Cara"Please, Cara, let me take those," Demetrios says, trying to grab the stack of dirty plates from my hands.I sidestep him and head into the kitchen. "Just doing my job, but thank you for using my name," I call back to him.He sighs, grinning, and shakes his head.I drop off the dishes, stick an order ticket in the line cook's window, and head back out front. I refill a couple mugs and stand for a moment, surveying the diner.It's half filled with Greek soldiers and half filled with locals. The place has been bustling lately. I think it has something to do with Eros—somehow, word got out that his wife spends her time in this place, and everyone's coming by to try to curry favor with the lord's woman.It's kind of nice. But mostly annoying.Toward the back, Alonzo's sitting alone, reading the paper. He's still my guard, though I don't need him as much these days. Eros purged the last of the stubborn captains from the family over the winter, and now that spring is here again, things
CaraDimitra leans forward across the table, smiling happily. Helen, Lycus, and Eros are all listening too. "He said what?" Dimitra asks."Seriously, Old Harry said he was open for business. You should've seen Ophelia's face. She called him an old pervert and everyone went nuts. Those geezers made such a ruckus, it was hilarious." I beam at my mother-in-law as she covers her mouth and laughs.She's still in all black, but these days there are splashes of color, like she's beginning to thaw from a long freeze. Tonight, a pink scarf is wrapped around her neck.When I first met Dimitra, In ever would've told her a dirty story like what happened back at the diner. But the more I've gotten to know her, the more I realize she appreciates humor, even the dirty kind."I like that girl," Dimitra says. "She needs to come around more often.""Please, Mother, don't encourage her," Eros says with a sigh. "I think Phel is going to drive me insane.""You just can't handle her teasing, brother deares
N/B: This is a different book. A standalone in the Wickedly universe.It's been months since Freya Adams died.Everyone thinks it's an accident, but Allison Adams knows better. Freya was her sister, and they were close. So, so close.When the Adams family tries to get Allison to marry Paul Debarcio in Freya's place, Allison is scared and tries to escape. Paul killed Freya, and he would kill her too, because she knows too much about his crimes.Before Allison gets a chance to escape successfully, a special guest catches her.Gregory Callahan. The most dangerous man Portland has ever produced. Even more dangerous than Paul.Gregory is handsome, rich, and connected to dark webs of money.And he's more than willing to help Allison get revenge on Paul for the death of her sister.If she becomes his bride.--------One.AllisonI'm about to marry my sister's husband.Worst of all, she'd hate this wedding.It's drab, serious, stuffy. None of it was my choice—nobody asked my opinion on anythi
Allison"You're late." Paul's voice is a low growl. He's an American, no hint of a Russian accent, though I've heard his father barely spoke any English. Only the old tongue. "Everyone is waiting.""They'll wait as long as it takes, won't they? You're the great Russian Lion, after all."Is that the hint of a smile? No, of course not, Paul Debarcio doesn't smile. He only stares. "I want you downstairs. I want you walking down that aisle. No more delay.""Are you going to drag me yourself? I bet the guests would love that. Why don't we put on a show for them?"He takes a step forward. My hands come up to my throat involuntarily, like I'm protecting myself. His voice drops lower. "Don't test me, Allison. Don't be like your sister."I open my mouth. I can't find any words. Horror rings through me, crystal clear like a frozen waterfall. I hate this man, hate him with every inch of my body, and I would do anything to kill him with my bare hands if I could.But he's a hulking brute.And he'l
AllisonEvery step feels like a thunderclap. Even barefoot, my heels discarded at the far end of the hall, it's like each step is loud enough to wake the dead.I'm shocked Paul can't hear my heart racing. It's pounding in my ear, painfully loud and fast.I reach a staircase and listen. The sounds of the wedding party murmur up toward me, but they're distant. I hear the clattering of dishes, a few shouts, a stressed conversation in Spanish.With a deep breath, I take the stairs, going as fast as I dare.It leads me into a back hallway. Straight ahead is a kitchen. Men and women dart around in black and white jackets, ferrying appetizer plates, cleaning glasses, ignoring everything but their tasks. To the left are a pair of doors, and beyond them is the party itself. I spot guests mingling nearby, older people I don't recognize.To my left is another hall.I hurry away from the party and the kitchen. The sounds recede when I turn the corner. Ahead, there's a heavy-looking door with a pu
AllisonOther guests mill about.I recognize some of them. Papa's cousin Vladimir. A business partner that worked with Papa on one of his earliest dispensary projects. A congressman I've seen on TV a few times. Criminals, gangsters, worse. Gregory leads me through the crowd, smiling and nodding, greeting people that stop to say hello. I do my best to smile through it, but inwardly I'm screaming."Shouldn't you be inside?" an older woman asks me. She's wearing so much jewelry, I'm honestly shocked she can stand under the weight. "Dear, weren't we told this was going to start soon?""Soon, Madame Pomfrey," Gregory says soothingly and pulls me on.We angle toward a bar. It's set up on the back patio. Music's playing, soft strings, background noise to the conversations. "Where are we going?" I hiss at him. "If Paul sees me—""You're with me now." Gregory glances down. "You'll be fine."I let out a startled, disbelieving laugh. What the hell is with this guy? That sort of confidence is mov
AllisonI pace back and forth in Gregory's hotel suite, staring at my phone as it explodes with calls and texts.Mostly they're from Papa. The messages were confused and plaintive at first. He begged me to come back. Said he'd make sure everything was okay, that he'd take care of me no matter what. That Paul would make a fine husband. That what happened to Freya was a tragedy, but not Paul's fault.Then his messages got ugly. I could practically read the fear. He called me everything—spoiled, ugly, a bitch, a whore—said he regretted treating me so well, only for me to betray him. He demanded my return. He said he'd kill me if I didn't.Then my cousins began calling. An uncle, some friends of Papa's that I've known for a while, even my godfather. Some tried to be kind. Some, not so much. All of them want me to go back to the Debarcio mansion and go through with my marriage to Paul.I refused to answer. Only kept pacing, back and forth, staring at the phone on the coffee table as the sc
Allison"Now you've lost your mind." I stalk away from him, trying to process what he just said. "You want to marry me? I don't even understand why you'd want something like that.""You're in a wedding dress already, which makes things easy.""That's not funny." I look down at my torn, dirt-stained clothes. "I look like a mannequin in a bombed-out Goodwill.""An extremely fuckable mannequin at least.""I didn't know you were into making love to inanimate objects.""Don't kink-shame.""Explain how marrying me is even remotely on your radar, crazy?""You're perfect. That's how.""And you're a total stranger. Also, probably insane." I turn to face him again now that there's half a room between us. "Explain to me how the hell marrying you would be better than marrying Paul, please? I might as well shove my hand in a wasp nest and wiggle it around.""For one, I didn't kill your sister, and I have no reason to hurt you.""Great, that's slightly better. That's like the bare minimum to be in