Page 14 of Love Among the Ruins
CHAPTERFIVE
DOMINIC
Dominic couldn’t sleep. He’d left the party soon after, disgusted by what he’d seen and heard, by what he’d discovered.
The next day mid-morning, he returned to the taverna, uneasiness eating away at him. The injustice of what had happened to the waitress, both the assault and the unfair reaction of her boss, stirred something in him.
The tall thin guy he’d met at the yacht yesterday, saw him and at once rushed over to him. Dominic wasted no time. “Is your waitress friend coming in today?”
The guy gave him a once-over. “Why?”
“I would like to talk to her.”
“Why?”
“That’s between me and her.” It made him wonder if this guy, Stefanos, was interested in the waitress for his own reasons. It was perfectly understandable. Now that he’d seen her a few times he couldn’t help but notice her looks. Her hair was long, falling over her shoulders, shimmering inky black, her eyes medium brown and shiny, like satin. She was tall and slim, as graceful as a gazelle, as arresting as a goddess.
“Butwhy?”
“What are you, her bodyguard?” Dominic asked. He had no time for explanations. He wasn’t used to explaining. People listened and did as he ordered them to.
“You like her?”
The man’s directness surprised him. Come to think of it, everything about this guy’s overfamiliarity was beginning to grate on him. “I don’t like what happened to her.”
“You don’t need to worry. Eleni is okay.” Her friend dismissed Dominic’s concerns with a flamboyant wave of his hand. “Can I help you?” The server flashed him a smile, hand on hip, which only angered Dominic further. He didn’t have much time. He needed to get back to Athens, and because of last night, he hadn’t been able to focus and go through the paperwork he’d hoped to tend to.
“No. I need to speak to Eleni.”
“What about?”
“Jesus. This is Groundhog Day,” he muttered to himself.
The server looked confused. “What day?”
Dominic’s frayed patience wore thinner and before he could open his mouth to say something, the man asked, “You want her number?”
“No.” The sheer thought of it made him uncomfortable. “It’s nothing like that.” He didn’t want her number. He had no intention of anything likethat. But the server’s eyes narrowed some more, as if he didn’t believe Dominic. “I didn’t like the way she was treated last night.”
“There are a lot of dirty old men around.”
The verbal spear hit hard, especially with its emphasis on the ‘dirty men.’ Dominic’s lips twisted. “Do not mistake me for one of those men.”
“What’s going on?” Eleni stood between them, looking from Dominic to her friend. Her hair cascaded along her back; his eyes riveted. It looked as if she was on her way to start work. She still had a handbag on her shoulder, and no work apron.
“This gentleman wanted to see you.” Stefanos stepped aside. Eleni’s eyes fell on him. “You,again. Why do you keep following me everywhere?” She didn’t sound happy to see him.
“I was worried about you.”
The waitress gestured to herself. “I am okay, as you can see. You can go now.”
He didn’t want her to be just okay. “I didn’t like the way your boss spoke to you.”
“It’s not your problem.”
“It isn’t, but I’d like a word in private.”
She folded her arms. “Why?”
