Page 17 of Have To Be Mine

She walked away without looking back. She was not a woman that was ever going to fall for my charms. I wasn’t sure she would ever fall for any man’s charms.

I stared at the lobby elevator doors after they’d closed behind her.

Krista was going to be a pain in my ass.

I threw down some money and got up. Tomorrow was going to be hell. Torturous.

And I had my family to thank for it. That was the part that stung the most.

6

KRISTA

Ididn’t come to Athens to sightsee, but I was here and there was nothing for me to do. Tomorrow was when the real work started. I would be trying to wrangle a man that was used to doing what he wanted, when he wanted. A man that didn’t like me. That didn’t bother me. Not really. But I was a human under my cargo pants and tank top. Contrary to what I presented to the world, I did have feelings.

I changed into another tank, a little less military-esque, and changed into a pair of comfortable tennis shoes. I was in good shape. I liked to run when I had time. I worked out pretty religiously, but when I was on a job, I didn’t have that kind of time. A stroll through Athens would help me get in my steps.

I put my key card in one pocket, my phone in another. “And this is why I wear pants with pockets,” I muttered to no one. My favorite lip gloss went into another pocket. Credit card and ID and I’m ready to go.

I heard laughter coming from the room across the hall, and for some stupid reason, I was jealous. Not because I wanted to be in that room. No way. But they were in there with each other. I was the lone wolf. I was used to it, but for just a second I let myself imagine what it would be like to explore the city with a friend or, God forbid, a boyfriend.

I walked through the city and was in awe of the beauty. I didn’t take a lot of time to just be in a moment. I was always thinking about risks and next steps. I decided to play tourist. And since my dad couldn’t be with me, I was going to share every moment with a million photos.

I snapped pictures of basic things like a flower vendor and a pretty fountain that weren’t spectacular, but it was all about the vibe. I was in Athens. I texted him several pictures at once and continued my stroll toward the Parthenon. I did not come to Athens to skip one of the most iconic structures in the world. Okay, there were probably a few others, but I had always been drawn to it because, hello, Athena.

I loved Greek mythology, and if there was a goddess I could admire and relate to, it was her. The warrior. She went through some shit and learned from it. Athena was wise. Strategic. And always calm.

I was walking faster the closer I got to the entrance. I paid my fee and followed the crowd. And then I just stopped. Right there on the path, while people moved around me on both sides. I took a picture and sent it to my father without a caption.

And then I continued up. It was a religious experience. I wasn’t someone who believed in fantasies. Never believed in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, but Athena was my girl. I could feel her. I roamed around, ignoring the crowd and focusing on the iconic building. I didn’t even take more pictures. I had the one I wanted. The rest of the experience was going to be locked away in my mind where I knew I would revisit it often.

I had found a spot that wasn’t crawling with tourists to stand and appreciate the moment when a man materialized at my left elbow. I felt his presence and was just a little irritated he was crowding me. I was out of the way, which meant it was intentional. I glanced over to see if it was a pickpocket looking for an easy mark.

It didn’t look like one. The guy was maybe forty. Attractive enough. Maybe a local, with his olive skin, black hair, and square jaw. But I didn’t like him. He had the aura of a man used to women falling at his feet—kind of like another man I’d recently met. And maybe that was why I didn’t like him immediately.

“Beautiful view,” he said in English, with an accent that was definitely Spanish.

“Yes, it is.”

“I was referring to the lovely lady staring at a pile of broken marble.”

I nodded. It wasn’t the first time I’d been hit on. It didn’t happen as often as it probably did to the women Dash was hanging out with, but it happened.

“Thanks,” I said and started to walk away.

He was killing the vibe. Athena and I were just about to have a moment and he was ruining it. I spotted another area I could stand in without being run over by tourists. My new admirer fell into step beside me, which was now crossing into annoying territory.

“You should smile more,” he said. “You’d be much prettier if you did.”

I stopped walking and slowly turned to look at him. Yes, attractive but annoying. I didn’t want to be annoyed. I needed to save my annoyance quota for the month for a certain man. I did not have the capacity for two annoying men in the same damn day.

“You know what I think would be really hot?” I asked in a flirty voice.

He grinned. “I can think of a few things.”

“The back of your head is considerably nicer to look at than your face. So I’d prefer it if you walked away.”

He stared at me.