Page 62 of The Enforcer

“Yes, boss, but I couldn’t convince them to leave and I didn’t think you wanted any violence outside the house.”

He was right about that. I shot my brothers a look. “I’ll take care of this and get rid of them.”

“You better do that before Mama looks outside and sees the intruder,” Havros recommended. “You know what she’ll do.”

“Yes, I do and it won’t be pleasant.” I placed my drink on the bar and headed behind Elias. “Do you fucking have any idea who this is?”

“Yes, I do, boss.”

“Who the fuck is it?”

“They’re waiting just outside.”

I was getting pissed he wasn’t answering me. “Fine. Fuck it.” I threw open the door, bounding outside ready to take someone’s head off.

“Hi.”

I stopped in my tracks as soon as I heard the lilting sound from behind me. A jolt in my heart occurred and I realized there was a first time for everything around her.

Her.

“Valencia,” I growled her name as I turned toward her voice.

She stood in a beautiful dress and heels, her face pensive. She had a wrapped box with a big red bow in her hand. Yes, I’d given her directions and had paid for her flight to Greece that she hadn’t used. Or so I’d thought. I’d been too busy feeling sorry for myself to double check. I’d hired a driver and the bastard hadn’t called to tell me she was coming.

“Yes.” She seemed uncertain I still wanted her here, her usual defiance entirely different.

I walked toward her slowly, shoving my hands into my pockets. “I thought you got on that plane.”

“I was on the gangway and almost there and something happened.”

“What?”

“I realized I didn’t want to leave,” she said with a smile. “I also didn’t think it was polite to leave since I was invited to drop by with a present.”

For a man who was never at a loss for words, I had no fucking clue what to say to her or why I’d gotten so lucky. But I grinned from ear to ear and walked closer.

“If you don’t want me to come, that’s fine. Maybe you can take this to Kara.”

“You remembered her name.”

“I remember everything you told me about your family.”

She’d asked about everyone and I’d told her while lounging in bed drinking wine. Sharing the quiet part of my life with her had felt damn good. I hadn’t done that with anyone. We’d laughed. She’d told me puppy stories and even those of the dogs and cats she’d helped rescue. Then morning had come and the spell had been broken.

“So you just wanted to drop by before you left. Huh?” I inched even closer and my skin was fucking tingling. When the hell had that started?

“Something like that.”

When I was only a couple of inches from her, the little vixen was eager to continue taunting me as she’d done before. Just one drag of her tongue across her bottom lip and I was ready to rip off her clothes. That wouldn’t be the best look given my parents were inside, but what the hell. No risk, no reward.

“Alright. Then I’ll take it to Kara.” I took the package from her and I’ll be damned if she didn’t start to walk away. This time, I was going to follow my brothers’ advice. She was not getting away.

I snagged her arm, yanking her against me. “You’re not going anywhere, angel. You made the mistake of returning to the predator’s lair. Now, you’re mine. Got it?”

“Got it.”

As soon as I wrapped one arm around her, she swung hers over my shoulders. She was the one who crushed her lips across mine, filling my nostrils with her sweet scent. I was lulled into the peace of having her in my arms, barely slipping my tongue inside as she tangled her fingers in my hair.

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