Page 100 of The Enforcer

“Let me think about it.”

He tossed the shirt to the side. Nothing seemed to bother the man including having his clothing stained with a dead man’s blood. And I knew instinctively that whatever had occurred, the other party was dead.

How strange that the thought didn’t bother me as it had only a couple of days before. Was I getting used to being around him, knowing that any given day he could need to eliminate a life? How ironic. I saved lives and he did his share of taking them.

“You really did kill someone. How can you live with yourself?” I had no emotion in my voice. None.

“It’s very easy, Valencia. I know that if I don’t maintain a strict lockdown on my employees and anyone who would dare attempt to damage our corporation or a member of my family, the weakness will be used against me. In other words, I’ll be the one killed.” He held a tone of remorse, and I could tell by his eyes he wasn’t always happy with the life he’d been born into.

The moment was strangely eye opening and appealing.

Yet I had no idea what to say to him at this point.

“You do realize that you could have gotten hurt even jumping over the wall. Yes?”

“I’m extremely agile, Christos. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”

He rounded the end of the desk, walking toward me slowly. “What if one of my enemies had been watching the house? Can you imagine what they would do to you if they were the ones to find you when you went over that wall?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to know.”

“No, you don’t. And I’m not going to allow that to happen. Let me tell you exactly what they would do, Valencia.”

“Don’t tell me. I get it.”

He gripped my arm and for the first time since I’d learned who he was, I felt a slight hint of fear. His eyes had darkened, his entire face clenched. With his chest rising and falling the way it was, I sensed how much tension he was suddenly under. “No, you do not. Obviously, or you wouldn’t have tried to run away from me. From this place. From safety. Have you wondered why I’m not married? Why I’ve chosen to live the life of a playboy?”

“Yes.” Which was the truth.

“I chose to live that way so I wouldn’t develop feelings and risk caring about someone by bringing them into my life. I did so not for me, but for anyone who entered my life.”

“Something happened?”

His hold remained, but I wasn’t trying to pull away. I could see the man had been tortured by something in his past.

“A long time ago, but not anything I’ll allow myself to forget.” He finally released his hold, staring down at his hand as if he’d struck me.

I inched closer against my better judgment. “Who was she?”

“Someone I thought I would end up making a life with. Not that we dated for long. We were young, too young to consider anything long term, but we enjoyed each other’s company. I won’t bore you with the details, but during a horrific period of time when my father was being challenged by the police department, I used his car to take her out on a date. The police thought my father was driving and sent several squad cars after me. They chased me. I went faster. Then I lost control of the vehicle.”

“My God. I’m so sorry.” I touched his arm, but unlike the hold he’d had on me, mine was gentle.

“She’s alive, likely by the grace of God. But as you can imagine, her parents were none too happy. Within two weeks of her recovery, she was gone. Where? I never found out.”

“You blamed yourself. But it wasn’t your fault. They shouldn’t have been chasing you.”

“Well, tell that to a young woman who lost her career in dance because of the leg injury she received. Because of me. Because of my life.” He laughed, but the sound was stark and cold.

He allowed me to place my hand on his heart. “You can’t stop your heart from loving someone just because you think it’s best. You care for and love who you need to. Why did you take a chance when you met me?”

“I’ve been asking myself that since the night we met. I almost stayed and required you to have a drink with me.” This time his laugh held more levity. “I’m sure that would have gone over well.”

“I don’t know. It’s obvious I like dominating men.”

“I’m sorry I doubted you, Valencia. It’s a necessity in what I do.”

“You really do think my father was somehow part of you almost being killed.”

---