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“That’s right, I am, and you’re going to stay here and stay safe. No, don’t argue with me, I’m tired of you arguing. Reina will watch out for you. I’ll get the damn pilot.” He turns away and I want to argue, but what can I say?
He’s right. If this is a trap then I’m better off far away from it.
But the idea of letting him go alone breaks me.
Not after what we had in that bedroom. Not when I finally got a taste of what my life can be like if I finally give in and let myself feel for this man the way I desperately want to.
There’s no going back. Peter’s decision is made, and I know that trying to fight him now is only going to make it worse, but I don’t see how he’s going to walk away alive from this meeting tomorrow.
I feel like I was given the briefest glimpse at joy only to have it ripped away.
Chapter21
Peter
It’s a lovely morning in Athens. Cool, sunny, dry. The morning crowds are out, filling the cafes. The city smells like baking bread and espresso. I get a coffee and sip it as I walk through a quiet neighborhood near the Parthenon and head toward the meeting place. As I get within a couple blocks, I slow and stop and let myself spend some time enjoying the breeze on my skin and the sounds of people moving through the world, their own little stories, their important lives. Life buzzes, it groans.
I think about Adrienne. It’s hard not to think about her right now. It’s like her smell is lodged deep into my skin and any time I breathe, I get another taste of her. We spent the night together in bed desperately feeling everything we’ve been trying to ignore these last few weeks like an explosion of desire and lust. I explored every inch of her, I hurt her, I made her come, and she did the same to me. I didn’t get much sleep, but fuck sleep.
I’m a condemned man and she was my last meal.
Reina said nothing when I came out into the kitchen. Only made me coffee—the first time ever—and wished me good luck. Now I’m jittery on caffeine and waiting to die.
I feel the gun at my hip and watch the crowds walk past.
I wish Adrienne could be here, but I’m happy she’s back with Reina at the apartment. At least I got that last promise from her before all this. Reina will do the right thing. Despite her rough exterior, Reina’s got a decent heart.
Adrienne would’ve come if I’d asked, but I couldn’t live with myself if she got hurt.
No, I have to face this alone.
I take a deep breath and toss my empty cup into the trash. I take a side alley, moving around the perimeter of the park. It takes me a while to spot him, but once I do, it’s like the whole plan falls into place. I smile to myself—so the bastards really did think they could ambush me using a formation I came up with years ago back during the war with the Italians. The fucking arrogance makes my blood boil. I bet they don’t even know this is the move I came up with.
I slip through the parked cars and take my time until I’m right on top of him. He’s leaning against a tree with a paper obscuring his face, hiding behind the Greek news like a spy from some trashy novel. The fucker doesn’t even do it right. He’s supposed to be further away, not right on top of everything and in plain sight. I pull my gun and press it against his back and he stiffens in response.
“Good morning, Father.”
My dad doesn’t move. He slowly lowers the paper and stares straight ahead. “I guess we weren’t careful enough.”
“I know how you like to operate. Once we figured out this was a trap, it didn’t take me long to spot the usual setup. You must’ve forgotten that I’m the one who perfected this operation, back when you had me and my friends killing and dying for you. I’m guessing there are Filo operatives all over the park?”
“A massive ring. You know how it goes.”
I smile to myself. I do know how it goes, and that’s why I’ll win.
“Tell them to stand down.”
He clears his throat and touches his ear. There’s a small Bluetooth earpiece in there. He says in Greek, “Everyone, stand down. I repeat, the mission is compromised—”
I shove the gun into his kidney. “Enough.”
Father grunts and drops his hand to his side. “What now?” His fingers twitch as if dying to grab a weapon.
“Now you walk. Where’s Galaki?”
“On a bench nearby.”
“You have eyes on him?”
