“Let’s get inside, boy. We’ll play again later.” I grabbed my jacket, tossing it over my shoulder.
Just as I bent over to collect the toy, I heard a vehicle pulling into the driveway. Call me cautious, but I immediately pulled out my weapon, moving toward the building. I placed my finger across my lips to try to keep Indiana quiet.
He woofed.
A lot of good that did. As soon as he heard a door slam, he shot off running toward the sound like a bat out of hell.
Just as my Capo appeared around the corner.
“Jesus Christ. I heard noise.” Enzo threw his arms up over his head, his body swaying from the force and weight of Indiana jumping on him, his front paws resting on my Capo’s shoulders. “What the fuck is this beast?”
While Indiana was happily wagging his tail, likely slobbering all over the man, my Capo was terrified. “He’s half Golden, half Great Pyrenees.”
“All fucking savage if you ask me. Can you get him off me?”
I shoved my weapon into the pocket of my jacket. “Not until you tell me why the fuck you disobeyed my orders.”
“I promise you it’s for a good reason. Since when did you get a damn dog?”
“He’s not a damn dog,” I hissed. “Indiana. Off.” Maybe Indiana knew I was way past taking shit from anyone because he obeyed me, instantly easing onto his haunches a few feet away where he waited patiently.
Like a good boy.
In two long strides, I had my hand wrapped around Enzo’s throat. And apparently, I wasn’t in the mood to play nice either. As I squeezed, his face finally took on a lovely shade of crimson.
To his credit, he didn’t try to fight me. Good for him. That wouldn’t have ended well.
“I need for you to understand something very clearly. When I give you a direct order, under no circumstances will you ignore them. Even if you’re on your goddamn deathbed, you will follow every order to the letter. The woman staying in my house will be protected at all times. With your fucking life. You got it?”
The sound of his wheezing didn’t temper my mood in the least. All the bastard could do was to nod.
Maybe that’s when I realized I could easily kill him. Not that I wanted to. But my hands were strong and I’d snapped more than one man’s neck in my life. I released my hold, keeping my hand only inches away.
“You follow my orders. I don’t give a shit the reason. Do you understand?”
He coughed, blinking several times from the shock registered on his face. In all the years he’d worked for me, he’d certainly been privy to my bouts of vicious anger. But never toward him.
Why the hell now?
One answer.
As I’d experienced before, I felt a presence watching me.
Hating me.
Condemning me.
Her.
When I looked up, I could just make out the silhouette of her face peering at me through the glass, her flexed fingers placed on the surface. As soon as she realized I’d caught her, she backed away.
But she’d seen my ridiculous regression into a caveman-like state, using aggression to make my point. Yes, that’s what I was used to doing without worrying about being seen or any consequences. So why did it matter in the least at this point? Because she wasn’t like anyone else I’d allowed into my life. That was potentially damning.
The yin and yang of my personality. Good versus evil.
And she had every reason to hate both.
“Yes, sir.” Enzo looked sheepish.
