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He stands and reaching down, takes my hand and I wonder if I’ve said something to anger him because the hard set to his jaw and the explosive anger in his eyes makes me wonder if I’ve pushed him a little too far.
CHAPTER 46
ADONIS
Melissa is deluded. She sees things in a very romantic way and doesn’t realize the harsh reality of our lives. The thought of her heading to Madeira Island fills me with terror for her. I understand why she wants to go, and I would never prevent another human being from doing something they want to do, but it’s my job to educate her in what that may involve.
We walk along the beach to the furthermost point. The small piece of land jutting into the sea, where a gazebo gazes proudly out over the water. The white marble of the stone reflects in the moon’s rays and as we reach the end, Melissa gasps, “This is beautiful, Adonis.”
We stare out at the light spilling onto the ocean surface, reflecting the huge moon as it shines its ethereal light.
I have trained myself not to react to this place. Not to allow the demons to purge my soul, because this is where my mother was laid to rest.
I stand hand in hand with Melissa and say gruffly, “Mom is buried here.”
She squeezes my hand and says nothing at all, and I whisper, “This was her happy place. She used to come here with my father, and they would talk for hours. Many evenings were spent on the edge of this land, speaking of their hopes and dreams and celebrating their triumphs.”
I love how the cool breeze strokes my face as I unburden something I rarely visit. It’s as if my mom is reassuring me that everything is okay. She is at peace and is watching over me. I have always felt that here and tonight is no different.
I say roughly, “She was fearless. Nothing scared her except for our safety. Back then, this house was our beach house. We came here for the summer but spent the rest of the year between Athens and Provence. This place was as heavily guarded as the rest of our homes. It was a different place entirely back then. Like the Vieris, we were always under threat and took steps to protect ourselves against men with scores to settle. We thought she was safe the day we left. We were wrong.”
I turn and stare into Melissa’s gorgeous eyes and whisper, “We were away dealing with an informant. We had a leak in our organization which was draining our profits. Money and power were everything to us back then. We didn’t know we had been set up. A rival family had their sights on our territory, and it was the most important thing in our lives to win.”
She stares at me with tear-filled eyes, and I brush them away as I whisper, “When we returned, the house had been ambushed. One of our guards was a traitor and wasted no time in leaving us a warning.”
“A warning?”
Her eyes are wide and fearful as I hiss, “He executed her. She was reading in the blue room, and he went inside when the guards were doing other things and slit her throat. She never stood a chance, and my only hope is she knew nothing at the time. He slashed every part of her skin, leaving her unrecognizable, and left the knife embedded in her heart.
“It’s as if I am relaying a story concerning someone else because my delivery is cold and emotionless. I have gone over her death millions of times in my mind and numbed my heart against it.
Melissa is shivering despite the balmy night, and I pull her into my arms and whisper, “She was a defenseless woman who never hurt anyone. She was brutally murdered to inflict the most pain on her family. They knew it would destroy us far more effectively than any torturous war. She should have been protected, but we let a traitor live among us. As you’re such a fan of Greek mythology, compare it to the Trojan horse. The enemy within if you like who was gone before we returned and despite all our efforts, was never found.”
“Adonis, I…” She makes to speak, the tears flowing faster now, but I maintain indifference and say with a sigh. “This world is brutal, Melissa. It’s not romantic, it’s not safe, and it doesn’t differentiate between the innocent and the guilty. It’s cold, calculating, and cruel, and that is what I want you to face up to.”
I wave around the clearing and whisper, “My mother was brought back to the place she loved the most and her ashes scattered here. We packed up our business and turned our attention to what she loved. The olive groves and vineyards were her passion. She loved nature and the simple pleasures life has to offer, and so we sold our mansion and moved here permanently to be with her. We were done but will never forget, which is why we sell our services for causes we are passionate about.”
“I understand now.” She cups my face in her hands and whispers, “You gave it all up in her memory and have devoted your lives to what she loved. She would want you to be happy, though, Adonis. She was happy with your father. You told me that. Apollo was happy with Phoebe, too. Why don’t you allow yourself to love?”
I snap my hand over hers, and say gruffly, “Because I don’t want to lose them. To put them in danger and face immeasurable pain when they suffer because of me. Because I watched my father break, and he is the strongest man I have ever known. Apollo too. They were destroyed because they allowed themselves to love and now my heart is being tested by you.”
“Me?” Her eyes widen and I nod, a small smile managing to surface from my misery.
“There is something about you, Melissa, that speaks to my soul. It’s as if an angel breathed into it when you smiled at me on the boat and why I couldn’t honor your brother’s wishes and take you home. I am still working out why you’re here and as I said, I make no promises, but I do know the thought of you heading to Madeira Island is tearing me apart inside.”
She turns and stares out at the ocean and sighs, a slight figure as the wind catches her white dress with the moon’s rays illuminating her soft skin. A heavenly angel, a goddess if you like, and she whispers, “It would be so easy to say I won’t go. To pack my case and leave, head for home and lock my door against a life I know nothing about.”
She turns and the sparkle in her eyes makes my heart sink as she whispers, “I want to do this for me. To prove I’m not soulless. To help somebody who needs it and to repay the favors I owe Serena and Apollo. I want to bring Phoebe back because the thought of her out there alone terrifies me. Yes, I could allow Mikhail to take someone else. Another woman who also doesn’t understand the dangers involved. Somebody else to do it for me, just to keep me safe.”
She steps toward me and takes my hands and says softly, “I’m not that girl, Adonis and I don’t want to be that girl. I want to be brave and fearless and if that means I’m incredibly stupid, then I’ll take it. For once in my life, I want to make a difference, a real difference, and if you provide me with enough knowledge and prepare me, I will prove I am worthy of a place in your hearts.”
She shakes her head and sighs. “You view me as a woman you want to fuck. You can’t even explain to yourself why you wanted me here. You are still figuring that out and so am I, but I am also trying to find myself in all of this. I came searching for a wild adventure. It wouldn’t be the first time, which tells me there is something missing in my life. This may be a step too far, I admit that, but I need to do this for my own reasons as well as yours.”
She tiptoes against me and drags my lips to hers and whispers, “Please, Adonis. Give me a reason to exist because back home, I am nothing but an empty-headed heiress doomed to marry a fucking jerk.”
I don’t even get the chance to reply because she kisses me so sweetly my heart jumps inside me. She is soft, sweet, and vulnerable and yet has shown a stronger spirit than I gave her credit for. She is everything.
She is mine.
