Page 7

CHAPTER 7

W illow

Loneliness.

It struck me hard, more so than I’d ever experienced before. The shock from what Dimitrios had told me weighed heavily, but I had no real reason to believe what he’d said was true.

Although in my heart and soul I knew my parents were gone. I could feel a strange absence, almost as if I could sense their spirits watching over me. Being alone was creating monsters in my mind.

More so than the man who’d kidnapped me.

Why did Dimitrios think Shane was involved? And why would he care? Hadn’t my brother been sent to rescue me from danger? If so, he’d gone about it in an entirely ridiculous way. I was exhausted, unable to sleep more than a few minutes during the night. He’d told me nothing after bringing me to this house and locking me inside a room.

I’d banged on the door, yelling for several minutes, but no one had come to my rescue. Why was this happening? “Let me out! You bastard!” After pummeling the door for another thirty seconds, I turned away more disgusted than before.

At least my prison was nicer than anything I’d seen in the news. The room was oversized with a king-sized bed and comfy mattress. But I sensed the room had been stripped of anything I could use as a weapon. There were no books, no drapes, no hairdryer in the bathroom. Nothing. There weren’t even any towels.

Maybe the horrible man wanted me to suffer in his own way.

I wiped tears from my eyes and tried to concentrate on staring out the window. So much time had passed, which had increased my anxiety. Time wasn’t always a good thing. It allowed concerns and fears to fester deep inside. My stomach was in knots and my head throbbed from the tears I’d shed. Along with the lack of sleep, I was close to being a basket case. But I had to be strong. If not for me, for my brother. Damn Dimitrios.

At least I knew I’d managed to fall asleep at some point, waking to find an apple and a bottle of water on the nightstand. Had he brought the refreshments into the room? I doubted it. I’d seen several people standing by the house when we’d arrived. They’d all had guns in their hands.

Maybe it was good for me to know the man I’d once thought a Greek god was nothing but the monster my friends had suggested him to be. To think I’d found him attractive in any way kept the anger rolling in my system.

The near blistering hatred for him was better than feeling the extreme sadness that had dragged me close to hell. I’d known my parents would eventually die, but now? Together?

Murdered?

Another sob forced me to double over. I could barely breathe from fear and worry. Was my brother okay? We hadn’t been close in years, but that’s what happened to siblings. Right? They grew up and held different interests. Plus, he enjoyed his job tremendously, including the fact it took him to distant shores often. I’d never known a diplomat traveled as much as he did for business, but that’s almost all he’d talked about the few times he’d come home to visit.

Oh, God. Home. Tears fell down both cheeks and no amount of wiping them would stop the flow. I was a mess, still in the same clothes. My phone taken. My dignity stripped away.

And my parents stolen from me.

As I pressed my hand against the glass, I remembered the near ugliness between my mother and me before I’d left. What if I hadn’t gone out for the evening? Would I have managed to save them?

Or be killed in cold blood as well?

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to grieve so maybe I could get it out of my system. As I rested my face against the warm glass, I felt grateful for the bright sun. And I didn’t know why.

“ Eísai kalá, despoinís? ”

The voice was one I hadn’t heard before, young and lovely. I turned my head, once again fighting the tears. “I… I don’t understand much Greek.”

“Oh, yes… I… I asked if you were okay?” She was struggling with the words. While I had no clue who she was, the fact she had a set of towels in her hands indicated she likely worked here. Her face was pensive, fear in her eyes. She had no clue what to do with me any more than I did with her. Maybe this was her home.

Wherever home was.

I’d paid very little attention to my surroundings, which wasn’t what my father had instructed me to do. He’d insisted I take traveling seriously, including the possibility of being kidnapped. I’d never questioned his motives but now, I was beginning to wonder if I should have asked him questions.

I had no idea what to say to her. She didn’t deserve me lashing out. I eased my back against the window, biting my lower lip as I always did when I was nervous. “I don’t know.”

She smiled, her expression softening. “I… Brought clean towels.”

“Thank you.” What else was there to say?

Her eyes darted to the uneaten apple and she frowned. “You need food.”

“Excuse me but I’m not hungry. You see, my parents were murdered yesterday and I was taken hostage by a man I thought was a good guy, but it turns out he’s a terrible man capable of doing reprehensible things.” My words came out rapidly and I had a feeling she understood only half of what I’d said.

But just enough to bring a flush to her face. “No, Mr. Nomikos is a good man. Kind.”

She made it sound like she was a slave, not his employee.

“Not to be rude or mean to you, but I couldn’t care less. He didn’t tell me why I was here or what I did to deserve this.” I looked away, fighting the urge to light into her.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as she placed the towels on the corner of the bed, staying as far away from me as possible. Why was I still thinking about how gorgeous Dimitrios was? My stomach clenched as a vision of his face popped into my mind.

He was certainly the kind of man who demanded attention when he walked into a room. I’d witnessed that at the club. Maybe all the people had done so because they feared him. I bit back a laugh. He certainly had stood out in his dark suit at Sin and Shame where everyone else was wearing party clothes.

Except for the brutal-looking men accompanying him. Maybe there was a strict dress code in the world of the Greek mafia.

Even the night before, he’d appeared perfectly dressed in charcoal gray trousers, matching jacket, and a crisp white shirt adorned by a flaming red tie. The shirt was tight fitting, accentuating every muscle developed through hard work and exercise.

I pressed my fingers across my lips to keep from making a sound.

“How long am I going to be here? Is Dimitrios in another part of this building? If so, I demand I be allowed to talk to him.” There I went losing my temper. “And what is your name?”

I was certain at that point she was going to burst into tears. “Eleni. My name.”

It was funny that since she’d attached a name, some of the fury left my system. I couldn’t be upset with her. “Beautiful name.”

Her smile returned, although wary as it should be. “Mr. Nomikos left early this morning. I do not know when he will be back.”

“Great. Just great. Meanwhile, I’m required to stay in this room a prisoner.” Of war or something else? When I’d met him all those years before, had he given any indication he was a ruthless prick? Maybe I’d been too young and enamored with him to notice.

“I am sorry. I don’t know…”

“It’s okay, Eleni,” I stopped her. She didn’t know anything and asking her could only put her in some crazy kind of risk. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

“Can I get something to… pass the time?” She bit her lip as if frustrated she couldn’t speak English better.

I had no idea what to request, but I thought of something that used to calm me when I’d had a nightmare or a bad day at school. “Do you have a pen and maybe some paper?”

She looked at me quizzically.

“I like to write poetry.”

Eleni’s smile brightened. “Yes. Yes. I can get that for you.” She nearly rushed from the room.

I followed her, hoping in her excitement she’d leave the door unlocked. The sound of the lock engaging told me I was wrong. At least I could use the pen to drive out one of his eyeballs when he returned.

She returned only a few minutes later with a full empty pad and two different pens, tentative in her actions.

“Thank you. These will help.” At this moment, I wasn’t certain if anything I wrote would be coherent.

I could tell she was curious about me. Maybe she’d answer some questions. “You work for Mr. Nomikos?”

“Yes.”

“Is he good to work for?”

“Yes.”

Great. One-word answers. That wasn’t going to get me anywhere. “What’s he like?”

Her eyes brightened but she looked over her shoulder at the open door. “Very nice.”

I sensed she’d been instructed what answers she could provide. “Do you know why I’m here?”

That was pushing the limit, her face reddening. “No, I… I do not know. I’m sorry. I…” As soon as she turned around, the great Mr. Nomikos walked into the room. His expression was unreadable just like before, but his eyes blasted heat from overhearing our conversation.

If you could call it that.

“Mr. Nomikos. I’m sorry. I was just talking,” Eleni blustered out.

“Don’t be angry with her. She did nothing to you. You’re the monster.” Even now as he glared at me from the stinging words I’d issued, I could feel his dark and dangerous persona as electricity crackling in the room.

“It’s fine, Eleni. You can go now,” he told her.

“Yes, sir.” She scurried out without bothering to look behind her. But she did close the door as if knowing he wanted the two of us very much alone.

He’d taken off his jacket, now standing with his hands in his pockets, his shirtsleeves rolled up past his elbows. That allowed me another look at the colorful ink on his arm that I’d been so interested in as a child. I’d bugged him about the dragon until he told me it was a good luck charm.

Now I seriously doubted that, but I found my eyes directed to the tat, struggling with intense emotion and a racing, bloodcurdling fear.

He stood stoically, studying me and it seemed there was some sort of line drawn in the sand.

While still sensually handsome, he appeared as exhausted as I felt, his two-day stubble now three. Against everything good and decent, I imagined running my fingers through the coarse hair while tangling others in his thick curls.

“We need to talk.” His voice oozed of all things I couldn’t desire. He wasn’t asking me either. He was telling me.

“We have nothing to talk about except for my release.”

His smirk was just as irritating as my longing for him to touch me. I would never, ever allow that to happen. Not under any circumstances.

So I remained where I was, trying to keep my chin up as he continued glaring at me. “Did you kill my parents?”

Whether or not he hesitated on purpose I didn’t care, but his huff and the slight look away indicated he thought my question was ridiculous. “Why would I want to kill the brother of my best friend and his incredible family?”

“You have friends? I’d think you’d run them off out of fear.”

When he cocked his head, I could tell he was admonishing me.

“As I said. We need to talk.”

“So talk.” I remained right where I was, doing what I could to keep from gazing at him with any amount of lust. “Are my parents dead?”

“Yes, Willow. I’m very sorry. I didn’t get to them in time.”

His comment caught me off guard. Some of the fury vanished. “What… What happened? My parents never hurt anyone. Ever.” Sobs threatened to make me seem weak. No. I refused. Not now. I just couldn’t break down in front of him.

“I do not know. That is the truth, but I believe your brother does.”

“Shane? How? Why?”

“That’s a good question. Or maybe the appropriate question to ask is who is he working for?”

“You cannot believe he’d have my parents killed. He’s not a bad man.” I heard the attitude in my tone and so did he.

He chuckled. “You mean like me?”

“I don’t know you.”

“But you do remember me.”

I couldn’t lie to him. I had a feeling he’d know if I did. “Yes, but I remember you as kind and generous. Not kidnapping a woman who has no fucking idea what’s going on. Do you realize my life was just destroyed?”

“You’re alive. You should try and remember that, peristeráki mou .”

“What did you just say to me?”

“I called you my little dove.”

I threw out my hand. “I’m not your anything, except your prisoner. Release me.”

His sigh was heavy as if he had more on his mind. He moved slowly toward the single chair in the room, sitting down and placing his arms on his thighs. “There’s much more going on here than just your parents’ murder.”

Unable to see his face clearly, I headed around to the end of the bed, my arms folded out of some sense of protection. “Meaning?”

“Meaning I lost someone too. My brother Leandro was murdered.”

I immediately put the pieces together. “My God. You think Shane killed him.” I’d met his three brothers as well, all of them as gorgeous as him.

“Yes, I do.”

“Not possible. He’s a foreign diplomat, following in my uncle’s footsteps. He’s done nothing but good for our country.”

“Are you certain about that, Willow? How well do you know your brother?”

His question was as pointed as his eyes were piercing. The truth was not well at all, but I didn’t want to tell him that. “He’s my brother. I know these things about him. He’s a good man. I’m telling you that he is.”

“Perhaps he’s just used to keeping secrets, hoping to protect you.”

“This doesn’t make any sense. None.” I was more exasperated than before. “I’m not a part of this. I need to… Go home.”

“Why were you at the club?”

“To dance and have fun with my friends.” What was he getting at?

“You weren’t there as a lookout?”

“You’re a twisted man. I just graduated with honors from the master’s program. Why would I risk everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve?”

“Another good question.”

Another lurch of my stomach almost caused me to double over as I’d done before, but showing him weakness wasn’t going to happen. “Where are they?”

“The police took them to the morgue. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here.”

“They’ll need to contact the next of kin. You have my phone and you have me. They won’t be able to do that. Release me.”

“You’re not in any position to make demands.”

“Well, get used to it. I’m not going to remain under your thumb.”

“And just how do you propose to handle this by yourself? Don’t you think the police will want to ask you some questions? Don’t you think they’ll wonder why you were out at the time of your parents’ murders? They’ll likely impound your passport until they find their answers, which could take a very long time.”

He was trying to scare me and he was succeeding.

“I’ll figure something out.” I was scared, more so than I’d been before. What I could tell was that he was destroyed by his brother’s murder. I knew nothing about his life or his world, but I certainly understood being a member of a crime syndicate offered no life insurance plan.

“I’m sorry about Leandro. Losing someone hurts.” My words could never capture the full truth. The feeling of this kind of loss murdered something inside of you that would never return to life. I could see the pain in his eyes, but I couldn’t be fooled by the fact we’d just both suffered a tragedy. Or that I knew him a little.

And certainly not because I’d crushed on him.

Dimitrios was still a merciless man who undoubtedly had dozens of enemies.

When he stood, I resisted backing away. With me in my tennis shoes, he appeared huge, dwarfing my five-foot six-inch body. Every step he took seemed methodical or maybe calculated. I could tell he was trying to determine how to handle me or maybe what to say.

I inhaled sharply and his scent reminded me of the exotic place where I’d first met him, a beautiful island setting where the Aegean Sea had formed a perfectly blue arc around the perimeter. His eyes were suddenly hooded, his electrified gaze slowly sliding down from my face to my chest where they remained for a few seconds. But he continued down to my tennis shoes, now stained from the blood I’d stepped into.

When he returned his eyes to mine, his look was deeper, searching my very soul with a clear indication he wanted to devour me. I was thrown into a haze, blindsided not only by the life-altering horror but the intense attraction that seemed to fuel itself.

I reminded myself I had to think of him not as the kind, handsome man I’d remembered, but as the devil dressed in debonaire attire.

There were few options left, but he was right about the police. I was in a foreign country. I had limited rights and without a passport, I’d never get back home. But if I could get help then maybe I could sort this out.

Athena.

When he reached out, gently touching my cheek, I took a deep breath and held it. His touch was tender, so much so I almost found myself lured into a web for which there would never be any freedom.

“ Eísai ómorfi gynaíka, peristeráki mou .”

“What did you say to me?”

“I said you are a beautiful woman, my little dove. Now, I need you to do something for me.”

“What? What do you want?”

When he pulled my phone from his pocket, I cringed. “Contact your brother. Right now. I know you have his number saved.”

“Why should I do that? You’re so certain he’s the reason your brother is dead that you’re going to kill him. Aren’t you?” When he didn’t answer, I pummeled my fists against him. “Aren’t you?”

“I must do what’s necessary to protect my family both alive and in memory.”

“You bastard.” I shifted my hate-filled gaze to the wound on his face. “Why do you think I’d follow your fucking orders? That’s my brother.”

He smiled. “Because you have no other choice.”

“Oh, you don’t know me and what I’m capable of. You are the reason my parents are dead. I will never forgive you. For as long as I live. May you rot in hell.”

I had to try. I needed to escape before it was too late. When I backed away, he didn’t try to stop me, but for those intense seconds, I could feel his pain.

Undaunted, I lifted my chin in another act of defiance. The man wouldn’t break me. But I snatched the phone from his hand, toying with the screen.

“Good girl,” he told me.

I’d never liked that term. It was childish and implied the other person was so much better at everything, but hearing him say the words affected me differently.

I was thrown into another crazy haze where for a split second I wanted to be his very good girl. No. This wasn’t right. I couldn’t trust him.

Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. You got this, girl.

Only I wasn’t certain I did.

With the phone firmly clutched in my hand, I turned and fled the room.

No one was going to stop me from finding out what happened to my parents as well as saving my brother’s life.