As they boarded the elevator, Ries was anxious for Chris to return so that they could begin planning a way to take the assassin down. He might be meeting his little juvenile army each morning, but if Ries had his way, he’d be meeting a Kafatos security team tomorrow morning.
Two short hours from now.
He escorted Stephanie back into his apartment and then headed for the kitchen. “Want some coffee?”
“Sure,” Stephanie followed him. She seemed shaken by the conversation downstairs. “What are you going to do now?” She asked.
“Nail the bastard who thought he could kill me. He couldn’t even do his own investigative work; he hired a bunch of kids for it.”
Stephanie nodded and took a seat at the bar, watching Ries move around the small kitchen. He got two mugs down from the cabinet and then retrieved milk and sugar. Ries turned around to face her.
“I think you should probably head back to your place.”
Stephanie looked puzzled, “Why?”
“You’re welcome to remain here, if you’d rather. But I won’t be here in the morning. Which is...” he checked his watch, “an hour and a half from now.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Where are you going to be?”
“The docks, of course.”
“I’m going with you.”
“No. You’re not. I don’t want you anywhere near the docks. In fact, I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?” she asked him with a raised brow.
Ries nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t want you anywhere near the docks. I don’t want you anywhere near me or the bust when it is about to happen. We don’t know that the man you saw isn’t working with others. If they see you with me, you also become a target. It wouldn’t be safe for you to walk the streets without armed guards.”
“There’s no way I’m staying behind,” Stephanie protested. “You don’t even know if the man who hired Piotr is the same man I followed! I know what he looks like, and I can identify him.”
“You’re not going. It’s too dangerous.”
Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him as he turned away to pour coffee. Ries handed her one of the cups and braced himself for her response.
It was obvious she was upset with him, and he enjoyed watching the emotions flash across her perceptible face. But he so much enjoy the thought that she might get exasperated and leave – or worse, put herself in danger.
Finally, she found her voice and tried to argue once more.
“I need to go with you,” she pressed. “You need me there. What if this is a different man? What if you and your brothers have angered more than one person?”
Ries had to give her marks for trying but nothing would move him. “I don’t want you anywhere near the danger. If you come to harm…” he stopped, surprised to find himself unable to complete the sentence.
“You’re saying you don’t want me there because it’s too dangerous?”
“Exactly.”
Stephanie gave him a tight smile and then crossed her own arms. “Very well. Since this man wants to kill you, I will stay behind with you.”
“I’m not staying behind,” Ries retorted, shocked. “No way.”
“Then I will not be staying behind, either. If it’s safe enough for you...”
“I have something to prove! I am not passing this problem off to other people.”
Stephanie met his eyes levelly. “So do I.”
“Look, Stephanie. There’s no reason for you to put yourself in danger. This is about me. I am already a target. You are not.”
“You can’t make me stay here,” she informed him quietly.
Ries looked at her contemplatively. He was secretly pleased that Stephanie was steadfast in her manner. Her stubborn behavior was a novelty for him.
Most women he knew were willing to cater to his every whim and never disagreed with him. They wanted to please him because they thought it to be the best way to gain access to his wealth. Stephanie was not driven by the desire to get on his good side. That somehow made her more attractive.
He realized that if he did try to leave her behind, Stephanie was resourceful enough to find her own ride down to the docks.
She wasn’t trying to appease him or gain access to his brothers. She wasn’t trying to gain access to his money.
She appeared to be merely concerned about him.
Nevertheless, there was no way he could allow Stephanie to be a target as well. If something were to happen to her...
I would never be able to forgive myself.
He cleared his throat and tried to reason with her once more.
“Stephanie, I need you to stay here. I don’t want you anywhere you might get hurt. If you’re down at the docks, I won’t be able to protect myself. I won’t be able to focus on anything but making sure you’re safe.”
When he put it that way, Stephanie found herself unable to argue her case. She was a little hurt that Ries didn’t think she was capable enough to help take down the man at the docks. But she also understood what he’d been telling her. He didn’t want to worry about her in addition to himself, and he would if she tagged along. And if anything happened to him...
“Fine. I’ll stay behind.”
Ries looked relieved and gave her a small smile. “Thank you.”
Stephanie pushed aside the hurt and feelings of rejection that were plaguing her. Whether Ries had intended it to come across like this or not, his worries about her safety felt like a lack of trust in her abilities and a refusal to keep her involved. He was treating her in some ways as a child who needed to be protected - not a partner who could be trusted.
Chris returned to the apartment with half a dozen security personnel. They were all dressed in solid black. Chris looked over at Ries’ attire and told him, “You’ll need a change of clothes if you’re accompanying us.”
“Yes. Did you brief your team?” Ries asked.
“I did. Sunrise is less than two hours away. We’ll have a man on the docks getting his boat ready for a fishing expedition. Piotr did a good job of showing us where the kids meet this man. We’ll be hiding in the shadows and when he shows his face, we’ll grab him.”
“What about the kids?” Ries asked. “I don’t want them caught in the middle if crossfire breaks out.”
Chris sighed, “It may not be possible to keep them away but we’ll try to get this guy when he’s in the clear.”
Stephanie listened, silently making her own plans.
She’d agreed to stay behind to appease Ries but she was no pushover as he would soon find out. She had a right to be there and needed to know if the man paying the kids was the same man who had stolen the vase. If it was true, he could be the key to bringing down an entire ring of art smugglers.
The meeting broke up and everyone left, leaving Stephanie alone once more with Ries. He looked at her for a moment and headed for the bedroom. “I need to get changed.”
Stephanie nodded, refusing to give him anything more. Resisting the urge to follow him.
This is business.
But the more she saw of Ries, the more impressed she was.
She looked down at her own attire, silently thankful that she’d decided to slip a pair of black yoga pants and a black t-shirt on over her skimpy waitress uniform. The t-shirt had a screen print of a popular 70’s rock band but that could be hidden simply by turning her shirt inside out.
Ries reappeared several minutes later, looking dark and dangerous, and more attractive than Stephanie was comfortable with. He looked like someone she’d let sweep her off her feet.
She swallowed the urge she had to run her hands over his tight-fitting t-shirt. She knew he was muscular but now she could see every one of the muscles beneath the shirt and it left her drooling as she looked him prepare for the confrontation.
He joined her at the bar and met her eyes. “Do you want to stay here or go back to your place? You’re welcome to stay here and when I get back, I’ll tell you everyt
hing that happened.”
Stephanie realized he was throwing her a bone and she nodded, refusing to take the bribe. “I’ll stay here.”
Ries’ shoulders relaxed, and he touched her hair for a moment, sending a thrill of heat through her body, before heading for the apartment door.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Help yourself to the fridge or the bar. If you get sleepy, you can use my bed or the couch. I imagine you’re tired from working tonight.”
“I’m a little sleepy,” she replied, faking a yawn.
“Try to get some rest. I’ll be back soon, hopefully with good news.”
Ries left the apartment and Stephanie went to the window, turning off the lamps and peering down as he and the rest of the security team began loading themselves into two dark SUVs. She watched them pull out of the parking lot, and once she could no longer see their taillights, she wore her t-shirt inside out and headed for the elevator.
She started to step onto it but had a second thought.
Ries more than likely told the security guard in the foyer that she was staying behind. He might have even given instructions for the man to stop her if she tried to follow him. That meant she needed a different plan. The only other way to get to the ground floor was to use the stairs.
Stephanie took the elevator down to the second floor, and then she set the elevator to continue on to the ground floor while she raced to the stairwell and made short work of climbing down two flights. She waited at the doorway until the elevator doors opened.
Just as she had suspected, when no one exited, the lobby security guard became suspicious and went to investigate. Seeing her opportunity, Stephanie slipped from the doorway and quickly made her way to the nearest door, letting herself out into the early morning air.
The docks were several blocks away. She quickly made her way toward the beach grateful she’d worn her sneakers.
As she made her way to where the men had gone, she couldn’t help but think about the different side of Ries she’d seen tonight.
Instead of being the billionaire-playboy without a care in the world, he’d been serious and commanding. He’d been willing to delegate where it was necessary, and no one questioned his authority.
Her initial impression of him as a vapid tourist was wrong. Ries was clearly so much more than what she had perceived.
She recalled his strong insistence that she remain safely behind. Stephanie wasn’t used to anyone being concerned for her and she didn’t know how to process it.
Any other time, she would have felt as if her independence was being snatched away but that thought never crossed her mind. Instead, it felt nice to have someone who worried about her.
A feeling that she could most definitely get used to, given enough time.
Chapter 10
Ries and Chris headed for the beach in the SUV. Carlos was a trained bodyguard driving to the docks. Ries took the gun Chris handed him, deftly checking the cartridge and then making sure the safety was engaged.
All three of the Kafatos brothers were excellent shots as well as proficient in various martial arts and fighting skills.
Ries watched the city pass by, processing the adrenaline rush of being in charge of a dangerous situation.
Ries wasn’t used to being the one people turned to in a crisis or dangerous situation; and yet, that’s exactly what had happened tonight.
Chris and the others had left the final decision up to him. It was a heady feeling, and one that Ries acknowledged he could get used to.
The air was thick with expectation and Ries felt a deep sense of unease the closer they came to the docks. He’d trained in the gym but never had he come close to having to use his training in real life.
The SUVs arrived at the docks and the security quickly exited the vehicles.
Chris looked to Ries for direction and he quickly delegated it back to friend and head of security, grateful that Chris was willing to consult with him. Ries was relieved that he had someone better trained to handle the logistics.
Chris gave each man their assignment and they all dispersed, leaving Ries and him to take cover behind the guard shack at the edge of the pier. “We should be able to stay hidden there until it’s time to move. Are you ready?” Chris asked him in a hushed whisper.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Ries was silent as they trained their eyes on the dock before them. As the sun began to glow below the horizon, several young boys started arriving. Some walked, some rode their bikes, two older-looking boys even arrived in a vehicle. They congregated silently at the edge of the dock, twenty feet from a security team member pretending to untangle his fishing nets.
Just as the sky lightened and turned from orange yellow to a brilliant white-blue, a man started walking towards the dock and the circle of teenagers.
Chris and Ries trained their eyes on the man who appeared to be their target. He greeted the children so quietly they couldn’t make out his words. One by one, he spoke to each child. He handed them a folded bill and they took off, no doubt on a mission to once again search the town for signs of Ries.
When all of the boys had been paid and dispersed, the man stood and then gazed intently toward the road, no doubt looking for Piotr’s arrival.
Chris touched the com in his ear and suddenly the dock broke out into chaos.
The pretend fisherman drew his gun but the target saw him and fired back, ducking behind a group of pylons as the security team returned fire.
“He’s got others with him,” Chris yelled, taking aim at a row of fishing shacks to their left.
The sound of gunfire was all around Ries, adrenaline pumping through his veins, as he stood up to take aim. He didn’t even think about it: his men were in danger and he had to protect them.
The wood of the guard shack splintered as bullets made their way through the structure, whizzing past Chris and Ries.
“Take cover,” Chris yelled, ducking to his left and running for a nearby sand dune that would shield him from the bullets.
Ries could feel his heart pounding in his head as he attempted to run for the safety of the dune.
His legs ate up the distance even as his feet slipped and slid in the sand. He was almost to his destination when fresh gunfire broke out and he heard the unmistakable sound of a woman’s scream.
Stephanie.
“Ries! Duck!”
Ries turned his head toward her voice, searching for her. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her barreling toward him.
Out in the open. Between him and the people shooting at him.
“Get down!” Ries screamed at her changing his direction to intercept her.
*****
Stephanie’s heart was in her throat when gunfire broke out. She was a dozen yards away from Chris and Ries. She was also in the perfect position to see a hidden shooter take aim at Ries and his security team.
When Chris ducked left and Ries stood up to go right, she held her breath willing him to make it to point of safety. When the man she couldn’t see stepped out in the open and aimed for Ries, she acted instinctively.
He was running straight into the sight of an enemy shooter. A shooter Ries didn’t even know was there. She surged to her feet and raced toward him, screaming his name and hoping she could get to him before he stepped into the clearing that would surely mean his death.
When he turned toward her, she sped up throwing herself at him and taking them both to the ground as gunfire rang above their heads.
Ries turned his body at the last minute, breaking their fall as they landed in a tangle of arms and legs.
“Stay down. There’s a shooter to my right,” she breathed against his ear.
Ries didn’t speak. She lifted herself up to look at his face and paled at the red circle on his shoulder.
“Oh, my God. You’ve been hit. Ries, talk to me.”
“Skata!” He growled through clenched teeth. “By the gods, getting shot hurts!”
Stephanie felt a
sense of momentary relief upon hearing him speak, and the accompanying groan of pain as he attempted to shift their positions so that she was no longer lying on top of him.
Stephanie scooted off his chest, unable to take her eyes off his wound.
Shots continued to ring out around them. When dirt and debris close to their heads flew in the air, Stephanie quickly pushed and dragged Ries behind a large sand dune.
Salt grass provided them further cover but Stephanie was taking no chances. She stripped off her t-shirt and pressed it to his shoulder, hoping it was enough to slow down the bleeding.
When Ries laid his hand on hers, the stress and reality of the situation sunk in. She tried to hold herself together but promptly burst into tears.
“Please don’t die…”
*****
Ries couldn’t stand the sight of Stephanie crying over him, especially as the shots rang out.
He hugged her close to his chest, murmuring words of comfort in her ear.
“Shush. Min klaíne. Stephanie, your tears are killing me. Please stop.”
“You’re shot,” she told him tearfully, her eyes not leaving the blood staining his shirt.
Ries pulled her close, blocking her view of his injury and biting back the groan of pain. “I’m shot, yes but not dead.”
Stephanie met his eyes but her tears just kept coming. Ries took a calming breath and hugged her close to calm her down. They were still in a dangerous position and with his arm injured, he hoped Chris and his team could neutralize the threat.
Ries could hear his men shouting. He wasn’t worried about rejoining the fight, he’d come close to losing someone who mattered to him.
That revelation took him by surprise. When he’d seen Stephanie running right into danger, he felt like his entire life was flashing before his eyes.
He’d been serious about her staying at the apartment and away from the danger, and yet, here she was facing it down fearlessly.
If she hadn’t tackled him, the bullet that struck his shoulder might have hit his heart or even his head. He wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t for the girl in his arms. He hugged her closer, his heart beating wilding in his chest and his breathing coming in jagged gasps.
Protected By Him (The Greek Brothers Book 4) Page 6