“Wash your mouth out with that.” I hand Valentina a bottle of mouthwash when we enter the en suite bathroom from the bedroom. It’s small with just a sink, compact cupboard, toilet, and a shower cubicle.
Her eyes narrow to slits, and I’m happy to see her resistance returning. It means she’s being real with me, and I’ll take that over the shell of a woman I witnessed back in that hellhole. “Are you going to dictate everything I do because I’ll fight you every step of the way.”
“Good.” I press a kiss into her hair on instinct. “I look forward to it.”
She eyes me circumspectly. “You mean that.”
I lean against the doorway, trying not to fixate on her mouth, but it’s hard. I need to taste her. It’s all I’ve been thinking about in the twenty-four hours since I first set eyes on her. Valentina has fully hypnotized me, and I’m unnaturally consumed with her.
It’s more than a little concerning.
My cell pings, and I straighten up. “I always say things I mean.” I jab my finger at the bottle of mouthwash. “Rinse the taste of that fat fuck from your mouth. It belongs to me now.”
“I hate you,” she hisses, spewing venom at me through her words and her expression.
“You want to hate me,” I correct, “but you can’t because you want me as much as I want you.” I take a step back. “Freshen up, Valentina. I’ll leave some clean clothes on the bed for you.” Closing the bathroom door behind me, I extract my cell and answer Rico’s call. I step out of the bedroom, not risking Valentina overhearing. “Bianchi.”
“Are you on your way home?”
“We just left Miami. We’re due to land in La Guardia just after eleven.”
“And she’s with you?”
“Yes.” I eye Mimi warily as I retake my seat. She’s hovering in the aisle, waiting to pounce. “Hold on a sec,” I tell myconsigliereas I eyeball the flight attendant. “I need privacy. Make yourself scarce, Mimi.”
“Fiero, I?—”
“Now,” I command, not having to raise my voice for her to understand.
Hurt splays across her face before she turns around, pulling the curtain and retreating to her small space to the left of the cockpit.
I knew I shouldn’t have fucked her last week. She’s been flirting with me for months since she was hired to replace Jordan. Hiring a female flight attendant was a bad idea, but Jordan is sick, and he couldn’t give me much notice. He recommended her from his commercial flight days, and I hired her without giving it too much thought. She has clinger written all over her, and screwing her in a moment of craziness is biting me in the ass now.
“Fiero, you there?” Rico asks, reminding me he’s on the end of the line.
“I’m here.”
“Problem?”
“Not for much longer.” I’ll have to replace her, but I’ll talk to Zumo at home about it. He can break the news to her and handle the recruitment. I have no time for female histrionics. Right now, Valentina is my priority. As is ensuring her presence in my life this week is hidden from those who are better off not knowing.
Rico sighs. “You fucked Mimi, didn’t you?”
“It was a moment of madness.”
“You seem to be having a lot of those lately. Sure you’re not going through a midlife crisis?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure of anything right now.” I blow air out of my mouth as I slouch in my seat, glancing out the window at the dark night sky.
“Yet you still took Valentina.”
“By agreement.”
“So, Valentina is fully on board now?”
“She couldn’t get out of that place quick enough.”
His heavy sigh filters down the line as I cross my feet at the ankles. “This isn’t good, Fiero. Massimo will flip his shit when he finds out.”
