Page 77 of Dagger in the Sea

No, not now.

The sea was an iridescent pastel color, pale liquid hues of pink and lilac in the first haze of sunrise. Its delicate beauty was lost to me. Turo stared straight ahead toward theAllegra. Tight, closed off. I wanted to help him, but how?

The girl Luca had brought with him from Evgeny’s boat was speaking to him in French accented English, but he was only pretending to listen. He caught my gaze, and I returned his hard look with a cold one. She was a dark-skinned beauty from Lebanon. Was she a model who’d come for the party? Or maybe a slave girl, his prize from Berezin for the night? Or…

Hell, I’m too tired to care.

We finally came up alongside theAllegra, where two crew members waited for us. And Alessio. A furious Alessio, his hands gripping the railing, lips pressed together, the line of his jaw sharp and tight. Turo sat up immediately and held out his hand to help me board, a cold hand. The girl followed and then he climbed on.

Alessio stalked toward me, taking in Turo’s dark suit jacket hanging on me. “Are you all right? Why the hell were you on Berezin’s boat?”

“Your brother insisted we go along with him,” I replied.

He let out a hail of curses.

Luca hopped on deck, and Turo grabbed his arm. “You make sure I get that agreement from your uncle, you hear me?”

Another agreement. Another business deal. All of them with terms and clauses, and no guarantees. Luca only lifted his chin in a silent reply. Was that good enough for Turo? Why would he trust Luca after tonight? I knew I wouldn’t.

Alessio charged toward Luca. “You took her to that boat? What the fuck were you thinking?”

“Rilassati!Relax.She’s a big girl. And she had her bodyguard with her.” Luca gestured at Turo.

“I told you, I made myself very clear,” said Alessio. “You do not get the rest of us involved in your shit.”

“My shit is what keeps you afloat when you’re in need, little brother,” Luca’s voice seethed.

Alessio ground his jaw. “You could have seen him tomorrow. Tonight was—”

“It had to be tonight.” Luca patted Alessio on the side of his face.“Tutto bene.Is good.” His insouciant gaze bounced over me and Turo like an errant ping pong ball. “You all enjoy the rest of your evening.” That ping pong ball became a barbed weapon, meant to sting. It only dropped to the floor at my feet and rolled away.

The girl laughed. “It is morning now.”

Luca tugged her arm and they both entered the bowels of the ship, their footfalls thudding in the distance.

“You look like shit,” Alessio said to Turo. “What the hell happened?”

Turo only closed his eyes and opened them again, staring out at sea. I took off his suit jacket and put it over his shoulders. A sharp intake of breath tore from him at my touch, and my heart ached at the sound.

“I can’t thank you enough, Turo. I don’t know what to say. Which words. You risked your life again, you—”

“Don’t say anything. Don’t thank me.” His voice was terse, bitter and my stomach dipped at the roughness, at his trying to control whatever he was feeling right at this moment.

Once again, he’d stepped in for me. A mercenary taking the dive, risking it all.

My mercenary.

“Cara—”Alessio took my hand in his and I let him. We left the deck. Left Turo alone staring out at the sea.

“Have you ever been on that Russian’s boat?” I asked.

“No, but Luca’s told me stories about Berezin’s parties.” He kissed the top of my head and held me close. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to stop him. What happened?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow.” I squeezed his arm. “I’m so tired.”

“Of course you are. So am I.”

“How did the party finish?” I asked.

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