Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
And on the whole flight back, I just kept thinking that I was making a horrible mistake, that this was all some misunderstanding, that Peter would call and tell me to come right back the second I land.
Instead, I haven’t heard a thing from either of them.
They’re both dead for all I know.
Abandoned. That’s what I feel. Like I was a part of their lives and now I’m not.
I bet they don’t even care.
I look at the scars on my knuckles. They’re the only proof that any of it happened. That I really did learn to fight with Peter, that I really did fall for him, that I really did want him to make me a stronger person.
But now I’m back in the States and I feel myself slipping. I feel myself losing everything I worked so hard to build out there with him.
Boxing with Luca helps, but it’s nowhere near the same.
He doesn’t hit me the way Peter did.
Luca’s too afraid of hurting me.
Not like Peter, who only held back because he didn’t want to kill me—but hurt me? Make me bleed? Bruise me and knock me down and get me dripping with sweat? Peter didn’t mind that at all.
He never treated me like I was fragile, and I think that’s what made me learn to be so strong.
And anyway, I need to try to find whatever comfort I can right now, because it’s all going to disappear tomorrow when Kacia and Luca head to Greece and I fly back to Los Angeles to try to pick up the pieces of my life.
Even though there’s not much life left.
“Listen, I want to say I’m sorry about earlier.” Kacia squints at the ocean. “You know, about the Greece thing. I know you don’t want me to go on this trip and it’s okay that you don’t want to tell me what happened to you out there.”
I close my eyes. I wish I could explain it. How I was a different person for a few glorious weeks, and now—
Now I’m a shell again.
“It’s okay. No, seriously, I should be apologizing. I’ve been moping around here for two weeks and you’ve been really patient with me.”
“Sweetie, I love you. I’ll do anything for you. If you need to be moody, be moody, I just want what’s best, that’s all.”
I grin at her like my face melts enough to show a little joy. Kacia always makes me smile, even when I don’t want to. “It’s just, I don’t know how to explain it to you. And I’m worried about what you’re going to find back in Crete.”
“How bad is it out there? Luca says Yiannis was shot but that he’s going to pull through. He says it was a close thing. They won’t tell me anything else.”
“The crime lords are squabbling. Peter got in the middle of it. And I just—” I stop myself before I can say more and start crying.
“I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m only negotiating with a few of the families anyway.”
“I know you’ll be fine. It’s just a mess.”
“Oh, honey.” She stands and hugs me. “Here I am, pregnant and hormonal, and you’re the one crying.”
I laugh and pinch her. She slaps my shoulder and slumps back down onto the sand. “Can you do something for me when you’re out there?” I ask.
“Anything.”
“Check up on Peter. I don’t need to talk to him, I just—”
“You want to know if he’s okay. I can do that.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” I blink back tears and look away. “You’re good to me, Kacia. Thanks for everything.”
“Oh, stop it. I’m not that good, remember? I got you into this mess to begin with. And you’re talking like you’ll never see me again. I’m just going to Greece to finalize the weed deal for the Valverde family and then I’ll be back.”
“Right, totally.” I wipe my eyes and don’t tell her that I’m not crying for her, but for the person I could’ve been if I hadn’t let my sister bully me onto that plane. “You’ll kill it out there.”
“Maybe kill isn’t the right word, but yeah, I’ll be awesome.”
Kacia glows in the sun and I smile at her.
For another couple hours, as the sky starts to turn pink, I can let myself relax. We’re on a private beach and we’re safe and no matter how bad it hurts, I’m alive, and Kacia’s alive, and I pray that Peter’s alive, and Reina too.
Somewhere out there.
Luca sits behind the desk in his office going over something on a tablet. His face glows white as he swipes. I knock on the door and look at him from the threshold. “Good time?” I ask.
He nods and waves me in. “Adrienne, how are you? Kacia mentioned you might stop by tonight.”
I slip inside and close the door behind me.
I’m nervous as I approach the desk and sink down into the chair facing him. Normally, I look at Luca as Kacia’s husband and nothing more than that. We do some boxing and workouts together but mostly we keep things casual and don’t touch on work stuff. He’s kind and funny when he wants to be, but right now he’s something else—he’s the powerful and dangerous mafia kingpin.