Page 60 of Slightly Married
“How did you know specifically that there were four men on the yacht?” His eyes had turned to obsidian, hard and impenetrable.
“You told me.” My hand dropped from his face as I tried to recall the conversation.
“I did not.”
“I’m sure you did,” I began, then stopped, mentally scrolling through our conversations about the shooting. The informationhad come from somewhere... “No, wait. It was Stella. I ran into her earlier today, and she mentioned—”
“Tell me everything she said,” K interrupted, his eyes intensely focused on mine. His fingers tightened around my wrists. “Every word, Kayla. Don’t leave anything out.”
I took a deep breath and recounted the entire conversation, from Stella’s initial approach to her bizarre claims about their relationship and the specific details she’d shared about the yacht incident. Throughout my explanation, K remained unnervingly still, his expression betraying nothing beyond careful attention.
“That’s everything,” I concluded, studying his face. “You don’t seem bothered by her fantasy version of your relationship.”
“Since you’re aware they’re delusions, I don’t have to address them,” Konstantin replied dismissively, his focus clearly elsewhere. “Go home, Kayla.”
“What? Why? I brought your favorite dessert.” I gestured toward the forgotten box. “And you promised to show me where all the magic happens with those fancy cars.”
“I’m sorry,” he added, his expression softening. “And I promise to make it up to you. But I’m asking you this once to trust me. I’ll explain everything later.”
The urgency in his tone made me nod despite my disappointment. I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, K pulled me back into his arms and kissed me, his lips insistent against mine.
“You are wrong, Michaila,” he murmured against my mouth.
“About?”
“My favorite dessert.” He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hands cradling my face with tenderness. “You’re my favorite dessert. The one thing in my life that tastes sweet when everything else has turned bitter.”
I leaned into him, tempted to ignore his request to leave. But the silent plea in his eyes warned me not to push. With a sigh, I hugged him once more before stepping back.
As I reluctantly headed back to the elevator, the taste of his kiss remained on my lips, along with the unspoken news still waiting to be shared.
20
The moment I stepped into Giorgos Pavlou’s villa, the rank stench of defeat and neglect assaulted my senses. Aristides walked beside me, assessing what had once been one of Athens’ most prestigious residences. Dimitrios closed the door behind us.
“Pathetic,” Aristides muttered with contempt.
The animal-shaped topiaries we’d passed in the courtyard had grown wild, resembling misshapen beasts rather than the meticulously crafted displays they’d once been. Inside, unopened mail cascaded across the marble foyer table. Empty bottles lay scattered in corners.
“Look how the mighty have fallen,” Dimitrios remarked quietly.
I said nothing, my damaged knee throbbing with each step across the debris-strewn floor. The evidence we’d uncovered over the past two days had transformed suspicion into certainty, grief into rage.
Four gunmen. Not three.
Footsteps approached from the west, and Giorgos Pavlou rounded the corner, freezing when he spotted us. His bloodshot eyes widened before he composed himself.
“You can’t force me to go to rehab!” he slurred, swaying. The man who had orchestrated my murder was drowning in the consequences of his own actions.
“We’re not here about that,” I stated.
“We’re not your caretakers, Giorgos,” Dimitrios stated, dropping all pretense of being the friendly, approachable Christakis brother. “Though perhaps the prison system might provide the structure you clearly need.”
Giorgos froze, his complexion paling beneath days of stubble. “What are you talking about?”
“Three offshore accounts opened in Theo’s name,” Aristides stated. “Quite the feat, considering he was already dead when the paperwork was filed.”
I removed the folder from under my arm. “Let’s discuss this somewhere you can sit down. You look like you might need it.”
