Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
D imitrios
“Find out who did this,” I snarled just before walking into the club. “If you don’t, heads will roll.”
“We’re trying.” Atticus Gataki was another enforcer, a highly trained marksman who’d developed a taste for killing as a young man. He claimed to have over one hundred kills to his name, most handled prior to entering my regime.
While the Nomikos family now almost always handled things like any legitimate business would do, after tonight I’d wash the painted buildings of the area down with blood. Atticus was also an expert tracker, capable of finding anyone, anywhere.
And the lengths I would go to find my brother’s killer were extraordinary. I pushed my way through the crowd, constantly scanning the people who parted as if a king had walked into the room. In some ways, I was a king, my authority and decisions never questioned. People feared what I could do while revering the ground I walked on.
It was a heavy crown to wear, but I’d done so proudly.
Until today.
To have some unknown killer manage to take out one of my family members would tarnish our reputation. That would spell problems that I didn’t need. But that wasn’t the reason I was so enraged. Leandro had been a free spirit, our youngest brother and in my mind, still just a kid at twenty-four. He’d had his entire life ahead of him. He’d graduated top of his class at a fine university, had volunteered to work with animals, and had insisted on working all throughout school while his trust fund had remained untouched.
He’d been a beautiful soul born into the wrong family.
But he’d wanted to do his part, managing several of the clubs under my direction. I’d felt honored and apprehensive. Now, I knew for good reason.
“Where is my brother?” I asked Nico as I stopped near a hallway leading to several private rooms. They were often used for illegal gambling or even more nefarious acts. For a price, certain respectable patrons could rent the area for meetings and other activities.
“Last room on the left.” His answer was direct and without emotion. Nico had lost his brother in a similar manner.
I stormed down the hallway, immediately unbuttoning my jacket to have easier access to my weapon. It was entirely possible the shooter had hung around to enjoy the spoils of war. And that’s exactly what my brother’s assassination meant.
The door was only partially closed, guards preventing any unwanted personnel or guests to wander down the hallway. Pictures were forbidden, those ignoring the rules dealt with.
I pushed open the door, taking several deep breaths before walking inside. Leandro sat in one of the four chairs, his head tilted back, still in the relaxed position he’d been in when shot. That meant the kill had caught him entirely off guard.
“I assume you controlled any police involvement?” I asked no one in particular. A few of my men filtered into the room while others waited outside to accompany me back to my waiting vehicle. As I stood just inside, I made a mental note of items on the table. Leandro’s guest had been enjoying a beverage. They’d both been recently filled, but it appeared only Leandro’s was touched. There were no papers, nothing to indicate who was in the room with him.
“None were called,” Atticus stated. “I’ll keep it that way.”
“Good.” I moved toward Leandro, my anger reaching the boiling point. While maybe just a kid, he’d been through enough training he wouldn’t have allowed himself to be caught in a compromising position with just anyone. That meant he’d either trusted the individual or had been fooled by the assassin’s identity. “I want a sweep of the video cameras. Anyone who seems out of place will be brought to me.”
I sensed my two enforcers looking at each other, perhaps even making the mistake of questioning my authority. When I was standing in front of my brother, I noticed he wore an expression of shock, his eyes wide open.
Sighing, I had to look away myself. Anger management was practiced out of necessity. I was a hotheaded Greek after all. Rage ran in my blood. However, flying off the handle wouldn’t provide any answers. “ An eínai to teleftaío prágma pou káno, tha ekdikithó ton thánató sou .”
If it’s the last thing I do, I will avenge your death.
The statement was made so my brother’s spirit would hear as well as my men. They needed to comprehend and accept the rocks I’d turn over, the vermin I’d crush. I lifted my arm, catching that my entire arm was shaking from another rush of adrenaline. I fisted my hand, bringing it to my mouth in my attempt to calm the fuck down.
After a few seconds, I gently closed his eyes. Sorrow was something I was used to dealing with, but that didn’t mean I was good at doing it. We’d lost few in our ranks and other than to natural causes or a disease like cancer, none within the Nomikos family. Maybe the gods had decided our time was long overdue.
For a split second, my mind shifted to another time, another tragedy. Another enemy. Years before. Yet the pain brought back was real, biting. The world I’d been born into was ruthless.
And bloody.
A huge commotion broke out only a few feet outside the door, a loud voice shouting to let him through. As soon as my brother Christos stormed into the room, I caught him before he made it to Leandro’s body. “Enough, brother. Take a deep breath.”
Christos fought my hold, finally managing to shove me away. “Don’t belittle my anger!” He was the true hothead of the family, closest to Leandro given their age and temperament. Exhaling, he sensed every move he made was being watched and lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Dimitrios. I just talked to him a couple hours ago.”
“Then maybe you know who he was meeting.”
“No,” Christos said. “He said nothing. Who could have done this? The Italians?”
Italians were perhaps considered our most consistent enemy, but even they’d enjoyed their level of prosperity as we had, the new Don nothing like his brutal father. However peaceful our worlds, greed always lurked in the darkness. Nothing was off the table regarding my brother’s murder.
However, a nagging thought remained in the back of my mind. The Don and I had history, his father mandating a decision that had altered the course of my life. While we’d never had words, that didn’t mean there wasn’t resentment on both sides.
“That’s what I’m going to find out. Not a word of this leaks to anyone. If it does, the person responsible for disobeying my orders will face my wrath. Is that clear?” I shifted my heated gaze toward Nico and Atticus, allowing a sweep of the other men in the room as well.
“You got it, boss,” Nico answered for everyone. “I’ll make certain no one sees his body being removed.”
“I can’t believe this,” Christos whispered, now standing over Leandro’s body. “What in the fuck is going on?”
I had no answer at this point. “Who found him?” My brother was dead, but as I touched his suit jacket, I felt a reverence for him and his soulful spirit, gently easing the edge aside. His holster was unsnapped as if he was ready to reach for his weapon.
“A waitress. She’s been detained so she wouldn’t open her mouth. I’ll get her.” Atticus grinned. He was also a notorious ladies’ man.
“He wasn’t certain the person he was meeting was a friend or foe,” Christos commented after homing in on what I was staring at.
“If he’d feared an enemy, his weapon would have been in plain sight.”
My brother sighed. “Then we’re possibly dealing with betrayal.”
Anything was possible at this point.
Nodding, I walked around the room, searching for any possible clues. Since we didn’t require anyone to sign in or become a member, it was difficult to control who was allowed in the club. That was left up to the bouncers. But they weren’t required to memorize the identity of every guest. Finding the assassin this way wasn’t possible.
“A clean shot. Did anyone hear anything?” Christos asked, his tone much harsher than before. While he was also the most emotional of the family, his mood swings notorious, I worried he’d shift to the darker side with our brother’s death.
Nico walked closer. “Not that I was told. It would appear a silencer was used. Plus, the loud music.”
It was interesting how many men who considered themselves powerful preferred allowing those to hear the noise of someone getting shot. It added to the appearance of power, providing a warning that was stated without words. Only true assassins bothered to remain in the shadows, a silencer almost always used. Plus, the use of a gun and a single bullet likely meant the kill hadn’t been a personal decision, but a contractual one. My gut told me the kill hadn’t been about Leandro personally, but about the family in general.
Leandro had possibly used the private entrance only a few had access to, allowing the person he was meeting into the club that way. It would have avoided anyone seeing the mystery man’s entrance. Still, my younger brother knew the dangers. He was cautious. He’d been trained. Someone had used their previous encounter as a weakness.
That someone would die.
Atticus returned a few seconds later, pulling the waitress in with too much force for my liking.
“Let her go,” I told him in a tone that he immediately recognized as one that meant my patience was waning.
He hesitated before following my orders, finally taking a step back and nodding.
Everyone was tense.
Christos sighed, lifting his eyebrow as he glanced in my direction. Abuse of women wasn’t allowed in our regime.
The girl couldn’t have been more than twenty-two, her entire face ashen. I could tell the moment she registered Leandro’s body for a second time, her eyes growing wide.
I walked toward her. By the way she looked at the floor, I sensed just how uncomfortable she was.
“What’s your name?” Christos asked.
“Sophia.” She was a nervous kitty cat.
“Sophia, did you serve this room?” I kept my tone even.
“Yes,” she barely managed, her lower lip quivering.
“What can you tell me about my brother’s guest?”
Her entire body was shaking. “Nothing, sir. I didn’t see who it was.”
I took a deep breath and lifted her chin with a single finger. “It’s not a good idea to lie to me, Sophia.”
“I’m not lying, sir. Mr. Nomikos ordered two drinks. When he did, he was alone.”
“Then why return to the room?” Christos was doing his best to keep his anger in check.
“Because he asked me to in fifteen minutes. I was right on time. I swear.” Tears had formed in her eyes. “But he was already… dead. Oh, God.”
As a keen observer of people’s behavior, I could instantly tell she wasn’t lying. At least about her task. It was still a mystery as to if she knew anything further. “Any idea who entered this room? Did you see the person?”
“No, sir. I have other customers.”
Nico snorted and I threw him a look. Pushing her wasn’t going to garner answers.
“Very well, Sophia. You can go. If you think of anything, anyone in this club will know how to get ahold of me.” I sensed Christos wasn’t happy with my decision, but he had no choice.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Nomikos.”
“And Sophia, you will not mention tonight’s occurrence to anyone. Is that understood?”
“Of course.” She couldn’t have scurried any faster from the room.
I followed her out, waving my hand at Nico and my brothers when Christos started to say something. I trailed her to the main floor, watching as she headed for the bar. When she had a brief but animated discussion with one of the bartenders, my instinct told me there was information to be discovered. I’d need to play this carefully.
As I shifted to return to the room, I noticed a young woman staring at me. The glare from the pulsing dance floor lights and the darkness inside the club didn’t allow me to see her face clearly, but there was something about her that caught me off guard. Perhaps it was the silent stare, her expression one of curiosity, not anger or disgust.
She tilted her head as soon as she realized I’d noticed her heavy gaze. After providing an appreciative look, she turned around. Chuckling, I headed to the room, surprised my cock was throbbing.
“I don’t trust her, boss,” Atticus threw out as soon as I entered.
“At this point, I don’t trust many people. Bring the bartender to me. Michael is his name.” The kid was American, someone who’d begged me in person for a job. Perhaps he could share some insight that others might not.
Nico didn’t bother wasting any time asking why, simply walking to the bar to follow my directions.
“What are you thinking?” Christos pushed.
“That whatever is going on isn’t finished yet. Let me handle the bartender.”
Several of my men lifted Leandro’s body, placing him on a plastic sheet. He would be handled with more care after leaving the facility. Then I’d need to call my parents with the news.
After they carried him out, I paced the floor for a few seconds. When I slammed my fist into the wall, Nico exhaled so I could hear it. I’d put a dent in the wallboard. So the fuck what? What in God’s name was going on?
Huffing, I pulled out a chair, sitting down as I allowed my mind to process the events. With no current obvious enemies in my portfolio, it was difficult to present a list of names to deal with. That would come with more information and time.
Michael wasn’t fighting being brought into the room, but he wasn’t happy either.
“Leave us alone,” I told my men. My chest was tight from the increasing rage.
Christos remained, moving toward the wall and leaning against it with his arms crossed.
Nico acted as if he was going to question my command then shook his head before ushering the others out. As soon as he closed the door behind him, I lifted my head to stare into the bartender’s eyes.
“Do you like working here, Michael?”
“Yes, very much, sir.”
“That’s good. You seem to please our female guests. You also work well with the waitstaff.”
“Yes, sir.” He seemed confused and nervous.
“However, keeping secrets from your employer isn’t in your best interest.”
“Sir?”
“What do you know about my brother’s murder?”
He shifted from foot to foot.
I resisted driving him against the wall. Roughing up my employees wasn’t good for morale.
“Michael. I’m not going to ask you again. But if the answer is the same, meaning a lie, you will face the necessary consequences. I do hope you understand what I mean.” Everyone working in the club knew of my reputation. I was fair and respectful, but if you crossed me, my patience only provided for one chance before my anger took prominence.
“Yes. Yes, sir. I heard things, Mr. Nomikos.”
“What things?” I glanced at Christos. He was wringing his hands, itching to beat the man until he spouted off what he wanted to hear.
“That someone is out to destroy your family.” Michael almost choked on the words.
“Go on.”
The simple inhale of his breath indicated he was terrified. Of me or someone else? “I heard an assassin was hired, but it’s just talk. You know how people are.”
“An assassin. Really? Any names?”
“No names, but this dude goes by the Stalker?” He smiled as if it was a joke.
I’d heard the name tossed around for a few years. Supposedly, the unknown assassin was damn good at what he did, capable of eliminating whatever target was presented to him inside the most crowded of locations. “Who did you hear this from?”
“Several people. Rumors. I didn’t take them seriously.”
Perhaps the kid didn’t understand the world he’d insisted on being hired into. I slowly stood, towering over the young man by several inches. “Michael. It’s important you understand that if you hear anything like this again, you will come to me directly. Failure to do so will terminate our relationship. Do you understand?”
The kid was smart, instantly figuring out I didn’t mean tossing him out the door.
After swallowing, he nodded several times. “Yes, sir. I completely understand. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open.”
“Excellent. Please do. Now, you can head back to the bar.”
After Michael left, I turned toward Christos.
“The Stalker?” he retorted. “Who the hell is that?”
“A specialized assassin and someone determined to ruin our lives, brother. But we’re not going to allow that to happen.”
No matter what needed to be done or how much blood was spilled.