Page 64 of The Boss

The kitchen was spotless, yet fresh flowers and fruit had been brought in at my direction. I’d wanted to make certain Willow felt comfortable here.

My parents had hired an excellent household staff, most of which remained in the Nomikos employ. While there was a bar in the living room, another in the media room upstairs, and one located in the outdoor kitchen, I’d always preferred keeping a stash of gin in the kitchen. I’d snuck drinks before I was legally able to do so, only caught once. Or so I believed.

I grabbed the bottle and a glass, opening the freezer door to check on the ice maker. Everything appeared in order. Sadly, my instinct wouldn’t rest. Neither would the ugliness from what the house represented.

The place was quiet, too much so for my tastes. It had been a long time since I’d enjoyed hearing music of any kind. As I headed into the kitchen, harsh memories brought me to a halt.

“You do know I love you. Right?” I asked as I leaned against the doorframe of the room.

She didn’t respond at first, twirling several times, her long legs even longer in her toe shoes. The music flowed and she danced to the rhythm, her arms flowing to the beat. As she danced around me, she stopped her routine to blow me a kiss, taking a grand leap almost immediately.

While I had no idea what her ballet moves were called, the beauty and grace she represented with her routine took my breath away. Remaining mesmerized was easy around her. Every move she made pulled at my heartstrings. Every whisper from her soft lips ignited the passion, the hunger that never left.

When I was with her.

I snapped a picture, hoping it would keep my mind off the anger I felt. I loathed her father. The man was a pig.

Unfortunately, our beautiful trip alone had to come to an end. I glanced at my watch before walking further into the room. “Baby, we need to go.”

“Pfft. I never want to leave.”

Even when she pouted, she was adorable. “Yeah, but I’m expected back.”

“Just play hooky.”

“If only I could.” The meeting was mandated, several recent difficulties creating issues for both our family and the business operations. My father was livid.

My lovely Delphina was hiding, only she didn’t want to tell me why. I knew. I had plans on ensuring our lives and the love we shared wouldn’t be destroyed. Damn it. Why were families complicated?

She twirled around the room one last time before stopping, glaring at me in a way no other woman had. “Fine.” With a snap of her wrist, she grabbed the towel she’d brought up to the room, rubbing her face. “You get to turn off the music.” Her expression was still one of mischief, not fury.

We couldn’t stay angry with each other for long.

She could make me laugh more than anyone, her love of life keeping my heart racing. I was laughing as I moved to the stereo, taking a few seconds longer to enjoy whatever classical piece she’d chosen. I hated the crap she so adored at first, but was beginning to learn why classical music was so important.

I stopped the CD, turning off the stereo and taking another look at the room. I’d created it for her, learning the art of construction along the way. The place had been nothing but a storage area before, only half finished. I headed to the door, taking an additional few seconds before turning off the light.

The moment I started down the stairs, I heard a strange sound.

Then I heard her scream.

“Dimitrios.”

The strangled sound I heard I finally recognized as coming from my throat. “What?”

“Are you okay?”

“Perfectly fine,” I told her. “Why?”

“Because the freezer door is open and you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I barely looked at the freezer door before slamming it shut. “Nothing is wrong.”

“You might not like this, but I’m calling you a liar. Why don’t you go outside and I’ll make drinks.” She held out her hand, slowly taking the bottle still in my hand.

My grip around the neck was tight, white knuckled and she lifted her eyebrows when I didn’t comply immediately. Finally, she pried it from my hand.

Memories were like light switches. People had no control over them, images and thoughts flipping on often when least expected. Some lost their minds completely because their brains were wired to force them to remember tragedies over and over again like some broken record. Others were blessed with forgetting altogether.

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