Chapter 22 Calli
CALLI
The seatbelt sign dings and I stand. The first-class cabin is pretty empty, only three others with me.
I'm a little disoriented as I walk off the plane. I guess a ten-hour flight where I didn't eat or sleep will do that to you. I did finally throw up though, so there's that.
I walk down the hall and come out into the main airport area. I'm not even past the arrivals gate when a man approaches.
"Welcome home, Miss Kastaris," he says. His voice jolts me from my sleep-deprived state. He takes my suitcase. "Please follow me," he continues and starts walking. I don't know his name, but I recognize him.
We don't talk on our way home. I stare down at my phone. I haven't turned it back on since they had me turn it off for takeoff.
I'm scared.
I'm scared that there will be texts from Niko, angry, hurt ones, or worse, there won't be any at all. Either way, I can't deal with it right now.
When we pull through the main Kastaris compound gate, I expect him to veer left, to my home on the property, but he doesn't. He passes the turn and continues straight.
"Are you taking me to the main house?" I ask, my voice still rough from not speaking for so long.
"Dimitri's instructions. Sorry, ma'am. He was very specific."
A sour taste creeps into my mouth. My mind jumps straight to the worst. Do they know? Could Dimitri somehow have found out I'm pregnant while I was in the air? Maybe a doctor's office leak or... No. That's ridiculous. Nobody knows except Keira and Dr. Vina, and neither would betray me.
Still, my pulse pounds against my throat as I step out of the car in front of the main house. This wasn't how I thought it would go. I thought I'd go to my place, gather my thoughts, not walk right into it.
I take a shaky breath and start walking up the stairs.
The front door opens before I reach it. One of our security team nods and takes my bag from the driver who somehow appears behind me.
Inside, the foyer is quiet, too quiet for a house this size. I continue walking and pause, scanning the room.
And that's when I see her.
A woman I've never seen before is sitting on the sofa, her long legs crossed, her face framed by dark waves of hair. There's a shadow of a bruise on her cheekbone, and she looks like she's been through something rough.
She's not family, and she's not staff.
"Calli."
I turn to find Dimitri approaching, his expression unreadable. He hugs me.
"Glad you're home," he says, looking me over. I force a smile, hoping he can't see how brittle I feel.
"What's going on?" I ask, my eyes drifting back to the mystery woman.
Dimitri follows my gaze. "This is Athena. It's a long story. I'll fill you in later."
Athena gives me a smile and slight wave. "Hello."
"Hi." I smile back, unsure what to make of her presence.
Further ahead, Ares walks past, moving between rooms. He doesn't even glance in my direction. My chest gets tight. Ares never ignores me, even when he's deep in business mode.
"Ah, sister," Theo's voice comes from behind me. I turn to find him approaching. Of all my brothers, Theo is the hardest to read, but right now, something in his eyes makes my skin prickle.
"How was your flight?"
"Good."
"Well, listen, I'm glad you're here. It's time to bring you into the light. Tell you everything."
He motions for me to walk with him.
"Callista, we've always tried to keep you out of family business," he continues, his voice firm, "so you're not burdened, and we want to be the ones to take care of things. But this is about our father."
I nod automatically, though I'm not sure what I'm agreeing to. "Yes, of course, but I don't know what I can do to help."
He places a hand on my shoulder, steering me toward the stairs. "First thing? Go talk to Katerina. She's upstairs, third guest room. I'll explain everything to you after."
My eyes widen. With everything happening, I'd completely forgotten that Stavros is Katerina's uncle. I hadn't even thought about how she must feel. My God, how Ares must feel.
"Is she okay? Does Ares think anything?" I ask.
Theo's mouth tightens. "As well as can be expected, and no, he doesn't, but it's messing with his head a bit. He'll be fine. Now, please, I'll be up shortly."
I nod and head for the stairs, my mind spinning. What could they possibly need me for? I've never been part of their business discussions, never been asked to weigh in on family matters. My brothers have always shielded me from that world.
Until now.
The door to the third guest room is ajar. I knock softly.
"Come in," Katerina calls, her voice thick.
I find her curled on the bed. Her eyes are swollen, the skin beneath them raw from crying. When she sees me, she attempts a smile.
"Calli. You're back."
I cross the room and sit beside her. "Are you okay?"
She shakes her head, a small, jerky movement. "Not really. How much do you know?"
"Enough to know why you're in here." I shrug and rub some of the hair out of her face.
More tears start flowing. "I swear, Calli, I knew nothing about it. Nothing."
I take her hand, squeezing gently. "Of course you didn't. I don't think anyone expected this, not even Ares. He'd never do anything to you, you know that, right? He knows you wouldn't be involved."
"Are you sure?" she asks, her eyes searching mine.
"Yes," I say, but the word feels fragile, because deep down, I know what people are capable of when they think it's for family.
And I know how much can be hidden from the people you love.
And speaking of love...
I hesitate, then carefully ask, "What about Niko? Do you think he could have been involved? We just saw him a few weeks ago."
Katerina shrugs, pulling her hand away to rub her eyes and sit up.
"I guess anything's possible. But Stavros is cruel.
He does a lot without Niko knowing. I saw it firsthand when I lived there.
" She pauses, like she's deciding whether to go further.
"I've never heard him say it outright, but I've always had the impression Niko hates him.
And I could understand why, considering how Stavros treated him. Used to hit him when he was younger."
"Oh, wow, yeah, then maybe Niko doesn't know," I say, hoping Katerina will confirm my desperate attempt to exonerate Niko, but she stays quiet.
I force myself to look away for a moment. I can't let her see too much on my face. I don't want to make my interest in him too obvious. I need to switch the subject.
"So, the woman downstairs. Athena? What's her story?"
Katerina nods. "Yes. She's with Dimitri now. Was the one who took him at the wedding, if you can believe it. She planned to kill him for killing her father. But," she pauses and clears her throat, "long story short, they're in love now. She helped unlock the phone that led us to Stavros."
"Seriously?" I stare at her, stunned.
"Yeah. Lots been going on. I kept telling your brothers to loop you in, but you know how they are."
Before I can respond, a voice comes from the doorway. "Actually, that's why I'm here."
We both turn. Theo stands in the doorway, watching us with that same intense expression.
Theo steps inside, closing the door behind him. He nods toward Katerina. "She's right. It's time you know."
I straighten my back, preparing myself. "Know what?"
He sits down in a chair opposite the bed and sighs. "I don't know how much you know, either from one of us mentioning something or you overhearing, so I'll just lay it all out now."
What follows is a steady, deliberate unpacking of the last few weeks and months.
What Theo has been through. What's happened to Dimitri since the wedding.
The phone Athena unlocked, the messages, the Athenian warriors.
The chain that links them to the shooting at me and Katerina in the restaurant that nearly killed us.
The note, The sons will follow the father, that's kept Theo, Ares, and Dimitri awake more nights than they can count.
The possibility, the likelihood, that it extends to me as well.
Every new piece slots into place like bricks stacking higher.
By the time he finishes, my head is buzzing. "It's a lot," I admit. "But I'm glad to finally know. So what happens now?"
"We take them out first." Theo's tone is blunt, matter-of-fact, as if he's discussing a business transaction rather than multiple murders. "Stavros. Niko. Anyone who helped them."
My heart stops.
"You only have confirmation that Stavros was involved," I say, the words tumbling out too quickly. "Why Niko? Does he have to die too?"
Theo's eyebrows lift slightly, registering my reaction. "Yes. Even if he didn't know, he'd retaliate like we are. We can't leave loose ends, Calli. He dies too."
The room seems to tilt under me. I try to breathe, but my lungs won't cooperate.
"But you don't know he was involved," I protest, struggling to keep my voice from shaking. "Shouldn't you be sure before you—"
"I'm telling you this because you're family," Theo interrupts, standing, "not because I'm asking for your opinion. Why do you care anyway?"
I stare up at him, speechless.
"Why do I care?" I repeat the question, trying to buy more time.
Why?
Why?
"Well, I don't want you going around killing innocent people."
He nods. "Okay, I get it. It's not what you're used to being involved in. Fine. But I assure you, Niko's done some shit worth dying for. We have to protect our family, Calli."
He turns and walks toward the door.
Little does he know Niko and our future baby are family that needs protecting, too.
"Now that you're home, we're having a meeting tonight," he adds, turning the doorknob. "All of us. Eight o'clock in the study. Don't be late."
His hand lingers on the knob before he looks back at me. "In the off chance you know something you haven't told me, now's the time. After tonight, it won't matter."
I freeze, my muscles locking instantly. He nods once, then shuts the door.
The silence that follows is so heavy it feels like I've sealed myself inside my own tomb.