“Sweetie, I love you. I’ll do anything for you. If you need to be moody, be moody, I just want what’s best, that’s all.”
I grin at her like my face melts enough to show a little joy. Kacia always makes me smile, even when I don’t want to. “It’s just, I don’t know how to explain it to you. And I’m worried about what you’re going to find back in Crete.”
“How bad is it out there? Luca says Yiannis was shot but that he’s going to pull through. He says it was a close thing. They won’t tell me anything else.”
“The crime lords are squabbling. Peter got in the middle of it. And I just—” I stop myself before I can say more and start crying.
“I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m only negotiating with a few of the families anyway.”
“I know you’ll be fine. It’s just a mess.”
“Oh, honey.” She stands and hugs me. “Here I am, pregnant and hormonal, and you’re the one crying.”
I laugh and pinch her. She slaps my shoulder and slumps back down onto the sand. “Can you do something for me when you’re out there?” I ask.
“Anything.”
“Check up on Peter. I don’t need to talk to him, I just—”
“You want to know if he’s okay. I can do that.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” I blink back tears and look away. “You’re good to me, Kacia. Thanks for everything.”
“Oh, stop it. I’m notthatgood, remember? I got you into this mess to begin with. And you’re talking like you’ll never see me again. I’m just going to Greece to finalize the weed deal for the Valverde family and then I’ll be back.”
“Right, totally.” I wipe my eyes and don’t tell her that I’m not crying for her, but for the person I could’ve been if I hadn’t let my sister bully me onto that plane. “You’ll kill it out there.”
“Maybekillisn’t the right word, but yeah, I’ll be awesome.”
Kacia glows in the sun and I smile at her.
For another couple hours, as the sky starts to turn pink, I can let myself relax. We’re on a private beach and we’re safe and no matter how bad it hurts, I’m alive, and Kacia’s alive, and I pray that Peter’s alive, and Reina too.
Somewhere out there.
* * *
Luca sitsbehind the desk in his office going over something on a tablet. His face glows white as he swipes. I knock on the door and look at him from the threshold. “Good time?” I ask.
He nods and waves me in. “Adrienne, how are you? Kacia mentioned you might stop by tonight.”
I slip inside and close the door behind me.
I’m nervous as I approach the desk and sink down into the chair facing him. Normally, I look at Luca as Kacia’s husband and nothing more than that. We do some boxing and workouts together but mostly we keep things casual and don’t touch on work stuff. He’s kind and funny when he wants to be, but right now he’s something else—he’s the powerful and dangerous mafia kingpin.
I need mafia-Luca, not friend-Luca, but I’ve never dealt with him like this before.
He smiles at me, head tilted to the side with a curious confusion. “Why do you look like you’re afraid I’m going to pull a gun on you? I’d only ever pull a gun if you started beating me in the boxing ring. I’m a very sore loser.”
I clear my throat and smooth my skirt. I appreciate his attempt at lightening my mood though. “I want to talk business.”
His eyebrows raise. “Business? I didn’t know we had business.”
“It’s about Peter.”
He puts the tablet down and leans back with his hands behind his hand. He cracks his neck and sighs as he watches me. The friendliness slowly fades away. “You know, I never thought it was a good idea, sending you out there with him.”
“Really?”