Page 46 of Dagger in the Sea

“No. Just us,” I said, gesturing to the waiter who stood to the side.

Turo ordered an espresso. It arrived quickly and we sipped our coffees in silence. The anchor chains ground and scraped loudly, the engines rumbled to life. We were off. A lane of aqua foam trailed behind us as the ship gained speed, leaving Cape Sounion behind us. Turo slid on his sunglasses and adjusted his chair toward the best view. His cologne wafted over me, and I ran a hand around my neck. His scent was brisk and bright, almost sharp. A crisp citrus that softened and became silky and warm at its depth, offering up a hint of mystery.

I stole a look at him. Like the man himself.

I knew that fragrance. It was elegant and modern, an expensive vintage Italian men’s cologne. Most men I knew wore the heavier, spicy, arrogant big brand scents. Not Turo DeMarco. Turo DeMarco appreciated the subtler, finer things in life.

“You smell good,” I said before I could stop myself.Oh, for fuck’s sake, why should I stop myself?

“Do I?” His lips formed a crooked grin, appealing and sardonic all at once. He liked that I’d noticed. Or maybe all the ladies noticed and he was pleased with himself?

“Shall I guess what it is?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Give it a go. No one’s ever gotten it.”

“Poor girls.”

I leaned in closer to him, the edge of my nose gliding along that slice of jawline. His breath rumbled in his throat. “Acqua di Parma,” I whispered to his skin.

His lips twitched. “Very good,” he whispered back.

His mouth was a breath from mine, and I could feel its warmth on my lips once again. A thick, roll of desire unfurled inside me, and I let it. His head slanted slowly, a movement which brought him closer, closer.

“Lovely?” he said.

“Hmm?”

“Be careful.”

My head jerked back. “Why? Do you Americans bite?”

“If you take advantage of us, yes, we do.”

I sat up straight. “You’d better not take advantage of me, then.”

“I’m not.” The playful tone in his voice was gone, replaced with something quieter, firmer. “This security guard gig wasn’t my idea, but I’ve been hired and I’ll make good on that commitment.” His jaw set. “Your safety is my concern now.”

My insides tightened. I believed him. “All I ask of you, is that you don’t ever lie to me or soften the truth,” I said. “If you’re connected to the Aliberti family in some way, do what they do, work with them, that’s fine, that’s not my business. But don’t pretend you’re something or someone else. Just don’t lie to me.”

He sat back in his chair, his focus riveted on me. “I work for an organization in Chicago, and I came to Greece on behalf of my boss in Chicago to speak to Gennaro—speakwith him, nothing else—about a business deal that soured. That’s the truth. That’s as much as I can tell you.”

“Thank you,” I breathed.

He studied me, his features tense, as if he were waiting for a backlash. “You don’t care that I’m…connected?” he asked.

“No. I care about the truth from you.”

“Why?”

“It’s easy for people to spin a tale, to tell you what you want to hear. Something pretty. I’ve seen it all my life. But the truth is the only dependable, unchangeable thing in this life and we rarely allow ourselves to face it. We sculpt our own versions of it, wrap it around us, gild it to make it prettier. But events remain one and only and unchanged. It doesn’t matter to me anymore if it’s ugly, it’s just the truth. I need to depend on you, Turo. After the shooting…”

I took in a deep breath to push back the wave of emotion building in my chest, that wave that was sticking up my throat. I had to conquer this, I had to. I didn’t want to run away from it anymore.

“Adri—” He covered my hand with his warm one, and my head shot up at his touch, at the sudden soft tone of his voice.

“I’m glad you’re here with me, Turo.”

He took my hand between both of his. “You’re cold.” He laid a kiss on my open palm. A gentle swipe of warmth which left behind a current of heat on my flesh. His thumb rubbed over the spot. “Only the truth, I promise.”

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