Page 105 of The Boss

“Healing never came when I clawed in search of it. Instead, it came when I was willing to listen to the lesson pain was here to teach me.”

—Lauren Fortenberry

Dimitrios

Wealth.

Influence.

Power.

None of the above had provided a healing mechanism. The agony of my past was constant, haunting my dreams and forging an entirely different path than I’d believed possible.

Pain was something that I’d experienced in every aspect of life.

Physically.

Mentally.

Emotionally.

I was scarred from every battle, every task achieved and mountain climbed. Yet most considered me the lucky one. The man capable of sidestepping the laws of humanity and decency. They were right. Yet I hadn’t needed to claw my way to success. Prosperity had fallen into my lap.

However, nothing had brought me peace and there would be no salvation. But in the last few days, I’d captured a butterfly in a trap of my own making. I’d been shown the light capable of drowning out the darkness.

God help me. I wanted more.

I needed her.

Forever.

Feeling compelled to share my agony with someone else was not typical of my behavior. However, nothing was typical around Willow.

She’d managed to draw more emotion out of me than anyone else had before. It was both exhilarating and in truth, terrifying since I’d been so guarded.

But also, it was necessary.

Our love affair needed to have a foundation of truth. No matter the deal made with the devil.

Willow had insisted on changing clothes, refusing to take a walk on the beach in the same shorts and tee shirt she’d worn when leaving the hospital. The dress was simple yet elegant just like the woman herself. She had no airs about her, no need to showoff to anyone. She was confident and comfortable with who she was.

While the bastard beast inside of me gnawed on my insides for escape.

I’d selected a bottle of wine and two acrylic glasses, a wine opener already on my Swiss Army knife. I was fondling it in my pocket when Havros walked in. The entire family was here for dinner on a beautiful evening. It seemed normal even if nothing lately had remotely resembled that at all.

The quiet between us was unnerving. “What is it? It’s not like you to hold back saying anything to me, brother.”

“I guess you know me too well. I’m glad to see you’re okay,” he told me. He’d been right there when the Harbor Corps had brought us in, insisting we head to the hospital.

“All in a day’s work.” This time I was teasing. I knew just how lucky we were to be alive.

“No one has claimed responsibility officially, but people are wondering if you’re dead or alive.”

Once considered dead. Now, reaching for the light.

My, wasn’t I the philosophical one today.

“That means you did a damn good job of keeping the rescue and hospital stay out of the news.”

---