Page 49 of Claimed Gem

“I spoke to your brother and afterwards, his words wouldn’t leave my mind.”

Ries clenched his jaw and asked tightly, “What did Damon tell you?”

Stephanie shook her head and cupped his jaw, “Don’t be upset with him. He was trying to help me, to help us both. He could tell I was getting attached to you and he told me that it would hurt more if I waited to break things off with you. He assumed – he said you’d leave me. Like you had left many women before.”

“He thinks I left them?” Ries asked, very quietly.

Stephanie looked at him helplessly.

Ries turned away. “He doesn’t know, then. He really doesn’t know. Stephanie, those women – they leftmeforhim. They only wanted the family money. Not me.”

To Ries’ surprise, Stephanie clung to him hard, pulling her into his arms. “How awful! I loveyou, Ries. I’d rather live with you in a cardboard box than with Damon in a palace.”

Ries was shocked to feel something he hadn’t felt in years. Tears. Tears, coming to his own eyes.

He kissed her once more and Stephanie shivered.

But slowly, reality set in. They couldn’t just bask in their mutual love while surrounded by dead bodies.

The authorities needed to be called, as did his brothers and his security team. There would be many questions to answer in the coming hours, but Ries knew that his most important question had been answered.

With Stephanie by his side, they would see this investigation through to the end and then they were going to have a long talk about the future.

A future that included being by her side for the rest of his life.

22

Stephanie satin the back of the black SUV that Chris had driven to the warehouse, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a bottle of water in her hands.

Chris stood in the open doorway, his back to her, protecting her from prying eyes of the media and others as the Greek authorities finished interviewing Ries and investigating what had transpired in the warehouse.

She’d already answered their questions, identified Angelo – who had thankfully regained consciousness, albeit it with a horrible headache, and she had been assured by the federal detectives that he would be facing multiple counts for smuggling, attempted murder, and other illegal activities.

In their own words, “Angelo would be going away for the rest of his life,” once the courts finished prosecuting him.

For the first time in months, Stephanie felt satisfied. The threat against Ries, at least from Angelo, was over.

Angelo had adamantly refused to answer any questions relating to his working for Dmitrius Yttrios, so that was still a threat against the Kafatos brothers that would have to be dealt with in the future. But she felt better knowing that she and Ries could now work as a team. He had promised never to shut her out again, and she had promised to abide by his safety advice – as long as she had useful work to do at the same time.

Chris had received information from his informants that Dmitrius had left Stavros, and his yacht was no longer within Greek waters. What that meant for the future, no one quite knew. But for the moment the threat against Ries and his brothers seemed to have retreated.

“Thank you, Detective,” Chris said, standing between Stephanie and the mob of enforcers. You know where to find us if you have any other questions. I’m going to take Stephanie away from here now. She’s been through a lot.”

“That’s a good idea,” the detective responded, nodding respectfully to Stephanie and tipping his hand. Then, Chris moved out of the way to admit a more welcome visitor - Ries.

Stephanie lunged for him, crawling into his arms as Chris shut the door. She just wanted to go home with him, to lounge quietly somewhere while her body recovered from the day’s trauma.

“Shush,” he hushed her softly. “It’s all over now.”

“What will happen next?” she asked, pulling herself up so that she was sitting on his lap, herarms wrapped around his neck.

“They will search the warehouse, Angelo’s residence, and his other buildings scattered around Greece. I imagine they will find enough evidence to charge him with even more crimes.”

“Are all of the others dead?” she whispered. Stephanie had never seen anyone die before. She knew that the memory of Angelo staring up into her eyes as she strangled him would haunt her for a long time, even though he had lived.

“Yes. But you don’t need to worry about that.”

Chris had started up the SUV and they were now headed away from the warehouse and the emergency lights.