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Chapter Eight
Kristo
“Why,I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t saved me that day.”
“It was you who saved me, little lady.”
Cue the music. Cue the kiss. Fade out.
I stop myself from rolling my eyes and turn off the TV before another, equally cheesy movie comes on and hooks us for another two hours of my life I’ll never get back. Iris’s eyes are misty, however, and she has the widest grin on her pretty face. There’s no two ways around it. My woman loves her happy ever after.
Standing, I keep my back to her before she can see my expression. She’s a princess—a true princess—and deserves her very own happy ever after. I want to be the one to give that to her.
But I’m not her intended. The truth of that statement guts me. I want to be her intended. I want to be the cowboy who rushes in to save her and have her save me right back. I want the music to cue as we kiss and the movie fades into our happy ever after.
Fuck me. Did I just describe my life as a romance movie?
I need air and yet need to keep my eye on her. The small balcony off the main room will do. I’ll have some privacy and will still be able to see Iris through the glass doors.
“I have to make a call.” I head toward the double doors.
Iris barely acknowledges me as she clicks the remote to start another movie. This time I do roll my eyes and walk outside before I’m sucked into the movie right along with her. Yes, they’re cheesy. Yes, they’re predictable. And still, I found myself rooting for the two main characters the entire time.
I slip outside and close the doors behind me, check on Iris to confirm she’s already hooked on the next movie, and dial my cousin. Dem always has answers when I have none.
“Chairetó, Kristo.”Dem greets me in Greek. “Is everything okay with the family?”
Of course, his first thought is that something’s wrong. And, of course, something is. “Hello to you too, cousin. The family is fine.” Well, most of the family. Siccario’s great niece is being traded off to some billionaire to gain access to his money, robbing her of her very own happy ever after. Losing her robs me of mine. Other than that, everything is fine.
Did I mention that I’m in love with the great niece?
Yeah, just fucking fine.
“You’re lying,” Dem accuses, nailing it. I’ve never been able to lie to him. “Talk to me. What has you upset?”
“Who says I’m upset?”
“You’re quiet.” He chuckles and adds, “You’re never quiet until something has you upset. What’s her name?”
I glance through the glass and watch Iris as she has her attention glued to the movie. As if feeling my gaze, she lifts hers and smiles when she catches me studying her. I return the smile. “Her name is Iris.”
“Vlákas! You most certainly do not mean the same Iris that is Falcone Siccario’s great niece, the one being presented tonight to her intended fiancé?”
Clearly, rumors of my cousin’s retirement have been greatly exaggerated. He’s still as plugged into the family as he ever was. There’s no use denying it. “One and the same.”
“Kristo,” he starts, then stops with a heavy sigh. “Have I taught you nothing? She’s promised to another.”
“I didn’t know that at the time.”
“The first time,” he corrects gruffly. “And all the other times?”
I say nothing, knowing there are no words to justify my actions. As impossible as it seems, I love Iris. I love everything about her, including the way she’s constantly looking for ways to escape, always contemplating her next plan. Maybe we’ll create the next escape plan as a team and run away together.
And be on the run from the Siccario family for the rest of our days? No. I can’t do that to her. With a deep, deep sigh, I resign myself to what must happen. To ensure her own safety and potential happiness, I must let her go. My happiness doesn’t matter. Only Iris matters. “Dem, tell me, will I ever be able to look at her without it feeling like a thousand knives shredding me from the inside out?”
“Perhaps,” he says, not making me feel any better. “Perhaps not.”
I sigh again. “What do I do?”
