Kalon (Take Over) (3 page)

“Kalon, you really need to keep your man in check,” Hunter stirs, trying to cause drama. Although as soon as I hear him speak
‘that name’
my fist connects with his face. I then watch as he grabs hold of his jaw.

“I told you
not
to
fucking
call me that, you
prick
,” I berate, taking a step backwards.

I notice Stefanos lowering his gun and taking a step back to stand with me.

“Okay, Krinos. I’ll be good... for now,” he says, staring directly at Stefanos.

I know he’s stirring
shit
and I have an overwhelming desire to punch him again. But I let it slide and change the subject.

“Why are we meeting here today?” I ask, looking around. I thought this deal was closed and we were good to go.

“We want more than drugs this time, Krinos. We want fire power,” Hunter explains.

I look across to Stefanos and realize he already knows what this is about.

“Well, Hunter, you’re going to have to be nice to Princess here, as she’s your only way of achieving that type of deal. And by nice I mean, if you so much as lay a hand on her, I
will fucking
kill you.”

“Well, well, look at that. Seems I need to get back on your good side, Krinos,” Hunter says, a little
too
sarcastically. He looks at me while he licks his lips. He knows when he used to do that, I would do anything for him. Although, he isn’t the one that I’d drop my dress for now.

“If you help me out, then I’ll get you your fire power,” I tell him.

He cocks an eyebrow, wondering what I’m talking about.

W
e stand there, not talking while Hunter tries to work out what I need from him. He finally gives in and asks.

“What could you possibly need, Krinos?”

“I need you to find someone. I want him found alive and brought directly to me,” I explain.

He looks at me with a slightly raised lip on one side and squinted eyes. He’s finally realizing that I’m not the same girl he once knew.

“And, what do you plan to do once we find this man?”

“That’s absolutely none of your business. If you want fire power you’ll do as I ask. No questions. Otherwise, you won’t get
shit
.” I tap my heel on the concrete to let him know he needs to hurry this up, and that I’m deadly serious.

“Okay, so, if we do this for you, you’ll get us what we need?” he asks, with a serious voice.

“I’ve answered that question already. Now, I have places to be. Rock will tell you who I want. Once I have him you’ll get what you want,” I inform him, and then turn to leave. The goons follow me back to the car. Stefanos slides into our car and once I’m inside, we speed off.

He doesn’t speak at first, just sits there and drives, not looking at me. I’m waiting for the questions I know will inevitably come. Just as we pull up at the hospital and I’m about to get out, he grabs me by the arm and holds me in my seat.

“How long ago?” he asks, looking directly into my eyes.

“Two years,” I say while trying to shrug him off, but he won’t release me.

“Why does he call you, Kalon?”

I feel a pang of regret in my chest. I didn’t think I’d have to answer that particular question.

“My father used to call my mother that. When I met Hunter my father said I look just like his Kalon.”

“Does he even know what the word means?” he growls, holding on tightly to my arm.

“Yes, Father explained it to him. It means perfect beauty, in all aspects.”

I watch for his reaction, but he doesn’t say anything at first. Then he takes a couple of deep breaths and pins me with his eyes.

“You... you are not his, Kalon. You are mine! And if he says it again, I
will
put a bullet between his eyes, Princess,” he reveals, and then slams his lips down on mine.

We make it to my father’s room without any more questions being raised regarding Hunter, to which I am relieved. I really wouldn’t know how to explain the relationship I had with Hunter to him. It’s way too complicated. As soon as we enter, I see my mother curled up on the bed with my father, fast asleep. I look at Stefanos; he places a soft kiss on my cheek and leaves the room.

I stand in the doorway, looking at my broken parents who deny each other their love and wonder if things could’ve been different. My mother opens her eyes and notices me standing there.

“Baby, I think he’s doing better,” she divulges, getting up, walking over and wrapping her arms around me. I don’t hear Stefanos re-enter, but my mother lets go of me and walks over to retrieve a coffee from his hand. She leans in and gives him a short hug.

My mother and I look a lot alike. She’s shorter than me, as I have my father’s height. I get my wavy hair from my father, but my hair and eye color are from my mother.

We all take a seat and just sit for a while. I’m sitting on Stefanos lap and he’s tracing my back with his fingers. My mother looks at us and starts to cry. I have no idea why.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” I get up and go over to give her a cuddle.

“Don’t you ever let that man go, Eliza. He loves you like your father once loved me,” she says, crying on my shoulder.

We hear a faint noise and our heads all snap around to see my father watching us. My mother cries even harder, but runs over to him and places her head on his chest. She tells him to never do that to us again. I feel absolute happiness and joy that my father is finally awake.

I feel a set of arms wrap around me. I lean back and melt into them. I reach out and give my father’s hand a squeeze while my mother pours him a drink of water.

“She’s right, you know, you can never leave me,” he whispers in my ear.

It sends shivers all over my body. He notices and kisses my neck.

We stand there and watch Father while we wait for the doctors to come in. They seem to be taking their time. My mother hasn’t stopped talking my father’s ear off, and it’s so good to see him smile at her. We decide to give them some privacy. Just as we reach the door, I hear my father’s voice.

“Will you shut up and kiss me, Kalon?”

I hear Stefanos chuckle as we walk out.

T
he doctors have come and gone, and informed us that my father is doing better than expected. I was so relieved to hear that news. My mother still won’t leave his bedside, even though he has woken up. I see the way they’ve been looking at each other and wonder where things might take them.

Stefanos and I go to my house to get changed. We are attending Roberto’s party tonight. I step out of the shower and walk through to the bedroom. I see Stefanos getting dressed, but he doesn’t notice me standing there. So, I watch and stare as the muscles in his arms contract. His back moves in such a way that his tiger tattoo shifts across his back. I’m so lost in thought and so busy staring, that I don’t even realize he’s turned around and is smirking at me.

“You know, if you keep on looking at me like that, we sure as
fuck
won’t make the party, Princess,” he states, as he does the buttons up on his white shirt.

I drop my towel to the floor and watch his eyes snap to meet mine.

“No touching now... Don’t want to be late,” I say, teasing him.

I watch as he shakes his head and finishes doing up his buttons. He walks from the room, so I don’t tempt or tease him anymore.

I’m looking through my walk-in closet, trying to find something to wear. I don’t want to wear my standard black outfit tonight. I want to wear something that Stefanos can’t keep his hands off of. I find a hot pink dress that dips down at my back and is low cut, showing off my breasts. I pull on a pair of hot pink high heels and a pink garter to match. Then I slip my knife into my garter. My hair is down and I’ve straightened my curls. I’m pretty sure Stefanos hasn’t seen me put this much effort into my look and I wonder what his reaction will be.

As I walk downstairs I hear voices that shouldn’t be there. It’s only meant to be myself, Stefanos and Rock. As I get closer to the foyer, I see Stefanos’ sister, Cassandra, sitting. She sees me first, as Stefanos has his back to me and is talking to her. I watch as she looks at me and smiles which brings Stefanos to turn around. I love the way he looks at me. It’s like no man has ever seen me like he has. Even in my darkest hours, his eyes never change the way he sees me. He’s looking at me just like that now, but this time there’s also anger and lust mixed in. I watch as he stalks toward me and I throw him a beaming smile.

“You can’t wear that. Go and change
now
,” he growls, too afraid to touch me.

Of course this only causes me to smirk at him and raise an eyebrow.

“Sorry, no can do,” I answer and tap him on the shoulder as I walk past. I get to Cassandra and give her a cuddle. When I look up, I realize Rock hasn’t taken his eyes off of her. She looks stunning in a dark blue dress, with her hair loosely tied up. I feel
his
breath on the back of my neck before I see him. He leans down, kisses my neck and we all head out the door.

On the drive to Roberto’s, Stefanos and I are in the back while Rock is driving. Cassandra is sitting next to him. Stefanos hasn’t taken his eyes off of me and his hand is holding my thigh quite tightly. He doesn’t speak a word in the car, but he continues to run his eyes all over my body.

Once we arrive at one of Roberto’s restaurants, I go to get out, but Stefanos pulls me back and turns my head to face him.

“You are not to leave my side! Do you understand me?” he informs me with a very serious voice.

I laugh and climb out of the car which only serves to piss him off. As we walk inside I realize how many people are here. I thought it was only going to be a small gathering. There are easily, one hundred people here. I spot Roberto before anyone else does and make my way over towards him with Stefanos by my side.

“Oh, my sweet girl. Don’t you look gorgeous tonight?” Roberto states and then kisses both of my cheeks. I kiss him back and then step back into Stefanos’ arms.

“I assume, Stefanos, that you won’t be leaving Krinos’ side tonight,” he says, chuckling away like he’s made some huge joke. Stefanos ignores him and grabs my waist even tighter.

“Roberto, when you have a minute I need to discuss a business deal with you,” I say.

Roberto raises an eyebrow and suggests I follow him. I turn back to Stefanos and ask him to go get us a drink. I can see he wants to argue, but he doesn’t. I turn and follow Roberto.

Once we are in a private room, I take a seat and explain what I need from him.

“You know I’ll give you as much power as you need, Krinos, though you
will
have to give me what I need as well.”

“And what exactly do you need?”

“I want a larger shipment and I want a much bigger discount.”

“I can do that, as long as the guns come at a better price. If I’m giving you a discount, Roberto, you’d better be giving me the best cut rate you can muster.”

“Of course, Krinos, of course. But may I ask who this is for? I know it’s not for any of your men, as I supply you quite heavily.”

He’s correct. We already have enough firepower for an army of men, so there is no reason for us to need anymore.

“Strictly business, Roberto, I need information and these men are going to help me get it,” I say as I go to stand up to make my way back outside.

“Don’t let revenge cloud your judgment Krinos. It never works out in the end.”

“Obviously, my revenge will work out
just
fine, Roberto. I’ve been through hell and back and I’m still here, bitch and all.”