KILLER INSTINCT (A Mafia Bad Boy Romance Novel) (15 page)

“Sergei Petrov was nipping at your heels just now,” he said, glancing at my shoulder that had been grazed by a bullet. “You’re good, Jackie, but you’re not good enough to protect her forever. Sooner or later, you’ll slip up or lower your guard. That’s how I lost your mother. How long before Petrov gets her? Let this end.”

“You’re wrong,” Kelly said, stabbing a finger at the Don. “Gregori had my father killed in his own apartment for. Petrov shot up a penthouse to take care of a loose end. Do you think men like them will honor a deal? How long before they end their truce?”

My grandfather shook his head. “That’s a problem for when Jackie is in charge.”

“No, that’s a problem for now,” she said, staring down my grandfather. Not too many people were able to stare down a mafia Don. The woman had guts. “He’s going to lick his wounds and come after you with an army. He’ll want to hurt anyone who so much as inconvenienced him. You can stop him now or wait until he kills everyone you’ve ever loved. It’ll be so terrible that you’ll feel it from beyond the grave. Stop Gregori now when you have the chance.”

“You remind me of my daughter,” my grandfather said, a smile on his face. “I can see why my grandson has taken a liking to you.”

He would be the one to know any similarities. “Kelly has a point. Gregori is a loose cannon. We can get him off the deck or let him pull us beneath with him.”

The great Don Pastore stared at the college-aged girl.

“So what do you suggest we do?” he asked, genuinely interested in an answer. “Gregori is harder to reach than the president. He rarely appears in public. I can ask for a meeting but he’ll probably send some henchman to speak on behalf of him. Between his rivals and the KBG, I can’t blame him for staying holed up.”

The college girl took a deep breath before speaking. “Then use me as bait.”

I raised an eyebrow at Kelly. “Bait?”

“Tell Gregori that I was on my way to talk with the FBI before you intercepted me,” she elaborated. “As a show of good faith, you’re going to hand me over to him. He can have me if he’s willing to talk in the open. He’ll think we’re coming in to discuss a truce.”

“He’ll sooner kill you and the rest of us before agreeing to the truce,” I said. “This is stupid and dangerous. Even if we get him out in the open, he’ll still have a small army with him.”

“That’s idea,” my grandfather said, clearly interested in the idea. “Nothing gets a kingpin out of his house than a chance to kill a snitch.”

“It’s not your call, Jackie,” Kelly added. “If we get him to agree on our terms, we can get him to meet with us in a nice, quiet place. No one else has to get hurt. We can stop him once and for all.”

“I didn’t spend these past few weeks protecting you from Gregori to just have you waltz straight into his hands!”

“I’m thankful for your help,” she said plainly. “But this is my life. I get to decide what to do with it. I’m putting it on the line so we get a shot at Gregori. Petrov will probably be there as well.”

My grandfather interrupted us. “Then we’ve come to an agreement. I’ll put out word that I’ve caught you. Gregori won’t be able to resist bait like this.”

I shook my head. “This isn’t happening…”

“She’ll be safe,” my grandfather consoled. “After all, you’ll be watching her back once we put this plan into motion.”

Kelly gave a small smile and reached out for my hands. “We’re partners, right?”

I mustered as much of a smile as I could. “Partners…”

“This girl’s a keeper, Jackie,” my grandfather smiled. “I’ll come up with a plan. You just keep the girl safe until then.”

I held Kelly’s hand. I had lost my mother. I wouldn’t lose Kelly as well. “I will.”

Jackie was scared.

I had been with him through firefights. I had never seen the man falter. He always had a plan up his sleeve. He was always so cool and composed.

Not this time.

It was the night before our meeting with Gregori. That despicable man had agreed to meet in the back of a warehouse that belonged to the Pastore family. It would be just outside the city limits near the docks. No civilians would be in the way.

Other than me.

I watched Jackie as he cleaned and maintained all of his weapons. He inspected the biggest sniper rifle to the small handgun for any problems. Even the smallest problem could be the difference between life and death in this business. An untimely jam was what helped us escape Petrov back at Colman’s penthouse.

I knew he hated the plan. He had said as much. His feelings for me had overwhelmed his desire for revenge. He would rather have me alive than have Petrov dead.

I guess that was progress.

I thought about my dead father. I had read on the news that his body would be buried next be next to his wife. Some anonymous donation had paid for a small funeral service and incidental expenses. I guessed Jackie had a hand in it.

I prepared a small meal for both us. It was roast chicken and vegetables. It was the same meal I had cooked for daddy that night. The morbid part of me considered it a last supper for Jackie and me.

I called out to him. “Dinner’s ready, Jackie.”

He put down the handgun he had dissembled. The hitman sat at the table as I served him. “Smells delicious.”

“Thanks,” I said, sitting down opposite him. “How’s your arm?”

He looked at the wound I had treated. “Better, thanks to you.”

Dinner went well enough. Jackie even popped open a bottle of wine. We talked about everything but the plan. It felt like this would be our final moments together. Whether we succeeded or not, Jackie and I would have to go our separate ways.

His grandfather was grooming him to take over the mantle of Don Pastore. There wasn’t a future for me beside a Don. For that matter, Jackie wouldn’t want me entangled in the criminal underworld any more than I already was.

Afterwards, we sat on the table and watched television. I leaned against his side and rested my head on his chest. I heard his slow, steady heartbeat. Any onlookers would’ve thought we were your average, everyday couple.

Finally, I broke the silence. “We’ve had a pretty wild week.”

“Tell me about it,” he said with a small smile, his hand trailing through my hair. “I haven’t been in a firefight like that since the war.”

I giggled. “Just your average day as a hitman.”

However, there was a serious expression on his face. His hand slid down to cup my cheek. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Kelly.”

I stared into his beautiful eyes. “Jackie, do you trust me?”

“I trust you with my life,” he answered without hesitation. “I’d rather be in a foxhole with you than anyone else. What’s this about?”

“Jackie, have you ever loved anyone?”

He jumped back as if I had shot him with a gun. “Love?”

“Have you ever loved a woman?” I asked, nuzzling my head against his chest. “Have you ever loved anyone?”

“I loved my mother,” he whispered, “But loving someone for being my lover? No, I’ve never had the time for that.”

I reached out to touch his face. “Do you love me, Jackie?”

For the first time since I met him, Jackie the stone cold hitman stuttered. “I-I’ve never had these emotions for any woman I met before. But you… I’ve felt something that I haven’t felt in a long time. I love you, Kelly.”

Taking the initiative, I nearly leapt at the man. My hands were locked around his nape. Our lips smacked against each other.

I could feel the shock in Jackie’s body. He had usually been the one to initiate a sexual encounter. His shock soon turned into pleasure. His hand held onto my back. Soon, they slid down to cup my buttocks. Our tongues became entangled.

It was a mad frenzy to strip each other of clothing. My soft, feminine hands gingerly opened his shirt and exposed his hard abs. Jackie took off my shirt and pants with the same precision he would have when field stripping a weapon. Soon, my bra and panties followed suit.

I remembered when I went into seduce Krause. The man was like an animal with the way he clawed away at my clothing. Jackie was as serene and tender as Krause had been savage and dangerous. He was so patient and kind in his undressing of me.

I worked to get him just as nude as I was. I pulled his zipper down and tugged his pants off. Jackie helped me by lifting his back off the couch. Finally, I got his pants and briefs off him before tossing them unceremoniously off to the side.

His hard erection sprang up against his abs. Jackie stopped and looked at me. His beautiful sea green eyes were filled with concerned over what would happen next. He would never hurt me, even if it meant fighting his desire for me.

I leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

We both knew we wanted this.

Placing his hands on my hips, Jackie guided me onto his cock. I gasped when I felt its tip enter me. Letting gravity do much of the work, I slid down his lengthy erection. It was so sudden that my lungs felt drained of air.

After I got my bearings, the two of us moved together. It was as if this was another mission we needed to complete. Jackie helped me rotate my hips and establish a steady rhythm.

“Ah! Ah! AH!” I chanted as I bounced on his cock. My hand held onto his powerful frame for dear life. Jackie’s were closed as he surrendered to the moment. Likewise, I was slack-jawed at what was happening. “AH!”

Jackie’s hips thrusted upward to meet my downward movements. The man gritted his teeth as if aiming a gun at a long-range target. I could see the sheer concentration on his face. He had never looked so determined before.

Then, he lost control. “Oh… Kelly… AH!”

I slowed down my movements and made them more deliberate. I felt my climax bubble up inside of me. My fingertips dug into his tough skin. Tears swelled in my eyes.

Then I came.