Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
C hristos
“So on this day of celebration for my brother Havros and his lovely bride Kara, I wanted to wish for the both of you na zisete . May you live.” I raised my glass and for only the second time that I could remember, the first being the birth of his child, Havros had tears in his eyes.
“ Na zisete! ” almost everyone else said in unison, the stunning woman who stood right by my side included. Her face was finally beaming with real joy and the scent of our combined desire lingered on my skin.
I continued to remind myself that today was a good day. Sadly, I had a feeling my old reservations and angers would crowd in soon enough. Don Coppola had purposely sought Valencia out as he’d done with me. What I needed to know was why. I would corner him if necessary.
“That was beautiful. You did an incredible job with your speech. I’d even call it a bit sappy,” Valencia said wistfully.
“Sappy, huh? That’s because I had some amazing inspiration.”
“Oh, yeah?”
I gathered her into my arms, noticing the photographer was taking dozens of pictures of the loving couple.
“Definitely.” I scanned the outside, uncertain I liked the fact the couple was centered under a bright spotlight. So far, there’d been no sign of trouble, but with night settling in, that darkness made me that much more uncomfortable.
“I wonder if she’ll smash the bite in his face,” Valencia said absently.
“If I know Kara, she will. My brother deserves it too.” The happy couple was making their way toward the cake, stopping every few seconds for the photographer to get the perfect pose.
“Come on. We should get closer.” Valencia started heading toward where the massive cake was positioned.
“I’ll be right there. Stay close to the crowd and the house. Okay?”
“You’re worried something is going to happen.”
“Not worried,” I told her, trying to smile as if nothing was bothering me.
“You’re a terrible liar; next you’re going to give me your usual line about you being cautious. Do you want me to go with you?”
I couldn’t believe she was asking. “No. You’ll stay right here. If anything should happen, head for the house. There’s a bunker. In the kitchen, there’s a button under the kitchen island on the side of the refrigerator. Press that and get down the stairs.”
“You’re scaring me, Christos. I don’t like this.” She narrowed her eyes. I hated seeing the way her lips twisted from an instant flash of fear.
“I’m not trying to scare you,” I told her as I brushed my knuckles across her cheek. I’ll be damned if she didn’t pull away. She was right. This was no life for her. She didn’t deserve the worry and fear that she would associate with every celebration.
“But you are.”
“Just remember what I said. Try and get the others to follow you. Okay? Can you promise me that?”
“If you promise me that you’ll come right back.”
“I will. Don’t worry, baby. I always keep my promises.”
I hung back, noticing Luca was still on his perch near the back of the property close to the set of stairs leading to the beach. After watching her stop once to look back at me, I headed toward him, constantly turning my head from side to side. As soon as I approached, he stood taller, nodding to me immediately.
“Boss. Beautiful wedding.”
While the fucking twinkling lights were everywhere, the light was far too limited. “Yeah, it was. What have you seen? Anything?”
“A small tourist boat about an hour ago. It checked out.”
I’d shut down my earpiece, now returning the volume so I could hear the chatter. “Anything from the others?”
“Only that the Armenian dude showed up and left quickly.”
I was instantly placed on edge. “You mean Davit Ajernian?”
“Yeah, that’s the one,” Luca said. “I was back here so I don’t know what he said to Elias or anyone else.”
“Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?”
I clapped him on the arm. “Maybe nothing. But I’m going to head to the front of the house and check to ensure there are no issues. Confer with the soldiers at the lookout points. I want to know if any other ships are in the area.”
“Will do, boss.”
I’d simplified what I’d told Valencia about the fortresses my father had built just after purchasing the house. They hadn’t always been used, but being able to catch certain enemies prior to breaching our property had saved the lives of our entire family more than once.
I moved away from the guests, who were now mostly gathered around the back of the house and the pool for the cake-cutting ceremony, heading along the side toward the front. There was no reason for me to have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, but my instincts were rarely wrong.
However, I was determined to check all the points of possible entrance for an intruder without disturbing the rest of the family. If I was wrong, the day could be considered ruined. I didn’t want that for anyone, including Valencia.
She was spooked more than before, likely because I’d grilled her at the wrong time. Yes, the shit the Don had doled out had troubled me, but by all accounts, there was nothing to worry about.
Then why did you act like an asshole?
Because that was one way of keeping us alive. I jogged the rest of the way, eager to lose the penguin suit as soon as possible. It felt more constricting today than it had at any other event.
Elias saw me coming, moving toward me as fast as I was heading toward him. “You look pissed, boss.”
“Not pissed. Just anxious. What the hell happened with the Armenian leader?”
“I don’t know for certain. He pulled up and got a phone call. Couldn’t understand a goddamn thing he said. He muttered something about a family emergency. He dropped off a gift.”
“Did it appear as if he was upset?” Whoever he’d been speaking to had likely been from his country.
“Yeah, it did. Am I missing something?” Elias asked.
“I hope to hell not. Just keep a close eye. I have a very bad feeling about tonight.”
Elias followed my harsh scan of the area. I could see at least three guards walking the perimeter, still dressed in their suits and ties.
“I’ll check in with everyone personally. There’s almost no chatter.”
“Keep it that way, but if you see anything out of the ordinary, let me know.”
“Will do.”
I headed toward the house instead of walking around the side. Maybe I’d grab a stiff whiskey on the way out. Just as I reached the door, there was a buzz from the communication system. “What the hell did you say?” I turned on the microphone portion of the device and barked the order, turning immediately and searching for Elias.
He snapped his head in my direction, his weapon already positioned in his hand.
“Breach. Men down. Soldiers came up from the shore.” Luca’s voice held a tone of terror.
I didn’t wait, bolting into the house just as I heard a massive explosion. By the time I reached the outer doors, chaos had ensued, guests running in every direction. I rushed outside, noticing the flames coming from one of the tables full of gifts. I immediately reacted, grabbing my weapon as I pushed my way through the crowd.
A blur caught my attention. I aimed and fired, terrifying the guests even more. The scene was crazy, people tripping over each other in their attempt to escape.
“Valencia!” I screamed, hearing the popping sounds as gunfire ensued.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
I ducked, aiming toward a man in all dark clothing and a mask taking aim at my mother. With a single shot, the man was down. I rushed toward her, gently grabbing and pushing her toward the door. “Get inside.”
“Your father,” she whimpered.
“I’ll find him. Go. Please.”
“They’re everywhere,” Havros yelled, already shoving Kara toward the back door.
“Valencia!” My voice continued to boom, but was drowned out by the guests’ screams.
People rushed by, almost knocking me to the ground, but I pushed harder, fighting my way to free myself of the crowd.
Dimitrios ran toward me. “Go. Go. Go!” he yelled. Suddenly, his body was pitched forward from taking a shot in the back. He crumpled to the ground, Willow dropping immediately, her scream high pitched.
“Baby. Oh, my baby,” she whimpered. “I need to help him.”
“No. Get inside,” I told her.
“I’m not leaving him.”
“Think of your little boy.”
“I’ll be fine,” Dimitrios told her. “Do as Christos said.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” she muttered again.
“Take care… of our… son.” He was gritting his teeth from the agony.
She sobbed but finally nodded, allowing me to push her toward the back door. More gunfire and another blur to my right. Without hesitating, I dropped and rolled, firing off several rounds.
Fuck this. I should have believed my instincts. I should have stopped this atrocity before it began. What the hell was wrong with me? I continuously scanned the area as I struggled to move him closer to the house and behind a group of bushes. It was limited cover, but better than nothing.
“Goddamn it,” he muttered.
“Are you going to be okay?” I asked my brother.
“Get them. Get the fuckers.” He already had his weapon in his hand. While I wasn’t certain about his injury, the front of his shirt indicated an exit wound. He managed to crawl to his knees, firing off several rounds of his own. “Go. I’ll handle it here.”
I fired off again. “Stay put until it’s safe.”
He laughed, coughing almost immediately. “Not a chance.”
Two more enemy soldiers dropped, but I could see at least three of ours were down.
“Stay low, brother.” I continued pushing and searching for Valencia, my heart thudding. What if something had happened to her? Jesus Christ.
I finally caught sight of her, bending down and trying to help one of the fallen guests. As soon as she saw me, she rose to a standing position.
Just as another intruder jumped into view, his weapon aimed directly at her head.
“No!” I threw myself toward her, knocking her to the ground a split second before the bullet would have slammed into the back of her head. After rolling a few feet, I reacted instantly, jerking to a sitting position and firing off a half dozen shots into the man.
She screamed again, gasping for air almost immediately.
I searched the darkness, firing my weapon once again.
“Oh, my God. Are you alright?” I yanked another magazine of ammunition into my hand, jerking the one from my Sig out and tossing it away before slapping the other one into position.
More gunfire. More screams.
Smoke was still billowing from the fire, the acrid smoke burning my eyes.
Valencia continued to gasp for air, clinging to me. “What’s going on?”
“Listen to me, baby. Get inside. To the bunker I told you about. Don’t argue with me. Please.”
“I need to help your family. The injured. I can help them.”
“Not if you’re dead. Go.” I helped her up. “Just do as I say. Stay low. Go.”
She moved quickly toward the house and I took off running, firing off indiscriminately at every enemy soldier. As another approached, I didn’t have time to get off a shot before he was on me.
I ripped the katana from its holster, bellowing as I dragged it across the man’s throat. The force was enough it almost took off his entire head.
With blood gushing, the man gurgled as he went down and I stabbed him again.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Boom!
Another explosion occurred, the sound filling the night sky. I spun around in a circle, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
Our men were everywhere, ruthless in their actions.
What seemed like only seconds later, the gunfire began to slow. Finally, there was an eerie quiet in the backyard while I could still hear the sound of screams and the roar of engines coming from the front.
I turned around in a full circle, immediately noticing Valencia hadn’t obeyed me. We locked eyes and I finally realized what had happened.
My father. He’d been caught in the crossfire. She was by his side, her face well-lit by the outside lights. It was covered in blood, her dress soaked with it.
“No. No.” I rushed forward, dropping to the ground beside her.
“He’s hurt badly. The wound is similar to what you had. I need to get him to the hospital.”
“I don’t know if we can do that.”
“Christos. Your father will die. Call an ambulance.”
“What the fuck do you mean she isn’t allowed to handle the surgery?” I snapped at the nurse.
Havros gripped my arm. “She’s not a licensed doctor in Greece, bro. They can’t allow her by law.”
“She is attending, sir, at your request,” the nurse stated, her eyes showing the appropriate amount of fear. I’d been harsh with the entire staff, yelling the moment I’d arrived at the hospital.
My request? Bullshit. My demand. We’d given millions of dollars to this goddamn facility. They owed us much more than allowing Valencia to attend to my dying father.
Valencia had gone with my father and Dimitrios, assuring me everything would be okay. But I’d seen the look in her eyes and I’d heard her voice. My father had a slim chance of living even with her supportive expertise.
“I need to know the moment he’s out of surgery!” My voice was still shaking from rage.
“Calm the fuck down. You’re not helping Mama in the least. Come be with her. She needs our goddamn support.” Havros was doing his best to maintain some sense of peace while I remained livid.
I jerked away from him and the desk, immediately pacing the floor. “How the fuck did this happen?”
I knew the answer. My question was simply rhetorical.
“They came up the beach from a distance. That’s why they weren’t spotted.”
“With all the security equipment we have, they still managed to crawl up the goddamn shoreline to massacre us?”
“Only casualties, two with minor injuries,” Elias said. He was as distraught as the rest of us.
“Only casualties?” I was almost laughing. We weren’t used to losing multiple people and hadn’t in a full two decades.
“Don Coppola was hit,” Jonas said as he flanked his boss’ side.
I lifted my head. This I hadn’t heard. “How bad?”
“He’s in surgery, but they expect him to live.”
“Where did the first goddamn explosion come from?”
Elias took a deep breath. “From what I could tell, a gift. Either that or a device was planted under the table. The second was little more than a fucking pipe bomb tossed from one of the enemy soldiers.”
My eyes opened wide as I remembered seeing the table enflamed. “The fucking gift from Davit?”
“We don’t know that yet,” he answered.
“Well, fucking find out.” I had to control my anger. This wasn’t helping. “How is Kara?”
“She’s keeping the kids and don’t worry. There’s heavy protection.” Havros offered a weak smile.
We were all exhausted from the ordeal. My father had been in surgery now for almost two hours. It had taken me far too long to get to the hospital. I’d had only a few minutes with Valencia. She’d seemed hollow, cold, but she’d attended to both my brother and father along with the other injured guests while waiting for the ambulances to arrive. “How many of our men died?”
“Two.” It was obvious Jonas was as shaken as everyone else.
I glanced over at our mother and Willow sitting together in the waiting room I’d had cleared out. “Let me talk to them.”
“Don’t rattle them, Christos. They’ve been through a lot,” Havros stated.
“I’m an asshole, but they’re our family.” As I slowly walked toward them, my thoughts drifted all over the place. I would hunt and slaughter whoever did this. But I knew there was a strong chance I’d lose Valencia over this.
That couldn’t happen.
I crouched down in front of my mother, taking her hand. “It’s going to be okay. Both men are strong. You know that.”
My mother was such a stoic woman, proud of the person she was and her family. But I could see tears of desperation in her eyes. “What if he doesn’t make it?”
“Don’t think that way, Mama Nomikos,” Willow said, her voice much softer than I was used to hearing. She was trying so hard to be strong when I knew how worried she was about her husband.
I didn’t have a single update to provide to her on Dimitrios’ condition. All I knew was that the bullet had entered his back near his lungs and had exited the front. He was also in surgery.
“I can’t help it. We’ve already lost so much,” Mama wept.
I squeezed her hand. “We won’t lose anyone else. That much I know.”
Willow gave me a hard look. I could see it was on the tip of her tongue not to make promises I obviously couldn’t keep.
At least I could keep one.
Those involved would soon take their last breaths.
And I would enjoy every minute of making that happen.