Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“That’s the last idea you have, do you understand?” I muttered. “I’m the one in charge.”
It was amazing how quickly she could slip from fear back into anger. There was pure contempt in her eyes. “I could have killed you.”
“And, what? You think I’m not capable of killing?” It came out sneering, and I felt ugly inside. She broke the gaze and stared at her hands on the steering wheel.
“Just go, please.” It was shaky. Her weary shoulders sagged. Exhaustion was overwhelming her.
I swallowed hard. “You know I can’t.”
A noise broke free from her, a frustrated sigh. Her fingers went to her neck, and she yanked the red scarf loose, undoing the button of her collar. “I want to know why.”
“You left me no choice.”
“No, I want to know why he’s so important that you’re okay with other people dying for him, including yourself.”
Part of me wanted to tell her the truth. She already knew more about me than almost anyone else in the world, so why not? She knew where I was from, my real name, some of the places I’d run ops. She also knew I’d killed Constantine Abramo, which was something I’d shared with barely anyone else.
Yet I was pissed with her and my head ached, and that made me refuse to give her what she wanted. “I’ll get you out. After that, I don’t owe you anything.”
She scowled. “No, you sure don’t.”
This time when her gaze returned forward, I knew I wouldn’t get it back on me. I wanted to slam my fist into the dashboard. This was a complicated mess, and if I didn’t lock it down, we were both going to wind up dead.
“Nathan, what is happening?” Gio’s annoying voice carried up the hallway.
I scrubbed my face with a palm. “A malfunction in the air system. She’s fixed it.” I glanced over at the cut oxygen masks. “But keep your mask on until we land in case the air goes bad.”
He groaned, realizing he’d have to spend the next four hours with the mask on his face, and it made my lips curl into a bitter half-smile. At least that should keep the fucker quiet.
16
OLIVIA
The man sitting copilot was mute for the next hour, and all his unspoken words made me furious. How could he choose Gio after what he’d done?
It was three in the morning in Rome when Ethan climbed out of the seat and went to stand near the back of the space, something small held up to his ear.
“You can’t use a phone in the cockpit,” I snapped.
It was bullshit. Rory almost always left his on, but I was all for trying to exert power over Ethan when he left me feeling like I had none. He ignored me and spoke in a language I hadn’t heard from him before. German. It made his deep voice sound rough and scary, but I wanted to know what he was saying and to whom he was talking.
The conversation lasted a while, but when it was over, he didn’t return to the seat. I hadn’t heard him leave the cockpit, and by the time I discovered he’d gone, he was already on his way back to me with a water bottle in each hand.
I took one when he silently offered it and didn’t bother to thank him. I was too busy being pissed at myself for missing my opportunity to shut him out of the cockpit. He was a giant and moved without a sound. It made no sense, just like everything else about him.
“Who was that you called? Shawn?”
“No, and don’t say that name again.”
I glanced over at him, even though I wanted to pretend he didn’t exist. He looked lost in thought, his shoulders heavy. Even weary, he still appeared outwardly threatening. And attractive. He should be pissed with me. So why did worry etch his face when his attention turned to me?
“Let’s talk about some scenarios for when we land.” His tone was businesslike, and I was grateful to focus on that.
It was both comforting and terrifying to hear the Ciampino flight tower as we neared the airport. I was anxious about landing for the first time in a while, but it had nothing to do with the plane. Gio’s need for me was about to come to an end. Would Ethan hold up his end of the bargain when I hadn’t?
After we’d touched down and the tires rolled toward the hangar, he turned to me. “Olivia,” he said on a whisper, “it’s going to be okay. Trust me.”
I’d already proven that I didn’t. But his expression was intoxicating. Disarming. I felt my head nodding when my brain had yet to approve. He got out of his seat and used his large body to block the doorway into the cockpit while I slowed the jet to a stop, engaged the brake, and put away my headset.