Hidden Truths (Truths and Lies 1)

“Talia Nikolaides,” I say, pulling her hand up and kissing her knuckle. “You are to be my wife.” I’m not asking for her hand in marriage, I’m taking it. I slide on the impressive ring, enjoying the way it shimmers in the sun. “And if you leave me like the poor man who first owned this ring, I will extract all fifty-seven point seven million from you. Blood, sweat, tears. However I can get my payment.” I thread our fingers together. Her eyes flare with worry. “You know this, yes?”

“Yes,” she breathes, her bottom lip wobbling wildly.

“Good.” I kiss the back of her hand. “Four. Seven. Seven. One. That’s the code to our villa. Don’t share it with anyone.”

She nods emphatically. “Of course not.”

I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Run along and get ready for dinner. Dress nicely.”

As soon as she plucks her hand from my grip, she hightails it out of my presence. I’m staring out at the bay when a little while later someone approaches me from behind. Familiar fingernails scratch down my spine, making me smile.

“Look how handsome you are.”

I turn to take in a pair of brown eyes that shine with love for me. Her face is youthful despite her age. Red-painted lips curl into a smile.

Pulling her into my arms, I hug her tight and inhale her hair that smells of oranges.

“Is it true?” she asks, pulling away to search my face, tears shining in her eyes. “You’ve found someone?”

I found her at the bottom of a Nikolaides hole. Like the priceless diamond, I unearthed her and made her mine. Unlike the jeweler, I’ll make sure she wears that ring until her very last breath.

“It is,” I grunt. Guilt niggles at me when her brown eyes flood and then spill over with her emotion.

“Oh, Kos,” she chokes out. “Is it love?”

“It’s something.” I smile at her. “You look beautiful. Did you come alone?”

Her face pinches. “No, he’s here, too.” Worry flickers in her eyes. “Are you happy?”

I’m as happy as a man like me can get.

“Of course, Mamá.”

I’m marrying the most beautiful woman in Greece and she’s the daughter of an enemy. Of course I’m fucking happy.

The woman who raised us to be kind, honorable men hugs me once more.

Sometimes I almost feel sorry for her. Because for every good thing she taught us, my father taught us three more bad ones.

I’m not a good man.

Good men don’t turn good women into Demetrious.

Only bad men do.

Mamá, of all women, should know that.

Talia

“Hedone?” My eyes flicker from the seductively lit sign above the restaurant we’re about to enter, to Kostas.

His expression is cold and emotionless, but I’m learning his eyes don’t lie. The hazel seems to flicker with amusement. I imagine he’s thinking the same thing I am. Another goddess. Another story. He arches a brow as though to say, “And your point?”

“Your restaurant is seriously named after the Goddess of Pleasure?” It’d be romantic coming from anyone but the man who is taking me as his wife in exchange for a debt. Speaking of which…

Don’t look at it.

Don’t look at it.

I have no choice. I sneak a peek at the massive diamond on my finger. It’s heavy and sparkling. It’s a beautiful ring, but it’s ridiculous and over the top, especially for a marriage that’s not even real.

This is forced imprisonment, where he’s the warden and I’m in unseen shackles with the walls around me rising higher by the minute.

I’ll never get away from him.

Kostas doesn’t give me a response, just tugs on my arm to keep me moving. We’re halted by a familiar voice.

“Don’t let the name fool you,” Aris says as he approaches. “My brother prefers pain over pleasure. Isn’t that right, Kostas?” Aris pats his brother on the shoulder, and Kostas’s entire body visibly stiffens. Darkness gleams in his eyes, not much different from the violent look on his face when he tortured that man. “It was our mother who named the restaurant. She’s the romantic in the family.”

Aris shoots a playful wink my way. Taunting his brother on purpose. I may not like Kostas, but Aris is practically signing my death warrant. In an effort to show I’m not encouraging things, I lean into Kostas.

“Unless you want to learn firsthand about the pain I prefer, I suggest you shut your fucking mouth,” Kostas snarls, stepping away from me and toward Aris.

The air crackles with electricity—two storms about to collide. Unfortunately, from experience, I know one storm is more violent than the other.

Aris laughs as if Kostas is joking, but I can see it in his posture, he’s preparing for the possibility of a fight. And with Kostas, it could end deadly.

“Oh, boys,” a female voice says. “No fighting tonight. We have much to celebrate.” A beautiful, smiling woman steps into view, and both Aris and Kostas immediately stand down, giving her a sincere smile. The animosity still lingers in the air, but for this woman, they’ve put a lid on it for now.