Page 95 of Beyond Enemy Vows

For my family.

For the baby.

For Niko.

Whatever that costs.

Even if it's my soul.

30

NIKO

Itighten my grip on the steering wheel as I pull up to the gates of the Petrou compound. The security guard recognizes me immediately, giving a curt nod before the gates swing open. No driver today. I thought doing his job would help me stay focused. Clear my head before the reveal.

We'll see how that goes.

The tires of my black Bentley squeak slightly as I turn into the circular driveway. I kill the engine but don't move.

"Fuck," I say, pulling out my phone and typing quickly.

Just got here. Will let you know how it goes.

Calli's reply lights up the screen seconds later.

Good luck! Love you.

I stare at the screen for a moment longer than I should before sliding the phone back into my jacket pocket.

Time to face the music. Tell my father everything.

Well, almost everything.

I step out and adjust my jacket slightly to better conceal the Glock nestled against my ribs.

Just in case things go south. With Stavros, you never know which version of him you're going to get. The businessman or the monster who puts guns to his son's head.

The massive front doors open before I reach them. Diego, my father's most trusted servant, is there to greet me.

"Mr. Petrou," he says with a nod, "good to see you."

I nod and walk in, not fully believing him.

My footsteps tap against marble as staff nod politely, offering their rehearsed smiles, but their eyes always flick away too fast. Like they don't want to be caught staring too long.

I head straight for his office, but the doors are open and reveal an empty room. I check the dining room, the formal living room, before finally making my way to the library.

I pause outside the library doors, hearing my father's muffled voice in conversation with someone else. I didn't come this far to not go forward with my plan, so I push the door open.

There he is.

My father sits in a leather chair speaking to someone who's sitting in a chair opposite him. He's a thin man in an expensive suit whose face I don't recognize.

They both turn at my entrance, conversation halting abruptly.

Stavros holds up one finger without looking at me, continuing his conversation for another few minutes while I stand there waiting for an audience. Same power play bullshit, different day.

I move over to the window, staring out at the garden below while they finish. After a few minutes, they wrap up whatever business they were discussing. The stranger shakes my father's hand and then leaves with a nervous glance in my direction.