Page 42 of Taming Mika

A sharp rap on the library door makes me lift my head. “Yeah?”

The heavy wooden double doors swing slowly open, and Ricco enters, his arm around Enzo’s waist. Enzo’s arm drapes across his shoulders as the soldier leans heavily on the captain supporting him. I sent Enzo to track Dominik Kapranov, and whatever happened can’t be good. I stand abruptly, knocking my chair backward as I spot the bandage wrapped around his upper arm on top of his dark shirt. A red stain has already seeped through the white cloth that’s not going to be enough to stop the blood.

“What happened?” I demand, gesturing for Marco to grab him a chair.

He does, and Enzo sinks into it gratefully as I approach close enough to see the sheen of sweat on his brow.

“Get him a doctor,” I tell Henry, who abruptly leaves the room. Then, I turn my attention back to Enzo and Ricco.

“I found Dominik,” Enzo rasps and swallows hard before clearing his throat. “I don’t think he liked me there.”

“I told you not to engage.” I gesture to his arm, indicating the proof that he failed to obey my orders.

“I didn’t,” he insists. “But he saw me and opened fire—shot me straight through the damn windshield.”

“How did he know who you were? That you were watching him?”If Enzo stayed back, Dominik shouldn’t have been able to recognize him as one of my guys.

“I don’t know, but he seemed like he knew before he even stepped outside. I was all the way across the street and down nearly a block from Shaker’s, keeping a low profile while I followed up on a lead—I wasn’t even sure Dominik was at the club since his car never left the house. Then he just walked outside, looked me dead in the eye, and before I could take off, he pulled out a gun and shot me.” Enzo’s color drains from his face as he speaks—his wide, nervous eyes saying the memory of whatever he witnessed still has him spooked.

“Then what’d he do?” I ask, baffled by Dominik’s behavior.

“As far as I know, he just went back inside. I got the hell out of the parking lot, and Ricco came to get me. He dropped Romeo off so we could keep eyes on the club.” Enzo cringes, his hand going to his injured arm to try and manage his pain.

Releasing a sigh, I pat Enzo’s cheek. “You did good. Let’s get you patched up, and you can take the rest of the day off.”

He nods gratefully, and I turn my attention to Vincent and Marco.

“We’re heading to Shaker’s?” Vincent asks.

“We’re heading to Shaker’s,” I agree. I’m heading out the door, pulling my gun from the holster beneath my jacket as we walk, and I check the magazine to make sure it’s fully loaded.

“I thought we were just going to talk,” Marco states, his tone laced with amusement.

“We are, but we’re not going in unprepared.” After Dominik’s blatantly violent behavior, I don’t know how well my plan might work out. But since Nikolai hasn’t declared war outright and yesterday he still sounded like I could move forward with our original agreement if Mika were out of the picture, I doubt Dominik will shoot me before he hears me out.

Vincent pulls up nextto Romeo’s car, a blue Nissan Versa that blends in with the rest of the nondescript cars along the street, and Iroll down the passenger window. Romeo does the same, topknot keeping the long dark hair off his face as he leans a tattooed arm on the door frame.

“Anything?” I ask.

“He’s been in and out a few times—had some guys sweep the street for any other suspicious cars shortly after Enzo left. I took a loop around the block, and no one’s been out to bother me since.” Romeo points to the club’s brick facade entrance. “I think they spotted him from the security camera above the door.”

I nod and thump the side of the car. “Hold tight until we’re out of there. Be ready to call in reinforcements.”

Romeo nods and rolls his window up as Vincent eases back into traffic and rounds the corner.

“Are we just walking through the front door, boss?” Marco asks as Vincent pulls up along the curb and throws the car in park.

“Unless you have a better suggestion.”

My phone buzzes, and I slip it out of my suit pocket, checking the caller ID before deciding if it’s important enough to answer. It’s Ottavio—the captain I put in charge of protecting Mika.Fuck.

“Pronto.” I put my phone to my ear, and Marco and Vincent pause, their eyes shifting to my face as they wait for me.

“It’s about your woman.”

22

MIKA

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