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Chapter Twenty-Seven- Enzo
“This is ridiculous.”
Emma stares at the plane, lips pursed together in disapproval. I caught her trying to purchase tickets for our trip to Kansas last night and told her that going by public plane wasn’t an option. I have no control over a plane I don’t own. Allowing her to go to Kansas to pack up her things is concession enough. Taking my private jet is the compromise she’s going to have to be willing to take.
“Is it not to your liking?” I ask her. She turns to face me, the exasperated look on her face telling me just how necessary she finds this entire ordeal, and I struggle to keep my face neutral. It’s amusing, watching Emma adapt to our world. I grew up surrounded by people who were used to luxury and expected nothing less. Emma finds my tastes exorbitant. If my sister called something exorbitant, she meant it as a compliment. I don’t think Emma would agree.
She rolls her eyes after a few moments. “We can just fly Southwest, like normal people.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, dear. We’re not normal people. Airlines will not provide the security we need.”
“So we’re going to destroy the environment so you don’t run into any cops?”
I snort. As if cops are a threat. They have never been able to come up with charges that can stick. But flying on a public plane means not knowing who else is on the plane, and if someone recognizes me, they can report back to their boss about Emma and Matteo. Not to mention in a crowded airport, it would be too easy to grab onto Matteo or slip a tracking device into one of our bags.
“I will plant you an entire forest of trees if that makes you feel better about the private plane. Now hurry, I don’t enjoy wasting time here.”
Matteo bounds ahead of us, not sharing the concerns of his mother. He’s adjusting to life with my family well. So well that I think it makes Emma uncomfortable at times. She’s grown more comfortable with my mom, comfortable enough that I no longer have to fight her to leave him with her for a couple of hours, but she hasn’t grown close with anyone else. While Matteo continues to charm everyone with his quiet, contemplative nature and pointed questions, Emma has held back from building relationships. I hoped she would be open enough to let relationships build naturally, but I might need to interfere soon.
When someone is lonely and bored, they become reckless. And the last thing I need is for Emma to stop thinking with her head.
Emma sighs and follows him. “If you’re going to do anything, start with the oceans.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Don’t plant a forest for me. Restore the coral reefs. Reseed the kelp forests.”
She’s walking away from me, so she doesn’t see me smile. Emma might not feel at home yet, but she’s grown more comfortable with me. Gone is the girl who cowered in the car. She’s grown bold and fierce, and anyone who dares to tamper down this emerging attitude from her will have to answer to me personally. I enjoy the newfound attitude, but more specifically, I enjoy fucking it out of her.
For a private plane, it isn’t the most luxurious. Not because I can’t afford more, but because I don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself when I travel. That’s Andy. A few years ago, he had unintentionally gone viral and become an internet sensation, much to my father’s disapproval. It’s a constant balancing act now, keeping up appearances but not giving away too much. Bianca’s newfound career as a designer has helped, people are endlessly curious about her new designs and it takes the pressure off the family. When the comments online are about her newest lines, then the comments speculating about Andy’s mafia ties get buried.
My jet is considered small-to-midsized. And while it’s comfortable on the inside, it’s nothing too impressive. I already had a car seat installed on one of the seats, and I can see the visible relief on Emma’s face when she notices it. From what I read, car seats are generally considered optional on airplanes. Safety is never optional when it comes to my son and I know Emma agrees.
“Hello, welcome aboard.”
I glance at the air stewardess who is with us today and furrow my brows. I don’t recognize her, and everyone I hire to work this closely with me, I interview personally.
“Who are you?” I ask her, point blank. The captain of the flight, who is also here too great but is currently enthralled in the questions Matteo has, glances at us with a worried expression.
“I’m Clarissa. Davide hired me.”
She shuffles on her feet as I glare at her. If Davide hired her, I don’t know what she’s doing on my flight.
“Captain.”
“Yes, Sir?”
Captain Elroy Martin has been flying me for years and has never given me a reason to doubt his loyalty. When the VA screwed him over after his military service, I was there to swoop in and give him the medical care the government refused to provide for him. His loyalty was devout.
“Why is someone I’ve never hired on one of my flight?”
“I’m sorry sir, I was told you had been made aware of the transfer. Davide had originally hired her to work on Andy’s flights, but Bianca wasn’t too thrilled with his selections. Andy had her transferred to your service.”
I glance at the woman and understand Bianca’s disapproval instantly. Before their marriage, Clarissa was exactly the woman Andy would have gone far. And he never shared my hesitance in sleeping with the help. While I preferred to keep my hookups as far away from business as possible, Andy regularly mixed business with pleasure. There were some rocky times early in their marriage, where Bianca vetted every woman who worked for Andy and promptly had anyone who had slept with them transferred as far away as possible.
“Very well,” I sigh, not pleased about the situation. We can’t risk bringing a discrimination lawsuit against ourselves. Any sort of investigation would bring more attention than we can afford. She can stay on my service briefly. There’s no reason to delay today’s flight, but I’ll have to find somewhere else to transfer her.
A beaming smile passes over Clarissa’s lips. I’m acutely aware of the eyes watching us, though I pretend not to notice that Matteo is buckling his own seatbelt while Emma watches the two of us. Despite her insistence that the two of us sleeping together was a mistake, she’s about ready to attack a woman for standing too close to me.
