Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
But Luca promised we’d talk after this meeting, and I agreed to be on my best behavior. So I put on the stupid dress and I’ll let these Greek assholes stare at my tits and I’ll smile really big like a good girl.
While inside, I want to punch Luca in the throat.
When this is over, he’s doing whatever he can to make sure Adrienne is safe. I don’t care what it takes—he’s going to do it.
If I’m going to keep on playing his obedient wife then I’m going to make sure my friends are taken care of. I’ll get something out of this deal.
They get the usual greetings out of the way. The man I don’t know is named Peter and he’s Yiannis’s oldest son. Luca pours the wine, Yiannis says how nice the place looks, and they get down to business. “What I tell you today comes directly from the boss,” Yiannis says, but he doesn’t mention the boss’s actual name. “We’ve been putting out feelers, messaging some of the crime lords back in Greece, and there’s an appetite for the kind of situation you proposed.”
“An alliance,” Luca says, nodding.
“A business agreement,” Peter corrects sharply. Almost too sharply, like he’s not happy about this.
Luca smiles at the young man. “We can all prosper if we’re careful and we’re smart.” A veiled threat, but a polite one.
“Business takes trust, and we’re not sure we can trust you.” Yiannis sips his wine and glances at me. “It’s a good sign that you spared the girl’s life though and it seems like you two are getting along well enough. It’s good you married her, but I’m not sure you knew what you were getting into, marrying a Greek girl.” Yianna laughs and Peter grins at that.
I bristle slightly but keep my mouth shut. Like I had a fucking choice. But Yiannis probably knows that. And this stupid dickhead probably doesn’t know a thing about Greek women, except for the mafia women they keep around for breeding purposes. The pricks.
“I’m here in good faith, and I think you are too,” Luca says. “Let’s drink to a long and healthy future then get down to talking details.”
They toast each other and Peter begins going over logistics: how much weed they think they can get, how much money it’ll all cost, and how Luca can move it through the Valverde territories. One of Luca’s guys brings over small plates of appetizers and I pick at them as the men continue to discuss for an hour, but finally, after the wine and the food is all gone, Luca walks them to the door.
“I’ll take this proposal to my father,” Luca says, shaking Yiannis’s hand. I note that there’s nothing written down—it’s all in Luca’s head. These men are too smart and too careful to bother putting anything on paper that the feds could use against them. “But I can assure you, he’ll accept.”
“The same goes for my boss.” Yiannis nods and gestures for his son to follow. “We’ll speak again soon.”
Luca watches them step outside onto the sidewalk. I look from Luca to the Greek men, and something comes over me. There are so few people in this world that might know what really happened to my family, and if I can’t trust Luca, then I have to ask someone else. It’s a stupid idea, more than a little reckless, but I don’t care—I’m still angry with the way things went last night, and I’m desperate to know the truth about the man that calls himself my husband.
“I’ll be right back,” I say and slip out the door before Luca can stop me. “Yiannis! Excuse me, can I have a word with you for a second?”
I feel Luca glaring at me from the doorway, but I hurry over to the Greek men as they stand beside a black sedan parked out front. Yiannis seems surprised, but friendly enough. He smiles and tilts his head. “You haven’t seen enough of me, Kacia? I thought our little meeting last night would leave a sour taste in your mouth. And you looked so bored during our talk this afternoon.”
“Bored, but still good,” Peter says, smirking.
I ignore him. “I’m not happy about you dragging me home to my husband, if that’s what you mean, but I need to ask you something.”
Yiannis’s smile fades. “If you’re about to ask me if I can get you out of your situation, the answer is no. I don’t have that kind of influence over the Italians, and besides, I’m not sure you’d be better off on your own. Even if I could find a nice young Greek man to marry you, the crime lords might still want to kill you, just to be sure you don’t cause trouble.”
I bristle slightly, glaring. “That’s not what I want.”