“You shouldn’t stay out here all night, you know.” Peter joins me at the railing. He stands close and blocks some of the wind, and I lean my head against his shoulder.
“We’ve still got a few hours before we make it back to Athens. Think your dad and Rastus will be waiting?”
“I doubt it. The ferry isn’t very popular. I can’t imagine he’d guess we’d go back by boat.”
“What are we going to do once we dock?”
He’s quiet for a moment and doesn’t reply.
It’s like I’ve finally managed to piece my internal self back together, only for everything around me to go spinning into chaos. I’m not the same person I was before I came to Greece with Peter and met my sister, but I feel like I’m a better version. But we’re so much worse off now than we were before.
Peter’s father wants to kill us. Rastus Filo wants to kill us. Who knows who else wants to help them. Balaska is still on our side—Peter called and told him what happened, and he still wants to move forward with our plans—and I think Reina will be too, though it’s hard to say if she’s on any sides exactly. Even still, what felt like something we could do together is rapidly becoming so complicated I’m not sure we’ll make it out the other side alive, much less intact.
“It seems like we don’t have much choice, doesn’t it?” I stand on my toes and kiss his neck. It’s warm and the stubble tickles my lips. “We have to keep going.”
“You’re right. I have to keep going.”
“Peter.”
“Listen, Adrienne. You heard what my father said back at Demetrios’s house.” He turns to me, eyes hard. I want to move closer and kiss him, but he keeps me at a distance. “He won’t hurt you. If you don’t keep pushing things with me, he won’t have to go back on that promise.”
“Are you sure Rastus won’t make him do something to me?”
“Rastus isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things. The alliance with the Italians is their top priority, which means he can’t piss off Luca and Kacia. Which means you’re safe. All you need to do is leave me. Go back to the States. Go back to Luca and Kacia. I know things with the Russians are still a problem, but it’s better over there than it is here now.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I say it and realize I really mean it. Home is safety now, Kacia and Luca would be happy to accept me back and watch over me, but how could I abandon Peter now? How could I abandon him after everything?
“Think about this.” He puts his hands on my hips, staring into my eyes, pleading with me. “I have to follow through on my promises now. I need to make this deal with Reina and Le Milieu work. If I can do that, I’ll have enough money and strength to keep the Filos and my father at bay. You could come back if you wanted and I could protect you then. But now—”
“I’m not leaving.” I step away from his grip, shaking with anger and fear. He’s talking like this is a suicide mission, but it can’t be. I won’t let it be. “You need someone to watch your back still, right? We’re partners.”
“Agapi mou…” He shakes his head. “Please.”
“No. Don’t call me that. Not if all you’re going to do is try to send me away.”
He sighs and turns to the sea. I can tell this is killing him, but I never said I’d make his life easy. I’m not going to roll over and let him send me away just because he thinks I’d be safer like that.
I’m not with him for safety. I’m with him for strength, and I’m better when he’s around.
“Think about it. We’ll get to Athens soon and we can plan from there. But think about it.”
I turn away. “You know, you said you were proud that I keep getting back up after being knocked down. Did you really mean that?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
“Then be proud that I won’t abandon you when you need me the most.” I walk away and leave him at the railing to think about what he really wants.
I head inside and toward the little public cafe toward the back of the ship. It’s quiet and empty except for a few scattered people drinking coffees. I take a seat in the corner and pull out my phone. The service is surprisingly good considering we’re in the middle of the ocean. I do some rough math before calling Kacia and letting it ring.
“Hello?” She sounds lively and awake. It’s nine at night here, but it’s only two in the afternoon over there. “Adrienne?”
“Hi, Kacia. How are things?”
“Oh my god, I didn’t expect you to call! Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s—” I hesitate, wondering how much she knows, and decide probably nothing. “Everything’s great. How’s life with Luca?”
She gushes about her time with her new man. They went through hell to end up together and I wish them nothing but pure joy and happiness, even if things will be difficult. Things are always difficult when you fall in love with a hard man, but that difficulty makes it all worthwhile.