The Enforcer (Vengeful Empire #3)

Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

V alencia

After an afternoon of shopping, we’d had a late lunch at a small yet incredible café with wine and dessert. I felt like a princess. We’d walked the flower-lined streets, moving down several sets of stone stairs. I’d had several sights of the ocean, the breeze providing a perfect backdrop of incredible scents.

The quaint shops were scrunched together, vibrant awnings providing extra shade from the sun. The day was gorgeous, the late afternoon adding a luminous hue on the crowded streets.

“You’re wearing jeans and a tee shirt.” I was still shocked he’d chosen a form-fitting tee shirt with the sexiest pair of jeans I’d ever seen on a man. Or rather, he made the dense material look sensual with his rounded butt and the thickness of his muscular legs.

Let alone the huge bulge between his legs I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off.

He laughed as he guided me down the sidewalk, his hand never leaving the small of my back. While some might think he was steering me clear of the crowded streets, I knew the move was completely possessive.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” he told me as he stopped in front of a jewelry store. “I prefer dressing this way. Until a couple years ago, you’d never catch me in a monkey suit except for weddings, funerals, and certain business meetings.”

“What made you change your daily attire?” I turned toward him, no longer surprised that I enjoyed the time we spent together. He’d insisted we go out the moment he’d returned from his business meeting. Up to this point, there’d been no further discussion of how I might be of assistance.

It was coming.

He simply wanted me to consider him a regular guy.

“Let’s just say family obligations.”

“Well, if it means anything to you, I like you much better this way. You seem more approachable. Likeable. I know what you’re going to say. You’re not in a popularity contest. I get it. However, as the old saying goes: Beware the man in a room in a tee shirt.”

“Hmmm… I like that. I think I’ll use it.”

“Most of the wealthiest men do. They become anonymous in a sea of sharks.”

He laughed again and it was good just to enjoy being together. “Come on, angel. I have something for you.” The moment he reached for the door to the store, I pressed my hand against his chest.

“In here?”

“These are old friends of my father’s. They are good people.” He pushed me inside as I kept looking back at him.

As soon as an older man noticed we’d entered, he moved from behind the counter, jerking Christos into a bear hug.

“ éna ypérocho théama gia ta mátia aftoú tou gérou .” The man’s voice was gruff as if from years of smoking. While I had no idea what he’d said, when Christos pulled away from the embrace, he was smiling.

“He said I was a wonderful sight for this old man’s eyes. I’m sorry I haven’t taken the time to visit. We’ve been very busy. Konstantinos, this is Dr. Valencia Laurant.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve heard all about you, dear. I spoke to your father just this morning. He’s doing well?”

“Much better because of Valencia.”

“Then she is welcome in my store any time. I know what you’ve come for and I have it right here.” He returned behind the counter, shoving his way past a curtain used for a door into a back room.

“What have you done?” I asked him.

“Just something to remind you of home. Nothing more.”

I could tell by the smirk on his face he had something up his sleeve. I adored him for thinking of me at a time we were both still reeling.

Konstantinos returned with a flat blue box in his hand. He pulled a piece of black velvet onto the counter before opening the box lid. Very carefully he laid out the contents.

I offered Christos a quick glance before approaching, shocked the moment I did. “This is exquisite.” The bracelet was made of silver. I never wore gold. Had I shared that with him in any of our conversations? What floored me the most was the charm with Magnum’s name inscribed. There were gems, both rubies and diamonds surrounding it, large carats I knew had to be real. “My God. This must have cost a fortune.”

“I’ll indulge you with another family secret. Konstantinos and his wife create works of art with the family corporation’s gems.”

“My God.” My fingers were shaking as I went to lift it from the smooth piece of cloth.

“Allow me,” Konstantinos suggested and I held out my wrist. “I hope you like it.”

“Like it? I love it. It’s so beautiful.” I wasn’t the kind of woman to get teary-eyed over any gift, but I felt the moment coming on.

Konstantinos was very careful in fastening the perfectly sized bracelet, standing back and beaming from being able to bask upon such a beautiful creation.

“It’s perfect.” I pulled my arm against my chest, feeling a moment of sadness from missing my furry baby. “This is just…” I threw my arms around Christos and he seemed surprised.

But as he pulled me closer, I was able to feel his rapid heartbeat. His hold was tight, the scent of the man filling my senses with the best hint of spices. At least for now, there were no worries, no concerns about everything that had occurred.

Two of his men, both of which I’d only seen in passing, had trailed behind us the entire time, but as Willow had told me, I’d started forgetting they were there. They hadn’t intruded or said anything to Christos during our few hours together. They were just following along if and when we needed any backup.

When I took a step away, he lifted my arm, admiring the work. “You outdid yourself, Konstantinos. Much gratitude to your lovely wife.”

“You are welcome, my son. Please give your father my best and thank you, beautiful lady, for keeping the family intact.”

I wasn’t going to insult the man by making my typical statement about it being my job. In truth, I’d been terrified Apollo would die before we reached the hospital.

Konstantinos gathered the box, placing it in a silver foil bag for me to take. A nice touch.

Christos was still grinning as we walked from the store, sliding on his sunglasses as if he owned the world.

“What’s next?” I asked as he pulled me against him.

“Now, we return home. Perhaps I’ll make you dinner.”

“I’m still stuffed.”

“Then I guess we’ll need to do something to generate energy. Don’t you think?”

As ruthless as the man could be, he was also playful, a side of him that I adored and could easily remain lost in.

We chatted as we returned to his car. All the while, I couldn’t stop touching the bracelet. It was the most precious gift I’d ever received. He had no idea how much it had touched my heart.

Once inside the Maserati, he didn’t waste any time. The man did enjoy speed, taking risks and showering me with his level of passion. I felt free and at ease as he drove, the man taking the corners as if on rails.

I laughed to myself at the movie reference. He was definitely the perfect dominating man. If a girl was into that type of thing.

Okay, I was. There would be no more lies to myself or anyone else.

I could tell the soldier driving was having a difficult time keeping up with us. I also knew by the way Christos was constantly checking his rearview mirror he was testing them. The man had a bratty side.

Just like I did.

Two peas in a pod.

Oh, God. Now I was getting sappy.

“You do remember I brought a laptop with me. Right?” I asked as I started recognizing various businesses and homes as we closed in on the location of his house.

“Yes. Why are you mentioning it?” Christos asked.

“Because I can do some research.”

I was surprised when he crowded my space, opening the glove compartment shoved against my knees. He gave me a soulful look as his fingers grazed over my legs. “Take a look at this first.”

“What is it?”

“Just look at the contents. I think you’ll find them interesting.”

He was right although I had to read the information twice to fully understand what I was looking at. “My father isn’t behind the attack.”

“As you suspected.”

“But Kenneth Baker appears to be embroiled in acts of deception.”

“That’s my take,” he said, shooting me a playful look.

“I assume you know some of the other people mentioned in the memorandum?”

“I do.”

“How are you going to handle this?”

He made a turn, his expression thoughtful. “Perhaps you should tell me. From what I can ascertain, the American Armenian leader, Arek Yesayan has preyed on the benefits of those who most need medical attention. While doing so, he racked up a number of murders to enable him to get to a place of leadership. As you may have read, he’s also threatened and blackmailed many politicians along the way. Your father could be one of those on the man’s blackball list or he could simply be attempting to bring justice to the million plus people involved.”

“Why are you sharing this with me?” I asked him.

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Because I told you I’d never lie to you and you do want to be my partner in this. Yes?”

“I like the sound of being your partner. There’s another reason though. I can tell by that cross look on your face.”

Christos made another turn, slowing down as he checked the rearview mirror. “Do you ever have the feeling karma is testing you? Your worth. Your ability to adapt.”

“Like it did with us?”

He gripped my leg. “Something like that.”

“Then the answer is yes. Why?”

“One of the most brutal leaders known in the world of crime syndicates suggested my family make the right choice about how to handle the issue with the American Armenians and those trapped in the man’s twisted games.”

It only took me a few seconds to realize what he was getting at. “By providing this evidence to my father so he can do his job instead of handling the savage justice yourselves.”

“Very good.” He shot me another look, this one even more heated than before. “I want you to help me decide which would suit my family better.”

“You’re placing the burden on my shoulders?”

“Not entirely. But I do value your opinion.”

Now I was completely shocked. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“You are one of the few people I’ve ever met who can do anything she sets her mind to. This is your chance to shape a life you don’t seem to want to be a part of.”

“You’re telling me you’ll change.”

His chuckle could set my world on fire. “Not entirely, but about this, perhaps. Think about it tonight. We’ll decide together in the morning.”

He had to be kidding me. I didn’t know what to think. After a few seconds, I reread the information. However this had been provided for him, the detailed documents including private emails, photocopies of payments and other correspondence with what appeared to be some key players from the Medicaid Administration were explosive. Heads would roll if exposed and at least two dozen people would end up in prison.

Or they could end up with bullets in their heads.

The decision was daunting. I folded the paperwork, placing it back into the envelope, all the while quivering from the trust he’d placed in me.

Only a few minutes later we were back at the house. He parked outside the front door instead of pulling into the garage, which I thought was curious.

Saying nothing, he grabbed the envelope, shoving it into his back pocket, and jumped from the driver’s seat. The long strides he took as he moved to my side were something to watch and enjoy.

The moment he opened my door, his arm was extended inside.

“Such a gentleman.”

“Don’t let that get around for fear of ruining my reputation.”

“Don’t worry. All your secrets are safe with me.”

He led me to the front door, stopping only long enough to scan the perimeter. He would forever be a cautious man, but he had every right to be that way. It seemed strange that he opened the door cautiously.

“Are you worried someone is inside?”

“Not worried. An alarm would have sounded on my phone.” He grinned down at me as a reminder I’d managed not to trip the system.

How had I gotten so lucky?

Once inside and after he closed the door, he remained in the foyer.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Who said anything is going on?”

“Because I know you. Remember?”

His chuckle was so dark and deliciously dangerous an instant tremor tickled my spine. “Just trust me.”

“Hmmm… A tall order.”

“Go on. Inside.”

I gave him a hard look, which included scrunching my nose, but did as he commanded, heading toward the living room. When I was a couple of feet away, I stopped after hearing a sound. “What was that?” I asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“That sounded like someone scratching on a door.”

“I guess you need to find out.” There was a strange sound to his voice that prompted me to take quicker steps.

The moment I heard the noise again, my heart started beating erratically. “Magnum. Magnum!”

Woof. Woof!

As soon as my fur baby bounded toward me, I dropped to my knees. “Oh, my God.” Now tears refused to be stopped. I was bawling like a baby by the time Magnum jumped, placing his big paws on my shoulders. His entire backside was wiggling and he was squealing from happiness.

“Oh, God. My baby. I love you. Mommy dog loves you so much!”

Woof. Woof. Woof!

Magnum was beside himself, knocking me all the way to the floor in his bout of joy. He licked every inch of my face, constantly squealing and I knew the larger-than-life man was watching our interaction intently.

Finally, as Magnum started to come down from his adorable high, I shifted onto my butt on the floor, peering up at Christos. “How did you do this? Why? I mean… This is crazy.”

“Well, I assure you he didn’t suffer during the flight. I think it was the first time in history a dog has had a private jet all to himself. Complete with the pampering I might add. And don’t worry, Luca made certain the people he sent to retrieve your beautiful pup gathered his bed, food, toys, leash. Everything I could think of, but we’ll buy whatever you need.”

I honestly had no idea what to say, although another moment of stark realization hit me. No matter what I said to him, his intention was to keep me right here.

With him.

Magnum followed me, bumping into my leg as I half jogged into the living room. Seeing his fluffy bed and toys strewn about from where he’d already been playing with them brought both joy and sadness into my mind.

And my heart.

I wasn’t equipped to be able to deal with the range of emotions tearing through me.

When Christos entered the room, Magnum stopped moving altogether, his tail no longer wagging. He turned as if an intruder had entered the house. While there was no growl, I knew my pup well enough to realize he was determined to make his own decision about whether the man standing just inside the doorway was trustworthy.

Magnum was an easygoing pup, at least usually. But I’d seen him raise his hackles when he thought I was in danger. The two powerful beings shared a look between them, Magnum refusing to back down.

“You should meet him on his level,” I told Christos quietly.

While he tilted his head toward me, I was happy that there was no look of concern; certainly a man like Christos Nomikos would never feel fear from a dog.

“I got this,” he said almost proudly.

With him, I never knew exactly what to expect. When he dropped onto all fours, I pressed my hand across my mouth to keep from laughing. He wiggled his butt just like Magnum had only minutes before as he crawled closer to the tense pup.

I was ready to grab Magnum’s collar if necessary. Yet I shouldn’t have worried. Within seconds, Christos reached out with one hand, lowering his head at the same time. It took no time for my fur baby to step closer, sniffing first before dropping down and rolling over to expose his belly.

What I witnessed in the next couple of minutes melted whatever last remnants of ice I’d had around my heart. It was as if the two were soulmates.

They started roughhousing, Magnum bringing him one toy after another. To hear Christos laugh in such an uninhibited way kept me mesmerized.

He tugged with one of the rope toys, Magnum growling in happiness. Given my emotions were still all over the place, I had tears in my eyes. The sight of the two of them together was perhaps the greatest surprise of all.

Luca had taken great care in ensuring my baby’s water bowl was filled, a few morsels of food still in his bowl. I made a mental note to thank him.

There was something so comfortable and normal about the moment that I allowed myself to head to the bar, pouring us both a glass of the man’s favorite whiskey. This moment deserved a toast, a celebration of the strangest connection two human beings could ever have.

Christos was still laughing as he jumped to his feet, stroking Magnum’s head while saying something to the little monster that I couldn’t hear. When he finally approached, his entire demeanor was more expressive than I’d seen the entire time I’d known him.

He was happy. Truly happy. Perhaps for the first time in his life.

I handed him the glass, our fingers touching. He allowed the connection to linger, stroking my hand with a single finger. “Are you thrilled?” he asked.

“More so than you know. How did you get him away from my sister? She’s a tough lady.”

“Just like Magnum’s mom. One of the two men I sent to retrieve him found a connection with her. From what I know, he promised her he’d show her around Athens when she visited.”

“Did she agree?”

“You’ll need to ask him, but since Magnum is safe and sound, I believe so.”

“You do know he sleeps on the bed with me. Right?”

“Well, he’ll need to fight me for the middle of the bed.” He crowded my space, shaking his head so slowly I barely noticed it moving. “I like seeing you smile.”

“Around you I tend to do that.”

“Shocking.” He placed his hand against his heart as he took a sip of his drink.

“You know you should allow me to take a look at how your wound is healing.”

“You’ve seen every inch of me. Does it appear I’m worse for the wear?”

Sighing, I reached out, touching his chest. “Not at all.”

“Nomikos men are tough.”

“Yes. Your father is doing very well, better than expected. He should be released soon. You’re all very lucky.”

The corners of his mouth lifted. “I think I’m the lucky one.”

“What are we doing with my father? I should call him.” All he’d said about his meeting was that certain ‘aspects’ had been put into perspective. Every question I’d asked after that he’d avoided.

“Why don’t we talk about that later?”

“You know I won’t let this go.”

“I am completely aware of your personality. We will talk, but not tonight. Tomorrow begins a new day and a new realm.”

I wasn’t certain why, but his words troubled me.

Yet they also excited me.