Captured by the Criminal (Taken)

“I’m serious,” I say, taking another sip of my tea. “Only friends.”

Costi sits back, resting an arm on the table. “Fine.” Below his rolled-up sleeve, I finally get a chance to study the tattoo on his forearm.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a dragon.”

My eyes meet his. “A dragon? What for?”

He grins, his eyes sparkling with laughter. “Remember when we were younger? I said I’d be your dragonslayer? I guess this tattoo represents all the dragons I’ve had to slay in my lifetime.”

My heart skips a beat that he marked his body from our silly conversation so long ago, and I suck in a breath. “Were there a lot?”

He shakes his head slightly. “Not too many.”

I grasp his arm to study the intricate artwork. “What’s this?” I circle my finger across his skin where he has the initials BA and CG intertwined in the stars around the dragon.

He rubs his chin with the other hand while I hold his arm prisoner. “I was feeling sentimental that day.”

“It’s for Bianca Amato and Constantine Gold?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

I blink, trying to keep my breathing under control at his confession. Has he thought about me as much as I’ve thought about him through the years? No, he hasn’t. “But you forgot all about me when you left Miami.”

Costi keeps his gaze downcast as he takes his arm back and rolls down the sleeve. “I never forgot about you.” He stands in a rush, telling me to finish my tea and leaving the galley.

And right now, I need it because his words just sent a chill through my bones.

Nine

Costi

* * *

I can’t wait to be on land. I see now why pirates always felt it was bad luck to bring a woman aboard their ships. There’s no actual curse. They’re a distraction, plain and simple, and Bianca completely occupies my mind. When we sail into the Port of Gibraltar a few days later, I’m grateful to finally walk on land and stretch my legs, so to speak.

Bianca falls in step beside me. “Now what?”

“We’re going to get a few supplies and then head to Greece.”

Bianca rolls her eyes at me. “Why the long trip? Why don’t you just hand me over to Bishop already?”

“All in good time.”

Bianca stops, spinning on her heel and pushing me in the chest. “I hate you, Costi.”

I ignore her outburst. “Why don’t we grab a bite?”

“Fine.” She folds her arms but follows me into a quaint bistro situated at the corner of the marina.

The place is filled with diners, but we get lucky and find a table with a view of the port.

“See the big rock?” I point to the massive rock formation protruding out of the Earth in this otherwise flat land. “That’s the Rock of Gibraltar. This port serves as the maritime gateway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.”

Bianca looks unimpressed. “You sound like an encyclopedia.” She leans her elbow on the table, scooting closer. “Shouldn’t you not be here with so many port authorities walking around?” She eyes the two men in uniform sitting across from us. “Being a pirate and all,” she says the word pirate louder.

I glance around, making sure no one overheard her. “Hilarious. You need to be careful what you say here.”

“Or what? You’ll kidnap me?”

“Bianca.”

“I should scream bloody murder right now. Tell everyone you kidnapped me.”

I lean closer. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Bianca’s green eyes challenge me. “Why not?”

“First, they won’t believe you. Second, Bishop will just find another way to get you. I’m your best choice right now.”

“I’m not a weak little girl.”

I lean back, getting out of her space and glancing back at the port authority officers. “Bianca, I advise you not to draw any attention to yourself right now. Bishop has deep pockets, and you don’t know who you can trust.”

She slinks back in her seat. “I hate evil men.”

“All men are evil.”

She cocks her head to the side. “Possibly. It’s just how evil each man is willing to become. I think evil is a weakness.”

This gains my interest. “How so?”

“Because everyone is born inherently good. Then, evil creeps in to corrupt. A strong man knows right from wrong and keeps to the path of righteousness. A weak man lets temptation overtake his mind and lets the evil creep in.”

I mull over her words, wondering if there’s merit to them. My father was very strong, and I wouldn’t classify him as a weak man. I rub my chin. “This is true if you believe everyone is born good. I think some people are born with an evil set inside them. I think it grows as they do, overtaking their whole life.”

Bianca studies me. “You’re not evil, Costi. I know you, and I know there’s good in you.”

I wave off her words when the server makes her way over to our table. We order—calamari for an appetizer and souvlaki for our meals—and before long we’re reminiscing about old times. It’s been so long since I looked back at that period in my life. The good ol’ days. The days before I was the devil I am now.