Page 63 of Entwined

Excitement races through my veins. I can be both. Help the sick and poor and punish the sick fucks who profit from them.

“It’s bloody brilliant. My instincts are never wrong. I knew it from the second I skimmed the first lines of your résumé. Thank you, Nicole. You’re kind of my first friend that’s a woman. Actually, you’ve become one of my closest friends.”

“And what doesshethink about that?”

“She,is pissed as hell. Hates you and thinks there’s something between us. Her name is Jessie by the way.”

“Well, Jessie can relax. You’re my best friend, too Christos. You saved me from a boring life in an outdated apartment where I’d probably do nothing, but binge eat chips, punishing myself by driving by my exes new house a dozen times.”

“So, basically, I saved you from stalking charges.”

She nods her head, laughing. “Don’t ever go back there. I’ve paid you well. Start a new life somewhere else.”

“Are you dumping me already?”

“No. But our time will end soon. If I do this—become this dark savior, it’ll be dangerous. I’d be double-crossing the mob, dangerous ex-business associates and several prominent government officials. You can’t be anywhere near me. In fact, you might be at risk just because of how close you are to me.”

“Don’t base your decision on that. I think this is what you need. Your smiles has become more forced. You’ve done so much for the world in the last nine months. Keep moving forward but be true to yourself. Just don’t kidnap anyone again.”

“I wouldn’t. She was the exception. She still is.”

“So, go save the world, then swoop in and get your woman when you’re finished.”

“She’d approve of you. It’s too bad she hates your guts so much.”

“It’s ok. I kind of hate her too. Dimitri likes her too?”

“He does. Stay away from him. You know better.”

“I do,” she sighs, “but my stupid libido won’t listen.”

“I know. I let mine rule tonight. She hates me. I loved her and left her again.”

“If it’s meant to be, you’ll find your way back to each other. That’s what my Grams always said.”

“You and Dimitri are not meant to be, so get that thought right out of your head.”

“Oh really?” She cocks an eyebrow, “And you and Jessie are? After you kidnapped her and faked her death?”

“Touché.”

“Where are we going anyway? We’ve been driving a long time.”

“The airport. I can’t stay in Paris. If I do, either Dimitri will kidnap you or I’ll find Jessie and ruin everything by going back to her too soon.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Capri. I have a house there. It would be the perfect base of operations for our new plan. The Italian mob isn’t into sex trafficking. That’s the Bosnians. They have an agreement with a few cartels in South America. They trade women back and forth. I was offered to take my pick. People in certain circles knew I liked dark sex. But never that dark. I’d never force a woman that way. The game to me was always making them want me more than their next breath; a total seduction of both the mind and body.”

She swallows hard. “Thank God, you never turned that charm on me. I’d be gone in three seconds.”

“Just promise me you won’t fall for Dimitri’s bullshit. After I get my base set up and hire the mercenaries, I’ll need… you’ll have to go back to the States. Maybe, you can run my foundation from there. Or get another PR job anywhere you want. After working for me, you can take your pick from the top firms in the world.”

“I don’t want our time to come to end. But I know it needs to. You don’t really need me anymore.”

“I just want you to be happy Nicole. You’ve changed in the last nine months too. You’re no longer a nervous divorcé seeking validation. You’re a beautiful, talented, woman of the world with a blank sheet to write her own future.”

“You helped me. You pushed me to be the best I could in every way. I’ll never forget you Christos.”

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