Page 89 of His Enforcer

I hate how close she is to him. Hate that they may have been a thing once upon a time. Not that I’ll ever know. I don’t want to. Not really. I’m sure Luca’s past is riddled with beautiful women, and I don’t need to be reminded that I’m not one.

When we all arrive at the VIP section, the bouncers let us in without a word. As we walk up the steps, we see Sabrina is already here, a drink in her hand.

“You made it,” she says with a grin, her painted lips looking flawless in the dim light.

“How’s everything going?” Luca asks.

“Everything is going very well. My girls and boys have beenvery busy.”

“Good to hear that,” Luca replies as Alina slips her arm through Luca’s.

“And who is this?” Alina asks, interest in her eyes.

“Sabrina Nightingale. A friend of ours. Sabrina, this is Alina.”

“Nice to meet you,” she greets, her eyes twinkling.

As the two of them begin speaking with Sabrina, Tatum and Bane move toward the bar with Teddy and Jax in tow. This leaves me with Anthony, who is eyeing me curiously.

“Alright, Viktor. I think this calls for a drink,” he says, and I purse my lips. I shouldn’t drink. Not around Luca, but I also need it.

Like I said earlier, I need something to help me relax. I’m in knots.

Anthony must read this on my face because he disappears and returns with two filled shot glasses.

“Vodka,” he says and then throws it back. I do the same, swallowing down the high-shelf liquid without any trouble.

When our eyes meet, Anthony nods toward a standing table in the corner of the room. Everyone else is preoccupied with other things and so I follow him.

I don’t know what he wants from me, but he is my boss and the man I look up to in so many ways. His hands fold on the table before us, and I stare down at them.

“Remember when you were eighteen and you stole liquor from my locked cabinet?”

I snort a laugh. “It wasn’t that good of a lock.”

“It was meant to keep kids out.”

“Well, it didn’t keep me out.”

“And you suffered for it. Doc lost several nights’ sleep watching over you, as did I.”

I huff and look at him. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“I know, but you were a favorite. I didn’t want you to die.”

My chest constricts at that. I’ve always known he had a soft spot for me, but we never talk about it. Never utter the words. Perhaps his being with Tatum is changing something in him, making him more vulnerable.

I’m not sure that’s a good thing in this business.

“But really, Viktor, how are things?” he asks, his brows set in concern.

My gaze flicks up to him, and he cocks his head. He’s been like a father to me in so many ways, but this is still the mob, and I have my place.

I don’t have these kinds of conversations with him often.

“Fine.”

“And with Luca?”

---