Page 20 of The Diávolos: Part Two
“Why? What’s going on?” I ask, concerned.
“Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were good.” But he still sounds troubled.
A shiver runs down my spine, unease settling in the pit of my stomach. I quickly glance around to make sure I’m not being followed. There are a lot of people on the street, but no one looks suspicious. Either way, I’ve got my gun in my bag, and I’m not afraid to use my fists.
“Stay home and don’t go out if you don’t have to. A turf war might be heading your way, and I’m not there to protect you.”
I grumble and ball my free hand. “I don’t need protection, Gianis. And you dodged my question. What is happening? If you’re going to warn me about trouble, I need to know what to expect. You should know better than to hide things from me.” I hate being treated like a hopeless and defenseless girl.
He sighs into the phone. “I’m sorry,mikrí mou. I’m not trying to hide anything from you, but I can’t give you any information yet. Just stay safe and call me if you noticeanythingsuspicious. Promise me, Angelica.”
God, he knows I can’t stay upset with him when he calls me hislittle bird.
“I promise, G.”
We say our goodbyes, and I head down into the station, my eyes and body alert as I step onto the train.
Gianis rarely gets nervous, and he sounded so worried on the phone, which is very unlike his usual cool composure. What kind of trouble has he gotten into? Is anyone looking for me? I have so many questions, my head starts to spin. I grip onto the pole in front of me to steady myself and close my eyes. A light tap on my shoulder startles me back a couple steps.
A man smiles at me. He’s tall with tanned skin and brown eyes, his dark hair a buzz cut, and he has light stubble around his jaw. I’ve never seen him before, but a feeling of familiarity hits me that I can’t place.
“Are you Angelica Kouvalakis?”
I hesitate. “Do I know you from somewhere?”
He smirks, his gaze slowly trailing over me from head to toe, taking in every detail.
“Mami, if you had met me before, trust me, you’d remember,” he teases with a wink.
I glance up at him, caught off guard by his sudden approach.
“Are you…flirting with me?” I can’t deny the flutter of curiosity in my stomach.
“No, I care about my livelihood too much. But I do believe in making a memorable entrance,” he says, wearing a mischievous grin.
I raise an eyebrow, amused by his confidence. “If I were Angelica, what would you want from me?”
The train is almost empty, so there are barely any witnesses if he were to attack me.
While waiting for him to respond, I slyly slip my duffle bag in front of me, resting my hand at the entrance of the side pocketwhere my gun is hidden. The man catches the movement and smirks. The train comes to a stop and he heads for the opening doors.
Right before slipping out, he looks back. “If you’re curious, come with me, Miss Kouvalakis.” And he disappears.
I look around quickly.Oh, hell.It only takes me a few seconds to make my decision, not wanting the doors to close before I get to ask him any questions. I hurry and follow him out.
“Wait!” I yell.
This could either be a good thing or a very, very bad one. But I decide to tempt fate.
History shows I’m not the best at making wise decisions, anyway.
As I follow this mysterious man through the subway station, I curse myself for getting out of the train. I’m not sure why I thought this was a good idea, but my stranger-danger alarm is now ringing off the hook.A little too late.
I nervously adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulders as the man’s silhouette disappears in the shadows.
I close my eyes briefly to filter out the anxiety threatening to overtake me. I look around for some clear escape routes, but the deeper we head into the station, the less exits I can spot.
“Who are you?” I call out, my voice wobbly from the knot in my throat.
