by SR Jones
I turn to Maya. “I swear on my fucking life, I’ll get her back or die trying.”
I mean it too. Stella, the girl I thought was so poised, so … clever, has gone and done a very stupid thing, and placed herself in grave danger. I’m livid with her, and I’m terrified for her. I try to calm down, tell myself she’s young. I did stupid crazy shit at her age. She’s not got a fully developed brain yet, so I can’t blame her for her actions. It’s crazy to me that we let people live as legal adults at eighteen when science now tells us brains aren’t developed until around twenty-five.
I take a deep breath in; I need to cut her some slack because this isn’t her fault, but damn if I’m going to let her do something so stupid again. If I get her back in one piece, I can’t promise I won’t lock her up for her own good.
The thought makes my dick stir, which is inconvenient because this is not the time.
“I know you will, Alesso.” Maya says.
I smile at her faith in me. She comes to me, puts her hand on my cheek, and looks deep into my eyes. “And when you do get her back, don’t, for any reason, spare Yannis.”
I suck in a breath. Taking out Yannis will ignite a war with the Pappas family. It might also bring Spiros scuttling out from wherever he is hiding these days, which will cause more heartache for Maya. She’s going to find out about his involvement with Yannis at some point, though. I glance at Damen, and he gives the subtlest dip of his head. A yes, to her request.
His queen has asked for something, and he’s given me permission to grant it. What Stamatis will make of this, I don’t know.
I’m about to light a match and toss it onto the smoldering embers of a war we thought was over.
Thank you so much for reading. The duet that is Damen and Maya’s story is finishing but there are still dangers out there, and Alesso and Stella’s story is only just beginning.
To read on and find out what happens to Stella and Alesso in October’s new release, one-click The Pledge, here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X9CQBRS
