“Get your stuff, we’re leaving. I promised your family I’d take you home.”
“Give me a minute to check out of my room.” Hoping to speak with the owner, I take a step toward the kitchen but am stopped by his sharp talons wrapping around my bicep.
His fake smile disappears, and he pulls me out the front door. “Get in the car.”
Dread washes over me and my knees shake, making it hard to walk. Paolo is much cleverer than I previously thought. Why did I think I could involve him?
Because I thought he was in Italy, that’s why. Shit. Now what do I do? For sure, if I don’t want to end up with a bullet in my head, he needs to think I’m on his side.
Next to me in the back, he directs the driver while frowning at the thick flakes. Maybe we’ll be delayed in the airport, if we even make it there.
Paolo turns away from the weather, undresses me with his eyes, and lowers his mouth to my lips. While he engages, I suppress my gag reflex and pretend to enjoy it. However, when he sticks his tongue down my throat and tries to reach inside my pants, I’ve had enough. Thinking fast, I push away his hand, scoot to the other side of the seat, and roll down the window.
Once, on a long drive to Milan, I threw up in his lap, ruining his best suit. Thus, he knows I’m not kidding and keeps his paws off. With cold air freezing my face, more brain cells fire.
A solid plan in mind, I pull my head inside, and swivel toward Paolo. “My uncle plans to steal the shipment back from the cartel.”
His eyebrows raise, no doubt surprised I’m taking an interest in his business.God, he is so annoying.
“Who’ve you been talking to?”
“No one. It just makes sense. I thought of it on my own.”
“Well, good for you.” Reaching across the void, he pats me on the head.
Could he be any more condescending?“Won’t the Mexicans be expecting him?”
“You, my little princess, are our insurance. He won’t dare if you’re inside the truck.” At his use of the pronoun,‘our’, a light bulb goes off.
Holy shit, he’s not working for Vincent, he’s with the cartel.Stay calm, Rose. Never let him see you sweat.“How can I help?”
“Scusa?” His eyes bug out and as he whips his head toward me, I flutter my eyelashes.
“Baby, the divorce was a huge mistake. I want to make it up to you.” Careful to roll the window down a little more, I take a deep breath and inch toward him.
Worried of getting puked upon, he backs away. “What about your new boyfriend?”
“He was a diversion, a way to keep my uncle from throwing more suitors at me. You know how I hate blind dates.”
Smiling broadly, he puffs out his chest. “Say it, kitten. Say you love me.”
“No one in the world could ever compare to you, Paolo.”Second fact check. This is true.He is by far, the biggest asshole in the world.
My ex-husband scratches his chin, lowers his lids and studies me for some time. “Huh. I was going to feed you to the cartel but if you’re nice, maybe I’ll keep you.” At his turn of phrase, I haul my ass over the cushion and gulp fresh air.
When my stomach settles, I shoot him a weak smile. “You won’t be sorry, I promise.”
Soon we arrive at the airport, and I can’t help but laugh. In comparison to JFK or Newark, the lone tower underwhelms me. In the brightly lit main and only concourse, he walks me down a corridor, and out a door without a single security check.
The thought occurs to me he could have a gun on me, and no one would stop him. In truth, his whole jet could be full of explosives and who would know?
“You look pale.” As we cross the tarmac, the bastard puts a hand to my lower back until we reach the stairs where a pilot waits.
At the top, the unsmiling brown man wearing cargo pants and a thick camouflage jacket, nods at us. “Hello miss… Senor Stephano.”
Ducking inside, I gasp as a pack of two-legged dogs in biker jackets stop talking and undress me with their eyes.
Holy God, Jesus Christ, all you angels and saints, Mother Mary, and anyone else who might be listening, I sure could use a helping hand. Buehler? Hello?I don’t know what I was expecting but a blast of lightning would’ve been a nice touch. Instead, the engines start, and I shrink down in the nearest seat.
