what you bought today. We’ll pack together.”
“He is my boss, and I respect that. Besides, you know that men like him marry within their small circle. I’m not up to being a toy for a Greek tycoon. I deserve more.”
“Honey, I don’t think he’s the type of man to play with your heart.” Mary stood with the tray in her hands.
“That’s what I mean. We never know how people really are. They’re not always what they appear to be. Do you know he has a different girl on his arm every week? Women swoon over him.” Samantha raised her hand and swatted at the air. “The only woman he’s been pictured with more than twice is Zoe Markos, a long time family friend. People say their marriage has been arranged since kindergarten.”
Chuckling, Mary shook her head. “Oh, dear, do you really believe that? Do you think we live in the middle ages? Young people today don’t do arranged marriages.”
“Maybe not most, but they’re Greek. He’s sowing his oats before he settles down with the proper wife. He may be nice, but if I—no—I could never just let him use me.”
Unfortunately, he had changed from her amicable employer to the leading man in all her erotic dreams.
No, no, she’d already decided she wouldn’t think about him. Looking into Mary’s eyes, she took a deep breath. “No man will ever have such power over me again. I don’t need them anymore!”
*****
One ring…Two rings…Three.
“Hello.” A mature woman’s voice sounded in Demo’s ear.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am. I think I might have the wrong number,” he said, hoping he didn’t wake her.
“Who are you, and who are you trying to reach?”
“I am calling for Samantha. This is Demosthenis Lakis.”
There was silence on the line. Did she hang-up?
“This is Samantha’s neighbor. Could you tell me where you are, and what you had for dinner?”
He pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it. What was this? The third degree?
“Please, humor an old woman,” she insisted.
“I had souvlaki and a salad at a taverna in Greece.” He couldn’t refrain from laughing and had to ask, “Are you Nancy Drew?”
“I’m Mary. Samantha is already in bed.” The older woman chuckled. “No wonder I liked your voice. I knew you’d be a polite young man with proper manners and diction.”
“Why, thank you,” he replied, grinning at Mary’s statement. “There is no need to wake Samantha. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Mr. Lakis?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what has happened today?”
He didn’t like the infliction of her tone in the question. Something was wrong. “No, Mary. Please tell me.”
“First, one more question, sir.” Mary breathed heavy into the phone before naming her terms. “What is the nickname your brother gave Samantha?”
“My brother?” Demo rubbed his chin. What did a nickname have to do with anything? “Tony calls Samantha Little Red.”
Mary sighed. “Good.”
Satisfied he was who he claimed to be, the woman told him why she was in Samantha’s apartment and the events of the day.
“Please keep her there. She’s safe inside the building. Don’t let her leave, and I’ll send someone to pick her up. She never takes his threats seriously, and we don’t know if he means it this time. I’m glad she finally called the police.”
“I told her to do that the first time I learned about Bradley’s threats. You remember, the night when she couldn’t leave the office because he was outside. I think she stayed with you then,” Mary said in a shaky voice.
“Yes, I do. I’m arranging for someone to come over as we speak. Just don’t let her leave.”
“Okay, I’ll try to keep her home. But you know how stubborn she is.”
“Thank you. I look forward to meeting you in person. As soon as things settle down, we’ll all go to dinner.”
“Sure, sweetie. Just take care of our girl.”
“I will, ma’am.”
Chapter Five
Samantha stepped out of the shower and
“He is my boss, and I respect that. Besides, you know that men like him marry within their small circle. I’m not up to being a toy for a Greek tycoon. I deserve more.”
“Honey, I don’t think he’s the type of man to play with your heart.” Mary stood with the tray in her hands.
“That’s what I mean. We never know how people really are. They’re not always what they appear to be. Do you know he has a different girl on his arm every week? Women swoon over him.” Samantha raised her hand and swatted at the air. “The only woman he’s been pictured with more than twice is Zoe Markos, a long time family friend. People say their marriage has been arranged since kindergarten.”
Chuckling, Mary shook her head. “Oh, dear, do you really believe that? Do you think we live in the middle ages? Young people today don’t do arranged marriages.”
“Maybe not most, but they’re Greek. He’s sowing his oats before he settles down with the proper wife. He may be nice, but if I—no—I could never just let him use me.”
Unfortunately, he had changed from her amicable employer to the leading man in all her erotic dreams.
No, no, she’d already decided she wouldn’t think about him. Looking into Mary’s eyes, she took a deep breath. “No man will ever have such power over me again. I don’t need them anymore!”
*****
One ring…Two rings…Three.
“Hello.” A mature woman’s voice sounded in Demo’s ear.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am. I think I might have the wrong number,” he said, hoping he didn’t wake her.
“Who are you, and who are you trying to reach?”
“I am calling for Samantha. This is Demosthenis Lakis.”
There was silence on the line. Did she hang-up?
“This is Samantha’s neighbor. Could you tell me where you are, and what you had for dinner?”
He pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it. What was this? The third degree?
“Please, humor an old woman,” she insisted.
“I had souvlaki and a salad at a taverna in Greece.” He couldn’t refrain from laughing and had to ask, “Are you Nancy Drew?”
“I’m Mary. Samantha is already in bed.” The older woman chuckled. “No wonder I liked your voice. I knew you’d be a polite young man with proper manners and diction.”
“Why, thank you,” he replied, grinning at Mary’s statement. “There is no need to wake Samantha. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Mr. Lakis?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what has happened today?”
He didn’t like the infliction of her tone in the question. Something was wrong. “No, Mary. Please tell me.”
“First, one more question, sir.” Mary breathed heavy into the phone before naming her terms. “What is the nickname your brother gave Samantha?”
“My brother?” Demo rubbed his chin. What did a nickname have to do with anything? “Tony calls Samantha Little Red.”
Mary sighed. “Good.”
Satisfied he was who he claimed to be, the woman told him why she was in Samantha’s apartment and the events of the day.
“Please keep her there. She’s safe inside the building. Don’t let her leave, and I’ll send someone to pick her up. She never takes his threats seriously, and we don’t know if he means it this time. I’m glad she finally called the police.”
“I told her to do that the first time I learned about Bradley’s threats. You remember, the night when she couldn’t leave the office because he was outside. I think she stayed with you then,” Mary said in a shaky voice.
“Yes, I do. I’m arranging for someone to come over as we speak. Just don’t let her leave.”
“Okay, I’ll try to keep her home. But you know how stubborn she is.”
“Thank you. I look forward to meeting you in person. As soon as things settle down, we’ll all go to dinner.”
“Sure, sweetie. Just take care of our girl.”
“I will, ma’am.”
Chapter Five
Samantha stepped out of the shower and
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