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)
“Now you understand why I am always smoking.” She grins at me and it’s like a smiling shark. She gestures with the cigarette back toward the cafe. “Those fucks drive me to it.”
I shake my head and keep walking. She flicks her butt away and catches up. “I’ll talk to Katarin. She’s more reasonable.”
“Won’t help. You did that once already, remember?”
“Yes, I’m aware. You don’t seem to have any better ideas.”
“That’s because I don’t.” We reach the corner up ahead and stop at the intersection. Reina hesitates and puts a hand on my arm before going in the opposite direction. “She called me earlier.”
A cold chill runs down my skin and my hands feel clammy. “How is she?”
“Sounded tired. Upset. Not good. Asked about you.”
I look away. “I wish she hadn’t.”
“Oui, and yet she did. Peter, talk to her. You sent her away for her own protection, but not because you no longer have feelings. The least you can do is call.”
“It’ll only make things worse.”
“Bah, you fucking Americans and your stupid fucking pining.” Her hand falls away and she lights another cigarette. “What is the phrase you use? ‘Man up?’ Go and do that now. Man up and talk to my stupid sister. Merde, mon dieu, pourquoi est-ce que je m’en soucie? You two are just going to do whatever you like either way. Good luck. We will speak again tomorrow.” She waves and strides off.
I watch her go with a sickening pang in my stomach.
Adrienne called her. She heard Adrienne’s voice. The thought of speaking with my little killer is like a keening wail in the back of my mind, like a hunger I can’t release, can’t sate. I haven’t gone an hour without imagining Adrienne back in my life, in my bed, against my mouth, in my yard trying to punch me in the throat. I need her badly and I still can’t bring myself to reach out, because the moment I do, she’ll want to return to Greece.
And I can’t have that.
Things are worse than when she left.
I cross the street and continue on. Ahead, my favorite wine bar is crowded in the early evening. I consider skipping it, but there’s a merlot I love and I need something to take the edge off. I head inside, wade through the crowd, and order from the young guy with the neck tattoos. I sip and think and wonder how I let myself sink so low, and how I’m going to crawl my way back out from his hell.
A man moves up beside me. He orders in English and I stare at him, taking a second to register the voice, until he tilts his head and glances at me, grinning.
I know that fucking face. That cocky goddamn smile.
I’ll never forget Luca Valverde in all my days. The piece of shit threw a glass at my face and I wasn’t allowed to retaliate.
“You know, my father’s not here to stop me from breaking this glass in your eyes.” I sip my wine and cock my head at him.
“I probably deserve that. I wasn’t at my best the last time we spoke. But if you’re looking for an apology—”
“No, Luca, don’t worry. We don’t apologize.”
He laughs and toasts me when his drink arrives. “Nice place, but you come here too often. Habits get people killed.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you.” He pauses and his smile fades. “No, that’s not true, I have no interest in you at all, but Kacia insisted. Adrienne insisted too. So here I am.”
Adrienne. My stomach twists into knots. “Let me guess. The Valverde Famiglia is taking sides, and it won’t be good for me.”
“Actually, no, I have express orders not to get involved. And yet here I am anyway. We have some things in common, you know.”
“Like a suicidal disregard for our supposed superiors?”
“Here’s to selfish assholes.” He toasts me again and this time I clink my glass against his.
“All right, Luca. You’re here. What did you want to say?”
“Mostly that Adrienne sent me to check up on you, and she practically begged me to help you if I could.”
“We already established that you can’t. And I’ll admit, I’ve had a long day, and I still very much don’t like you. I’m fine. Tell Adrienne. Let’s skip the small talk and you can get going.”
He laughs quietly. “That’s fair, but I’m also here with a warning. We’ve been negotiating a deal with the Galatas and a few other minor farming families on Crete, but I’ve had my ear to the ground since showing up in Greece. Word is, more crime lords are picking the Filo side in all this. You’re short on time. Whatever you need to do to get this operation of yours moving, you’d better do it now.”