Chapter 28 Calli
CALLI
Ipull out my phone and send Katerina a quick text.
Something came up. When you learn why, you'll understand.
My phone buzzes immediately. She's calling. I decline and shove it into my purse.
"You sure about this?" Niko asks, sliding into the passenger seat of his rented black Audi.
"If you're in the driver's seat when you pull up to the gate, they'll shoot you," I warn, pressing the start ignition button with a shaking finger.
He buckles his seatbelt and looks at me. "They might do that anyway."
"Don't say that." The words snap out harsher than I intended.
He doesn't answer, just nods and looks forward.
As I start driving, neither of us speaks. I'm taking every turn slowly, like there's a bomb in the car that will detonate with any sudden movement.
I swallow hard, staring at the road ahead. My stomach churns, and I can't tell if it's the baby or pure terror I'm trying not to let get the best of me.
I can't help but think about what Niko said. It's true. I think this could save us, but it's also true this could get him killed in front of me.
The thought sends ice through my veins, but what choice do I have? If my brothers are planning Niko's murder, they might as well know everything.
If this is the right thing to do, then why does part of me feel I'm bringing the enemy to our door? I'm asking my brothers to spare the son of our father's killer because I love him. Because I'm carrying his child.
My fear, mixed with the silence, peaks when we turn onto the private road leading to the estate and I see Niko's entire body tense. His jaw sets like he's preparing for war.
"God, what if they don't listen?" I ask before I can even think and pull over. Fear is winning right now.
Niko reaches over, taking one of my hands from the wheel. "Then I'll handle it."
"How? By getting yourself killed?"
"By doing whatever it takes to protect you and our child." His voice is steel.
I smile. "No, no, this has to work," I say out loud, trying to convince myself. "Nothing will happen to you. Not when I just found you."
Niko gives me a forced smile, knowing maybe better than I do how our world works.
"Let's go," he says. "The longer we sit here, the worse it gets for us."
I pull back onto the road, the car moving too fast toward the Kastaris estate. When we approach, two guards step forward, hands already on their weapons, bodies shifting into defensive positions.
When I roll down the window, their faces shift slightly to a more neutral state.
"Miss Kastaris."
"He's with me," I say. My voice sounds stronger than I feel. "Open the gate, please. We're here to see Ares."
The guard hesitates. "Ma'am, just need to call—"
"That won't be necessary. He knows we're coming," I lie. "Open the gate," I continue, adding just a bit more authority.
The guard nods reluctantly to a man inside the booth and the gates open.
"Well," Niko says, leaning back in his seat as I drive forward, "that went better than expected. You think they'll alert him?"
"No. If I wasn't going directly to the main house and veering off to mine, then yes."
Niko turns to look down the path that leads to my place. "How I wish that's what we were doing."
"Me too," I sigh and pull up to the main house. "Me too."
Inside, the staff greets us like any normal day.
A housekeeper smiles at me, then gives Niko a curious look.
One of the security guards nods respectfully.
Of course, they don't know who Niko is or why bringing him here could be the stupidest thing I've ever done.
They wouldn't know about the blood feud, the vengeance brewing, or the secrets we're keeping.
I lead him through the familiar hallways, past family photos and expensive art, toward Ares's office. My stomach knots tighter with every step.
When we reach the heavy oak door, it's ajar and I hear voices inside. Not just Ares, but Theo and Dimitri too.
I freeze. My heart hammers in my chest.
Maybe this was a mistake.
Maybe I should wait. Maybe I'm walking him straight into his death.
"Calli?" Niko's hand touches the small of my back.
"They're all in there," I say. "All three of them."
His eyes flick to the door, then back to me. "You want to wait?"
"No." I shake my head. "If I wait, I'll lose my nerve."
I can hear them talking business. Normal family stuff. In thirty seconds, nothing will ever be normal again.
"You ready?" he asks, voice low.
I swallow hard. Lie. "Yes."
I push open the heavy wooden door. The conversation stops instantly.
Dimitri, Theo, and Ares sit around the glass table, whiskey glasses and scattered papers between them.
All three turn when I enter.
Theo tilts his head. "Everything alright, Calli?"
I glance back at Niko, who's just out of sight. My chest feels like it's collapsing.
"Don't do anything stupid," I say, looking back at them, though I'm not sure if I'm talking to my brothers or to Niko.
I step aside, and Niko comes into the room.
The air turns lethal and I feel as if the temperature has dropped ten degrees.
Everyone is silent. Frozen.
Then.
Ares is the first to move, fury igniting in his eyes. His hand goes straight to his gun. "What the fuck is he doing here?" he asks as he points his barrel directly at Niko's chest.
Theo jumps to his feet, his chair scraping back. "You've got some fucking balls showing your face here, Petrou," he says, his own weapon appearing like magic.
Dimitri doesn't speak. He launches across the room, fists first. He lands a punch across Niko's jaw with a sickening crack.
Niko staggers back but recovers quickly.
He snarls and swings back, and suddenly they're grappling, punches flying as they crash into the edge of the table, a lamp falling to the floor and shattering.
"Dimitri, stop!" I scream.
Niko rips his weapon free, pointing it at Dimitri, who's already raised his own.
Suddenly there are guns everywhere, like a deadly standoff.
"Looks like you're outnumbered, asshole," Dimitri says with a cold laugh.
Niko doesn't flinch. "Maybe, but I'm taking you with me."
One wrong move, one trigger squeeze, and this room becomes a kill zone.
My brothers might get hurt, and they'll kill the man I love, and I'll have no one to blame but myself.
"Stop it!" I yell, shoving myself between them. My arms spread wide, shielding Niko. "Stop it now! Jesus Christ, why does everyone need a gun?!"
"Get away from him, Calli," Ares commands, his gun still aimed at Niko.
"No," I say, my voice shaking but steady. I lock eyes with each of them. "No. He's here because I asked him. Because you need to hear the truth. From him, and from me."
Ares's lip curls. "Truth?" he says, shaking his head. "Don’t be naive.”
"Let her speak, Ares." Theo's voice cuts through.
"Oh, you're on her side now?" Ares snaps.
"She's blood. Family. There are no sides to pick. We're Kastaris. We're all on the same side."
I open my mouth to explain, but Niko steps forward, his gun still raised at Dimitri.
"I had no fucking clue," he says. "If I had, I would've stopped him. I respected your father."
Dimitri scoffs. "Bullshit. He's your father. You expect us to believe you knew nothing, huh? That he planned to take down the head of the most powerful Greek family and you were in the dark?"
"He's telling the truth," I plead. "Please. Put the guns down. All of you."
I reach out and place my hand on Niko's arm.
His eyes flick to mine, and after a second, he lowers his gun. Slowly, the others follow suit, though Ares's grip is reluctant, furious.
"I'm not saying he didn't do it," Niko says through clenched teeth. "I'm saying I didn't. None of my men did. I had no part in this."
Ares kicks his chair, sending it flying, but not before it clips the table and a whiskey glass rattles and tips over, brown liquid spilling across the table.
"You expect us to swallow that? Fuck you, Niko," he says and raises his gun again, this time aiming straight at Niko's head.
"Ares, stop!" I cry, but my brother's eyes are burning.
But Niko doesn't flinch. He remains standing tall, shoulders squared, as he steps forward, closing the distance between himself and the barrel. Daring Ares to pull the trigger.
"If you're one hundred percent convinced I knew," Niko says firmly, "then pull the fucking trigger. But you'll be killing an innocent man. I'm not my father."
Ares shrugs, his face a mask of cold rage. "I can live with that."
Panic explodes in my chest. The world narrows to the barrel of that gun, to Niko's unflinching stance, to the finger tightening on the trigger.
"I'm pregnant!" The words rip out of me before I can stop them.
The silence that follows is deafening. Ares freezes. His finger hovers on the trigger. For a terrifying second, I'm sure he'll fire anyway.
Theo mutters a curse, stunned. Dimitri staggers back a step, eyes wide.
"By him," I continue, tears spilling down my cheeks. "He's the father of my child. If you kill him, you kill the father of your niece or nephew, and a part of me too."
Dimitri recovers first. "Holy shit. Are you fucking serious right now? You're pregnant? With his kid?"
"Yes." I nod as tears sting my eyes. "I had it confirmed."
"Christ, Cal," he says. "This complicates things."
Theo rubs his jaw, conflict written across his face. "It doesn't erase blood debts. But it sure as hell shifts the board."
We all turn to look at Ares. Still unmoved. His fury is undiluted, radiating from him in waves.
"I don't care if she's carrying his child. He's still the enemy. Better a Kastaris bastard than a Petrou heir."
"He didn't do anything!" I scream, my voice breaking with desperation.
Niko pulls me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me protectively. "Don't waste your breath," he says into my hair. "He'll never change his mind."
I wipe my eyes and turn back to see Theo and Dimitri trying to hide the fact that seeing me in Niko's arms is shifting something in them. Their expressions are a mixture of disbelief and something else. Hopefully, it's acceptance.
But not Ares.
Ares looks at me like I've become a stranger.
"Whatever blood debts exist," Niko says, "they're not Calli's, nor the baby's. And I know you don't believe me, but they're not mine either."
Ares scoffs. "Spare me the noble act. You expect us to just forget who you are? What name you carry?"
Niko's jaw clenches. "I'm not my father."
"You carry his fucking blood," Ares spits back. "That's enough."
The words slam into me, breaking something deep inside.
"Then you'll have to shoot through me because I won't let you hurt him," I say, my voice trembling but sure.
Finally, Dimitri snaps. "Ares, put the goddamn gun down!"
"Come on, Ares," Theo says. "It changes everything, and you know it."
Ares explodes. "No. No fucking way. He doesn't get to walk in here and buy himself time with Calli's tears. I want him dead. Now."
Theo shoots him a sharp look. "We're not executing anyone in this house. Not right now anyway. Not until we figure shit out. We at least owe Calli that much."
Ares finally lowers his gun.
He stays still for a moment, looking at me.
Ares storms toward the door, his fury a living thing. "I want him gone from under my roof. Now. And you—" He stops in front of me, his eyes cold as ice. "Don't forget who you are. You'll always be a Kastaris before you're anyone else's."
He walks out, leaving the overwhelming feeling of rage in his wake.
I grip Niko's hand, my heart racing, and pull him toward the door to leave.
Just as we're about to leave, Niko turns to face Theo and Dimitri.
"Whatever happens to me, my father won't be an easy target.
His guards have guards. He's more than likely been planning all this down to the last detail for years.
So if you come for him, know it comes with a huge amount of risk to the lives of all of you. "
Theo and Dimitri exchange a look, processing this new information.
I lead Niko out, my entire body trembling. This wasn't a victory. This was a stay of execution.
The fragile truce holding this house together could shatter at any second.
We're on borrowed time, and the true war is only just beginning.