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“We’re working on spending time together, remember?” Images of my wife flitted through my head. While she was trying to end me, she’d looked like a siren sent straight from Hades to steal my soul. I had enjoyed choosing her clothing last night, and now, for good measure, I wanted to be in control of that again. Dropping my voice low, I growled, “Wear something cute. I want to see some more of that flesh your father sold me.”
“Ass!” she bit out, but after a pause, she laughed tightly. “Fine, I’ll meet you out front.”
“Come around to the garage,” I instructed. “We’re going to take my baby out.”
“Baby, huh? Special car?”
“She purrs like none other.”
“I can’t wait,” Talia breathed, voice heavy with seduction. Was it real? It was hard to tell.
The call ended, and I leaned back into my seat. I was playing with fire. Talia was a master seductress, and her vibrant personality wasn’t lost on me. It was only because of my iron control that I could allow myself to enjoy her games. Shutting my eyes, I steadied my breathing. The privacy window was in place, so I allowed myself to indulge in all the dirty thoughts I had about my wife. There were so many things I wanted to do with her. Talia’s body was made for sex.
My phone pinged, another message coming in. I snorted in frustration, pulled out of the fantasy playing in my mind, and jabbed the phone screen to pull up my messages. Scanning the frenzied correspondences, I quickly learned that, as suspected, the doctors had chalked my real estate agent’s episode last night up to alcohol and the oxys he’d taken before coming, rather than the low-grade placebo my wife had given him. If it had been the poison she thought she’d dosed him with, he’d be dead, but even then, I doubted the doctors would suspect anything out of the ordinary. Still, given his lifestyle choices, this was a wakeup call for him. Jason would be seeking treatment for addiction, and I made a mental note to support his journey both financially and spiritually.
The other messages were from business acquaintances and the last one was from my sister, who was once again at the end of her rope and frazzled.I should have called her last night. I wiped a hand over my face. Dealing with Iryna was not going to be pleasant, but as she’d be home tomorrow, we could talk in person. I typed up a response.
Me: There’s no need to come back early. Jason is fine and is going into treatment. We’ll talk tomorrow when you get home.
By the time I hit send, we were pulling up to the gate. There was no more time to indulge in any more fantasies about my wife. Soon, the real deal would slide into the sleek interior beside me. My senses could indulge in Talia rather than a mental picture. Blood warming at the thought, I looked down at my phone as it pinged again.
Yna: I spoke with Adrian last night. What he had to say was frightening.
Dammit.My cousin had gone and gotten me in trouble. I ground my teeth. What he failed to understand was that he and I were different people. Not everyone could have my level of control. Adrian was so wrong. I was in control of my wife; this was my game to play.
Me: You and I will talk tomorrow.
There. That settled it. My sister and cousin needed to accept my decision on these matters.They aren’t going to like this change in the plan.It wasn’t truly a change, but more of a shift. We’d all assumed Talia was a tool, a piece in the plot. We’d forgotten she was a person. That was the realization I’d come to after returning from Greece. Now I obsessed over wondering who she really was when out from under from her father’s manipulations. And dammit, I would peel back the layers until I discovered her true self.
Chapter 28 – Talia
Who knew my husbandwas a devoted Christian? We should have known that he attended the Divine Liturgy every Sunday at the Eastern Orthodox church and occasionally made the midweek services. Apparently, giving up cigarettes was the necessary intel we’d gathered on our target, but not that he worshiped reverently. This tick of annoyance had stewed in my mind all night long.
When Drakos had walked me to my room after the disastrous dinner party ended, he asked if I wanted to attend church the next day. My quipping that I’d burst into flames inside a church accounted for my immediate shock. My heightened senses in reaction to the failed murder of the wrong person had me damn near crazy. Instead of questioning me, Drakos had pulled me into his arms and brushed a gentle kiss across my lips.
“You’re redeemable, princess. Everyone is,” he’d murmured against my mouth before turning me around to enter my room. We’d had several scorching encounters, kisses that nearly incinerated us. But that kiss last night was different. Tender, respectful. His gentle, coaxing touch had given off a two-fold reaction. On one hand, it was instantly calming, on the other, he ignited a longing in my chest I couldn’t place. It was so unlike the fires he’d previously stoked in my body.
