Page 21 of Lethal Hearts

“Mikhail,” she blurted, clutching the sleeve of his suit jacket.“Don Juan’s in that car. He’s sitting in the back seat. That bastard’s behind all this.”

“You’re certain?” Mikhail asked her. She thought about his question for a moment.

“Yes. Rolf and I saw that car earlier today, while I was at the pharmacy. I thought it was coincidence that same car’s here,” she said. Mikhail stilled and frightening determination filled his gaze.

“Rolf, stay with Harper. Harper, I’ll be right back,” Mikhail said.“Don’t let anything happen to my wife.”

Harper noticed more of his men had emerged from his building. Four of them now surrounded Mikhail and her, forming a human shield around them.

The shooting had stopped. The BMW rolled further down the street. Harper half-expected a second car to arrive, along with a second shooter. There was nothing.

Mikhail must’ve deemed it safe, because he helped her up. Her husband then nodded to one of his men and started for the same car Rolf drove her in.

Newfound terror filled her. She knew what her husband intended to do. Mikhail planned on chasing down that green BMW on his own.

An outsider only saw Mikhail looking calm and collected but Harper knew him a little better now. Deep down, Mikhail burned with barely suppressed rage.

“Mikhail,” she yelled at her husband. Rolf was telling her they needed to get inside the building, that it was safer there.

Mikhail looked at her and something told Harper she needed to tell him about the baby right now. Harper chose her next words with care.

“Be careful. You’re going to be a father soon,” she said.

Harper didn’t care that everyone on the street heard her. Mikhail looked momentarily surprised, then he gave her a nod, before sliding behind the driver’s wheel. In moments, Mikhail was gone. She gripped Rolf’s arm.

“Send more men to back him up,” she whispered.

“Already done,” Rolf assured her.“Don’t worry. The boss can handle himself. Let’s head inside, wait for him.”

“The waiting part is the worst,” she grumbled. She silently hoped Mikhail would be safely returned to her.

Rolf laughed at that.“You’ve got that right, but have more confidence in Mikhail. He always gets things done. There’s a reason he’s the Pakhan.”

Chapter Ten

Mikhail liked a frenzied driver. Slowing down meant losing sight of Don Juan and the shooter. Mikhail couldn’t have that. He’d gotten this close to losing Harper, his pregnant wife.

He still couldn’t believe the news, but now wasn’t the time to celebrate. Mikhail had to put down a mad dog. If he didn’t, then Don Juan would keep sending killers their way.

Today, they’d gotten lucky, but what about next time? Mikhail was the sort of man who believed in forging his own destiny. No more waiting. It was time to get rid of the problem plaguing him and Harper.

The green BMW swerved left and Mikhail swiftly followed. His phone rang and keeping one hand on the wheel, he put it on loudspeaker.

“Boss, it’s Vince. We’re right behind you. Orders?” Vince asked. Vince had reached the rank of lieutenant recently but Mikhail knew he could be relied upon.

“The objective is to box in Don Juan. Let’s lure him into a dead-end alley,” he said.

While one of Vince’s men looked for potential places they could lure Don Juan to, Mikhail kept his attention on the BMW.

Don Juanmust’ve gotten desperate if he tagged along with the shooter. What prompted this decision? Either way, Mikhail would get his answers soon enough.

“There’s an alley two blocks away, near Saint’s Road,” Vince said.

“Let’s do it,” Mikhail agreed.

Vince and his men sped ahead. Mikhail continued stalking his quarry from behind. By the time Don Juan’s driver realized he had to worry about two cars chasing him down, and not just one, it was two late. Don Juan’s driver entered the narrow alleyway, with Mikhail and Vince parked behind him.

Mikhail spotted two figures emerging from the car—the driver and the shooter. Both men carried guns. The assassin Don Juan hired immediately started firing.

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