Chapter 31 Ares
ARES
"Come in," I call out as I look over some documents on my desk.
"Dimitri has been back in Greece for just three days and he's fucking done it," Theo says, walking in and taking a seat. "He used his persuasive tactics and got confirmation."
I straighten in my chair. "Define 'persuasive.'"
"Three dead. One dangled off a rooftop until he pissed himself." Theo smiles. "But he got the results we want."
I lean back in my chair.
"Well, what did he find?"
Theo leans forward. "The guy who pissed himself led Dimitri and our men to some guy's place twenty minutes outside of Kalamata.
A low-level enforcer for the Zervas family, apparently.
Anyway," Theo says, taking a deep breath, "he overheard the hit on our father.
Said George Zervas himself gave the kill order. "
I lean back in my chair and rub my forehead. Since the beginning, we've suspected the Zervas family, but suspicion isn't proof. Now we may finally have something concrete—a direct link between George Zervas and my father's assassination.
"I need to call Dimitri," I say, checking my watch. "Damn. It's 3 a.m. there."
"He'll be up in a few hours," Theo says. "But if what he says holds true?" he asks, though he already knows the answer.
"Then we prepare for war." The words feel heavy, yet liberating. "This has been coming for a long time."
Theo nods. "I've made preliminary arrangements. Just waiting on your word."
I look at him—my strategist, my second-in-command, my brother. I can see in his eyes the want to strike back at our enemies.
"Let me speak to Dimitri first," I say. "We move when I'm certain."
Theo nods, and then his expression shifts to something more relaxed.
"So, I've noticed you're bringing Katerina in more over the past few days," he says. "She catching on quick?"
"Very," I say. "She's actually got an interest in all this shit we do."
"Don't get mad at this, brother, but out of caution, are you sure it's wise?" Theo asks, strumming his fingers on the chair. "I mean, we keep Calli in the dark about most things."
It's a fair question—we've always sheltered our baby sister from the rougher aspects of our business. Officially, she oversees some of our above-board, legitimate ventures, but the more questionable operations remain hidden from her.
"I'm starting to regret that," I admit. "We're a family. We should operate as one."
Theo raises an eyebrow.
Seems Katerina is getting to me.
"Though Calli isn't interested in the day-to-day things like Katerina is," I continue. "But keeping her in the dark—I'm not sure anymore. Maybe our protection is actually hurting her. Making her vulnerable."
Theo ponders this, his forehead creasing. "I don't know, Ares. You, me, and Dimitri—we handle things fine."
I lean forward in my chair. "Sometimes, a woman's eyes see things we miss."
Theo laughs it off and stands, realizing he's not going to win this right now.
"Speaking of women, I'm heading to Hades. I have two women waiting for me who need to be taught a lesson." He winks, already heading for the door.
"You're fucking crazy," I call after him, shaking my head with a laugh.
"That's why you all love me," he says, laughing. "Let me know when you speak with Dimitri," he adds before disappearing out into the hallway.
I stare at the empty doorway for a moment, then pull out my phone and text Katerina.
My lovely wife, could you please come to my office.
While I wait, I go over what Theo told me. George Zervas. Could it really have been him?
The door opens, and Katerina walks in. Even in jeans and a simple black shirt, she looks amazing.
She takes one look at my face and stops.
"Everything okay?" she asks.
I gesture for her to come and sit down in the chair where Theo just was.
"Dimitri went to Greece," I say. "He found a witness who confirmed what we've suspected. The person who ordered my father's murder."
Her eyes grow wide.
"What will you do?" she asks softly.
I stand and walk around my desk, then sit in the chair next to her. "Once I verify with Dimitri, we'll move fast. They won't see us coming. I'm going to end this. Once and for all."
I reach over and grab her hand. "There's something else I've been thinking about," I say, my thumb brushing over her lower lip. "When I take those responsible down, it's going to create a vacuum in Greece. Someone will need to fill it."
She looks at me, understanding dawning in her eyes. "You'd go back to Greece?"
"Not permanently. But we'd need to establish a presence." I watch her carefully. "How would you feel about splitting our time between Chicago and Kalamata?"
Her eyes widen slightly. "You'd want me there too?"
"I want you everywhere I am," I say, surprising myself with how much I mean it. "You're my wife. My partner."
She smiles.
"I would go with you anywhere," she says, her voice sure. "But, can I ask—who are you going after?"
I take a deep breath. "I didn't want to say anything before I knew for sure, but I have no reason to think Dimitri will change his story," I say and walk over to my desk, picking up the file I've been keeping everything in.
"This is the last secret I've kept, my suspicions, my brother's investigations, our efforts to find who killed him. "
I hand Katerina the folder, watching her face as she takes it, "It's time you see who we're going after."
Katerina flips it open and glances at the image at the top—then stops cold. I see her sit up straight and tense up.
"No." She's shaking her head, her fingers trembling against the manila folder. She looks up at me, eyes wide with something I've never seen in them before. "No, Ares, no."