“Dino—” he started to say, but Dino was halting at the curb outside the Pagonis International building, the citadel Leander had spent half a lifetime plotting to conquer.
How had he thought crushing someone would fill the void inside him? Ilona filled that void. Love did.
“Sir—” Androu was looking toward the building.
“Find out if she’s on Paxos,” he told Androu without moving. “Ready the helicopter if she is.”
“She’s, um, here.” Androu pushed from the vehicle and pointed. “I can see her through the window, looking at us.” He lifted his hand in a wave.
Leander thrust himself from the car, heart following a second later and crashing into its place inside his chest, then filling his throat with a hammering pulse.
There she was, standing at the lobby window, solemn as she looked at him. Her hair was gathered in a single dark line against the front of her fitted navy blue dress. Always so beautiful and patient.
Patient enough to wait for a man who hadn’t seen what he had? Was he too late to tell her how he felt?
Her expression didn’t change as he strode into the building, but she turned to face him as he approached her.
“You’re here.” He opened his hands, wanting to grab her close. Wanting to hold her. Claim her. He wanted to kneel and beg her to never leave him again.
Her grave expression held him off. Her words about a blood feud were still ringing in his head.
“You don’t have to be,” he told her. “We don’t have to be here. We can go anywhere.”
Her eyes flared wider briefly before she said, “No. This is important. To both of us.”
“You are important to me.” He stepped forward and caught her cold hands. “I was going to come find you. Were you on Paxos?”
“I was, but—” Her face flexed with conflict, then her expression darkened as she looked past him.
Leander looked over his shoulder in time to see Midas pause as he spotted them. His face twisted and he continued on into the elevators.
Leander closed his hand more securely over Ilona’s and felt her nails dig into his skin. When he looked at her, she wasn’t showing signs of fear. Only anger. Steely determination.
“Let’s go up,” she said.
“You’re sure?”
She nodded.
His heart lifted. He really was getting all he’d ever wanted.
They rose to the executive floor where the board of directors was assembling. As they entered, Leander overheard Midas arguing with Hercules.
“I vote Mother’s share when she’s out of town.”
“Not this time.” Hercules handed a piece of paper to someone stationed behind a laptop. “She gave me her proxy last night.”
Midas narrowed his eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid, Hercules. And why is he here, if you are?” Midas demanded as he transferred his glower to Ilona.
“Leander is my proxy. I’m here for other reasons,” Ilona said with unruffled composure.
“She’s a material witness,” Leander clarified.
“To what? She’s the one who was recently arrested. Not me.”
“To the fact you’re unfit to run Pagonis International,” Leander said firmly. “Is everyone here? If so, I’ve added a leadership review to the top of the agenda.”
“You’re not in charge,” Midas said. “So pipe down and get lost.”