I’m not about to buddy up to Phoenix Nikolaides of all people and share a drink gossiping like two teenage girls over how much my brother is a sneaky bastard. No, I can think about that all by myself.
“Where’s my money?” I demand, putting an end to all things Talia related.
He rolls his eyes like the fucking teenager I pegged him for and pulls out his phone. “I’ll wire it over right now.”
“I know, Selene,” Aris grits out, his voice booming from his office. “I said I know, dammit.”
Her annoying, screeching voice can be heard all the way into the hallway. I lean toward the door, hoping to catch her end of the conversation, but I hear nothing.
“Is that all?” he asks in a bored tone. “I have shit to do.”
She must end the call because he slams the phone down on his desk and curses. I choose that moment to saunter in. He shoots me a weary look and then sighs heavily when I sit in front of his desk.
“Trouble in paradise?” I ask as I rest my ankle on my knee and lean back.
Ignoring me, he stands and checks the clock. “Your meeting with Phoenix went quickly. Back before five? Was he even there?”
“We had lunch and took care of business. He’s not a cheating bastard like his weasel father.”
Aris is rigid as he pours two drinks. When he sets down the tumbler with amber liquid in it, I pick up my glass and inhale the familiar scent.
“What’s the special occasion?” I ask, swirling the alcohol around in the glass, eyeing him.
“Can’t a man enjoy a nice bourbon with his brother and not need an excuse?” He knocks back the drink and dips his head, indicating for me to do the same.
I set it down and push it across the desk to him. “You look like you need it more than me.”
His jaw clenches and he picks up the glass, slamming it back as well. “What do you want, Kostas?”
“My wife.”
He tenses. “What the fuck do you want me to do about it?”
I shrug. “You asked me what I wanted. I told you. No need to get defensive.”
“I’m not defensive,” he growls.
I grew up with you, motherfucker. Don’t play games with me. I taught them to you.
“Hmm,” is all I say. “How come you never invite me over for these wonderful dinners your blow-up doll wannabe wife is always making?”
“I’ve invited you more times than I can count over the past year,” he bites out. “Not my fault you chose to drink your dinner instead.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“I accept your dinner invitation.”
His gaze hardens. “You called my future fiancée a blow-up doll. Consider the invitation officially rescinded.”
I lean forward in my seat. “Are you hiding something from me, brother?”
“Fuck off,” he scoffs. “If you want to come to dinner, come to fucking dinner. Don’t say I didn’t warn you that Selene is a terrible goddamn cook and you’ll probably die of food poisoning. Just make sure you give me a proper warning so she can get to the store and buy what she needs.”
I stare at him for a long moment, watching him intently. Each facial tick. Every twitch of his lips. The slow reddening of his skin. Finally, once I’ve infuriated him to the point his carotid bounces along his neck, I stand.
“I’ll let you know.” I give him a wide grin that I know unnerves him. “Tell Selene I said hello.”
Walking out of his office, I wonder how exactly he and Selene have made it this long. What does she offer him that makes him stay? He doesn’t like her. At best, he barely tolerates her. Sure, she has tits and dick sucking lips, but you can find nicer women with those same physical attributes who don’t sound like a donkey in heat.
I’m going to find out.
I settle back in my own office. Back to scouring video surveillance footage from the time Talia was with me around the time she was taken.
Taken.
I know it deep in my gut.
She wouldn’t leave me.
Talia Demetriou may have been pissed as fuck, but she loved me. She may have never spoken the words, but I felt them. Now that my head is clearing, I remember that part of our relationship without a doubt. With each look, each caress, each kiss, I knew.
And whoever took her will pay so fucking dearly for every second I’ve lost with her.
“I’m out of here,” Aris says, peeking his head into my office. “Sorry about earlier. Selene is a bitch and she pisses me off.”
“She must give amazing head,” I say with a wicked smile.
He sneers. “I wish.”
With a wave, he bolts before I can taunt him anymore.
So, the blow-up doll doesn’t even suck cock well. Again, I wonder what the fuck sort of value she provides my brother with. He can get any fucking woman into his bed with his stupid smiles and charm. He certainly doesn’t hang onto any woman for very long, much less a bitch like Selene. It’s more than sex with my brother. It always is. I’ve seen him fuck the wife of a local gangster just to piss him off. I’ve seen him fuck around with the Minister of Police’s daughter just to anger our father. I’ve seen him flirt with my wife and grab her ass because he wants to irritate me.
But Selene?
What’s the end game?
Marriage, babies, white picket fence.
Yeah, fucking right.
I don’t buy it for a second.
Swiveling around in my chair, I decide to dig into Selene a little. I’ll find out what the blow-up doll has been up to. If the past year has taught me anything, it’s that I can be quite the resourceful stalker when I want to be. I will tear apart Selene’s past and present. I’ll learn every damn detail about her. Who her family is. Who she’s connected to. How she remains tethered to my brother.
And then I’ll invite myself to fucking dinner.
Talia
Today is the day. I’ve spent the last year learning everything I can about where I am and what it will take to get out. I can either keep waiting, or I can make my move. At this point, I don’t think there’s any more preparing I can do. If it weren’t for my precious cargo, I would’ve already tried to run, but with her in tow, I have to be twice as careful. I can’t risk anything happening to her.
I’m sitting on the lounge chair out by the pool like I always am. Zoe is sleeping on the chair next to me on her belly, under the umbrella, sucking on her pacifier. My little girl loves the pool and sun. I bet she’ll love the beach as well.
“I’m leaving for work,” Aris says. “Do you need anything while I’m out?”
“I can have Selene pick up anything I need.” I wave him off, knowing full well he won’t let that happen anymore.
“She’s not running any more errands for you,” he says, just like I knew he would. “I’d hate for you and Selene to get into it again, and I come home to a bloodbath, so whatever you need, I’ll pick it up.”
Exactly what I was hoping he would say.
“Zoe hasn’t been feeling well. Can you stop by the pharmacy to pick her up Tylenol?”
Aris’s gaze lands on Zoe.
“She’s teething,” I add.