Page 17 of About Love and Revenge

Her mother, on the other hand, looks like she's about to pass out.

And Leandros...ah, he glares at me, and I almost feel honored.

Like love, hate must be reciprocal.

“As I'm a generous man, I'll give the Argyros family a week to leave my property.” Calculating their deadline, I look at the clock. “You have exactly six days and twenty hours to go. To all who have given him credit or intended to give him any amount of money, keep in mind that henceforth, he is on his own. I'll no longer assume any of his lousy investments.”

I'm not being completely honest. I don't intend to allow them to go anywhere.

At least, not until I can guarantee that his deal with Naim is undone.

“Odin, we need to talk urgently.” It’s the voice of Grigori, my right arm, outside the room.

I'm a light sleeper—as a result of bearing distrust almost like a religion, I’m sure—so it takes me less than a minute to open the door. “What the hell do you want at this time?”

“Argyros ran away.”

Elina

CHAPTER SIX

I didn't sleep well.

I spent the night between naps and nightmares. My whole body shook, and as much as I tried to fight the sensation, I was so scared I felt sick.

The first thing I notice is that the house is quieter than usual. By this time, I usually hear the gardeners moving around, as well as Mom giving orders to the servants. She always wakes up early.

I frown, trying to understand why everything seems so quiet, and then I remember.

Odin and last night’s events.

I don't think anything will ever be normal in our house again. Dad is broke, and we'll have to leave. In fact, I may have to flee because I'd rather die than have to accept what Sheik Naim said yesterday.

He’s always harassed me, but I've managed to escape his advances in the past, just like all the other suitors. I’ve avoided being alone with him; the man disgusts me. It has nothing to do with his looks or the fact that he's nearly twenty years older than I am; it’s because of the meanness I've always seen in his face.

I'm not one to get scared easily. And my father is a scary man. I grewup watching the servants, my mother, and my brothers trembling at just one look from him.

Who am I trying to deceive? I was scared myself, I just disguised it better than the others.

Leandros is a cruel man, but perhaps, for me, he's the known evil. Naim, however, is diabolical. In our society, his advances on me would be considered disrespectful coming from a married man to a single woman. That's not how you court a woman.

I'm not experienced, but I've watched couples here on the island, and I've also seen how my sisters' suitors acted. Everyone treated them with respect, at least until they were guaranteed a commitment.

The sheikh, however, has always made me feel naked in his presence, and the feeling is very unpleasant.

Yesterday wasn't the first time he’s grabbed me by force. At a party he threw for my parents on his yacht, he locked me in one of the cabins with him. I didn't tell anyone, but I was terrified. For a moment, I thought that...

I don't even like to remember.

Lucky for me, we heard my mother's voice—she was looking for me. I think that was the only thing that held him back.

After that day, I never gave him the opportunity to be alone with me again. Until yesterday.

I had just talked to my brother in the hallway, and I was sad because after eight years of not seeing each other, we had a fight.

Theo is handsome. He always has been, only now he's not my little brother anymore—he's a grown man.

I thought that when I saw him again, I would still be mad at him for leaving, but all I felt was homesick.

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