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“It’s cute that you think I’m not.” I lean back in my own white leather seat, quirking a brow at him as Enzo chuckles in response.
“Yeah, she’s definitely begging for death.” I don’t know how he manages to say that with a hint of humor, but he does. Despite the light-heartedness in his tone, my breath lodges in my throat.
I’m out of my depth here, there’s no doubting that, but I will never sink without at least attempting to swim with all of my might first.
Show no fear.
Show no pain.
Show no mercy.
Show no weakness.
Show no vulnerability.
If it wasn’t my mother muttering one of those statements to me on repeat, it was my father whenever he made an appearance. But despite my hatred for both of them, I can’t seem to shake those five mantras they instilled in me.
“I’ve begged for death before, but it never came.” The words fall from my lips like stone as I meet every one of their gazes, but they give nothing away. “I told you already. If you’re going to kill me, then get on with it. I don’t fear death. I don’t fear the darkness, and I don’t fear the afterlife in Hell I’m destined for.”
Matteo purses his lips as Enzo tucks a loose strand of hair behind his ear, while Vito huffs, leaning back in his seat so I can no longer see his expressionless eyes.
When it’s clear none of them are going to pull the trigger or offer me any kind of response, I turn my attention back out the window. We’re getting closer to landing, the flight attendant doing a quick sweep through the cabin as she murmurs about our seatbelts, but I ignore her as the world gets closer and closer.
I don’t know what my future holds in this foreign land, but it can’t be worse than the hell on earth created for me back home. My parents’ decisions will haunt me forever, and if anything, this is a luggage-free vacation away from it all.
As the wheels touch the ground, my chest relaxes slightly with each breath. I’ve taken far more on today than I expected, but I’ll hopefully stop thinking about that on loop in my head once I get in the goddamn shower.
It’s not until the door opens and the steps are dropped that the De Luca brothers rise from their seats. I hold my position, remaining comfortable as I wait for their next order. Better to give them the illusion that I’ll follow them blindly, rather than wait by the plane for further instruction.
This is their game now, and I’m simply a willing participant.
Vito walks by first, ignoring my existence, which hurts far more than I care to admit. Especially after this morning, but I get the feeling that is all long forgotten now. Enzo follows, his usual smirk fixed in place, but he doesn’t turn it in my direction either. Instead, he pauses beside the stewardess at the door. The green-eyed monster gets the better of me as he kisses her cheek before murmuring something in her ear, making her giggle in delight.
My hands clench together in annoyance, but I keep my lips tightly shut, refusing to give them any kind of response.
It’s Matteo who comes to a stop beside my seat, hands tucked into his pants pockets so I can’t see if they’re clenched or not. I stare at his perfectly polished black shoes, traveling up the length of his legs, before casting over his blazer and settling on his face.
Once again, I’m drawn to the scar that runs down the right side of his mouth, my tongue eager to run over the mottled skin to feel the texture against my touch. I did say I was a crazy bitch who was obsessed with just as crazy men who make all the decisions. And that’s exactly what this is. Except my life is on the line and the foreplay is not leading toward sex.
“Move.”
That one word has me sighing as I rise to my feet. Fucker had to go and spoil my little daydream. Now I want to bite the scar with an extra pinch of pain to make him pay for it, but I obviously don’t as he stomps to the exit and marches down the stairs, not waiting for me.
Running my fingers down my blazer, I take a deep breath as I feel a pair of eyes on me. Lifting my gaze, I find the stewardess squinting at me in a mixture of jealousy and disgust.
Bullshit from the De Lucas, I can take, but from this bitch, definitely not.
I move toward the door, looking at her from the corner of my eye, and when a sneer touches her lips I spin on the spot, gripping her throat in my hand before I slam her back against the cabin wall behind her.
A gasp falls from her lips, a beautiful sound in my fucked up head as I add a little more pressure to my grip. “You don’t fucking know me, and you certainly don’t know what I’m capable of. So if you ever see me again, you keep your eyes down and mouth shut. Do you understand?” Venom drips through my words as fire burns in my veins, the ability to unleash some of my pent-up anger feeling like heaven as it tingles down my spine. When she doesn’t answer, her eyes bulging a little as her face turns red, I pull her toward me a little before slamming her head straight back into the wall once more.”Do. You. Understand? Or do I need to make an example out of you?”
She instantly nods the best she can, a small sob breaking past her lips as a tear trickles down her cheek, and I grin, pleased with myself.
“That’s enough,Wren.” At the sound of Vito’s voice, I slowly release my hold on the stewardess, offering her a sickly sweet smile before I turn for the steps. I refuse to bring my gaze to his as I brush past him, heading down the steps to the waiting SUV.
The heat that clings in the air catches me by surprise, but I still manage to tilt my head back and bask in the feeling on my face before I slip into the vehicle. The satisfaction I felt moments ago continues to flood my veins as I find Matteo looking down at his phone and Enzo smirking at me slightly before Vito joins us. With the layout allowing the four of us to face one another, I feel a hint of uncertainty, but it dwindles moments later when the SUV starts to move and the three of them continue to ignore me.
Perfect.
