Chapter 171: Skylight
- RORY -
Two members of the flight crew take our bags, and my sister watches everything with wide, innocent, joyous eyes. Honestly, just seeing the way this experience makes her light up with wonder like a little kid is worth it.
As we’re climbing the stairs into the plane—first Dex then Raya then me with Luciano taking up the rear—Raya looks over her shoulder at me with one of those wide-eyed expressions that says ’who knew this was a thing?’, and I can’t help but smile back at her.
I have experienced little more than she has, so this is all new to me, too. But I’m admittedly walking through this with a stiff, protective layer in place to shield most of what happens from the delicate inner world of my emotions. So the private plane and world class treatment are impressive in the same way watching it happen in a film would be impressive. I’m watching others experience it more than I’m feeling the experience myself.
Luciano is the exception to that, because I’m acutely aware of where he is in relation to me. He stays quiet and remains back several steps as we’re climbing in, and I wonder if seeing me again is so underwhelming that I’m not going to be the recipient of any of his teasing anymore.
That’s for the best. It is. He can go enjoy himself wherever it is that we’re going while I find a spot to burrow into and hide—preferably with some alcoholic beverages in hand. Hopefully there is sand at this mystery place. Sand is good for burrowing.
"Woah," Raya mutters when we make it inside.
This time I feel that sentiment. In addition to the luxurious sofas, chairs, and fixtures, the ceiling of this plane is a giant, long skylight. So instead of the claustrophobic curved dome of the cabin, there are clouds and blue sky.
I stop in my tracks at the door and do a hard swallow. I think I’d prefer the claustrophobia.
"Everything okay?" Luciano asks at my shoulder since I’m blocking him from entering.
"Mhmm," I reply quickly and smile despite the fact that my lips are curved inward, apparently wanting to protect themselves from the terror about to befall us.
Those black eyes of his study me closely, and before I can make it more obvious that I’m afraid of something as harmless as the sky when we will soon be tens of thousands of feet into it, I go find a seat. Dex takes Raya to the back where there’s a doorway leading into another room. That must be the bedroom he was referring to. When I hear her laughing, I’m sure of it.
"There are two bedrooms," Luciano says, taking a seat next to me.
I was trying to focus on not being freaked out, but his comment takes my mind off the skylight entirely.
"I don’t mean..." he chuckles, noticing my expression and raking a hand through his hair. It’s wild again. "Just if you need to lay down or something. Not..."
"Are there seat belts on the bed so people don’t accidentally go flying in the air while they’re lying down? I’m not sure how relaxing that would be—the belts to keep you in place or the chance that you might hit the ceiling without them."
This brings out genuine laughter and a smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes, and I try to ignore the distinct feeling of turbulence in my chest as a result.
"Are you afraid of flying?" He asks.
"Not usually." My eyes flick upward, and his follow.
"Oh, I see. It is an unusual characteristic for a plane."
"I can’t imagine what it would be like during a storm." My thoughts trail to lightning streaking across the sky, rain, dark clouds...
"The weather is going to be beautiful today. We’re leaving any storms behind us, and the flight isn’t very long."
I nod, accepting his attempt to alleviate my unspoken fear.
"I met your mother," I point out.
"You did." One side of his lips twitch, and he glances toward a beautiful young flight attendant who is approaching us.
"Now you can tell me where we’re going," I remind him. "That was the deal."
He chuckles. "You didn’t agree to meet my mother. She forced it on you."
"So?" I scoff. "That doesn’t matter."
"Oh, it matters, bella," he says, those dark eyes briefly flashing with something playful again. Before I can reply, the very unafraid, sane, attractive flight attendant makes it to us to let us know that we can take off as soon as everyone is comfortable and buckled in.
I give her a polite smile and expect Luciano’s eyes to trail after her, but they don’t—a fact that makes my brow furrow and my own eyes trail after her curious about what I’m missing. She’s gorgeous, and Luci is definitely a player. I’m not imagining that about him. When I met him, it was clear. The way he flirts makes it clear. His hungry gaze would rove over me like I was yet another meal that had caught the attention of a skilled predator. I am certain that Luciano enjoys many women, and he’s not ashamed of it.
"Maybe she would be interested in the second bedroom," I suggest, gesturing toward the retreating woman who has gone to search out Dex and Raya.
Luciano looks at me with a confused frown. "What?"
I groan. I’m not going to spell it out for him. Instead, I return to what we were talking about before. "I won’t tell Raya where we’re going. I don’t know why it has to be a surprise for me."
"You don’t like surprises?" He asks with a crooked smile.
"It depends," I hedge.
"On what?"
"I’ve had a lot of bad surprises," I mutter, securing my seatbelt into place.
He doesn’t say anything, but something changes in the air around us that eventually has me glancing up. When I meet his eyes again, my lips part at the gentle intensity directed at me. Gentle intensity... who knew that was a thing?
"Nothing is going to hurt you." His black eyes scan me, making sure I receive the full sincerity of these words. And despite how ridiculous that statement is since he can’t know that much less guarantee it, I feel his gentle intensity flash through me like lightning—bright and blinding and warm along inner corridors that have been dark for a very long time.
"Not ever again," he adds. "Not anymore."
"What about you?" I ask it automatically like the accusation it’s meant to be. He’s in the mafia, after all. He killed Dex’s brother and covered it up like it never even happened. "Are you going to hurt me, Luciano?"
A less gentle intensity begins surging in the depths of his expression, and I see it—his own silent acknowledgement that he is a dangerous man with a dangerous lifestyle. He can’t deny that, and I swallow thickly when my thoughts hazard how big of a threat he likely is to far too many people.
His gaze flicks down to my throat and then back up with a swift shake of his head. "No. I won’t ever hurt you." And then, as if he can’t help himself, a wicked little curve of his lips threatens and the playful light comes back to his eyes. "Not unless you want me to, of course."
