“You’re hungry?” Athena asked in surprise. Straightening up, she hurried to the refrigerator and pulled out a bowl. “I’ll heat it up for you. Zoe, what’s happened out there today?”
“I might have found something to do,” Zoe said. “There is an orchestra at AMS that needs help.”
“You stopped at AMS?” Alain asked his gaze straying to Athena.
“Yeah,” Zoe answered. “I just wanted to see how much it’s changed.”
“And,” Athena prompted placing a plate of fettuccini before Zoe.
She leaned down and helped Zan sit up on the island table. She couldn’t help but be excited by how lively Zoe was. She hadn’t seen her this way in a while.
“It’s the same. The energy, - so much creativity- it’s still there,” Zoe said forking a bite of noodles. “It was rejuvenating.”
“It certainly looks that way, love,” Alain said, his eyes shining with amusement.
“Well, maybe I haven’t had a reason to be excited,” Zoe said with a short smile.
As she took another bite, the phone rang and Athena reached for it. Watching Zoe give some pasta to Zan, she answered, absently, “Villa Thermopolis.”
“Athena, its Kenny,” the sound of his voice had Athena sobering up. “Hey, give me a minute.”
Turning to Zoe, she said, “Watch Zan, I’ll be a minute.”
Zoe nodded and Athena hurried out of the kitchen to the dining room.
“What’s up,” Athena said, keeping an eye on the entry way to the short hallway that led to the kitchen.
“I have unsettling news. I’d like to meet with you and Thaddeus as soon as possible. Would you mind meeting me at the Davenly penthouse downtown?”
“What has happened?” Athena asked. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Kenny said. “No one is hurt, but I’ve just found out the reason Zoe is hiding out. Please just meet me, okay.”
“Thaddeus is in the office. Give us an hour, we’ll be right there,” Athena said her gaze on Zoe’s back as she laughed with Zan.
“We’ll be waiting,” Kenny said, and then hung up before Athena could ask who else was waiting for them.
*****
“I don’t think this is the best strategy.” Thaddeus Castille declared, his gaze sweeping over the six people seated on the comfortable couches in the Davenly penthouse, downtown. “You’re invading her life.”
“I don’t think there is any choice.” Gabriella countered studying her brother in-law. “The actions you took so many years ago, have been leading us to this. You know it as much as I.”
“You’re just angry with me.” Thaddeus declared, glaring at her. “She’s a woman with a mind of her own. I did not make her come here, she brought herself. She’s asked for my protection, and I’m giving it.”
“Even though you know it’s because she’s running away from the past? Thaddeus, we both know Steve Harden cannot be allowed to roam free,” Gabriella said quietly. “She must and will go to testify.”
“That’s the attitude I’m asking all of you to drop.” Kenny pointed out, shifting in the arm chair he was seating in. Jessica was perched on the arm of the chair. She placed a hand on his shoulder in support. “You won’t get anywhere ordering her around.”
“Julia, I don’t know why you think you can be able to stay anywhere near Zoe,” Athena said, her gaze on Julia.
Julia was seated beside Gabriella, no doubt to show solidarity.
“You have no right,” Athena said.
“I will apologize for what I did,” Julia said.
“Apologize? That won’t heal years of torment. You were cruel to Zoe,” Athena reprimanded. “I can’t even believe I’m sitting here discussing this.”
“You’ve always been so quick to judge when it came to Zoe,” Gabriella shot at her. “I’m her mother you know.”
“Where have you been?” Athena demanded. “In eight years Gabby, where the hell have you been?”
“Please,” Danny jumped in as emotions started to get out of control. “This is not about any of us. We need a solution, I know you don’t want to see each other right now, but think of the twins, and what they’ll go through. Let’s not forget that it will destroy Zoe if that man walks. Can we try to bury the hatchets for a while? Do it for the kids.”
******
Chapter Eleven
“Chris, listen,” Zoe said the next morning into her cell phone. “It’s only July. I know there is a big event set for November, I also realize that’s its very important.”
“I need you to have composed music for it. Please tell me you’re working.” Chris demanded not liking how quiet and agreeable Zoe sounded. He was used to a confident woman who knew what she wanted. It rattled him.
“Don’t worry about that,” Zoe said running a finger over the piano in her room. The gleaming keys were hidden under the cover. “I need you to do me a favor. Schedule tours out of the UK and Europe for at least a year. As many as you can, I need to immerse myself in work.”
“Zoella—
“Do this for me, Chris,” Zoe said. “Keep me busy as much as you can.”
“It feels as though you are running from something.”
“I don’t see why that worries you. All those publicity campaigns you’ve been hounding me about will get done,” Zoe said with a sigh. “Chris, I’m not asking this for charity, I want to work. It will benefit your profit margin and all, and I need to keep busy after I’ve figured things out.”
Chris swiveled his chair around trying to decipher her plan but there didn’t seem to be a clue. It was strange how the Zoe he’d known so long ago was returning.
“Promise me one thing,” he said.
“As long as it has nothing to do with the States,” Zoe said firmly.
“You’ll take a break when I say you should,” Chris said.
“Fine,” Zoe agreed.
“Alright, my bossy little woman, tell me when you’re ready,” Chris said. “Am here if you need anything, you know that right.”
“Yeah, I do. Ciao,” Zoe said and promptly hung up the phone.
Placing it on the gleaming surface of the piano, she strolled to her balcony windows and stood there staring into the morning a while. The day before, she’d felt very free. She suspected it was the encounter with the students at AMS.
Pushing a hand through her hair, she acknowledged that her lighter mood could also be due to the fact that she’d told Sylvia the real reason she’d left London, and Robbie. It was nice to have someone to talk to about it. It was a situation that was threatening to drown her and she wanted to win against the fear. She couldn’t allow it to continue driving her to madness. She was stronger than this; she just needed time to recuperate.
A knock on her door had her sighing and calling out for the person to come in. It was probably Zelda wanting her to go to the beach with Zan. Tying the edges of her robe tightly, she looked up and froze when she came face to face with Kenny.
“I should beat you senseless,” he said in greeting.
Zoe could only stare at him, her heart beating in happiness. He looked so great in a light blue shirt that was open at his neck and white slacks that emphasized his height. Not thinking much, she rushed into his arms for a hug.
“I’m sorry,” Zoe said into his chest when he hugged her tight. “I should have called.”
“I came all the way and you didn’t bother to call and say anything. I’ve been worried sick, you know. How could you?”
“It happened fast,” Zoe said pulling away to look into his glaring silver eyes. “There are so many things that—
“Like how a monster is being let out and you’re needed to testify?” Kenny demanded shocking Zoe even more.
“Who told you?” Zoe asked.
“Does it matter?” Kenny said his hands at his waist, silver grey eyes boiling with anger. “What made you feel you couldn’t tell me?”
&n
bsp; “Kenny, it’s complicated—,” Zoe started to explain.
“Complicated?” Kenny shook his head. “How far have we come together? What do you mean to me, Zoe?”
“Kenny, if you’d quit yelling, I’d explain my reasons to you,” Zoe snapped.
“Oh yeah, I don’t want to hear them because I’m damn sure they are stupid anyway.” Kenny snapped right back. “I can’t believe you. You ran away. You’re hiding from him and he’s not even out yet. What happens when he is? Will you die?
“Stop it,” Zoe said angrily running a hand down her face trying to deal with the fact that Kenny was in Athens and he knew. If he knew, her uncle and aunt knew too. Nausea rose and she tried to breath through it. “It’s hard to—,”
“What about Robbie?” Kenny asked then, cutting her off. “You should have seen him after you left that day.”
“Don’t—,” Zoe said putting out a hand as if that would stop him.
“Why won’t I? I’m your best friend,” Kenny continued, ignoring how pale she looked. “He was devastated. He couldn’t believe that you’d betray him the way you did. You broke him.”
“I had no choice!” Zoe said. “I had no choice.”
“Really,” Kenny cursed under his breath when she bend over, trying to catch her breath. Her hair falling around her, her thin frame revealed by the clinging robe she wore. “You could have come to me.”
She’d lost weight, a lot of it. Her body was shaking with emotion. It made him feel like a bastard. But he couldn’t restrain himself, especially after the horrendous night he’d just spent with the entire Castille family. The fact that he was about to let Zoe know that they were in Athens angered him more. He wasn’t sure she could take it. But damn it, she’d forced them in to this corner.
Closing his eyes, he let out a tired sigh and then because he really loved her, he moved to help her. He gently led her to sit on the rumpled bed while he went to pour a glass of water from a jug on the table across the bed. Bringing it back to her, he sat beside her and watched her as she sipped the water. Her hand was shaking slightly, although she tried to control it.
“How did you find out?” Zoe asked after a few minutes prepared to never talk to Sylvia if she’d betrayed her.
Kenny sighed. “You won’t like it. But we’re beyond that. Your aunt Julia is the one who’s given us all the details.”
Zoe closed her eyes, “Us?”
“Your family, they all know. They are all here in Athens to discuss it.”
Zoe shook her head in disbelief, tears stinging the back of her eyes. She couldn’t believe how easily her life was being pulled apart. “The press—
“No. No one has talked. No one will.” Kenny soothed. “Zoe, look at me.”
She did and he caught his breath at the shadows in her eyes.
“I’m on your side, baby,” he said quietly. “I’ve always been. You have to know that.”
“I do,” Zoe said quietly. “I just—. I needed to think about this, on my own, without help.”
“But—
“Everything is messed up now,” Zoe said standing up. “Damn Aunt Julia, she could have just been a bit more patient.”
“When would you have stopped hiding?” Kenny asked then. “If she didn’t say anything, you’d have ignored it and allowed the worst to happen.”
Zoe stared at him, not caring for what he was implying. Did he imagine that she wanted that bastard out?
Was that what they were all thinking?
“Get out!” she said. “Get out of here now.”
“Zoe—
“I’m going to scream if you don’t leave this room Kenny Williams.” Zoe warned dark eyes wide and filled with fury. “Get the hell out!”
Kenny sighed. He knew very well that she wasn’t making empty threats. She meant it. He’d come up here to talk, but seeing her so fragile and lonely had tipped him to anger. He wanted to protect her and it enraged him that she’d tried to deny that right. He’d also been the messenger to tell her breakfast was ready.
“Everyone is waiting for you downstairs. Breakfast is ready,” he said quietly as he stood up. Noting her clenched fists, he kept going making his way out of her bedroom.
Fury took over and Zoe picked up every thing she could find and threw it against the wall. The objects crashing loudly making Kenny wince as he stood in the hallway listening. He’d pushed too far.
“What did you say?” Athena asked as she came down the hallway to him. “You promised to be gentle.”
“I tried,” Kenny said as glass broke inside the room. “I lost it.”
“Great,” Athena said. “I’m not sure breakfast with the clan is advisable.”
“Tell me about it,” Kenny said as silence fell in the room. After a few minutes, which Athena worried whether they should go in, Zoe emerged from her room.
Giving her aunt a hard look, she ignored Kenny and stormed down the hallway. Her hair flying behind her, her steps fast, she wore a pair of blue low rider jeans and a white wrap around blouse.
Hurrying after her, Athena called out, “Zoe, wait.”
Zoe didn’t say anything; instead she took the stairs two at a time. Kenny and Athena were hot on her heels, each worried about her state of mind.
“Zoella,” Athena said authoritatively. “Stop right there.”
“I don’t think I can talk to you right now,” Zoe said stopping in the foyer. “I need to—
Her gaze strayed to the hallway leading to the dining room. Standing there was her entire family. Including two teenagers she thought looked familiar. Just seeing Aunt Julia after so long was enough to drive her over the edge. Abandoning her conversation with Athena, she reached for keys on the table by the front door and rushed out of the house.
Kenny moved to run after her but Athena grabbed him to stop him.
“Antonio!” Athena yelled instead. When Tony came racing out from the kitchen she ordered, “Catch up with her and make sure she doesn’t crash the car. Kenny, give her some space.”
“It’s my fault.” Kenny sighed as the door slammed after Tony. “I should have been gentler.”
“No need to cry over spilled milk. Maybe that’s what she needed anyway. Come have breakfast, she’ll be back,” Athena said, her tone grim.
*****
They knew.
Everyone knew.
Zoe punched the steering wheel, angry about the turn of events. Changing the gear on the Aston Martin Vanquish, she sped through the roads heading away from the city. She wanted to clear her head. She wanted to feel as though her world was not crashing. She needed to feel sane, and it was getting harder each day. This morning she’d woken up optimistic, now, she wanted to lie down and die. She was scared to death that they were going to force her to face Steve Harden.
*****
“You let her leave like that?” Gabriella worried as they sat for breakfast.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t have handled her staying,” Athena said. “Let her work it out of her system.”
Athena picked up Zan and sat him in his chair. “Welcome to the war zone.”
“I suggest you don’t hurry the situation,” Kenny said in general, meeting his wife’s gaze. “She’s not ready.”
“Thad will talk to her,” Gabriella said.
“He’s at the office right now. It is better to act as routine as possible,” Athena said moving about arranging Zan’s food for him.
Her thoughts occupied with Zoe’s problems. It seemed as though things had effectively exploded in the past twenty-four hours. The entire night had been spent discussing Zoe’s need to testify at Steve Harden’s hearing. He couldn’t be let out, but Zoe’s actions obviously meant that she was not ready to go back there. Regardless of the time passage, the events that led to Steve Harden’s arrest were still haunting her.
“She’s frightened,” Athena had told Gabriella and Julia the night before. “She’s tryin
g to reduce the scope of her life; everything that can mean she’ll open up is being discarded. You can’t expect that she’ll be able to testify in that state of mind.”
“She can’t hide forever,” Jessica had said gently. “Regardless of her feelings on this matter, there will come a time she must face it. Steve Harden moving about free is not a positive factor.”
“How do you expect to get Zoella there?” Thaddeus had demanded.
“Our being here has every thing to do with her facing her past,” Gabriella said. “I’d like for this family to reconcile. It’s not healthy that we’re so divided. In that spirit, this is a family vacation. We’re going to remain here until October. These issues will be addressed.”
“I have to say that when the time comes and Zoe is not up to it, I won’t allow you to bull doze her into testifying. It simply won’t happen,” Athena said her tone hard as she met Gabriella s gaze. “I won’t allow it.”
How difficult the next month was going to be, Athena thought now, as she moved to pour herself a cup of coffee on the side table, was going to depend on whatever mind set Zoe returned with. Judging from how hard the day had started, the coming months were going to be very awkward.
*****
Zoe drove around for an hour, simply driving and allowing the motion of the car to sooth her turmoil. At some point she turned around and started back for the city, that was when she noticed the black Ducati following her.
Back in town, she headed for the music school without thinking. Before she realized it, she was parked and staring at the building, the engine humming quietly. The black Ducati pulled in on the passenger side and turned off.
Tony pulled of his helmet and sat back waiting for her decision.
As though the universe was aware of her dilemma, Demetrius Avinoff pulled his car into the slot on her driver’s side. He was a mass of energy. Jumping out of the old fiat he drove, he slammed the driver’s door closed and came around to the passenger’s side. Reaching in, he picked up a messy stack of music sheets. He turned then to admire the car parked beside his. His grin was appreciative, as he studied the Aston Martin. The windows were tinted so he couldn’t see inside. Leaning into her side view mirror, he checked his teeth. Zoe chuckled and lowered the window down, surprising the good conductor.