Page 19 of The Price of Mercy

The way he had reassured the driver, the way he had silenced his guilt instead of letting him drown in it, the way he had refused to let him believe the attack had been his fault. It didn’t fit with everything Julian had assumed about him.

It was dangerous, that crack in the image he had built of Enzo. Because it made him wonder if there was more to the man than the criminal, more than the violence and control. And Julian didn’t want to wonder.

With a weary sigh, he rubbed a hand over his face and leaned his head back against the chair, closing his eyes. He had no place in this world, no reason to care about the kind of man Enzo really was.

And yet, despite himself, he did.

“How is Maurizio?”

Julian’s head snapped up, his pulse jumping at the unexpected intrusion. Enzo stood just inside the doorway, his broad frame casting a shadow across the floor. His suit jacket was gone, his black dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing the ink that curled along his tannedskin. His green eyes, sharp even in the dim light, were fixed on him, unreadable yet intense.

Julian exhaled slowly, gathering himself. “Stable for now,” he answered, his voice rough from exhaustion. “The bullet missed any major organs, but he lost a lot of blood. He’s not out of the woods yet.”

Enzo nodded once, stepping further into the room. His movements were deliberate, controlled, but Julian didn’t miss the way his gaze flicked to the unconscious man on the bed, lingering there for a fraction longer than expected.

The tension between them was thick, a silent weight pressing against the air as they regarded each other. Julian wasn’t sure what to expect; maybe another order, another sharp remark. But instead, Enzo’s gaze returned to him, lingering in a way that made Julian’s breath hitch.

“How are you?”

Julian blinked, startled. Of all the things he thought Enzo might say, that wasn’t one of them. For a moment, he could only stare, trying to decipher the intent behind the question. Enzo’s expression remained unreadable, but there was something in his tone, something genuine.

Julian swallowed; his throat dry. “I’m fine,” he said automatically, though they both knew it was a lie.

Enzo tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing as he studied him. “You look like hell.”

Julian huffed out a tired laugh, running a hand over his face. “Thanks. Just what I needed to hear.”

Enzo didn’t smile, but there was the faintest twitch at the corner of his lips before his expression smoothed back into somethingmore serious. He took another step closer, and Julian felt the shift in the air, a slow burn of something unspoken crackling between them.

“You shouldn’t have had to go through that,” Enzo said, his voice lower now, rough around the edges.

Julian frowned, his exhaustion warring with his irritation. “Is that an apology?”

Enzo’s jaw tightened. “It’s a fact.”

Julian scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “Right. Because that makes it better.”

A muscle in Enzo’s cheek twitched, but he didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he let out a slow breath, glancing at Maurizio once more before speaking. “You saved his life.”

Julian folded his arms over his chest, trying to ignore the way those words sent an unexpected warmth through him. “It’s my job.”

“Still,” Enzo said, his gaze locking onto Julian’s. “I won’t forget it.”

Julian shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of Enzo’s gaze still on him. He wanted to brush off the moment, to let the conversation die, but the silence between them was thick, charged with something he couldn’t quite name.

“You won’t forget it,” Julian repeated, his voice quieter this time. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

Enzo didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he moved closer, stopping just beside Julian’s chair. The subtle scent of his cologne, laced with the faintest trace of smoke, filled Julian’s senses. It was distracting, irritatingly so.

“It means,” Enzo said at last, his voice measured, “that I don’t take loyalty lightly.”

Julian scoffed, shaking his head. “Loyalty? That’s what you think this is?” He gestured vaguely between them. “I didn’t save Maurizio for you, Enzo. I did it because I took an oath to help people, to keep them alive. That has nothing to do with you or whatever twisted sense of obligation you think this creates.”

For a moment, Enzo didn’t react. He simply watched Julian, unreadable as ever, but his eyes held something deeper, something that made Julian’s stomach twist uncomfortably. Then, Enzo leaned in slightly, just enough to make Julian tense in his chair.

“And yet, here you are,” Enzo murmured, his voice smooth, laced with something Julian couldn’t place. “Still in my house, still tending to my men.”

Julian clenched his jaw. “Because you forced me to be here.”

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