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‘I think about the lives affected by these men,’ he said. ‘And not just the lives of the people caught up in something like this, but the lives of those who love them. And how if I could even save one person, then that would be worth it.’
Her gaze was liquid, her touch gentle. ‘It must be dangerous.’
‘I keep myself mostly on the periphery, but it’s a fine line. I let them think I’m harmless and not much interested in the business side of their organisation. Plus, I also have the money to manage my own security very well.’ The way she was looking at him was making him even more uncomfortable. ‘The danger is negligible. It’s the people who get caught up with these men who suffer most.’
‘Oh, yes, of course. But still. There aren’t many men who’d do what you do.’
Her touch was too much, especially in combination with the way she was looking at him, so he shifted his knee, letting her hand slip off. ‘I’m not a hero,mikri alepou,’ he said, his voice rougher than it should have been. ‘Some of the things they say about me are correct. If you live with a facade long enough it eventually becomes the truth.’
She folded her hands in her lap and looked down at them, her lashes veiling her gaze. ‘I’m sorry,’ she murmured. ‘I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.’
Theos, how did she pick up on his emotions so easily? He didn’t like that she was able to read him, didn’t like it at all. Nor did he like the way his own discomfort had obviously hurt her.
‘It’s fine,’ he said dismissively. ‘But I didn’t tell you for praise. I told you so you’d understand how important this is and what’s at stake.’
‘Okay, but...’ She hesitated, then went on. ‘I know it’s none of my business, but can I ask why you’re doing this?’
This question at least he’d been expecting.
‘You can ask,’ he allowed. ‘However, my reasons are my own.’
She gave a little nod, but didn’t press.
The stewardess came back at that moment, laying out drinks and some snacks. Castor thanked her and picked up his scotch on the rocks, cradling it in his palms, very conscious of Glory’s dark eyes on him.
You shouldn’t have said anything.
Ah, but that was ridiculous. He’d wanted to tell someone, so he had. What he shouldn’t be doing was letting the way she looked at him get under his skin, and he couldn’t work out why.
She wasn’t anyone special. Just an ordinary woman he happened to have some physical chemistry with, nothing more. Her opinion didn’t matter, not at all.
Then Glory said softly, ‘This is personal, isn’t it?’
He went very still, shock rippling through him, and it was all he could do to keep his gaze level and not snap at her, the beast in him protective of the raw wound in his heart.
She was far too sharp, far too observant, for her own good, because yes, of course this was personal. But Ismena’s memory was his to guard and he didn’t want to share her, not with anyone.
Castor downed the scotch, then put his glass back on the table in front of him with a click. ‘You’re right,mikri alepou. Itisnone of your business. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a great deal of work to catch up on.’
Then he got to his feet and without a word he strode down the other end of the plane.
CHAPTER SIX
GLORYSTAREDATthe deep, rare blue of the Mediterranean as the helicopter circled a perfect little island consisting of dark green trees, white stone buildings, sharp, rocky white stone cliffs and soft, powdery white sand beaches.
Castor’s private island.
The beauty of it took her breath away in rather the same way as the man who owned it.
He sat beside her in the helicopter, talking to the pilot in melodic Greek. She had no idea what they were discussing, but the sound of his voice was soothing and she needed soothing, especially after over fifteen hours of travelling.
The journey from LA to Athens had been a long one, despite the luxuries of the private jet. The stewardess had shown Glory to the jet’s bedroom—a novelty she hadn’t been able to resist trying—but she hadn’t slept very well, tossing and turning, and generally not being able to get comfortable.
She wasn’t sure why. Probably something to do with Castor and everything he’d revealed after they’d taken off from LA.
He’d wanted to tell her all those things, that had been clear, and she’d even had the sense that he’d been desperate to talk about them. But only some things, as it turned out.
He’d been uncomfortable with her praise and he definitely hadnotwanted to talk about why taking down the trafficking rings was so important to him.
