Alexis had tried to run, her terror at not only what she had seen, but who she had seen, playing over in her mind. If she could just get to the corridors downstairs, she could easily flee into the maze that was the grand castle. She’d made the first step when something trapped her long flowing hair and yanked her back. She let out a cry, partly in pain and partly in the horror that she knew she’d been caught.
Before she could blink, she’d been thrown against a wall, her head smacking against the brickwork, sending a sharp pain through her that left stars in her eyes. Stars that were quickly replaced by the ugly menace of Stavros’ face. Nearly 4 years her elder, he towered over her, his hands pinning her to the wall, his fury unyielding.
Alexis let out a whimper, turning her face away. There was little point to trying to hold up a brave front. Seeing her fear pleased Stavros immensely in all the times he stalked her, hounded her and trapped her when he desired to torment her up close. If she appeared unaffected or not terrified enough, he would hurt her until she dropped her mask. She never hid her emotions from him anymore; she knew what lay ahead if she did.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded in a low growl, using some of the coarse American language he’d been trying out since his first visit to New York several months earlier. Even in her immense terror, it occurred to Alexis that Stavros wasn’t so brazen to ever use the language in front of anyone who reported back to his father.
Alexis shook her head, her eyes wide. “I-I-I didn’t see anything,” she insisted in a hoarse voice, wincing as he tightened his grip on her. Of course he didn’t believe her, or maybe he did and he just didn’t care.
“Oh, she saw us Stavros. She saw everything.” From the shadows, the fair-haired, ice blue eyed princess stepped closer, an ugly smile etched into her flawless complexion. She was a breathtaking sight, even now, with the harsh ugliness of her demeanor. She sized up Alexis, taking in the younger girl’s plain dress and dull brown hair and wrinkled her nose. “This dirty little thing knows exactly what she saw.”
She was right.
Alexis had not intended to intrude on anyone, she’d simply entered one of the many libraries the mammoth home had, in search of a prized set of Russian fables that she’d discovered the year earlier and had re-read several times already. She’d set foot in the library, moving through the rooms with quiet reverence at the majestic collection the Cassadines had. She’d come into the reading room, complete with chairs of all shapes and sizes scattered around the room, and soon found the small, leather bound 3 volume set she was looking for when she’d heard a noise.
Only weeks earlier, she had shown Stefan a small, almost entirely hidden alcove in the reading room. He’d been startled and delighted, praising her for sharing a special hiding place like this with him.
Of course, he didn’t know that she shared it because he was one of the few high ranking family members to show her any kindness. He was one of the few in general who even looked at her as anything other than a watered down Cassadine of low breeding. He was also extremely handsome and seemed to genuinely enjoy talking to her, taking an interest in her in a way no one else did.
Perhaps he was perusing through a stack of books himself? They shared a love of reading, and Alexis smiled as she clutched the small books to her chest. She’d not yet told him about this collection, but she knew he’d enjoy reading them.
She rounded the first corner and then another when the noise she’d heard became louder and more defined. She blushed as she realized it was amorous in nature. A female giggle followed by a contented sigh. Then, a clearly male grunt.
A realization struck her, was Stefan here with a woman? She’d shown him this special place and he decided to bring a conquest here? Hurt bloomed in her chest, but she pushed the pain away, not wanting to misjudge him so harshly. Quietly as she could, she ducked her head around the oak bookshelf, more curious than anything, until she saw who was in the hiding area.
She would recognize the posture and midnight, tousled locks of Stavros anywhere, even if his face was hidden. The woman was Delphina, a Cassadine cousin of much higher rank than Alexis, who’d arrived in Greece only weeks earlier with her father, Dimitri. Everyone had been taken by her startling beauty, the regal way she entered the home, her precise manner of speaking.
Alexis had noted Delphina’s ever present chilly gaze as it roved over the staff and lesser Cassadines in the family and immediately knew she wanted to do nothing to catch the attention of those eyes.
Delphina’s dress, stunning without being too modest, was aquamarine to accentuate her eyes, and now sat pooled at her waist, the swell of her breast pressed against Stavros’ chest. Her legs wrapped around Stavros as he held her up against a bookcase. Both let out another groan as Stavros jerked his body to hers. Alexis froze, shocked at what she was seeing. Although she knew she was naïve about the ways of love and sex, it was unmistakable what Delphina and Stavros were consorting in.
And how forbidden it was in their family.
Although she herself was a lowly Cassadine of no consequence, she knew that Delphina did not rank much higher, even though her father was cousin to the Prince, Mikkos. With the death of Stavros’ betrothed fiancée in winter, the family was abuzz with finding the younger prince a new and suitable future bride.
Enter Dimitri, a Brazil based businessman, with unscrupulous practices and his equally unpleasant daughter.
Stavros had taken it upon himself to act a gallant host and in just a few weeks, it appeared that the match, whiles not certain, seemed promising.
But this.
This was strictly prohibited. To engage in, as she had been warned, intimate activities invited all sorts of punishment, even for the future heir. Already two maids had been turned out after being found with Stavros in his private suite, although Alexis was sure neither girl had been with him by choice. Stavros, despite the black eye his father had given him for such behavior, had not stopped, instead becoming more cunning.
And cruel. Something Alexis knew all too well.
Wanting to erase the sight from her eyes, Alexis pulled back, and began to ease herself from the confines of the bookshelves, careful not to misstep. But it was too late.
“She saw us.” A cold declaration filled the small space and any pretense of sneaking away left Alexis and she turned on her heels and began to run.
But she was a terrible runner, her legs were too long and gangly, her coordination frustratingly lacking.
Now held against the cold wall, her arms hurting, her head swimming with ache, she vowed to start training in the sport, the soonest she could, once this was over. The level of anger in Stavros, however, made her fearful that her punishment would not end soon.
“Spying were you?” His hot breath fanned against her face.
“Of course she was,” came Delphina’s airy voice. “Why wouldn’t she?”
Stavros narrowed his gaze, not following Delphina’s train of thought. Delphina sighed as she sidled up to Kristina. “She’s just jealous, it’s so unbecoming of a lady, but of course, she’s no lady, she only wishes she was in my place,” she sneered as she examined her perfectly shaped nails.
Alexis almost laughed at such a ridiculous remark as Delphina turned her gaze to Stavros. “Do you not see how she looks at you?” The suggestion was insidious and foul, but had its desired effect as Stavros’ dark eyes simmered with something other than cruelty.
Alexis shrank back.
No. Not this. Not again.
Stavros’ lips curved as his body leaned into hers, pinning her to the wall, but it was not the chill of the old brick making her tremble. His long fingers crawled up her arms like spiders, across her throat and down her chest. Alexis let out a whimper, squeezing her eyes shut as he roughly groped her.
“You see? She wants you.”
Oh, she hated this girl, this horrible beast that had captured the favorable attention of Helena, the one who may one day run the family the way Helena did.
“Do you know what I think we should do?” Delphina’s calm, deadly voice hissed against Alexis’ ear as Stavros’ hands possessively moved down her abdomen, his mouth grazing the hollow of her throat.
“Hmm?” Stavros murmured and Alexis shivered again, the sudden prospect of being at the mercy of both, sending forth a stream of tears down her cheeks.
Delphina’s voice dropped to a low purr. “I think we should take her back to our place, and make her bleed.”
Alexis stilled completely, her eyes flew open as her blood ran cold. A fuel of rage filled her and she let out a petrified, furious scream that caught both Stavros and Delphina off guard. Stavros, his eyes wild with wrath, clapped his hand over her mouth, silencing her.
Too late.
Rounding the corner, stood a thunderous Mikkos and behind him, Dimitri along with several guards. It only took Mikkos a moment to take in the sight and render his verdict. Though Stavros released Alexis and sprang back from her, he was not so quick as to avoid Mikkos’ flying hand as it cracked against the side of Stavros’ face, sending the young man into the opposite wall with a sickening thud.
Despite being released, Alexis still stood against the wall, too frightened to move, to even breathe, lest the same punishment be delivered to her as well.
Quiet as a ghost, Delphina had retreated to the shadows and slipped away, but not before Mikkos caught sight of her. He flicked his head to Stavros, dazed and bleeding from the head and two guards hoisted the younger prince and carted him away.
Dimitri murmured an apology and quickly withdrew, leaving only a white faced Alexis and Mikkos in the hallway, two sentries taking discreet steps back to allow them privacy.
“Are you injured?” His gruff voice penetrated her shock and she quickly shook her head. Her head throbbed, her arms had no doubt been bruised and the way Stavros had touched her made her feel filthy, but she would share none of this with the Prince.
His massive hand reached out; tipping her chin up to face his and he glowered at her. “Never speak of this.” She nodded quickly, too afraid to do much more. He did not step away or release her and instead, gazed at her for a few silent, long seconds, a look to his face that almost seemed regretful.
He blinked and dropped his hand. “Go,” he ordered and she found her legs, shaky and uncertain, letting them carry her to the safety of her room. She locked the door with trembling hands and crawled onto her bed, finally feeling safe enough to bury her face in her pillow and allow the sobs to come forth.
*~*
“He hurt you.” Kristina’s voice, soft and sad brought Alexis out of the memory and she gazed down at her daughter’s watery eyes. “I’m so sorry Mom,” she said, her lips trembling with emotion.
They had left Wyndemere together in silence and after brewing some chai tea, the two had sat collectively on the soft cushions of the sofa to deal with the past.
Despite the pain the memory brought up, Alexis took a cleansing breath and instead, brought her child into her arms. “It was a long time ago,” she finally said, as her daughter’s warmth eased the sadness in her heart.
After a long embrace, Kristina pulled back, swiping her eyes. “What did Uncle do?” Her voice was calm, assured that her beloved Uncle Stefan had exacted justice for her mother.
Alexis hesitated, before deciding to be honest. “I never told him what happened.”
Kristina’s eyes widened with genuine shock. “Why?”
How would she explain this? Alexis titled her head before squeezing Kristina’s hands reassuringly. “Your uncle did a lot for me when I was younger and I am still eternally grateful for the education and freedom he secured for me.”
Kristina picked up on the hitch in the remark. “But?” she prompted.
“But it was a different time and he was still Stavros’ brother. His loyalty was to his prince, no matter what. I couldn’t put him in a position where he would have to choose.”
“You think he wouldn’t have chosen you?” Kristina couldn’t believe that. Not the man she adored, the man she had known her entire life.
Alexis gazed at Kristina’s trusting eyes and nodded. “I know he wouldn’t have chosen me.”
Kristina’s mouth opened to protest, to voice her shock at such a statement when Alexis interrupted her smoothly. “This family is very complicated. I love it very much and would defend what we have to anyone who threatens it, but it is not always just.”
Kristina let the words sink in, still too fresh to properly digest. “Did you ever tell anyone?”
“Many years later.” Alexis gave a small smile. “Of course, I told Marcus.” Her voice was warm and full of love at the memory of him cradling her in his arms as she recounted one of the darker chapters of her younger days.
Cupping the side of Kristina’s face, she gave it a loving stroke. “But the first person I ever told was your father.”
Kristina gasped. “You did?” she asked, awestruck.
Alexis nodded; a faraway look to her eyes. “He shared his childhood with me, the abuse he suffered at his stepfather’s hands. He said he could see the same brokenness in me. I found, for the first time in a long time, that I wanted to share that pain with someone. With him. So I told him about it.”
Kristina leaned forward, drinking in this story of her parents, and how for once they were not fighting or arguing or staring daggers at each other. But rather, it was a tale of before all that, when they were friends. “What did he do?”
Alexis gave a wry smile. “Oh, he was very angry. Made threats about killing evil Cassadines. But he was very good to me. He held my hands in his,” she said as she nodded to the fact that she and Kristina was doing the very same thing. “He told me I was very brave and that I had nothing to be ashamed of.”
Kristina’s heart swelled with love for her father. That he had said the right thing, that she could hear the words coming from his mouth. For a sad, strange moment, she wished he was here, that it was just the three of them sharing this together. Being united, feeling bonded as families should. “Do you miss him?” she asked quietly, trying not to let the ache she felt about her parents show in her voice.
“In so many ways, I miss him. I miss our friendship, we were once very good friends,” Alexis acknowledged. “But when it ended, then Ric came into our lives, and we have Molly.”
Kristina bit back a smile. “Ehh, she’s okay,” she teased, knowing full well that she could not imagine life without her bookish, kind and brilliant younger sister in it.
“And then there was Marcus.” Alexis’ voice spoke of her husband as though he was made of gold. She said his name with such reverence, such love that Kristina could not help but beam at her mother. A quiet peace came over the two and Kristina looked at her mother with new, proud eyes. She had been through so much in her own young life, but her mother had done it without a mother and father to love and care for her. “Dad is right. You are very brave.”
Alexis’ eyes glistened at her daughter’s soft words. “Thank you sweetheart.” She leaned forward, kissing Kristina gently on both cheeks.
Kristina took a breath and sat back. “What happened to Delphina?”
Alexis’ eyes sharpened. “Both she and her father were sent back to Brazil a short time later. Whatever sway Helena thought she had was overruled by Mikkos. I suppose he decided that one Helena was enough.”
“She just disappeared?”
Alexis tilted her head. “Well, her father came to Port Charles, long after the whole Ice Princess debacle. Swindled Sean Donely and the Quartermaines out of their entire fortune and promptly vanished when he returned to Rio.”
She rose from her seat, her legal mind at work. “Robert Scorpio would have chased after him, being best friends with Sean Donely. I’m sure wherever those millions were, she was close by as well. I’m sure that’s how they met.” She shook her head. “I just can’t believe someone so smart fell for Delphina.”
She turned to face Kristina. “I know you care about Ronan,” she began but Kristina’s face registered alarm at the turn in the conversation.
“No. I get why you hate Delphina. I get it, but Ronan is not his mother. He may have lied about a lot, but he couldn’t hide his nature.” She implored her mother with earnest eyes. “He’s not her.”
She couldn’t believe anything else.
*~*
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