Page 21 of About Love and Revenge

“We're leaving soon.”

“No,youwill be leaving. She's my guest and she'll stay.”

He finally seems to return to reality and runs his hand through his disheveled hair. “I warned you yesterday and I'll say it again: don't meddle in my relationship with Elina.”

In one stride I reach him, but unlike the despicable man, I don't flinch when I slam him against the wall the way he did with Elina last night.

“We already had this conversation,” I say, looking into his eyes, my forearm pressing into his throat, immobilizing him. “But maybe you have memory problems, so I'm going to pretend I'm a nice guy and repeat it: you're inmyhouse, onmyisland, not the fucking country youwere born in. Here you won't touch a woman against her will. Elina is free, and there's no way I'm going to let you take her.”

“She's mine—I bought her.” The bastard still struggles to speak.

“Do you hear yourself? She's not a thing, asshole. Out of consideration for your father, who is an honorable man and is not to blame for fathering an idiot, I'll let you out of here alive, but you have five minutes. If I see you after that, you won't be leaving here again.”

I loosen my grip a little, waiting for him to make up his mind.

“You wouldn't be crazy enough to do something to me, Odin. My family wouldkillyou. They would make your life hell.”

Without me planning it beforehand, a grin escapes me. “A ride through hell? I've lived in it for a long time, Naim. Do you want me as your enemy? Do your worst.”With my arm still around his throat, I look at the Rolex on my wrist. “Four minutes and three seconds.”

He stares at me for a moment. “I'll go.”

I release him, and the men watching us from the door pull him out, but he still turns around one last time.

“We'll meet again, Odin. You just wait,” he says and I almost smile. “And as for you, Elina, I'll make you regret this disrespect. You'll pay dearly.”

After he leaves, I turn to her. “Put down the paper cutter, Elina.”

Her eyes glaze over, and I wonder if she's not in shock. She points the object at me, trying to scare me. Despite this, there's no recognition of who I am on her face.

“Elina...” I use my calmest voice. “He's gone, and now I need to see if you're hurt.”

I can't remember the last time I spoke so patiently to someone, but intuition tells me she's still disconnected from reality.

“Look at me,” I command. “We're not friends, but I give you my word that you're safe with me. I just need to know if you're hurt.”

I take a slow step closer, but she shoves the card cutter at me again.

Instead of insisting on it, I look at her.

In fact, I don't just look—Iseeher.

I know she's five years younger than I am, but no one would put her at more than twenty-five years old. I also know that she doesn't leave the island often, not even to go to Athens.

I know almost everything about her.

The world as she knew it has just collapsed. What must be going through her head right now? Her parents abandoned her, and a damn pervert broke into her house to...

I know what would have happened if I hadn't arrived in time. She wouldn't have stood a chance. There would have been no way for her to protect herself from that human garbage.

Few things are able to impress me, but the fact that she's not in tears amazes me. Anyone in the same situation would have succumbed to tears by now, but despite being shaken, she keeps fighting.

Still, the beautiful woman is not indestructible. At some point, she'll break.

“You don't have to believe what I'm saying,” I start again, moving closer. Her eyes have already regained some of their sparkle. “You are a smart girl. What I'm asking is that you follow your instincts.”

For the first time since I walked in, she looks at me.

“You knew Naim was untrustworthy, didn't you? So now tell me what your instincts tell you about me.”

---