Divorcing Her Mafia Family
Chapter 48

Dimitra woke up alone in her bed, again. She was getting tired of him disappearing before she woke. She smiled though when she saw the text message from him. They’d had an incredible night and she had been looking forward to waking up next to him and continuing their conversations, but his message made up for it.

“Went for coffee. Be right back. Ajax has the yacht moored off the resort. Get ready to spend the entire day on the ocean where you can’t escape from me. I love you, M.” He’d sent the message thirty minutes earlier.

She jumped up from bed excitedly and got herself ready. While she was waiting for him to come collect her, she called Magda. She was surprised when Sienna answered Magda’s phone.

“Oh, my goodness! What are you doing there?” she squealed into the phone.

“Ugh,” Sienna complained, “Jonas bailed to LA. I went to visit my mother and she had a lucid five-minute spell while I was moaning and complaining like I do with her and she told me life is more than books, a doctorate and studying and if I want the guy, I should just go get the guy.”

“She did? That’s great.”

“It is but then two minutes later she was calling me by my dead aunt Rita’s name and asking me if mom was going to make us chocolate pudding for dessert again, but you know, I’ll take the five minutes of clarity over nothing.” Sienna quipped and then g*****d, “I have no idea what I’m doing, Dimi. None. I can barely talk to you three and I’m supposed to track down a mafia enforcer s***h bodyguard and convince him I love him and to forgive me and to also tell him he doesn’t get to boss me around anymore.” She huffed with annoyance, “asshat had the nerve to tell me I was not allowed to just do what I wanted even though we’ve been busted. Said if I spent eight years in the library I can continue to stay in the library while he sorts his head out.”

Dimitra giggled at her friend’s angry tone. As quiet and reserved as Sienna was, she had a temper like the rest of them. “Gosh, I missed you, Sienna. Will you still be there when I get back?”

“You’re coming back?” her question caused Darya and Magda to squeal and demand she put the phone on speaker.

“Oh my god, you’re coming back” Magda shrieked. “What happened?”

“He said he loves me,” she could feel the heat on her cheeks. “He loves me, and I believe him.”

Darya, ever the voice of reason cut in, “girl, you would believe him if he told you elephants were pink and flew. What changed? Is it the s*x?”

“No. Well, yes but no.” She argued with herself. “We’ve talked so much the last few days I’m almost hoarse with it. I mean really talked. I told him my fears, he told me his.”

“Wait he’s afraid of things?” Magda interrupted, “did you make notes, Dimi. It could be useful in the future.”

“I think I have every single word he uttered committed to memory. We’re going to spend the rest of the week here and then be back before my father gives the company to Tariq.”

“Isn’t this a bit fortuitous for him?”

“It was my idea,” she corrected Sienna. “I want to come home. I miss you girls so much already and I want to be there while you’re going through what you’re going through. Mags, Ares, and Darya taking down Kostas and now you with Jonas. You’re my family. The few days away has taught me I can’t be isolated forever from you. I’m simply not strong enough to be without you.”

“Are you saying you agreed to stay married because you miss us?”

“No. I’m saying I’m coming home because I miss you. I’m staying married because I love him. I’ve always loved him. He wants us to get married again and renew our vows.” She paused, “he wants us to have matching wedding bands.”

“He’s going to wear a wedding ring?”

“Said he wants something screaming property of Dimitra Lykiaos Laskaris.”

“No way,” Darya squealed excitedly. “It’s so romantic. He is good with the romantic gestures you know.”

“He is. Last night he took me to dinner and a show and then after we walked on the beach and then laid there and watched the stars and talked until one in the morning.”

“Talked huh?” Magda wasn’t buying it.

“Maybe,” she giggled, “but then we came back to my room and practiced baby making, as he calls it.”

“Speaking of, do you have to get the IUD out?”

“Nope. I told him I wasn’t ready. I want a year. He agreed.”

“He agreed?” Sienna was stunned, “didn’t he tell you last week to get it out?”

“Yup,” Dimitra was smug. “Seems I drive a hard bargain and he doesn’t want to lose me so he’s compromising on a lot of things.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Darya said happily.

“Thanks.”

“You know who won’t be happy?” Magda grunted.

“No, who?”

“Ben. He’s called like eight times since Friday. What is his deal?”

“He messaged me yesterday asking me to call him so we could talk, and I avoided it. I’ve told him more than once I wasn’t going back and he acts like I don’t know my own mind.”

“You did once tell him you loved him.” Sienna offered as explanation.

“But I don’t now. I won’t diminish the feelings I once had for him because I know how I feel for Miklos now, but people come and go out of your life for a reason. He was in my life to remind me I had goals and dreams, and I wasn’t going to settle. I don’t have to settle for anything with anyone else when I can have everything, I want with who I want it. I don’t love him anymore, and he needs to move on. I told Miklos last night during our negotiation rounds, I’d call him today and set him straight but considering I’ve set him straight twenty times in the last two years, I’m not sure how much good it will do.”

“He’ll figure it out anyway when you’re happily moved back into the compound.”

“Miklos is commissioning for us to get a new bed made by the guy who made the other one.” .She wasn’t sure where the thought came from but it spilled nervously to change the subject.

“Did you tell him we didn’t actually burn his bed?”

“I did. I confessed it and he said he wants one only we have ever slept in.”

“Aw,” Darya gushed. “Magda is making faces but it’s because Ares called her this morning and asked her to meet for coffee. She told him no.”

“Wait, is it the first time he’s reached out since Friday night?”

“Yes,” Magda cursed furiously. “It’s Monday for crying out loud. Three days! If I meet him for coffee, I’m likely to dump it over his oversized d**k.”

“Is it really oversized?” Dimi teased.

“Ugh, I don’t want to remember it. I just want to forget him and move on.” She g*****d loudly, “when are you coming home again? I might need Miklos to let us party in his club and get my drink on and dance with lots of men and forget Ares and his naked stalker.”

“Friday. We’re taking the rest of this week to just spend time alone because we know once we’re back, Pops is going to be pushing for me to jump into the family work. Miklos promised me I don’t have to do anything other than office stuff and computer stuff. I’m not required to step foot in a warehouse again if I don’t want.”

“Jesus, he’s pulling out all the stops, isn’t he?”

“He is. I told him I was worried about my father pushing my kids to do things I don’t want, and he said he would make it clear Vasili is the grandfather not the parent and all parenting decisions were ours and ours alone.”

“No way!” Sienna squeaked, “are you sure you don’t have his doppelganger there?”

“It’s definitely him,” she sighed happily and then frowned, “it’s weird though. He said he’d be back soon to take me on the yacht for the day and he’s not here yet.”

“Well, where is he?”

“He went for coffee, but it was quite a while ago,” she made a face. “More than an hour, now actually.”

“Maybe he met with Ajax to get the keys to the boat. Do yachts need keys?” Magda asked curiously

“You’re asking the wrong person. Our family does a lot of sailing, but I wasn’t usually allowed on the yachts. Pretty sure when my dad is on a yacht, he’s got multiple girls on the go at the same time. I was never invited on the party boat.”

“Your father is nasty.”

“My father is nasty,” she agreed. “Did I tell you my mom told me she’s asexual?”

“What?” Darya made gagging noises. “Why did you tell us this?”

“She said it was why my dad sleeps around. She said she doesn’t care he takes lovers since she hasn’t put out since I was small.”

“I didn’t need to know,” Magda choked loudly.

Dimi walked out to her balcony and stared down the beach to see if she could see Miklos but there was no sign of him. “It’s really weird, he’s not back yet.” She turned her head and noted the seabird. “My seagull friend is here though. I should go see if I have food for him.”

“You have a seagull friend,” Sienna asked.

She took a photo of him and sent it as she moved back to her fridge to replace food for the scavenger to eat. She told the girls the story of how she’d been sabotaging Miklos’ balcony and they were roaring and then videoed her feeding the birds a bunch of bread on the balcony.

“Are you always going to prank him?” Sienna questioned with a giggle.

“Yup. He’s late so he’s going to get punished. Yesterday I stole all his underwear. I might have to come up with a doozy. He can’t be late on our first full day as a married couple. Geesh.”

“Get him good,” Sienna chuckled. “What will you do?”

“You could just fly back home now,” Magda offered. “Make him chase you home.”

“Nah, I want a couple of days to torment him alone. I stole one of his sandals the other day and he hasn’t said a word about it. Maybe I’ll sneak into his rooms and steal all his Hawaiian shirts this time.”

“He wears Hawaiian shirts?” Darya’s tone was pure disgust. “Like old man Hawaiian shirts?”

“Exactly except he doesn’t button them. He parades around with his hundred-pack abs and chest hair and the gold cross on his chest and damned if he doesn’t look smoking hot doing it. It’s absolutely unfair. If I tried to play stereotypical tourist, I’d look foolish. He does it and the women are ogling him.”

“Well since you two are on good terms now,” Sienna posed her favor, “what are the chances you can get me an inside scoop on the location of a certain bodyguard who disappeared and won’t answer my messages? I just need to know one way or the other. I’m not begging a man to be with me, but he asked for time, and I said I’d give him time, but it’s been a week of radio silence and it’s bordering rude.”

“I’ll replace out but maybe you should make him work for it.” Dimi offered. “We’ll go to the club Friday night when I’m back. We can get wasted and plot a bunch of crazy shit.”

“I’m down. I’m going to simply lay on the beach, soak up some rays, and take a breather until then.”

“Who is watching your mom while you’re here?”

“Well …” she drawled out, “I had a job offer. I’m not just here for Jonas. I had an offer to work at the university teaching Anthropology. I miss you guys. It’s been three years of just me and Jonas and mom and frankly mom is getting worse, Jonas is hit or miss right now, and I don’t want to be alone. I need to be where you are. I’ll be making six figures. The nursing home mom is in is a nationally owned company and they have a home here. They agreed I can transfer the money you all paid for her care to bring her here. I talked with her doctor, and he said she probably wouldn’t even notice the change. I’m worried about the flight though,”

“Don’t worry about the flight. My family has a private jet. We can make sure she has a nurse with you for the flight to handle anything so if she needs to be medicated or what-not then it can happen.” Dimitra cut her off. “You’re really moving to the west coast?”

“Moving back to Maine just isn’t in my heart. I have nobody there. I’ve been thinking of it for over a year, but the money you guys sent to help with mom and the job offer and if I’m truthful Miklos busting our asses, all have cemented my plans. I’m moving west.”

“Yay!” Dimitra jumped up and down. “Damn I can’t wait to come home. Well, I can because I still have three full days and nights alone with Miklos, but he said we’ll take the yacht back. He’ll have his crew start us back on Thursday night and we’ll be there by morning Friday.” She looked at the time on her phone. “He’s really late now though. I’m starting to get worried.”

“He’s not been late before?”

“If he has an appointment at nine, he shows up at nine. We had dinner with his parents last week and he was late because I blew up the garage and part of the thrill of my prank was knowing it would make him late and he would be itchy from it.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably trying to replace the best things to wine and dine you on the big bad boat,” Darya offered. “Fancy wines and cheese.”

“Maybe,” she wasn’t convinced. Something felt off.

A knock on her door made her panic and she asked the girls to hold on for a moment. She pulled it open to reveal Theresa. “Hi Theresa.”

“Hello Elektra,” the woman smiled widely. “I saw Draco about two hours ago in the city center and he said he’d been having quite a bit of trouble with birds making a mess on his balcony, so I said I’d come check it out but,” she made a face, “I went into his room and,” she paused, “I wondered if you heard anything?”

“No,” she blinked at the woman. “I was asleep until about an hour and a half ago and it’s been quiet since though, I was in the shower and then I was out here talking to my girlfriends on the phone,” she pointed to her phone. “Excuse me a minute.”

She picked up her phone, “hey my pretties, I need to go. Something is wrong in Miklos room,” she whispered.

“Call us back.” Magda ordered before hanging up.

She followed Theresa into the other room and Dimi covered her mouth in shock. It looked like it had been tossed but if she were honest there wasn’t much in the room to say he had even been there. He was so meticulous with his cleanliness. The only give away really was the way the sofa cushions were askew, and his suitcase torn apart, as if a knife had been run through the fabric underlay and all the cupboard doors and closet doors were open. “He messaged me to say he was gone for coffee, and I was sleeping then. Whoever it was must have waited for him to leave his room.” Dimi looked around the rooms and felt a tremor of unease.

“Do you think he’s okay?”

“He’s fine, I’m sure of it, Theresa. I’ve known him my whole life.”

“Wait? What?”

Dimitra giggled at Theresa’s surprise, “he didn’t tell you?”

“No, tell me what?”

“We’re married. I tried to leave. He followed. I knew he would.” She admitted to the woman. “I like the chase and so does he. He’s slept in my room the last two nights.”

“Oh, how wonderful. You’ve worked out your differences then?”

“Yes. Frequently, he gets so wrapped up in his work he becomes a different man. He simply needed me to be reminded of the man I know and love.” She looked around the room one last time. “I know he has a friend delivering something today so I’m going to go look for him. We take annual vacations apart; he goes with the guys, and I go with the girls. He always comes here but I’ve never once asked where he stays.” She was lying through her teeth, but she had no choice. She needed information. She was suddenly a full blown Lykiaos.

“You’re very trusting.”

“Not really, no,” she chuckled, “but if I knew where he was staying, I’d be checking on him so better I don’t know. However, his friend was meeting him there. Did he happen to mention the name of the resort he usually stays when he booked here with you?”

Theresa named the high-end resort where she’d gone to meet Trip for dinner.

“I know where it is. I’m going to go replace his friend and he can help me pin my wayward husband down. He’s probably on the hunt for a surprise for me and lost track of time but he should be made aware a stranger was looking through his room.”

“Are you safe in your room?” Theresa asked suddenly. “If whoever was in here knows you’re married?”

“Nobody would know,” she shrugged. “Even if they try, I can take care of myself.”

She escorted the woman out of the room and made her way back to her own. She quickly did a check of her rooms to make sure nobody snuck in while she’d been in with Theresa and Theresa was blinking at how briskly she conducted her search. “Once a mob enforcer,” Dimi thought to herself dryly. She asked Theresa to wait outside and then carefully hid her laptop and equipment.

She used her phone to call for a taxi. “I’ll go to the resort and replace his friend who is likely waiting on us. Theresa, do you know any of the locals who might want to make a couple hundred American dollars? I just want them to watch the rooms and take photos of anyone who goes in or out of them. I don’t want them to approach anyone, just use their phones to take photos.”

“I’ll replace a couple of the older teenagers in town. They’ll do anything for a dollar.”

“Excellent. Please make sure nobody tries to stop anyone though. I don’t want a kid hurt. If this is a person who knows my husband through business, it could be a patron who is angry with him. I don’t want anyone hurt in the crossfire.”

“What kind of work does your husband do, Elektra?” Theresa was wide-eyed now.

“He runs nightclubs and resorts and it’s a pretty exclusive place and people get insulted if they can’t get in but also, he’s had a few attempts at hostile takeovers lately and people can be cutthroat.” She motioned to her, “you have my phone number. If the boys get photos, have them text them to me.”

No sooner had she uttered the words, than a text showed up on her phone. A number she didn’t recognize, and it was a photo of Miklos hugging a woman. The caption under it made her furious.

Once a cheater.

She looked to the woman standing in front of her and shook her head. Maybe this wasn’t about Miklos after all. She locked her room up behind her and followed Theresa out to the gated entrance and waited for her taxi. She gave a sad wave at the woman who appeared quite concerned and asked the taxi to take her to the resort. Something wasn’t right. She needed to replace Ajax and soon.