Page 35 of The Lieutenant

“Nice. Maybe one day. But no. This will be the crème de la crème of our facilities in Athens. Owned by the family, operated by Dimitrios’ wife.”

“I didn’t know he had a wife.” I’d done extensive research on Dimitrios and not once had a wife been mentioned. Water lapped at the dock posts, the light swells a reminder of the good times I’d had far too many years before. The moon was spectacular, bright enough to create luminous sparkles floating across the water.

“Willow. My brother does his best to keep both her and their relationship out of the media.” He kicked off his shoes and slumped down, immediately pulling the wine from the bag. “This is her baby, her vision and I must admit, a beautiful creation if only on paper right now.”

“Willow. That doesn’t sound like a Greek name.”

“Because she’s from America like you are. Boston.”

“Is your entire family in the habit of wooing and seducing American girls?”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“I guess you were right about asking questions I don’t want answers to. Is this legal?”

“We own the land, kitten. Relax and enjoy. This is a favorite place of mine.”

“What about Corfu?”

He popped open the cork and sighed. “A lot of both good and bad memories are associated with the island. And no, it’s not something I want in the article. Some things are very personal.”

I moved toward him, finally feeling comfortable enough to kick off the horrible, pink with flowers on the sides flipflops he’d purchased. As soon as I sat down, a cool breeze floated over us. It was the time of year that the nights became chilly when the sun went down. “You’ll have final say as to what goes into the article as required.”

“Ah, yes, the great attorneys.” He poured a glass, handing it to me. When he did, he stared into my eyes. “I’m sorry about that, but our corporation stands to lose a significant amount of money if enemies are given the opportunity.”

“Is that why Willow is such a secret?”

“Yes. She’s a weakness, one my brother as Boss doesn’t need. However, with the opening of the restaurant, I fear he won’t be able to keep the secret but for so long.”

“A weakness.”

“Yes, sweet kitten. Women are considered the greatest and most useful weakness we can have. Certainly, you’ve already learned that from your conversations with other syndicate leaders. Evenmen who gamble or were witnessed extorting money from celebrities find themselves more protected than men who harbor any feelings for a woman in their lives.”

“I feel sorry for them.”

“Yes, I do as well.” He poured his wine and after corking the bottle, leaned back on the towel. “You learn to be extremely cautious with activities. Over the years, my father has almost been killed several times due to leaks of his whereabouts.”

“I’ve heard that before. I was amazed that some of the men I talked with had no pictures of their family members in their offices or at their homes. One didn’t seem to care, but I heard later his wife was kidnapped and killed. So tragic.”

Havros was studying me as I spoke. I’d almost forgotten about the guy from Chicago who’d lost his home, his wife and unborn child in a house explosion. The article had been live for only two weeks before I’d learned what had occurred.

“The old ways of doing business are still being used even today.”

“What would you prefer?”

“Kara. We’re businessmen. We made a conscious decision to legitimize most of our business practices. Are there still some syndicates who see no use in modernizing or updating their ethics? Absolutely. You’ll find most brutal cartels operate with violence as their right hand. That’s not the way of the future.”

“I wish I could believe you, but you also traffic in illegal drugs and weapons.”

For the first time, I sensed he’d grown truly angry with me. He was staring off into space, but the buildup of heat had nothingto do with the strange and euphoric connection we’d felt. “Don’t believe the lies Theo told.”

“So you’re saying it’s not true.”

“I’m saying our business is multifaceted. Keep this on topic.”

He’d basically just admitted I was correct. However, pissing him off, especially at this moment, felt entirely too dangerous.

“I’m sorry, Havros. The contract specifically states I’m not to discuss illegal activities even if I see them with my own eyes. I wasn’t trying to insult you.”

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