Page 5 of Reckless Hearts

We hit it off instantly, like we’d been friends our whole lives. We hung out again. And then a third time. Then she friended me on social media, and my heart just about choked me to death.

Callie, as in CalliopeDrakos.

As in little sister to my very devil.

Thinking about it now, I should have cut my losses and run. But again, I don’t make friends easily. And besides, Deimos lives in London, running the Drakos family’s European enterprises.

Six years ago, he told me to stay away. I feel like the entire Atlantic Ocean between us is enough, right?

Right?

“Dahlia!”

I flinch, my pulse spiking. The dark images of Deimos’ dark, vicious, lethally gorgeous face swimming feverishly through my head melt away as I turn and force a smile to my face.

“Hey!”

Eilish gives me a big bear hug, beaming as she grabs my wrist. “C’mon, we’re all outside on the veranda.”

I make a face. “Little cold to be outside, isn’t it?”

She shrugs. “You know Dimitra.”

I grin.Do I ever. Callie’s bird-like grandmother, who technically owns this mansion, is a hoot. But part of her obsession with honoring her family’s Greek origins is diningal frescounder the arbor in her rooftop rose garden basically until it starts to snow.

“There’s heat lamps, don’t worry.” Eilish winks at me. “Andlotsof wine.”

I swallow back the ominous feeling that I get from time to time in this house, along with the swirling images of Deimos’ snarling face. A grin curls my lips.

“Well, in that case, lead the way!”

She frowns. “Hey, how’s Adele—” She stops when she sees the look on my face. “Oh. Well… You know I’m here whenever you want to talk about it.”

“I know,” I reach out and squeeze her hand. “Thanks. But first…”

“Champagne?”

“Lotsof champagne.”

* * *

Soon enough, surrounded by “the tribe”,as Raph put it, that I’ve found, my apprehension has melted away.

He’s not here.

Honestly, he’s never here. Which is the only reason I haven’t cut and run when it comes to my friendship with Callie. She’s mentioned before that for some reason DeimoshatesNew York City with a passion bordering on concerning. That, and the fact that he runs the entire European side of the Drakos empire single-handedly, means he’s never here.

Apparently not even for important family birthdays.

Thank God.

But even minus one brother, Callie’s beaming when she steps out of the house to an enthusiastic cheer from all of us. Which is great, because for a long time, her twenty-first birthday was a black spot on the horizon none of us wanted to think about. A decade ago, Callie’s late father made a deal with a vile, cruel, andwayolder Italian Don, Luca Carveli, promising him Callie’s hand in marriage when she turned twenty-one.

A few weeks ago, though, rumors started swirling that Luca was dead from a heart attack, which means no more arranged marriage between my friend and that ghoul.

So, birthday aside, that’s cause enough to celebrate. I give Callie a huge hug and wish her a happy birthday as Ares passes us all flutes of champagne.

“Ireallywant to know what the fuck is going on with your mom and Gerard,” Callie hisses in my ear, pulling me aside. When I give her the same look that I gave Eilish, she sighs and nods. “Okay, totally get it. Maybe later?”

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