Three Alpha Romeo

It was a very weird day, especially since we’d slept through most of it and were ‘waking up’ close to dusk. I learned the guys operated mostly at night, so they were up at all hours anyway. Through their training they also were accustomed to sleep deprivation, and didn’t need much in the way of rest.

Considering how much I enjoyed sleep, that could definitely be a problem.

Despite everything I sucked it up. My body was sore from the events of the past twenty four hours, my mind still running a mile a minute. I was homeless. Jobless. Without purpose, or direction.

All of this was somehow okay though. Total disarray was almost my baseline. In other words, it wouldn’t the first time. Yet when I came to Athens half a year ago, I’d hoped it would be my last.

“Coffee.”

It was the first word I’d grunted, and it received a firm double-nod. A half hour later we were at a tiny cafe, tucked safely into the chaos of Syntagma Square. I ate ravenously while the guys checked messages and made calls on their phones. Whatever they were up to, they were extremely busy.

When I’d finally filled my belly, I sat back and studied them again. Holden looked handsome and indestructible. Like he hadn’t just pounded my body into sexual submission and stayed up the rest of the night pacing the gym and formulating a plan. Randall was leaning back in his chair, casually. He looked almost at peace, but I could see his hands busy fidgeting, his eyes darting from patron to patron. Either he was bored, or restless, or checking out everyone who walked in and out of the cafe. Maybe even all three.

“So what now?”

They looked at me, and for a brief moment I got the feeling of a being a sheep amongst wolves. Only I wasn’t a sheep. Far from it.

“We wait a little,” said Holden. “Kyrkos was there last night, but something spooked him. He left that party before you or I could get to him.”

Or the third guy, I thought but didn’t say. I wasn’t entirely sure why I hadn’t mentioned the dark-haired giant who’d come for Kyrkos as well. But instead… had found me.

“Tonight we lay low,” said Holden, “but we

need to meet up with a few of our contacts, first. See if they know anything we don’t. If Kyrkos fled—”

“Maybe we can pick up wherever he went next,” Randall finished.

I nodded silently, while calling for another cup of coffee. Shit they worked fast. My sole contact was an old friend of my father’s, and the man risked his life every time he talked to me. As grateful as I was, it would take me weeks to get in touch with him after something like this.

My eyes shifted to Randall. “When you were panty-raiding my place, did you happen to notice my wallet? It was in my pocketbook.”

“Pocketbook?” The SEAL laughed, his face twisting into the same strange look of revulsion most guys made whenever I’d asked them to retrieve something from my purse.

“Nevermind. Spot me some money.”

The two of them glanced at each other. Eventually Randall uncrossed his tattooed arms and fished into his pocket. He came out with a wad of bills and peeled me off way more than I would’ve asked for.

“Thanks,” I said, tucking the colorful drachmas away. “While you’re gone, I’m going to pick up a few things. Actual food, other than the chips and pretzels you’ve been subsisting on. Does that fridge I saw in the back of the gym’s office still work?”

Randall nodded. “I plugged it in on day one. Filled it with beer day two.”

“You emptied it on day two also,” Holden sighed. He arched an eyebrow. “You going shopping for us?”

“Yeah, well I drank from the faucet last night. I couldn’t even find a clean bottle of water.”

“What’s wrong with drinking from the faucet?” asked Randall.

I rolled my eyes. Holden chuckled. “Okay, so maybe our base camp is a little thin on supplies.”

“Thin? It’s starving.”

Randall pulled out even more money, but I waved him away. It was good to know they weren’t tight on resources, at least.

“Make sure you’re back inside before it gets too late,” said Holden. “No sidestreets. Stick to the buses, not the metro.”

“Yes, dad.”

“And make sure no one sees you enter the building. Use the side door we showed you. Double-bolt it behind you, and—”