Page 47 of Thorns of Desire
It was then that I noticed a man in the reflection of the café. My footsteps faltered and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
He looked like… Atticus Popov. The father I’d never met.
No, it couldn’t be.
I whirled around, but the man was gone. I blew out a long exhale. My mind must be playing tricks on me. After all, it would make no sense for Atticus to be trailing me. He hadn’t made contact in twenty-three years, he had no reason to start now.
I turned around to resume walking and ran into a strong body.
“Ah, fuck,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.
“Signómi.” I’m sorry.
Shocked at hearing Greek, I raised my eyes up to a man who emanated power. He was handsome, with thick, wavy dark hair and piercing brown eyes. His chiseled jaw was covered with stubble and he wore a three-piece suit I had started associating with mobsters.
“No, I’m sorry,” I murmured in French. Why would he have said anything in Greek to me? “It was my fault, not paying attention.”
He nodded, agreeing with me, and my cheeks heated with annoyance. The polite thing would have been to disagree, but I kept my expression polite as I attempted to sidestep him.
He mirrored my move and we remained facing each other. He cocked a brow in a cavalier way.
“Excuse me,” I muttered as he smoothed a hand down his tie absentmindedly.
The edge of his lips curled as he studied me.
“You shouldn’t be roaming the streets,” the stranger warned softly, then walked around me and disappeared around the corner as I stared after him flabbergasted.
Reina’s engagement party better hurry up, because I didn’t have a good feeling about any of this.
“I just don’t think it’s the right time to go clubbing,” I told Raven who was already dressed to the nines and ready to go. She’d cornered me in our little kitchen and I sensed her determination. She wouldn’t back down until I agreed to go with her.
I was still reeling from yesterday’s strange encounter. Not only that, I couldn’t shake the anxious feelings since seeing my father’s reflection.
Yet, my bodyguard seemed not to have seen him, so maybe it was all in my head.
“Please, Athena.” Raven batted her lashes and pouted her lips, going for the full effect. “It’s just down to you and me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Reina isn’t married yet. And Phoenix?—”
Raven laughed. “You’re so out of touch with reality sometimes. I attribute it to you living in your fictional worlds more often than not, but you really have to start seeing things that are right in front of your face.”
She eyed me meaningfully, but I was too tired to ask her to clarify.
“Honestly, I’m exhausted. I’ll just spoil your fun,” I told her. Not to mention, I was slightly paranoid. Yes, I wanted to stay here as moral support for Reina, but going clubbing would be reckless.
Raven reached for a bottle of vodka, poured some of it into a shot glass, and handed it to me.
“This will boost your energy.” When I didn’t make an effort to move, she tried a different approach. “Please, I need your help tonight. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
I sighed, unable to resist her plea. She was always there for me, and she asked for so little in return.
I tossed back the shot that was placed in front of me and put on the dress she already picked out for me.
An hour later, we were at the club the Leone brothers owned. I couldn’t believe we were back here. It was a full-circle moment, and it certainly made sense that Raven wouldn’t have asked the Romero sisters to join us.
For years, we’d stayed away from it after an idiot slipped a drug into Reina’s drink in an attempt to take advantage of her. Everything ended well—sort of. The Leone brothers swooped in for a swift rescue and the rest was history.
“Remind me why we’re here again?” I asked Raven. I shuffled from foot to foot and blew hot air into my hands—it was a chilly night, but I was glad I let her drag me out. We looked good. My hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and I wore a black strapless dress while Raven opted for a red fitted dress and let her hair hang loosely down her back. We had on our bulky coats, but soon we’d be free of them and in search of the dance floor.
