Page 40 of The Enforcer

He laughed. I laughed. After he nodded, a sign I would almost call respect, he headed for the door. I didn’t need to wait long. There was no obvious movement, but I noticed a slight flash, reacting instantly.

Pop! Pop!

The bullets hit him right between the eyes, but not before he managed to toss what had been expertly hidden to the point my pat down hadn’t found it.

I ducked, the whooshing sound too close for comfort. The object hit the bar with a solid thud just as the unknown assailantdropped to the floor. I moved toward him first, staring down into his vacant eyes. “I’ll be damned.” I was thankful my instincts were working on high alert today.

After crouching down and checking for a pulse, I moved toward the weapon. I was forced to use significant strength to pull it free.

“A fucking katana.” How the fuck had he been able to hide a Japanese sword from me? I shook my head and studied the curved blade. Well, fuck. I was losing my touch, or the assassins were simply becoming more creative.

I walked over the body toward the door, shoving my gun into my pocket and heading toward where the SUV was parked. With the katana still in my hand, I moved around the back of the vehicle to where the two men were standing, staring out at the street.

Elias jumped when I suddenly appeared right in front of him. “What the fuck? You scared me to death, boss.”

“That’s what I’d like to know. Where the hell were the two of you about ten minutes ago?”

One looked at the other sheepishly.

“Sorry, boss. I was taking a smoke,” Luca admitted.

Elias sighed. “I was walking the perimeter. What happened?”

“An assassin is what happened.” I held up the blade. “Call some of the soldiers in town to clean it up. Call the manager and let him know there’s broken glass.”

“Yes, sir,” Elias said as he glared toward Luca.

I wasn’t considered a brutal man with my employees, but my life had been placed on the line. I had my hand wrapped aroundLuca’s throat before he could react. When I placed the sharp edge of the blade under his chin, he threw up his hands, fear in his eyes.

“You fucked up,” I told him, digging the katana into his skin until blood trickled from the slight puncture wound. “If it happens again, you’ll face the pain of this very weapon. Do you understand me?”

He blinked several times, fearful the blade would slice through his carotid artery.

I kept it in place for another few seconds, feeling Elias moving behind me.

“He fucked up, boss. He’s a good man. A good soldier.”

“Yes. But one mistake is all it will take.” I yanked my arm away and Luca instantly grabbed his throat.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Nomikos. I won’t let it happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t. Take me back to the apartment. Tonight is important.”

And it could be deadly.

“Stop smoking,” I told Luca. “It’s bad for your health.”

CHAPTER 12

Valencia

“Did you know you were in the newspaper? Well, the internet version anyway.” Katrina already had a glass of wine in her hand and it was midafternoon there.

Magnum barked and I instantly melted. “Hi, baby dog. Mommy misses you. What do you mean I’m in the paper?”

“About your heroic efforts to save a monster. Not those exact words, but that was the intention. Is this guy you saved really Greek mafia?”

I took a deep breath, noticing Emily was listening in carefully since I had it on Facetime so I could see my pup. “Yes, he’s mafia.”

---