The Enforcer Read online

  “Is that supposed to be comforting?”

  He thought it might be because she now pointed the gun at his legs. “Admittedly, I’m not great at sweet talk.”

  “Last time, Matthias Clarke. Answer me. Why are you really in town? And don’t give me that bullshit answer about having business projects in Annapolis or security or whatever.” She looked fully in control of her fear now. This definitely was the same strong woman who’d rejected him without blinking.

  Good. He could handle confident Kayla. “Put the gun down.”

  She nodded to the area behind him. “Open the door.”

  That didn’t make any sense. “Why?”

  “So I can scream if you come near me.” She shrugged. “Then people will hear the gunshot and come running. I figure that will give you a fighting chance to survive so long as the ambulance gets here in time.”

  “The person who did this might be right outside.” When she didn’t say anything, he tried again. “I assume you have all those locks on the door for a reason. You know danger. You’ve been living with it.”

  Playing the odds, he took a visible step forward. He wanted her to see him coming.

  “What are you doing?”

  She shifted but his training won out. He was a second faster and had the gun as she was still pivoting out of the way.

  “There.” He gave it a quick look before tucking it in the back of his pants. “Jesus, Kayla. It’s not even loaded.”

  “I couldn’t find the bullets in this mess.” Her gaze darted around the room. “I barely own anything and this is—”

  “Okay.” As gently as possible he put his hands on her arms and held her steady. He needed her to stay with him for at least a few more minutes. She could break down later, though he really hoped she didn’t. “I’m not going to hurt you. The weapon is away.”

  “I still don’t trust you.”

  “Which is smart, but I do need you to listen to me.” When she didn’t run, he tested some more. “We need to get out of here.”

  “You do.”

  He needed fingerprints and surveillance. They’d stepped right into the sort of thing he did best. “I’m going to lock this place down. Bring my men in and have them . . . why are you shaking your head?”

  She wiggled out of his loose hold and stepped back. When her foot hit against the overturned table she winced. “It’s fine.”

  What the hell? “This is not fucking fine.”

  “No police or investigators.”

  “Listen to me.” He ducked his head and stared at her until she returned his eye contact. “I get that you’re scared and—”

  “I’m pissed.”

  Damn, he liked her style. “Good. Frankly, it looks like you have a right to that feeling. But bolting and hiding isn’t the right response.”

  “It’s not that simple.” She put a hand on his stomach. “There are times . . .”

  He wanted her to keep going, to keep touching him, so he put a hand over hers and held her fingers against him. “What?”

  “Sometimes you have to let go, disappear, before you can move on from the past.” She started out slow, with a space between her words, but then the speed picked up. “I’ve been trying for years and the problem is I still keep this thin tether to who I used to be. Snapping that might be the answer if I want any kind of life without this.”

  “Sometimes the only way to get around whatever is haunting you is to move through it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t double back or even try to erase it.”

  “You sound as if you’re talking from experience.”

  He’d spent his whole fucking life paying for his past. “I know all about trying to outrun demons.”

  She curled her fingers and balled his shirt inside her tight fists. “You don’t know about this. You couldn’t possibly know.”

  The yearning in her voice tugged at him. The pain in her eyes. He understood all of it. But this wasn’t about him and they couldn’t have this conversation now. Hell, he couldn’t imagine ever unloading about the foster homes and the one time he didn’t move fast enough. Didn’t yell loud enough. Couldn’t save a kid who needed saving.

  They needed to stay on her. Focus on getting her to a place where she could open up and he could solve whatever needed solving. “Whoever did this has done it before, yes? That’s what you’re trying to tell me. This isn’t the first time someone has come after you.”

  “Yes.”

  “How bad?”

  She hesitated for a full minute before talking. “Notes, threats, for a start.”

  Jesus. At least she’d switched to some nameless “they” and stopped blaming him. He took that as at least partial progress.

  “Then anywhere you go, this will follow.” So much of the brightness had seeped out of her. She looked drained and discouraged. He’d bet she could still knock him over because even in this state there was nothing weak about her, but he wanted her to save her energy. “We’ll talk about all of that as soon as we get you out of here and my men do their work.”

  “I’m so exhausted.” She lowered her head to his chest.

  He inhaled, drawing in the faint scent of vanilla in her hair. Wrapped his arms around her and for just a second warmed her body with his. “Then trust me.”

  “That’s never going to happen.” The anger had left her voice. She no longer fought him. It sounded more like she was trying to be honest with him.

  Just like everything else about her, he found that wildly sexy. “The one thing in the world you can count on is that I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

  She lifted her head and stared up at him. “What about you?”

  “I’m not going to hurt you either. I’d like to touch you, which I think I’ve made clear.” With his hands and mouth. Push inside her. “But not tonight.”

  “It sounds like you’re blaming me for killing the mood.”

  “On the contrary, nothing gets my adrenaline pumping like figuring out a puzzle.”

  She actually smiled. “So, I’m a puzzle now?”

  “Yes you are, Kayla. And I promise you I’m going to figure you out.” One way or another, using every skill he possessed. “You can count on that.”

  Chapter 11

  Kayla heard footsteps coming up the stairs and froze. She expected Matthias to morph into a human shield and start shouting. But he stood there, holding her, being way too comforting and comfortable.

  As the seconds ticked by she teetered between being wary about who or what was about to come through the door and very aware of the feel of Matthias’s hands on her lower back. He brushed his fingers over her, back and forth, until every nerve ending tingled. His deep breathing echoed in her ear, drowning out everything else. Almost.

  “Matthias, someone is coming.” She said the words into his shirt.

  He sighed and pulled back. “Garrett’s timing sucks.”

  “What?”

  Right after Matthias referenced him, Garrett opened the door. Stood there, taking up most of it and blocking the sun behind him.

  “What the ever-loving f—” He went from scowling to wide-eyed as he glanced to where her hand still rested on Matthias’s arm. “Hello.”

  Matthias broke all contact then. He stepped away as he rolled his eyes. “You can swear in front of her. She’s a big girl.”

  Garrett’s smile looked like he held it out of pure will and not because he found anything funny or amusing. “I’m a bit more civilized than you are.”

  “Like hell.” Matthias pointed from one to the other. “Kayla, you remember Garrett.”

  Garrett’s fake smile faded as he looked around the room. “What the hell happened in here? If this is your idea of dating, we should talk.”

  “Someone broke in.” Her gaze slipped to the message on the wall and then away again. Seeing the words, knowing someone out there had tracked her down to hurt her, took away what little peace she’d established in Annapolis.

  “Not exactly.” Matthias nodded in t
he direction of the door. “Check the door.”

  Garrett dropped down on his haunches and studied the lock. “Looks fine to me.”

  “That’s one of the reasons she thought I did this. I haven’t checked everything, but it doesn’t look like anyone tampered with the door to get in here.”

  “There’s still a piece of me that thinks this ties back to you.” That actually wasn’t true. His reactions didn’t come off as practiced or false. Even though she fought it at first, this didn’t seem like his kind of attack. No, he’d strike head-on and be sure she knew what hit her. He wouldn’t sneak in and write something on a wall.

  But she sensed that Matthias was not a man you let off the hook easily. If she didn’t speak up and stand her ground he’d just keep trying to run right over her as he did whatever he thought he needed to do to fix her life.

  One thing she always had been clear about—she didn’t need a savior. She didn’t hope someone bigger or stronger or richer would rush in and make it all better. She wanted simplicity and freedom from fear. She knew that could only come from her. She just had no idea how to get there.

  Garrett got up and stepped farther into the studio. Walked around with his hands on his hips as he shook his head. “Nah, this isn’t Matthias’s style. He’d be clean and strategic. No warning. Just put you in a hospital or body bag.”

  “It’s fascinating that both of you think the right response is to say this isn’t something Matthias would do.” When Matthias just stared at her, she stared back. She refused to believe he didn’t understand her point.

  “I don’t get it,” he said.

  Then again . . . “You’re not saying you wouldn’t attack. It’s that you wouldn’t do it this way.”

  The confusion on Matthias’s face turned to a look that said no shit. “I wouldn’t warn you first, that’s for damn sure.”

  The man did not disappoint. The honesty made her twitchy, but she knew it was right. She thought Matthias would say straight out how he’d handle something like this, and he did.

  Now if she could only pin him down on why he was in town. Then she could try to put the pieces together on why his presence seemed to trigger a new round of stalking and angry threats. Once she got there she might be able to pinpoint the person who was so determined to make every day of her life a nightmare.

  “Time for a change of topic.” Garrett clapped his hands together as he turned back to face them again. “Matthias?”

  He turned to her. “Who else has a key?”

  She didn’t like him barking out questions, but she let that go. For now. “The landlord and my friend Lauren.”

  “We’ll need her full name.”

  “Leave her alone. She didn’t do this.” Kayla didn’t have any doubt about that. Matthias needed to move on.

  “You can’t know that.” He dismissed her by looking away before she could respond. All of his attention focused on Garrett as he reeled off a list of new orders. “We need the names of everyone who lives and works around here and background checks. I have some of my people coming in from Quint. They’ll handle forensics and the canvass and—”

  She touched his arm and he immediately stopped talking. “Canvass?”

  The word had terrorize the neighbors written all over it. She didn’t like the idea. Didn’t like what she thought it meant or where it might lead.

  “They ask around the area, see if anyone heard or knows anything.” Matthias ticked off the explanation and kept on talking.

  She snuck in one word. “No.”

  “There might be security cameras on some of these buildings . . . wait.” He blinked. Did a little head shake. “Did you say no?”

  There was no question he was used to having all of his orders followed exactly and without question. Well, if he wanted that then he’d wandered into the wrong café, because she was not that woman. Never had been and no matter how much life pounded her, never would be.

  “I do not want your employees to stomp around and interrogate the people who work and live around here.” A small part of her still hoped she could hold on to a life in this place. That somehow her cover would hold and she could attend those classes she’d signed up for and try to establish connections here.

  None of that would be possible if men in suits stormed in, talking about her and being invasive. This part of Annapolis, right here by the marina, was, at heart, a small town. A welcoming and beautiful quiet place filled with good people who worked hard and a whole bunch of wealthy tourists who spent money like wildfire and helped keep the bills paid.

  “My men are trained.” Matthias’s voice took on a rough edge, as if he was ticked off by having to keep talking to her about this topic.

  Tough. “Was that my point?”

  He leaned in until his face hovered right in front of hers and pointed toward the still open door. “One of those people you’re trying to protect out there might have done this.”

  She pushed against his shoulders until he moved back. “No one did anything until you came into town.”

  His face flushed red. “Again with that?”

  “Wow.” Garrett stepped in between them. “You two are adorable. Truly.”

  Matthias shot Garrett a look filled with fury and a warning delivered through clenched teeth. “Don’t make me kill you.”

  Those words . . . she waited for the panic to set in but nothing. Relief hit her out of nowhere. She wasn’t afraid. He got jerky and loud, and instead of wanting to take her bag and go, she slipped into a fighting mood. It was as if the clock had flipped back seven years and a tiny piece of who she once was and how she’d reacted to stress survived.

  A weight lifted and all of the tension spinning around inside of her slowed down to a nonvomit level. But she still didn’t intend to let him get in the last word. “The gun isn’t loaded. Remember?”

  Matthias made a strangled sound. “As if I’m not carrying one that is.”

  “Talking about you being armed and dangerous is not going to get us where we want to be.” Garrett clapped again. “Let’s focus.”

  She was already sick of the clapping. He could stop that any time.

  “No one has ever had to tell me that before,” Matthias muttered under his breath as he walked toward the overturned loveseat.

  “Well, see . . .” Garrett tucked his hands in his pockets. “You don’t seem to be yourself right now.”

  Matthias didn’t look up from whatever he was busy studying on the floor. “Meaning?”

  “Yeah, I want the answer to that, too.” She also wanted to know what had grabbed his attention. Something he moved around with his shoe but didn’t try to pick up.

  Garrett didn’t blink. “Let’s just say I have a lot of questions about what you were doing tonight in her apartment, but I’ll let those go.”

  The words settled in Kayla’s brain and she dragged her gaze away from Matthias and settled it on Garrett. “You’re kind of nosy, aren’t you?”

  Matthias looked up then. “She’s not wrong.”

  “No, I mean—”

  “Back to the message on the wall.” Matthias stood right under it.

  Kayla tried not to notice. Tried not to read the words or think about the last time she saw red splashed against white paint.

  “Right.” Garrett’s eyebrow lifted as he looked at her. “Any intel you can provide?”

  Nothing she could say would make sense. “The threat speaks for itself.”

  “You can’t leave it at that.” Matthias walked back over to join them. It didn’t take long, since the whole room was about fifteen by fifteen. “Not to be dick here, but no one breaks into my house and threatens to kill me.”

  Funny, he sounded pretty dickish right then and more than a little clueless. “I bet they think about it.”

  Garrett laughed. “Like you said, she’s not wrong.”

  “This isn’t a joke, Kayla.” Matthias didn’t laugh. If anything, his voice dipped lower, grew more serious. “Someone is specifically
targeting you. Not me, you. If someone came after me, I’d have an idea why.”

  “You think I don’t know this is all about me? You think this is the first time?” She’d done this dance so many times. Even when she finally worked up the nerve to unpack her bag in a place, she still never felt settled. Never got a refreshing night of sleep or believed the worst of the hounding might be over.

  Matthias looked at Garrett. “I sent out a code to my office. I’ll give more instructions when the group is on the way and will tell them to answer to you.” His gaze skipped back to her. “How many?”

  She understood what Matthias was asking and she knew the answer. Seven years, nine moves. “It doesn’t matter.”

  She didn’t always switch states or even towns, but she lost jobs and dropped out of more than one school. She’d been trying to finish her degree for seven years and never stayed anywhere long enough to make it happen.

  This time she’d hoped she could at St. John’s, the local liberal arts college. She’d even registered and started the process of transferring credits . . . The idea stuck in her head. Had that done it? Did someone track her through her old university records?

  “Kayla.” Matthias’s voice softened as he called out to her.

  That worried her more than his bark. When he flipped into understanding mode, her control crumbled. Some older naïve part of her still wanted to believe that she could trust and relax. But she knew better. “I didn’t hire you. I don’t really know you.”

  “That didn’t bother you an hour ago when I was all over you.”

  Silence screeched through the room. Garrett froze. So did everything inside her.

  It took another minute before she could form any words without spitting them out. “Watch it.”

  Her anger didn’t seem to faze Matthias. All he did was nod. “We’re going to the inn. We’ll sit down and talk this through.”

  The man could win an award for stubbornness. “And you just assume I’m going with you.”

  “We’ll stay on track. It will be all business this time.”

  He made it sound as if he was the one talking about work while she thought about other things. Yeah, no. “Do you hear yourself? I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about not knowing either of you well enough to walk into that sort of situation.”