Page 108 of A Girl and HER Prince
“She’s alive and well.” The woman who’d been clasping Achilles’s arm spoke up. That was the duke’s manipulative mother.
Venice couldn’t get over how similar she was to Gina: same heart-shaped face, same rosebud lips—it must’ve been why Achilles had turned into such a sucker for her lies. He doted on his baby sister.
“She’s not with us,” Clysta said. “She ran from Turner.”
Did she? Or was this another trick? Venice didn’t dare hope she was safe until rage twisted Atreus Mnon’s hard expression. If Achilles hadn’t stood between them, Venice wasn’t sure what he would’ve done, but one thing was certain, Clysta didn’t care for ruling Tirreoy. That made her a smart cookie. “We must go now, Atreus,” she said. “This is the errand of fools. Your brother will never uphold a treaty made by his children under duress.”
“Then we take them with us,” Atreus Mnon growled, “and force his hand. There are only two men with them. Dispatch them!”
A loud roar of attacking men filled the piazza. The donkey let out a frightened squeal and ran for the safety of his stables. Venice dove for cover behind an overturned barbecue grill, dragging Bris with him. He recognized the uniforms from their Greek rescuers. This was the signal they’d been waiting for.
Atreus Mnon stumbled backward, raging as he made a quick retreat to the helicopter, shouting for the Myrdons to bring his family along. Venice’s heart froze when he saw Achilles was included in that. Bris screamed at her bodyguards as they tried to reach her. He could barely hear what she said as time stood still.
The sound of blades churned the air while his men held off the small invading force. The Myrdons were stupidly loyal, since they had nothing to gain by fighting back the Greeks and getting left behind.
A soft hand found Venice’s, and he looked over. “Luvvy!” He was dizzy with relief at seeing her—his angelic little escape artist had appeared out of nowhere, crouching beside him. His arms slid around her. Hardly believing she was here with him, he brought her as close as humanly possible, just so he could feel her beating heart for himself. The world came back to focus with that sound.
“We’ve got to get away from here,” she whispered hoarsely. He noticed Deedee was strong-arming Bris to keep her away from the fighting. His sister’s bodyguards had finally managed to struggle to her side, and they took over with a shout, scooping both women up and carrying them to cover behind the massive statue of Aristotle teaching Alexander the Great.
“No, no!” Bris shrieked. “They’re taking Achilles!”
Achilles covered his mother from the onslaught, even as the Myrdons shoved them both into the helicopter. Atreus Mnon was nowhere in sight, which meant he was already huddled inside, letting his men take the brunt of this attack.
There was nothing they could do! The noise of the helicopter swallowed any final fake marriage proposals or other last-minute negotiations—ranging from cheap bribery to off-the-wall threats that Venice hadeveryintention of carrying out. He’d do anything to get back the friend who was like a brother to him!
“Get back! Get back!” Livvy wrenched at him to join the others where it was safe.
He tore his gaze away from Achilles. There wasn’t enough cover here. He had to get Livvy away. Throwing his hand over her back, they inched to the safety of the Greek philosopher’s overhanging book and the vast shield of his warrior student.
The unearthly bulk of the statues’ mythic proportions provided a safe haven that could not be more convenient than had it been a direct rescue by the hand of Olympus.
And still… that help was not extended to Achilles. Venice peered through Alexander the Great’s heroic stance as the helicopter door slammed shut. His shoulders tightened in misery. Achilles had made the final sacrifice for them.
Livvy’s hand brushed past the back of Venice’s jeans. He swung around just as she grasped at the ledger that he’d stashed there. His eyes widened as she shoved it into his chest. “Atreus Mnon!” she shouted. “He wants this!”
His fingers tightened over the leather-bound book. She was right! Livvy had been there when Atreus Mnon had drilled them about it. The dreaded Myrdon leader feared what they might find in those waterlogged pages.
And Venice still had his men’s radio.
Glad they were now far back from his uncle’s swift vengeance, he brought the speaker to his lips. “Where do you think you’re going, Atreus?”Please let that jerk still be wearing his earpiece on the other side of this.“I have your ledger. There’s nowhere you can go without us finding you—your every move; your every property; your every ally—it’s all in here.”
Venice waited a tense three seconds before Atreus Mnon was snarling through his radio. “I’ll come after you and destroy everything you’ve ever loved. You won’t live long enough to take me down.”
That was a good sign. “So you’re saying you want this ledger back?” Venice asked.
“Ah, there you are,” Atreus Mnon’s hard voice blasted through his radio. “I see your father in you—you sneaky, conniving—”
They didn’t have time for this. Venice cut him off: “So are you working with us or do I take this to him?”
His uncle cursed long and loud. “Coward! What do you want?”
“Achilles,” Venice said simply. “Let him go.” He took a deep breath, waiting to see what Atreus Mnon said to that. Was there enough dirt in that ruined ledger to make his uncle comply?
And even if he did, would Achilles leave his mother to this cruel man’s whims?
Atreus Mnon had gone dangerously silent on the other end. Venice needed something more! More proof that he had the ledger in his possession. What had survived that he could possibly use against his uncle? Thumbing through the warped pages, he saw almost all the ink was melted against paper that stuck together.
There were a few words here and there, a “the,” and “perhaps.” His breath turned ragged with fear when he caught a sentence… one about purchasing those donkeys for Clysta.
