Page 90 of Beneath Scarred Vows

"I've been thinking about bringing you into this business more," I say and brush the hair out of her face. "Not just as my wife, but as my advisor. My partner. Would you like that?"

Surprise flickers in her eyes.

"Are you serious?" she asks, trying to hide her excitement.

"Yes. I think the best way to run our kingdom is to have my queen involved in some things, including business—not just raising our little ones. You want more, I'll give you more."

Katerina's eyes narrow in on me, searching my face for answers. "Why have you decided this? What's changed?"

I give her a kiss.

"I remembered something my father told me. Besides, the strength I see in you can be useful for our family. I know you'll want to do what's best for the Kastaris family, since you're part of it."

She kisses me again, her tongue sliding gently into my mouth. "What's best for you is best for us, and I want to help in any way I can, so thank you."

She kisses me again and stands in the center of my office, twirling slowly. "So, let's find out what's hiding in those refrigerators, and who's importing them."

31

ARES

"Come in," I call out as I look over some documents on my desk.

"Dimitri has been back in Greece for just three days and he's fucking done it," Theo says, walking in and taking a seat. "He used his persuasive tactics and got confirmation."

I straighten in my chair. "Define 'persuasive.'"

"Three dead. One dangled off a rooftop until he pissed himself." Theo smiles. "But he got the results we want."

I lean back in my chair.

"Well, what did he find?"

Theo leans forward. "The guy who pissed himself led Dimitri and our men to some guy's place twenty minutes outside of Kalamata. A low-level enforcer for the Zervas family, apparently. Anyway," Theo says, taking a deep breath, "he overheard the hit on our father. Said George Zervas himself gave the kill order."

I lean back in my chair and rub my forehead. Since the beginning, we've suspected the Zervas family, but suspicion isn'tproof. Now we may finally have something concrete—a direct link between George Zervas and my father's assassination.

"I need to call Dimitri," I say, checking my watch. "Damn. It's 3 a.m. there."

"He'll be up in a few hours," Theo says. "But if what he says holds true?" he asks, though he already knows the answer.

"Then we prepare for war." The words feel heavy, yet liberating. "This has been coming for a long time."

Theo nods. "I've made preliminary arrangements. Just waiting on your word."

I look at him—my strategist, my second-in-command, my brother. I can see in his eyes the want to strike back at our enemies.

"Let me speak to Dimitri first," I say. "We move when I'm certain."

Theo nods, and then his expression shifts to something more relaxed.

"So, I've noticed you're bringing Katerina in more over the past few days," he says. "She catching on quick?"

"Very," I say. "She's actually got an interest in all this shit we do."

"Don't get mad at this, brother, but out of caution, are you sure it's wise?" Theo asks, strumming his fingers on the chair. "I mean, we keep Calli in the dark about most things."

It's a fair question—we've always sheltered our baby sister from the rougher aspects of our business. Officially, she oversees some of our above-board, legitimate ventures, but the more questionable operations remain hidden from her.