Page 97 of Dagger in the Sea

“The eye or themátiis a very powerful superstition in Greece. An eye combats evil in all its forms—unintentional, with intent to harm, and the hidden.”

His features darkened. “Every form of evil. Huh. I like that. These eye charms help?”

“The eye reflects the evil back onto whomever is directing it at you because of their envy, jealousy, or hatred. They’re also said to attract good luck.” I shifted my weight. “I love them. I have quite a collection, but I can’t say I’ve had much good luck lately.”

His eyes met mine. “You were wearing one the night we met. With a tiny diamond in the center.”

My hand flew to my throat where there now lay a different necklace. “You remember?”

He held my eyes with his burning ones. “I remember everything about that night.”

My mouth dried. “If we hadn’t met—”

“Ah—if you hadn’t crashed into me.” He winked at me and sparks went off in my chest.

“If I hadn’tcrashedinto you and liked you right off—”

“Were you drunk?”

“I was not.”

“You were,” he said, “or I doubt you would’ve come on to me the way you did.”

“I came on to you?”

“Be honest.”

My gaze held his. “There were several glasses of wine and one hit of cocaine, but I wouldn’t call that crazy wild.”

“Then themátiworks,” he said his voice low, his eyes flaring with warmth in the light of the streetlamp over us. “It protected you from the attackers’ intent to harm.” He leaned in close to me, his whisper tickling my ear. “It attracted good luck too, didn’t it?”

“Yes.” The word burned in my throat.

His lips hovered over mine, a breath away, that heat churning, churning between us. I glanced back at the display case and touched his arm. “Wait one moment.”

Darting into the small shop, I spoke with the salesman. He pulled a tray of bracelets for me, and I quickly chose the perfect one and paid for it. I joined Turo on the sidewalk with a small gift bag in my hand.

“This is for you. A souvenir that I hope you’ll wear in America and it will make you think of Andros, of me, and our stolen escape. Our luck together.” An ache twisted inside me at the thought of us having to leave Andros. Never seeing him again.

His jaw tensed for a moment, and something clutched at my chest as he took the gift bag from me. Parting was inevitable, wasn’t it? All of this was merely a bit of stolen fun, a frivolity. Not reality, not everyday life.

But it is real. It’s real to me.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget you or Andros, Lovely,” he breathed.

My heart stumbled.

I took the food bag from his hand, and he opened the small pouch and pulled out a black leather strand with a single smallmáticharm in dark blue.

I bit at my bottom lip. “Will you wear it or is it too—”

“I like it very much.” He held out his wrist and I widened the bracelet and slid it over his hand, tightening the leather ends over his wrist.

“Thank you.” He touched his lips to mine. Soft warmth, an unexpected gentle caress.

“You’re very welcome.”

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