Dangerous Flames (Mafia Hearts) by Wendy Ely Read Free Book Online

He’d fulfill this hit before collecting the
rest of the payoff for the job and then pop in to ask Gabi if she’d
leave with him. The stuff he intended on taking waited in suitcases
inside his front door. A meeting with Enrico had also been scheduled
for later in the afternoon. Talking to Gabi first gave Mikolas some
direction in which to take the conversation with Enrico. Either way,
Mikolas would be leaving the Mafia lifestyle, something he couldn’t
wait to do.
    Just
one more hit to do and he’d be done killing people forever.
Maybe he’d be able to walk on the right side of the law for
once.
    The
phone rang on the console between the SUV’s leather seats. An
unfamiliar number popped up on the caller ID. He debated answering as
he approached his destination. Another ring of his phone hit a nerve.
He needed to be calm while he did a hit or he’d screw up,
giving the detectives a trail to Mikolas’ door. He snagged the
phone and pushed talk.
    “ This
is Mikolas.”
    “ Hi,
Mik. It’s Gabrielle.” The sound of her voice almost made
him drop his phone. Guilt curled in the pit of his stomach. He
shouldn’t be talking to her right now. Having her on the phone
while he had a loaded gun on him ready to shoot someone didn’t
seem right.
    “ Gabi,
I’d love to talk to you, but I’m working and have to go.
Can I call you back when I’m finished?”
    “ Sorry
to bother you. It’s just that we didn’t get to finish our
conversation last night.” Her voice sounded sweeter over the
phone than it did in person. “And I’d like you to come
over sometime to finish.”
    He
almost dropped the phone a second time. Go over to Gabrielle’s
house? His plan kept getting brighter with possibilities. “Sure.
When would be good for you?”
    “ As
soon as,” she paused as if thinking of a good time to suggest,
“You’re done with work today.”
    This
was working out way better than he’d ever hoped. “I can
be there in an hour.”
    He
didn’t need to write down her address as she rattled it off
because he knew exactly where she lived even though he’d never
stepped foot inside her house. A smile played on his lips for only a
second before he forced his attention to return to the gun in the
waistband of his pants.
    Mikolas
turned into the parking lot of the Ladies Eve Casino. The vehicle
would fit in perfectly among the others in the valet parking lot even
without the authorization ticket in the window. He picked one of the
spots the farthest away from the mainstream area to make it appear as
though he had booked a room in the hotel. The narrow parking space
sat conveniently located next to the back entrance to the casino’s
pool used by hotel guests.
    If
he hurried with this hit, he’d make it back to the house to
clean up before heading to see Gabrielle. Even though he’d been
forbidden to ever enter into any sort of relationship with her, his
heart rebelled, and he longed to pull her in a tight embrace to smell
the flowery scent of her long, black hair. Maybe he’d be able
to give in to his desires today after he confessed how much he loved
her.
    Focus,
he ordered himself. Don’t screw this last hit up. He sucked in
his breath and slowly let it out before taking a look around to make
sure nobody had noticed him then climbed out of the SUV.
    The
palm trees swayed in the breeze as he followed the sound of splashing
water and the heavy stench of chlorine. Mikolas rounded the corner
and scanned the pool. Despite the chilly bite in the air, a crowd of
people splashed around in the water while others sun bathed on lounge
chairs. Porn star look-alikes in small bikinis served drinks to the
happy vacationers, but none of this mattered to Mikolas.
    His
gaze landed on the only occupied cabana. The semi-sheer curtains
hiding his mark behind prying eyes, would come in handy soon. Curly
sprawled spread-eagle on the chaise lounge wearing electric blue swim
trunks with red flower prints splattered across the fabric. The