Lust for Danger: A Mafia Romance -- Book One: The Family [Erotic Mafia Romance Book] by Angela Jordan Page A

his ear before his thoughts even had time to fully process.
     
    “Hello?” he asked, realizing only too late that the anticipation he felt was all too audible in the tone of his voice. He hoped she wouldn’t notice anything odd about it, or maybe that she would write it off as something else.
     
    But it wasn’t Jessica’s voice he heard on the other end of the line.
     
    It was Dominic’s.
     
    “Carlo,” came the voice, as emotionless as the dead coal-black eyes of a shark in the water. That was Dominic’s voice, all right – there was no mistaking it.
     
    Frazzled and confused, Carlo tried to re-orient himself as quickly as he could. “Hi, boss,” he said simply.
     
    “There’s some work to do.”
     
    Shit , Carlo thought to himself, his eyes flitting out to the crowd. The gates to the museum had just opened, and people were starting to stream into the main entranceway. Still no sign of Jessica.
     
    “Carlo,” came Dominic’s voice again. “Are you there?”
     
    “Uh, yeah,” he stammered. “Sorry about that, boss. I’m here. What’s up?”
     
    “I need you to go down to the docks and pick up your brother.”
     
    “Rocky?” asked Carlo, in dumb surprise.
     
    “Yes, of course,” Dom replied. “Are you listening, Carlo? You need to go down to the docks and get Rocky. Bring him here. I’ve already called to let him know you’re coming.”
     
    “Is everything all right?” Carlo asked.
     
    “He’ll explain when you get there,” came the cryptic answer. “I’ve got to go. Call me when you’re back in Rome.”
     
    Something about this didn’t seem right. Carlo’s mind was spinning now, trying to understand what was going on. But as he knew all too well, the mafia operated on a strictly need-to-know basis, and often it was best to leave certain questions unasked. 
     
    “…Sure,” he said finally. “Sure, boss, okay. I’m leaving now.”
     
    “Good.” And with that, Dominic hung up.
     
    Again Carlo was left staring at the phone in his hand, trying to make sense of what was happening to him. First with Jessica, now with Dominic, it somehow seemed as though there was something going on behind the scenes that just didn’t add up quite right. If Rocky just needed a ride home from Fiumicino, there were plenty of guys at the docks who could take care of that – hell, if worse came to worst, he could just hop onto the commuter train. No, there had to be some other errand Dom wanted to have taken care of, something he wasn’t comfortable discussing on the phone.
     
    …But what?
     
    Sighing, Carlo looked out at the crowd for a final quick once-over, although now he was relieved that he didn’t see Jessica’s face among the entrants. Perhaps it was better she hadn’t shown up. He didn’t know how he would have explained his sudden need to get away – there was no way he could ever tell her what sort of ‘family business’ he was involved in. He contemplated trying to dial her number one last time, but decided against it and shoved the phone into his pocket.
     
    People were entering the east wing now. The crowd streamed past him without taking notice, people engrossed in the beautiful paintings hanging on the walls and not taking so much as a second glance at the dark-haired man standing alone in the hallway with a gray leather jacket and a faraway look in his eyes.
     
    Glancing around him, Carlo suddenly snapped out of his daze and sprang into action. For better or for worse, his day’s plan had been decided for him, and there was nothing he could do to change that. The only thing to do now was to follow his orders – it was as simple as that.
     
    Without looking backwards, Carlo strode off down the hall and out the back exit towards his car, a black Fiat that he’d only driven today on the off-chance that Jessica might have wanted to go somewhere after the museum.
     
    He slammed the door, started the engine and put on a pair of reflective black aviators to