Page 66 of Stolen Hearts

“And you’re already out getting drinks for lunch with another guy! Yeah, off to an awesome start, I’d say.”

I blush, shaking my head as I lower it to take a sip through my straw.

“What, friends can’t meet up for celebratory wedding drinks?”

Stavros doesn’t exactly frown. But there’s a shadow between his eyes and his jaw is grinding a bit.

“I don’t see any reason to celebrate another Drakos tying themselves to that fucking family, Callie.”

My lips twist as I put my hand on his. “I miss Tomas, too, you know.”

“Theykilled him.”

I’m not about to get into the complicated layers of how all of that went down. Not with Stavros, who’s obviously still more than slightly raw about it, and especially not when I’m a little tipsy.

I go to pull my hand back. But Stavros suddenly twists his, so that he’s holding mine.

“Stavros—”

He runs a thumb over the simple wedding band on my finger.

“This is a lie, Callie.”

“Stavros, c’mon. You know how these things are. Your family is as mafia as mine.”

“I know it’s bullshit,” he mutters. His eyes lock on mine. “You’re looking good, Callie.”

I flush, rolling my eyes. I literally just threw whatever was at the top of my suitcase on before coming out, which happened to be an old skirt and a summery tank top. I had a jean jacket over it, but that’s come off in the stuffy heat of the bar.

I glance down and grimace. Okay, the skirt is a little short. Notthatbad, but enough to suggest that maybe I came out purposefully looking to show more leg. And given Stavros’ fondness for letting me know that he’d be more than fine being more than friends, I’m suddenly a little worried about the message I might be accidentally sending right now.

“Look, Stavros—”

His hand tightens on mine.

“I know I could be for you what he never would—”

“And whatpreciselyis that?”

We both jolt at the bark of Castle’s voice. Just as we’re turning toward it, Castle’s powerful hand grabs Stavros by the throat and shoves him backward. Stavros gasps, choking as he half-falls, half-slips from his chair and is dragged onto his feet. His eyes bulge wide as they swivel up to the merciless, vicious look on Castle’s face.

“I asked you afucking question.”

I’ve seen Castle be a forceful, intimidating guy before. But this is next level. There’s a dark power in his face and his words, and a cold ruthlessness in his eyes that scares me a little.

And excites me a whole fuck of a lot.

“Well?”

Wisely, Stavros doesn’t answer him.

“No? Nothing?”

My breath catches when Castle suddenly slams Stavros backward against the wall behind him, pinning him there as he leers close to his face.

“Let me becrystalfucking clear about one thing,” he snaps coldly. “The woman you’ve been talking to alone in a bar, feeding alcohol to, andtouchingwith your filthy fucking hands is mygoddamn WIFE.”

There’s only, like, three other people in here. But they go silent and seem to quietly drift into the shadows. Behind the bar, Jessie does the same.

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