Chapter 23 – Markos #2
“You call yourselves the Twelve, and you have a place called Olympus? Isn’t that a little egotistical to compare your organization to the ancient gods?”
My little captive knew a surprising amount about our dealings. And according to Evangelia, Serena had figured it all out on her own.
But of course she did. She was a damn good spy after all.
“Life is short, why not have a little fun while we live?” I coaxed.
Serena snorted. “And what are we doing there?”
I nodded, enjoying her feigned disinterest. “My presence is required. Which means yours is too, wife.”
“I’m not arm candy, Markos.”
“No.” I uncoiled the strand of hair from my fingertip. “You’re much more dangerous than that.”
She pulled away from my touch.
I backed up, opening the door. As she passed through, I leaned down to whisper, “I know that Evangelia spilled our secrets.”
Serena faltered. “She didn’t mean to! I pried.”
Her loyalty to my cousin was admirable. But I wasn’t about to let her know how easily my cousin had gotten off.
“Did you hurt her?” Serena hissed as I locked the condo door.
Grabbing her hand, I tugged her to the elevator.
“Markos!” Serena smacked my arm, her tiny fist carrying more weight than I would have expected.
I stabbed the button, and only once we were inside did I answer. “I’m not in the habit of hurting women, prinkípissa.”
The relief going through her was tangible. I expected questions about our crime syndicate, but silence reigned supreme as we hopped into one of my other vehicles, the exotic candy apple red car in the garage, and sped into the night. In fact, the entire drive to Olympus, barely a word was spoken.
Just when I was about to explode from the strain, Serena turned to me. “So I had to dress up, but you can wear a sports hoodie?”
The rough laugh that cackled from me sent a wave of lightness through my body.
“Stay there,” I commanded, throwing the vehicle in park and hurrying to open her door. I extended my hand. “Come.”
Her brown eyes narrowed to slits. “I’m not your pet.”
Arm candy, pet—was that all she saw herself as?
I vowed then and there to prove to her that she was the true immortal, and I but a humble sailor caught in her web of charm.
Ducking under the bower of oaks, Spanish moss waving in a gentle greeting, we traveled the flagstone path to the iron gate.
The guard on duty opened it for us, and Serena’s audible gasp sent a smile to my face.
The whitewashed house was a typical two-story mansion with towering columns lining the front.
But it was the gardens out here, the trimmed hedges and lush flowers, that created the picturesque image of charm.
“Welcome to Olympus,” I murmured, enjoying watching the beauty on my arm take in the sights and smells.
The front door flew open, and the butler, whose only job was to see that this property was pristine, well stocked, and running efficiently, greeted us.
Inside was opulent to the point of decadence.
We stepped onto marble floors that gleamed like water beneath crystal chandeliers dripping with diamonds.
The entryway opened to a grand foyer with a sweeping double staircase that curved toward the second floor.
Between the staircases stood a massive statue of Zeus, his marble form imposing as he held a lightning bolt poised to strike.
“Subtle,” Serena muttered under her breath.
I bit back a smile. “Wait until you see the dining room.”
Gold-framed mirrors lined the walls, reflecting the warm light from wall sconces shaped like torches. Everywhere the eye landed, there was something to admire—Renaissance paintings in ornate frames, ancient Greek artifacts displayed in glass cases, Persian rugs so thick our footsteps were silenced.
“Is that an actual Caravaggio?” Serena paused before a painting, her eyes scanning the scene.
“You enjoy art?” I countered.
She hummed, but her answer was cut off by the boom of a voice.
“What have you done?” Draco stormed down the stairs.
Serena’s spine snapped straight.
“You know better than to bring civilians here,” Ajax added, following hot on Draco’s heels.
The moment I’d been waiting for had arrived. I clutched Serena’s hot, damp paw and faced the tribunal. “May I have the honor of introducing you to my wife?”
The men stopped short, the last few steps granting them a towering height over us.
“You married her.” It wasn’t a question, but there was a note of awe in Draco’s tone.
“Of course he did,” Ajax said smoothly. “What did you think was going to happen when he forbade us pursuing her?”
Serena shot me a side glance. “Them too?”
I squeezed her fingers. “They never stood a chance.”
“Oh?” she murmured, so softly, I barely caught the question.
“You would have eaten them alive,” I chuckled conspiratorially.
She turned her face to the side, but not before I caught the amused look playing over her features.
I thought not too long ago that a bride had to bring something to the table.
I was just beginning to see what a colossal idiot I’d been.
Serena brought more than enough, and now it was going to be a challenge to be worthy of her affection.
While guarding my cold, dead heart from being revived.
I might have broken my promise to marry for status, but I would be damned if I let myself fall for someone. It would only lead to misery and ruin. I already lived without feeling; there was no way I could bear the agony of loss again.
“Come on, the meeting can start now,” Draco said impatiently, jerking his chin toward the dining room. “She might be your wife, mate, but you know she isn’t privy to the information we discuss.”
I frowned, but Serena jumped into the conversation.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll just wander around down here or out in the garden—if that’s allowed?” She cocked her head slightly.
Draco grinned.
My grip subconsciously tightened on Serena. He didn’t get to appreciate her. Hell, I wanted to stab his eyes out for looking at her! Her hiss cut through the turbulent thoughts. Reluctantly, I let her go.
A whisp of black, she wandered away as we filed into the dining room. I threw one last look over my shoulder.
Mine. Serena was all mine.
The turn of events was a welcome change. Not what I planned, but I was beginning to hope it was for the better.
Atlas called the meeting to order, and I took a seat as the thick doors closed. One by one, various issues were discussed, but nothing was pressing enough to hold my attention.
“There was another threat,” Indigo stated, the thick silver bracelets on her arm jingling as she dropped a letter on the table.
Her statement snapped my attention. Ah, so this was the reason for the impromptu meeting.
I tried to focus as they discussed the dangerous situation. I really did try.
But soft strains of music floated under the door. The classical melody carried like a ghost from another part of the house.
When did we buy a piano?
The others spent far more time here. Those who didn’t live in town even stayed here, choosing the social aspect of our tight-knit group as opposed to the solitude of a condo. But even the idea of belonging couldn’t keep me away from the sea.
I listened to the notes as they shifted from a well-known piece to something truly haunting.
The moment Atlas dismissed us, I shot from my seat. Anatole moved to intercept me, but I brushed the computer whizz off.
“Call me,” I clipped out.
That music—I had to find it!
Already knowing who created such ethereal sounds, I prowled through the dimly lit rooms until I came to a back parlor where I stopped dead in my tracks.
The little princess could play.
No...that was putting it too simply. The goddess had the gift of music, and her fingers worked magic on the ivory and black keys. Lost in the sounds, Serena’s eyes were closed as her body swayed slightly. The piano told a mournful tale in a language I didn’t know but still understood.
Merciful heaven, what have I done? I took this beauty, kept her from her home, and bound her to my side. I would burn in the next life for that. It was time to right the wrong as best I could in this one.