Page 9 of Guarding Bristol

Chapter Four

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Jordan kept his eyeson the lines of musical notes in front of him, letting them guide his hands as his fingers floated over the glossy keys of his cherished Fazioli.It was his pride and joy, the first significant purchase he’d made when he’d earned enough money early on in the business.

Ironically, he’d hated piano lessons as a kid.Hated his parents for making him take them at his far better-off pastor’s house across town on Saturdays, for forcing him to take that opportunity because they’d never had it.And for making him take the bus over there after school to practice an hour every day.

Now, he understood.Playing the piano was his joy.His escape.And these days, he needed that escape more than ever.

The music flowed through him.Around him.He was so deep in the zone that he wasn’t even aware of his fingers moving over the keys or his feet working the pedals.They were merely a conduit for the gorgeous swell of the crescendo building as the concerto came to a climax.

The rest of the world ceased to exist.There was only this.Only now.Him alone with the hauntingly beautiful notes as they filled the room.

His hands moved faster over the keys as the tempo continued to build.Faster.Faster, his eyes straining to keep up with reading the music in front of him, his feet simultaneously working the pedals until he played the final, dramatic chords and held them.The blended notes echoed off the vaulted ceiling above him, their reverberations throbbing in the air until they gradually faded away into silence.

He sat up straighter on the padded bench, removed his hands from the keyboard and stiffened when the door opened and his right-hand man walked in.“What?”he snapped in a hard voice.

They knew never to bother him in here.This was his private sanctuary, where no one was to disturb him.Ever.Between never-ending business and security threats, he got precious few hours to himself.

Jon stopped, cleared his throat, and folded his hands in front of him.“Sorry to interrupt.But we just got news you need to hear.”

Jordan grunted and waved a hand at a servant hovering nervously behind Jon by the doorway.The man quickly hurried forward with the usual gin and tonic on a tray.Jordan took it, then dismissed him with another wave and focused on Jon.“Well?”He took a sip, savored the cool bite of the gin and the twist of lime as it slid down his throat.

“Another shipment was intercepted.”

His hand tightened around the tall glass.“When and where?”

“Three hours ago, in Seattle.”

That was the second one in the past three months.“How much was seized?”

Jon hesitated before answering.“All of it.”

Jordan shot to his feet and hurled the mostly full glass at the opposite wall where it exploded and fell to the shiny black marble floor in a pile of glittering shards.“Who the fuck is doing this?”he demanded.

Jon hadn’t moved.“We aren’t sure, but...it seems someone has been leaking intel to the cops.”

Jordan whirled back around, a murderous rage taking hold.He shook his head, fighting to regain his control.“Not possible.”

He ran a small, tight organization for a reason.He vetted everyone who worked for him personally, from his housekeeper, his driver, his bodyguard, accountant...all the way up the chain to Jon.And he made sure he had leverage over every single one of them.

Leverage ensured absolute loyalty.And those few motherfuckers who had dared step out of line since he’d taken charge of the Pacific Northwest territory had paid with their lives.Most of them begging for death after creative torture or watching their loved ones die in front of them.

So no, he couldn’t believe anyone else within his circle would have risked talking to the cops or Feds.

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