Page 27

Days Later

"He was seen in Moscow. This time it looks like the tip is hot," Grigori warns after entering my office.

The old devil is slippery and runs away whenever we approach.

I'm obsessed with finalizing my revenge, yet unsure how it will affect my relationship with Elina.

When we started, I expected something casual. Good sex, stimulating conversation—as long as she didn’t lose her defiant way—and the company of one of the most beautiful women I've ever been with.

After a few weeks together, however, many things have changed.

Good sex escalated to the best sex of my life. She has the ability to fry my brain every time.

I've had relationships with dozens of partners. Encounters that were physically satisfying but didn't bring the need for anything else. Elina has managed to hold my attention since she came into my life, even at times when she has been far away.

Sometimes I find myself torn between fueling the hate, the thirst for revenge, and what we have .

I'm still not ready to define how I feel about her, but I know it's different from anything I've ever experienced.

At times, I get the feeling she's already got a deadline for us in her head. At the same time, she sends me mixed messages, like telling me she contacted her sisters to talk about what’s happened since she arrived from Greece. She didn't need to tell me that. I would have had no way of knowing.

When I initially hired her, I thought about bugging her cell phone, as I had with all the phones in Leandros's house. The idea was tempting because I was sure that sooner or later the rest of the family would get in touch with her, or the other way around.

But after things between us evolved, back on the plane, I decided that it would be a terrible way to start a relationship, even one like ours, based only on physical attraction.

So she ended up with a tracker on her phone, which is more for her safety—given that thus I can know where she is if I need to—than because she might run into someone from her family.

"Something else came up," says Grigori.

"What happened?"

"Ciro is dead."

"What?"

"Dead. Someone got to him."

"How the hell did they get onto the island without us noticing?"

“If you want a guess, I think they were helped by one of the villagers. Most of those people living there grew up under Leandros's rule. If they helped someone kill Ciro, I believe it was more out of fear than loyalty to the old boss."

“Investigate this. Did you take care of everything? Are the police there?"

"No. They'll never know what happened—there is no body. But we have something else to attend to."

"Spit it out."

"The experts already have an answer. The remains were indeed Orien's. They want to know what you want to do about it. Do you want the police to be notified or?—”

“No. No police, but I need to give confirmation to Aristeu."

"Are you going to bury him?"

"Yes, on the island."

As we're talking, my cousin Milena's name pops up on my cell phone screen.

"Is everything okay?"I leave out the formalities because I’ve kept in touch with her much more throughout the years than I did with Aristeu himself.

Milena has always caused me great concern because I know Leandros's reputation regarding women. She's a pretty girl, and even when she got engaged, I didn't trust her to be safe until she left the island for good.

“He's gone."

I close my eyes. I expected that. The last time I saw him, Aristeu was very close to the end. I had hope, however, that I would give him the chance to bury his son.

"Will you come to the funeral?"

"Yeah. Do you need something right now?"

"Only that you allow me to bury him near my mother."

“You are free to decide. When will that be?"

“I thought about two days from now, in order to give you time to arrive."

Immediately I remember that I must tell her about her brother.

Fuck!

“I'll leave today, but I can't stay in Greece for long. We need to talk, though."

“Alright, Odin. See you tomorrow."

I hang up and stare at the papers on my desk. How can I tell a twenty-four-year-old girl that we will bury her father and brother on the same day? God!

I realize that now I have only her, Christos, and his father left as living relatives on my father's side, as far as I know.

"Are you going to travel again?"asks Grigori.

"Yes, but I intend to return no later than the day after tomorrow."

"Why the hurry?"

“Because I don't want to leave Elina alone. I have a feeling Naim is still around."

"Do you trust her?"

That's the million-dollar question, and my answer may be a fool's answer, but it's how I feel at the moment.

"Yeah."

On the way to Greece

Elina didn't display any emotion when I called to say that I was returning to our island.

I considered taking her with me, but when I thought about it, I saw that it would be impractical. The conversation I need to have with Milena won't be easy. How could I tell my cousin about her brother's death while standing beside an Argyros?

No, I'm already working on several fronts at the same time.

Also, it would be risky. I need to find out if the person who betrayed me was one of the locals.

Although we have already spoken, just like the last time I returned to our country, I decide to send a message.

I will be back soon. Stay safe.

GREECE

I arrived in Greece five hours ago, and it seems that problems are rooted there.

I had a serious conversation with Milena, who is staying over on the island with her husband. She didn't look surprised when I told her about Orien and I asked why. My cousin confessed that she’d never believed the story that he was gone, but she hadn't wanted to shatter her father's illusions. In the end, Aristeu wasn't sure that his son was dead, and perhaps that was for the best.

"You know you can come back here whenever you want, don't you? The only thing I ask is that you don't come alone. Let me know in advance and I'll take care of your safety."

“What aren't you telling me, Odin? Where is Leandros? Does he have something to do with my brother's death?"

Milena is a simple woman. As Aristeu himself once said, she never wanted to study, but she still has a kind of inborn wisdom, as if her age is much more advanced than her birth certificate indicates.

She also has the typical accepting attitude of those people who understand that the world is a shitty place but don't allow themselves to become bitter about it.

“You don't have to get involved in any of this, but I promise whoever is responsible will pay."I keep waiting for some attempt to dissuade me from the idea, but it never comes.

"Thanks. As for coming back here, I don't think I'll be back anytime soon. I found out a week ago that I'm pregnant, and I want to go through the pregnancy in peace. Keep my heart filled with good things for the arrival of my baby. Now that Dad has finally gone to rest and I have an answer about my brother's whereabouts, I can think about the future."

My eyes automatically drop to her flat stomach, trying to see any signs that she is carrying a child. Milena, as well as Zoe, Christos's wife, will be responsible for maintaining the Lykaios line of descent.

It makes me think of the children I hope to have one day, and the image of Elina automatically comes to mind.

Planning a future with her doesn't seem like a good idea, rationally speaking, but contradictorily, Elina is the only woman out of so many I've dated that I could seriously consider for the role.

She said she's not looking for a love story, which would be perfect for me. The chemistry between us is overwhelming.

Is there a possibility that we could come to an agreement?

This seems increasingly plausible to me.

She is as oblivious to feelings as I am. I admire and adore her unique combination of strength and fragility.We have delicious sex and good conversations.

The only problem with all these considerations, other than the fact that she has never shown any desire for a long-term relationship, is that she is an Argyros.