Page 144 of Dagger in the Sea

“She doesn’t put up with bullshit, not like me.”

“You want to see the good in people first. You search for it, cling to it. That’s admirable, but it can get you into trouble.”

“I used to think Mum was so cold when it came to my father, like she is with her business. Strategic, logical. But she was right. The constant giving in a little here and a little there only leads to a disaster. They lead you on, you lead them on. False expectations on all sides.”

Turo’s jaw stiffened and his gaze fell on our hands entwined. He kissed my hand once more as if he needed to in order to steady himself.

I needed him too.

I’d never shared any of this with anyone before. From a young age, my mother had ingrained in me the notion of never discussing “private issues,” as she called them, with anyone outside the family; it was a dangerous thing when your family was in the public eye. Always the responsible one, I never had—until now. It felt good, it felt right to share it with Turo, and he understood without explanation, and I cherished that.

“Has Petros been a good dad?”

“Yes, he’s a very good dad. Concern and generosity come naturally to him. It was easy to let him love me and to love him back. I never felt that he cared for me any less than my brother.”

“You’re lucky.”

Turo’s phone rang, and he took it out. “It’s Alessio.” He answered, putting his mobile on speaker. “Hey.”

“I have news,” Alessio said.

“Good,” Turo said. “We’re on our way.” He shut off his phone and scowled at the traffic on the road.

“We need your driving skills, Lovely. This traffic is insane.”

I laughed.

“What is it?”

“Remember when I told you that my father had taught me how to drive?”

“Yeah?”

“It was Petros, not Yianni.”

“Petros is the former rally race car driver?”

“Yes. He was a good teacher, too. Very patient, very calm.”

“There’s a really good memory to bump up the list and push the shitty ones to the back of the line.”

“Turo DeMarco, you are a very smart man.”

40

Turo

Alessio’s waterfrontbungalow at the Grand Resort hotel in Lagonísi, its own peninsula on the other end of the Athenian Riviera, this one quiet, removed from the bustle of town, was pretty damned spectacular. Luca and four of his men were huddled at a table with Adri’s two Greek bodyguards courtesy of Petros.

Alessio handed her a huge juice smoothie.

“Perfect,grazie.” She sipped on it, curled up in a chair.

I crouched before her, a hand on her leg. My need to constantly touch her hadn’t escaped me. Our touching was a balm for both of us. I could sense her energy charge and mellow under my touch, and I felt connected to her, to us, and I liked that. I fed off it.

Her eyes leveled with mine. So goddamn blue right now like the bungalow’s infinity pool and the blue sea beyond.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

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