Page 104 of Beneath Scarred Vows

"I don't know if I can forgive you yet," I admit.

"Then I guess I'll have to earn it."

He stands, and as he crosses me to head back to his seat, I stop him.

"You can start with a promise to never do that again. Last chance I'll ever give you, because if you ever put your hands on me like that again, I'll destroy everything you love to the ground. Starting with you."

His eyes narrow in on me, "I'd expect nothing less."

As he sits back in his seat, I lean over the aisle. "Oh, and if you do anything and you're wrong about all this, I'll never forgive you."

I lean back in my seat, feeling both drained and somehow lighter. Nothing is fixed between us—far from it. But at least nowwe're on the same page about some things again, even if it's one made up of caution and conditional trust.

A short time later, the captain announces we'll be landing in Kalamata soon. My past coming to meet my present. It's a strange feeling, but not as strange as the overall thought I can't shake:

I don't know who I'm more afraid of - George Zervas, or the man sitting across from me.

36

ARES

Istare out the window to the sea. Last time I was in this room, Stavros was here offering Katerina to be my wife.

While he's held true on his end of the deal with extra ports and men, I'm starting to wonder if my personal cost is more than what we got.

I sigh and take a sip of my father's favorite whiskey.

It's all for the family.

That's what he would tell me if he was here. I can't let selfish thoughts enter my mind. There's no such thing as a bad deal if it advances the Kastaris family, even if it sets you back personally.

There's a knock at the door, and I turn to see Theo walking in.

"Brother, is it that time already?" I ask as he shuts the door.

"Dimitri is with our men, getting them ready for whatever we have to do," he says and sits down in the exact chair Stavros did.

I raise my glass. "Want some?"

He breathes out heavily. "Sure, why not."

I pour him a glass and slide it across the table, then take a seat opposite him in the chair where I first heard her name.

"So," he says and takes a sip, "what's the deal with you and Katerina? Neither of you have said more than two words since we landed."

"She thinks one thing, I think another. Time will tell who's right."

Theo nods. "Well, as long as we kill this motherfucker tonight, I'm sure everything else will work out."

"About that," I say and lean forward. "I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure. What is it?"

"It's two things, actually."

"Okay."

"You're my right hand, Theo, you know that, so I'm just going to say it—no bullshit."