Chapter 8: Eight

Once outside the room, Melina took off, and a little farther ahead, the world passed by her in a blur. Sweat broke out as her movements became sluggish, and she found herself on the icy floor. People gathered around when Xanthos dashed to the crowd to meet her there, out cold. His heart stuttered. He picked her up, cold and limp, cradling Melina in his arms. A nice old lady put the briefcase he had dropped in his hand, and he left the building.

“Mel, wake up, honey.” He patted her face, trying to bring her back. The frantic movement of her eyes told him she was about to surface. Next second her eyes were fixed on him, and she broke into a crying, convulsing with violent sobs. Xanthos embraced her, caressing the back of her neck, soothing her. “Everything will be fine, Mel. I’m here for you.”

“He can’t take her from me, Xan. He can’t. I won’t survive if he takes my little girl away.”

She cried in the crook of his neck, holding at him like a salvation board. Her chest was so heavy with pain, she was about to have a heart attack. Xanthos didn’t understand what kind of people Henry had on his back. She was sure if Henry went through with the process, he’d have Eve.

“Calm down, Mel. Why don’t you believe me?” He caressed her cheeks, taking the soft strands out of her red face. “You should have told me all the information about her father. If everything you said in that courtroom is true, he won’t be able to get near her, and I’ll be the one making sure of it.”

“It’s all true, but I have no way to prove it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Let’s go home, please!” she said, getting off his lap and wincing. He stared at her, and she picked up the worry on his face. “I’m fine, I can walk. Let’s go.” Then her phone vibrated. She fumbled in her purse and opened for an income message.

“I thought you’d like to know a little more about the father of your daughter.” The text read. “Is this the type of man you want to raise Evangeline?”

Whoever sent the SMS also sent pictures. Melina paled visibly. Henry was in a warehouse and he took down a big, bulky man, probably in his late fifties. She gasped and took her hand to her forehead, feeling drained. Dear Lord, what else was about to come?

“What’s wrong, Melina? You look ashen all of a sudden.” Xanthos wore a concerned look on his face. Standing up, he put his protective arm around her shoulder.

“Nothing, don’t worry. I just want to go home.”

“Let’s grab a bite to eat before we head back. You need some food in your system. You look as if you’ve seen a ghost, and you don’t want to worry Eve, do you?” He mentioned Evangeline on purpose. Before she refused the invitation, she’d do everything for the girl, and the little one was smart enough to know her mother wasn’t herself.

***

Hank watched the entire scene unfolding not so far from him with a grimace. He didn’t think she would blurt out all that crap about him to the judge. It was a bold move, but the entire situation took a toll on Melina. The last thing he wanted was to see her collapse. Guilt flooded him. Maybe he went too far. He wanted to go to her, but refrained from himself when he saw the asshole lawyer get there first. He would be a problem, he didn’t expect it.

He wanted her distressed, crying and begging, but to him. She should be in his arms, not in that phony Greek God’s. A vein popped in his neck and he tightened his jaw. Jealousy ate him up and anger washed over him. Things didn’t go the way he planned. He will need to break those two apart, and he just had an idea. Melina got distraught and pissed at him, but he recognized a hint of warmth in those pools of chocolate. His kitty cat sharpened her claws in these last six years, and he couldn’t be more proud of her.

She became a beautiful woman and her curvaceous body just got better after she had the baby. His baby! He had seen his little girl in pictures his man sent to him, and she was a gorgeous, happy little kid. At first, when they told him Melina had a child, he got furious knowing she had moved on with her life, but when he put his eyes on the girl, it was if he stared at himself, his heart filled with a foreign sentiment, something he had never felt before, a different love, but with this new emotion came the pain of being deceived and kept apart from Evangeline.

“What are you going to do, Henry? Do you want me to find some skeletons in his closet?” He cringed. Donovan knew him since he was a teen, and it was weird when he called him by his name. The lawyer was his father’s best friend and one of the best in New York. The only other person who never called him by his nickname was his brother, Tom. He heard Donovan stepping beside him. “Xanthos Halkias is a well-known lawyer in Athens, she’s well supported in her case, it won’t be easy to take the girl from her.” Hank listened to him as he stared at the pair until both disappeared into the corner.

“Thanks Donovan, I really appreciate your efforts, but that won’t be necessary. You can go back to New York. I have another job for you.” He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. “I need you to check everything on her parents’ death, everything.”

“But you already have that information.” Confusion took Donovan’s face.

“I do, but I must have missed something, otherwise, she wouldn’t be accusing me of involvement in all that operation. Something is not right. And before you leave, forward to me her contact, and leave all the documents you have in the hotel for me, please.”

“What are you gonna do?” He saw the worry in the lawyer’s eyes. He was a nice man and took good care of them after his father’s passing. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid, will ya? She’s a fine woman, don’t mess your chances with her, Henry.” He patted Hank’s shoulder in a fatherly gesture.

“I can’t promise you anything.” Hank smirked at him. “I have some people to meet, some business to attend. Have a safe trip back old man.” Then, turning back to him, “Thank you for everything.”

Hank got his phone and opened his contacts, fumbling through them until he found who he searched for. He punched the person and a sleepy voice greeted him, annoyed.

“What do you want at this hour?” The grumpiness of the voice vibrated the phone in his hand, making him grin.

“I have a job for you. I need you to take care of someone.”

“May I know who’s your next victim?” The voice was full of mischief.

“Phony Greek God of a lawyer who became a boulder in my shoe! Are you interested?”

“Sure, sure! Man, it’s five in the morning here, what’s wrong with you?”

“Stop complaining and get your ass up, I need you here in two days, I’ll send you all the details later and the plane ticket.” He heard a few cussing and a loud sigh.

“Shit! Fine, where are you and what do you want me to do with him?”

“Greece.” A loss of breath on the other side. “Whatever you want!”