Page 41

Odin

CHAPTER FORTY

Weeks Later

“Any news of the girls, Grigori?”

“Nothing yet. Just odd clues. But honestly, I don't have much hope that Darius's daughter is still alive.”

“Me neither. I tried to track her. She practically vanished into thin air the moment she set foot in Athens.”

What hell of a world do we live in that a little girl can be sold as if she were a commodity? I can't even imagine the agony it must be for a father not to know the whereabouts of his little girl, and all because of that bastard.

“What about Argyros?” I ask.

“We're following up on a lead. I think this time he won't escape.”

I nod, but he remains still, just looking at me. “Tell me what you're thinking, Grigori.”

“What are you going to do?”

“What am I going to do about what?”

“Do you really want to play this game? I'm talking about your plans regarding the bastard who brought your future wife into the world.”

“I made a promise.”

“Are you really going to kill him?” he asks bluntly.

I don't need to give him an answer, because he already knows what it is.

"Is Elina aware of this?"

“She thinks I want to bring him to justice.”

“I'm the last person to give you relationship advice, but you're in love with that woman. Is it really worth continuing with this revenge?”

"You know nothing.”

“I know a lot more than you realize.”

What he says doesn't bother me. Grigori takes care of my security, and he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't find out who my enemies were, as well as their motives.

“Since she agreed to marry me, I've been walking around feeling like a sword has been hanging over my head the entire time.”I get up and go to my office window, facing away from him. “Despite the fact that I'd like to simply move on, I know I'll never have peace until I close that door. I can't let it go.”

“Sometimes we just have to leave the past where it belongs, Odin. Elina is your future. How are you going to tell your kids that you killed their grandfather?”

His question only confirms what I already suspected: Grigori has discovered the real reason why I'm going after Leandros.

“How am I going to tell my kids that I let their grandparents' and aunt's murderer get away without paying for his sins?”

“Deliver him to justice, as Elina thinks you will.”

"No. He doesn't deserve to live.”

“You're being irrational.”

"Have you suddenly become a saint?”

“A saint couldn't be further away from what I am and we both know it, but I've known you for ten years. I’ve never seen you the way you were when you thought Naim had taken her that night. She is your world.”

“You don't fucking understand. I can’t forget it. I hear their screams. I still hear their groans of pain even after all these years.”

“Tell her, at least. Maybe if she learns the truth, she'll find a way to forgive you later. ”

“I don't want to drag Elina into all the harm her father has caused. She has suffered enough at his hands.”

“You are set to be married in a month. What's your plan? Giving her father's body to her as a wedding present?”He comes to my side, but I still don't face him. “You said you made a promise, but I'm sure your parents would prefer you to be happy.”

“You sound like Christos.”

“It’s useless using sarcasm with me. It doesn’t work.”

“I didn’t promise my parents that I’d do this. I didn't even have time to say goodbye to them.”

“Who, then?”

“My uncle.”It's weird to call Ingvar that. Even after Christos discovered his real identity, I can't feel any familial affection for him.

"Your uncle?”

For the second time in a month, I quickly tell the story of the man who saved me. “Christos found out he was my mother's half-brother.”

“He wanted to avenge her.”

"I think so.”

“But he used you ashis tool. Why?”

“He didn't use me.”

“I'm not going to argue about that, but I'm going to ask you something you should stop to think about: why didn't he kill Leandros himself? Why all this work?”

“It wasn't so easy to get close to the unfortunate. He was surrounded by heavily armed men.”

“Do you know why your family was targeted by Argyros?"

“He and my mother were lovers.”

“Fuck!”He paces back and forth inside the room. “I still think you should back off. There is much more at stake than there was initially.”

“I know, but I can't go back.”

I get home, and it's strange that she hasn't come to meet me, but when I walk to where I suspect she is, I find her sitting on the library rug with some books around her.

She looks focused as she stares at the words in the book in front of her and copies them into her notebook.

I feel my throat clogging.

She has been very dedicated to her studies. Sometimes I'm even a little worried that she'll push herself too hard for a quick result and end up frustrated.

On the other hand, she seems so happy that I don't have the heart to tell her to slow down.

I don't know how long I just stand there watching her, but when she lifts her head and sees me, she makes a move as if to put away the material.

“Don’t stop. Were you studying?”

She nods. “Trying to read and copy.”

“Are you happy with the teachers?”

“Yes, they don't pressure me.”

I walk over to where she is and sit beside her on the floor. “I'm so proud of you.”

“I haven't given you a reason to be yet, but soon you'll be able to say things like that to me, God willing.”

“No, my Elina. I'm not just talking about your future achievements. I'm talking about what you are today. A strong and incredible woman. My Greek warrior.”

She gets into my lap. “Greek warrior?”

“Yes, I have my own goddess.”

“That sounds a little crazy.”

“What?”

“This talk about gods. Besides, I'm the one who's engaged to the god Odin,” she says and gives me a kiss. “I'll never forget the first time you read his story to me here.”

“Me neither. That day, you told me that you liked listening to people reading to you. Has anyone done that for you before?”

"A lady on the island who worked in the kitchen of our house read to me. She liked to read and couldn't afford to buy books. I had many in our library, but I couldn't read them . . . Anyway, for a while, we had this kind of friendship.”Her expression drops.

"What happened? Did she quit her job?”

“My father happened. He found out, said that an Argyros didn't need favors, and sent her away.”

Jesus! The bastard’s cruelty to his children was infinite. “Forget about it. Now you have a lot of books and also someone who reads them to you, but I'm sure that before long you'll be able to do it yourself.”

She pulls me to her by the neck. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”

“Maybe, but go on. I'm greedy when it comes to your love.”

Days later

“Where are we going?” She smiles, her hand resting on my thigh.

I dismissed the driver because I wanted privacy, but despite that, I can see our bodyguards following us in the rearview mirror. I know that besides them, a few cars ahead, there is another vehicle in place for our protection.

Grigori is careful about my safety to the point of being paranoid, and that's no small feat considering I'm one of the most distrustful people I know.

“It's a surprise.”

“I don't like mysteries, Lykaios.”

“Liar. You love to be surprised.”

And it's true. Elina is so vibrant! Even little things make her excited as a child. Picking her up for an unplanned dinner date, a midweek movie and popcorn session, and new books, mostly.

I have always been a voracious reader, but I have disciplined myself to read daily by her side. No matter how tired I am or how many times we've made love, I always make time for our reading together .

“Have I been to this place before?”

“Not exactly.”

“How long before we get there?”

I hide a smile because of her impatience. “Not long now.”

We're heading to my house in the Hamptons , about two hours from Manhattan .

Besides believing that she needs a break from both studies and sessions with the psychologist, the library there is much bigger than the one in our apartment, and I think she’ll love it.

I’ve noticed that on the days when she has her therapy sessions, she comes home quieter. I don't really know how to get her to open up, so I try to pamper her in any way that I can, and before long she's back to being my usual Elina. I just want her to know that she can talk to me about the sessions too.

“We're heading to our beach house.”

“You have a beach house?”

“No, we do.”

She leans her head back in the car seat and closes her eyes.

“What is on your mind?”

“I’m thinking about where we're going to live when we have a baby.”

I wasn't expecting that.

Of course, I want children with her, but how can I explain that, at the moment, all my efforts are focused on making her love me more each day so that she won't leave me when my revenge on her father is complete?

Not knowing what to say, I take her hand and kiss the palm.

I notice her watching me, but I pretend not to, focusing on the traffic in front of me.

A heavy silence settles between us.