Truths and Lies Duet

“Damn,” Adrian says as he peels out of the parking lot. “You’ve been busy.”

“Oh,” she sneers, “and when we find Aris, I’m going to kill him.”

Adrian snorts. “You got it, Boss.”

Her warm lips press to my cheek as blackness pulls me under. Hot words are whispered against my flesh that have me relaxing. “Rest, baby. I need you to get better so we can fix this. Until then, we’ll take care of what we can.”

I didn’t marry a weak Nikolaides.

I married a goddamn mafia queen.

A Demetriou in heart and now one in soul.

Talia

The drive from the airport back to the hotel is spent with me begging Kostas to stay awake. Scared if he falls asleep he might not ever wake up. His forehead is glistening with sweat, and his skin is cold and sticky to the touch. He needs a doctor sooner rather than later. I can’t make out exactly where he’s been shot, or how extreme it is, but based on his pale complexion, I have a feeling it’s bad.

A myriad of emotions are running through me. Fear that I’m going to lose my husband and daughter. Anger that Aris would stoop this low to involve Zoe in his revenge plan. The man barely even paid attention to her the entire time we lived with him. What I told Kostas was the truth. Aris was never cruel to Zoe, but he also barely acknowledged she existed. The only reason he was keeping us there was to get back at his brother. He never even once tried to have sex with me or spend any time with Zoe, even thinking she was his daughter. Zoe and I are nothing more than tools to him. Tools to hurt his brother.

What I don’t get, though, is why he didn’t take me this time around… Taking me would mean hurting Kostas. And then a thought strikes me. Selene wanted me out of the picture, so the two of them could play house. Did he only take Zoe so he could keep her for him and Selene to raise? But he can barely even stand Selene. He treated her more like she was a warm body to sink his dick into when he was horny than like a potential wife.

Maybe he’s hoping to use Zoe as a bargaining tool, and it was easier to take her than the both of us. Kostas did cut him out of all the business assets. Maybe he’s planning to get somewhere safe and then he’ll contact Kostas to make a deal. But even as I consider that, I know deep down Aris cares more about revenge than making a deal. Unless the deal involves Kostas losing everything and Aris ending up with everything.

Would Kostas give up everything he’s worked his entire life creating to make sure our daughter is safe? Of course he would. But hopefully it won’t come to that. I would rather find Aris and Selene and put a bullet through their cold, black hearts than hand anything of value over to them. They don’t deserve anything. Not a single dollar. And definitely not the business. Hopefully whoever Kostas and his men caught will have some answers.

Kostas groans softly, his head lulling to the side, and I’m brought back to the present. Before we can do anything, we need to make sure Kostas is okay.

Adrian pulls in front of the groundskeeper’s house and jumps out of the car. Basil comes running out, and between the two of them, they carry a stumbling Kostas into the house and lay him across the couch. While we wait for the doctor to arrive, I grab a knife from Basil and cut open Kostas’s shirt, needing to see how bad the damage is. As I’m assessing his body, the doctor and his assistant walk in. I’ve met them both when we first got home. Kostas wanted to make sure Zoe was healthy since Aris wouldn’t let anyone see her. The doctor was helpful and gave her the necessary vaccines she needs.

“He has what looks like a bullet wound to his right side and a large knife gash on the back of his arm,” I tell him.

He nods once and sets to work. Opening his duffle bag, he seems to have everything he needs. He begins working on Kostas’s side, just above his hip, while his assistant helps him, grabbing various tools and such.

Needing to feel like I’m doing something, I grab a washcloth from a cabinet and wet it with cool water. Without getting in the way, I sit next to Kostas’s head and pat his forehead with the cool washcloth.

His eyes flutter open just long enough for our eyes to meet before they close again, and my heart squeezes in my chest. I’ve never seen Kostas look so vulnerable and weak. He must be in so much pain.