Page 63 of Dagger in the Sea

“So are you, darling,” I said.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Elektra,” Turo said as they shook hands, assessing one another.

A rush of photographers and journalists surged on us. “Elektra! Elektra! Adriana!”

I stiffened, my chest constricting at the onslaught of faces, cameras, flashing lights. Turo stepped away, yet remained a wall behind me. The heat of his body in defensive mode was palpable, and I steadied myself, throwing an arm around Elektra’s waist and pulling her close.

She conquered.

“Here we are!” I declared, my lips curving. My legs instinctively angled out, my head slanting, an eyebrow raised, my smile just so. I didn’t have to think about it. I’d grown up doing this, and it was an automatic reflex when needed. But tonight, tonight I was enjoying it. These moments were mine, I’d achieved something to be here.

Elektra pulled me close, striking her own pose, her newly coiled hair falling in her eyes the way she always liked. She greeted the photographers she knew, answering the questions they flung at her about her new hair color, her latest boy-toy. I laughed at her risqué responses, but she kept it oblique at the same time. Satisfying them, making them hungry for more.

“You’re good,” I murmured to her as we posed for another round of photos.

“I know,” she replied, her hand squeezing my waist. “Live and learn.” She certainly had. She’d started from a small country village in the north, but that voice and her determination had her striking gold at a young age. And as the years wore on, she kept her golden balls in play at all times, through the husband, the boyfriends, the world tours, platinum albums, style trends, and a bit of nip and tuck here and there.

Elektra showed off the Alessio jewelry she wore this evening, and I piped in about the pieces. We posed, showing off our Alessio rings. Weeks ago I’d sent her the four rings she wore tonight—gold and silver rings emblazoned in colored enamel with skulls, crosses, a broken heart. Around her neck hung Alessio’s red skull pendant along with his jagged pink lightning bolt. Paired with her own mass of long, thin, gold chains and beads, her smoky eye makeup and thickly coiled and curly dirty blonde hair, flowing silk blouse with a torn hem and tattered skinny jeans with high-heeled sandals and a sequined vest she was perfection—the perfect personification of Alessio’s brand. Authentic rock and roll and luxury bohemian chic in one.

Ten minutes later the paps scattered to the next celebrities who swept by, a pop star acquaintance and her footballer husband.“Thank you so much for coming, my love.” I kissed Elektra on the cheek.

“Since you gave me that first necklace last year, I’ve fallen in love with Alessio’s jewelry,” she said. “And any excuse to come to Mykonos. These new pieces are fantastic.”

“I love you.” I hugged her.

“I know you do,” said Elektra. “I brought Dimitri with me. Come meet him.”

“Yes, I will. I’ll come find you in a bit.”

She hugged me and strode off into the throng.

“She’s pretty incredible,” said Turo.

“Isn’t she? Having her wear the jewelry, be photographed wearing it, at this party is—”

“Perfect,” he said, his beautiful lips curving into a smile. “You did that, Adri. You.”

His smile filled me with a dancing heat. Turo’s approval, his esteem lifted me somewhere higher, where normal breathing was difficult. The air was sharper, purer here.

“Who’s Dimitri?” he asked, clipping my reverie.

“He’s an actor she just started dating,” I said. “He’s younger than me.” I winked at him.

“Oh yeah?”

I loved teasing him, ever since he’d made a point of our age difference. What was the eleven years between us? Not fifteen or twenty or thirty, but even if it was, if we got along, could communicate and have interesting conversations, and enjoyed each other in bed, really, where was the issue?

His eyes narrowed, their fierceness flashing at me for just a moment. “You like that don’t you?”

“When I’m Elektra’s age, I hope I can do the same.”

“A husband and babies aren’t in your future plan?”

“I don’t have a future plan, Turo. I want to swallow what life has to offer as it comes.”

Damn, you sound so good, Adri. If only you’d do as you want for a change.Yes, that’s what I wanted, but I’d become a fearful creature the past two years, hadn’t I? Hiding behind my parents, behind work, Alessio. Tonight felt different, though.Ifelt different.

Turo and I continued to weave through the crowd under the palm trees dancing with fairy lights. “Louder!” Kaspar’s voice demanded over the speakers. “Everybody!” At his side, Alessio clapped, hands in the air. Two dancers in silver bikinis dripping with crystal tassels danced on a huge speaker, throwing flower petals and beaded bracelets to the crowd.

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