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Chapter one
RHYS
I couldn’t sleep. How could I? My entire life had fallen apart in less than a week. I was now flying across the Atlantic, back to a country I vowed to avoid because of an ex that had ruined my life. And yet, despite the absolute chaos running around me, I wasn’t sure there was a safer place than right here with these men. Paval was an added burst of happiness and I couldn’t imagine future moments without these four.
Everything was so uncertain, though. I had been overjoyed six years ago when stumbling onto my program, thinking I was going to save the world. Oh, how fucking naive I was.
A nervous chuckle fell from my lips as I stuffed my hand in my pocket to run my finger along Fibo’s design. I hadn’t used it as a crutch in a little while but I was feeling out of control, especially after my demons had gotten the better of me and I had taken it out on Owen.
Correction, I had hurt him. I made him bleed. I attributed to his cries.
Who did that? And who the fuckenjoyedit?
I froze once I remembered just who I had fallen in love with, as fast as it had been. The endorphins were wearing off now and I was beginning to realize how insanely impulsive I had been. How we all had been. But it felt right. That made it okay, right?
My gaze traveled across the plane aisle, Valentyn leaning back in his chair with Paval curled up in his arms. Dmitri was lightly snoring by my side, an arm thrown across my shoulder but I knew if I moved too much, he’d be awake in the next second to check on me.
It bugged me that they seem so unbothered by our current predicament even if Valentyn kept telling me that freaking out wouldn’t change anything. Paval was the exception–he didn’t really know what was going on so he couldn’t share in the terror. However, the other three?
My entire world revolved around numbers and sugar before Owen showed up in my life. I was so far out of my depth here.
“Stop worrying, Love,” Dmitri whispered as he dragged me a little closer. I twisted around and narrowed my eyes at him, the man chuckling even though his lids were closed. His voice was rough with sleep, a delicious shiver running up my spine despite the circumstances. I was going to get whiplash from these stupid emotions. “There’s nothing anyone can do up in the air.”
That didn’t make it any easier to stop worrying. Needing a different perspective, I untangled myself from Dmitri and walked toward the cockpit. Having known Gianni a little longer than the other two, I assumed that he’d be able to screw my head on straight because as of now, I was regretting my decision of leaving the country.
I knocked softly on the door, wondering if I was even allowed over here.
“Come in.” Gianni’s usually chipper voice had a clipped edge to it as I slipped inside, the man brightening a little at my arrival. A torrent of emotions swirled behind those green eyes as he followed my movements. The chaos that was the cockpit with switches and lights confused me but Gianni expertly flipped a few things, resounding clicks echoing through the small space. “Hey, babe. Couldn’t sleep?”
I studied his expression, the way the wrinkles in his forehead seemed to match his eyes but not the smile on his face. The golden undertones to his dark skin were muted, the light demeanor I knew him for switched out with the tension in his shoulders.
“How are none of you freaking out?” I whisper-yelled, gripping the edge of a seat that Gianni gestured for me to sit in. My fingers curled around the armrest as I leaned toward him. He flipped another switch and then pressed a button before turning toward me so he could meet my eyes. I found admiration and a little bit of terror in his expression, but also love. I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth, trying to gather my thoughts. “I’m so-”
Gianni reached across the seat and grabbed my chin, his lip curling up slightly. “Absolutely not. Stop apologizing. This isn’t your fault. It isn’t ours either. Our decision to take care of you may have started as part of the job but it certainly isn’t the reason now.” He pulled me a little closer to lay a brief kiss on my lips. “It was never my reason, babe. I’ve always wanted you but the time was never right.” When I opened my mouth to respond, he shook his head. “Listen to me, Rhys.I’ve always wanted you.”
His words quieted the chaos in my mind, my lids falling shut, his fingers still pinching my chin. Gianni’s thick musk wrapped around me like a warm blanket, my breathing slowing to match his as I fully relaxed into his hold. Unfortunately, my phone buzzing in my pocket pulled me out of the serene headspace.
I frowned and pulled back, confused as to why someone would be messaging me. We already knew Ada was behind the program on the U.S. side and I had promptly blocked herandErnest the first chance I got.
I slid out the device and twisted it around to show Gianni.
Text from Liam
Hey, just checking in. Where are you?
Gianni stared at it for a few seconds and then looked back up at me. “That’s the brother who helped with the restraining order, right? What’s wrong with that?”
“He never asks where I am. I’m either at school, at therapy, or at home. He knows my schedule better than I know it sometimes.” I mulled over the message. Something felt off. Liam never asked where I was. He just kind of… always knew. When he had checked up on me before that family dinner last week, he had just assumed that I was home. It was eerily sweet but now it was putting me on edge. “Is he tracking me?” Dread washed over me at that thought.
“Possibly. We disabled any tracking capabilities on your phone right before we left so maybe he's just checking in,” Gianni offered. That didn't add up, though. Liam wasn'tthatprotective and overbearing.
“Doesn't feel like it,” I muttered.
“What are you thinking, babe?” Gianni gently grabbed one of my hands and threaded his fingers through mine. He tugged until I was looking into the depths of his green eyes. “Let me tell you something. More often than not, whatever your instincts are telling you is correct.”
I didn’t like that. My gut feeling was telling me that Liam knew something–maybe about Ada or about the project. The more I thought about it, it didn’t feel like he was protecting me. Without Owen consuming my thoughts, I was starting to put Liam in thesame category as my sister and I hated it. “I just don’t know why he’s asking,” I whispered, feeling a little helpless.
Gianni squeezed my hand again before turning back to the controls. I liked when things were a bit simpler, when I could just slip across the grass patch separating our houses and knock on Gianni’s door for comfort. Falling into his arms was the next best thing to heaven itself. The days when chaos was the only thing directing my mind, Gianni was right there bringing me back to reality with orgasms and well-cooked dinners.
