Page 96 of Love on the Rocks
“I’ll always fight for you.” I tried to weave my fingers through hers, but she stepped away, hugging her arms across her waist, and she said, “I wish I could believe you.”
She was moving away from me, closing off. How had I so irrevocably screwed things up? She stared at the moon on the water as the yacht pulled away. “You were right. They were up to no good. They didn’t tell me their real plans, which are horrible. They only sent me to do the grunt work, now they’re getting rid of me.”
“I wish I’d been wrong.” I came closer, slid my hand under her chin, forcing her eyes to mine.
She laughed bitterly. “Well, you weren’t and now I’m starting over. I don’t know if I have the courage to do it.”
“You underestimate yourself, Callie. You can do anything.” Her green eyes glistened with tears and she trembled. “And, as your doctor, I recommend leaving behind what doesn’t make you happy.”
“How many times do I have to tell you?” she whispered. “You’re notmyanything.”
I stroked her damp cheek, and said quietly, “I could be, if you’d let me.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. It could never work. I made the decision a long time ago that I wouldn’t let anything stand between me and my career. It may have brought me here for a while, but we both knew I’d be leaving eventually.”
Then she voiced my own fears out loud. “You haven’t left this place for three years. And you’re as much a part of this island as these old rocks.”
“You know there are planes, right? I’m not rooted to this place.” But my voice was less than convincing. I may have laughed at the idea of the island curse, but deep down maybe I believed it.
“No, Iet’s just appreciate the time we had for what it was. It’s better this way.”
“I don’t agree. I think you’re scared and running away.”
She stiffened. “Let’s not end this by arguing, okay?”
“So that’s what this is? The end?” I ran my hand through my hair. I wanted to throw something, shake some sense into her.
“I need to focus on myself right now. I’ve been too caught up in other people the past few years and need some time to myself to figure out what I want. If you respect me like you say you do, you won’t argue with me.”
I grazed my fingers over her hand, but she pulled away. “And you won’t touch me or kiss me because I’m hanging by a thread.”
I moved toward her, and she stumbled back. “Please, just let me go.”
Chapter 39
When Mia woke Angelos was gone. There was an envelope on his pillow. She opened it to find a check for more money than she earned in a year and a note in her lover’s scrawling script: “Consider this an investment in your future art career.”
He was paying her? She choked on a sob, hastily throwing on a dress and went to look for him, only to find the butler waiting for her. “The boat will take you to Heraklion.” he said.
“Mr. Mavromatis has left for New York.”
- One Week with the Greek
CALLIE
Ishut the door before he could see me cry. A million emotions were running through me—shock, elation, and overwhelming sadness—all battling it out in my amygdala. I’d effectively kissed the last three years of my life goodbye and might be blacklisted in the food industry. I didn’t care. It had felt so damn good to finally tell Gaz to go fuck himself.
But I was scared for Nikos. When Gaz had left, he’d refused to talk to me except to mutter threats. And Seth’s stony face wasunreadable. He was a mean bastard like his father. Who knew what they were capable of doing?
I had to talk to someone or go out of my mind, so I called Liv and told her what had happened.
“Cal, I’m so proud of you! You did it! You’re free!” Her obvious delight made me momentarily forget my heartbreak. “Please tell me someone filmed Nikos punching Gaz.”
“Liv, it was amazing. An absolutely idiotic thing to do, but the best knockout I’ve ever seen.” I laughed while swiping at my tears. The image of Nikos’s fist connecting with Gaz’s jaw would live rent free in my head for the rest of my life.
“We may have to threaten Nikos on people now instead of Levi.”
I sniffed loudly and she asked gently, “So what will you do now?”
