Chapter 39
Chapter 39
The plane had landed.
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Elara walked straight to the cockpit. The pilot was still there, doing whatever post-flight checks pilots did. She knocked on the door frame.
“Thank you. For getting us here safely. I know it’s your job, but still. Our lives were literally in your hands for
eleven hours.”
The pilot smiled. “My pleasure, Miss Vance. Have a wonderful stay in Santorini.”
She adjusted the strap of her bag and followed Marcus down the stairs of the private jet. The heat hit her immediately. Warm. The kind of heat that felt good after New York’s cold.
Two black SUVs waited at the bottom of the stairs. One of the drivers stepped out, walked to the back door. and opened it.
“Welcome, ma’am.”
Elara slid inside. The interior was gorgeous. It’s always the interiors of Marcus’ entourage, they are literally so fine. Cream leather seats. Polished wood accents. Sex in this wouldn’t be so bad.
Shit Elara stop it. She whispered to herself.
Marcus entered through the other side. Still on his phone. Always on his phone. This man was so focused on work he hardly gave her any attention.
As they pulled away from the airport, Elara decided not to think about Marcus. She faced the window instead. Started taking in the atmosphere.
This place was heavenly.
White buildings everywhere. Blue domed roofs. Flowers all over balconies, mostly in pink colours. The sea visible in the distance, sparkling under the afternoon sun.
She glanced at Marcus again. He was still on his phone. Not even looking out the window. Not even slightly mesmerized by the beauty around them.
“Have you been here before?” she asked.
“I guess so.”
“How many times?”
“Lost count.”
Elara rolled her eyes. Pride. Of course. “So how did you pick here? Did you flip a coin on all the countries you’ve been to and it landed on Santorini?”
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 39
“Nah. Just flipped the coin on the countries I have houses in.”
Right. Of course Marcus Thorne owned property in multiple countries. Why wouldn’t he?
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Elara was too weak to argue. The jet lag was starting to creep in. That heavy, sluggish feeling where your body didn’t know what time it was anymore. Where your brain felt foggy and your eyelids weighed a thousand pounds. Eleven hours on a plane crossing time zones did that to a person.
The car slowed down.
They’d arrived at a house. No. Not a house. A mansion.
White stone walls. Blue shutters. A wraparound terrace over the cliffs. Gardens with olive trees and bougainvillea climbing the walls. The kind of place you saw in travel magazines and assumed was Photoshopped.
Copy this and put in your google or gpt, you’ll understand better…
Gosh this view was insane.
Marcus stepped out and opened her door before the driver could. She smiled. “Thank you.”
He led her inside without a word.
The interior was just as beautiful. High ceilings. Marble floors. Furniture that looked expensive but comfortable. Floor to ceiling windows showing the sea beyond.
“Damn,” Elara whispered. She was still taking it all in. The art on the walls. The way the light hit the floors. The smell of salt air and flowers.
“So when do I get a tour?” she asked. Amused. Excited.
Marcus set his phone down on the entrance table. “Technically we’re not here for the views, Elara. Rest. Dinner is at eight. Go upstairs and pick a room.”
Then he was gone. Disappeared down a hallway toward what was probably his office.
Of course. Asshole.
Elara removed her shoes and held them in her hands. Her feet were killing her. Those heels from last night had done damage.
She walked up the stairs. Found four big bedrooms. All of them are beautiful. White linens. Soft rugs. Balconies.
Which one should she choose?
She did a quick mini mini mani mo. Her finger landed on the second bedroom.
Good enough.
10:21 Mon, May 11 J
Chapter 39
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Elara went inside and immediately spotted the balcony. She pushed open the doors. The view was insane. The sea stretched out forever. Blue with no visible end.
She turned back to the room. Noticed the bathroom. Walked in. And stopped.
A massive bathtub. Candles already set up on the ledge. Rose petals scattered around. Fluffy towels stacked perfectly.
Damn. This kind of life was sweet.
Elara stripped off her clothes and ran the bath. Hot water. Bubbles. She lit the candles and sank into the tub with a sigh that came from her soul.
She stayed there for forty-five minutes. Eyes closed. Body finally relaxing. The jet lag and stress melting away.
When she finally got out, she wrapped herself in a towel. Very short. Barely covering her. She used another smaller towel to wrap her hair.
Walked back into the bedroom.
Her phone was buzzing. Tons of texts. Mostly from Mimi and Emeka. The two pests in her life.
Emeka:Girl. GIST ME NA. What is happening???
Mimi: Where are you now? I’m landing tomorrow and you’re not even in New York???
Elara typed quick replies to both.
Elara: We just got to Santorini. I’ll call you when I settle in. Promise.
She dropped her phone on the bed. That’s when she heard it.
His voice. On the phone.
Elara tiptoed to the door. Cracked it open slightly to listen.
“Yeah. Santorini. I kinda tipped her off because I knew after that event yesterday she’d have us followed.”
Penelope. They were talking about Penelope.
“Well, we’ll see how it plays out.” A pause. The other person said something Elara couldn’t hear. Then Marcus spoke again.
“Who? Elara?” Another pause. “Damn. I don’t know. This complicates things.”
Elara’s heart stopped.
Complicated things? What things? What was he talking about?
She tried to move closer. Get a better angle and hear more clearly.
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 39
Her foot hit something. A small decorative vase sitting on the hallway table.
It wobbled, tipped and fell.
The crash came at once, very loud against the marble floor as the pieces scattered everywhere.
Shit, Elara froze.
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