Page 3 of The Boss

“It’s your brother Leandro. I’m sorry, boss. He’s dead.”

CHAPTER 2

Willow

Where the hell had I put my clutch purse? “Mom. It’s just for a day. Twenty-four hours. I’ll be back before you know it. Why are you so bent out of shape?” I adored my mother, but she seemed to forget I was a big girl, way past the age where she could insist on telling me what to do.

“It’s supposed to be a family holiday and a celebration. Do you even remember you promised that we’d take time together?”

“Mom. We’re in Greece on vacation. I’m not going to see my friend for a long time since we live in Boston.” I felt the need to remind her that our current living situation was temporary.

“But you’re always busy at home. This is our one chance to be together as a family. All four of us.”

Because I had a life.

Damn it. Athena and the other girls would be here any moment and if I knew my mother, she’d invite them in for a ‘quick’ drinkthat would turn into an hour. She’d grill them until they were well-cooked. That would destroy the festive night.

“Are you paying any attention to what I’m saying?” she asked.

Not even for a second.

If I did, she’d make me feel guilty and I refused to be pulled into the drama.

“I heard you, Mommy dearest, but with Shane not bothering to show for dinner, things don’t seem quite so celebratory.” My older brother was the real pain in the ass. Yes, he had his life and had been living in Paris for years, but he and I were no longer close. Why wasn’t she calling him every few minutes, hassling him for being a no-show?

Maybe because he’d flown the coop almost ten years before. I, on the other hand, had chosen to remain living in my parents’ house while attending college all the way through getting my master’s degree. Mistake.

Big mistake.

“You know your brother is very busy,” she retorted in her not-so-nice way. “He has a highly important job.” Shane had always been her favorite child. I’d embraced that nasty little not-so-nice secret years before.

Not to say it didn’t annoy the shit out of me.

“Too busy to show up for my graduation celebration? No call? No positive ID from the Greek police? If a call had been made for ransom, maybe I would have bought that excuse.”

Where was my damn purse? Gah, I hated losing things. Sometimes I felt like I’d lose my head if it wasn’t attached.

Now she was giving me the silent treatment. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to share family times. None of us had seen Shane in almost two years, but we were in Athens, for God’s sake. And not Ohio or Florida or even Canada. Greece. I adored Greece. I’d sworn to myself I’d move here after college. People were awesome, the atmosphere was always welcoming, and I had a built-in family here as well. Friends of my uncle Gregory. Maybe I’d have time to sneak away, hunting down a perfect little spot I could rent. There had to be a need for my skills.

I raced into my room just as I heard the doorbell. The villa my father had rented was huge, complete with nine bedrooms, six bathrooms, four living rooms, six fireplaces, and a pool. For three people.

Daddy had wanted to make this trip special, but he hadn’t had the money. At least until recently. I was worried he’d taken out a third mortgage on the house I’d grown up in.

“Thank God.” I snagged my clutch from the bathroom, checked my reflection in the mirror, and flew back down the hallway before my mother had a chance to make it to the front door.

“Kisses, Mommy. Remember, don’t wait up. I am a big girl now. Tell Daddy goodnight.”

She huffed but stopped ranting.

For once.

But I wouldn’t hear the end of it when I returned in the morning. I grabbed my overnight bag, refusing to look back at her face. She’d have her stern you-don’t-care look, trying to create another wave of guilt.

Geez. I’d called her Mommy, something I hadn’t done in years. I was going on twenty-five, for God’s sake, not twelve. I headed outside. A car was waiting.

“Ready to go?” Athena asked. Her English was fluent, her father insisting she learn several languages. We’d been long distance friends for years.

“More than ready.” Laughing, we raced across the sidewalk to the waiting car. I’d met Athena the last time I was here almost thirteen years before. We were the same age and had a blast that week. Even our parents had become friendly, sharing dinners together. I’d remained in contact. Her other friends I didn’t know, but the more the merrier.

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