The first rays of the Athenian sun were not a blessing. They were a harsh spotlight that exposed the cracks in the whitewashed walls, the dust dancing in the air, and the dark, brownish stains on the floor that Eleni had spent the last three hours trying to scrub away with lemon and vinegar.
Eleni stood by the old copper stove, her fingers trembling as she held a chipped ceramic mug of instant coffee. The caffeine did nothing for the bone-deep exhaustion settled in her marrow. Across the room, sitting on a wooden crate as if it were a throne of mahogany and silk, was Ben.
He looked utterly out of place, yet somehow he still commanded the room. He was wearing one of Leo's old hoodies—a faded gray thing with a local football team logo—that was hilariously small for his broad, athletic shoulders. His bespoke silk shirt, now a ruin of blood and rain, was buried at the bottom of the trash.
Ben took a cautious sip of the coffee and immediately pulled a face as if he had just swallowed battery acid mixed with sand.
"I must ask, Eleni... is this truly coffee? Or did you simply scrape some mud off the street and boil it out of spite?" Ben's British accent was crisp, even in his weakened state, cutting through the morning air like a knife.
"It's the coffee that people who don't have offshore accounts in the Caymans drink, Ben," Eleni replied, her voice dry. "If it's not up to your five-star hotel standards, you are more than welcome to walk out. I'm sure the men in the black SUVs have an excellent espresso machine in their van. Maybe they'll give you a cup before they kill you."
Ben smirked, a dangerous, playful spark in his eyes. "Touché. But if I am to survive in this... rustic establishment, we really must address the catering. And perhaps the decor. This place looks like a garden went to a funeral and forgot to leave."
"This 'garden' is the only thing standing between you and a shallow grave," Eleni hissed, her patience fraying like an old rope. "The sun is up. Go back to your world of glass towers and blood money."
"I told you, the ports are closed to me right now," Ben said, his tone turning serious for a heartbeat before the mocking mask slid back into place. "And besides, I've grown quite fond of the lilies. They have much better manners than you do, Cousin."
Before Eleni could retort with a well-aimed vase, the bell above the door gave a cheerful, high-pitched ding-ding.
Eleni's heart plummeted into her shoes. It was far too early for customers, which meant it was the one thing she dreaded most: The Neighborhood Watch.
In walked Mrs. Papadakis, the district's most prolific gossip, whose eyes were sharper than a hawk's and whose tongue could ruin a reputation in under sixty seconds. She was followed closely by Eleni's younger brother, Leo, who looked suspicious, tired, and very confused.
"Eleni, agapi mou! I saw a strange car at the end of the alley and I thought—" Mrs. Papadakis stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw literally dropping as she spotted the towering, handsome stranger sitting in the corner in a hoodie that clearly didn't fit him. "Oh my... who is this? He is... very tall. And very... not from here."
Eleni felt a cold sweat break out on the back of her neck. She looked at Ben, who was currently observing Mrs. Papadakis with a look of bored, regal amusement, as if she were a curious insect.
"This is... Sebastian," Eleni blurted out, the first name that came to her panicked mind. "My... cousin. From London. He arrived unexpectedly late last night."
Leo stepped forward, squinting at Ben with intense distrust. "Cousin? We don't have a cousin named Sebastian. And why is he wearing my favorite hoodie? And why does he look like he's never done a day of manual labor in his entire life?"
Ben didn't miss a beat. He stood up slowly, wincing only slightly from the wound in his side, but his posture remained as straight as a soldier's. He walked over to Mrs. Papadakis and took her hand, kissing it with a flourish that belonged in a royal court, not a dusty flower shop in Athens.
"Sebastian, at your service, Madame," Ben said, his voice smooth as aged cognac and twice as intoxicating. "Please forgive my disheveled appearance. I had a bit of a... navigational mishap on the way from the airport. My GPS led me into a ditch. Eleni was kind enough to take me in. She's always been the angel of the family, hasn't she?"
Mrs. Papadakis looked like she was about to faint from sheer delight. "Oh... oh my. Such a gentleman! Eleni, you never told us you had such a... well-built cousin. Is he a doctor? Or a movie star?"
"He's a professional headache," Eleni muttered under her breath, before forcing a fake, bright smile. "He's just staying for a few days until his 'mishap' is sorted. Leo, don't you have deliveries to make? The lilies won't move themselves."
Leo wasn't buying it. He looked at the way Ben scanned the room, the way his eyes moved to every exit. "He doesn't look like a Sebastian. He looks like trouble."
"Sebastian is an old, traditional family name," Ben lied effortlessly, throwing a heavy arm around Eleni's shoulders and pulling her close. The scent of his expensive cologne, now mixed with the earthy smell of the shop, made Eleni's head spin. "Right, Cousin Eleni? Remember those summers in London? All that rain?"
Eleni felt like kicking his shin, but she leaned into him for the sake of the performance. "Yes. So much rain. Now, Mrs. Papadakis, Leo, we have a very busy day. Why don't you go check if the bakery has fresh bread?"
As soon as she managed to usher the blushing neighbor and her suspicious brother out, Eleni shoved Ben away with all her strength.
"Sebastian?" she demanded. "That's the best you could do?"
"It has a certain charm, don't you think?" Ben grinned, clearly enjoying her fury. "And she liked me. I think I'm officially the favorite cousin now. You should be thanking me. If I hadn't charmed her, she'd be calling the police to report a suspicious man hiding among your roses."
"You are a nightmare, Ben," Eleni sighed, burying her face in her hands as Mia began to stir in the back room. "Now the whole street will be talking about the 'English cousin'."
Eleni turned as Mia walked out, rubbing her sleepy eyes and clutching her teddy bear. The little girl stopped, looking up at the towering stranger in her uncle's hoodie. For a second, Eleni's heart stopped. She didn't want this man—this King of Shadows—anywhere near her daughter's innocence.
"Mama? Who is the giant?" Mia whispered, hiding behind Eleni's legs.
Eleni felt Ben's gaze shift. The mocking, sharp glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by a strange, unreadable silence as he looked at the child. In that moment, the flower shop felt smaller than ever. Eleni reached down, stroking Mia's hair, her voice softening into something Ben hadn't heard before.
"He's just... a traveler, Mia. He's leaving soon."
She looked at Ben, a silent warning in her eyes. Stay away from her. Ben didn't smile. He just watched them, realizing that this woman wasn't just fighting for a shop; she was guarding a soul.
"Good," Ben said, his eyes turning sharp and cold as he looked out the window. "A crowd is the best place to hide. But while they are looking at my face, Eleni, you need to start preparing that wreath. The Gala at the villa is tonight. And my 'package' needs to be there. Our deal is just beginning."