“Square it off?” I echoed numbly, proud of my steady tone. It betrayed nothing of what I was feeling inside.
“More or less. I can’t take your virginity anymore—fuck knows there’s no shred of it left—but I can still enjoy all the things I was too stupid and considerate to take back then.”
I had to let his words slide over my skin without letting them penetrate it, or I’d go mad. I was close to madness anyway—being here, with him, having this conversation.
“And you’ll let me go?” My mouth was dry, my pulse roaring between my ears. Achilles was an asshole but an honorable one. If he gave me his word, he’d keep it.
“You’re mine from the moment we enter Italian territory until we leave it.” He cracked his neck. “When we get back, I’ll deal with my father. As for you”—he caught the ring on his pinky, swiveling it absentmindedly—“you’ll pack a fucking bag, buy a one-way ticket out of North America, and I’ll never see or hear from you again. We clear?”
I nodded, relief flooding me. I could do that. Moving away would be no hardship, aside from having to say goodbye to my brother, his wife, and my nephew. Nothing was keeping me in New York. “I give you my word.”
“Good. Now be quiet and make yourself scarce until I call for you.”
I slinked back to my seat and opened aVoguemagazine, burying my face in it. My thoughts were scattered, like pieces of glass from a broken vase. Where would I go? Ireland, probably. My ancestors’ land. What would I do? I’d have some seed money. Enough to open a small shop. Buy myself a lovely cottage somewhere picturesque. Tiernan and Lila could visit me every summer with their kids. I’d be the cool auntie.
But first, I had to survive a weekend with Achilles, and I had a feeling that was no small feat.
I was determined not to blow this up. My future was waiting for me, and I was ready to finally meet it.
My freedom was worth it.
Even if the price was selling my soul to the man I hated the most.
____________
The adrenaline crash made me doze off in the recliner. I woke up some hours later with my mouth gauzy.
Blinking my eyes back into focus, I saw Achilles and his soldiers sitting across from me. They were no longer playing cards. There was a suitcase open in front of them, and they were examining different luxury watches, no doubt stolen.
“How much time until landing?” I croaked out.
“An hour and some change.” Jeremie popped his gum. He was messing with his phone, periodically smirking at something he saw on the screen. It was weird, watching this husky tank of a man exhibiting any emotion that wasn’t annoyance.
Achilles flicked his wrist, checked the time, and stood up grimly. My heart sank all the way to my toes.
“Up.”
I rose to my feet and followed him to the lavatory. All eyes were on us, and I saw the derisive grins his soldiers flashed each other when I strode past them. They knew.
He waited for me to enter the bathroom, then locked the door behind us. It wasn’t much bigger than a commercial airplane’s, but it was fancier, consisting of veiny black marble punctuated with gold, a vanity with mirror, and a small shower.
“Thought we agreed the deal takes effect when we reach Naples.” I rested my hip on the vanity.
“I said you’re mine from the moment we enter Italian territory. That happened three minutes ago.” He flashed me his phone screen, with a map of our plane traveling above a large body of water. “Want me to call air traffic control to confirm it?”
I shook my head. There was no need. He wasn’t a liar. Just a dick.
He unholstered his gun, unloading the magazine and dumping it in the sink. “I’m clean.”
“So am I.”
“I know. I check your medical records quarterly.” He tossed his phone on the vanity next. “Bend over and hold on to the sink.”
Okay. So…we were really doing this.
I curled my fingers over the round marble sink nervously, pressing my hips to the counter. I stared up at the mirror in front of me. Because of the height difference, the angle didn’t allow me to see his face. Only his torso, which was hidden by a hoodie.
He grabbed the hem of my dress and flipped it over my back, shoving it into one of my shoulder straps. There was something so mortifying in this gesture. My mind swam. He stared at my panties-clad ass for a moment, and I let him because I didn’t have a choice. I gulped in a gasp as he grabbed my plain, white cotton panties from each side. His touch on my skin felt like somebody turned up all the lights inside me.
