Dangerous Flames (Mafia Hearts)

by Ely, Wendy

  “Tell me why you’re doing this,” he said after he finished loading the luggage in the back of his vehicle. “It’ll help me believe you’re doing this with good intentions.”

  “Let’s lock up so we can leave.” She didn’t want to explain anything to him here. What if he tried to turn everything back on her? At least right now she held the control and her father wasn’t being hurt. And neither was Mik. It needed to stay this way. She’d tell him after they were far away from Las Vegas.

  Once the car and garage door were all shut up tight, he turned to her again. “Where are we going then?”

  “Just walk.”

  The sun had started to dip behind the horizon. “Tell me, Gabi.”

  “Go,” she snapped and nudged him again with the barrel.

  “Stop doing that,” he growled, turning his glare to the road in front of them.

  “Then get going. We have to get out of here before my father comes looking for us. If he thinks there‘s a reason to shoot you, he’ll shoot first and then he might ask some questions.”

  He turned toward her once again. “You mean he doesn’t know you’re doing this? This isn’t a job he put you on?”

  “No.” She motioned for him to get into the vehicle. “And believe me; he has reason to shoot you.”

  She slid into the passenger side after Mikolas had taken his place behind the wheel. She preferred to drive, but knew it would be to her disadvantage today. With her having to focus on getting them safely to the cabin, he’d be able to gain control of the situation.

  She flipped open her cell phone and pushed the speed dial to her father.

  The call connected after the first ring. “I’m busy right now, Gabrielle,” her father’s voice boomed through the phone.

  A man’s muffled cries were drowned out by the other men talking in the background. Good! Her father was too busy to question what she had to say, keeping her plan on track.

  Lying to her father made her hand tremble. “Daddy, I forgot to tell you earlier that I’m going out of town for a while. Watch the store and my house. Okay?”

  “Shut Bo up,” he yelled, probably to the men he was with. To her he said, “Yeah. Fine. Who’re you going with?”

  She exhaled. He had believed her. “Remember Carey? It’s a girl’s only vacation.” Cary was her best friend who had moved away a few months before, insuring her dad and Carey wouldn’t cross paths around town.

  “I like her. Call and check in, eh?”

  She said goodbye to her father, snapped the cell shut, and slipped back into the tote sitting on the floorboard near her feet.

  “Is your father in danger?” Mik asked, pulling out of the driveway.

  “I hope not.”

  She wanted to look away from him, to put her gun down, to relax and enjoy her time with him. Then maybe she could reach over to him and grab his hand, to press her lips against his hot skin? But none of that would happen. She was holding this man at gun point and she needed to remember this wasn’t some lover’s rendezvous. Even though they were alone now, she needed to keep her mind on her goals; keep her father safe and Mik alive.

  The silence filled the SUV for hours. The radio reception had given up long ago and the eeriness of the night loomed in front of them, giving her dread that they’d be driving along the isolated country road forever. The crisp air crept inside, suggesting they had left Nevada even though she knew better. Her thin pink tracksuit had been fine in the Vegas weather, but here? The chill factor went up several notches the higher they climbed. Not good since they’d be going farther up the mountain soon. Gabrielle needed to change clothes before they increased in elevation. But how? Mik would certainly take off if she didn’t keep him in her sight.

  According to the directions in the letter, they had a little over an hour to drive before they reached the cabin. Her eyes ached from being awake so long. She’d love to lay her head down on a cushy pillow to rest, but she needed to get accustomed to sleeping with one eye open during the night until she got a grasp of Mik’s plan of action included. Surely he had some sort of idea of turning this situation around.

  A small gas station came into view. Nervousness bubbled in Gabrielle as she stared the surroundings. Being in the dark wasn’t an option for her and so far, their headlights cast more light than the dimly single bulb flickering over the gas pump. The lot only contained one old gray Ford pickup truck that had been parked off to the side of the lot big enough to hold maybe five cars at the most. A bright “We’re Open” signed flickered in a dingy window. Perfect.

  “Pull over,” she ordered, pointed toward the gas station even though the idea of being with in the environment sent pinpricks of fear climbing over her arms. Gabrielle knew this was going to be tricky, but she would just have to wing it. They needed gas, food, and even though using the bathroom in this dump seemed less appealing, she needed to get into some warmer clothes.

  “Okay,” he said as he turned on the signal even though there were no cars on the road behind them. “Where do you want me to park?”

  “At the gas pump.”

  Once the SUV slowed to a stop at the only pump, she snatched the keys from the ignition before climbing out. She quickly slipped her gun into her tote bag hanging on her arm. The wind picked up, a sudden gust pushed a discarded newspaper across the pavement startling her. Not sure if the place could get anymore creepier, she walked over to his side of the vehicle and motioned for him to get out.

  “Fill up the tank while I get clothes out of the trunk.” She patted the bag on her arm. “The gun is right here. Don’t try anything.”

  “You won’t shoot me.” His voice sounded a little cocky. Too much for his own good.

  “Don’t underestimate me, Mikolas Russo.” Her hand flung up to her open mouth as she if could take the words back. Or prevent any more from flopping out. Heat rushed to her cheeks as tears sprung to her eyes. She whirled around to block his view of her reaction to what she’d said. The words slid out so fluently, she had no other choice but to question the truth in them. Had her father’s trust become more important than the deep rooted love she had for Mik? It must be or she wouldn’t have been able to say that sentence without much effort.

  Goosebumps popped up all over her arms as she flipped the back open and began to rummage through the clothes she had packed. Unless she could turn things around in her favor, Mik would most likely hate her before this whole ordeal ended.

  Spotting the black fabric of her favorite lounge shirt, she grabbed the sleeve and yanked it out it out of the suitcase, planning to wear it under an outfit to add extra warmth. She stuffed the outfit into her tote and remembered the Glock hidden inside.

  Damn, what could she do with Mik’s gun? If she continued to carry it in her tote, he was bound to get it back in his possession sooner or later. He wouldn’t have the time to search through the suitcases without her noticing him. While he had his back turned toward her, she unzipped the nearest one and tucked it in a side pocket.

  “Cold?” she asked, slamming the trunk shut.

  He nodded his dark head, gave a squeeze to the gas nozzle before putting it back into the holder on the tank.

  “I have a sweatshirt for you. It’s mine from school, but I bought it from the men’s department.” She tossed the shirt at him and watched as he slipped it over his head. “Better?”

  “Thanks.” He stuffed his fists in the pockets of his slacks. “It smells like your perfume.”

  Embarrassed, she broke eye contact, and started toward the old building. “I swear it’s clean.”

  “I believe you.”

  “I wanted to grab some clothes for you, and tried to figure out a way, but couldn’t get into your house.” Gabrielle sighed. “I don’t even know what you wear on weekends. I’ve only seen you in business-casual.” Gabrielle felt her toughness quickly disappear. Stop, she reminded herself, be tough like the tip sheet had instructed. “Come on. I need to change.”

  Mik stopped walking and turne
d to her. His mouth dropped open, revealing his bottom row of perfect white teeth. “Like us both in the bathroom while you dress?”

  “Yes.” She let out a bubbly laugh. “What do you think I meant?”

  “I um… don’t think it’s a good… um… idea,” he stammered as he took a step back in the direction of the SUV.

  His reaction startled her, and left her to doubt his interest in her once again. There wasn’t any time to stress over his attraction, or lack of, to her at the moment. To keep the control, she said, “And I’m the one with a gun so you’ll do it anyway. Let’s go.”

  She walked a few steps behind him. The distance was far enough away, she’d be able to whip the gun out if he tried to run. And unless he ran into the woods, there weren’t many places to hide. So far, the area seemed deserted, and she hoped it stayed that way even though the blackness of night made her skin prick.

  “Um, Gabi?” His steps slowed.

  “Please don’t ask me one more question about where we’re going or why we’re doing this. I’ll tell you everything later.” She needed to keep him walking and quiet because she didn’t know how long she’d be able to keep this amount of strength up to get him to the cabin.

  “I wasn’t going to ask about any of that.” He stopped walking as he reached the edge of the building and glanced back at her. “Don’t you think we should pay first? If we don’t then we’ll look suspicious.”

  Tears of frustration and fatigue welled in her eyes again. Finding a way to sleep needed to be next on her priority list or she’d be a blubbering mess and might as well give this up now. No matter how much she didn’t want to, she wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, “You’re right. Let’s pay before we go back there.”

  A bell chimed as Mik pulled the door open and held it open for Gabrielle. She frowned as she stepped into the small convenience store. Half of the florescent lights were burned out while several flickered repeatedly threatening to leave them in total darkness at any moment. She glanced at the racks of food and wondered if any would even be safe to eat any of the items the store had for sale. Beyond that, this dingy, over-stocked store would provide a perfect opportunity for Mik to gain control of this situation.

  “Mik?” She whispered as she followed him to the counter, trying to stay close to him even though she was the armed one and would be perfectly fine defending herself. But there was something about him that made her feel secure.

  “Yeah?” He half turned toward her.

  “I don’t know how much food is at the cabin. Do you want anything from here?” She glanced back to the racks of snacks, hoping he didn’t try to escape. All he had to do was tip one flimsy rack over onto her and make a run for the door, leaving her stranded in the mountains.

  A curtain separating the store from a storage room slid aside for a small, old man to come through. “Good evening,” he said as he shuffled across the dirty linoleum floor to the cash register.

  “Good evening, sir.” Mik grabbed three large bags of chips, a spicy pepperoni stick, and a two liter bottle of cola while Gabrielle continued to follow him around, making sure not to be on the opposite side of any shelves.

  The man pushed his glasses up the bridge of his pointy nose and smiled a big toothless grin. “Got some gas, did yah?”

  “We sure did. Snacks, too.” Gabrielle grabbed some cheese sticks from the refrigerated section along with her own bag of chips, but tried to keep her eyes on Mik. As she approached the counter, she asked, “Do you have a bathroom we can use?”

  “Not from around here, are yah?” The man slowly pushed the prices into the out-dated register.

  “Nope. We didn’t realize how cold it would be up here and would like to change into something a little warmer,” Mik explained.

  She inhaled, trying to calm her nerves, and slowly exhaled as she waited for the clerk’s response. She had been trying to act normal but had sticking to Mik like glue worked against her?

  “It’s around back and unlocked. On a honeymoon or something?” One eye squinted shut as he stared at them.

  “How could you tell?” Mik pulled her to him, the tote holding the gun crunched tightly between their bodies, making her pulse race.

  “It’s clear as the stars in the sky that you two are in love. Couldn’t miss it for nothing.” He looked at the register and then back at them. “seventy-twenty-two.”

  Mik planted a kiss on her cheek before handing the man the total amount of money due. “Have a nice night.”

  Heat pumped through Gabrielle from the physical contact between Mik and herself. His embrace had been totally unexpected and she wanted more of it. And him kissing her cheek? Nice touch even though it left her rattled to the core. She pulled out of his arms to turn toward the door.

  “Where you headed?” The old man called as Mik and Gabrielle walked away. “Did you hear the weather report?”

  Ignoring any further questions of the cashier, Gabrielle held the door open for Mik as he carried the bags. “Damn, that guy sure was nosy,” she said once the door shut behind him.

  “I know. Gabi, did you check the weather report for this area?”

  “Don’t worry. The weather will be fine.” She hadn’t checked and now realized she should have but could never tell him that. No way. She needed to pretend this whole thing had been thoroughly planned. If he knew of one crack in the planning, he would twist it into his favor, ending the entire plan.

  Gabrielle blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness, as they walked around the side of the store. Her hands trembled as they stepped into deeper darkness. She hated the black of night and reached for Mik’s hand but drew back and crossed her arms over her chest instead. There were no lights in the back even though the clerk had claimed the bathroom as being located back here. She’d thought things had turned to her advantage with the bathroom being located out of the view of anyone, but in total darkness? Chills crept through her as she took a step closer to Mik looking for a sense of protection from him. The thought would’ve made her laugh if the place wasn’t so creepy.

  A bare light bulb flickered and cast very little, but much appreciated, light next to the bathroom door. Mik kicked at the pile of boxes littering the walkway, sending a black creature skittering out from under the box. Gabrielle screeched while grabbing a hold of Mik’s arm.

  Mik let out a roar of laughter. “Scared of cats now, Gabi?”

  “It’s not funny,” Gabrielle snapped, glaring at the red-eyed, mangy feline watching her from under the tree. Her heart pounded as she waited for it to jump out and bite her. She could picture herself rushing into the nearest ER for a tetanus shot. Not good and certainly against the plans.

  Mikolas twisted the knob. The rusty hinges screeched in protest with a groan as he pushed the door open. He reached in to flick on the light. “Might’ve been better to not be able to see this place,” he mumbled.

  He stepped through the threshold first and crossed his arms over his chest. Sticking her head in to have a peek, she scrunched up her face at the foul odor. He was right, the place looked disgusting. The toilet paper-clogged toilet threatened looked to overflow at any second onto the dirt crusted linoleum floor. Either the sudden intrusion of the light or their presence freaked out a giant cockroach who tried to dig its way through a wall.

  “I think I would rather freeze to death than step in there, Mik.”

  “No, you’re not. Get it in here and shut the door. Lock it, too,” he ordered. Obviously he forgot who the boss was here.

  “Why? We’re in the middle of no-where,” she scoffed, shivering as a gust of wind blew past 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 yo
u 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.