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Or maybe he’s a mafia boss himself.
I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts into a better place, and decided that a shower was exactly what I needed.
I ventured into the master bath and turned on the shower, letting the stall swirl with steam before I stripped out of the dirty clothing that I’d been wearing for days on end. The water pelted down on me as I arched my head back and wet my hair with a groan.
I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be clean.
Under the soothing cascade of water, I let the warmth wash away the grime of the past few days. The steam enveloped me, and I luxuriated in the simple pleasure of getting clean again. My fingers massaged shampoo into my hair, the lather carrying away the residue of stress and fear. I scrubbed my skin until it tinged a bright pink, reveling in the sensation, and then I combed conditioner into my hair, running my fingers through it and feeling how soft it got almost immediately.
The hot water seemed to wash away not only the physical dirt but also the lingering traces of torment from my encounter with the Pappas family. I shivered as I remembered how it felt to be kidnapped by them, to feel completely fucking powerless in their hands. Then I immediately pushed thoughts of that away.
For a moment, I closed my eyes, allowing the water to cascade over me, the rhythmic sound almost echoing a soothing lullaby.
I was safe. Everything was going to be alright. Nikolaos had told me I was safe, and I needed to believe him.
Sooner or later, my godfather would send me home and this would all be over before I knew it, a distant nightmare to file away in the deepest recesses of my mind. I wouldn’t have to think about how those grimy fingers felt on my skin or the sordid threats they’d made along the way.
I shivered.
With a deep breath, I shut the water off and strode out of the shower. I wrapped myself in a fluffy towel, ecstatic to find it warm. Even the tiles were heated beneath my feet. Every toiletry from the shampoo in the shower to the moisturizer on the bathroom counter was luxury and probably cost more than I made in a year. I combed my hair, brushed my teeth, and spoiled myself with everything there was at my disposal, including one of those fancy Korean face masks that made my skin super soft.
It was like my own personal spa.
In the closet I found a host of clothing for women, from dresses to pantsuits, to t-shirts and jeans, and everything in between. After some digging, I found a stretchy pair of black yoga pants, a long sage green sweater and some fluffy socks.
As I descended the stairs, the tantalizing aroma of grilling meat enveloped me, drawing me to the kitchen with eager anticipation. When I entered, my eyes widened at the sight of a table covered with what looked like a feast of traditional Greek dishes.
There were succulent skewers of marinated and grilled meat, their enticing aroma mingling with the fragrances of fresh herbs and citrus. There was also a colorfully vibrant Greek salad, a medley of crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
My mouth watered and I sat down. There was a plate awaiting me, and I waited a little while for Nikolaos, but my hunger got the best of me, and I started piling on the food. I covered the delicious grilled meats with Tzatziki sauce and ate to my heart’s content. Every bite seemed more flavorful than anything I’d had back in the states.
By the time I finished my meal, Nikolaos hadn’t come to join me, and I figured maybe he was in an important business meeting or something. Eventually, I washed my dish and headed back upstairs to my room.
I slipped into the bed and closed my eyes, falling asleep at once, absolutely exhausted.
I’d ask him all my questions tomorrow.
CHAPTER 8
Nikolaos
I didn’t join her for dinner that night. Mainly, I didn’t want to get into it with her when I was angry, and I was fucking livid right now. I didn’t trust myself around her.
If she had never gotten into that car with her dumb drunk friend, none of this would have happened. The Pappas would never have found out about her existence. She’d still be safe at home with nothing more to worry about other than what she was going to do with the rest of her life like a fucking normal young adult.
“There aren’t many options, boss,” Andreas stated. “I’ve made sure those involved were taken care of, but Alexander Pappas is a bigger issue. The mobsters involved in the kidnapping have been eliminated, but he’s still at large.”
“They know she exists. They’ll kill her just to get to me,” I snapped.
He didn’t reply to my anger. He knew better than that.
My mind spiraled through possible ways to safely take her away from my world, but even as I said them, I knew they were pointless.
“We could fake her death and give her a new identity,” I suggested, frustration evident in my voice.
“And risk the Pappas family discovering the truth? They have connections everywhere. Faking a death is no guarantee they won’t find her,” Andreas replied, his tone measured.
“Then we get her into another country. Far away. Somewhere they won’t think to look,” I proposed, steepling my fingers, my tone hopeful.
