Angel Sefer's Blog, page 20

My review of The Power of Present Moment by Sanjeev Kumar

 A very enlightening book, August 1, 2016By AngelThis review is from: Practicing the Power of Present Moment (Paperback)It opened my eyes to a new way of thinking, like “celebrating each and every moment, whether it is painful or blissful.”
Reading this book, I realized that I’d spent a large part of my life thinking about the past or worrying about the future. No wonder, I’m under so much stress.
I found useful advice to dissolve stress and bring peace of mind into my life. It takes determination and daily practice, but I believe that by applying what I’ve read, I’ll be able to focus on the important things in life, battle memory loss, and control short temper, anger, and fear.
Read my review on Amazon

Beautiful Greek Islands

Greece...a country of natural beauty and rich history. Beside the beautiful sights of the mainland, Greece has over 6000 islands to choose from your next vacation destination.
Enjoy...

Excerpt from mystery thriller romance The Heiress of Santorini - Chapter One

THE HAUNTING HEADLINE of the newspaper article stirred emotional turmoil that threatened to engulf Alexandra. Mixed feelings of anxiety and rage shot her pulse into overdrive. What if they find out about me? She shuddered at the thought. Clenching her teeth, she slammed her fist against the desk, making her mug bounce and spilling a few drops of coffee. “Why won’t they leave me alone?” she burst out. Drawing a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, struggling in vain to restrain her fury. She’d tried for so long to conceal her real identity, and now…Lifting her eyes, she gazed outside her office window as well-buried memories rushed to the surface. She thought of her father—Detective James Stewart—who had been fatally wounded during a raid. She remembered the heartache and devastation when John showed up at the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens bearing the shattering news—her father and two other policemen were executed by the powerful people they were trying to expose. Ever since, she was painfully aware of a threat hovering over her head. However, Alexandra was a fighter; undeterred, she stood her ground and went on with her life, keeping the promise she’d made to her father. I didn’t need them then, and sure as hell, I don’t need them now.Turning her attention to her desk, she lifted the newspaper and held it in the light, staring at the man in the picture. The photographer had caught him stepping out of a black limo in front of a high-rise in New York City. From his dark gray designer suit to his arrogance and untouchable demeanor, he appeared no older than sixty, though Alexandra knew he was seventy-five now.Peering at the photo, she could barely discern his eyes. However, her memory reminded her that they were green—not the emerald shade of her own, but a jade hue similar to her mother’s. In bold letters above the snapshot, Alexandra read aloud the title of the article one more time: ”Looking for the Heiress of Santorini”. Her eyes flickered as locked away memories of impressive lunar landscapes and breathtaking red and black sand beaches flooded to the surface. Stop that! she reprimanded herself. You’re entering dangerous territory.“Alexandra! Pick up the phone!” The snappy voice of her assistant, Holly, startled her back to reality.She shot a glance at Holly, who was standing at her office door. “What?” she queried, shaking her head and sliding a folder over the article to hide it.“I said, pick up the phone!” Holly urged her. “It’s the president!”Alexandra straightened her back and grabbed the phone anxiously. “Alex Stewart!” she managed to say before she was bombarded with questions and demands.Benjamin Hughes—a powerful and arrogant man in his early fifties— was the president of Guarantee Insurance, one of the largest Insurance Groups in the World.Alexandra had only talked to him once in the past and then only for a few minutes. What could be so important that Hughes would call me himself? She wondered and swallowed hard, feeling her mouth dry.Still a little disoriented, she made an effort to concentrate on what Hughes was saying on the phone.“Yes, sir, I’ll do that,” she said finally, and putting the phone down, she sat gazing at it. What was that all about?All of a sudden, she realized Holly was still standing at the door with a puzzled expression on her face.“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the phone ringing,” Alexandra apologized and, noticing the spilled coffee, she wiped it with a tissue.“I know,” Holly replied. “I called a couple of times, and when you didn’t answer, I was worried. Sorry for barging in like this.”“It’s okay!” Alexandra reassured her. “I’ve no idea what I was thinking,” she lied and clenched her fists. That article had thrown her off balance.“So, what did he want?” Holly asked, curiously.“Who?” Alexandra inquired, lost in her thoughts.“Are you okay?” Holly queried, and the concern was obvious in her voice. “You’re acting kind of strange.”“I’m fine,” Alexandra replied, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m just not sleeping well lately.”“Maybe you should see a doctor.”“No,” Alexandra insisted. “I’ll be fine. All I need is a couple of days off.”Holly gave her a worried look and left the office without another word.I need to pull myself together, Alexandra decided and massaged her temples to relieve some pressure. I’ve worked too hard to accomplish my goals, and I’m not going to blow it now. I have nothing to do with those people, and I intend to go on with my life as if they never existed.Trying to occupy her mind with something else, she thought about the weekend coming up. John was taking her to his cabin in the mountains. Images of lush greenery and a rainbow of glowing pastel clouds stretching across the sky at dawn and dusk brought a longing smile to her face. They both needed to relax and escape from the stress and pressure of their everyday lives.At twenty-seven, Alexandra was the marketing and sales manager for the Atlanta office of Guarantee Insurance. She made a fantastic salary, had a beautiful apartment in Dunwoody, and drove an expensive convertible. Not bad for the daughter of a homicide detective living on a police salary. Despite their difficult financial situation, her father had put Alexandra through college. She was sure he would have done even more if he’d lived long enough.Her father was the only parent Alexandra had. Her mother—Anastasia Vassiliou—had died when Alexandra was only eight years old.“I miss you, Mom,” Alexandra whispered, as cherished images of her mother’s kind face flashed before her eyes. They used to be so happy until Anastasia fell ill and faded away months later. It was the first time that Alexandra heard her father desperately urging her mother to contact her family. Apparently, they had the means to fund the cancer treatment she needed. However, Anastasia stubbornly refused.That refusal puzzled Alexandra. For years after her mother’s death, Alexandra felt angry at her. She thought her mother didn’t love them enough to do everything in her power to stay with them. I was only a child… I didn’t know any better, she reminded herself bitterly, feeling a lump in her throat.After her mother had passed away, Alexandra became closer to her father. Despite his line of work and his exhausting work hours, he always spent time with her, guiding and encouraging her throughout her life. His death had been a mortal blow. She wouldn’t have made it if not for John Harrison, a rookie beat cop working with her father. John was there for her, comforting and supporting her through all the hard times.With John’s help, she completed a degree in Marketing. He even persuaded her to continue in order to get her MBA. Now, she was finally compensated for all the hard work and was able to pay off the student loan she had accepted to continue her studies.John had also advanced and was now a promising homicide detective for the Atlanta Police Department.Alexandra smiled thinking of him. John had grown up a poor boy in the back streets of West Atlanta, without a mother and with a drunk for a father. From his early teens, he butted heads with the law. Luckily, Alexandra’s father had pulled him off the streets and pointed him in the right direction. His influence had persuaded John to join the police force, and he’d come a long way since then.Dad would have been so proud of John, Alexandra contemplated, and a smile appeared on her lips. She adored John. He was the brother she never had. Kind and understanding, he always offered her a shoulder when she needed a good cry.The ringing of the phone made her jump. She answered it on the second ring, to avoid giving Holly any further reasons to worry.Her assistant was a sweet and bright young girl. During the last six months, she’d been working for Alexandra, she had turned out to be a valuable colleague. Just out of college, the girl hungered for knowledge and was learning fast.“Alex Stewart!” Alexandra answered the phone.“Hi, Alex.”Her shoulders sagged in relief at the sound of John’s voice. “John!” she cried out, happily. “I was just thinking about how much I’m anticipating our weekend in the mountains.”The silence on the line was loud. “Well, that’s why I’m calling…” He hesitated.“What’s wrong?” Alarm coursed through her. He always dithered around bad news.“Another murder,” he replied. “I’m afraid I can’t leave right now.”Alexandra let out a deep breath and glanced out the window. The city down below seemed so beautiful and peaceful, but she knew it wasn’t that way at all. A lot of ugliness and violence hid down there, and John had to deal with it every day.Her thoughts flew back to her father once more. He used to come home every night with that distant expression on his face as if he’d been on another planet. Sometimes, he would hardly say a word. He would just kiss her on the forehead and sit in front of the TV, speechless and lost in his thoughts. And then, the phone would ring in the middle of the night, and he would have to go out there, again.“Alex?” John’s voice brought her back from her trip down memory lane. “Are you there?”“Yes, I’m here.”“I’m so sorry… I know you were looking forward to this.”“Oh! Don’t be silly!” she reassured him, feeling hollow in her stomach. “I understand. Besides, I have a lot of work to do. Only this morning, I was assigned an important account by the Big Guy himself.”“Really?” John sounded excited. “You have to tell me all about it tonight.”“I will,” Alexandra promised, trying to sound excited, too.“Sorry, honey, but I have to go now,” John said. “And, by the way, charge your cell. The battery must be dead, again,” he added and hung up abruptly.Duty calls, Alexandra thought bitterly. Just like her father! Well, that’s the life of a policeman and I, of all people, should understand that.As soon as she hung up the phone with John, she checked her cell phone. He knows me too well, she realized, smiling. She plugged it in to charge and then picked up the receiver to call Holly.“Yes?” her assistant’s lively voice answered the intercom.“Do we have a file for Imperial Resorts Corporation?” Alexandra inquired.Holly was silent for a moment, probably thinking.“No,” she said, finally. “I don’t believe we do.”“Well, call Headquarters and request a copy of that file,” Alexandra said and hung up the phone.I have a lot of work to do, she thought frustrated. The deal had to be big for Mr. Hughes to call her himself. It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity… and it was assigned to her.Alexandra spent the rest of the day reviewing all the projects she had going at the time. She wanted to make sure everything was under control so she could give one hundred percent to this new assignment. A client like this, with dozens of luxury resorts around the world and thousands of employees, was a big deal. She had to exceed her personal best. The president required her to do everything in her power to acquire the account, even if she had to travel to New York, where Imperial Resorts Corporation’s main offices were.***The sun was setting when Holly knocked on Alexandra’s door. “It’s almost seven o’clock,” she said.Alexandra glanced at her watch and rubbed her stiff neck. “What are you still doing here? You should have left hours ago.”“Well, I had a lot of work to do. Besides, I thought you might need some help.”“No, I’m fine,” Alexandra replied. “Go home!”“Are you sure?” Holly hesitated for a moment.“Yes, I’m sure,” Alexandra reassured her and stretched out her arms while straightening her back; she felt rigid from sitting in that same position for so long.“Is John picking you up?” Holly inquired, trying to sound indifferent.Alexandra smiled, as she was well aware of how fond her sassy assistant, with the blazing red hair and the huge green eyes, was of John. She’d seen the look in Holly’s eyes every time John came by the office. It amazed her how this girl, who had broken lots of hearts since she had come to this office, would lose her calm and act like a shy, little girl whenever John was around. And the feelings were mutual. Alexandra was sure of that, though John wouldn’t admit it. She had seen how the tough, handsome detective stared at Holly every time he dropped by their office.“No, John isn’t picking me up,” Alexandra replied and almost felt sorry for Holly, seeing the disappointed expression on her face.John needed a sweet girl, who would brighten his life and make him forget all the ugliness he had to face every day. And she believed Holly could be that girl. But Alexandra had to let things take their course. She loved John so much; he’d been there for her as a brother all these years. However, he was a person who valued his privacy immensely and would never allow anyone to interfere with his love life.“Well,” Holly said. “If you’re sure you don’t need anything, I’ll see you tomorrow.”“Take care,” Alexandra replied. “Try to stay out of trouble.”“Oh, well!” Holly smiled. “How am I going to have any fun then?” She laughed and closed the door behind her.As soon as Holly left, Alexandra stood up to stretch her legs. I need to go, too, she thought. John is going to get there before I do. Not that this was a problem since he had keys to her apartment.With a pair of scissors, Alexandra cut the article out of the newspaper. She slipped it into her purse, and the rest of the newspaper landed in recycling. She turned off her desk lamp and headed for the door, grabbing her jacket and purse along the way. No other light shone in any of the offices. I’m probably the only one left in the building, she realized, feeling a shiver caress her spine. Though sometimes it couldn’t be helped, she never liked being in the huge building alone.On that thought, she increased her pace as she made a direct line towards the elevator doors. Her heart thundered in her chest while she waited for them to open. Don’t be silly, she reprimanded herself. There’s nothing to worry about. You’ve been watching too many scary movies. But she couldn’t help being anxious. It’s probably that stupid article. It dug up long-buried memories she wished to forget.The elevator stopped on her floor, and the doors opened. Stepping inside, she pushed the button to the basement. As the doors were closing, she thought she heard a noise coming from down the hall. On an impulse, she pressed the button for the doors to reopen. Could someone else be left in the office? She peered down the hallway with her finger on the elevator button, keeping the doors from closing. Holding her breath, she tried to pick up the slightest noise… but there was nothing. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart. You’re acting ridiculous, she thought and released the button. As the doors closed and the elevator started going down, she exhaled loudly.In the basement parking garage, she walked to her car, parked a little farther from the doors. Being the daughter of a policeman, Alexandra had learned to be cautious and pay attention to minor details other people normally ignored. Her conscious noted the lights were out across the majority of the parking deck. That’s strange. The lights normally stay on all night. The hair stood up on the back of her neck, and she glanced around warily. Damn! The feeling that someone was watching her sent her rushing to her car. Trying hard to control her trembling, she managed to unlock the door on the third try. She climbed in, locked the doors, and turned the ignition on. The sound of the convertible’s powerful engine coming to life gave her a sense of relief. Thank God, I never leave the car with the top down, she thought and drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly.She backed out of her parking space and drove up the curve towards the entrance of the parking deck. Turning around a corner, she noticed a black Chevy truck parked on the side. The lights were out, and she couldn’t see much. However, she would swear two men were sitting inside. Pressing on the gas pedal, she sped right past it. Out of breath, she glanced at her rearview mirror to make sure the truck wasn’t following her. Pulling out of the parking deck and onto the main street, she checked the mirror again… nothing.Anxiously, she took her cell phone out and called John.“Where are you?” he answered, immediately.“On my way…” She couldn’t keep her voice from trembling.“What’s wrong?”“Nothing,” she lied.“Alex?” he insisted.“Well, I’m not sure. I think someone was watching me.”“What? Are you okay?”No, she thought. I’m not okay. I’m scared to death.“Alex?”“I’m fine. I’ll be home in a few minutes.”“I’m already here.”Thank God, she thought. She hated the idea of being alone right now. Thinking of John being there, she felt better. Everything is fine, she reassured herself. It’s just that stupid article that got me all wired up.“What about dinner?” she asked, trying to sound normal.“I’ve made some spaghetti.”“John, that’s great!” Alexandra replied, realizing she had nothing to eat all day. “I’ll stop to buy some wine.”“No need. I’ve taken care of everything.”“Okay, then! See you in a little bit,” she said, ready to hang up.“Alexandra, wait!” John urged her.“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him. “I know you’re trying to keep me on the line, but I’m fine, really. I have to go now and try to concentrate on the road. I don’t have my Bluetooth earbud with me, and you know how I hate driving with one hand.”“Well… just be careful!” He sighed.She hung up and kept driving. From time to time, she would check her rearview mirror for the truck. A couple of times, she thought she saw it a few cars behind, but she couldn’t be sure. It’s only my imagination. She contemplated and decided to put it right out of her mind.Twenty minutes later, she pulled into the driveway of her apartment complex. Checking to make sure that the truck was nowhere in sight, she grabbed her stuff, opened the door, and walked towards her apartment building. The relief of knowing John was inside kept her moving.Glancing around once more, she spotted a black Mercedes sports car parked in the dark down her dead-end street. Whose car is that? she wondered, having never before noticed it in her neighborhood. There I go again. She reprimanded herself for being so suspicious, but at the same time, she picked up her pace towards the entrance of her apartment building, keeping a wary eye on that car. Reaching the front door, she let out a deep breath. “Everything’s going to be all right,” she whispered. Then again, that warning bell going off inside her head was hard to ignore.***Mark Taylor observed Alexandra closely from inside the Mercedes, where he’d waiting outside her apartment for the past two hours.Seeing the stunning brunette walking towards the building, he inhaled deeply. She was even more breathtaking than in the photos. He loosened up his tie, watching her climb the front steps. Her suit hugged her body like a glove, and the short skirt barely hid an inch of her endless, beautiful legs.His mouth went dry, and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.She opened the front door to the apartment building and stood there for a minute until it closed, probably wanting to make sure nobody snuck inside behind her. Cautious girl, he thought with admiration. Looks and brains—a killer combination! Then again, what did he expect? Deep down inside, he’d known she would be that way.

I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter of The Heiress of Santorini. Come back next Wednesday to read Chapter Two.


Read the blurb here





And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

History of The Santorini Volcano, Greece

Breathtaking simulation!

Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Deadly Secrets - Chapter Four

Read Chapter One here

Read Chapter Two here

Read Chapter Three here



HELENA ENJOYED THEIR VISIT to Chora—one of the most charming towns of the Greek islands. The weatherwas beautiful, and the atmosphere was crystal clear.They walked on the waterfront visiting various stores selling Greek art, souvenirs, jewelry, and small objects made out of seashells. And then, wandered around the endless back streets, filled with other stores, churches, windmills, terraces, and whitewashed houses.Helena felt like a little girl, rushing from one store to the other, discovering little treasures. With her arms aching from all the shopping bags she was carrying, she kept on walking down the street to the next store.“I’m so glad you’re here with me,” she told Sophie. “I would have gotten lost otherwise. All these narrow roads give me the impression I’m going around in circles.”“The street layout was intended to be like that,” Sophie explained. “It was built this way to confuse pirates.”“Oh, that’s fascinating,” Helena said, thinking she should learn a little bit more about the history of this fascinating island.They were having a good time when Helena stopped at the window of yet another shop. Her eyes were fixed on a beautiful miniature of a sailing boat. Oh, how beautiful! Helena thought and glanced back at Sophie, smiling. She had to have it. During the cold winter nights back in England, this exquisite craft would always remind her of the days she’d spent on this sun-kissed island.They walked inside the little shop. The interior was cool and seemed dark, coming inside from the bright sunshine. Sophie called out for Maria, the shopkeeper.“Do you know her?” Helena asked.“But of course. Maria is a lovely lady. She’ll be thrilled to meet you,” Sophie replied.Helena approached the window to take a closer look at the sailing boat while Sophie disappeared in the back of the shop.Hearing the little bell hanging over the door ringing, Helena realized that another customer had come in. All of a sudden, she sensed someone standing behind her and was taken aback, hearing a child’s voice saying in English, “Some things reach all the way to our soul.”Helena turned around to face a young boy, around seven or eight years old.The boy was standing there, staring at her.“What did you say?” she asked.“I said that some things reach all the way to our soul,” the boy repeated.“What do you mean by that?” Helena asked, puzzled.“All I’m saying is what my grandmother told me to say,” the boy replied and pointed to the old lady who was standing a few feet away.Helena glanced at the old lady she hadn’t noticed until now. Dressed in black, with a black kerchief covering her head, she looked almost a hundred years old. Then again, Helena couldn’t be sure. People on the islands usually appeared older than their actual age due to the hard work out in the sun and the sea. Plus, the way these old women insisted on covering their heads with kerchiefs made them look even older.Helena walked towards her and inquired in Greek, “What did you mean by that?”The lady stared at Helena carefully. Her lips moved, but all Helena heard was a murmur.“Grandma has a hard time speaking sometimes,” the boy explained in Greek this time. “You have to lean close to her to be able to hear what she has to say.”Helena smiled politely at the lady, even though, she felt uncomfortable with those piercing black eyes fixed on her. “I see,” she said, and having no intention to lean close to her, she started to walk away.Hearing the old lady’s whispering voice saying something to the child, she stopped and turned around to face them again. She didn’t know why, but she felt that those words were meant for her.“What did she say?” she asked the boy.“She wants to read your palm,” he replied.Helena laughed. Oh! No! A fortuneteller, she thought, that’s all I need.“No, thanks,” she said facing the lady and started to move away for the second time.Out of the blue, something made her stop. Glancing towards the old woman, she saw her standing still. Without a second thought, Helena approached her and raised her right hand, instinctively turning her palm upwards. The lady didn’t touch it but instead, she reached over, took Helena’s left hand and turned it over so that the palm was facing up. Keeping her eyes fixed on Helena’s face, she traced the lines on her palm with her other hand.Helena shivered from the old lady’s touch. Her hands were wrinkled and cold, and Helena was uncomfortable, already having second thoughts.The old woman whispered something, and Helena stared at the boy inquiringly.“Grandma says you have come a long way,” the boy said, and Helena laughed again.Yes, right, she thought. Having inherited her English mother’s looksmade it obvious that she had come a long way.“She’s talking about your heart and your feelings,” the boy continued, and Helena glanced at the old lady, surprised.“Your life will be filled with joy and happiness, if only you make the right choice,” the boy went on.Life is full of choices, Helena thought. Which one is the right one?“You know the right one,” he went on, repeating out loud the old lady’s fading whispers. “You know it in your heart, but you’re fightingyour feelings, and that upsets the balance of things.”Helena stared at the old lady and felt uncomfortable since she seemed to be able to read her mind.“Helena, we’re coming,” Sophie’s voice made her jump.Looking over her shoulder towards the back of the shop, Helena tried to pull her hand away. She was surprised to feel the old lady’s trembling hand holding on to it tightly. Turning to face her, she saw her whispering something to the boy in a shivering voice. The boy stared at Helena without saying a word. The old lady touched him on the shoulder and murmured something again.“What is it?” Helena asked, seeing the boy’s hesitation.“Grandma says you should be very careful,” the boy said, and his voice wasn’t steady. “It’s not good for business,” he continued, more to himself than to Helena.“What are you talking about?” Helena asked, puzzled.“It’s not good telling someone he’s facing death,” the boy replied hesitantly.Helena froze for a couple of seconds and then stared at the old lady in confusion.“Your grandmother said I’m going to die?” she asked the boy, keeping her eyes on the old lady’s wrinkled face.“She said you’re in grave danger, and you need to be very careful.”“But why?” Helena asked anxiously. “What did she see?”However, before she could say anything else, the old lady had already left the shop—with surprising swift moves for her age—and the boy ran after her.Helena was still standing there, feeling lost, when Sophie and Maria walked towards her.“This is my niece I told you about,” Sophie said to Maria, and turning to Helena, she said, “Maria is a very good friend of ours. When my mother was still alive, they were good friends with Maria’s mother, and we used to spend a lot of time in each other’s houses.”“I’m so glad to meet you,” Maria said and extended her hand for a handshake. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but I had to go upstairs to check on my mother who is very ill.”Helena gave the lady her hand but kept looking over her shoulder towards the side of the street the old lady had disappeared to. She didn’t even wait to get paid, Helena thought.Sophie stared at her, puzzled, but she kept quiet.Helena managed to have a friendly conversation with Maria, and only after she’d purchased the sailing boat and walked out of the shop, she realized how tense she’d been for the last few minutes.“Helena, what’s wrong?” Sophie asked, and Helena could hear the concern in her voice.”Nothing, I’m fine,” Helena reassured her. She could tell Sophie didn’t believe her, even though she didn’t insist.They walked for a few more minutes on the waterfront, but since they had both lost their enthusiasm, they decided to head back home.“We didn’t even have that ice-cream we were talking about all day,” Helena said as soon as they walked inside the house, feeling kind of guilty for ruining her aunt’s day like this. She had decided to ignore the old lady’s warnings, and she was mad at herself for paying attention to nonsense like this.“It’s okay. We can have our ice-cream on the veranda. The view from up here is even better,” Sophie said, and leaving the bags she was carrying on the steps, she walked to the kitchen.Helena left her bags next to Sophie’s and walked out on the veranda.She gazed at the deep blue sea, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.“That sounded like something serious is puzzling your mind,” Dimitris said, and Helena looked at him, surprised. He was sitting ona lounge chair on the far side of the veranda.“Hello, Dimitris.”“Do you want to talk about it?” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken at all.“No,” Helena said, and walking to the edge, she grabbed hold of the handrail and let her eyes wander over the massive body of water.“Sometimes, it helps to talk about things,” he said, coming to stand right behind her.“Dimitris, it’s nothing,” she insisted. But seeing that she wasn’t going to get away with this so easily, she told him in a few words what had happened. She tried to make it sound funny, but Dimitris didn’t seem amused at all. On the contrary, he was staring at her very seriously.“It’s probably nothing, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful,” he said, and Helena was shocked to hear those words coming from him. She never expected a strong man like him to believe in fortunetellers and things like that. But then again, what did she knowabout him?“I’m going to take the stuff I bought upstairs,” Helena said and hastily walked back inside the house.Dimitris didn’t say a word and kept on standing by the railings, where she was a minute ago, staring out towards the sea.Helena tookthe bags upstairs and threw them on her bed. She was going to empty them later. Right now, the only thing she wanted was to take a hot bath and try to unwind.Walking to her bathroom, she filled up her tub, took off her clothes and sunk into it. Little by little, she felt all tension leaving her body.Refreshed and relaxed, she put on her silk robe and was blow-drying her hair when she heard a knock on the door.“Come in,” she said, expecting to see Sophie or Martha—the sweet, old housekeeper. However, it was Dimitris who came in.“Sorry to bother you,” he said, and Helena heard the uncertainty in his voice.She stared at him as he walked towards the open French doors leading to the balcony. Following him outside, she waited for him to talk when he was ready. She could tell there was something bothering him.“Helena, listen…” he said after a while. “It might seem nonsense to you, but we Greeks believe in fate and destiny. I’ve heard and seen things you would never believe,” he continued.Helena listened to him silently.“I know Asimina—the old lady who talked to you. The whole island knows her. A lot of people have gone to her for answers, and even sometimes for help. Even politicians from Athens come visiting her. Trust me she’s no fake,” he said, probably seeing the disbelief in her eyes.“What are you saying, Dimitris?” she asked, terrified. “You believe my life is in danger?”“Of course not,” he said uncomfortably and coughed to clear his throat. “All I’m saying is that it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”“I’m not going to lock myself up in the house just because some crazy old lady told me that I’m going to have an accident,” Helena said stubbornly.“Asimina foretold my father’s death. And she had warned your father not to go out on the boat the night he disappeared…”Helena looked at him, shocked while stormy thoughts whirled around in her mind. Hearing her mother’sfading voice warning her to stay away from the island, she shivered and dug her fingernails into her palms.All of a sudden, she felt the urge to flee, and rushing into her bathroom, she slammed the door behind her. Unable to control the turbulence of her emotions, she leaned against it and drew some deep breaths until she heard the bedroom door closing behind him. She just couldn’t face anyone right now.He’s mad! I’m not going to be affected by such nonsense,she promised herself and started brushing her hair vigorously. She finally had to stop when she realized her scalp was hurting. “Damn him!” she cursed out loud, and throwing the brush on the shelf, she walked back into her bedroom.In dire need to get out of the house and release some tension, she put on her bathing suit, grabbed a beach towel and headed downstairs and out on the veranda. Thankful there was nobody there, she rushed down the stepsleading to the private beach, threw her towel on the sand and ran to the water. It felt refreshing, and she jumped right in.She swum for a while and then turned on her back and relaxed, floating motionless. Helena was surprised that after all those years she still remembered that salt water won’t allow a body to sink, and one could float on it and relax as if on a bed. Ever since they’d left the island, she had swum in the sea only once, during a trip to Spain. Swimming in the pool wasn’t the same, and if one tried to lie still, his body would slowly sink.Hearing a splashing noise, she turned to see Dimitris swimming towards her, and her heartbeat accelerated. She watched him swim right past her and out in the open, and couldn’t help but admire the strength and self-confidence his smooth, harmonic moves revealed. Taking a deep breath, she swam back to the shore.Trying to put him out of her mind, she got out and dried herself with her towel. Then she laid it down on the sand and lay on it to get some suntan. It was late in the afternoon, so she didn’t have to worry about getting burned.After a while, her stomach started growling as Sophie and she had skipped lunch. Helena didn’t want to ruin her appetite for dinner, so heading back to the house she took a banana from the large fruit bowl on the table out on the veranda and rushed upstairs to her room.After eating her fruit, she took a quick shower. Then, she put on an emerald silk dress she’d bought that morning and a pair of golden sandals. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit the dress fitted her just perfectly. Sophie was right to insist on her buying it.Walking downstairs, she found Sophie in the living room.“You’re absolutely stunning!” Sophie exclaimed and gave Helena a warm smile. “I knew it was perfect for you.”“Thanks,” Helena said. “I love the color, and the material feels great.”“Would you like something to drink?” Sophie asked.“I’ll have some wine,” Helena said and walked over to the bar. “Can I get you something?” she asked Sophie.“I would like some more wine,” Sophie said and gave Helena her glass to fill it back up.Helena filled up Sophie’s glass and gave it back to her. Then she filled up her own and went to sit by the window, letting her eyes wander over the magnificent view.“Dimitris isn’t going to have dinner with us tonight,” Sophie said.Helena didn’t comment on that, and even though, she sensed her aunt’s gaze on her, she just sat there avoiding her look.Silence stretched in the room for a few minutes as they both seemedlost in their thoughts.“I’m sorry about this morning,” Helena said suddenly, turning to look at her aunt.Sophie looked at her, without saying a word.“I know I’m being foolish, but I became upset over something that happened,” Helena went on. She knew she had been acting rudely to her aunt, and she tried to explain her behavior.“I knew something made you upset,” Sophie said. “But I could tell you didn’t want to talk about it.”At that time, Martha came into the room to let them know dinner was ready, and they went to the dining room.Even though they weren’tin the best mood, they enjoyed their dinner. Martha had prepared moussaka for them—a traditional Greek casserole with eggplants, potatoes and hamburger meat topped with delicious creamy béchamel sauce.Helena thanked her for going to all this trouble and assured her it was delicious.After they’d been served their dessert—sweet apple pie topped with ice-cream—Helena explained to her aunt what had happened that morning, and the conversation she had with Dimitris afterward.Sophie was upset about the whole thing. She got up and gave Helena a big hug.“You poor child,” she said. “She must have scared you to death.”“It’s okay,” Helena replied. “I’m not going to think about it anymore. It was stupid of me to get upset in the first place.”“I’ll talk to Asimina if you want me to,” Sophie said.“No,” Helena insisted. “Let’s just forget about the whole thing.”Sophie didn’t seem to agree, but she kept silent. They finished their pie and went back into the living room. Sophie sat at the piano and played some classical music.Helena lay back on the sofa and closed her eyes, feeling totally contented and relaxed. Vivaldi was one of her favorites.After a while, Sophie got up and went to turn the stereo on. They both sat there, listening to Greek love songs.Unwillingly, Helena realized she couldn’t put off anymore, telling her aunt about her decision to leave. She got up and walked over to the window, staring at the sea.Sophie must have sensed her change of mood because she got up and turned the music down. Then she went back and sat on her chair, waiting for Helena to speak.“Aunt Sophie,” Helena started. “I hate to do this, but I think it would be better for everybody if I moved to a hotel.”Sophie drew a deep breath and jumped out of her chair. “What are you saying, sweetie?” she asked. “This is your home. Why would you ever want to leave and go to a hotel?”Helena could tell she was shocked.“I think it would be better,” Helena whispered, trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice.“Better for whom?” Sophie insisted.Helena wanted to explain to her how she felt about Dimitris, and that she didn’t feel comfortable staying at his house. On the other hand,though, she didn’t want to hurt her aunt’s feelings, pointing out to her this way that this was Dimitris’ home, and they were just guests.She shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. Maybe she should just be quiet and stay there for a few more days. After all, she would be gone in a while and wouldn’t have to see him again in her life. If she moved to a hotel, her aunt would be heartbroken, and it would also be a shame, and the whole island would talk about it.Helena knew how important pride was for Greeks. What would people think if Angelos’ daughter moved out of her family’s home to stay at a hotel? No, Helena decided, I can’t do that.She suddenly realized Sophie was expecting an answer. She turned and hugged her aunt. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I just didn’t want to upset your lives.”“Are you crazy?” Sophie asked. “What are you talking about? We’re so happy to have you here. This is your home, Helena, as much as it is ours. This home was built by your great-grandparents and will stay in our family forever. Your children will grow up here and so will their children.”Helena inwardly laughed at that thought but didn’t say a word. She didn’t want to bring her aunt back to the cruel reality. She would be gone in a few days and most probably, she would never set foot onthis island again. However, she kept her gloomy thoughts to herself.***Around eleven o’clock at night, they heard the front door open. A couple of minutes later, Dimitris walked into the living room.Helena drew a deep breath and swallowed hard, secretly admiring the seductively handsome man with the flawless face and the incredibly built body showing underneath the tight fitting jeans and t-shirt.“What are you two up to?” he asked, his gaze set on Helena. The irresistible, sexy smile on his face made Helena’s pulse accelerate.“We’re listening to some music,” Sophie said. “Did you have a good time?”“It was all right,” he replied and walked to the bar to pour himself some brandy. Taking his glass, he went to sit by the window.“Did you enjoy your swim this afternoon?” Dimitris asked Helena.“You went swimming?” Sophie cut in. “You should have told me to come with you. I love swimming. I just don’t like going by myself.”“We can go tomorrow morning,” Helena said. “It was wonderful this afternoon, and I want to enjoy it for as long as I stay here.”“We’ll go tomorrow morning then,” Sophie said and got up. “You have to excuse me, but I’m really tired,” she added and left the room.Helena felt uncomfortable to be alone with Dimitris. She left her empty wine glass on the bar and walked towards the window. The surface of the water was lit by the moonlight, and Helena felt the urge to go swimming again. Don’t be ridiculous, she reprimanded herself.Dimitris came and stood right behind her. “It’s beautiful,” he said. “Isn’t it? I would never trade this place with anywhere in the world.”Helena understood exactly how he felt. She wished she could stay here forever, too.“How could you stay away for so long?” he asked her, and Helena shifted uncomfortably.She didn’t want to discuss such matters with him. The truth was she never wanted to leave the island, and all those years she was away, she always dreamed about it. Then again, she knew how her mother felt about it and didn’t want to upset her. After her mother was gone, she wanted to come back, but she was dreading it, too. She had no idea how to approach her relatives here, after not been in contact with them for solong. And even worse, she wasn’t sure they would want her to come back, after her mother’s behavior all those years. However, she wasn’t about to discuss all this with Dimitris. He was nothing but a stranger to her.
“I’m really tired,” she said, and wishing him goodnight, she walked out of the room. Walkingupstairs to her room, she was convinced she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. However, she fell asleep the moment she laid her head on the pillow, totally unaware of the dark shadow hovering outside the French doors leading to the veranda, watching her.
I hope you enjoyed the first four chapters of Deadly Secrets. The novel is available here:


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Come back next Wednesday to read the first chapter of Mystery Thriller Romance The Heiress of Santorini



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Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Deadly Secrets - Chapter Three

Read Chapter One here

Read Chapter Two here


HELENA COULDN’T BELIEVE her ears. She stared at her aunt and couldn’t say a word. Who is that man? It was obvious he wasn’t just an employee as she’d assumed at first. He’s probably Sophie’s fiancé, she thought. That would explain his interference in family matters. However, even a fiancé wasn’t allowed to move in before the marriage— not in this part of the world. And she was sure he wasn’t Sophie’s husband…or maybe he was. How could she be so sure? Well, they weren’t acting like a married couple. Of course, there was a familiarity between them, but nothing like the closeness of a married couple.Helena realized Sophie was staring at her, studying her face. She returned her look with one of confusion.Sophie took her by the hand and guided her towards the stairs. “Come on,” she said. “There are a few things we need to talk about before we go to bed.”A warning bell went off somewhere inside Helena’s head. Trying to ignore it, she followed Sophie to her room that was also on the second floor.When they went inside, the room seemed familiar. Helena knew she’d been there before. It was a pleasantly decorated room with cherrywood furniture and flower baskets that gave the room a lighter tone.Sophie walked to the open French doors and invited Helena to the balcony. From there, they could enjoy the mystifying scenery of the night and feel the breeze caress them softly. Helena sunk into one of the lounge chairs and let her gaze wander over the black waters of the sea, parted in the middle by streaks of silver. The whole thing was surreal; she had this overwhelming sensation of being suspended in time.Taking a deep breath, she smelled the fragrance of jasmine and roses. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to relax. No matter what, she was home. It didn’t make any difference if Dimitris was there. That was her house, and she intended to stay.Sophie sank into a lounge chair next to her, and they remained in silence for a while, just enjoying the stillness of the night.Finally, Helena glanced at Sophie. For the first time, her aunt looked like she didn’t know what to say. A shiver raced up Helena’s spine, and the same warning bell went off somewhere in her head, again. What’s wrong?She could tell Sophie had something to say but didn’t know how to start. Helena silently wished it was nothing serious. It was the first time in years she was happy and didn’t want anything to ruin that.“Helena, there are a lot of things you don’t know… After your father’s death, a lot of things changed,” Sophie started. Shifting in her seat, she took Helena’s hands in hers. “Your father wasn’t only an excellent captain but a very smart businessman at the same time, and he kept the business going while he was alive. After his death, ouradopted brother, Thomas, took over. Without Angelos’guidance, Thomas made a lot of mistakes. Two years after your father’s death, things got real bad, and Thomas had to sell part of the company to Dimitris' family. Little by little, Stathis Nikolaou—Dimitris’ father—took over the rest of the company and everything else that once belonged to our family. Thomas stayed with the company as a Deputy General Manager, but he has no control over anything and makes no decisions. Sometimes, I think they just keep him on because they know it would kill him not to work for the family business.”Helena was so overwhelmed by all these that she couldn’t say a word. Everything was gone. All that her grandfather and her father had worked for were in someone else’s hands now. Even her homewasn’t hers anymore.Pulling her hands from Sophie’s, she got up and walked towards the edge of the balcony. Devastated, she realized that the man downstairs was the owner of all this, and she was just a visitor. She felt her temper rising, thinking of him and his father taking advantage of her family like this.Sophie must have read her mind because she jumped up and took her in her arms.“Helena, it’s not what you think. They didn’t do anything wrong. The company was going under, and we needed help. We needed someone strong to help us out, and Stathis Nikolaou was the right person. They had a shipping company of their own, and they were searching for more ships to expand. It was a blessing they were there; otherwise, we would have been out in the streets. Our families have been friends for years. Dimitris’ mother was my mom’s best friend, and she was devastated when Eleana passed away.”“This wasn’t help,” Helena said bitterly. “This was taking over everything.”“No,” Sophie insisted. “They didn’t let our company go under, and our family been buried in debt. Business is booming, and we stay in the house and live comfortably,” she added and caressedHelena’s hair softly.***Helena remained quiet, and Sophie let go and took a step back to look at her face. She remained silent as well, giving Helena time to process all this information. It must be really hard on her, Sophie thought. She came home after all those years, and now I have to lay this burden on her, too. Oh, how I wish things could be different. But there’s nothing I can do…Sophie turned towards the sea, taking a deep breath. “Stathis died a few years ago,” she went on after a couple of minutes, “and Dimitris, who is a ship captain and was commanding one of their largest cargo ships up until then, had to give up his voyages and manage the company. He has a beautiful house in Athens, but Dimitris prefers the island. He runs the business from here, just like your father used to do. Thomas and his wife, Katie, live on the island, also, but right now he’s in New York. He should be back in a few weeks, though,” she said, then was silent for a moment.Maybe I should tell her everything right now and get it over with, Sophiethought, but then again, she was scared of Helena’s reaction. Helena was way too young to understand, and she was brought up in England— far away from her homeland and its customs and traditions. We need to be patient and give her some time to adjust. Then again, I need to prepare her for what’s coming…***“I would like you to get to know Dimitris,” Sophie said after a while. “He’s a really nice man.”Helena bit her lower lip to stop herself from telling her aunt exactly what she thought of Dimitris. He was arrogant and had taken advantage of her family, and she would never forgive him for that.Sophie stared at her. “I knowhow hard this must be for you. I didn’t want to tell you yet, but after the tension I sensed tonight between the two of you, I wanted to set things straight.”“Oh, Aunt Sophie, you should have told me!” Helena cried out. “I would have never come.”“I knew you wouldn’t. That’s why I never said anything. I wanted you to come. This is still our house, you know,” Sophie said.Helena wanted to tell her she was wrong about that, but she didn’t want to disappoint her aunt. She was so sweet and vulnerable, and she trusted everybody.Her mind was working overtime. First thing in the morning, she was moving out. She couldn’t stay here a minute longer.Now, she wished she had thought better before deciding to come here. But she always listened to her heart. Her mother had told her many times that her impulsiveness would get her into trouble one day.“We should go inside.” Sophie’s voice brought her back to reality. “It’s chilly out here, and the wind is picking up. I think a storm is brewing.”Helena followed her inside without saying a word. A storm was brewing as a matter of fact, but it had nothing to do with the weather… It was brewing inside Helena. Hastily, she wished Sophie goodnight and went to her room. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, and she was blinded by hot tears running down her face.In a desperate need to escape reality, she rushed to her balcony and stood at the edge. Holding tightly onto the iron handrail, she felt the wind blowing hard now. However, Helena didn’t mind. The turmoil around her was actually a reflection of what was going on inside her. Glancing up at the sky, she saw the bright moon halfway covered by heavy, threatening clouds. She lowered her eyes to the massive body of water stretching out in front of her. There was still enough moonlight to be able to see the white, frothy waves covering the black waters.She felt in tune with nature’s unleashed rage.Closing her eyes, she listened to the howling of the wind and the sound of the waves smashing on the rocks surrounding the small private cove. Taking some deep breaths, she squeezed the handrail even harder. The rain started abruptly, and she lifted her face to the sky, keeping her eyes shut…***Crying her heart out, Helena lost track of time until she started shivering. Soaked to the bone, she walked back inside and into her bathroom. She took a hot shower, rubbed herself dry with a fluffy towel and put on her nightgown.However, with everything that had happened in the last few hours, she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She had finally found her home, andit was taken away from her again. Oh, how much she hated DimitrisNikolaou. She wished she were miles away, in her cozy apartment back in England.Lying in the dark, she thought about the happy days she’d spent on the island with her parents. She couldn’t help but wonder how different her life would have been if her father hadn’t disappeared. None of these things would have happened. Her mother would be alive, and they would still live on the island. Thecompany and the house would belong to her family, and Sophie and Thomas wouldn’t have to depend on Dimitris’ generosity.Wild thoughts whirled around in her mind—bittersweet memories mixed with thoughts about Dimitris. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Oh, how much he must be enjoying this little game. He never said a word and let her keep on thinking he was just an employee. Then again, he never said that… As a matter of fact, he never said anything. What an intolerable person he was.I’m leaving first thing in the morning, she decided. She couldn’t stay another day under the same roof with him. She was going to missSophie and this place, not to mention the fact she would never get any answers about what happened to her father. Then again, she had no other choice. Of course, she could go to a hotel and stay for a few days. It would be a shame to come back to the island after allthose years and not even stay for a while. But how would she explain that to her aunt? Greeks were very sensitive about anyone rejecting their hospitality.Well, she decided she really didn’t care. She had a life of her own, and she wouldn’t allow Dimitris to run her life as he was running Sophie’s and Thomas’. She was leaving in the morning, and that was it.Having made up her mind, she felt a lot better and finally drifted off to sleep.***When Helena opened her eyes next morning, the sun was shining brightly through the windows. She looked around the familiar room and felt warmth in her heart.All of a sudden, she recalled last night’s events and jumped out of bed. She rushed to the French doors and stared outside. It was a mess—ruined bushes and toppled trees all over the place. The thunderstorm had destroyed the magnificently maintained yard. Even the small gazebo at the edge of the yard wasn’t spared by the wrath of nature’s outburst.Feeling numb inside, Helena walked to her bathroom. Looking in themirror, she saw the dark circles under her eyes. She washed her face and put on some makeup to hide the effects of her restless night. Even though she felt defeated and heartbroken, she wasn’tabout to let him know that.Raising her chin stubbornly, she got dressed in a white pair of shorts and a yellow top and walked downstairs. She didn’t want to be late for breakfast and give him another reason to complain.After breakfast, she would take her things to a small hotel on the waterfront she’d noticed the day beforewhen she got off the ship.She walked around downstairs, but no one seemed to be in the house. Hearing voices from the veranda, she walked outside.Sophie was sitting on a lounge chair with a glass of orange juice in her hand, and a stunning young woman—about Helena’s age— was sitting next to her. She had beautiful, long black hair and dark-brown eyes. Her skin was tanned like Sophie’s, but she was a lot prettier.As Helena came outside, the conversation stopped.“Good morning, sweetie. Come to join us,” Sophie said and smiled, but Helena could feel the electricity in the air and was sure she’d interrupted something important.“This is Stella,” Sophie went on. “She lives down the street, and as soon as she heardyou were here, she came by to welcome you to the island.”However,the expression in Stella’s eyes didn’t make Helena feel welcome at all.“Good morning,” Helena said, but Stella remained silent, examining her behind half-closed eyelashes.Feeling an instant dislike towards the girl, Helena glanced around and noticed a few workers cleaning up themess in the yard.“It was a terrible storm,” Sophie stated, following her look. “We get a lot of thunderstorms around here, but the intensity of the one last night was something else.”“Yes, it was,” Stella agreed, keeping her eyes on Helena. “I’m surprised Dimitris left and didn’t stick around to overlook the repairs.”“He had a business appointment,” Sophie explained. “But he should be back after lunch.”Hearing Dimitris wasn’t there, Helena felt a little more relaxed and sunk into a lounge chair.Sophie poured some orange juice for her and offered her some croissants fresh from the oven. Helena spread some butter and jelly on her croissant, keeping her eyes away from Stella. She had so much on her mind; she couldn’t care less about Stella and her frosty behavior.The conversation between Sophie and Stella went on talking about people Helena didn’t know. She listened to them absentmindedly until they started talking about Dimitris again. Helena kept quiet, listening to Stella talking about him. It was obvious she was very fond of him, to say the least. She would melt just by saying his name.Helena felt uncomfortable and shifted in her chair. Stella gave her a cold look and stood up, saying it was time for her to go. She wished Helena to enjoy her short stay on the island, and Helena didn’t miss the hint.“Thank you so much,” she replied politely. “Even though, I’m not here just for a few days. I’m here to stay,” she told Stella and was utterly satisfied to see the shocked expression on her face.Sophie looked at her, somewhat surprised too, but didn’t say a word. She just gave her niece a smile and wished Stella good-bye.“What was that all about?” Sophie asked smiling after Stella left.“I’m not sure,” Helena replied, truthfully. “I just get very touchy when people try to tell me what to do.”Sophie laughed and reached over to caress her niece’s cheek. “You have to forgive Stella,” she said. “She’s in love with Dimitris, and she feels threatened by your presence here.”“Oh!” Helena said, surprised. “I didn’t know something was going on between them.”“I didn’t say that,” Sophie replied. “There’s absolutely nothing going on between Stella and Dimitris,” she pointed out. “The fact she’s in love with him doesn’t mean he’s responding to her feelings. As a matter of fact, Dimitris has made it very clear long time ago that…” Sophie stopped mid-sentence, looking at Helena nervously.“Dimitris has made what very clear?” Helena asked puzzled and intrigued.“Nothing,” Sophie replied and stood up in a hurry. “Come on,” she changed the subject abruptly. “Let’s go for a drive. I want to show you around.”Helena stared at her aunt, bewildered, but before she could say anything, Sophie was already on her way inside. Helena remained in her seat for a couple of minutes, looking towards the French doors her aunt had disappeared through. Why did her aunt go out of her way to make it clear nothing was going on between Dimitris and Stella? And what was she going to say about Dimitris when she stopped? Helena’s mind was working overtime, trying to make some sense out of her aunt’s strange behavior.And what about Stella? What was the story with her? If nothing was going on between them, why would she be so hostile towards Helena? Maybe the Greeks weren’t the warm-hearted people she grew up to believe, after all. So far, the only person who seemed pleasedto have her here was her aunt.“I know you must be ready to go for a ride,” Sophie said, coming back outside, holding her purse in her hands. “I also need to do some shopping, and then we can sit at one of the cafes on the waterfront andhave some ice-cream.”Helena was excited. She wanted to go into town since she didn’t have a chance to see much, the day before. And what about that man at the port? she wondered, anxiously. Not wanting to upset her aunt, she hadn’t told Sophie anything about that. And from what she understood, Dimitris hadn’t mentioned anything, either. No, she decided. It was probably nothing…just some weirdo watching a pretty girl. But then again, what about the Mercedes speeding by to pick him up? Helena took a deep breath. The whole thing was bizarre, she admitted,but there’s no need to overreact. I’ll just keep an eye, to make sure he won’t approach me again.“I’ll be just a minute,” she told her aunt and rushed upstairs to take her purse. She was downstairs in a flash and followed Sophie outside. Waiting for her to get the car from the garage behind the house, gloomy thoughts clouded her day. She needed to talk to Sophie about her decision to move to a hotel, but she didn’t want to spoil their day. No, she thought, I’ll talk to her after we come back.Her aunt pulled up in a silver BMW Jeep.“This is beautiful!” Helena cried out, as she opened the door to climb inside.“I know. I love it,” Sophie replied, smiling. “Let’s go have some fun.”Helena lay back in the soft leather seat and closed her eyes. For now, all she wanted was to forget about everything and have a good time.
Little did she know what fate had in store for her…
I hope you enjoyed Chapter Three of Deadly Secrets. Come back next Wednesday to read Chapter Four.

Read the blurb here





And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Deadly Secrets - Chapter Two

Read Chapter One here


HELENA TRIED TO BANISH Dimitris and his behavior from her mind. Walking through a spacious foyer, she followed her aunt into a large living room with huge windows overlooking the sea. The windows were open, and she could smell the jasmine and the salt from the sea breeze in the air—just as she remembered it. She looked around, and everything started coming back to her. Yes, she remembered this lovely room. There were a few new pieces she didn’t recognize, but most of the furniture was still the same.Her eyes rested on a painting of her adorable father above the fireplace. Dressed in his white captain’s uniform and wearing his blue and white cap, he was standing on the bridge of a ship, resting one hand on the wooden railing while holding his pipe to his mouth with the other. White, frothy waves and a snow-white seagull flying with his silver-gray wings wide open could be seen in the background of the picture. As tears welled up in her eyes, Helena swallowed hard.Sophie stoodnext to her, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. Unable to control herself, Helena burst into tears and cried her heart out. Her aunt just held her and let her release all the pain and sadness built up inside her for so long.***When Helena finally raised her head to glance at a carved mirror hanging on the wall, she saw red swollen eyes lingering on her pale face while her makeup was smeared all over it. She didn’t care, though. As a matter of fact, she felt much better.“Why don’t you go to the bathroom to wash up,” Sophie said. “In the meantime, I’ll ring the bell to have some tea brought to us.”Helena obediently went to the bathroom down the hallway. Realizing she remembered where everything was in the house, she smiled. It gave her a warm feeling of belonging. When she came back tothe living room, their tea was already there, and so were the delicious little cupcakes she used to be so fond of.Relieved—as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders—Helena sat there sipping her tea, eating her cupcakes, and talking about the past. It was so healing to be able to talk about her father and not feel guilty, like when she was with her mother.Sophie must have loved her brother very much. The pain in her voice when she talked about him was heartbreaking.Helena could tell she had so much in common with her aunt. It felt so good to have someone sharing her pain. She noticed, though, Sophie avoided talking about her father’s accident. When Helena brought it up, she shifted uncomfortably and changed the subject. Is it too painful to talk about, or does Sophie share my mother’s suspicions? Helena wondered.She watched her aunt carefully but decided not to press the matter for now. She was tired and too overwhelmed by emotions to be able to talk about something so painful for both of them.They just sat there in silence, holding each other’s hand, lost in their thoughts.***Sophie had missed her niece and was glad she’d finally come home. It felt as if a part of her beloved brother had come back into her life. She loved Angelos so much and had been devastated by his loss. Sophie hadn’t been the same since then. The pain was unbearable, and so were the regrets. Guilty feelings kept her up night after night. Oh, how she wished her mother was alive. She would know exactly what to do. She might even have prevented what happened…Sophie looked at Helena, lost in her thoughts. Poor little thing, her life was shattered before it even had a chance to bloom. She sighed. Maybe I should have said something… But how could I, and to whom?Sophie was only sixteen years old when Angelos died. Who would pay attention to a young girl’s suspicions? Besides, how could she make any accusations with no proof, based only on things she had heard eavesdropping on her mother’s conversations with Erin? If only I could find the diary. She was sure she would find some answers in there…maybe even evidence of who was responsible for her brother’s death.And what about Thomas? Sophie wondered. She was never close with her adopted brother, who was a lot older than Angelos and her. However,he was the only relativeshe’d had after Angelos died and Erin took Helena to England. She shuddered as gloomy memories came rushing back…***Sophie finally got up. “You must be tired,” she said. “I’ll show you to your room.”They walked up the steps, and Helena was delighted to find out she was going to stay in her old room. It made her feel she had actually come home and wasn’t just visiting.Her room hadn’t changed much. Her eyes wandered around the spacious bedroom with the lovely, white furniture, the four-post bed, the dresser, the little secretarial desk, and the rocking chair by the French doors leading to the balcony. Everything was there; even some of her stuffed animals were still decorating the room. Overwhelmed, she glanced at her aunt.“I didn’twant anything changed. I wanted you to find the place just the way you left it when you finally came home,” Sophie said.Sweet Sophie, Helena thought. She always knew that sooner or later, I would be coming back.When Sophie left her alone, Helena sat on her bed, lost in her thoughts. So many memories… Her eyes rested on the beautiful painting on the wall—a painting her grandmother, Eleana, had painted. She always loved this portrait of a beautiful, little girl, around the age of seven or eight, standing in a blooming garden with an angel in the background, watching over her from Heaven.Staring at the painting for the first time through the eyes of an adult, Helena was taken by surprise. She realized how much the girl in it resembled her when she was around the same age—the age when she lost her father. Bewildered, she noticed the sadness in the girl’s eyes, and tears came to her own eyes, thinking she probably had the same expression after her father vanished from their lives.Helena took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to control the turmoil of emotions stirred up inside her by well-buried memories surfacing again.She stood up, walked over to the French doors, which were open, and stepped outside. Feeling the fresh breeze on her face, she let her eyes roam over the sparkling sapphire waters stretching in front of her. She leaned against the black railings with the fancy designs she always remembered and let her thoughts take her back in time…Cherished memories of those happy days when her father was still alive and her mother was a cheerful young woman in love filledher mind. She could almost see her parentswalking on the beach, holding hands, and herself—as a little girl—running all over the place and splashing in the water.Helena could remember the cold winter nights when they would all gather around the stone fireplace to drink hot chocolate and listen to her father telling stories. Her favorite ones were about the voyages of her father and his ancestors. The men of the Sistakis family—like most people on these islands—had spent a big part of their lives at sea.It was only after her father met her mother that he gave up traveling and became involved in managing the business. He wanted to be with his wife and daughter, so he would spend most of his time on the island and would only go to the main offices in Piraeus whenever it was absolutely necessary. So many memories, so much love…while at the same time, so much pain.Helena didn’t realize she was crying again until teardrops wet the back of her hands, holding on to the railings. She wiped her face with her hands and turned around to go inside.A sudden wave of apprehension washed over her as she felt someone watching her. Cautiously, she scanned her surroundings but didn’t see anyone. She glanced down at the garden and all the way to the edge of the cliff, but there was nobody there. However, she could still feel it. Checking around from side to side, she saw him.It was Dimitris. He was on one of the balconies on the bottom floor farther to her right, wearing tight fitting jeans and a white shirt open low on his chest. Leaning against the railings, he looked just like a mysterious, seductive pirate on the bridge of his ship.Helena’s breath caught in her throat. He was irresistibly handsome…and he was watching her intensely. To her surprise, he didn’t even turnhis head to pretend he hadn’t seen her. He was just standing there, boldly watching her.Feeling her temper rising, she went back into her bedroom and slammed the doors shut. It was going to be hot in the room with noair-conditioning, but she didn’t care at this point. She couldn’t believe he was in the house. Who is that man?The balcony he was on led to one of the bedrooms downstairs. What on earth is he doing there? She was going to have a talk with her aunt and put a stop to this man’s arrogant actions. She was sure Sophie wasn’t aware of him wandering around the house like that.Trying to put Dimitris out of her mind, she walked into her en-suite bathroom. The big marble bathtub seemed so inviting. She turned the water on, took off her clothes and sunk into it. As the fragrance of roses surrounded her, she lay back and closed her eyes, feeling content and relaxed.***A lot later, she opened her eyes again and looked around, startled. She was sure she’d been there for too long and was going to be late for dinner. Rushing out of the bathtub, she grabbed a towel and went to her bedroom to check her watch. It was almost eight o’clock. She vigorously dried herself and blow-dried her hair.Then she put on a blue pencil skirt and a white top and rushed downstairs.The dining room was empty, so she made her way to the living room. Wearing a champagne dress and having her hair pulled back in a white ribbon, Sophie was sitting by the window, sipping some wine. She looked up as Helena walked into the room.Helena was about to apologize for been late but was interrupted by a sarcastic voice, “It was nice of you to finally show up.”She turned around to face Dimitris. Before she could open her mouth, Sophie stood up and stared at him, disapprovingly. “Dimitris, you have to stop treating Helena like this. It wasn’t her fault, and she was hurt as much as the rest of us…maybe more. So don’t be so harsh on her.”He seemed as if he was about to say something but finally remained silent.Sophie came and took Helena’s hand. “Let’s go eat, sweetie. I know you must be starving.”Helena let Sophie lead her out of the living room without a backward glance. They walked into the dining room with Dimitris following right behind them. As soon as the women sat down, Dimitris went and sat at the head of the table.Helena was shocked! This was too much. This man aggravated her, and the fact he was going to stay for dinner made things even worse. Who does he think he is, sitting in my father’s place at the head of the table?She tried to be as polite as possible for Sophie's sake. It was obvious Sophie liked Dimitris, and she seemed so excited to have him and Helena there.Dimitris, on the other hand, could be very charming if he wanted to. He kept on talking to Sophie, totally ignoring Helena. It was Sophie who drew Helena into the conversation several times, and every time, Dimitris would shut her out.Helena was furious with his arrogant behavior. However, she was even more furious with herself and her conflicting emotions. What was wrong with her? She wanted to get up and run as far away from him as she could, while at the same time, she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.She couldn’t help but secretly admire his flawless profile and that perfect, hard to resist body of his. His mere presence set her emotions on fire, and she couldn’t think straight.Helena found herself lost in wild thoughts and was caught off guard when she realized he was talking to her.She drew a deep breath and stared at him, only to get lost in the intensity of his gaze. Was that desire she could see in his eyes, or was she mistaken? Swallowing hard, she looked around and realized they were left alone. Where is Sophie?“She went to answer the phone,” he responded to her unspoken question.Helena took a sip of her wine and tried to clear her thoughts. It’s the trip and all the emotions triggered by coming back, she tried to reason with herself. It just couldn’t be him causing the turmoil inside her and throwing her off balance.She sat there silently, realizing she never heard what he’d told her. Never mind, she thought. She had no intention of talking to him, after all. She would just wait until dinner was over, and then he wouldbe gone.“Why did it…” Dimitris started, but his voice trailed off as Sophie came back.A shadow clouded his eyes as Sophie came back with a gloomy expression on her face and her lips pressed into a thin line.What’s wrong? Helena wondered but didn’t say a word.They finished their dinner in silence, and then Sophie asked them to join her on the veranda for coffee and dessert.Helena was spellbound by the amazing view of the almost black waters of the sea at night, sparkling like liquid silver from the reflection of the bright light of August’s full moon. It was breathtaking.She sunk into a lounge chair and closed her eyes, inhaling the fragrance of jasmine and roses mixed with the salty sea breeze. What an incredible sensation!Everything would have been perfect if he weren’t there. She couldn’t deny he was a very handsome man, but he was also so arrogant and irritating.Helena remained silent until after coffee and dessert were served, trying to avoid looking at him. She could feel his eyes burning into her skin, and her heartbeat accelerated. His mere presence set her emotions to overdrive, and she couldn’t think straight. What is the matter with me? Why am I acting like this? she kept wondering. She had never met anyone before who had such an effect on her.When Sophie went inside for a while, Helena stood up and walked over to the railings. She stood there, letting her eyes wander over the sparkling sea and the sky covered with millions of stars.“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” His voice, husky and sensuous, breathed next to her ear. She was taken aback by the proximity and turned to face him. Brushing her arm against his chest, she felt her skin burning from the touch. He was standing unbearably close…and he looked and smelled so good.“Helena, I don’t bite,” he said, seeing her instinctive reaction to pull back.“Oh! But I’m sure you do,” she replied, trying to steady her voice and make it sound sarcastic. But instead, it came out deep and trembling. She was surprised to see the longing in his eyes—those captivating eyes of his that could so easily make her pulse accelerate. She licked her lips and took a few steps away, trying to place some distance between them.“Why did it take you so long?” he asked, repeating the question he’d asked earlier.Helena glanced at him, puzzled. What does he care, anyway? Then again, judging from the look in his eyes, he did care.“I don’t know,” she whispered, and her answer surprised even herself. She didn’t want to talk about this.He stared at her for a few seconds, and Helena wished she could tell what was going through his mind.As he took a step closer, she drew a deep breath. She could swear he was about to kiss her, and time seemed to stop. Spellbound by his gaze, she felt immobilized. What if he does? she wondered and was shocked to realize she wanted him to.“I’m so sorry to leave you alone, but I had to make a phone call.” Sophie’s voice brought them back to reality.Helena walked back to her lounge chair and sat down, while Dimitris leaned against the railings, squeezing them tightly.“We’re all tired,” Sophie said, turning to Helena. “I think we should go to sleep,” she added and wished them goodnight.Helena watched her walking towards the French doors and was furious to see Dimitris showing no intention of leaving. She jumped out of her seat. “I’m going to bed, too,” she said, unwilling to stay out on the veranda with him. She didn’t trust him, and above all, she didn’t trust herself and her emotions.Hastily, she followed Sophie inside. “Who does he think he is, acting like this?” Helena burst out, unable to hold back any longer. “How rude of him to remain here while everybody is going to bed!”Sophie stared at her, surprised. “But my dear child, Dimitris lives here,” she said, leaving Helena speechless.

I hope you enjoyed Chapter Two of Deadly Secrets. Come back next Wednesday to read Chapter Three.
Read the blurb here


And stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...

Thank you, Venture Galleries!

I thank Venture Galleries for their continuing interest in my books.


Monday Sampler: Whisper in the Wind by Angel SeferJULY 11, 2016LINDA PIRTLE

In our mission to connect readers, writers, and books, Venture Galleries is showcasing some of the best authors in the marketplace today. Monday’s Sampler features an excerpt from Whisper in the Wind by Angel Sefer. The novel is part of the alluring Sun, Sand, and Seas collection. Murder? Romance? Mystery? It all happens somewhere on a beach.The StoryBlackmailed by a ruthless mastermind, Emily Stone finds herself on the Greek island of Alonnisos, impersonating the golden heiress of a luxury beach resort.Seductive Captain Andreas Aliveris is torn between his irresistible attraction to the stunning imposter and his need to protect a loved one.Can passion overcome suspicions and regrets in this game of danger, betrayal, and greed?As one reviewer said about the collection: The stories ranging from romance to cozy mystery to murder mystery. What made this collection unique was the way certain characters from one author’s story would suddenly pop up in another. This brought the collection together in a way you don’t usually see in anthologies.
Click on the link below to read the post and the book excerpt on the Venture Galleries website

Exciting Giveaway to celebrate Hot New Release

I’m so excited to announce that my Mystery Thriller Romance The Heiress of Santorini is included in the fabulous 12-book romance bundle Finding Love In All The Right Places.The bundle is available for only 99 cents on pre-order, and release day is right around the corner ~ July 25th! The book will only be available for 2 months after release day, so it’s an exciting limited-time offer to stock up on some spicy romance novels and discover some fabulous new authors! 
Plus we have a special giveaway for you!



In the bundle, you’ll find full-length novels from an incredible group of bestselling and award-winning romance, women’s fiction, and chick lit authors, all for only 99 cents!Aching for You by multiple award-winning author SJ Miller
Arielle Immortal Journey by multiple award-winning author Lilian Roberts
Virtual Lies by JD Combs
The Heiress of Santorini by multiple award-winning, #1 best-selling author Angel Sefer
The New Ever After by Julie Farley
Confessions of a City Girl by award-winning author Juliette Sobanet
What (Not) to Expect When You’re Expecting by multiple award-winning author MJ Fredrick
Emma’s Home by best-selling author Maryann Jordan
The Necklace IV by Linda S. Rice
Flawless by award-winning author Jan Moran
Love’s Journey by Maggie-award Finalist Jolene Cazzola
Fly Like You’ve Never Been Grounded by SJ McCoy

Where to get the Finding Love 12-Book Romance BundleWe are thrilled to offer this incredible deal to readers on Kindle, iBooks, Nooks, and Kobo all around the world! Here are the links:Amazon (US, UK, and International link)iBooks (US, UK, and International link) Barnes & Noble Nook Kobo  Share & Win with our Special Pre-Order Giveaway!Our release date is July 25th, but to give you a chance to win some exciting prizes, we’re running a special pre-order giveaway. The MORE you SHARE, the greater your chance of winning these prizes!Here are the prizes:$50 Amazon Gift Card – When we hit 1,000 preordersFREE Kindle Fire tablet – When we hit 3,000 preorders
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Excerpt from award-winning, mystery thriller romance bestseller Deadly Secrets - Chapter One

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 dressedin 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 worryabout… 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 hourstrip 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… Helenacould 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? Helenawondered, 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’sstate 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 conflictingemotions 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 rememberedher 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 hisheel 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 Mercedeswas 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 softleather 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 thosegorgeous, 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 turnedto 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 enjoyed Chapter One of Deadly Secrets. Come back next Wednesday to read Chapter Two.

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