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Giannis' mouth seemed to hang lower than my own. He was voiceless yet screaming at a ghost. Imagine being in the presence of a Mavros – that is already jarring enough if you're not me. Now add that the fact that you were an old schoolmate, and you hadn't heard from your friend in years. It was always so strange to see these boys hanging out in the same group. To me, it looked like they had nothing in common. That there was an unspoken competition laid out under the façade of friendship. When the Mavros family dropped off from the face of the earth, Giannis took it upon himself to take over the role as the super masculine and super sexy man of town. He wore that crown well.

Now the dead had come back to life.

Or maybe that was just me projecting because Lycius, in my eyes, was always more attractive than Giannis. Now the competition was back and that very well threatened his existence – his pride as a man.

I was shaken for a different reason.

It was Lycius Mavros. Not the wolf but the man.

Arianna stepped out of the house and was struck by the same outrage. 'No. Way.'

'Is that... Lucky?' Giannis said barely registering us girls anymore. He paced to the car and froze like a deer in the headlights once Lycius climbed out slamming the door behind him. My gaze darted between the two very different men before me then turned to Ari, my eyebrows arched in question. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? She rushed forward eager for what trouble was brewing with a glass of water in hand. I didn't give myself a second to process the need for her to prove me wrong and turned back to the boys.

I analysed Lycius' attire and the set-up was enough to let my hand wander to the ribbon on my flushed neck. My eyes flitted to his leather jacket resting over a tightfitting black turtleneck, a thin silver chain lounged over the top. He wore dark jeans with silver buckles and belts strapped to his thighs, and some worn-out combat boots tying the smart-punk look altogether.

When he reached for the lollipop residing in his mouth, I noticed the silver rings glinting under the greying sky. My fingers trailed up to the nape of my neck, all of me was burning up. I wondered if Giannis was as flustered as I was.

The "am I a whore?" audio started playing in a loop in my head.

'Hey John,' Lycius said. He put the lollipop back into his mouth and casually strolled past Giannis to pick up the easel at my feet. Watching him kneel down in front of me shouldn't have sent a heatwave to knock me out. My supplies might as well have melted into the concrete with me. I was completely blindsided by the curve of his jaw, at the tongue swishing the lollipop about as he straightened my equipment and dared to look me in the eye.

My cheeks were hot, my whole body was roaring fire and here he was acting too calm and collected.

'I thought Calix was picking me up,' I said.

'I had a free morning.' With my easel in hand, he turned away to walk to his car. I thought I caught a satisfied grin as he did, either solely aimed at me or for me. He clearly got the exact reaction he wanted out and settled back into a frown when he felt Giannis watching him.

'Every dog has their day,' I muttered. Lycius' eyes flashed with amusement at me before darkening on Giannis. I ordered Arianna to help me with the boxes. Neither of us moved a step both selfishly wanting to witness this historical moment.

'Now who's thirsty?' Ari whispered.

'Shut up,' I hissed mortified.

'Where've you been?' Giannis said, or more demanded as Lycius slipped my things in the backseat without breaking a sweat.

I stepped in eager to hear this story, but Lycius shrugged nonchalantly.

'Travelling.' Lycius shrugged. Then the men laughed, one a little more nervous than the other. Lycius was getting off of everyone's discomfort and I didn't find any part of this funny. Especially with how he could get away with such a shorthanded answer like that.

It was then I noticed Giannis' posture. His shoulder had folded into his chest, his head hung low like a vulture. He was scared. Why would Giannis be scared of Lycius? Unless he knows something...

A flash of anger swept up Giannis' face. The old cogs finally locking in place. 'Wait, so why are you here? Where are you guys going?'

They didn't match in height. Giannis was a few inches taller than Lycius and beefier in his clothes much like a bulldog. Lycius was leaner in his human body. He was drool worthy handsome, and he was finally at eye level with me! I didn't have to throw my back out to stare at him.

'Rhea's moving in,' Lycius said.

'What!' Arianna said. 'I thought you were just working for him!' Before I could tame her, she stormed back inside. The water from her cup sloshed around onto the path while my heart flew up and wedged itself in my throat.

Lycius' blue eyes glinted with unusual mischief. He was trying to piss off Giannis... That was a very easy feat so if he expected me to be impressed he had another thing coming.

'You're moving in together?' Giannis said now furious with me. Perhaps he was thinking about the night before and how he had shamelessly hit on me. 'You never said you were in a relationship.'

'That's because I'm not in one,' I said.

'So, you two aren't a thing?' he pointed his pudgy finger between us.

'No,' we said in unison, now standing side by side. Though we avoided looking at each other.

'Where do you live now?' Giannis questioned.

'Still in a mansion,' Lycius said.

Dear Gods. This took me back, to a time when dick-measuring contests were a daily ritual. A part of me wanted to ditch and get ready inside, but I stayed glued to the front yard. Compelled to be there for some unseen reason.

'What are you moving in for if you're not together?'

'While you two are figuring that out I'll be inside getting ready,' I said. I stormed into the house with lightning striking from my heart. Arianna rushed from the kitchen to the living room where our aunt was lazing about. Upon my entrance, I could tell my theia was instantly triggered by my "negative energy". Arianna wouldn't look at me. She stood defensively with her arms crossed and glared at an old stain on the carpet. She wore that expression of betrayal.

The boys entered quietly behind me so I was barricaded in at all angles of the space. Ari was frozen in the middle of the living room and Theia Alexandra was sinking into the couch in a lilac and red moomoo. Maybe I could scurry up the old chimney if things got too dirty.

'Who's this?' my aunt squinted. She gasped when she recognised Lycius but didn't rise from the couch to greet him. She pointed at me. 'What have you done now?'

'That's what I want to know,' Giannis grumbled.

'Sorry to disturb you, we were just about to leave,' Lycius said. 'Rhea will be staying with me for a while.'

'That's inappropriate,' Giannis said.

'Why?' Theia Alexandra said. 'What are you doing?'

'I'll be working,' I said. I grabbed Lycius' shoulders and directed him into the kitchen so we could collect the box that Arianna had failed to grab. I jabbed my finger into his chest and hissed under my breath, 'We're going to talk about this.'

He grinned around his lollipop. 'About what?'

'Don't play cute.' I shouldered past him and grabbed the box to slam it in his chest. 'You couldn't have texted me your plans? You didn't think I would be busy?'

'Are you busy?'

Smug bastard.

The temptation to press hard against the stick end of the lollipop to lodge it in his throat grew strong. Very strong. 'You know that's not the point. Now behave while I'm gone since I have to pack now! How long am I packing for anyway?'

He shrugged.

I scowled. 'You can't just tell people we're moving in together.'

'I thought it was the easiest way of telling you my plans.'

Arianna rushed into the room shutting down my anger for the time being. 'Rhea, they want to talk to you.'

They?

I gathered some clothes from my room and stuffed them in a separate bag before thundering back to the living room. Giannis and Theia Alexandra stood side by side by the couch and the moment Lycius had stepped back into view, Giannis threw an accusatory finger at him.

'You sent the dogs on her,' Giannis said, then said to my aunt, 'Did you know that?'

'It was a misunderstanding,' I said to my aunt who was looking between us all flabbergasted.

'I had to drive them to the hospital that night,' Giannis continued. 'Remember, Ari, you broke your leg. Nearly had a concussion.'

'No, I didn't,' Ari said.

'Rhea, you were furious. I remember you were an absolute wreck that night. And it was because of you!'

'John, stop. It was late,' I said but Lycius stepped forward interrupting me. His lollipop seemed to have disappeared and his joy along with it.

'Mrs Alexandra,' Lycius said in Greek, 'there are many regrets I have of what happened that night. If it weren't for your nieces' bravery, I can't think of what would have happened to me.'

Theia Alexandra shifted from one foot to the other, her moomoo swaying – catching light off the rhinestones. 'Their bravery?'

Ari looked at me. I looked at her. Then we both looked at Lycius' back. Well, I looked at his backside.

'There was an intruder in my house, and thanks to Rhea and Ari, I was able to come out of the situation unharmed. Sure, they shouldn't have been there... Damage was done... Mistakes were made, but we're all trying to make it up to each other.'

Lycius dared a glance at me over his shoulder and I couldn't help but notice Giannis' nostrils flare.

'What are you saying?' Giannis said, his Greek not so adept. 'You're not seriously going to let this happen?'

'I thought you were all friends with each other...' Ari said confused. Though she had a similar glint in her eye.

'The point of the matter is...' Lycius said. 'You can't afford the cost of these damages...' He was staring pointedly at my aunt now and she seemed very affronted by this statement even though it was completely true.

'OKAY!' I stepped forward. 'Theia I will keep you updated through Ari, and uh, yeah. Goodbye.' I grabbed Lycius by his wrist and threw us out of the house so we could make a break for it. I chucked the rest of my things in the backseat and slid into the passenger seat. Lycius started the engine somehow getting into the car without me noticing. The car smelt a little of wet dog but the smell of him was intoxicating.

The last thing I saw as Lycius backed out from the driveway was Ari waving to us goodbye before Giannis crept up behind her. Staring despondently at Lycius.

So this chapter is a little shorter than the rest but I hope you liked it nonetheless! Don't forget to comment with your thoughts and leave a vote to help a gal out!