Truths and Lies Duet

“I’m glad you killed him,” I blurt out, and Kostas grins. “Because it meant finding us,” I explain.

“I would’ve found you,” Kostas says, his tone filled with conviction. “But yes, I suppose his death was meant to be.”

Zoe finishes her bottle and bats it away, sitting up and then crawling off the chair and onto the floor. When she gets to Kostas’s shiny expensive shoes, she scratches her tiny nails along them, curiously. Kostas picks her up and gives her a kiss on her cheek, and my heart warms. This is all I ever wanted, and now we’re so close to having it. All that’s in our way is Aris and Selene still on the run.

“It’s Aris’s entire purpose to make you and your father pay,” I tell him, remembering all the times Aris told me how much he despises them.

“He can try.” Kostas shrugs, as if my words barely deserve acknowledgment. “But now he has limited resources to do so. It won’t matter anyway because I have every man out there searching for him. We’ll find him soon.”

“Like you found Niles?” I accuse. I shouldn’t poke the hornet’s nest, but I can’t help it. He’s so sure he’s going to find Aris, yet my father has been underground for even longer and he still hasn’t been found.

Kostas glares. “I don’t give a fuck about finding Niles. He’s a waste of air. Your brother has taken over and is turning a nice profit. But finding Aris will happen, and when I do he will regret ever fucking with what’s mine.” He gives Zoe another kiss on the top of her head.

“And until you do? What if it takes months or even years? Are Zoe and I going to be held captive here as well?” If my dad was able to hide out, I can’t even imagine what Aris is capable of.

Kostas glances over at me. “You will never be held captive again. I have men surrounding the villa, and if you want to go somewhere, we go. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“I’d like to take Zoe to the beach.” I stand and walk over to them. Her gaze flits over to me and she leans toward me, so I can take her. “Every day I was stuck in his house, I would watch the waves and wish I were back down here. We spent a lot of time at the pool, but it wasn’t the same. There were walls holding us in. I want Zoe to feel the sand between her toes. To feel the waves hit her body. I want her to know what it’s like to be free, even if she’s too young to understand it.”

“Then to the beach we’ll go. But first, you need to call your mother and brother. They’ve been almost as worried about you as I was.” Kostas pulls his phone out of his pocket and hands it to me.

Wow, things have changed. Kostas is telling me to call my family… “Have you spoken to them?” I ask, taking the phone from him.

“Your mother and I speak almost every day,” he says. “I guess you can say we formed a sort of truce. We both wanted to find you. And your brother is nothing like your father. He actually handles business the way it should be handled.”

“Thank you.” I bring myself up on my tiptoes and give Kostas a kiss.

“For what?”

“For finding and saving us.” I give him another kiss. “For loving us.”

After calling my mom, who cries when she finds out I’m safe, then cries even harder when she finds out she’s a grandma, then tells me she’s coming to visit, and Phoenix, who—without the tears—also promises to visit soon, Kostas, Zoe, and I head down to the beach. Since Zoe doesn’t have a suit, we grab one from the hotel store.

I notice a few men following us, and Kostas notes they’re our guards. I still can’t help but glance around. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all. But I still keep walking toward the beach. After a year of being held prisoner, I think I just need a moment to feel free.

Kostas has one of the cabana boys set up lounge chairs and umbrellas for us. I throw a blanket down, and Kostas sets Zoe down on it. We watch as she crawls to the end and reaches for the sand. She fists a handful and is bringing it up to her mouth when Kostas swoops in and saves her.

“No, no, agapiménos,” he says softly. “That will taste bad.”

Zoe’s face scrunches up in confusion, and Kostas laughs. It sounds so carefree, so unlike Kostas. Being a father really does bring out the best in him. All she has to do is look at him and he transforms from hard to soft. “So curious, just like your mother.” He taps her nose with his finger and she giggles.