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Chapter Eleven
Iris
It only takesa second of Chloe standing at the bathroom door for me to realize she’s not my typical babysitter. She may be small, but she’s incredibly fierce, and I don’t think I’d get ten steps away before she tackled me.
But that doesn’t mean I won’t try.
“Keep still,” she orders, holding up a hand as she makes a loud show of locking the door. Then, a moment later, she quietly slips the lock once more and edges the door open. I can hear strange male voices down the corridor, then Kristo’s voice, but they’re too far away to understand.
“What’s happening?” I whisper, and Chloe rolls her eyes.
“What’s happening is another round of Greek machismo in action. Between Kristo and Dem, let alone the two thugs out there right now, the testosterone in that hallway’s so thick I’m surprised we both don’t collapse into a fluttering faint.”
I blink in surprise but she just grins. “Dem filled me in a little bit on our drive over here, about you and Kristo and what’s going on tonight.”
“You mean my engagement to Dirk Driver,” I say, disgusted. “I won’t do it. I won’t marry him, I don’t care what my great uncle wants.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know what he’s thinking, but offering you up to a guy who raises crocs in a swamp has to qualify him for the worst uncle ever. Trouble is, that’s only part of the story.”
“What do you mean?” My voice lifts in anger and Chloe flaps her hand at me, still watching at the door.
“Quiet,” she orders again, before continuing a second later. “Dem wouldn’t tell me everything that was going down, but I got the idea he’s in on some deal between Falcone and Kristo. Something Falcone wants, that he thinks Kristo is going to give him.”
“But…” I frown. That makes no sense. My great uncle has only asked Kristo to serve as my bodyguard, nothing more, and Kristo has done that job admirably. What more could they ask of him? “I don’t know what that could be.”
“Yeah, I figured you didn’t. And when I pushed Dem on it, he wasn’t giving up anything. Which frankly, pisses me off. It’s your life, you deserve to be a part of that conversation.” she peeks out the door again. “Okay, all four of them are heading out.”
“Heading out? Why? Where are they taking them?”
“Not far, I’m betting,” Chloe says, edging the door open more widely. “They don’t have backup. C’mon.”
She moves into the hallway and I follow, not getting too close as she scouts ahead. Within only a few minutes we stop in front of another closed door, and I can hear the raised voices inside the room. There are two men I don’t know—and Kristo, my beautiful Kristo, his voice finally ringing out in defiance.
“Then I will do whatever Falcone Siccario wants to keep Iris—”
Fear bursts inside me like a bottle rocket. I shove open the door, crying out, “Kristo, no!”
The men whirl around, Kristo staring at me wide eyed, his cousin beside him looking shocked as well, until his gaze slides to the sharp-eyed blonde. Then he merely looks resigned.
“Chloe,” he growls, but I don’t give him time to speak.
“Kristo, whatever you’re about to agree to, don’t do it,” I insist.
“Iris, what are you doing here?” Kristo’s face is flushed with anger, his hands tight, and I do the only thing I can think of.
I rush forward and throw my arms around him.
“You can’t go! You can’t do whatever it is they’re asking you to do, you can’t leave me. I swear I will find a way to you, I swear it! I’ll keep trying to escape until I succeed. You can’t leave me!”
“Miss, ah, Siccario…” One of the thugs begins, and I turn in Kristo’s embrace, not letting go.
“You!” I snarl, so vehemently the man takes a step back. “How dare you come between a Siccario and the man she loves. Have you no respect for family? For love?”
“Iris,” Kristo’s voice is hard and commanding, and I swallow my panicked words as he hugs me tight, then sets me away from him enough to look deeply into my eyes. His own eyes are filled with adoration, but his jaw is set, his mouth tight. “You are my entire world, Iris mou, but this isn’t something you can argue. I will keep you safe, whatever it takes. Even if it means leaving you.”
“No,” I gasp, tears rushing to my eyes. “Kristo, you can’t. I’ll never feel safe without you by my side, watching over me. I’ll never be happy without you.” I bury my face in his chest again, unable to stop my sobs as his arms close around me once more.
The sudden silence in the room is broken with the scrape of the far door, and I glance up to see Uncle Falcone stride into the room, his face hard and intent.
