?” Lea asked, concern written all over her face, as well as the other ladies.

Popi drew in a deep, soothing breath and straightened. “Yeah. I think I have a footballer in there.”

“Oh.” Lea smiled.

“Don’t smile,” Popi said. “Your time is coming.”

Lea continued to smile as she pressed a hand to her baby bump. “It’ll all be worth it in the end.”

Popi smiled. “You just keep telling yourself that when the baby starts tap-dancing on your bladder.”

Lea’s smile dimmed. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Knock-knock.

Popi went to the door and opened it a crack. On the other side was the photographer. After glancing around to make sure the coast was clear of the groom, Popi admitted the photographer. It was almost time to head to the Hideaway.

After today, their lives were going to change dramatically. Her friend would be married, with a baby created from that love already on the way. It didn’t get any better than that. Popi was so happy for her—for all of them.

Sometimes Popi wondered if the baby she was carrying would feel like they’d missed out on something by not having a father. But then again, they most certainly would feel cheated by never knowing either of their biological parents. A sadness filled Popi. If only she could change the past.

She recalled her last conversation with her sister. Neither suspected it would be the last time they spoke. And the conversation had gone totally sideways.

Popi blamed herself for the heated exchange...for Andrina and Nile being on that boat at that particular time...for them needlessly dying. Popi’s throat tightened. Her breath caught in her lungs. If only she’d said something different—if she’d had more patience—then they’d both still be alive. If that conversation had gone differently, her sister and brother-in-law would be here, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first child. She was positive of it.

The photographer bumped into her, jarring her from the emotional black hole that threatened to swallow her whole. The man turned to her. “Sorry. Would you mind helping the bride with her hair so I can get a few photos?”

Not trusting her voice, Popi nodded.

Today was not the time to contemplate her sister’s death. Today was about smiles, hopes and good tidings. Popi choked down all her worries and smiled. Lea deserved nothing but happiness on her big day.

* * *

He didn’t want to be here.

But on this small island, places to wait for Popi were limited. And the wedding appeared to be taking place in a common area of the village.

Apollo found himself standing off to the side. No one seemed to make a big deal of him being there. They acted as though he was just another wedding guest. Some even shook his hand and greeted him.

Up until now, Apollo had done nothing but make one mistake after the next since the day he was born. He thought he’d have time to fix things—to change his ways. After all, he was young. There was plenty of time to make up for the past, but then suddenly out of nowhere he’d been blindsided when time had run out for Nile and his wife, Andrina. And now he owed it to his brother not to mess things up where the baby was concerned.

As he thought of Nile, the breath hitched in Apollo’s throat. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. He was the adventure seeker—the daredevil. If something bad had to happen, it should have been to him. Not his brother. None of this made any sense.

A flurry of motion drew Apollo from his thoughts. The wedding guests took their seats. Not wanting to stand out any more than he already did with his casual attire, Apollo took a seat in the back. The classical music started. Two pretty women started up the aisle.

And then Popi appeared at the end of the aisle, holding a bouquet of teal blossoms. She looked radiant. Her smile lit up her whole face. All he could do in that minute was stare at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. It was the same sort of stunned reaction he’d experienced at her place, when he’d found her in the very short, very revealing pink robe. He couldn’t decide which look he preferred on her. Both looks had their alluring qualities.

It was in that moment her gaze lifted, meeting his. The breath caught in his chest. Her big brown eyes were mesmerizing. He felt as though he were being drawn into her chocolate-brown depths. His heart beat faster, as time felt as though it had been suspended.

She was looking right at him as she stepped forward. His mouth grew dry. He should turn away, but he couldn’t. She was amazing in every way.

And then she passed by him and kept going to where the priest and groom waited. Apollo didn’t take an easy breath until the bride moved to the end of the aisle.

The wedding proceeded slowly and they had finally come to the blessing of the rings. The wedding bands were exchanged three times. Apollo rolled his shoulders. He willed the wedding to hurry up and end, but they were just now taking three sips of wine as a symbol of sharing for the rest of their marriage. He’d forgotten about three being such a significant number in Greek culture.

When they made it to the traditional readings, he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. He’d done far too much sitting on planes in order to get to this little, out-of-the-way island as fast as he could. And his injuries were not taking all the sitting in one position well.

When the ceremony finally ended and the guests were directed to the garden area next to the café where the reception was being held, Apollo fell in step with everyone else. He was surprised when he only received a few odd glances at his choice of casual attire. How was he supposed to know when he’d ventured to Infinity Island that his trip would include a wedding?

He kept trying to catch Popi alone, but she was forever talking with this person or that person. He just wanted a brief word with her. He hoped once she knew he wanted custody of the child that she’d withdraw her petition. And in the meantime, he’d pay for her medical expenses and anything else she needed. Could it be that simple?

Apollo didn’t miss how Popi spoke to everyone she passed. There were a lot of hugs and smiles. Everyone was enjoying themselves. He was impressed with how this group of people could act like one big, happy, functional family, whereas his own blood relatives had never experienced anything close to this easiness with each other. Not that he ever needed a close-knit family. He did fine on his own.

Apollo’s father had had two loves in his life while Apollo was growing up: the family business and his bottle of bourbon. Nile inherited their father’s passion for the family business. Apollo never forgot Nile’s obsession with all things Drakos. The thing Apollo never figured out was whether his brother’s interest in the business was an effort to please their demanding father or if Nile just loved the business world to the exclusion of all else—until he’d met Andrina.

Everything had changed after Nile fell for Andrina. It was evident in his phone calls with his brother. Nile’s voice had been full of happiness and he’d grown excited about the future, which was no longer centered on the business, but instead Nile was excited about the family he and Andrina were creating. However, Apollo didn’t believe that happiness lasted.

And then he’d been proven right, again. The news of their deaths was like a one-two punch to the kidney. Emotionally it had knocked him out.

In a blink, his brother had been stolen away. Even now the pain of loss emanated outward from Apollo’s chest. He didn’t know how Popi was holding it all together—maybe it was due to the baby. She was being strong for it. He had to admire such strength and courage.

It was then that Popi approached him. And by her stiff posture, he was certain she was not happy about him crashing this wedding. Maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea after all, but he was there now so he might as well stay and get this over with.

He was propped against a tall white column. He didn’t move, as Popi was headed straight for him. “What are you doing here?” Her gaze narrowed. “You aren’t part of the moving crew, are you?”

“Never said I was.”

“But you let me believe you were.”

“As I recall, you were in too much of a hurry to get the details.”

Popi crossed her arms and glared at him. “Who are you?”

He cleared his throat. “I tried to tell you back at the bungalow—”

Just then there was the tinkle of a glass as people were called to take a seat for dinner. The bride motioned for Popi to join her at the head table.

Popi signaled that she was coming before she turned back to him. “I have to go.”

Without waiting for him to respond, she turned her back to him and walked away. His gaze naturally followed the sway of her hips.

“This isn’t over.” The gentle breeze carried his words, but Popi was too far away to hear him.

He’d walked away from his brother, not intending for it to be forever, but that’s exactly what had happened. He would never again speak to Nile, argue with him or take comfort in his brother’s concern for his well-being. Without Nile, he utterly felt adrift in this great big world.

And then when he’d been informed about Nile’s child—his last living link to his brother—Apollo knew in that moment that he had to set things right. Or as right as was possible. He owed Nile that much and so much more.

In the next breath, the attorney had informed him that Popi was seeking custody. If he didn’t stop her, he would lose a tangible link to his brother—his only chance to do the right thing as far as his brother was concerned.

Apollo had vowed then and there to never walk away from the baby. It was all the family he had left. He would learn from his past and not make the same mistakes again—the stakes were too high.

Apollo was generally straightforward, but with a baby involved perhaps a gentler approach was in order. His father had been a very blunt man. Apollo knew how it felt to be on the receiving end of that bluntness. He wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Maybe a bit of charm and a few kind words would smooth the path to claiming his niece or nephew. He didn’t know if it’d work, but it was worth a try. He didn’t want to make this harder on Popi than it needed to be. But in the end, he intended for the baby to live with him at the Drakos estate.

CHAPTER FOUR

POPI BARELY ATE her dinner at the reception.

Her gaze kept moving over the crowd of well-wishers, searching for the strikingly handsome man. He seemed so familiar to her and yet she was certain they hadn’t met before, but how could that be?

And what did he want with her? If he was a disgruntled client, he would want to speak with Lea, as she was the owner of the island and the wedding business. But Popi hadn’t noticed a wedding ring on his finger.

Lea leaned over. “Is everything all right?”

Not wanting to alarm the bride on her big day, Popi said, “Yes, of course.”

Lea’s brows drew together. “Then why haven’t you eaten?”

Popi glanced down. At one point, the food had looked appetizing, but now her stomach was a twisted-up ball of nerves. “I...um...was just distracted.”

Lea arched a fine brow at her. “Distracted, huh? With that handsome guy I saw you chatting with?”

Popi’s gaze searched the area, not finding any sign of him. She didn’t know what to say to Lea. She didn’t want the bride worrying about the mystery man.

“Popi?”

She turned back to the bride. “He’s, um, with the movers. There was some kind of mix-up and he showed up a day early. I hope him crashing the wedding hasn’t upset you.”

A look of disappointment skittered across Lea’s face. “So he wasn’t here at your invitation?”

Popi gave a firm shake of her head.

“I’ll have him escorted off the island—”

“No. Don’t.” There was something about his serious tone and the feeling she should know him that had her anxious to learn his story. “I’ve got it.”

Lea looked hesitant. “You’re sure?”

Popi nodded. The truth was she wasn’t sure about anything—especially why this man was so eager to speak with her.

Lea let the subject drop. And with the mystery man now gone, Popi forced herself to eat a few bites of food. The evening moved along with the groom, Xander, dancing the traditional zeibekiko. The crowd clapped as Xander’s arms rose over his head. He snapped his fingers as he moved in a tight circle. He stopped in front of Lea and dropped to his knees, still waving his arms over his head. The crowd loved it, most especially Lea. The smile on the bride’s face lit up the whole room.

One dance led to another. The bride and groom were all smiles, as they had eyes only for each other. Popi considered this wedding a success. She took her first easy breath.

And the next thing she knew, she was being led around the dance floor by the best man, Roberto, who was also Xander’s close friend and second-in-command. She’d met him more than once, and though Lea was anxious for them to hit it off, it wasn’t going to happen. Popi couldn’t put her finger on why. He was definitely handsome and successful, but neither one was into the other. They were becoming fast friends, but that’s all it would ever be.

Partway through the song, there was a tap on Roberto’s shoulders. Popi’s gaze followed the finger up the arm and then her gaze settled upon the sexy stranger’s face. Apparently it was time for their talk. She had to admit that she was anxious to learn his identity and what he had to tell her.

“Can I cut in?” The stranger wore a serious expression.

Roberto, looking caught off guard, stopped dancing. “Um...” His gaze moved to her and she nodded. “Thank you for the dance.” Roberto turned back to the other man. “She’s all yours.”

The man took Popi in his quite capable arms, but there was no escaping their closeness with her protruding abdomen. No one had long enough arms to allow for much room between them—not even this man.

“What are you doing?” Her voice came out in a heated whisper.

“Dancing. With you.” He led her around the dance floor.

“But I don’t know your name. I don’t even understand why you’re at the wedding—”

“Shh... I’ll answer all your questions after one dance. That seems like a fair bargain, doesn’t it?” He smiled at her, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

His words were smooth, but she got the impression there was more going on here than him trying to pick her up. Although, a man with his striking good looks being interested in dancing with a woman almost nine months pregnant was an offer she couldn’t turn down.

She nodded her consent.

His muscled arm moved to her waist while he took her hand in his and held it to his chest. Her heart was racing madly. She assured herself it was the physical activity and nothing to do with the handsome man holding her in his arms.

His gaze met hers and held it. She wasn’t able to read his thoughts, but that didn’t keep her heart from continuing to race. Was it wrong to acknowledge that he was the sexiest man at the wedding? On the island?

As she stared into his blue eyes, she was caught off guard by a glimmer of pain lurking just beneath the surface. Normally when she looked into someone’s eyes, there was a light there, but in this mysterious stranger’s case, it was as if that light had been snuffed out. Someone had hurt him—hurt him deeply. Sympathy welled up in her. She was all too familiar with pain that balled up inside and made it difficult to eat, sometimes to inhale a full breath.

He glanced away, breaking the contact. So he wasn’t into sharing either, not that it was any of her business. But she couldn’t help but be intrigued by him. Again, she was struck by his familiarity, but she was certain they hadn’t previously met. There was no way that she would forget someone as good-looking as him.

The song playing in the background was a classic: “Moondance.” As the singer’s deep voice wafted through the air, Popi’s dance partner guided her around the crowded dance floor. White twinkle lights were strung overhead, casting a soft glow over the area.

But all Popi had eyes for was the handsome man holding her in his arms as though she belonged there. For just this moment, reality, with all its sorrow, rolled away.

When his gaze met hers once more, there was something different reflected in his blue eyes. Was it interest? In her? Her heart skipped a beat. How could he desire her in her current condition? Impossible. Wasn’t it?

For this one dance, she allowed herself the luxury of pretending that he was her lover. What could it hurt? It’d been so very long since she’d felt anything but the heavy weight of guilt and the darkness of grief.

For this one dance beneath the starry sky, she’d allow herself to be happy.

* * *

It’d been a long time since he’d danced.

And he was surprised to find he enjoyed holding Popi close.

Realizing he was enjoying it too much, Apollo guided them off to a quiet corner of the dance floor. His intent was to have a serious conversation with her, but this close contact was detrimental to his thought process.

He drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to cool his heated blood. There was something about this woman that got past his practiced defenses. And right now, talking was the last thing on his mind.

Blindly following his desires was how he’d gotten himself into a number of jams in the past, from angry fathers with shotguns to returning to camp, where a tribal leader and anxious bride awaited him. He was older now, more responsible. But that didn’t make Popi any less enchanting.

Get it together. He mustered up an image of the legal documents—papers that would steal away his last link to his brother. Suddenly his heated blood cooled and his thoughts became more focused.

And then he turned his gaze back to Popi. Perhaps he’d made a miscalculation by lingering at this wedding. He should have waited to speak with her. But he’d already waited too long to take his rightful place in the Drakos family. Guilt and determination kept him from walking away.

If only Popi didn’t look so captivating, he’d be able to sort his thoughts—to speak his mind. His gaze continued to take in her beauty. Her hair was pinned up with just a few wispy strands of hair around her neck—ringlets that teased and tempted him to reach out and wrap them around his finger. And her gown hugged her curves and dipped low enough to hint at her tempting cleavage.

His mouth grew dry and his hands grew damp. Testosterone challenged his common sense. She looked so fine—very different from his sister-in-law, whom he recalled being a lot less curvy and had portrayed a more serious demeanor. And his old self would have swept Popi off her feet by now. It was so difficult being responsible and doing what was proper when his entire body longed to do all those improper things with Popi.

He blamed this instant attraction on this island. His research had unearthed that Infinity Island was famous for its romances. Marriages started here were rumored to last forever. Was it possible that it did hold some sort of magical power? Instead of a love potion, perhaps the island cast a love spell over its inhabitants.

Because right now, he was losing the struggle. All he could think about was kissing Popi. It didn’t matter that they barely knew each other or that she was very, very pregnant. It was the way the moonlight was reflected in her eyes.

And then there was the way she looked at him when she hadn’t thought he was paying attention. She was just as drawn to him as he was to her. That was the final part of his undoing.

Popi tilted her chin upward until their gazes met. “What’s the matter?”

“In this moment, nothing.”

“Then why did you stop dancing? Are you ready to answer my questions?”

He smiled at her tenacity, but he wasn’t ready to ruin this moment with the harshness of reality. It would happen soon enough. He drew her close again as the remaining verses of the song played. He heard the swift intake of her breath as her eyes widened. “The song isn’t quite over.”

Their bodies swayed together, but their feet didn’t move.

He lowered his head to her ear. Softly he said, “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

And then without thinking of the consequences—the right and wrong—he turned his head. He caught her lips. Part of him expected her to pull away—another part of him willed her to meet him halfway.

And then her mouth moved beneath his. His heart slammed into his ribs. Her glossy lips moved with eagerness. His tongue sought entrance. Her mouth widened, causing a moan to swell in the back of his throat.

Was this really happening? Could this amazing woman really be this into him? In that moment, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than her.

Being alone for so long—just him and nature—it got so lonely at times. Not that he’d ever admitted it to anyone. But with Popi in his arms, he had a glimpse of what life might be like if he were to let someone get close.

Her hand reached up and wrapped around his neck. In that moment, he lost his fingertip-hold on reality. Popi leaned into him. Her lips moved over his, taking the lead in this arousing dance. She was so hot that everywhere she touched him, he felt singed. And he didn’t want her to stop.

He’d kept to himself for too long. He told himself that was why her kiss was sweeter than the passion fruit Moscato wine being passed around the wedding. He assured himself it was all an illusion that would soon pass. But the longer they kissed, the more he craved her.

Apollo let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist. Her baby bump kept him from being able to pull her as close as he would like. It was a reminder that this wasn’t a fantasy. Popi was very much flesh and blood.

He should stop this. He should put some distance between them. He took a small step back—at least he thought it was a step—but Popi was still leaning into him as their lips moved hungrily over each other.

Her fingers spread out over his chest, scattering his thoughts of ending things. The V-neck of his shirt allowed her fingertips to touch his bare skin. It was as though just by her touch alone, she branded him as her own.

No woman, no kiss, had ever affected him so deeply. It was like they’d been made for each other. She was the half that made him whole.

A drum roll echoed through the garden and pounded reality back into his head. He pulled back and looked at her. It took them each a moment to catch their breath. He hadn’t come here to kiss Popi. His fingers moved over his mouth, still remembering the softness of her touch. He drew in an uneven breath.

Kissing her had been a mistake. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to talk to her—to look at her—without recalling that earth-moving kiss. And he couldn’t afford to be distracted. There was too much at stake.

He stepped away. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

Popi’s gaze darkened. “The song has ended. Now I want answers. Who are you?”

“Do you really not recognize me?”

“No.” She studied his face. “Why should I know you? Are you famous?”

“In a manner of speaking.” He’d been fodder for the tabloids off and on his whole life. Billionaire heir spotted here...spotted there. “I’m Apollo Drakos.”

Her mouth gaped. Her eyes reflected the rampant thoughts racing through her mind. It took her a moment to press her glossy lips together.

Popi’s gaze narrowed. “Where have you been? We tried to reach you right after the accident, but no one knew what had happened to you.”

“It doesn’t matter—”

“Of course it matters.” Her voice assumed an accusatory tone. “You should have been here.”

His muscles tensed as yet another person heaped guilt on him. He deserved the condemnation and accusations, but there was nothing she could say that he hadn’t already said to himself.

“I’m here now.”

“Then you know about the accident and that we had the funeral—”

“I know all of it. My attorney filled me in.”

Her gaze searched his. “Then what are you doing here on the island?”

“I’m here to claim the Drakos heir.”

CHAPTER FIVE

NO. THAT CAN’T be true.

Popi’s arms immediately wrapped around her midsection. She’d heard rumors about the man standing before her. Apollo was known to be reckless and selfish. No way was he going to steal away into the night with this baby. Not on her watch. But try as she might, the rush of words clogged up in her throat. The back of her eyes stung with tears of frustration and a flurry of hormones.

Popi’s sister, Andrina, had said Apollo was a playboy—taking what he wanted and leaving a string of broken hearts across the globe. But Popi considered herself lucky. He’d stolen a kiss, not her heart.

Okay, maybe they’d shared much more than a fleeting kiss. But something had clicked between them when they’d been chest to heaving chest, lip to eager lip.

Maybe she’d let herself sympathize with the pain that had been reflected in his eyes. Maybe her own grief had her acting out of character. Whatever had her lip-dancing with him, it had nothing whatsoever to do with her heart.

She knew Mr. Globetrotter over there lived off his very large trust fund. He never put down roots anywhere. From all Popi had gathered, she had been certain he wouldn’t want to complicate his carefree life with a baby.

And with her own parents getting older, they weren’t up to the day-to-day care of a baby. That left her to raise her sister’s child. And that’s why she’d spoke with an attorney to get the adoption started.

“This surely can’t come as a surprise,” he said.

Her brows drew together in confusion. “You mean you showing up on the island unwanted and uninvited? Or did you mean you trying to charm me with your smooth words and kiss—”

“I wasn’t trying to charm you. We both got caught up with the music and the dancing. It wasn’t all one way.” His pointed gaze met hers. When she opened her mouth to deny the accusation, he continued. “Don’t bother. Remember I was on the other end of that kiss.”

Wordlessly, she pressed her lips together. Perhaps it was best to pretend that kiss hadn’t happened—for both of their sakes.

Though the music of the reception floated in the background, Popi was no longer in the mood to laugh and smile. Yes, she would have to go back to the party and put on a happy face, but not before she set a few things straight.

“You’ve wasted your time coming here,” she said. “When this baby is born, I’m not going to allow you to walk away with it.” Not a chance. She’d heard way too many stories about this guy, who acts first and thinks later. The baby wouldn’t be safe with him.

He pressed his hands to this trim waist. “You can’t stop me. I’m its uncle.”

“I’m the aunt.”

They stood quietly, glaring back and forth. Each waited for the other to back down. He’d be waiting a very long time, because she was never going to back down. This baby was too important.

From the stories she’d heard of Apollo, he had been a wild child. And as an adult, he did and said what he wanted without care to others. So why had he grown quiet? Why not say what he really thought? That she wasn’t deserving of raising his niece or nephew, because secretly she had her own reservations. The guilt over her sister’s death continued to eat at her.

Popi shoved aside the troubling thoughts. “You have some nerve coming here months after your brother and sister-in-law’s deaths and throwing around demands. Where were you for the funeral?”

Apollo glanced down at the ground. She’d hit a nerve. Perhaps he wasn’t as self-centered as her sister had let on. Perhaps there was a bit more to Apollo. But not enough to just turn the baby over to him. That wasn’t going to happen, even if this man turned out to be a saint, which she knew he wasn’t.

When her sister had first approached her about being a surrogate, Popi had outright rejected the idea. She’d thought she was too young to go through everything involved with pregnancy—not to mention the associated pain.

She’d told Andrina to find another way. Looking back, Popi felt so bad about giving her sister such a hard time. At the time, she hadn’t known about her sister’s repeated miscarriages that had devastated both Andrina and Nile. Her sister had held it all in, not wanting her family to know that she felt like a failure as a mother and wife. But when the news came out, not one of them thought any such thing.

When Andrina had finally let her guard down with Popi, something wonderful had happened. As Andrina had explained about the emotional roller coaster that she and Nile had been on, the sisters grew closer than they’d ever been before. Popi then saw the surrogacy in a new light—a chance to cement their relationship—to be more like blood siblings than two adopted orphans.

And this stranger wasn’t going to walk in here after the fact and take away her last link to her sister. It just wasn’t going to happen.

“Where have you been all of this time?” Popi hoped to drive home the fact that she had always been there. When her family needed her, she was there for them. Just like she’d be there when this baby needed her.

Apollo rubbed the back of his neck. And then in almost a mumble, he uttered a response, but it was too soft for Popi to pick it up over the sound of the music.

“What did you say?”

He lifted his head. In his eyes, she could see the torment reflected in them. For a moment, it stilled her breath. She didn’t know what to do with this new information. It was so much easier to fight him when she thought he was a selfish jerk without any worry for anyone else.

“I was out of contact while hiking in the Himalayas.”

That would explain the tan and the very defined muscles. And it would also explain his absence from the funeral. As much as she wanted to cling to his absence from that awful time, she could tell he was riddled with guilt over it. She knew a lot about being plagued with guilt.

But that didn’t change the fact that she was better suited to be a parent. She had a job. A stable life. A home. And lots of caring people to help her raise this child. What was it they said? Oh, yes: it takes a village. And she was blessed enough to have a loving village.

What did he have?

Popi thought for a moment before speaking. She didn’t want to escalate this situation. If she could reason with him, it would be best for everyone concerned—most especially the baby.

“I know you’re concerned about the child.” She noticed he didn’t try to argue and so she continued. “I also know you lead a very active lifestyle, which isn’t conducive to having an infant or a small child.” When he started a rebuttal, she held up her hand, stopping him. “I also understand you might feel the pressure to do the right thing. But I want you to know that the right thing is to leave the baby with me to raise while you continue to explore the Amazon and hike the Himalayas or whatever.”

His gaze narrowed in on her. “So that you can take control of the Drakos fortune?”

“What?” She knew her brother-in-law was rich—more than rich—but she never considered the money when she’d decided to adopt the baby. She never stopped to realize that the baby would be heir to a fortune. “No, that’s not it.”

Apollo’s gaze said that he didn’t believe her. “You will never get your hands on that money.”

Her heart sunk. She thought Apollo had come here to claim the baby out of some sort of obligation or maybe even love for his brother. It never even occurred to her that this would be some sort of power move. A chance to control the family business that he’d been excluded from in favor of his older brother.

She shook her head in frustration. At that point, she could hear voices over the speaker system. It was time for the champagne toast, followed by the bridal-bouquet toss. Though Lea had been adamant about incorporating the Greek traditions in honor of her groom, she’d also introduced some American traditions and married them, as Lea liked to say.

“I have to go,” Popi said. “In the future, your attorney can contact mine.” And with that she walked away, not even waiting for him to speak.

Before Apollo’s arrival, Popi had been determined to protect the child and keep it with her, and this conversation had only solidified her position. Apollo was going to walk away empty-handed.

* * *

That kiss.

Oh, that kiss.

Apollo inwardly groaned. It was the most arousing, addictive kiss of his life. And it had ended much, much too quickly. The fact that Popi had wanted him just as much had been a surprise.

As good as the kiss had been, it had been a mistake. And just when he’d promised himself that he was going to be responsible and do what was best for the family—for the baby. Because he owed it to his brother’s memory.

And right about now, he was certain Nile would be frowning at him. He’d let his desires rule, but that was the last time. He didn’t care how beautiful Popi was, as he could ignore her charms. He could be the responsible man his brother always believed he was capable of being.

That meant stepping up and becoming a father to his niece or nephew. The acknowledgment of that was immense.

But Apollo was done walking away.

He’d done that enough in his life.

This time he was staying. He would do what was right.

Being a father meant giving up his freedom. Nile would say that it was past time, and perhaps he was right after this latest accident. It had opened Apollo’s eyes to what was important—family. He never got to tell his brother that—he never got to thank his brother for never giving up on him.

The only thing he could do now for his brother was to make sure his son or daughter was raised as a Drakos and received all the privileges that afforded them.

And that left Popi. Unlike her and her claim for sole custody, he would not exclude her from the child’s life. He didn’t know how exactly it would work, but he wouldn’t exile Popi from the child she’d carried. There had to be a reasonable compromise. He just needed time to think.

It was late in the evening and Apollo was still on the island. In fact, he’d taken up residence on Popi’s porch. He didn’t like being dismissed. His father used to do it and it grated on Apollo’s nerves.

He settled back in the chair and stared into the night. He recalled the determination written all over Popi’s beautiful face when it came to raising the baby. But it wasn’t going to stop him. He hadn’t been there for his brother, but he was here now for his nephew or niece.

He’d already had the most highly recommended nanny put on retainer. She was just waiting for his word and she would move into his family’s grand estate, just outside Athens. There was a very talented cook. And then there was Anna, the housekeeper. A smile tugged at his lips when he recalled Anna. She never put up with anyone’s nonsense, including his. Everybody necessary to provide for his niece or nephew would be awaiting them. It would be just as it was when he was young.

Apollo stopped rocking the chair on Popi’s porch. Was that what he wanted for the baby? A life like he had?

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of footsteps on the crushed-seashell walk drew Apollo from his thoughts. It was dark out now. The reception had gone on for quite a while. And then there had been the toot of the ferryboat sweeping the guests off to the mainland.

The bright moonlight streaming down illuminated Popi’s face. Apollo had to admit that if circumstances were different—way different—he would have been drawn to Popi. The fact that she was single and carrying someone else’s baby didn’t diminish the attraction.

The distinct intake of breath let him know that she’d spotted him, not that he’d been hiding.

Popi stomped up the couple of steps to the porch. She turned to him and pressed her hands to her hips. “What are you still doing here?”

He got to his feet. “I told you I wasn’t leaving.”

In the shadows, he wasn’t able to see her clearly, but he got the distinct impression she was glaring at him. So be it. He wasn’t here to make her happy—nor himself for that matter. He was here to make sure the right thing was done concerning the child. And that was for it be raised as a Drakos. He would teach them what they needed to know to take over the Drakos legacy, the way his brother would have done.

Toot-toot.

Another ferry was about to pull out with its load of happy but weary wedding guests. And that was just fine with him because he didn’t want any other interruptions. He needed to get through to Popi that whatever she had planned for the baby wasn’t going to happen.

She moved toward the door. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”

He moved in front of her. Having the entire evening alone, he’d formulated a plan. “I think you should move to Athens until the baby is born.”

“Where I give birth is none of your concern. Now I’m going to bed. Good night, Mr. Drakos.”

And without another word, she moved past him and entered the bungalow. The door slammed shut behind her.

When he’d arrived on the island, he hadn’t known what to expect. It certainly hadn’t been this very determined, very frustrating woman. But he could be just as stubborn.

He would not walk away from the baby—not like he walked away from his brother. He would be the man his brother wanted him to be. It was the least he could do.

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