Chapter 15 – Serena
It was incredibly exciting to be at my first bougie, girly party.
I caught myself gawking at the guests, but I wasn’t as envious of their spring fashion choices as I would have been just the other month.
No, I was free. Thanks to Penelope and her post-it note, I was free to travel.
And I did so lowkey by not shopping and overdrawing my funds.
No doubt Sandro had been monitoring my cards, and I hoped he was pleased to see my shopping addiction had been severely curbed.
Who needed the latest designer bag when there were riverboat cruises, smoking mountains that looked blue in the early morning light, and forests to ramble through?
But there was something about this gathering of women that called to an intrinsic part of my soul. This was what I’d missed growing up. I wasn’t even allowed to attend baby showers of mob wives.
Now, dressed in a white dress shirt, black slacks, and matching vest with a black silk tie, I blended into the mass of caterers. So long as I stayed away from the manager, Markos assured me none of the other staff would look at me twice.
I mingled amongst the ladies, passing out flutes of bubbles—both juice and alcohol, depending on who asked.
The girls, who were clearly too young to drink, took the flutes like it was second nature.
There was a short pang in my chest to watch them drink underage.
My one and only friend used to regale me with tales of how she duped the catering staff time and time again at such events.
I always envied Annaliese and those parties.
“The office is clear. Now’s your chance,” Markos said through the earpiece.
My heartbeat doubled. This was like something on a cop TV show. Markos and his crony were in a non-descript white van down the street. The mission was simple. Blend in, wait for an opportunity, and place a listening device in the home office. Simple.
Thrilling.
Damn him, but Markos was right. I enjoyed this espionage stuff way too much.
Slipping through the crowd, I ducked past a server carrying a tray of canapés and slipped into the hallway.
The chatter of the party faded behind me as I moved quickly down the corridor, my heart hammering against my ribs.
The polished hardwood floor gleamed under the recessed lighting, and I kept to the edges to minimize any creaking.
“Third door on the right,” Markos’s voice crackled in my ear.
I paused at the threshold, glancing both ways. The coast was clear. My fingers trembled slightly as I turned the ornate brass doorknob. It opened with a soft click that seemed thunderous in the quiet hallway.
The office was everything I expected from a wealthy socialite’s home – mahogany desk, leather chair, tasteful art on the walls that probably cost more than Evangelia’s entire wardrobe. I closed the door behind me and stood still for a moment, breathing hard.
My body shook with excitement.
Drawing a deep breath into my lungs, I rushed forward and pulled the device, the size of a button, from my pocket. I peeled the backing off as I searched for a good place to hide it. The instruction from Markos’s friend had been not under the desk. But there was no lamp to hide it in the shade.
A small ink stand that likely held a decorative purpose seemed like a good choice.
It was a scorpion, poised and ready to strike.
I slid the device under the creature’s belly, rejoicing that there was just enough room there to conceal it.
Standing back, I examined my work to make sure it wasn’t visible.
“Watch out!” Markos warned. “Serena, hide!”
The panic in his voice made me freeze.
The doorknob jiggled, once—twice. And then it swung open to reveal a classically good-looking man a few years older than me. His eyes hardened as he saw me.
A small, embarrassing squeak escaped my lips.
Whatever was being said in my ear faded as the room grew smaller. Each inhale was short, and my vision tunneled to focus only on the mask of wrath staring at me.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” the man barked.
I did perhaps the most humiliating thing I could have done. I burst into tears.
Growling a string of curses in a voice that was both terrifying and authoritative, the man marched across the room and slammed the door behind him with the flourish of a battle commander.
The noise ricocheted off the walls, startling me so completely that my tears turned into sobs.
They wracked my shoulders and made it even harder to breathe.
“Sit down,” he ordered with a voice like a whip crack.
His sternness reduced me to a meek, quivering mess, but I did as I was told and slumped into the leather chair.
“You’re going to tell me who you are and who sent you,” he demanded. “And if I like your answer, you can leave.”
But his expression said otherwise. It told me there was no way out. There was a steely resolve in those eyes––a promise of dire consequences. In a desperate attempt to escape his wrath, I came up with an idea. A stupid one. More than stupid.
“He’s here,” I sobbed, letting the words tumble out. “He’s here!”
“Serena,” Markos warned.
I wished more than anything I could turn that voice off.
My entire soul was rattling inside me. I clasped my hands around my ears, but the earpiece made Markos’s voice echo even louder, and that terrible man standing above me was far too close.
I needed to focus. I needed the tears to continue.
I needed to spin this story to my advantage.
I slumped over, sliding my hands over my face. I wiped at the makeup without making it obvious that’s what I was doing. After all, there was no guarantee the bastard would fall for this.
“Who?” the man snapped, growing impatient.
“My ex,” I choked out at last. The words were punctuated with a sob. “I’m just trying to make some extra money to leave town, and he followed me!”
I waited, breath bated and heart fluttering, to see if he would take the bait.
Slowly, I peeked up. I hoped the tears melted enough foundation from my face to help sell the story.
The bruises were faint, the scrapes nearly gone.
I hadn’t needed much goop to hide them. From the way the man hissed, I knew it worked.
Where, just moments ago, his fury promised me a slow death, now his eyes almost seemed to show pity.
The man approached and crouched in front of me. “He did that to you?”
I nodded. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know where else to hide. I was going to jump out the window and make a run for it. But—but—”
I forced another sob, annoyed that my body wasn’t producing more tears on demand.
“Who is he?” This time, the voice was almost gentle.
I stared into his eyes, noticing how the steel grey orbs softened. It was working.
“It doesn’t matter, I just need to get away. I’ll miss out on the tip money, but it’s better if I leave and he doesn’t find me,” I whimpered.
Cursing, the man reached into his pocket. He pulled out a wad of cash, undid the clip, but paused.
“Would you rather I take care of him?” he suggested carefully.
Oh, good lord. It was impossible to tell if he meant that in the literal or the mob sense of the words.
I shook my head. “I just want to be free.”
“I can give you that.” Slowly, the stranger reached out and placed his hand over mine.
Markos made a noise that sounded more animal than man.
I ignored him. This was working.
“A sweet girl like you shouldn’t have to deal with that,” he insisted.
“No one should deal with that,” I countered, and then a hiccup bubbled up my throat to add a convincing element to the situation.
“You’re right.” He squeezed my fingers. “I don’t tolerate that shit. I can—and I will—put an end to it. Just give me a name.”
I squeezed his hand back. “Thanks, but he’s too public of a figure.”
Those calculating eyes narrowed. “One of the husbands of the ladies?”
I smiled sadly. “How did you know?”
He shrugged. “I have an idea who. It’s not the first time he’s done this shit.”
“Get the hell out of there!” Markos bellowed.
If I could reach into the earpiece, I would have smacked the pirate.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” The man untangled his fingers from mine and put the cash in my hand.
My heart jumped. Crap. That detail wouldn’t add up. “I had a ride.”
“Then let me get you a cab.” He rose, pulled out his phone, and began to tap on the screen. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
“Maria,” I said, giving him the truth. “My grandmother’s name.”
His smile held warmth. “Come on then, Maria.”
Unable to believe my luck, I hurried after him.
He escorted me down the hallway, keeping a respectable distance but close enough that I could smell his cologne—something expensive and subtle. And entirely wrong. As we approached the front door, a woman in a sleek blue dress intercepted us.
“Alexios, there you are! Mother’s been looking everywhere for you.” Her gaze flicked to me, eyes narrowing slightly. “Who’s this?”
“Just helping one of the staff who isn't feeling well,” he said smoothly. “Maria needs to head home early.”
The woman—clearly related to him with those same stormy grey eyes—gave me a once-over that felt like being scanned by airport security. “I see. Well, don’t be long. The toast is in fifteen minutes.”
“I won't miss it,” he assured her, guiding me past with a gentle hand at the small of my back.
Outside, the air felt warm against my tear-stained face. Alexios’s fingers tightened against my spine, stopping me in the middle of the back drive.
“Do you know who that woman was?” he pressed.
Gulping, I lowered my eyes.
Now, when I could have used some help, Markos was silent.
“Do you think she recognized me?” I diverted.
Alexios let out a harsh laugh. “No, she doesn’t know her husband’s playthings.”
He pulled me forward, holding me gently as he walked me to the service entrance. At the gate he stopped and looked down the street before turning back to me.
“Her husband works out his frustration on his girlfriends because he’s not stupid enough to lay a finger on my sister.” The words were hard, full of bitterness.
“Thank you for helping me. If I’d have known—”
“You couldn’t have,” he stopped me. Reaching up, he brushed an impossibly gentle touch over my cheek. “If...if you stay in Tampa....”
The ride share vehicle pulled up, and the driver jumped out.
“Yes?” I breathed.
“You can count on my friendship,” Alexios finished.
I thought the line went dead, but Markos snarled in my ear again.
“Thank you for this.” I patted my pocket. “I won’t forget you.”
“It’s the least I can do. I should have dealt with my brother-in-law years ago.” Alexios escorted me to the vehicle. His hands slid against my body as he helped me inside.
They felt...wrong.
“Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked.
I held Alexios’s gaze. “The bus station, please.”
If that was sadness flickering in his eyes, I couldn’t tell. “Take care of yourself, Maria.”
The door closed, and with it, a surge of guilt settled over me.
As the driver pulled away, I discreetly pulled the earpiece out.
I needed just a few minutes to gather myself.
This part of spying was something I couldn’t wrap my mind around.
I played on the heartstrings of a man, a lucky guess that the story would work, only for it to hit too close.
I played the part, only to betray his kindness.