“Let’s move.” I gestured toward the hallway and said, “Lead the way, Dimitros.”
Aria darted off immediately, full of energy, while Dimitros and I followed behind.
“You don’t have to drive us,” he said under his breath. “I can walk us to school.”
“I told your papa I would drive you,” I replied. “Besides, why would your papa insist on driving you to school if you can walk there?”
His jaw tightened slightly. “He worries about our safety.”
I met his gaze evenly. “There you go. If he’s worried, so am I, and there’s no chance in hell I’m letting you roam the streets alone.”
We continued walking through the back door where a low row of keys hung. Dimitros reached for one, then handed it to me. When we stepped outside, we were met by the crisp morning air. Aria was already by the rows of cars, spinning in slow circles like she had all the time in the world.
“Can I sit in the front?” she called.
“No,” I said at the same time as Dimitros, and I unlocked the doors. “But your brother can since he’s old enough.”
But Dimitros was already sliding into the back seat, Aria following behind him.
I opened the door to the driver’s seat, muttering, “Your chauffeur, at your service,” as I got behind the wheel.
I started the engine and glanced at them through the mirror. Aria was still smiling. Dimitros was still watching me.
“Okay, Dimitros,” I said. “Lead the way from the back seat, then.”
His expression flashed, realizing his mistake, because now he’d have to lean over the seat and guide me, but there was no way he was going to admit it.
“Straight, then left,” he grumbled, then quickly added, “No, right.”
I pulled out of the parking spot and smiled. Maybe I could gain his trust, one turn at a time.
SEVENTEEN
LYKOS
The streets of Athens, its people, and its buildings blurred past while my driver, Yiorgos, sped down toward the outskirts of the city, driving swiftly in and out of traffic while my faded reflection stared back.
My mood was sour, and my mind was everywhere but on the task at hand.
It stayed behind with the mother of my daughter who seemed to not want anything to do with me and was intent on breaking my family apart. Over my dead body. Although, I shouldn’t say that out loud to Violet. She might be too amiable to that idea.
Women always threw themselves at me, but I was never interested. First, I wanted to be a faithful husband, and then, more importantly, I wanted to be a good father. Violet was the only one who had broken my walls and the only one who seemed to have no issues walking away from me.
Sometimes I wondered if it was exactly that which piqued my interest. But I didn’t think so. For some reason, I felt close to her and could see my own loneliness in her eyes. My own dad often told me he knew my mother was the one the moment he sawher. He couldn’t explain it, telling me one day, he hoped I would understand. Of course, that was before my marriage to Amara was arranged.
Nonetheless, the night I met Violet, I finally understood my dad’s sentiment. It felt like lightning struck me. Like Eros had shot his arrow and tied me to this woman forever. Like my soul had found its match and glued itself to it.
Cheesy? Fuck, yes. Stupid? Probably.
The fact remains, there was so much more to my connection with Violet than physical attraction and a shared child, but that woman refused to acknowledge it.
Fuck, I wanted to taste her again. Feel her lips on mine. I needed to drink her sighs and swallow her whimpers. All it took was a single night a decade ago for her to ruin me for anyone else forever. Did she even realize what hold she had on me?
My phone buzzed and I retrieved it from my pocket.
It was from Salvatore.
Amara was secured. For all of a minute. She lost her shit. Had to sedate her.
