The Enforcer - Kelli Callahan Page 0,14

illegal.” She waves her hand in the air, her eyes blazing. “Jake, I think you should leave.”

“I don’t think you’re listening,” I growl. “You are in danger here. You won’t be safe with the police because I know where their loyalties lie.”

“And where do they lie?” she asks, moving closer to me, challenging me.

I have to admire her bravery. Few people challenge me.

“Their loyalties lie with the highest bidder. The man with the deepest pockets,” I snarl, fighting to keep my hands in my pockets. “You can’t trust the police. You can’t trust the employees of this hotel.”

“Who can I trust then?” she asks, her voice brimming with emotion.

“You can trust me,” I whisper.

“How do I know that?” she asks.

“I ran into a burning building for you,” I laugh, surprising us both.

“Oh, well,” she pauses, “I guess that’s true.”

“If I wanted you dead, Diana, I would have been miles away― hell, states away from you as you burned to death in that bathroom.”

She looks down at her feet in silence.

“Please trust me. Believe me, Diana. Don’t make me sit in that hallway forever, waiting for someone to come and kill you,” I gesture behind me. “Because I’ll sit in that hallway until I die, defending you.”

She opens and closes her mouth, staring up at me now.

“Why would you do that for me?”

“You remind me of someone,” I say before I can stop myself.

“Who?”

“Someone that I knew a long time ago. You don’t know her.” I place my hands back in my pockets and turn away from her.

“What happened to her?” she asks, following closely behind me.

“The same thing that will happen to you if you don’t listen to me.”

“Alright, Jake,” she whispers.

I hear movement behind me. I turn to watch her pull out a suitcase from the closet. And a gun. She slips it into her clothes.

Chapter Six

Diana

“Alright, this is it,” he says, leading me into his small living room.

I don’t know what I was expecting when he said he was taking me to his place for the night. I suppose I thought it would be nicer. Wouldn’t be this nice. Jake has this air about him. Dangerous. The kind of guy who sleeps in his car, but his apartment is half-decent. It reminds me of a place I rented years ago when it was just Holly and me.

“I know it’s nothing like the brick house you had,” he says over his shoulder, removing his other Jakeet and tossing it onto the sofa. “But it’s not half bad. The hot water works. And it doesn’t smell like animals.” He shrugs. “Which is a problem that I think Noah’s place has,” he says with a quick grin.

“Noah, the king pin. Right?” I ask, a little surprised.

“Yeah, Noah. I didn’t realize you were on a first-name basis.”

I laugh and then frown.

“You’re serious.”

She shrugs. “How did you not know that? Noah and I are inseparable.”

“Oh, well. I guess I didn’t pay much attention before…” I say, trailing off, wondering if that’s offensive.

Saying nothing, he nods and walks around the corner to the kitchen.

“Have you eaten yet, Diana?” he calls, and my heart skips a beat at the way he says my name.

“No, I haven’t eaten yet,” I answer, trying to remember.

And to breathe slower. It’s silly that he makes me feel this way. I don’t know that I have ever felt this little thrill. Sure accomplishing my goals always made me happy. Things were nice in the beginning. But I don’t remember getting this rush over things like a quick glance or the way my name is spoken.

“How do you feel about paninis?”

“Yes. Can you hear good?” I smile. stepping over to the L-shaped counter before sitting down carefully on one of the barstools.

“Excellent. You know, do you want a drink? What do you have?” he frowns.

“I have water cranberry juice and assorted vodka.”

“Water’s fine.”

“Not much of a drinker, yes?”

“No, not really. Michael didn’t approve of such things. For me anyways,” I say, trailing off.

“And what do you approve of?” he asks, slicing the sandwich neatly and turning to the panini maker.

“Um, I don’t know. I suppose that in a lot of ways I’m still finding myself,” I say, trailing off.

He nods his head in understanding.

“So, Jake,” I ask, changing the subject. “Why hasn’t a guy like you settled down yet?”

I smile. He laughs.

“Settle down? Why would I settle down?” he snorts.

I’m surprised he finds me that funny. Michael never did.

“Oh, I don’t know.” I sigh. “How old are you, probably close to