I see the way he looks at her, like she's the best thing that's ever happened to him. But I see the way she looks at him, with fear in her eyes that he could walk out at any moment and I know that look. Afraid to lose someone you love. But if only she could see the way he looks at her. Losing her would mean he lost his whole world. – K.L

Athena's POV.

Exhausted from a full day, worn out I made my way up the stairs sleepily going into the en-suite bathroom to have a quick shower. Wrinkling my nose at my salt water laden hair, I tried my best to undo the strings of my almost dried bikini as the tight knot proved too much for me. Having no choice I called out to Nico in hope that he would have made his way into the bedroom by then.

"Is this an invitation?" He teased devouring my body as I stood against the basin in a barely there blue bikini that was almost the color of his captivating eyes.

A tired yawn escaped my mouth as he chuckled placing a kiss to my sun burnt shoulder.

"Can you undo the knots?" I asked him turning around as he pulled it apart in no time letting the flimsy bra fall to the ground.

"Beautiful." He murmured hoarsely openly gazing at my body. Aside from the complete exhaustion I currently felt, heat blossomed through my body as it came alive under his stare. My nipples puckered to attention and I hid no more. Groaning he pulled me close as I rubbed against his throbbing bulge. His mouth latched onto my neck nipping at my skin as he palmed my derriere. Placing a kiss square onto my mouth, he picked me up and deposited me into the shower.

"If I stay..." He said hoarsely as though it pained him to even speak, "I will fuck you against this wall...hard...to make up for the days I missed having you in bed and then I will take you back into the bedroom and make love to you all night long and you agape mou are not ready for that."

Exiting, he left me there astounded as the warm water pelted down onto me. I should have been grateful for his rejection yet I had to restrain myself as my body pleaded with me to go after him. Rinsing of as quickly as possible, exhaustion slumped into my bones once again as I towel dried my damp hair.

"You are not making this any easier baby." Nico warned with dark eyes as he entered the closet in the pair of swim trucks that he wore earlier displaying his beautiful carved chest.

"Pardon?" I questioned as I looked at him slowly making his way towards me in his slow panther like graceful way.

"Remind me to personally send a gift card to the shopper." He murmured as his fingers delicately traced the low cut lace that covered a less than portion of my ample breast. It was clear that my erect nipples were visible to anyone in direct sight as the remainder of my breast spilled out due to the low cut. The rest of the nightgown flowed downwards in fine cool lilac silk grazing my thighs as the black silk matching underwear I wore shifted against my clamped thighs.

"Go to bed." He whispered placing a kiss to my cheek as he exited and entered the shower.

Obeying his command, I dipped into the inviting bed filled with fatigue as sleep tried its best to pull me down under. Though for some unknown reason, the bed felt empty and cold as I lay under the duvet willing my eyes to shut. Eventually giving up, I snuggled closer to Nico's side, his scent still prominent against the pillows as my eyes finally shut. Distantly I felt the depression as he slid in, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me against his hard chest. Instantly comforted, I tightened my hold on him as his legs trapped under mine.

"Did you have a good day?" He asked softly against my hair.

"I did." I murmured, "Thank you."

Turning in his arms, I placed a kiss onto his naked chest as he enveloped me impossibly closer. For a while I thought he had dozed off as I listened to the sound of his even breathing in the darkened room before he broke the silence.

"You once told me that I do not know you but I know you better than you think agape mou. I know that you hate coffee and only drink two cups of tea per day lightly milked and incredibly sweetened. I know you love Shakespeare and have an incredible passion for it that I think you must put to good use. I know you love the stars and the beaches and the midnight hour. I know you feel closest to your youngest brother Xandro maybe because in a way just like you he does not hold much memory of your mother. I know that after everything you love your father as much as any daughter would. I know that you have a lot of empathy and a big heart that can save the world. I know that same big heart will make you an excellent mother someday. I know that you are caring and compassionate and much better person than I will ever be. I know that I am undeserving of you. And I know that there is no one else like you in the world. You are one of a kind and I am in awe of you."

Tipping my head upward to meet his mouth, he lips slowly melded to mine as he made slow sweet love to me just as he had promised with only his erotic mouth. Breaking our kiss, his lips grazed my forehead as he placed my head on his chest.

"Sleep now agape mou."

And without a final thought, I succumbed to a deep slumber.

**

The following morning I awoke in bed alone, as I rolled over into Nico's indented spot amazed to learn that it was past 10'o clock. Slowly rising, I showered and donned on a printed of the shoulder long maxi dress with a thigh high slit and a pair of sandals before making my way down to join everyone.

"I love your dress!" Elizabeth said from across the hall as she spotted me exiting the room.

"Thank you." I replied smiling at her as she joined me chatting animatedly as we found everyone dispersed around the huge home.

"Katy and Theo are both in the pool along with Brandon, Eve and Will." Charlotte said, "Jade is sun bathing close to them and Nico, Lucas, Ethan and Dillon are in the garage discussing some race or whatnot." She continued on rolling her eyes before they lit up excitedly, "I am going to the airport to meet Sergio, he's arriving today."

"Have fun." Elizabeth said as we waved her off.

Returning to the garden, I grabbed a platter placing some breakfast onto it as I sat on a lounger watching Theo splash about gleefully in the water.

"With the boys of indulging in their testosterone race, we should do something fun today." Evelyn said to us.

"What will you like to do Athena?" Questioned Jade.

"Anything is fine." I replied kindly.

"What about a girl's day?" Elizabeth input.

"What's that?" I asked they all looked at me shocked as Katy giggled from the pool with Theo mocking her and laughing along which in turn had us all laughing.

After we sobered up, Jade explained, "It is the most sacred day. We girls get together, gossip, paint our nails, and have some champagne, do our hair, sometimes get a massage but that's a full spa day. It is essential for your mentality. You've never had one before?"

"No." I replied someone dejected, "I have brothers and never really had time to have much friends."

"We are your friends, are we not?" Questioned Evelyn lightening the mood that suddenly turned somber.

"Girl, we are going to show you the true meaning of girl's day." Brandon said diva-like as he snapped his fingers in the water.

Shortly after, an entire ensemble was prepared in honor of girl's day. Ordered to wear a pair of bikini, I made my way back down as what use to be the breakfast table now turned in a mini bar filled with endless drinks and cocktails as Elizabeth immediately placed one into my hands. Trays of different nail polish and face masks littered an adjoining table placed nearby along with various bottles of oils and rose water.

"What is this?" Nico asked coming to a halt as he took the scene in before his eyes landed on me.

Coming forward, he enveloped me into his arms as he placed a light kiss to my lips, "Good morning." He whispered against me as a chorus of 'awws' echoed behind.

"Young love." Brandon dramatically commented touching his chest, "Bless their heart." As we burst into laughter from his piece as Nico smirked.

"We're having a girl's day." I told him as his arms remained wrapped around me.

"And we would appreciate if you testosterone fuelled men do not ruin it." Jade said bickering as the following three men appeared.

"Sapphire would you calm down." Dillon said to Jade as she glared at him in response.

"Funny." She commented dryly.

"We're off to begin the race then if no one is coming to watch." Ethan informed.

"That is because no one cares to watch Etty." Evelyn muttered as she admonished the four men for behaving like children.

"Go along boys." Elizabeth said rushing them out, "You are all keeping girl's day back."

"Please do not end up in the hospital this time." I said softly to Nico as I held on to his arm.

Smirking arrogantly down at him he proudly stated, "I can drive better than batman."

With a full chaste kiss, they were all booted out as we spend the next couple hours, relaxing and talking about the upcoming charity ball that was to be held the following evening. After voicing that I was unsure about what I was wearing, the girls made it their mission to personally select an outfit from my closet to which my nails and toes were painted a color to match. It was time well spent as we lounged around the pool after lunch, with the men finally returning with a grim look on their faces as Dillon followed suit grinning from ear to ear.

"They may be businessmen in the boardroom but internally they are all fifteen." Evelyn said to me conspiratorially as I laughed at her statement seeing the truth in it.

"Would you like to feel?" She suddenly asked as her swollen belly suddenly jumped. Without awaiting an answer she placed my hands onto her taunt stomach as I felt the strong movement.

"Wow." I murmured in amazement as I placed both hands.

"I keep telling Lucas she takes after him in the football aspect." She joked as she adoringly met her husband's eyes across the pool.

Looking up in the same moment, my eyes clashed with Nico's undecipherable icy blue eyes as he stared at me with my hands on Evelyn stomach with a look that I could not have fathomed.

"I think she likes you." Evelyn said recapturing my attention as we looked down at the bump, "She usually never moves this much during the day."

"We certainly know Nico is a huge fan." Katy teased threading the water as she joined our inner circle.

"I never thought I would see the day." Evelyn commented glancing at him as he chatted with the rest, "He keeps looking your way every second as though I would kidnap you."

"He is clearly head over heels in love with you." Katy said as the revelation left me winded, "Trust me." She added from the look of my expression, and quickly adding with a tell-tale blush to her delicate features as she looked at her husband, "They just appear tough on the outside."

"Did you know Lucas and I hated each other for years?" Evelyn questioned as she proceeded to tell me her story which drew attention as Katy and I laughed loudly from her antics. "My main point is to not give up on them; they just need that extra push."

"Ethan had only confessed his love to me a few hours before we were married." Katy said as I looked at her shocked before she told me her story. "We have all come a long way since. You both grow and mature together. I can see that Nico loves you as much as you love him. I have no doubt that you two would get your happily ever after."

Deciding I could have no longer battled my inner distress alone, I shared my story with them as they looked at each in careful thought, "The path to love is never easy." Evelyn said, "But Katy is right, I have known Nico longer than anyone and he would have never brought you along if he intended to let you go. If he does not feel an ounce of emotion towards you, why does he hold the look of a man who holds the stars in his hands every night? He clearly loves you and just cannot say it for whatever reason. I am so proud of you for not hiding your emotions. It shows you have courage and strength. You did something most people have a fear of including me."

"And me." Katy added, "Nico would never let you go."

"But we should push him." Evelyn said slyly as she winked at me. "Do not worry."

A short while after Nico, Lucas, Dillon and Ethan left to attend a football match in the city's stadium, along with Brandon, Will and Charlotte's boyfriend Sergio, I lounged about becoming fast friends with Evelyn and Katy. For the first time I felt like I had truly belonged somewhere.

A/N: SURPRISE! DOUBLE UPDATE!!! This one is for my single girls. Valentine's day can still be fun as long as we stick together. I got you like Evelyn got...well let's be honest, she got everyone. 

Well you know the drill by now. Vote, comment and check out 'THE BILLIONAIRE'S ULTIMATUM' 'THE BILLIONAIRE'S MATCH' and 'THE BILLIONAIRE'S CHRISTMAS REVENGE' available on my page. 

It's back to vacation for me ;) See you in March...

oxoxox...Allison :)