Page 38 of Dagger in the Sea

“Petros Lavrentios,” said Adriana’s father, stretching out his hand for me to shake, and shake I did.

“Turo DeMarco.”

A pair of intense dark eyes held mine. Eyes that assessed and brewed with a blend of coldness and suspicion.

“Turo is a friend from America,” Adriana said. “And he’s coming with us to Mykonos tonight.”

“Tonight? I thought you were leaving tomorrow?” asked Liana.

“We decided to leave tonight instead of in the morning. I just need to grab my bag.”

A tall, teenage boy with mussed dark hair and his father’s large brown eyes tracked into the room. “Adri?” The boy darted at Adriana. Her brother? They embraced.

“We woke you, my love? I’m sorry,” Adriana said.

“Óxi. I was reading and I heardMamáandBabácome home.Óla kalá?”

“Yes, yes, everything’s fine. Turns out we’re leaving tonight for Mykonos,” said Adriana. “Come meet my friend Turo. He’s from America.”

“Ah. Hello,” Marko said, holding out his hand to me, his sister’s arm around his shoulders. “I visited New York the Christmas before last.”

“Ah. Great city.” We shook hands.

“Where are you from?”

“Chicago.”

A uniformed maid appeared, holding a silver tray with two crystal tumblers filled with an amber liquid. She offered me a glass.

“Thank you.” I put a glass in Adriana’s hands, steadying them in my own. She lifted tired eyes to mine and an ache spiraled in my chest. “Take it, Lovely,” I whispered, and she did. I took the other glass for myself.

“To you, Turo, and your quick reflexes. To your skills,” Adriana said, her voice suddenly shaky again.

“Skills?” Petros asked.

“Survival skills,” Adriana said.

“Here’s to enjoying life,” I said, holding Adriana’s heavy gaze. “To Greek philosophies.”

Liana studied us as she swallowed her brandy. I’m sure she hadn’t missed the fresh scratch on the side of my face.

The liquor slid down my throat and my muscles relaxed under its aromatic, syrupy heat.Shit, this was a Rémy Martin Louis XIII. I’d first tasted it at a special formal dinner for heavy hitters to which my mother had insisted I accompany her. The price of a single bottle was anywhere from two to ten thousand.

“Where is yourmafióso, agápi mou?”Liana’s voice had a sharp bite.

“Really, Mother.” Adri’s shoulders dropped. “Alessio is a jewelry designer, you know that. He can’t help what his father does for a living.”

“Kalá,” her mother said, the venom of her ironic tone splattering at her daughter’s feet. The Queen wasn’t buying it. Liana obviously knew who Alessio’s daddy was. “Why the change of plans? Did something happen this evening?” Liana asked as she handed Petros her glass to refill.

“Just the usual with the paparazzi.” Adriana swallowed the rest of her brandy, pressing her lips together.

“Hadn’t we agreed that all that was behind you?” Liana said.

“Liana, really. Not now,” muttered Petros as he handed her more brandy.

Adriana gulped at her drink, wiping at her eyes, smearing her already smeared mascara. Some monster from her past was rearing its ugly head in her rear view mirror and she wasn’t handling it very well.

“Gennaro’s had enough of Athens,” I said. “That’s why we’re leaving tonight. He’s impatient to get back on board the yacht and get to Mykonos.”

---