Read Online An Heir for Alexandros: The Greek Billionaire's Baby by Holly Rayner - Free Book Online
Authors: Holly Rayner
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was narrow and dimly lit. Alexandros walked in front of Kally, who was now shivering with fear. Terrorists. Real live terrorists might be trying to break in to the house. She had, of course, covered similar events as part of her old job, and spoken face-to-face with dozens of experts, victims, and perpetrators, but she had never seen a person hell-bent on murder up close before, and she wasn’t in any mood to meet one now. She looked ahead of her, wondering how Alexandros could be so calm. After all, the killers were here for him.
After going down for four flights of stairs, they came to a huge door that looked like it belonged in a bank vault. Alexandros opened it using another security scanner, and led Kally into a sparsely-furnished room. There was a couch, a door that led to a small bathroom, a well-stocked bar, and nothing else. The heavy door swung shut, sealing them in, and Alexandros went to the bar. Grabbing a couple of tumblers and a bottle Kally didn't recognize, he swiftly poured them a round of drinks.
“Vodka; you look like you need this,” he said, offering a glass to Kally.
“Thank you, Mr. Stratos,” she replied, taking it with a shaky hand.
“Terrorists are trying to break into my home and kill me. I think it’s safe for you to call me Alexandros now,” the Greek remarked.
Kally laughed weakly, and took a long drink. “Okay then, Alexandros,” she intoned. “I guess it’s safe for you to call me Kally now.”
Kally took a moment to take in her surroundings. It certainly wasn’t the Batcave she had expected after fleeing through the hidden passageway. Whoever had stocked the panic room had forgotten to pack in anything in the way of entertainment. Kally could see neither books nor magazines. There was no television, but the bar, by contrast, looked fully stocked.
“It looks like someone has their priorities straight,” she quipped, shaking her head.
Alexandros kept himself busy tending bar, and Kally launched into one of her many Republic- related stories. In a few moments, she was slaying Alexandros with the one about the April Fools’ Day story arranger.
“So my best friend thought up this crazy idea of mocking up an April Fools’ edition of the newspaper. When she told me what she was planning to do, I was sure she had lost her mind. She sneaked in after closing, and switched the draft copy for her version. Everyone comes in the next day and gets to work. I heard a scream two minutes later, so I looked at the front page. I couldn’t see straight for five minutes. We nearly went to press with a picture of our editor in her underwear at the Christmas party, and a lead story about a hiccuping baby and his adventures in our break room. That was nearly national news!” Kally was crying she was laughing so hard. “The editor stormed out of her office with an expression that said “set phasers to kill”, and for the next three hours, we all went through the Spanish Inquisition.”
“And she didn’t get fired?” Alexandros asked when he could breathe again.
“I thought she would be for sure, but somehow, Beth managed to keep her job. To this day, I can’t figure out how. Our editor was so mad she was turning purple.”
Alexandros poured out more drinks, and the sharing continued. After a while, Alexandros started talking about his daughter. He admitted to spoiling her rotten because he wanted her to have the sort of life his father had denied him. Despite that, Stefania had turned out to be a sweet and loving girl who loved poetry. He tried to recite a poem she'd written, but he was starting to slur when he spoke.
“I’ll try again when I'm sober,” the Greek said, draining his glass.
“S’okay,” Kally replied, swaying slightly in her seat on the bed. “She sounds like a really special girl, Alexandros.”
“The best,” he agreed. “Always full of ideas. She wanted me to build a school for girls in
After going down for four flights of stairs, they came to a huge door that looked like it belonged in a bank vault. Alexandros opened it using another security scanner, and led Kally into a sparsely-furnished room. There was a couch, a door that led to a small bathroom, a well-stocked bar, and nothing else. The heavy door swung shut, sealing them in, and Alexandros went to the bar. Grabbing a couple of tumblers and a bottle Kally didn't recognize, he swiftly poured them a round of drinks.
“Vodka; you look like you need this,” he said, offering a glass to Kally.
“Thank you, Mr. Stratos,” she replied, taking it with a shaky hand.
“Terrorists are trying to break into my home and kill me. I think it’s safe for you to call me Alexandros now,” the Greek remarked.
Kally laughed weakly, and took a long drink. “Okay then, Alexandros,” she intoned. “I guess it’s safe for you to call me Kally now.”
Kally took a moment to take in her surroundings. It certainly wasn’t the Batcave she had expected after fleeing through the hidden passageway. Whoever had stocked the panic room had forgotten to pack in anything in the way of entertainment. Kally could see neither books nor magazines. There was no television, but the bar, by contrast, looked fully stocked.
“It looks like someone has their priorities straight,” she quipped, shaking her head.
Alexandros kept himself busy tending bar, and Kally launched into one of her many Republic- related stories. In a few moments, she was slaying Alexandros with the one about the April Fools’ Day story arranger.
“So my best friend thought up this crazy idea of mocking up an April Fools’ edition of the newspaper. When she told me what she was planning to do, I was sure she had lost her mind. She sneaked in after closing, and switched the draft copy for her version. Everyone comes in the next day and gets to work. I heard a scream two minutes later, so I looked at the front page. I couldn’t see straight for five minutes. We nearly went to press with a picture of our editor in her underwear at the Christmas party, and a lead story about a hiccuping baby and his adventures in our break room. That was nearly national news!” Kally was crying she was laughing so hard. “The editor stormed out of her office with an expression that said “set phasers to kill”, and for the next three hours, we all went through the Spanish Inquisition.”
“And she didn’t get fired?” Alexandros asked when he could breathe again.
“I thought she would be for sure, but somehow, Beth managed to keep her job. To this day, I can’t figure out how. Our editor was so mad she was turning purple.”
Alexandros poured out more drinks, and the sharing continued. After a while, Alexandros started talking about his daughter. He admitted to spoiling her rotten because he wanted her to have the sort of life his father had denied him. Despite that, Stefania had turned out to be a sweet and loving girl who loved poetry. He tried to recite a poem she'd written, but he was starting to slur when he spoke.
“I’ll try again when I'm sober,” the Greek said, draining his glass.
“S’okay,” Kally replied, swaying slightly in her seat on the bed. “She sounds like a really special girl, Alexandros.”
“The best,” he agreed. “Always full of ideas. She wanted me to build a school for girls in
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