Page 89 of The Enforcer

“Not in the least. I would never intentionally harm or mislead you. And certainly not your sister. That doesn’t mean there won’t be people waiting and watching.”

“Like during the wedding.”

“Possibly.” I rubbed my temple. Another headache had formed, the ache dull, yet fragmenting my thoughts.

Valencia cocked her head. “Are you insinuating I would intentionally mislead you?”

“I’m not insinuating anything.”

The way she moved toward me forced my body to stiffen. “That’s not going to fly with me. I call bullshit. You said something atthe hospital as if I was out to betray you. Just tell me what you’re talking about. My father? What about my father?”

She was as hardheaded as I was and attempting to deceive her wasn’t going to do any good. The woman could easily see right through me. “Your father is on various committees with the Senate.”

“Yes, I already told you that. So what?”

“Including one regarding various mafia organizations. Including one with the father of a man I was attempting to enter into a contract with before I was almost killed.”

Her laugh was spontaneous. “I honestly have no idea what my father is involved in. He doesn’t talk about his work and I have no time to grill him on what he’s doing. So what if he is? You’re in Greece. Neither he nor anyone else in the United States has any authority over you or what you do. Including murder.”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

“Right. You’re attempting to do business in New York, and it went south.”

It was my turn to smirk. “Correct. We’ve spent far too much money to allow the deal we brokered months ago to be stripped away. We will get what we want.”

“Including revenge. What are you getting at with regards to my father? Just spit it out.”

“Does the name Kenneth Baker mean anything to you?”

“No. Why should it?” Valencia eyed me skeptically.

“Because he’s your father’s best friend.” It was a trifecta of circumstances that couldn’t be shoved aside.

I wasn’t expecting her reaction. She moved toward me quickly, cracking her hand across my face. The sting was harsh, but the pain derived from knowing I’d just broken the limited amount of trust we’d shared.

“How fucking dare you. How fucking…” She backed away as if I’d retaliate. “You think I had something to do with your shooting. And the horrible experience at the wedding? You think what? I planned it? Oh, maybe I was a lookout using some crazy form of communication to entrap you. You really believe that I’m working with my father to destroy a crime regime thousands of miles away? Are you fucking mad? I saved your life. I saved your father’s life at the risk of my own. Do you not get at all that I found myself caring about your family? About you?” When I didn’t answer right away, she took another step out of my reach. “I was such a fool.”

Her glare was harsh and I looked away, shifting my aching jaw back and forth. Of all the times I’d questioned those who’d dared cross my family, this time I felt guilt and anger at myself.

“I had to ask, Valencia. There’s too much at stake with my family.”

There was something so unnerving about her long, hard stare. As if the beautiful woman was looking right through me, snagging a portion of my blackened soul. “And my life and that of my family doesn’t matter. Does it?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You didn’t need to, Christos. Your actions speak loud and clear. I will care for your father until he’s released and I will contact my sister, even obeying your goddamn rules for now. But hear me. I will not be kept your prisoner under any circumstances. If youdare try and stop me, I assure you I will find a way to destroy you myself. Now, I’m going to my room. Don’t bother locking me in. I won’t be leaving.”

She stormed toward the door and as unnatural as it would seem, my desire for her roared to the surface. The feisty woman should know by now there was no getting away from me. I grabbed her arm, yanking her around to face me. This time, I wrapped my hand around her throat, digging my thumb into the soft flesh under her chin. “You need to listen to me, Valencia. I care about you. Too much. So much so that I let my guard down when inviting you to the wedding. I placed you in harm’s way and because of my fucking need to fuck you, I almost lost you. That isnevergoing to happen again as long as I live. And I will stop at nothing to keep that promise to you. Do you hear me?”

“Are you going to kill me? If so, do it. Now.”

Dear God, what the woman did to me. I wanted nothing more than to turn her over my knee, spanking some sense into her. I wanted to shout to the hills the way I felt about her. I wanted to fuck her until she couldn’t stand straight.

I was losing all sense of control. Because of her. “No. Never.”

I had the distinct feeling she wanted to spit in my face. She held her head up with as much defiance as possible, both her eyes filled with venom, but also so much more. She had the same burning hunger infesting her system I’d experienced from the moment I laid eyes on her. Her needs were spiraling out of control much like mine were.

“I hate you,” she hissed.

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