The Enforcer (Untamed Hearts Book 3)
Kele Moon
Acknowledgment
An extra special thanks to:
My husband—I love you. This one took a year to write. I cried a lot of tears you didn’t always understand, but were there for me anyway. Your support is what lets me do what I love, and I adore you completely.
My children—For inspiring me to try harder and never give up even when it seems impossible. I love you so much! You’re the lights of my life! THANK YOU!
Wanda Prezeau—For the countless hours you spent on this journey with me. For reading and editing every scene first. For being my sounding board every day and most of all for being one of my very best friends! I don’t know what I would do without you!
Ira Rozzini—For going on this journey with me and being there at any time, day or night, when I had an Italian question. This book wouldn’t be what it was without you, and I’ll be grateful to you forever!
To Vik from Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe—My resident Brooklynite who made sure I had Tino and Nova taking the correct trains and getting off at the right stops. Your feedback was amazing, and the lights exist in this book because of you!
Laurann Dohner—For being so much more than the best crit partner I could ever hope for over the past five years. You’re my sister, and I love you! This journey hasn’t always been easy for either of us, but I’m so glad you came into my life, and we have each other to lean on!
Lori Toland—Thank you for listening to me rattle on about this book. Thank you for all the days you let me crash in Orlando to work on it! Thank you so much for being one of my oldest and dearest friends!
Karen M—For being my friend. For always caring so deeply about my career. For always asking, “How’s the book coming?” whenever you call. You’ve been a true friend to me in every single way, and I’m so very grateful I have you in my life.
Maryam—For being the most amazing editor an author could hope to have. Thank you for putting up with my perfectionism, even when it makes my edits a day or two late. Most of all, thank you for believing in me and believing in the stories these characters have to tell!
To everyone at Loose Id—Thank you for making these books the best they could be and for being so incredibly enthusiastic about this wild, untamed journey the Moretti boys and their crew are taking us on!
And to the readers—Thank you SO MUCH for all your excitement! Your passion for these characters is what lets me keep writing them. Enjoy the ride!
Chapter One
Broadway, New York
November 2014
The lights reflected off the rain-drenched streets, blurring out in a haze as Brianna stood there, blinking heavy-lidded eyes, and fought the exhaustion.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come out with us? You never have fun anymore.”
Brianna turned to her friend Aaron, who was lithe, fit, and good-looking in a blond, Iowa-farm-boy type of way. He’d landed a solid gig in Chicago, working as swing and understudy, largely because Brianna had put in a good word after landing one of the title roles as Roxie. They’d been on a run for the past year and a half, and Aaron didn’t look nearly as tired as Brianna felt.
Maybe she was getting old.
Though, at twenty-five, she was supposed to be on top of her game.
“I love you, baby,” she said rather than answer as the rain beat against her umbrella. “Have fun for me.”
Aaron sighed and looked to the young, handsome black man standing next to him. Darren was twenty at most, still excited with the bright lights of the city and likely enthusiastic in bed if Aaron’s general happiness with life over the past several months was anything to judge by.
The two of them kindly offered to walk her out, despite the rain, though they didn’t seem to mind getting wet.
“Are you okay?” Darren narrowed dark eyes at her. “Brianna—”
“Just tired,” she answered before he could go on, because Darren was suspicious in a way Aaron wasn’t. “So tired.”
“We have a couch,” Darren said slowly. “I mean, it’s a shitty couch, but it’s still a safe place.”
“Thanks,” she said with a grin and then held up her hand when she spotted the cab. “I’m serious. Have fun without me.”
“We only get one dark day a week, Bri.” Aaron’s voice was whiny. “At least have a few drinks.”
“My bed and I, we have a date.” She used her best acting skills to flash him a dazzling smile as the cab pulled to a stop and splashed water onto her sneakers and jeans. It didn’t matter. They were just clothes she’d slipped on after her last show. “I’ll text you.”
“Don’t forget.” Aaron opened the door for her, and Darren took her umbrella as she crawled in.
“Many texts,” she promised and accepted the umbrella Darren closed for her. “Don’t get into too much trouble without me.”
“Darling, we plan to get into loads of trouble,” Darren assured her. “Why do you think Aaron wants you to come out so badly? To keep us honest.”