While he wouldn’t call it love at first sight, he’d definitely describe it as pretty damned sure—not that he was about to announce that fact. And that knowledge made him terrified that if anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. “I work better by myself,” he blurted to avoid the truth. That sounded lame even to him. Clearly, he was turning into a lovesick puppy.
Remi crossed her arms. “I was the one kidnapped. Not you. I’m staying. You’re welcome to go home.”
“Don’t forget, you called me.”
“Please. It wasn’t like I expected you to personally show up. We had things under control.”
“What were you planning to do? Hold the guard hostage with the toenail clippers? The attack on me with a case of soda cans didn’t exactly work.”
“A shame we didn’t hit you harder.”
“Hard enough.”
“Regardless, we would’ve come up with a solid Plan B. Right, Dimitris?”
Dimitris pulled the knife from the plank and handed it to Remi. “I think I’ll check on my father. Let you two work things out.”
Remi ignored him, her attention on Sam. “I’m not leaving.”
Sam could almost see her mind racing as though she couldn’t help what she was saying and knew he was right. She’d wanted him to show up. They didn’t have things under control. There was no Plan B.
Sam broke into her thoughts. “There’s got to be some way we can resolve this.”
She held up the knife. “A game of planks. Person who wins decides if I stay or go.”
“You’re sure you want to decide it this way?”
“Positive. You’re the one who should worry. When it comes to things with a target, I’m pretty good.”
“You just learned how to play.”
“I’ve had half a deck to warm up.” She held the blade toward him.
Sam didn’t move. “I’m not throwing a knife to decide something this important.”
“Worried you might lose, Fargo?” For all her bravado, she couldn’t hide the vulnerability in her eyes.
He took the knife. But instead of the plank, he aimed for the pylon about eighteen feet away. It hit. “You were saying?”
Remi watched the handle vibrating from the impact. “How about a game of rock, paper, scissors?”
Sam just stared at her, wondering how anyone could be so confusing. But before he could say anything, Nikos came storming out of the house, Dimitris right behind him.
“My son tells me that the Kyrils are denying that they’re behind his kidnapping. Is this true?”
“It is,” Sam said. “At least, according to my friend who works for the CIA.”
“How do they believe these lies?” Nikos’s dark eyes narrowed. “I’ll go after Adrian Kyril myself to get the truth.”
“Not without me,” Dimitris said.
“Me too.” Remi looked at Sam. Whatever vulnerability he’d seen earlier was now shuttered. “Are you in? You don’t really want to leave the three of us to fend for ourselves?”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sam looked at each of them in turn, Nikos, Dimitris, Remi. “If any of you had any idea the sort of danger you might encounter—”
“Considering what Dimitris and I went through, I think w