Page 193 of Dagger in the Sea

“No writing—fucking.” I brushed the side of her neck with my lips. “Let’s fuck on it tonight, see how we feel in the morning.”

She laughed as I scooped her up off the counter and brought her into the living room and down to the floor. I wanted her naked, on my cock, and covered in my cum on that antique silk Persian rug.

* * *

I putthe suede pouch in her hands.

“What’s this?” Adri sat up from the floor.

“Early birthday present. I can’t wait. I want you to have it now.”

“Turo,” she murmured, grinning as she opened the small pouch. Turning it over, the necklace fell into her open palm. She studied the midnight blue cord entwined with another of slate blue. Little brass cubes and balls, crystal beads along with tassels and charms—stars, starfish, an abstract sun, amátievil eye charm trimmed in gold.

Our beach. Our sky. Our Andros.

“I’d gotten it for you in Andros, that last morning. But in the rush of everything going on, I didn’t have a chance to give it to you. Then I felt the moment for it had passed, that it was better not to give it to you. I found it in my suitcase once things calmed down in Chicago and I’ve kept it in my pocket ever since. Everywhere I go.”

“Everywhere?”

“Everywhere. Along with the stone from Vitáli.” I took the necklace from her and put it over her head, smoothed it over the tops of her breasts and kissed it, kissed her warm skin. “This is where it belongs.”

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Perfect.”

“You’re perf—”

She kissed me, a slow kiss, gentle, and led me to her room where she threw back the covers and pulled me into her bed. Moonlight gleamed through the open shutters, casting a silvery sheen on her body. I traced a delicate circle over her skin, down her middle. Her scar was no longer a distraught wound that she cut at as her pent up emotions dictated. She’d finally let it heal. I kissed the whitened scar and she let out a sigh. The mad Bacchanal had finished, the frenzy was over, yet I remained possessed and mesmerized by my lovely girl, my Adriana, and I knew I always would be.

She held me, and I laid my head down on her chest, a hand cupping a breast, her heart beating with mine. This was accomplishment, this was real ecstasy, deep joy. Peace. This was where I belonged.

Mykonos

59

Turo

We calledAlessio and told him about our private club idea and he loved it. So much so, that he wanted to be a full partner.

“Count me in,” he said, the excitement obvious in his voice. Adri had him on speakerphone.

“Wonderful. We’ll see you in Mykonos in three weeks for Elektra’s concert and that’s where we’ll start to suss out potential members. That whole weekend on the island will be ideal for that. We’ll see who might be interested, how they respond, and we’ll be able to put together our first list of desirable members and work from there,” said Adri.

“When are you going to Rashid’s island?” I asked him.

“A week or so before the concert.”

“Perfect,” said Adri. “We need that island for the first club event, Alessio. Talk to Rashid and set up a meeting. Turo and I will stop there on our way to Mykonos.”

“Si, Si, contessa.You be ready to dazzle.”

“I will.”

“I’ll call you.Ciao,”said Alessio. Adri shut down her phone.

I contacted Tricia and told her the club idea.

“I want you to be my full partner in the Chicago operation,” I said. “The upgrade you’ve implemented is working out beautifully and I want it to continue. Hire more support staff because I need you as manager of operations on this club. Come to Mykonos for this concert party, meet Adri and Alessio, and we can all discuss concepts, details, test theories, and you can get the lay of the land and get some sun.”

No response.

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