Page 67 of The Enforcer

“Just stay and enjoy dinner, Valencia. You’ll see that there’s nothing to worry about. If you’re still upset, I’ll take you to the private airport and put you in my jet and send you home. I don’t want to do that, but I made you a promise that I intend to keep. I will also protect you if anything happens but the chances of that are negligible. Okay?”

“In other words, take a leap of faith.”

He smiled. “Something like that. Now, before my father has a heart attack, let’s get through this.”

“By the way. You never told me what your role is in the wedding.”

“I’m the best man and you’re my very best gal.”

“Oh, great. Now I also find out you have other girlfriends.”

He laughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder like a high school kid would do, keeping me close as we walked toward the group.

“My son’s girlfriend. I thought this day would never arrive.” The older man was a dead ringer for his three sons. Only his slightly paunchy belly and gray hair gave it away that he was older. His eyes were exactly the same as Christos’, twinkling as if he was the happiest man in the world.

Christos had been right. His father was overwhelming, his aura screaming of power.

He pulled me into a tight hug just like Cora, Christos’ mother had done, although she really wanted me to call her Mama Nomikos like Kara and Willow always did. I had to admit thatwhile I adored the friendliness, the warm welcome, I wasn’t quite ready to consider myself a part of the family.

When he pulled away, he smiled. “I’m Apollo. Hopefully, at some point you’ll call me Dad. No offense to your own father.”

I glanced at Christos and could feel eyes from everyone else watching me. “Thank you, Apollo.”

“Alright, everyone. The priest has other families to unite,” Apollo shouted. “Places.”

There was a beautiful trellis set up overlooking the ocean. I moved to where Willow was standing, uncertain where I should be. “Where are the babies?”

“Oh, you’ll see them later. The last thing you want are two one-year-olds screaming during the rehearsal. Kara is a nervous wreck as it is,” she told me.

“She looks much calmer than I would be. All this is nerve-racking.”

She nodded. “You’ll get used to the family and their ways.”

“It’s not that.”

“Ah, the mafia thing. I had a tough time with it when I found out Dimitrios wasn’t just a part of a big, happy family. But you’ll see they are just like everyone else.”

“Just with dangerous jobs.”

“As I was reminded when I first fell hard for Dimitrios, people die all the time. You know that from being a surgeon. You can cross the street when you think there’s no traffic and your life is lost. You can’t worry about what you can’t control. That is unless you have plans on being with Christos.”

I noticed while he was standing next to his brother Havros, he constantly looked back in my direction. Maybe he thought I would change my mind again, racing away as fast as possible. “I don’t think what we’re sharing is anything long term.”

“I disagree. From what I know about Christos, you being here is a first. I would take that as a compliment.”

“Okay, everyone. We’re about to begin.” Apollo was all over this portion of the wedding, Cora allowing him to take control. It was fascinating to witness their dynamic, the obvious love after all the years they’d been together. I’d never seen such adoration in my parents.

I took a step back as Willow joined Kara, obviously her only bridesmaid. I wondered how any of them could live with the constant worry of threats and violence. But I had to admit that Willow was right. Even those considered health-conscious men and women who never drank or smoked and regularly exercised could have a heart attack from an unknown heart condition; some I’d been unable to save.

Life was precious no matter who you were or what you did as a profession.

Family was everything. Now I was suddenly missing mine, including my beautiful pup.

The ache was hard, but the thought of not being here was even worse.

I did care about Christos and no amount of trying to convince myself otherwise was going to work.

“No, you were ten when that happened,” Havros insisted as he piled on another spoonful of pasta salad their mother had made.

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