Nothing Burns Like You | 18+ Mafia Romance

25 Meet The Neighbors

DANIEL VOLKOV

"Hide and call Andrei. Now." I warned Clara, lifting my gun from the holster in my jeans.

I didn't have time to check if she listened. I hoped she did. But all I could focus on was Charlotte now. Standing there by herself. In that dark patio. What was she staring at? What made her scream like that?

I crept closer to her quietly.

Don't move.

She hadn't noticed me approaching yet. I kept getting closer, controlling my breaths.

Don't move.
I'm almost there...
Don't-

But she ran off towards the unknown. She disappeared out of my sight. No! No, no, no-

I yanked the sliding door and hurled myself outside. Charlotte raced towards Niko, who laid motionless on the neighboring patio.

Something struck her. So quick, none of us saw in coming, ripping a scared breath from her lips.

She dropped next to her brother. Two limp figures now.

No.

No.

This had to be a nightmare. It couldn't be reality. I did not trust my eyes. Couldn't, couldn't, couldn't-

Then I saw it. Tranquilizer darts. One protruding from Niko's neck, the other from her arm. Their chests were rising and falling. Oh-Relief swept over me. They were alive. Oh, thank God.

"Don't be mad..." Anna emerged from the house, holding her hands up. She even had the nerve to smile. "I can explain."

Rage coursed through me. But she wasn't the one holding the tranquilizer gun. Through one of the windows, I caught a glimpse of a guy and fired at him.

The bullet shattered the window. Anna ducked. I was already charging at her, my legs devouring the distance between us. She didn't have a chance to breathe before I seized her by the throat and hurled her body across the sand.

She landed on her back with a pained cry. I stalked after her, my finger itching to put a bullet in her. But first, answers.

"Start talking." I hissed, looming over her.

She coughed. "Asshole," she spat, her voice strained. "They're just sleeping!"

"If I wanted them to sleep, I'd ask Andrei to tell a joke. Who sent you?"

"Felix hacked every security measure in your house. If you hurt me, he's instructed to make your location public." She smiled, making me hesitate. "Think about it. If I had such an easy time finding you, how long until Tomasso decides to stop by?"

Did she just say Felix? As in Felix Kowalski?

So that meant she was...

Oh, you have got to be joking me.

"Daniel!" Clara's scream pierced the air, tearing my attention to the house.

Andrei got flung onto the patio, his suit shredded, blood streaming down his face. Then another figure emerged, a bald mountain in leather and chains-Hugo Kowalski. Andrei had rearranged his nose. He snarled, blood trickling down his beard. But Andrei wasn't done either. They clashed again, fists hammering.