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Her stepmother got married two months ago to an orthopedist who works at the hospital Athanasios owns with two other doctors. I heard that Brooklyn's husband and his two partners received themodestnickname of “Gods in White,” as they are the foremost experts in the world in their respective fields.
"Is your ex bothering you?" she asks.
I think for a few seconds before responding, but finally I decide to tell the truth. I don't have any friends other than Debra, since JeAnne is more like a mother to me, and I don't want to start a friendship with Madison by telling lies. "We were never lovers."
"What?"
I feel my face heat up. "All those stories of our meetings in Europe that Otis told are true, but they were platonic. He kissed me once, but I didn't feel anything, so I didn't let it happen again."
"Jesus, but why did you two lie?"
"It was my idea," I confess, feeling the heat of shame increase.
"Why? Were you trying to get rid of a stalker?"
"No," I answer, although that's not entirely true, since there really is a madman chasing me. However, it wasn't because of my stalker that I lied. "I did it because I'm crazy. I'll tell you everything, but you have to swear you won't laugh."
"I won’t. You have my word."
"Well, it all started two years ago, when Ares and I met for the first time..."
I tell her the whole story, without forgetting any details, including how my cocky bastard of a guardian said that he didn't go out with girls, only women, so there was no point in falling in love with him.
"It doesn't surprise me," she says, finally, laughing. "The Kostanidou have an unparalleled arrogance. Or maybe it's a problem with Greeks in general, because my sister's husband leaves nothing to be desired in that regard either."
"I was an idiot. I got caught up in a lie, and now I don't know how to get out of it. Otis seems eager to annoy Ares, which doesn't help my situation."
"Ares is jealous of you, Serenity."
"What? No way. He's controlling, bossy, but I doubt it's jealousy. I think he's attracted to me, but that's it." I don't tell her about the kiss he gave me or that he stole my panties, because everything has a limit.
"It's jealousy, and from what I'm reading on your face, the attraction is mutual, so I'm going to give you some unsolicited advice: don't let him be the one to make decisions about the two of you. All Kostanidou are used to commanding and being obeyed. Don't be another face in his long line of conquests.”
"My mentor and best friend said something similar. That I should make him sweat. But I don't even know where to start. He sees me as a child."
"I have an idea."
"What’s that?"
"Relax. Trust me. If it works, we'll drive this bunch of Greeks crazy. I will ask Ares to let us all go to SIN today. Let's dance the night away. I doubt that when the night is over, he will still consider you a little girl."
"What?"
"Trust me. If you want him to no longer see you as a girl but as a woman, SIN is the ideal place."
"He will never agree to that."
"I got it. If I can convince Zeus, we’ll have all the reinforcements we need on our side."
"And why would your husband, a banker, agree to go to what the press calls a place tosin?"
"Because we have history there," she says enigmatically, without giving further explanation.
We enter the house together, and I almost bump into Otis, who is coming out.
Did he follow me out here?
“Where did you go?” he asks, but he doesn't sound angry. However, when we get to the living room and see Ares coming out of what I know to be the library, since Eleanor took us on a tour of the house, he continues, "I was looking for you to say goodbye, Serenity. Any chance you can take me to the airport?"