Dangerous Flames (Mafia Hearts) (25 page)

Panic
rushed over her and collided with anger. Her father had prevented Mik
from being with her? How could he have done that and why would
Mikolas ever let him if the love he had for her was so strong? “What
will he do when he finds out about us?”

“
You
don’t know?” He faced her, his hands balled into fists,
but there was something in his eyes she had never seen before—anger
and hatred building together.

She
shook her head. “No, but I have a feeling you do.”

He
tore his gaze from hers and looked at something off in the distance.
“He’ll kill me.”

She
gasped. “I can’t lose you again, Mik. I just can’t.”
She rushed to him, threw her arms around him, and leaned against his
chest.

His
warmth gave her hope and strength to deal with the issue at hand. How
had she been able to make it without this man by her side? She
wouldn’t even consider the idea of giving him up. Being with
him was right.

“
I’ll
go wherever you want, so we can be together.” He brushed a
strand of hair from her face. “But we can’t have any
contact with your family. He’ll hunt me down.”

Her
heart quickened. He would really give it all up for her? He had more
at stake in Vegas than she did.

He
tipped her face up to look deep into her eyes. “I mentioned the
packed bags at my house when we first left, right? I was going to ask
you to leave with me. You beat me to it.”

“
I…”
Her eyes widened. “Wow.” Gabrielle had wanted to be part
of the Family and Mikolas had served as an open door to a career in
the Mafia. In the past few days, her goal had changed. She could have
Mik now.

Mik
pulled away. “We’ll find the money and get to town.
Surely somebody’ll want to sale a car there. It will only be a
matter of time until we are out of here.”

Her
pulse raced with hope. “You’re really going to help me
with the search?”

He
took her hand in his. “Yep. I want you to have the best
possible life away from the Mafia. Now let’s go find that
money.”

“
Do
you have any clues to where we should look? Have you heard anything
that might help us?”

Shaking
his head, he said, “Only that the place is referred to as the
vault.”

They
scurried through the house, looking in every drawer, cupboard, and
closet. Mik cross-checked every spot Gabrielle had originally
searched while she did the same for him, not wanting to miss the
money’s hiding spot.

Chapter Sixteen

Gabrielle
stood outside with the Glock aimed at the empty coffee can she’d
found while searching the side of the house. She pulled the hammer
back and pulled the trigger. PING! PING! PING! She hit the target.
Having such good aim on a gun she’s never used should be giving
her a thrill. But it wasn’t.

She
wanted the money and to get the hell out of the cabin before someone
decided to join her and Mik. Doing a job for her father had seemed
like something interesting to try. Now those ideas had cleared,
leaving her with no more false misrepresentations or shimmering
appeal. Those men, even her father, were ruthless criminals. Fear
ripped at her stomach at the thought of the possibility of Mikolas
returning to Vegas and would continue to do so until they were both
safely away. She couldn’t live without Mik’s love. Having
the decision made felt like a house had been lifted off her
shoulders. She smiled as she shot the gun again.

The
front door of the cabin opened and then shut behind her. His heavy
footsteps pounded against the porch and then the stairs. She tried to
focus on the target but anticipation swarmed over her as his presence
came closer. Gabrielle refused to break her concentration. She closed
one eye, and held the other’s gaze on her target. His presence
made her breath catch in her throat.

“
Trying
out my Glock?” He came up behind her, his chest against her
back, his breath on her neck.

Shivers
shot through her like a bullet, but she tightened her grip on the gun
and kept her eye on the target. “Yes,” she whispered over
the rumble of hunger in her stomach. “I needed a break from
searching. After another round, I’ll make us some dinner.”

“
I’m
not worried about food right now.” He pressed his lips against
the curve of her neck before asking, “You’re first time
shooting one of these?”

Her
breath came out in a rush as desire crashed through her, making her
nipples pucker against the fabric of her bra. “Yes.”

“
How
does it feel in your hands?” he whispered in her ear.

“
Hard.”

“
And?”
His fingers slid down her arms and finally wrapped around her hands.

“
Dangerous.”
Her thighs started to tingle, her panties dampened, while her core
yearned for him.

“
What
else, baby?” His lips found the curve of her neck, sucking
softly.

“
Exciting.”
She pulled the trigger. The bullet wizzed into the can.

“
Anything
else?” His hands found their way back up to her shoulder, slid
down her back, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He slipped
them up her sweatshirt and jerked her bra up, freeing her taut
nipples.

“
Forbidden.
Dangerous. Have you used this gun in a hit?” She let her head
fall back against his shoulder, forgetting about everything but his
fingers massaging her breasts.

“
Yes,”
he whispered in her ear. “Are you excited?”

She
nodded. “Let’s go inside.” She turned around to
press her lips against his. His moan made her ache for him. She
wanted him. Now. “I want to make love to you at this majestic
place before we hunt down the money.”

“
You
got it.” He let go of her and flipped her up into his arms.
“Make sure you close the hammer.”

“
I
did.” She giggled as he carried her across the snow. She
carried the gun in the hand flung over his shoulder. “Be
careful. The stairs are slippery. I almost fell down them when I came
out here.”

“
Like
walk slow?” He pretended to run with her.

Her
scream dissolved into giggles. “One kiss and you act like a
crazy man! I’d hate to see you after we have some good sex.”

“
Last
night was pretty good.”

“
You
haven’t seen nothing yet.”

She
tilted her head to look at him. A second later, his lips pressed
against hers with a feverish haste. The hunger for food she had
earlier was now an intense hunger for him. Every part of her body
yearned for him. Her murmur grew into a moan as his strong fingers
slid their way up her shirt and circled her nipple.

He
pulled her to him. His arms reached around her as if he’d read
her thoughts, or maybe knew what she desired, and flicked the clasp
open on her bra. She shoved her shirt up over her head, tossing it to
the floor.

He
grabbed her hand to lead her to the couch. She let her ass rest
against the cool fabric. His mouth found her taut nipple and nibbled
it gently, then sucked, sending desire pounding its way through her
body. Her fingers ran through the short strands of his black hair.
She took his dick in her hand and began to stroke it gently. When he
moaned against the sensitive skin of her breast, chills swept over
her bare skin.

“
I
want you,” she breathed against his ear.

“
Take
me, Gabi.”

Gabrielle
pushed his sweats down over his hips and watched them drop to the
floor before kicking her own jeans away from the bottom of her feet.
Her thong panties followed the jeans. Once totally naked, she slid up
on the back of the couch and pulled him to her. His lips found hers,
and he used his tongue to pull her into his passion. It was hard,
wet. Needy. Gabrielle loved every second.

The
head of his dick rubbed against her pleasure spot, sending waves of
arousal through her veins. She pulled her lips from his, and moaned.
“Oh, Mikolas.” Her breaths came out short and raspy, full
of desire. She clung to his body as she neared the cliff of orgasm.

“
Don’t
stop, Mik,” she begged. “It feels wonderful.”

He
smiled down at her. “Not yet, honey,” he said. “You
want to feel me inside of you, right?” He moved his face close
to hers.

“
Oh
yes.”

“
Are
you sure?” His breath tickled her ear.

His
mouth moved down to her breast and sucked it hard. She clutched onto
his shoulders, trying to keep herself from trembling. “Please,”
she whispered, her fingers sliding through his hair.

Mik
spread her legs wide as he stood again. His body wedged between them.
She put her legs up around his waist, he pulled her to him, letting
the thick head of his dick barely enter her.

“
Oh,”
she panted.

“
Do
you want me stop?” His hands shook as he moved them up to her
shoulders. He looked her in the eye.

She
shook her head.

“
Are
you sure?”

“
Please
make love to me, Mik.” She pulled him to her again in a ground
shaking kiss. Before she knew it, he slipped all the way into her,
sending her flying over the cliff of ecstasy. It wasn’t too
long after hers that he joined her in flight.

Chapter Seventeen

The
light shining on her face was much brighter than the soft glow of the
candle they usually used at night. She peeked one eye open and then
snapped them both open. The lamp was on! She patted the mattress
behind her. “Mik, look! The electricity is on.” Her hand
slid over the empty bed. She sat up to look around. Mik was gone.

The
black shadows looming around the corners told her it was still dark
outside.

She
found him sitting on the couch with a book clutched in one hand and a
mug of hot cocoa in the other. He looked up at her and smiled.

“
I’m
so hungry,” she said.

He
set his book on the coffee table. “I was going to make you a
late dinner, but the food is spoiled. The fridge should probably be
cleaned out before we leave this morning.”

She
shook her head. “I’ll do it. Is it still snowing?”
she asked as she went into the bedroom to grab some clean clothes. A
warm shower sounded so wonderful to her but it would have to wait
until after the nasty fridge was cleaned out.

“
I
think the snow has stopped, but the ground still looks slick out
there. Gabi, please be careful.” He had already gone to the
kitchen and was rustling around.

It
seemed like the snow level had gone down some but she shrugged and
figured it was probably wishful thinking on her part.

The
garbage cans were behind the cabin. She had seen them while playing
the snow. She pulled the plastic rubber can off the wood platform. A
metal handle stuck up from one side with hinges on the edge of the
other. Excitement tingled through her.

She
dragged the garbage can a few feet away from what looked like a door
and then tried to pull it open. No lock was visible, but she wasn’t
able to lift the door. She moved the second can from the other half
of the wood. Grabbing the handle, she put one foot on the other side
of the wood and pulled up with all her strength. The door creaked
open, revealing the dark hole that went underneath the cabin. It
looked like an old cellar, but she didn’t have to go down to
know what she’d found. The vault.

She
took the garbage can with her as she went back to the cabin. “Mik!
I found the vault and I need a flashlight,” she said as she
went into the cabin. She put the can in the kitchen where Mik stood,
clearing out the cupboards.

“
What,
Gabi?” He kept his back to her.

“
I
found the vault. It looks like an old cellar under the house. I
haven’t gone down there yet, but it has to be where the money
is.” She started rummaging through the drawers but didn’t
find any. A candle, that’s what she’d use. She took a new
one out of the box and grabbed the lighter they’d been using
when they didn’t have electricity.

Mik
stood up from the couch. “No. Don’t go down there, Gabi.
You have no idea what you might find. Let me go.”

She
spun around to face him. “I can do this.” Her hands
gripped her hips.