“Stavros here.”
“Boss.” Omar’s voice was like a hard, cold slap back to reality. “Sorry to bother you so early, but I just got a call you need to take. Are you back at work?”
As the helicopter faded in the distance, I shoved aside any fanciful notions I might’ve had about falling in love, having a life beyond the violent one designated to me as a child, and instead focused on what was.
It was time to wake the fuck up. Time to remember who I was.
And with that I snapped, “Yes. Put them through.”
37
BENOIT
“WHAT EXACTLY AM I looking at here?” Archer, my best friend since college and a member of the Libertines—though he hadn’t chosen to be one of the Kings—stared down at the open trunk in my parlor as I sipped on my fourth glass of wine.
“Don’t pretend you haven’t seen four million dollars before,” I said, stretching my long legs out on the leather ottoman in front of me. Thank God the alcohol was finally kicking in, giving my brain a reprieve from the constant overthinking and pining of the last few days.
More specifically, since I’d seen the look on Dimitri’s face as he stood outside his house watching me climb into King’s helicopter. I’d never get over it. It was so full of want and need and regret—but also, strangely, hope, like for a moment he thought I’d turn around and come back.
But staying wasn’t part of the deal. And neither of us was the type to have a relationship, especially not with our respective jobs.
Still…
I drained the rest of my glass and held it out toward Archer for another.
He arched a brow and came over to take it. “You’ve polished off a bottle since I arrived. You sure opening another is a good idea?”
“It’s a fan-fucking-tastic idea,” I said, waving him in the direction of my wine rack nearby. “Make it a good one, please, Archer dear. The older the better.”
When he returned, he carried an extra glass with mine and a vintage bottle, maybe the oldest in my collection.
I gave him a lazy grin. “That’s perfect.Merci, darling.”
Archer shook his head as he peeled off the top wrapping and began to unscrew the cork. He started to pour it into the decanter, but I reached for the fancy crystal and set it out of his reach.
“The glass, please.”
He made a face as if to say,Really?but poured us both a glass anyway and handed me one. “Care to explain why you have four million dollars sitting in front of your fireplace like you’re about to toss it in?”
“I’m not so far gone I’d burn money.” I brought my glass to my lips and paused. “I don’t think.”
“This have anything to do with disappearing for a month?”
“Kings business.”
“You don’t ever come back from Kings business so depressed. Actually”—he took a seat in the leather chair across from me—“I don’t think I’veeverseen you depressed. At least not since…”
I was grateful he didn’t continue that thought. Archer had been there for all the family and relationship drama in college, and it wasn’t something we ever spoke of out loud. There was no need. I was fine. Absolutely fabulous.
And now I had a nice buzz to go along with all my fabulousness.
“Okaaay,” he said when silence filled the air between us. “You called me over, I’m assuming to chat. Vent. Drink all your wine with you.”
“Mmm, yes. Drinking sounds good.”
“What did you have to do for that money, Benny?”
I swirled my glass and stared into its rich red depths. “Nothing I didn’t want to.”
