Page 10 of Guarding Bristol

When Jon didn’t say anything more, Jordan tugged on the cuffs of his dress shirt to straighten them, angered by the loss of control he’d just displayed.But losing that much product in such a short time frame meant catastrophic financial losses for him.

The boss wouldn’t be happy, would hold him responsible for the leak.There would be repercussions.

“Tell the falcons I want a detailed intel report by midnight.And get Angel in here.”

Jon left immediately and the servant scurried in with a fresh gin and tonic.Jordan took it and walked through the glass doors out onto the adjoining balcony for some air.He paused at the railing, resting his forearms along the top of it as he gazed out at the unobstructed view of the vineyard and the water beyond it, his mind racing.Who would have the balls to leak intel?Who would have a death wish?

He stood there in the balmy summer evening air enjoying his drink until a discrete clearing of a throat behind him drew his attention.

Jon stood in the open doorway.“Angel’s here.”

“Have him wait in the library.”Jordan took his time finishing his cocktail before walking back inside and making his way down to the library he used as his office on the ground floor.Angel rose from the leather sofa when he entered.

Jordan motioned at him to sit down, shut the wood-paneled, reinforced steel door behind him and got straight to the point.The room was soundproof and swept for bugs twice a day, and so was anyone prior to entering.“Someone’s leaking intel to the Feds.One of ours.We don’t have any leads yet, but we will soon, and when we find out who it is, I want you to handle it.”

Angel answered with a single nod, his expression neutral.

He was a fairly recent addition.Unassuming, with an average appearance that made him able to blend in without being noticed.He was quiet.Well-trained.

And, most importantly, a deadly professional.

Angel served a very specific purpose: to eliminate enemies and threats to Jordan’s part of the organization.Torture wasn’t his job.He tracked, confirmed, and killed.Quickly and efficiently, without leaving any trace behind except the bullet in his victims.That made him Jordan’s most valuable weapon.

Unlike some others who had managed to rise to the rank of lieutenant within the cartel, Jordan didn’t fuck around with gangbangers, or guys looking to stroke their egos by putting rounds through skulls and chests when it came to hiring killers.His enforcers were all pros.Disciplined, with a variety of useful skill sets.And they also all came from poor backgrounds, just like he had.

Money was the most powerful motivator in the business.Along with fear.

Angel met all those qualifications, and based on the reports Jordan had received from his falcons, Angel also had the most interesting motivation of anyone Jordan had hired.One that gave him all the leverage he needed to keep Angel from turning on him.

Hedecided who was worthy to keep on the payroll and who was a liability that needed to be eliminated.Heheld the lives of enemies and employees alike in his hands.That was the nature of the world he ran.

Angel still hadn’t said anything, just sat watching him.Meeting that dark stare, Jordan appreciated that this guy was all business.“You eaten yet?’

“No.”

“Come up to the kitchen, we’ll have some dinner together.”

“That’s generous of you, but—”

“I wasn’t asking.”No one refused his hospitality when he extended it.He expected good manners in addition to unwavering loyalty.

Angel shut his mouth, his jaw flexing slightly in annoyance.“All right.”

That was better.“Come on.”He motioned for him to follow.“We’ll talk more business over steaks.”He’d had some wagyu beef shipped in the other day.Only the best for him now, in both his professional and personal lives.

He wouldn’t let anyone jeopardize or take away the lifestyle he’d scratched and clawed for his entire adult life.

As soon as Jordan found the source of the leak, Angel would plug it with a bullet.

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