My mind’s still reeling, my heart shattered shards in my chest.
It’s been confirmed. Mom and Peter were killed.
Mamá.
Sitting on the side of the bed with Athina next to me, we both just stare at nothing, our tears dried on our cheeks.
Mamá.
Sorrow hits hard. Again and again.
My eyes burn, my throat too tight to talk.
Mamá.
My body shudders from the weight of grief bearing down on my shoulders.
“Tess, Athina,” Nikolas calls, then he walks into the room. He comes to crouch in front of us, his eyes brutal and unforgiving with the rage that seems to be burning hotter every time I look at him. “It’s time to leave. Come. Get up.”
I have no energy, but my body listens.
Athina gives Nikolas a hug, and without saying a word, she leaves the room.
Looking up at the man who’s taught me what it truly is to love, the pieces of my heart shrivel. I try to memorize every inch of his handsome face as I reach for his hand. Holding it in both of mine, I press it to my chest.
What if he goes to war and I lose him as well?
I have to swallow hard, too much heartache filling me. “I…” My face threatens to crumble, my voice disappearing. Letting go of his hand, I throw myself against his chest, wrapping my arms around him.
Please, I can’t lose Nikolas. I won’t survive it.
Nikolas holds me tightly. “It’s only for two days, kardiá mou.” He kisses my hair, then my forehead, my cheeks. His mouth meets my trembling lips, and I focus so hard to imprint the taste of him in my mind.
I let my fingers brush through the stubble on his jaw, savoring the feel.
Don’t die. You have to win the war and come back to me.
When he breaks the kiss and presses his forehead to mine, I force the words out through a tight throat, “I love you so much, Nikolas. Promise you’ll come back to me.”
His eyes find mine, and for a fleeting moment, they turn tender. “I promise.”
I shake my head. It’s unbearable leaving him. “You made me fall for you, and now I can’t live without you.”
His hands frame my face, and he presses a tender kiss to my mouth. “Forty-eight hours, and you’ll be back in my arms. Okay?”
A forlorn breath drifts over my lips. “Okay.”
Nikolas picks up the bag I packed, and with his other hand, he takes hold of mine, linking our fingers. I lean against his shoulder, sucking in deep breaths of his scent as we walk out of our bedroom.
Stopping suddenly, I pull my hand free and run back to the bed. I grab Nikolas’ pillow, and wrapping my arms around it, I walk to where he’s waiting.
“This way, I can still smell you.” My voice is hoarse, and devastating emotions overflow in my chest, my eyes burning.
Nikolas wraps his arm around my shoulders, and we walk down the hallway, taking the stairs down to where a group of men waits.
Then I see James, and it becomes next to impossible not to cry. He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and beside the pale coloring of his skin, you wouldn’t know he’d been shot earlier today.
We stop in front of James. Nikolas hands my bag to my guard, then says, “Take care of Tess.”
“With my life,” James answers.
A moment passes between the men, then Nikolas says, “I’ll never forget what you did today.”
James nods, then he reaches for my arm, pulling me away from Nikolas.
No, I don’t want to leave him.
I can’t stop the sob bursting from me and have to blink fast so I can look at my husband one last time.
Nikolas gives me an encouraging smile, and after our little group piles into the elevator, and the doors start to shut, he says, “Se agapó, kardiá mou.”
Athina wraps her arms around me as another sob bursts over my lips because this might be the last time I hear the words ‘I love you’ from him.
My heart. I can’t.
Please don’t let anything happen to Nikolas. I can’t lose him as well.
The flight to Switzerland is long and tiring. To stay sane, I fuss over James and make him as comfortable as possible.
I’ve given Athina a Xanax and had one as well, to help take the cruel edge of what happened.
Elias and Craig are quiet until we touch down in Geneva.
“Listen up,” Elias says as he stands in the middle of the aisle. “Craig will take the lead. You stay right behind him. No one’s dying on my watch.”
I help James up, and with my free hand, take hold of Athina’s. When we exit the plane, we have to jog to keep up with Craig.
We all pile into an SUV, then the tires screech as Craig drives us away from the tarmac. Elias turns in the passenger seat, handing James a gun.
Even though I doubt the Sicilians managed to follow us halfway around the world, the ride is super tense, hardening the knot in my stomach.
God, it feels like I swallowed hot coals, and they’re trying to burn their way through my insides.
It’s not long before the SUV races through impressive iron gates, and then my lips part at the sight of the castle.
If I wasn’t drowning in grief and worry, I’d be able to admire the impressive grounds of St. Monarch’s.
Elias and Craig hurry us inside, where we’re stopped, and our guards are relieved of all their weapons.
A man dressed in a black combat uniform addresses us. “Mr. Koslov’s been waiting for your arrival. Please follow me.”
The interior’s luxurious, and even though there’s some history hidden in the battles of old decorating the walls and ceilings, everything feels new.
We’re led down a hallway, my eyebrows rising when we stop in front of a solid steel door. It looks like a vault. The man opens it, and we follow Craig into an office. Cabinets with weapons line the walls, and there’s a heavy oak desk at the back of the room.
Another man with dark eyes and short black hair waits in the middle of the room, his face unsmiling and quite intimidating.
“Welcome to St. Monarch’s,” he says, a Russian accent lacing his words. “I’m Carson Koslov, your host.”
There’s something dangerous in his demeanor, and remembering who I am, I lift my chin and step forward. “I’m Theresa Stathoulis.” I quickly introduce my group, then finish with, “Thank you for having us.”
Carson nods, then his features soften as his eyes fall on someone behind us. “My wife,” he gestures in the direction of the door, “Hayley will escort you to your suites. We only have one rule on the grounds – no killing.”
Wow, did that really need to be said?
I turn around and find Hayley’s totally the opposite of Carson. She’s beautiful, a friendly smile on her face. “Welcome.” She steps closer, then says, “I was told James is wounded?”
I place a hand on James’ back. “Yes. He’s had surgery, though.”
Hayley nods. “While I show the rest of you to your suites, we’d like to see James in the infirmary. Mr. Stathoulis has demanded that he receives the best care.”
Relief trickles through me, and I give James a nudge. “Let them take a look at your wound.”
Hayley shows James where to go, and as the rest of us follow her down a hallway, I pull my phone out and dial Nikolas’ number again. The last time I heard from him was when he sent me a text two hours after we left Vancouver.
When it just rings, my heart sinks to my stomach.
“No answer?” Athina asks.
As I shake my head, we hear Basil shout, “Athina, sweetheart!”
“Basil!” She breaks out into a run, and when I watch her leap into her husband’s arms, who must’ve flown from Athens to meet us here, I have to stop and breathe through the worry for my own man.
Please, Nikolas.
You promised.
