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“You look ravishing, Sophia. I looked forward to meeting you again so much that tonight couldn’t come soon enough.”
Speaking truthfully, Sophia replied with a grin. “Funny you say that. I feel the same way. And I’m looking forward to visiting your home tomorrow. Barney tells me you’ve been doing some redecorating.”
“Yes, the old place needed a total redo. I’ve replaced the livestock, built a stable, bought new horses, and even put in a pool. My investments have earned me enough recently that I wanted to make sure my children have a comfortable and safe home in Rodos.”
“Spoken like a thoughtful parent. Your twins are much younger than your eldest boy.”
“Yes, their mother is an American. Alex’s mama is a girl I met years ago in Athens. Right now, she’s on a modeling shoot in Europe and has left the boy with me for a time. But… it seems he likes his life with his father, and so I’m thinking we should come to a new arrangement for his future.”
Buttering up his oversized ego, she spoke softly, “I imagine any boy would be thrilled to hang out with you and learn about life on a ranch.”
Pleased and showing it, he took the bait and admitted his younger boy didn’t see things that way at all. “As I told you at the barbecue, my twins aren’t settling down as I’d hoped. Casey cries a lot. Jack did too until I taught him that boys don’t behave that way. Now he’s toughening up. It’s good.”
Hearing these words, Sophia knew when the time came, she’d take great joy in putting this dipshit away for a lot of years. Scum like him, a man who pretended to care for his kids when all he cared about was sticking it to his ex-wife, a man who could be the reason so many immigrants were being abused, their rights destroyed by his greed, didn’t deserve her consideration.
“You know, Manos. I’ve promised my nephew, Barney’s boy Peter, a trip across to Marmaris in Turkey for a special treat.” She pulled the fake poster Sam had given her from her purse and showed him the colorful page. “There’ll be pony rides, and all kinds of games and fun treats for the kids. I understand they have special merry-go-round rides and clowns and a petting zoo. I can’t bring Barney’s girls because they have a birthday party they’re invited to, and when Peter foundout he wasn’t allowed to go to an all-girl sleepover, he threw a fit. The only way we could appease his hurt feelings was for me to promise him a boat ride on one of the tourist Catamarans and a day at this park. Do you think your twins might like to come with me?”
Manos took some time studying the poster and said, “This is the day after tomorrow. I’m committed to meetings all day.”
“Oh, well. I could take them myself if you wouldn’t mind. Three kids I can handle, and your two seem like good children.”
Barney, listening in on the conversation, had been warned what she needed him to say. He leaned over as if he just overheard their topic and added, “Sophia saved us from a full day of pouting by offering to take Peter on this delightful trip. It’s all he’s been talking about since she told him yesterday.”
Manos looked at Barney and Ellie, both who smiled their pleasure and slowly nodded, “I think the children would be more than happy to have a day with you, Sophia.”
Concerned that he meant to include Alex, she stepped in first. “I’m not sure Alexandro would be happy with the little ones, being forced to go on baby rides. He’s such a little man, he might feel it beneath him. What do you think?”
“You’re right. He likes to hang out at the stables and spends most of his day with the men, riding, and fencing. He’d hate to be forced to go on this type of excursion. Plus, the twins would enjoy their day much more if he didn’t go.”
Sophia could see that the man knew of the rivalry between his children and his redeeming feature, showing that he cared, gave her the ability to carry on the rest of the evening. Not that every time she looked at his chauvinistic actions, she didn’t want to physically hurt him.
But for now, she’d play the game because she knew, in the end, he’d pay. And the satisfaction of knowing she’d be one of the players in making it happen gave her the strength to continue in her role.
Dinner passed painfully slow. If the others hadn’t been with them, Yanis, who relieved her as often as politeness made it possible, and Barney and Ellie, who tried to break into the conversation and steer it to them all having a full-table discussion rather than Manos hoarding all her attention, Sophia would have been forced to fake a headache and escape.
When his phone rang, and the anger from the one-sided conversation reddened his face and had him irritably forcing the cell back into his pocket, she knew something was up. Worry assailed until he admitted what happened. “My Russian friends were gambling and drinking excessively. They started a brawl and the local police stepped in and want to press charges. I need to leave and try to help.”
Barney asked, “Those must be the same Russians I asked to leave my hotel yesterday. They’re party animals.”
“Yes. I’m glad you did so. They’re trouble and need to go home. I’ll be explaining that just as soon as I get this mess cleared up.” Manos’s tone turned ugly, his disgust apparent. “Crazy fools.” He glanced around at theothers andlet his gaze fall on Sophia last. “I hate to leave this way. I’ve had such a good time.” He took her hand before she knew he would, and she let him hold it, knowing he’d be gone soon. “I’m so sorry about this, Sophia. I had hoped we could spend more time tonight getting to know each other. I’m glad we have tomorrow to look forward to.”
“I’m sorry this came up too, Manos. But I do understand that friends must come first. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As he waved his last goodbye before following Ellie to the door, she wondered how she going to get through the next night without committing murder. As painful as the idea was, it had to be done. She’d laid the beginning of her plan out and no way did she want to do anything to stop it from happening.
She was so close.
