Page 26 of Beneath Scarred Vows

"I didn't say I fired him," he says evenly. "Please, sit. I want to talk to you."

Wait. If he didn't fire the guard, he...

"Did you kill him?" I ask, the question coming out before I could even reconsider.

Ares leans back in his chair and doesn't answer. I glance at Theo, whose expression remains carefully neutral. My stomach twists as I realize what they're saying without words.

"Jesus, Ares. That's disgusting. You can't just?—"

"Katerina," he says, cutting me off. "In my world, actions have consequences. Keep that in mind next time you try to fool someone. Your success could mean their end."

I sink into the chair opposite his desk, suddenly feeling sick. I know who these men are—what they do—but the casual way Ares just ends someone's life for such a simple failure makes my blood run cold.

After a few moments of silence, as if he's allowing what he said to sink in, he leans forward, resting his forearms on the desk. "I'm a bit annoyed by your actions."

The words shouldn't sting, but they do. I've spent years not caring what anyone thinks of me. Why should his annoyance matter?

"Because I went out?" I ask. "Or because I didn't ask permission first?"

"Because you put yourself in danger," he says. "And because you lied to my staff."

"Is that why you killed him? Because I lied to him?"

Theo shifts uncomfortably against the wall, but Ares's expression doesn't change.

"I killed him because he failed at his job," Ares says. "He was meant to protect this family, and instead, he let my wife walk right out the front gate."

"Your wife." I repeat. "Really? Or just a possession to be guarded?"

Ares laughs. "Speaking of guarded." He looks past me, raising his voice slightly. "Christos, come in here."

I glance over my shoulder to see a man enter the room. He's tall—not as tall as Ares, but big in his own right. His suit jacket is off, revealing a crisp white shirt stretched across broad shoulders and, more noticeably, two guns sitting in holsters on each side of him.

I turn back to Ares, my eyebrows raised.

"This is Chris," Ares says with a wave of his hand. "He'll be your personal bodyguard."

"My what?" I ask.

I look back at Chris, who nods at me politely, his face expressionless. I assess him quickly: mid-thirties, military-straight posture, eyes that miss nothing. You know, the quiet, deadly type.

"Hi, Chris," I say and turn back to Ares. "No offense to him. I'm sure he's great at his job, but I don't need a babysitter. I'm 27, not 10." I say, tapping my fingers on the armchair.

Ares smiles. "After last night's adventure, I think you've proven otherwise."

"I went for a drive to see downtown, not to rob a store." I turn to look at Chris again, who stands there like a statue, pretending not to hear our conversation. "Really, no offense, but I don't want you following me around."

"None taken, Mrs. Kastaris," he replies, his voice deep and detached.

I switch my glare back to Ares. "You can't be serious."

"I am." His tone makes it clear the matter isn't up for discussion. "Chris is one of my most trusted men. He'll keep you safe."

"Safe from what, exactly? The dangers of exploring a city like a normal human being?"

Theo clears his throat. "Perhaps I should leave you two to discuss?—"

"No," Ares and I say in unison, then glare at each other.