Dangerous Flames (Mafia Hearts) by Wendy Ely Page A

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? You, darling, 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 thought 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 the 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 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 piled 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