“So you had to find me.” Uh-oh. Had he read the poems? If he had, he’d know exactly how I felt about him. Right now, all I felt was confusion.

  He eyed me as if he wanted to devour both me and the cookie.

  “Do you want one?”

  “What I want I can’t have. Yet.”

  I grinned and bit in the sugary masterpiece, purposely making yummy noises. He couldn’t seem to help himself, advancing in two steps. When he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, I didn’t fight him from bringing the sweet treat to his mouth. Even the way he munched on food was sexy as hell.

  Dimitrios took his time chewing, licking his lips afterwards. But he wasn’t finished yet, bending his head and capturing my mouth.

  I leaned into him, ignoring the tenderness in my side. Why was it that this kiss felt so much like a goodbye? He swept his tongue inside, his moves gentler than I was used to. When he backed away, he offered a mischievous grin. “You really should get some rest. With the funeral being tomorrow, I have a feeling it’s going to be a trying day.”

  “What about the engagement announcement?”

  His sigh was heavier than I was used to as well. The incident with my uncle had taken a toll. “Tomorrow as well at the party afterwards. My mother gave her blessing. She said if we were celebrating life, Leandro would want to be included.”

  “Sounds… tragic.”

  “Romantic. I thought you enjoyed romance. Beach walks. Flowers. Dinners.”

  “You read my poetry.”

  The corners of his mouth slowly turned up in a grin. “You can’t blame a guy for longing to know what his girl thinks about him.”

  His girl.

  It wasn’t quite a possessive, but I still sensed he wasn’t capable of letting me go.

  At least for now.

  “Come on. Let’s head back.”

  “Before we go,” I said, stopping him. “Why the padlock on the gate? Is it so that your enemies don’t get through, attacking in the middle of the night?”

  He glanced toward the break in the stone wall. “There used to be stairs. We took those out as well.”

  “An attack?”

  “A long time ago. Two men were lost in the fray, my mother and father threatened at gunpoint. To this day she still has nightmares. All four brothers got together, ripping the stairs apart with our hands.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  His smile was waning. “It’s to be expected.”

  “A sad state of living.”

  “Not if you know how to handle each situation.”

  Which he truly believed he did. While I’d experienced his grief and anger, two sides of the same coin, his determination had ruled. The man truly believed he could fight all odds no matter the danger.

  Or the consequences.

  “I hope to be your friend, Dimitrios. Maybe that’s too much to ask, but I think we could both use one.”

  He rubbed his knuckles across my face. “I tell you what. We have a house full of people. How about I grab a bottle of wine, we enjoy a nice drive then take a walk on a secluded beach?”

  “Sure. Why?” I sensed his suggestion wasn’t about romance.

  “First of all. Because I’m the boss.”

  Every word dripped of sensual innuendos, but also of a harsh reality that had consumed his life and was about to do the same with mine.

  He moved beside me, shoving one hand into his pocket. “Also, because there are some things I need to tell you about my life.”

  CHAPTER 27

  “Healing never came when I clawed in search of it. Instead, it came when I was willing to listen to the lesson pain was here to teach me.”

  —Lauren Fortenberry

  Dimitrios

  Wealth.

  Influence.

  Power.

  None of the above had provided a healing mechanism. The agony of my past was constant, haunting my dreams and forging an entirely different path than I’d believed possible.

  Pain was something that I’d experienced in every aspect of life.

  Physically.

  Mentally.

  Emotionally.

  I was scarred from every battle, every task achieved and mountain climbed. Yet most considered me the lucky one. The man capable of sidestepping the laws of humanity and decency. They were right. Yet I hadn’t needed to claw my way to success. Prosperity had fallen into my lap.

  However, nothing had brought me peace and there would be no salvation. But in the last few days, I’d captured a butterfly in a trap of my own making. I’d been shown the light capable of drowning out the darkness.

  God help me. I wanted more.

  I needed her.

  Forever.

  Feeling compelled to share my agony with someone else was not typical of my behavior. However, nothing was typical around Willow.

  She’d managed to draw more emotion out of me than anyone else had before. It was both exhilarating and in truth, terrifying since I’d been so guarded.

  But also, it was necessary.

  Our love affair needed to have a foundation of truth. No matter the deal made with the devil.

  Willow had insisted on changing clothes, refusing to take a walk on the beach in the same shorts and tee shirt she’d worn when leaving the hospital. The dress was simple yet elegant just like the woman herself. She had no airs about her, no need to show off to anyone. She was confident and comfortable with who she was.

  While the bastard beast inside of me gnawed on my insides for escape.

  I’d selected a bottle of wine and two acrylic glasses, a wine opener already on my Swiss Army knife. I was fondling it in my pocket when Havros walked in. The entire family was here for dinner on a beautiful evening. It seemed normal even if nothing lately had remotely resembled that at all.

  The quiet between us was unnerving. “What is it? It’s not like you to hold back saying anything to me, brother.”

  “I guess you know me too well. I’m glad to see you’re okay,” he told me. He’d been right there when the Harbor Corps had brought us in, insisting we head to the hospital.

  “All in a day’s work.” This time I was teasing. I knew just how lucky we were to be alive.

  “No one has claimed responsibility officially, but people are wondering if you’re dead or alive.”

  Once considered dead. Now, reaching for the light.

  My, wasn’t I the philosophical one today.

  “That means you did a damn good job of keeping the rescue and hospital stay out of the news.”

  He nodded. “Christos and I did our best. We smashed a few cellphones along the way so videos wouldn’t surface.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Hey. It felt damn good for a change. What about this meme the bastard left on the dark web?”

  “A method of provoking my anger.”

  “It provoked mine.”

  Shaking my head, I had to admit I felt the same, but it would do no good to act out until Shane was found. “Whatever happens, I want to ensure you’re prepared to take over if necessary.”

  “Are you talking about the operation? Sure? As long as I get a piece of skin or a head out of the deal.” His grin faded when I didn’t explain. “Whoa. You’re talking about the entire family business. The regime.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Don’t go there, Dimitrios. You wouldn’t allow me to do anything stupid and I won’t allow you to either. That’s bullshit.”

  “Not bullshit, brother. Reality. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I will not allow Willow to be hurt any more than she already has. Certainly not physically.”

  “Jesus. You’ve changed around her.”

  “Is that such an atrocious concept?”

  “Not unless it derails everything you’ve worked to achieve.”

  “I have everything I could possible want in life and all the toys and properties mean nothing to me,” I admitted.

  “Wow.”

  I could tell he wanted to say more to me in private about Willow, which was why he hadn’t opened his mouth around the rest of the family.

  “Go on. I can tell when you have something on your mind by the look in your eyes,” I told him.

  His laugh had been the same since the day he turned fourteen and his voice had changed. “As I said, you’ve changed. I realize you have a plan in motion, but you should be careful.”

  “I don’t wholeheartedly believe any longer that Shane is the murderer.”

  “Maybe not, but someone around him is. That doesn’t mean he’s not culpable for the murders.”

  “True, but then I’ll deal with it.”

  “I know you will, but at what price? You’re serious about dying and that disturbs the fuck out of me. I applaud you for your conviction in wanting to keep Willow safe, but not at the price of your life. That’s not going to happen. I also worry about your frame of mind.”

  He wasn’t the kind of man to become sheepish around anyone, but he knew better than most how I felt about discussing the past.

  “My frame of mind is fine. I have everything under control.”

  “Are you certain about that, Dimitrios? You’re hurting now. You’re feeling the brunt of guilt, but that doesn’t belong to you. Delphina’s death wasn’t your fault. And going to heroic methods to save Willow’s life won’t change the past.”

  “Like hell I wasn’t to blame.” I held my breath to keep from exposing the pain I did feel. “I also started a goddamn war because of it.”

  “A goddamn war was started because two fucking assholes decided to rearrange our faces. A father decided to destroy the life of his daughter. How is that your fucking fault?”

  The bar fight we’d been in had gotten ugly. Havros had almost lost his life, our father mortified at our behavior. We’d been lucky one or both of us hadn’t ended up in prison.

  “Come on,” he pushed. “You and I both know what happened that day on Corfu. We also know why.”

  “She was killed because of me.”

  “How many times do I need to repeat it. Not. Your. Fault. It was all about her family, not ours.”

  I glared at him like I did every time someone brought up what had occurred in the ballet studio. “If I hadn’t cared about her then she’d still be alive. If I hadn’t been born into this family, she’d still be alive.”

  “But you were and as far as I can tell, you’ve gotten a few perks along the way.” This time, he tossed the obvious in my face, furious I’d even consider taking our good fortune for granted. “Does Willow know?”

  He’d been the only one to learn Willow had ventured into the studio less than a year after the tragedy. “Not yet.”

  “You need to tell her and don’t give me another lie about this marriage being nothing more than a business arrangement. I know better. Hell, everyone does.” His grin had returned.

  “You’re a bastard. Do you know that?”

  “You remember what you’ve always told me. Own the truth. Now, stop blaming yourself or you’re going to waste twenty more years pining away when you have something you want right in front of you. That’s become extremely clear. You want Willow in your life. Period.”

  He could also see through me better than anyone else. “You think I care about Willow, huh?”

  His wry expression answered the question, but I knew he wasn’t done quite yet. “Face it, Dimitrios. You’re in love with her. Everyone can see it on your face. I don’t know why you can’t or won’t admit it. Wait. Yes, I do. You’re stubborn as fuck. You act like you aren’t allowed to care about anyone.”

  “Fine. I care about her. What the hell are you trying to tell me?”

  “Just to be careful with the deal with the devil. Okay? If you lose her too, you will never recover. We both know that. Find another way to snare Shane so we can end this. Don’t allow her to become a soldier in a war we have no idea who started. It’s not fair to either one of you. Get married. Have babies. Grow old together. Wait. You are old.”

  “Very funny.” He was right, which was why I’d almost pulled the plug, but with the threat and our near deaths, I couldn’t just walk away. “This must be handled as originally planned or the Stalker could disappear, only to resurface at a later time. I won’t allow that to happen.”

  “Then make certain you allow your brothers to help you.”

  “That I can do. Tomorrow night, she’s going to make the call to Shane, one well-orchestrated. If he doesn’t respond, the bait will need to change.” That was the problem. I was still uncertain of what else I could use to lure her brother from under a rock.

  “That’s what I’m worried about. I just hope she’s a damn good actress.”

  “She is. Make certain Atticus has the new piece of jewelry I gave you wired. It could be her only lifeline if things get dicey.”

  “Already done. Plus, we’ll install a GPS on her phone after she makes the call. We’ll keep track of her.”

  “Yes, we will.” I shook my head. “I never expected to feel this way again. I honestly never wanted to.”

  “I know that. That’s why this is important for you and for all of us. You deserve to be happy.”

  Maybe he was right.

  “One last thing. If something should happen to me, take care of her. Promise me that you will.”

  Havros pursed his lips. “I won’t promise something that won’t be needed.”

  My lovely fiancée walked into the room and as always, my libido shot through the roof. My mind was filled with torrid needs, but she needed time to heal. Tomorrow would be difficult for her. The upcoming days could be even worse.

  “Ready to go?” I asked.

  Havros winked but shot me a look. “Nice to see you, Willow. We’ll talk later, brother.” He hesitated before heading out of the room.

  I knew he was concerned. So was I.

  “Did I interrupt something I shouldn’t hear?” she asked, her brow furrowing as it always did when she was digging for the truth.

  “Not at all.”

  “Uh-huh. Such a bad liar. Where are we going?”

  “We’re taking a drive to a special beach location. From there, we’ll walk a half mile or so.” The ache in my heart was more pronounced.

  “Hmmm… You’re handling me, Mr. Greek Hottie. I’ll have you know I can tolerate walking much further. You see me as fragile still when I’m not.”

  “I see you as no such thing.”

  “Liar.”

  She had me smiling all over again. “Cookies?” I teased.

  “No, I think I’ve had plenty.” She walked closer, patting her tummy. “Is my uncle okay or did you two get into another fight?”

  “He’s fine. Eager to find out who killed your parents.”

  “Somehow, I doubt he’ll accept you as my husband. At least that won’t be for long. Right?”

  I wanted to offer her the world, to share with her everything she wanted. I’d yet to discover what that was. “He’ll get used to it since our arrangement terms have changed.”

  “Oh, they have?”

  “Yes,” I told her, walking closer. “The contract is never ending.”

  “I didn’t agree to that. I’ll need a much larger payment.”

  “Oh, you will, huh? I guess I’ll see what I can do.”

  She pushed her hands against me playfully, but I could tell she was still questioning my motives.

  “Are you ready?” she asked, staring down at my shoes. “You’re going to get sand in your expensive Italian loafers.”

  “Then I guess I’ll take them off in the car.”

  “I guess you’ll need to. Let’s go. Don’t forget to grab a blanket.” After blowing me a kiss, she headed from the room. I felt another weight being driven against my chest.

  Havros was right.

  The all-American girl with the smile of a goddess had charmed her way into my heart.

  “This is almost more incredible than your private beach on Corfu,” Willow said. She was standing with her bare feet in the wet sand, staring out at the waves. The breeze was intense, her long strands of hair skimming her flushed cheeks. The way her thin dress flowed around her legs highlighted her voluptuous curves. “How did you find such a secluded location in Athens? Why wasn’t it snapped up by some wealthy businessman for the site of a restaurant?”

  I remained on the blanket we’d brought, a glass of wine in my hand and my eyes locked on her beautiful form. This was perhaps the most romantic place I could think of. Reading her poems had struck me with a tremendous amount of emotion.

  She’d refused to push me on what I’d wanted to tell her. Although she’d fished for information with a half dozen questions about my preferred tastes.

  What’s it like being the head of a crime syndicate?

  What’s your favorite food?

  What’s your favorite dessert?

  What do you like best about me?

  The last one had gotten to me. I’d bumbled around with my answer until I’d simply told her the truth with one word.

  Everything.

  “My mother used to bring us kids here. It was her favorite spot. And the property was scooped up about fifteen years ago.”

  She twisted her body so she could see me. “You bought it.”

  “I did. As a present for my mother.”

  “That’s so… sweet.”

  “One day, I might commission something to be built here but right now, the beach and surrounding land will remain exactly the way it is. Pristine.”

  Willow backed away, spinning around and plopping down on the blanket perpendicular to the way I was sitting. After grabbing her wine, she bent her knees, wrapping her arm around both. “Whatever you create will be magic.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Opening up to anyone had been always been difficult for me, which was why doing so with Willow at one of the only locations that had brought me any sense of peace meant a great deal.

  “I do.” She took a sip of wine, barely blinking as she studied me. I had to remind myself that she wasn’t the young girl from before any longer, but an intelligent, empathetic woman.

  She said nothing, finally resting her head on her knees. While she seemed content, I knew better. Questions were swirling in her mind just as they had fifteen years before.