Chapter 20
Her lip trembled when Nikos pulled her to him. She clutched his shirt, and the tears spilled over. Every ounce of him rebelled against being separated from her. It was a good plan, but he hated it. He would be waiting at that courthouse in two weeks. If Emma wasn’t there, Jack Bennett and Malachi DeLaney were both dead men.
Nikos felt the moment that she drew into herself and away from him. His heart squeezed painfully at her withdrawal. He tipped her chin up and kissed her with all of his passion and love. She responded instantly. Only the barest thread of control reminded him they were in a café in the middle of the village. He couldn’t lay her down and make love to her right then and there. He desperately wanted to share that with her one more time. Instead, he stepped away.
“I’m going to wash my face,” she said, turning away from him and wiping at her face. She needed some distance from him for a moment if she was ever going to summon the strength to leave.
Nikos gave her a sad smile and cupped her face with his hand. Tenderly, he ran his thumb over her lower lip. “I’ll be waiting outside.”
Emma forced her feet to turn away from him and walk down the dimly lit hallway to the washroom. Tears blurred her vision again, and she pushed blindly through the door.
The cold water felt good on her face. She took breath after breath and tried to convince herself that it was all going to be alright. Her mind was telling her to get moving, but her heart was falling piece by piece apart around her. Hearts only slow you down, she thought. The last year had taught her that. She glanced at the woman in the mirror and watched her eyes harden. There would be time for loving and living once this thing was done.
Emma never saw the man slide from the shadows at the far end of the hallway. She almost made it to the dining area before the large hand clamped over her mouth, and she was jerked bodily back down the hall. She struggled wildly, scratching at the hand over her mouth and dropping her weight against her assailant’s grip. He pulled her backward with no indication that her struggles were the least bit effective.
She tried to think of where he was taking her. There was no exit behind them. He wasn’t taking her anywhere. He’s going to kill me and leave me in the hallway. He could exit out the deserted kitchen and be melting into the crowd before they even think to come look for her.
Emma redoubled her efforts. She kicked behind her and managed to land a blow to his knee. It slowed him down, but he pulled her inexorably back. She tried to bite, but he pulled her head back with such ferocity, she couldn’t get her mouth open against the force. She sank her nails into his hand and forearm, but his grip remained an immovable vice. Hysteria started to rise, and she fought even more wildly.
Distantly, she heard the little bell jingle. Her attacker heard it too. He stopped. They were only about halfway down the hallway. Emma fought with renewed vigor. She just had to make a noise, anything to draw attention.
“Uncle Malachi sends his love.” The voice was harsh and gravelly. She knew it instantly. It had long stalked her nightmares. “If you come home, you and your family are dead.”
Nikos stood inside the door of the cafe. Emma was taking too long. He heard something at the back of the dining area and looked to see a large man with dark hair and cowboy boots barrel out of the hallway. He turned sharply and sprinted through the kitchen door.
“Emma!” Nikos shouted as he ran for the hallway. His shout brought Jack through the door. “Out back, through the kitchen. A man with boots.” Nikos yelled the words without turning around as he plunged down the hallway.
She lay in a heap in the dim light just on the edge of the dark shadowy end of the hall. She didn’t move as Nikos flung himself down at her side. He pulled her into his arms and brushed the hair away from her face. She had blood trickling down her temple, and she moaned when he moved her.
“Emma, come on, baby. Wake up,” he coaxed. Her eyes opened, and she started to fight against him. “Easy, baby. It’s me. He’s gone.” Nikos held her tightly despite her struggles. Her eyes registered her understanding, and she threw her arms around him, clinging tightly to him. He stood, cradling her to his chest as he heard footsteps coming back.
“I couldn’t catch him,” Jack panted, “but we need to leave- now. Disappearing is going to be harder than I thought.”
Emma pushed against Nikos’ chest. “Put me down. I’m alright.” Nikos didn’t look like he believed her but sat her on her feet. She told them about the threat. “I don’t think they are going to do anything else today.”
“It doesn’t change anything,” Jack said and started for the door.
“Yes, it does,” Nikos challenged. “She isn’t going anywhere without me. I know a place we can go where no one can find us.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Malachi DeLaney has a long reach. There’s nowhere you can go that he can’t get to you.”
“He cannot get to us where we are going,” Nikos stated with utter certainty.
“Why? What makes you so sure?” Nikos didn’t intimidate Jack, and he wasn’t going to let Emma be put in further danger by his overconfidence.
“It is a remote island in the Greek Isles with only one way in and out by boat. I happen to own it. We will be safe there until we can get a plan together to go to the states.”
Emma raised her eyebrows. “You own an island,” she asked incredulously.
Nikos gave her a tired smile. “Indeed, I do. I bought it many years ago to impress-,” he caught himself before he admitted he had bought it for Cassandra. “It was a folly of youth, but over the years it has come to be something more.”
“What do you mean,” Emma asked.
“I mean that I once used it when I needed to escape from the world after my parents died.” Emma threaded her fingers through his and squeezed.
“It sounds perfect,” she said as they started for the exit.
Jack shrugged. “Sounds like a good place to regroup. What’s the name of the island?”
Nikos paused. He looked down at Emma and held her eyes as he said, “Haven.”