Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Mr. Costa sent us. He didn’t approve your existence,” the uninjured man stated, holding his knife at the ready.
“Mr. Enzo Costa, who operates out of the docks?” Marcus asked. The man with the broken arm dropped to his knees as his pain overwhelmed him.
“Mr. Costa runs this part of town. You didn’t respond to his invitation to meet him. That put an unpleasant taste in his mouth. No one disrespects Mr. Costa.”
“I have an opening on my schedule in two weeks at noon. I’ll pencil him in so my staff will admit him,” Alaric said in a completely unaffected tone.
“He’s not coming to see you.”
“Okay,” Alaric agreed pleasantly.
“You don’t get it. Mr. Costa controls everything in this area. You won’t get any deliveries, any customers, any electricity, without his approval.”
“That won’t work for us,” Marcus said.
“Too bad. You don’t want to cross Mr. Costa.”
“Ah, gotcha. He’s the one who sent ten men here last night?” Marcus asked. “I trust they returned safely.”
“Are you holding them?” the injured man asked, struggling to get to his feet.
“No, they’re not here. We sent them back to you,” Marcus assured them. He didn’t look at Alaric. His staff had put the survivor into one of the vans the two crews had arrived in, along with those who weren’t breathing. The driver hadn’t chosen to return? “Sounds like you’ve got an internal problem.”
The two intruders exchanged glances. The man wielding the knife thrust his shoulders back to appear confident. “Nobody bucks Mr. Costa’s orders and survives.”
“We appreciate the warning. Consider your message received,” Alaric told them. “You do not need to visit again.”
“You’ll come to see Mr. Costa now?”
“No.” Alaric’s screen blackened.
“Chickenshit,” the man with a knife commented and spat on the ground.
Marcus knocked him out with an uppercut before turning to the kneeling man. “I hope you don’t have a manual transmission. It looks like you’re the driver. We’ll deliver these to the docks for you.”
The man screamed as Marcus hauled him up roughly by the back of his pants, crushing his phone in his rear pocket in the process. Half-dragging, half-carrying him, Marcus threw the injured man out the exit door into the alley along with the unconscious man Marcus had towed across the flooring. “I hope you have the keys,” he said and laughed as the man’s expression froze. He’d have a long walk home.
Marcus called in the cleaning crew before returning to his normal duties. With everything fine in the interior, he climbed to the observation platform. Carina had curled up on the cushions and fallen asleep. With her hand folded angelically under her cheek, his mate snored softly. His heart swelled with love for his beautiful mate. Marcus stilled, watching her breathe for a few minutes before tearing himself away.
Costa wouldn’t take this lying down. He considered how to respond to the threat. If Costa was smart, he wouldn’t retaliate. A good offense was much more effective than a skillful defense. Alaric wouldn’t visit Costa, but Marcus could.
Chapter
Eleven
Open for business only on Friday and Saturday nights, Nightfall would remain closed during the week. Marcus’s large staff would provide continual protection for the building even while it sat vacant.
Alaric had decreed weekends exclusively to fuel the fever to get in. If partygoers could experience Nightfall on a very limited basis, they wouldn’t tire of the experience. Additionally, the entrance rite had bonded the attendees to the clan. They had willingly given their blood and could be tracked anywhere.
The clan had bestowed a gift on their visitors as well. Strength in the form of bolstered mental and physical health enhanced their lives for a few hours. Those positive changes would create an urge inside people to return. They felt better blowing off steam by dancing and socializing with others.
They would return in droves and bring others with them. With Costa threatening their business, Marcus would need to devise a way to safeguard the attendees. He had no doubt Costa and his men would choose to attack the patrons of Nightfall next.
Once they’d emptied the building of guests, Marcus watched revelers linger on the exterior walkways. Security encouraged everyone to head home, but conversations and potential hookups kept the attendees close. Marcus had checked with his staff, who reported the first few people in line had shown up three hours before Nightfall opened. That created a wide time range he’d need to strategize how to guard effectively.
After patrolling the perimeter of Nightfall, Marcus carried Carina out of the club in the early morning hours. The secured garage where his car sat should be perfectly safe, but he would risk nothing to protect her. His precious Little still slept, only rousing to cuddle closer to his throat.
Marcus settled her comfortably onto the passenger seat and buckled her belt. He walked around the car and slid in beside her. Carina let out an adorable sigh and reached over the console to set her hand on his thigh.