Page 29 of About Love and Revenge

I swallow hard as an image of me and him naked flashes through my brain.

We stare at each other, and I think he knows exactly what I'm thinking because he smiles back.

“Yet, me lusting after you has nothing to do with the job offer. I already needed someone to take care of the parties, and I don't like hiring companies that do it impersonally. I want each of the impeccable and unique receptions to be remembered.”

Can I believe him? Can I believe the man who hates my father?

“By the way, it'll save you from a risky situation. In my opinion, we both win.”

I know I don't have many alternatives, but I still feel insecure. “What you said about the two of us...our attraction...” I don't even try to deny it, because I realize he's an experienced man and would laugh if I pretended not to be attracted. “I prefer to keep things professional. But you're right about the job. I don't have many options left, so I accept it.”I'm really scared, but I don't know what else to do, so I'm taking a chance.

“Don't you want to know how much you'll earn?”

“No. I know you'll value my work properly. I don't need anything more than a place to live and food on my plate.”I'm not ashamed to say that. It's my reality now.

“You'll have more than enough to live in a dignified manner.” He looks embarrassed but quickly disguises it before continuing to speak. “I need your documents to arrange the passport. We'll leave the day after tomorrow. We'll go through Athens first, as I have some things to sort out there. I also want you to take the necessary tests to see how yourhead is doing.”He says it all at once, leaving no room for me to deny it, which irritates me.

Next, I remember what really matters.

He's already turning his back to leave, but I call out to him, “Odin?”

“Yes?”

“Can you promise me someone will ride the horses? My animals also like to be talked to in the morning. I always go to the stalls as soon as the sun comes up.” I try to keep the feeling of detachment away from my voice, but my heart is aching.

What does it say about me that being cut off from my horses causes me more sadness than being abandoned by my parents?

He turns to look at me. “You have my word. They'll be well taken care of.”

Odin

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“You need to eat.”My voice sounds rough, and she looks startled, but it only lasts a millisecond.

Elina recovers very quickly and goes back to looking at me with indifference. We're on my private plane,en routeto the States, and I'm trying to guess what she's thinking because she hasn't said much since our departure from the island.

She didn't complain about leaving the house behind or anything. The only thing she asked of me was that I let her say goodbye to the horses by herself. She stayed in the stalls for about half an hour, and when she finally left, I looked for any sign of tears, but there were none.

In Athens, the doctor ordered a CT scan of her head just to check that the attack she suffered didn't cause serious damage, but nothing wrong was found. After we left the clinic, we went to fetch her passport, and then I dropped her off at our hotel for a few hours so I could visit Aristeu.

My uncle is still holding on, although the doctors say he doesn't have much time. He told me that Theodoro had been there to visit him. He smiled when he said that, and I know it's because seeing Theo is like having a piece of Orien, his missing son, with him.

I still haven't been able to locate Ciro, the man assigned to take mycousin to the boathouse on the last day we heard from him. Ciro worked for Leandros for over thirty years from what I found out and then suddenly disappeared. I want to know why that monster's trusted man just walked away like that.

I still don't know Leandros's whereabouts, but him running away doesn't worry me. I have no doubt that I will find him. I've already intercepted the cold bank account he transferred the money to and then emptied.

The old fox, however, was smart enough not to transfer the full amount there. What he doesn't know is that there is no corner of the world where he can hide. I'd go to hell after him and only stop when he's destroyed.

“I'm not hungry.” She answers my question a lifetime later and doesn't look at me as she speaks.

“What is on your mind?”

“My thoughts are private, boss." She tries to put anger into her voice, but all she can do is amuse me with her impertinence.

It seems that as soon as we left Greece, Elina slipped into a more aggressive mood, which is preferable to apathy. Anger is always good fuel to propel us and direct life.

I'm not used to begging for information, but it's rare for her to show any emotion, which ironically reminds me a lot of myself.

---