by J. A. Coffey
"Why? We're in the middle of no-where," she scoffed, shivering as a gust of wind blew passed her. "And I'm not coming in until you squish that nasty bug."
"This middle of no-where reminds me of the location horror movies are filmed. Ever watch those?" he snapped back. He stomped over to where the cockroach continued its task, raised his foot, and pressed his black dress-shoe down on the gross creature. He turned back to face her. "Happy now? Come inside."
"What are you afraid of? We're the bad guys, Mik," she said softly. Following his instructions anyway, she shut the door behind her and pushed the button lock. The way the bathroom looked, the lock probably didn't have the ability to keep a person out anyway.
"I don't want to see you get undressed, Gabi," he said with flushed cheeks. He walked over the corner of the room.
"What?" she blurted before she could stop the words from intruding into the conversation. "Why not?"
"I..."
"What, Mik?" she demanded. She dropped the bag onto the floor and planted her hands on the contours of her hips. Maybe she'd been one hundred percent correct when she'd decided he wasn't attracted to her even though he kept shifting his eyes back to her. "Don't you find me attractive?"
"It's just..." he said flustered. He let his hands drop down to his sides, in what she guessed, was frustration. "Oh never mind."
Not only did that simple statement bruise her heart but her ego as well. "Then turn around so you can't see me."
*****
Mikolas faced the brownish-tiled wall of the gas station restroom. Behind him, Gabi rustled around in her bag, probably for her change of clothes. Her bag hit the floor, making him jump. At any moment she'd be stripping down. Gabi naked? In the same room as him? Heat rushed over his cheeks.
How long could he go along with this? Without knowing where exactly she planned on taking him stopped him from preparing himself ahead of time for situations such as this. He could barely handle it in here. Maybe he should put an end to this whole thing to avoid any more uncomfortable moments with her. Who was he trying to kid? Every second turned out weird in her presence because of his feelings for her. Trying to stay in the middle of the Emotion Road with her didn't work. He either needed to let her go permanently or claim her.
And taking her right now sounded really damned good to him as the soft terry cloth fabric of her pants hit the floor. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at a crack on the wall to fight the evilness of the temptation that started at his erection and boiled through his blood stream.
He wanted to sneak a peek at her to see if she looked as amazing as she did in his fantasies but couldn't bring himself to actually turn around. If Mikolas gave in, he'd find himself pushing her up against the cracked bathroom wall with her naked legs wrapped around his waist.
Screw not looking. One quick glance wouldn't hurt either of them as long as nobody found out. He turned slightly toward her, but she remained out of his line of view even when he strained to see her. He turned an inch more just in time to see her shove a socked-foot into the leg of her jeans. His gaze moved up her bare leg until it reached her hip decorated with the thin strap of her thong. She turned slightly, showing the round curve of her bare ass.
His heart raced as she pulled the pants up her legs and kept her eyes on the task of zipping her jeans, her long dark locks of hair fell forward to block her view of him as if he was meant to take this moment to admire her beauty. After all, depending on the night's events, he may not ever get the chance after they end their time together. They might not have anything in the future, but they had right now with nobody to stop them.
Her being clothed did nothing to push away the desire that had built so rapidly in him. He needed to stay far away from her. The more distance between them, the better off he would be in the long run. He could resist nearly anything in the world but not Gabrielle Medini. She was his weakness and had been for far too long.
Once her pants were zipped, she turned toward him, giving him a full view of the contours of her breasts through the thin shirt she still wore. His dick hardened in his pants as he watched her nipples press like two little pebbles against the fabric. Probably from the cold, but he wished that she was just as aroused as him. He'd love to slip his hands under her t-shirt to cup her breasts, slide his finger over the nipple and make her yearn for him. He wanted to make her want him so bad that there would be no way she'd deny him. Only beg him to do more. Right here. Right now.
As if she had a magnetic pull to him, he took a step toward her as she grabbed the sweatshirt from her bag, snapping her attention to him. She locked her gaze to his. Her cheeks flushed while time seemed to have stood still.
"I thought you..." Her voice barely came out in a whispered, making him move even closer. "You didn't want to see me get undressed." Her cheeks flushed as she pinched her lips together, lips that he'd give anything to kiss.
Heat crept over his cheeks and his erection pressed even harder against the zipper of his slacks. Damn it, he knew he wouldn't be able to resist her if he'd taken the smallest glimpse of her undressed. Now he had and couldn't wait another moment to touch her.
He ran his hand through his hair. "I never said I didn't want to."
Tears welled in her dark brown eyes and one fell onto her freckled cheek. "Mik," she whispered.
"Why are you crying?" He walked over to her even though he knew he shouldn't and wiped the tears from her skin.
He wished he could re-do the events of the night. First off, he wouldn't do or say anything to make her doubt his feelings for her. He'd make it clear. Fuck it. He loved her, but now she thought she disgusted him.
She held the sweatshirt down at her side as she wiped the tears away with her other hand. "I'm tired."
He reached out to pull her into his arms partly to soothe her pain, but who the hell was he kidding? He wanted to feel her breasts against his chest. "That's not the only thing. Tell me, please," he said softly.
She allowed him to hold her for only a minute. That moment of heaven was broken when she pulled away from his touch and turned her back to him. "You either like me or you don't, Mik. Don't play games with me."
"You've got to be kidding me!" He jammed his fists down to his sides. "Play games with you? Darling, you are the one who has me here against my will and won't tell me why this is happening or where we're going."
Gabi whirled around to face him again, her mouth dropped open in shock. Her dark eyes stared at him, but he didn't give her a chance to respond.
"Then you get upset about me not being over-joyed by being in here with you while you're dressing? Who's playing games?" He turned toward the door.
"I told you to stay in here." The fire had left her voice. Did she plan on giving up this whole charade? Or had he worn down her defenses for the moment.
He stopped with his hand on the knob. "I need some fresh air. Shoot me if you want, but you'll be wasting your time since I can't leave without the keys to the SUV. I wouldn't go anywhere without you even if I had the keys in my hand."
The door swung shut behind him, cutting off any chance she had to fight back. He leaned against the building and let the cool air fill his lungs with the hope that not only his beating heart calmed but his erection did too.
Did he even have a right to be pissed at her? She wasn't wrong on one account. He'd said he hadn't wanted to be there with her while she dressed but then he gave in, damn near kissed her, and who knew where that would've gone. No, stop lying to yourself, he thought. If their lips had touched for a second he wouldn't have been able to stop.
Chapter Six
Johnny brushed his hands through his hair as he looked to the left and then the right. Thank God no cars or people in view. He chuckled. Enrico had bought this place so far out in the desert to keep things private, but Johnny expected that someone would've been ordered to guard the place considering all the loot inside. But nobody appeared to be here, giving him free reign to do as he wished.
He held t
he flashlight with one hand while shuffling around in the backpack for the bolt cutters. After snipping the chain holding the gate closed, he slipped into the warehouse yard, and shut the gate behind him. Just in case anyone watched from the shadows, which someone should've been, he sprinted through the darkness to the warehouse.
He looked across the desert yard for any visible sign of another human life. Movement against the fence. His heart pounded in his chest as he reached for the knife at his side and wished his gun was accessible. A jackrabbit hopped into view. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he turned back to the task. Snipping the chain on the door, he watched it give away like a knife slicing through butter. He tossed the old chain and lock into his backpack.
Obviously Enrico didn't go by his own rule in keeping his enemies closer than his friends. Johnny was considered a good employee. Yet, here he was, plotting to kill the almighty boss-man. Setting up an accident meant nobody would be the wiser, letting him continue on in the Medini family once the new Don, probably Leon, took over and Johnny would still be paid by the other Family. The best of both worlds in his book.
The door slid open with a loud screech of metal against cement far enough for his slim body to fit through with a loud screech of metal against cement, and then he shut it behind him in case anyone showed up. Confidence flooded him. He had two things going for him; being small for a grown man and lack of fear.
He weaved through the various piles of boxes stacked high blocking his view from seeing any great distance into the warehouse. Clayton passed by the containers filled with a variety of firearms and fake identification, the two things the Medini Family specialized in.
Pausing at the office door where he knew money sat in piles on the table, his thoughts rolled through the possibilities of a better future while his hands itched with temptation to get a hold of some of the money. He walked over and stood on his toes to take a closer look through the small window frame. A bullet-proof glass window separated him from thousands, if not millions, of dollars that would help him live out his dream. It would only take a minute to bust into the room, take the money, and disappear from Las Vegas forever. What did he have keeping him here? Nothing. Maybe robbing Boss-man would prove to be easier than killing the asshole. He stared at the cash. But they'd eventually find him. Better stick with the plan. Rubbing his hands together again, he turned to the shelving next to the office.
He took out some of the bolts holding the shelves together. Other bolts were loosened on both sides of the rack. With a support beam in the back removed, he had to steady the shelves and hoped they didn't fall before Enrico found the direct spot where he usually stood underneath it. One swing of the office door and Enrico would be on the ground.
Johnny stood back and stared up at the shelves. Enough stuff had been stacked on them, making the impact of the weight enough to take anyone down. Since Enrico usually had someone guard the place, Johnny needed to get out before he got caught. He tossed a longing glance at the money and paused. He shrugged his shoulders. Someday he'd have that much money.
As he started for the door, heavy footsteps approached from outside. He ducked behind a pile of boxes and slipped his switch blade from his pocket. Lesson learned; don't ever do any sort of job without having a gun on him. His 9mm currently was hidden under the front seat of his car. A lot of good that would do him right now. With the switch blade, he'd have to get close enough to actually cut the guy. Very risky.
The familiar screeching of the door being slid open echoed through the warehouse. Who would it be? How many men had arrived? He wondered if there'd be only be one, giving him the opportunity to overpower the other man. He hadn't come here to kill today, only set up for Enrico's death, but he wouldn't shy away from taking out a man if forced. Johnny should've known this had gone too smoothly.
One set of footsteps came forward but stopped on the other side of the boxes. He couldn't see the person from where he crouched down and needed to switch this around to his advantage.
"I know someone's been in here," Wil said.
Johnny's hold on the knife trembled. No time to be scared. The guard tonight happened to be Wil. A major player in the Medini Family, but with the element of surprise, he shouldn't have a problem taking the man down. He waited for a response to Wil's statement to determine how many men were with Wil.
When nobody said anything to Wil, Johnny knew the man's companionship came from his cell phone. "I don't see anyone, but when I came back from grabbing a bite to eat the chain was off the door." The man paused. A beam of light from a flashlight moved slowly across the wall and hit the ground a few inches from Johnny's hiding spot. "I know I'm not supposed to leave without having someone else here, but hell. I've been waiting all evening for someone to show up and figured nothing has happened so far, why would it for a half an hour? None of the money has been messed with, so I'll take care of this. Just don't tell Enrico." His voice faded, suggesting he had moved farther into the warehouse.
The footsteps crossed the cement floor to the office where the money waited for Enrico and the specially selected men to transport it to ‘the vault'. Only those few chosen men knew the location of the vault and Johnny would give anything to find out.
Johnny crouched down low to the cold cement floor to make his way around the boxes. Once he came into view, he'd have very few valuable seconds to do the deed.
"I'll check in with you later," Wil said before ending the call. He slipped the phone into the back pocket of his jeans.
Johnny's heart pounded in his chest as he moved quickly behind Wil, expecting the much taller man to turn around at any second.
And then he did, sending everything into warped speed.
Questions flashed in Wil's eyes as he took a step toward Johnny while reaching for his gun. Before Wil had a chance to pull the Glock all the way out of the waistband of his jeans, Johnny jabbed the tip of the switchblade into the side of Wil's neck. Blood sprayed toward Johnny, sending him back a few steps, and dripped down Wil's shirt. Wil wrapped his fingers around the black handled knife. He gave the knife a yank, sending another spray of blood. A second later, a small gurgle escaped from between Wil's lips and then he dropped to his knees. Johnny turned to the door, leaving the man to drown in his own body fluids.
Too bad he wouldn't be able to see the shocked faces of the men, including the man Wil confessed too, who found Wil. Oh well. Wil now lay on the cold, dirty concrete as nothing but a corpse. And that's what mattered.
The world seemed a little brighter just then as a smug smile played on Johnny's lips. He sauntered across the dirt to the gate, knowing he'd taken out one of the Medini Family's top men without much effort at all. Watch out Mikolas Russo, a new man was on his way to the top.
He whistled a catchy tune as he twirled the key chain around his finger. The brand new sports car Enrico had recently bought him waited to be raced down the desert roads as fast as the adrenaline that pumped through his veins.
*****
Mikolas's eyes ached from hours of driving and the constant concentration on the road. After the rest stop at the gas station, they had made a turn and headed to higher ground. The Sierra Mountains of northern Nevada. Why? This didn't make sense. As far as he knew, neither of them had any family or friends up there. Wait a minute! Her father's cabin rested somewhere in Nevada, but he didn't know the exact location. He'd been invited on a few trips there but never had attended due to other obligations.
They passed through a small town void of cars, people along the streets, or even a police officer. He watched the stores as they drove by, eyeing the closed signs in all the windows. How long had it been since Mik had been in a place that actually closed up for the night? He couldn't even wrap his mind around the thought.
He shouldn't be surprised that everyone snuggled up behind closed doors tonight. The night grew colder with each passing minute and he'd rather be inside too. It seemed to be a constant fight between the chill of the night air creeping in and the co
nstant blast of heat from the vents.
Gabrielle pointed at a road a few feet ahead. "Turn right."
"Where are we going?" He followed her instructions and then looked over at her.
Damn! He felt like shit and she looked worse. Her liveliness had disappeared and every part of her body appeared weighed down with fatigue. Her head rested against the leather seat and she glanced up at him for a second. Her eye lids fluttered as if they'd shut at any moment. As if catching herself falling asleep, she snapped her eyes open and gave a half-hearted attempt at sitting up straight. He wished she'd trust him, so she'd be able to get the rest she desperately needed.
Letting her head drop back against the seat again, she pointed toward another road with the width only narrow enough for one car to drive up at a time. "Turn there and follow the road up the mountain."
"But where exactly are we going?" he asked again. Didn't she realize that if he had wanted to escape her kidnapping, or whatever she called this stunt, he could? So she had a gun. He knew how to get around harder obstacles than a firearm. Curiosity kept him in the seat, his love for her kept him driving them to the unknown destination.
"My father's hunting cabin. I heard it's beautiful up here this time of year." Her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Mik, I'm freezing. Can we turn the heat higher?"
"I'm drowsy already. The heat'll only make it worse. I'm sorry."
So now she had finally told him which was a step in the right direction, but the location only added more questions to the tip of his tongue. Mikolas fought the temptation to pump her for more information. They'd have a lot of time to sort stuff out. Why they were here, his feelings for her, and at one point, he'd be explaining why he had some suitcases packed. He kept his mouth shut while he did his best to focus on the road.
The SUV hit a patch of ice, sending them sliding slightly to the left. He regained control. Focus only on the road, he ordered himself. The trees had suddenly had become more dense, giving Mikolas the impression they'd been sucked into some sort of dark wilderness tunnel. The SUV climbed higher in elevation. Sheesh, when she picked a place, she really made sure it was out there. Were they taking a trip to the end of the earth or what?