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“Are you cold yet?” heasked.
She laughed, the vibration of it moving like liquid honey though his body. “Not evenclose.”
“Good.” He rolled onto his back and tucked her into his side, pulling the blanket around her shoulders. “Because I don’t know how private the beach in Greece will be. We may not be able to do thisthere.”
They would stay at Locke’s private residence on the island of Kythnos. At first, Damian had disputed its suitability; the island was close to Athens, but it still required a ferry ride. He’d been convinced by Locke’s argument for Aria’s safety and his assertion that any hotel would be a risk, given Anastos’ varied business interests and contacts in thecity.
“Then let’s enjoy it while we can,” she said, kissing his chest and resting her cheek againstit.
He closed his eyes and listened to the waves rushing the beach, felt the comforting pressure of Aria in his arms, the exhale of her breath warm on hischest.
She was the most precious thing in the world to him. More valuable than any amount of money, even more valuable than the point he’d been making to his dead, abusive father all the years he’d been building the New Yorkterritory.
He didn’t want her to come toGreece.
He didn’t want to leave herbehind.
He wanted to stay on this beach with her forever. To forget the vow he’d made to the Syndicate in spite of his burgeoning friendship with its leaders. To let the world spin on around them while they remained in the peace of each other’sarms.
But they would never have peace with Anastos and Malcolm in the world, and Aria didn’t want to cower in the house in Westchester, as much as he wished she would. He’d been surprised by her growing independence, not because he didn’t think she had it in her, but because anyone else would have been brought to their knees by all she’d been through. The kidnapping had been bad enough, but followed by her long imprisonment in Greece, the death of her brother, the gunshot wound that had almost claimed her life, it was a wonder she wasn’t curled into the fetal position, jumping at everynoise.
Instead she’d risen strong. She’d been physically weak at first, thin and pale, but over the past few weeks she’d shown remarkable resilience and a fierce determination to hunt Anastos and Gatti until they weredead.
He stood in awe of her every day. She was a modern day Diana, a huntress on a mission to neutralize every threat againstthem.
Againsthim.
He couldn’t allow it, of course. Hewouldn’t.
She would come with him to Greece, would stand by his side as long as he had a reasonable chance of guaranteeing her safety — and the moment she was in any real danger, she would do as he said and retreat tosafety.
She would be angry. He was prepared for that. She would think it was because he didn’t trust her, but that wasn’tit.
He'd never trusted someonemore.
But he’d never needed someone more — had never loved someone more —either.
He wouldn’t risk her. Not foranything.
If protecting her meant facing her wrath — and it would — he would accept it as the price of hersafety.
“What are you thinking about?" she askedhim.
“You," hesaid.
“What aboutme?”
“How much I fucking love you," he said, kissing the top of herhead.
He wasn'tlying.
He wasn'tlying.
