Page 58 of Legacy

“I’m not a figurehead.” He narrowed his eyes, daring me to insist that he was. “Even if you believe I am. I’ll show you how I’m not.”

In the pit of my stomach, dread coiled. I knew that whatever Ozias schemed would cause nothing but trouble. He was greedy to the core. His plans and accomplishments served only himself. Chaos and pain would be waiting for the Xenos family.

All I could hope was that we all survived the aftermath.

Instead of giving him any indication his words had any impact, I asked, “Did you call me here to waste my time? This song and dance is getting old. I have an empire to run at your behest.”

“You will learn to show me respect, Elias.”

Not bothering to respond, I turned and left his office.

As I reached my car, I glanced back at the house. The bastard’s veiled threat toward Avra wouldn’t go unnoticed.

She was mine. I protected what was mine.

If he dared to hurt her or her sisters, I would make him pay.

Avra was my future, and Ozias was the past I planned to destroy.

Sixteen

Avra

What was wrong with me? Why was I so anxious for Eli to be home?

After adding the finishing touches to the pots simmering on the stove before me, I adjusted the temperature to low and turned to wash my hands.

My stomach shouldn’t be in knots like this. Maybe it was because it was the first time since we married that we had spent more than a few hours apart.

Was I looking forward to spending time with him?

No, that wasn’t possible.

Who was I kidding? Somewhere along the way, theman had grown on me, and now my emotions were all mixed up when it came to him.

Not thatmyheart is getting mixed up here.It couldn’t be.

“Just stop,” I whispered to myself and shook my head.

I might as well take advantage of this quiet, empty house. I doubted I’d have evenings like this to myself very often.

Inhaling the scents of all the spices in the air, I sighed. Tonight was the first time in a long while that I’d allowed myself the pleasure of escaping into a simple task like cooking. Our lives had been busy with Vik’s schooling, so my sisters and I had made it a requirement to gather at least once a week to create our favorite recipes to remember Mama.

This domestic side of myself was only a tribute to my mother, nothing more. I still had an agenda. Marrying Elias was a means to an end, a crucial step to position myself to avenge my family.

Who was I kidding? What I intended it to be and what it had become were two different things.

I was so fucked. Damn Eli and his magic cock.

A pain ignited deep in my heart, knowing my plans for the future could end this thing I’d built with Eli. I wouldn’t stop until I’d killed everyone involved in the conspiracy against my family, which meant eliminating Ozias.

I couldn’t let him live even if he was Eli’s father. The bastard had killed Mama and orchestrated the destruction of my family.

I turned off the burners and poured myself a glass from the decanter of wine I had been aerating on the counter.Inhaling the bold, rich scent of the Bordeaux, I moved to the sunroom, which overlooked the Gulf of Patras.

Maybe it wouldn’t be a deal-breaker.

Warmth, love, and affection were nonexistent between father and son. Based on my few conversations with Eli and my observations from the wedding, Eli detested Ozias.

---