Chapter Fourteen #2
The man nodded and moved into the large seat opposite Zervou’s desk. He didn’t look around in a blatant stare, but Zervou caught the considering gaze of the gold sconces, the antique tapestries. He was definitely taking stock of the wealth.
Zervou couldn’t be offended by it. That was the point of a place like this, was it not?
“It is the talk of the sporting world here in Corfu that your upcoming stadium will be quite the entertainment hub for sport.”
“That is the plan.”
“Boxing is popular. It could be more popular, with the right business acumen behind it. I’ve never been successful in that department. I understand boxing. I do not understand selling boxing to the public.”
It was a smart man who knew his own weaknesses. “And I land on quite the opposite end of the spectrum. Though I try to understand any sporting event my stadium will hold, selling entertainment is my job.”
“And you are the best at it in Europe it seems. Which is why I’ve come to you. Boxing should be a consideration for your stadium, Mr. Kritikos. And I have enough boxers, enough pull with other gyms around Greece, I could certainly outfit you with fights.”
Zervou made a considering noise. He liked this man’s direct nature. There were not nerves in this man. Maybe some awe, but not nerves.
“I’m sure you could, Mr. Demo, but my concern is…would enough people buy tickets to see these fights?”
“With the right boxer, I think they would.”
“And you know the right boxer?”
Mr. Demo smiled. “We both do. It is part of why I was emboldened enough to come to you. Ari is our most talented boxer. And, as you no doubt can tell, our most…marketable. She is quite beautiful.”
Zervou’s hand tensed into a fist. Beautiful ought to be the last thing this man should be noticing about her. “I beg your pardon.”
Mr. Demo held up his hands. “No disrespect. No personal interest in that way. I say so only from a business perspective. She looks good on a poster. People are intrigued to watch a beautiful woman participate in such a brutal sport. It has always been the case for her, but without backing, without international fights, I have not been able to maximize the opportunity. Her connection with you? I think could.”
Zervou couldn’t say he was placated, exactly.
He should be. The man was speaking from a business standpoint.
Zervou still did not care for it. And yet, he understood.
She would be a draw. He’d done enough research on her before to know that she had been of interest to the greater public, but there was always something that held her back from the larger fights. The bigger stage.
It occurred to him now that Mr. Demo had mentioned international fights that likely her mother had been that obstacle. And perhaps funding. The boxing gym had certainly helped her, but it clearly didn’t do enough business to really make her a star in their world.
So, her boss had come here to ask for his financial backing.
Zervou could respect it. A man did not build himself into a billionaire without being brave enough to ask for things he had no right to ask for.
“You would like to have a fight, starring Ari, at my stadium when it is done. That is what you’re asking.”
The man beamed at him. “Exactly. As a start. And I know a way to make such a fight draw even more ticket sales. Before your stadium’s projected opening date, there is a fight in Minsk.
The past few years, I’ve wanted to get Ari in, but we’ve never had the funds, and she’s always been opposed to travel.
But here she has been traveling with you, and you have the funds. ”
“Indeed, I do.” Zervou leaned back in his chair. A fight in Minsk. A fight in his stadium once it was done. With his money and connections, and what he was learning about the sport area of entertainment, he could no doubt turn Ari into a star.
Was that what she wanted? He knew she wanted to succeed, but he didn’t know if she wanted to be recognizable. If she wanted to be the face of something. It was a good face, though.
He’d discuss it with her tonight. Determine where a wedding would fit in. Tonight, they would discuss the future…and toast to doing it together.
“Ari did not wish to cross this line,” Mr. Demo continued. “But I feel with an engagement, there is no real line left. Is there?”
For a moment, Zervou felt suspended in time.
Ari did not wish to cross this line.
He blinked at the man, whom he assumed had come behind Ari’s back. Not because she didn’t want him to, but because she didn’t know.
She’d known.
She’d…refused.
Fury, white hot, scorched through him. Betrayal. This simple thing he could have done, and she had refused.
Everyone always refused.
Mr. Demo eyed him warily. Perhaps Zervou looked capable of murder in the moment. He certainly felt a kind of anger that had only ever gripped him when it came to Erjon Hyseni.
How ironic his daughter should have the same effect.
She’d known.
He did not let his temper loose in front of this man. This stranger. He would not let his temper loose, period. Because what did temper matter? Only plans did, and he’d let his become derailed.
No more.
“I’m intrigued, Mr. Demo,” he said, trying not to clench his jaw as he spoke. “I will take all of this information into consideration. I will let you know about my decision regarding the stadium.”
“And what of sponsoring Ari for the fight in Minsk? Surely that does not require discussion with anyone.”
What of it, indeed. Zervou tapped his fingers on his desk and studied the man in front of him. Then he stood, a clear sign of dismissal. “I will let you know when I have reached my decision, Mr. Demo. And not a moment before.”
He hunched in the chair a bit at Zervou’s icy tone but then nodded and pushed himself to his feet. “Of course. She’ll win, you know. Talented girl. She’ll win. It’ll be a good fight for her. For us. For you, should you decide to sponsor her.”
Zervou had no doubt all of that was true.
But Ari did not want his sponsorship. She did not want to fight in his stadium. She did not want what he could offer. Not fully. She was refusing the world on his dime, and it was worse than if she’d rejected him outright this morning. No, she’d refused his help behind his back.
And that was all he needed to know.
Ari had enjoyed the day. Her classes had gone well, her training better. She was in a pleasant mood as she slid into the car Bacchus drove after a long day.
She opened the little safe she kept her ring in and slid it on her finger. She liked the weight of it. The look of it.
Married.
She still couldn’t quite get over the way Zervou had brought that up. Not lightly. There’d been an intensity to him this morning.
Ari knew better than to hope. She knew better than to believe in something that clearly was too good to be true. Maybe Zervou was letting her think there was more to this than there was or maybe he even felt this too. Maybe, in the moment, he was serious.
But it wouldn’t last. Enjoyment was hardly the same thing as love.
She swallowed at the little lump that formed in her throat.
That was all right, though. Nothing had changed really.
Maybe her feelings, but in the end, this was just another enjoy what she could while she could moment.
Always knowing that on the other side of it she would be going back to the way her life had been.
Nothing was permanent. She was in charge of herself.
Even if he wanted to get married.
She squeezed her left hand. Enjoy the moment as it was given. Take some luxury. If it made it harder to do without later on, so be it.
It would be hard no matter what, to lose him from her life.
So quickly he’d become an anchor to it. A safe place.
He wanted to give her the world, and she could not trust it…
but she wanted to. Moreso after yesterday.
Comforting him when he had been hurting had meant something to her.
She could give him something, just as he gave her so much.
A risk? Yes. So be it if it meant, for a little while, she might be his wife.
The thought filled her with a longing she didn’t quite know what to do with.
She got out of the car when Bacchus pulled up in front of the house. She walked inside. Like this was hers. Like she belonged. Zervou had made it feel that way.
“Mr. Kritikos would like to see you in his office,” Bacchus told her as he came up behind her.
She frowned a little at that. His office? Odd. Still she dumped her bag and went to find him. Usually when she returned from the gym, he was ready for whatever public appearance they had that night. Tonight was supposed to be some charity gala, if she recalled.
She had a beautiful dress all laid out and was looking forward to another delicious meal she didn’t have to cook herself.
But when she arrived at his office, the door was closed. She hesitated for a moment. Something seemed…strange. She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. Still, when she reached out for the doorknob, she couldn’t quite get herself to turn and push the door open.
She knocked instead.
After a moment, she heard Zervou’s voice rumble from behind the door to come in.
Because you’re being ridiculous. She wiped damp palms against her sweatpants and chided herself on already looking for problems where they didn’t exist.
When she stepped inside, he sat behind his desk. He was dressed exactly as he’d been when she’d left, and when she entered there was no smile. No greeting.
He looked her up and down. There was no heat there. No emotion at all, really. Just a cold kind of calculation.
Something was very wrong, and that was not in her imagination at all.
She did not recognize this expression. She would have said it reminded her of when they first met, except she could see beyond that arrogant mask to the lick of fury.
He was angry about something, even if he hid it well.