Page 162 of Safe and Sound

“They are. They’re here in Boston, but Christos doesn't know that.”

Motioning to Callum, I said, “I’ll speak to him.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Dare protested.

“Did you not hear what Callum said?”

Dare jerked his hand through his hair. “You’re not well.”

“I’m fine.”

“You experienced a mental breakdown two nights ago, Ava. Just like I won’t let him physically hurt you, I won’t let him do it mentally either.”

“I can do this.” At his continued look of disbelief, I replied, “I need to do this.”

He huffed out a defeated breath. “Fine.”

When I nodded, Callum handed me the phone. For a moment, I couldn’t speak. Words eluded me. After all, what do you say to the man who killed your parents and the man who was like a brother to you. “Hello?” I finally croaked out.

“Ava?”

“Yes.”

“After all these years, how nice it is to find you’re alive and well.”

Dare growled beside me. “Cut the bullshite, Christos. What do you want?”

A pause came on the line. “I believe I asked to speak to my niece, not you, Mr. Kavanaugh.

“She’s mywife, cocksucker.”

“Dare,” I warned.

“From this moment on, I’m speaking to only Ava,” Christos said.

Callum grabbed Dare’s shoulder before he could say anything. “Fine,” Dare grumbled.

“I imagine you’re calling about the necklace.”

“Yes. It’s a family heirloom that I would like returned to me.”

“From what I learned the other night about my true identity, it should remain with me.”

A chuckle echoed on the line. “I see you have your mother’s fire.” Christos tsked. “But you wouldn’t know about that fire, would you?”

I sucked in a breath. “You bastard.”

Christos once again chuckled. “She called me that many times. The last time she said it was when I stood over my useless brother’s body as he bled out on the side of the road. But it was the last thing she said before I shot her in the head.”

White hot rage shimmered through me at his words. In that moment, I could’ve killed him.

I would have killed him.

“Tell me what you want?” I gritted out.

“I want the key.”

My gaze locked with Dare’s. “He knows,” I mouthed to which he nodded.

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