by Nikki Ash
“I’ve never heard anyone growl while brushing their teeth before,” she says, her eyes squinting and her voice gravelly from sleep.
I spit, then rinse, before drying my mouth off. I’ve already showered for the day, which was agony on my wounds, and am in just a towel. My wife looks stunning somehow in one of my oversized T-shirts. Her blond hair is in disarray. But what has me seeing red is the awful bruising and split lip. The entire side of her face is dark purple and blue.
He touched what’s mine.
He has what’s mine.
Aris always thought he could battle with me, and because he was fucking blood, I played his games. Enjoyed taunting him whenever I could. In a way, it was our screwed-up way of bonding. But then he crossed the line. Raped my goddamn woman. Stole her and kept her from me. And now he took my child.
Loyalty means nothing to that Demetriou.
Loyalty means everything to me.
This means fucking war.
When Talia was gone, I drifted. Lost in a fog of confusion and anger. Aris played me. Dangled me by his strings and reveled in my torment. Talia made me soft. I wanted to be soft for her. Only for her. But clearly, I softened in a way that exposed my weakness. I may as well have given Aris a fucking gun and said, “Point and shoot here.”
For the last year, he’s had a “blind me” on his side. He had money and resources. He had my lack of knowledge.
But now he’s no longer battling a brother, he’s in a war with a monster. He thought he could sneak into my compound and get away with this shit. Sadly, he was mistaken. I will gut Greece. Burn it to the motherfucking ground. I will fill every hole with gasoline and light it on fire. Every roach will come out of hiding and I will smash them until I find the rat.
Aris will be mine.
And I’ll get my daughter back.
“Kostas,” Talia says, her brows furrowing. “Are you okay?”
I gently grip her jaw and tilt her head to the side so I can inspect every dark shade of the abuse she endured yesterday. With the barest of a kiss, I whisper it over her sore flesh. My words of hate are breathed against her skin.
“He will pay for this.”
She shivers and grips my wrist. I turn slightly to find her lips. Despite the cut on her lip, I kiss her hard enough to split it back open. The sweet, metallic taste of her mixes with the minty toothpaste, making me hunger for her more than any bagel this morning. If I had more time, I’d turn my aggressions into passion so I could whisper all my evil promises against her skin—promises to take out our enemy and bring home our treasure.
My phone buzzes and I nip at her sore lip once before I pull away.
Adrian: Press is already lined up at the gate. Josef is waiting, too. Where are we doing this?
Me: Hotel lobby. Send Josef to my office. I want to meet with him before we go public.
Adrian: On it.
“I have to meet with the Minister of Public Order. Then, I’ll be doing a press release.” I stroke my fingers through her hair that hangs in messy, natural-dry waves after the shower she took alone last night while I crashed into bed. “I need you to look the part of an angel.”
Not that she’ll have any trouble doing so.
Her brows furrow. “Why? What’s going on?”
My perfect Talia and her never-ending quest for answers.
I drop my towel and nod at her to follow me while I dress. Throwing on some boxers and socks, I then make my way into our closet. The mess had been cleaned up by hotel staff before we went to bed, but the feeling of failure washes over me.
Zoe was taken from this very closet.
Talia lingers in the doorway, no doubt feeling sadness over last night and what went down in here. As I dress in a suit, she runs her fingers over one of her white dresses. She pulls it off the hanger and holds it up.
“This one?”
I rake my gaze down the serene, silky white material. “Perfect. And don’t you dare cover up what he did to you. They need to see.”
Her blue eyes dart back and forth. “Who? Who will need to see?”
Snagging a blue tie that matches her eyes, I slide it around my neck and begin knotting it. Once I’ve tightened it at my throat, I let out a heavy sigh of resignation.
“You are married to the monster Greece knows. Well, at least the one all the scum knows. I will reach them. I’m a Demetriou, it’s what we do. But you,” I say with a smile as I grab my jacket off a hanger. “You will reach the regular people. Every man, woman, and child in all of Europe. We’re going to hit them from all sides. Just be you and you’ll do exactly what I need you to.” I step into my shoes and then walk over to her. “And you’re going to have to let me be me.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“It means, I’m soft with you. In here, with our family, soft is good.” My features morph into something wicked and furious. “But out there, I need to be a blade forged in stone. I need to be unbreakable. I need to be powerful.” I start to put my jacket on, but my arm winces in pain.
She purses her lips before dropping the dress in favor of helping me. She takes the jacket and holds it open so I can gingerly slide my bad arm into the sleeve. Once I have it pulled on and buttoned, I turn to regard her.
“You’re hurting,” she breathes. “Physically and in here.” Her palm presses to my chest between my pectorals. “It’s okay to be vulnerable. Our daughter is gone. They hurt us.”
Sweet, innocent, pure angel.
I slide my fingers beneath her chin and tilt her head up. Blue eyes sparkle at me. She’s so fucking strong. Only a woman like Talia could ever have the backbone and fire to be able to stand beside a Demetriou. She’s fearless and determined. A fucking storm.
“Out there, I can’t be. It’s the only way to get Zoe back. The public needs an angel and the Underworld needs a fiery, unstoppable king.” I kiss her nose. “Are we in this together?”
She smiles. “Since the day I saw you in that courtyard.”
“You tried to run,” I say, in a slightly playful tone.
“I wanted you to catch me.”
Reluctantly, I pull away, needing to get a move on the day. “Make sure you grab something to eat. Basil will escort you. There’ll be coffee and bagels in the lobby if you want that.”
“I was thinking fruit. A pomegranate sounds good.”
She pulls off her T-shirt, revealing her round tits and rosy nipples. Fuck, she does my head in when all I need is to focus.
“A pomegranate?” I ask, my voice husky as my dick strains in my slacks.
She bends to pick up the dress from the floor and holds it to her chest. Her blond hair cascades over one shoulder as she tilts her head to the side. “An angel can live in hell.”
“Not without getting burned.”
Sauntering over to me, she stands on her toes and kisses the corner of my mouth. “The devil wouldn’t allow that.”
“He already has,” I growl, my palm finding her hip and squeezing possessively.
“But he won’t let it happen again.”
So confident and sure.
She’s right.
“Go be the badass we need right now,” she says, pushing on my chest to break us apart. “I’ll be at my restaurant sucking on seeds until you let me suck on you later.”
“Are you trying to kill me?”
“You’ll need to relieve some tension and then you’ll need a nap.” She shrugs. “Because then we’re going to go get our girl.”
“Damn right.”
I let my stare linger on the swell of her breasts and then up her slender throat before I latch my eyes to her parted lips. Fuck, how I want to yank her to me, drag her to the floor, and drive into her wildly. The desire to claim and own is fierce, but we have more pressing matters to attend to. And once we have our daughter back, I’ll demand my fucked up happily ever after, one orgasm at a time.
Adrian flanks my right and Josef is on my left as we walk into the hotel lobby as a united front—the
mob and the police coming together for the same agenda: take down Aris and find a baby. Talia will enter soon with Basil. I need to say what I need to say without her weakening my resolve. As soon as the press sees us, flashes start going off like rapid gunfire. The lights blind me, but I ignore them as I make my way to the podium that’s been set up. Josef steps to the microphone first.
“Dear citizens of Crete Island,” he starts, holding up his hand to end the buzzing chattering of questions being barked our way. “We’re not here to answer questions, but to instead deliver a series of statements.”
More flashes snap.
“Last year, good men and women of Cretan General Hospital were gunned down in a tragic terrorist event. The Demetriou family, while dealing with their own familial tragedies, were instrumental in eliminating the threat at that time.” Josef gives me a grim smile to which I nod so he’ll continue. “His father, the late Ezio Demetriou, was a friend to me and a pillar in this community. The philanthropic donations of this family have been what’s kept the island profitable and successful. With…” He flashes me another look and I nod. “With Ezio’s recent, natural passing—something the family had wished to keep quiet so they could grieve in private but are no longer able to—we are faced with terrorism once again. There are those who see the Demetrious’ efforts as something to destroy, making these attempts when they are down. Last night, they tried to do exactly that. But they are wrong. Our people and the Demetrious aren’t broken so easily. We will fight for peace and profit.”
He steps away from the podium and gestures for me to take his place. I keep my features cool and impassive. Whenever I lock stares with a reporter, they cower under my gaze and look away.
“My family is the proud owner of the Pérasma Hotel. Last night, men stormed our gates and tried to destroy what we built.” Men ordered by my brother. “Because we take security extremely seriously, none of our guests were hurt or even saw the terrible situation unfold. We lost a few good men protecting the people at our hotel.”
More flashes go off as reporters demand to know the names.
I raise my hand, effectively silencing them all. “They were hired on to do a job for the Demetriou family. And they did it well. But now we need for you all to do your job.”
A flash of white in the back of the room indicates Talia has arrived. She’s clutching a soft pink blanket and a newly framed picture of Zoe. Basil escorts my wife past the curious onlookers and to the podium with me. I pull her close, sharing the microphone with her.
“I’m a private man,” I say, my voice hard as steel. “I keep my personal life out of the spotlight. Because of my influence in Greece, people think they can use my personal life as a weakness against me.” I lean over to inhale Talia’s sweet scent before kissing the top of her head, earning more pops of flashes. I turn back to the crowd, my glare once again affixed. “Last year, I wed the woman I loved in a secret ceremony for just the two of us. But then she was taken from me.” People demand to know by whom, but I ignore them. Everyone underground knows it was Aris and that’s all that matters. “When I found her again, she brought home a Demetriou princess. My strong, resilient wife survived the atrocities of capture, delivered our daughter while in captivity, and found the strength to make her way back to me.”
Talia starts to cry and clings to me, which sends the media into a frenzy.
“Last night, while we worked to keep our people safe, the terrorists came in and took our daughter.”
The press starts shouting, horrified and demanding answers.
“She’s…” I trail off and swallow hard. “My wife, Talia, would like to speak about her.”
She sniffles as she pulls away slightly. “Our little girl Zoe was kidnapped.” Her body trembles as she holds the blanket to her and shows the crowd the picture. “She’s sweet and curious and laughs and…” A sob chokes her. “Oh God, I just want her back in my arms.”
I stroke my fingers through her hair in a possessive way while staring down every camera in the room, commanding them with one look. Find my fucking daughter and bring her to me alive.
“I beg of you,” Talia pleads. “If anyone knows anything, please help us. We need her. She doesn’t deserve this.”
“Our fine Minister of Public Order has set up a call center to take any and all calls. Calls leading to the finding of our daughter will be handsomely rewarded,” I say into the microphone. This is for the normal, everyday citizens. They’ll look for her because that’s what good people do, money or not. They want to reunite a child with their family.
But I need the bad people looking too.
“Fifty million euros.”
The room explodes with excitement.
“She was last seen with Aris Demetriou and Selene Vincent.” The crowd gasps again. I ramble through their physical descriptions while deliberately leaving off the fact Aris is my brother. They all know this. I don’t need to fucking say it. Everyone underground will see this as one concrete fact: Aris Demetriou is dead to me.
“Twenty-four hours. If she’s found within that time frame, I’ll reward the finder additionally in ways I see fit.” Meaning, they will get a favor with the Demetrious, which is priceless. “Thank you all for your help.”
The group goes wild with questions, and seven of my men have to flank us to get us away from the crowd. Once we’re safely inside my office, I give Adrian a nod to clear the lobby of the press and tell him to apprise me of any new developments. The moment I have the door closed and locked, I collect my emotional wife in my arms.
“You did great,” I murmur against her hair. “We need everyone’s help in finding her.”
“I miss her,” she whimpers.
“Me too, moró mou.”
She tilts her head up to look at me, her eyes red and swollen from her crying. “The people who hate you know everything now. That your father’s dead. That you’re married. That you have Zoe. That your brother betrayed you. You showed your hand, Kostas.”
I sweep my palm delicately over her bruised cheek and then run my fingers through her hair. “It was the only way to get her back. We will get her back.”
“What if someone hurts her to get back at you?” she whispers, a fat tear rolling down her cheek.
I kiss the wetness on her skin and close my eyes. “We have to trust that money talks. The only one who cares about revenge over money is Aris. The citizens of Crete Island and every piece of scum who knows the Demetriou name will be hunting for our little girl. There’s no way we can know where Aris went and turning over every stone would take precious time we don’t have. All we can do is let the people do what we can’t. We have to trust this will work.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“It’s our only option, Talia.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know,” I breathe against her soft lips. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“I know you are and I love you for that.”
Her lips press forcefully to mine as a fierce growl leaves her throat. The kiss takes me by surprise, especially when her hands begin frantically sliding my jacket off my shoulders and sending it to the floor before yanking at my belt. My cock—ever ready to play with his favorite pussy—stiffens in my slacks. Pre-cum leaks from me as the desperate need to fill her overtakes me. She pulls my dick from its confines and kneels before me.
“Talia,” I rumble, my fist grabbing into her hair, ready to pull her back up to my level. I pause to admire how fucking gorgeous she is.
Her blue eyes are intent and dark with lust as her tongue slides between her plump lips and flicks against my wet tip. A hiss rushes past my teeth as I stare at the angel queen who bows before her evil king. Pure wickedness gleams in her eyes as she circles my slit with her hot tongue, her expression equal parts hungry and taunting. I could pull her up to her feet and fuck her senseless, but I’m mesmerized by her devious stare and pretty mouth that’s stained the color of pomegranate from breakfast. She slides her mouth over
the crown and a growl rumbles from me. I close my eyes, dizzied by the bliss. Her mouth bobs up and down over my length as she desperately feeds my cock into her hungry mouth. When her teeth scrape my tender flesh as she tries to take me deep in her throat, the need to have her completely overwhelms me.
“Stand up,” I command. “I need to be inside you.”
Her mouth pops off my dick as she shakily rises to her feet. I waste no time grabbing her full ass and lifting her. She fuses her swollen lips to mine and kisses me just as she was my dick a moment ago. I shove her against the wall as I reach between us to grip my cock. She moans when I slide my tip along her wet slit over her panties, seeking the tight warmth only her body can gift to me. I push the head of my dick under the side hem of her panties to tease her bare flesh with my own and seek entrance. With a painful flex of my hips, I drive all the way into her, her wet panties rubbing along the side of my dick as lubricant. As I fuck my wife against the wall, I can feel the burn as my stitches tear free. I could opt for a better position, but only one goal is in my mind.
Take Talia.
I grip her ass with one hand and squeeze her tit with the other as I drive into her hard. Her mouth owns mine as she fucks my mouth with her tongue. Her thighs tighten around my waist, only further irritating my wound. I’m about to come, but a wave of dizziness has me struggling to keep Talia upright. With her still on my dick, I carry her over to my desk. I sit her ass down on the surface and then push her back, breaking our kiss. She whimpers at the loss.
“Pull your dress up your hips and let me see what I’m fucking,” I rasp out, ignoring the pain lancing through my body.
She yanks up the material, fisting it just under her breasts that jiggle each time I drive into her. Her heels rest on the edge of the desk and her thighs are parted open in a dirty, inviting way that makes me want to recreate this moment later when our life is back to normal and I can call her filthy names like my “needy little slut.” Names I know will turn her on while getting nasty in my office, but names that don’t quite fit the moment.
