Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
“Except when they send us angry and threatening text messages. Or they make these ugly passive-aggressive comments on social media.” Athena flopped back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. “So the hate for both of us is very real. But if they think they’re inheriting one fucking cent from me if I die, they’re in for a big surprise. I’ve had my will done for three years. Everything I own goes to Izzie or charity. Everything!”
Anger simmered inside of Isidore, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt for Athena. She shouldn’t have been surrounded by a family who was covetous of what she had. They should have been there for her when she was suddenly orphaned. They were supposed to be one big, supportive family, but they only ever wanted what Isidore and Athena had.
“Isidore?” Charlie prompted.
He nodded once. “It’s the same for me. We both had our wills drawn up after the court case was thrown out. We were both so angry at the time and grieving for our parents. Everything goes to Athena or charity. The conglomerate is more complicated, but I’ve made sure it stays out of the hands of the Panopoulos family. I have no doubt that both sides of the family know of the contents of our wills.”
“Which means it makes all the more sense for one or more of them to pursue this kidnapping scheme,” Kairo stated. His fingers continued to knead Isidore’s neck as he talked, helping to get rid of the tension trying to settle there. “Killing you outright gets them nothing. Stealing that encryption token could get them a lot of money in the long run and destroy the company out of spite.”
The room was silent for a moment only to be broken by loud, boisterous laughter from Alexei. The young man with the bright-blond hair and lush red lips rocked back in his chair, laughing. Everyone stopped and stared at him. Isidore was completely confused. This was funny?
Alexei slapped one hand on the table and pointed the other at Isidore and Athena. “We are forming a club!” he shouted when he could catch his breath.
“Wh-what?” Isidore stammered. Was there a lapse in his English? This didn’t make sense to him.
“Yes. We’ll form a club of people whose families wanted to kill them. My grandfather wanted to kill me and my uncle. Your family wants to kill you. We’ll have our own little clique. It’ll be great.”
Isidore was speechless. Was there anything he could say to that?
“Does he still want you dead?” Athena inquired, proving her brain was working better than his.
“Nah.” Isidore’s heart had just begun to climb down out of his throat when Alexei continued. “Uncle Gabriel killed him years ago. Along with several of my uncles and cousins.”
“Wow,” Westin breathed. “Is everything that comes out of your mouth inappropriate?”
With a wide grin, Alexei held up his hand flat toward the sniper and wobbled it from side to side. “It’s about eighty-twenty.”
“Isidore?” Kairo started, tearing his attention from the lipsticked chaos that was Alexei. “I’m sorry, but how many people are we talking?”
“Counting my cousins…twenty-three immediate family members. They would probably be your best place to begin your research,” Isidore admitted softly.
Kairo wrapped him up in a tight embrace, pressing Isidore’s head against his chest so that he could hear Kairo’s racing heart under his ear. One kiss after another was pressed to the top of his head while the man murmured reassurances. At the same time, Athena’s hands grabbed his right one again, squeezing tight.
“Alexei has got people working on researching Vanko and trying to track his possible whereabouts,” Charlie announced. “Kairo will lead the digging into this list of candidates. We’ll support him any way we can. If there’s someone in your inner circle who has betrayed you, we will find them and stop them.”
Isidore squeezed his eyes shut as they burned with unshed tears while a lump formed in his throat. All he could do was nod at Charlie.
For the first time since the death of his parents, he didn’t feel like he and Athena were in this alone.
13
KAIRO JONES
“Tell me again why you’re here instead of West?” Ed demanded while he searched for a good place to stash the rental car.
Kairo narrowed his gaze on his friend. He got it, though. When the teams were made, Ed was usually paired with their sniper. “West would shoot him in the head and call it quits. He doesn’t specialize in getting answers.”
Parked cars crowded the old narrow streets in Delphi, as tourists wandered the city and grabbed food following their visit to the Delphi ruins. This was already going to be complicated as hell. The shit parking situation wasn’t helping.
“And here I thought you wanted Vanko dead,” Ed teased.
His friend wasn’t wrong. He wanted to see Vanko die after laying his hands on Isidore. More so now that he’d gotten the chance to know him better.