by Via Mari
I take in a deep breath. I know better than a slip like that. I shrug, playing it off. “I was just throwing names out there, hoping something stuck,” I say, but he levels those steely eyes at me. He knows more than I thought, and for his own good, and that of his team, more than he should. I can’t change who I’m related to or what I do for a living. If he decides it’s too much of a mess, then so be it. Just another reason I’ve always avoided relationships.
“My grandfather, he has eyes all over the place. I know you thought you avoided them at the restaurant, but you can’t, not in this city, not in this country, and not anywhere in the world. The men that came after us tonight weren’t part of my grandfather’s team though. He wouldn’t have sent his goons in that way for his beloved granddaughter. He’d be more apt to make me come to him,” I say.
He doesn’t have a chance to answer though as headlights blare into the back of the car and our driver accelerates around the cliffs heading further south into the Amalfi Coast.
“We’ve got enemies crawling up our ass. Tell me someone’s got a line of sight on these fuckers,” Matt says into his mic. He nods, but I can’t hear the response on the other end of the line. “Roger that, as long as you have a plan,” Matt says, and I glance out the window, taking in all the beautiful city lights resting so many feet below us as we careen dangerously around the curves above them, knowing that we have no possibility of help or a relationship if he is working for Interpol.
He surveys me for a moment, then pulls me so close I can feel his heart beat. “The Chicago Mafia isn’t about to let us go without a fight. I knew they would come for me, but you need to tell me why they’re coming after you if I’m going to protect you, Princess,” Matt says.
He knows who my father is, how tangled of a mess the entire relationship is, and yet he wants to protect me. I don’t succumb to emotion, I don’t cry about what life throws my way, but the fact that this man saved me and then came across the globe to be with me and is willing to risk his life to protect me does bring a tear to my eye.
Matt lifts my chin so that I have no choice but to look into the intense steely grey eyes holding me with their gaze. “Tell me.”
I nod, knowing that I can’t do that, and that if I’m going to keep him safe, I will somehow need to find a way to distance myself from the one man that I’ve ever let past my walls. I decide to use the truth. He already knows about the Russian side of my family, and surely it won’t be long before Sasha or Jay divulges the history of the Chicago side of our family, if they haven’t already. “A long time ago my mother had an affair with Frederik Bernatelli. My sister Sasha and I are the dirty little secret. If my grandfather ever found out, there would be out and out war,” I say, but while he’s listening to me, he’s getting intel from that headset of his.
“Get down,” Matt says, pushing my face into his lap and covering me with his jacket. “They’ve got drones overhead. Stay down unless you want your picture splattered all over the underground channels,” Matt growls.
If my picture gets released, my death warrant is signed and I know it. There will be nowhere that I can hide that they won’t find me. I am a threat to their livelihood. Matt is caressing my neck, calming me, and I’m almost lulled into a false sense of security when all hell breaks loose. I hear a distinctive crack and the squeal of tires before we are bashed from behind.
“Step on the gas, they got past car two and they’ve got fire power overhead,” Matt says, cool and calm, caressing the back of my neck like we’re not in the middle of a shit storm while I shift in his lap, trying to reach the button on my belt that will alert my team that I’m in trouble.
“Tell me you’re out there, Cole,” Matt says.
A man’s voice comes over the speaker of the car. “We just took out the drone and I’m about to have your driver ram that car right up this fucker’s ass,” Cole says as Matt continues to caress my neck, and I make the decision not to push the button, feeling Matt’s body begin to relax beneath me.
“Roger that,” Matt says just as the sounds of steel against steel and the squeal of braking rubber fill the air.
Matt
I pull Marenah’s head inward, making sure she’s braced against my body in the event we get hit, and a split second later we do. The car slams into us from the rear with a ton of force, causing our car to spin sideways, and I know how fucking close we are to these goddamn cliffs. Our driver navigates us out of a spin and puts his foot down, gaining us a little separation from the dead man that just put my princess in jeopardy.
While we may have gained a little distance, they are still too close, and the driver floors it on a straight stretch and I relax, knowing exactly what the fuck is going to happen in about two minutes. I turn and watch as the other car begins accelerating on the straightaway just as we begin slowing for the hair-pin turn. I brace myself, pulling Marenah against me even tighter, hugging her close even though I have every faith in Cole’s abilities to hire a driver with skill.
He doesn’t let me down, just brakes hard, spinning our car three-sixty on a dime. The sound of squealing rubber howls into the night as the tires of our assailants try desperately to grip the road and slow to a stop, but it’s no use. At their speed, all it takes from our driver is a tap on the side front panel to send them spinning across the narrow highway and careening over the side of the treacherous cliffs and into the sea below.
“Great job! Fuck that was close!” Nate yells.
“You’re all clear, Matt, but if the drones had a track on you, it won’t be hard for them to come at you again. The Gulfstream’s ready and waiting, and you already have clearance. Have the driver put his foot down. You’re about ten minutes south from a private strip,” Cole says from the overhead.
“I’m already on it,” our driver growls, accelerating behind the security car still in front of us.
“We made it for now, Princess, but you and I both know they’re not going to stop until they get what they want. We need to get onto the plane and out of the country, where I can protect you, and we can talk, okay?” I say, pushing a long length of her blonde hair out of her face so that I can see her eyes, what she’s thinking, and alleviate her fears.
The light from the moon and the illuminations of the city at the bottom of the hills gives me a little view of her eyes, and I watch as she processes. The solemn nod of her head tells me there’s more I don’t know. Our driver navigates us to the strip, and the security team guides us out of the car and onto the plane.
Marenah settles onto the sofa and buckles in, and the crew prepare for takeoff while waiting for the rest of our team, and Nate heads into the security area. I text Cole and get no response. I scowl, trying him on the two-way and still nothing. I connect with Jay, who answers almost immediately. “Cole saved my ass, we’re at the strip and he’s gone silent. The pilot’s ready to take off,” I say.
“Cole’s got a drone over his head, hang on,” Jays says, placing me on mute while I wait with growing impatience, not sure what the hell is happening to the man that just saved our lives.
“Jay, you gonna let me in on this?” I say, but he doesn’t respond, and I know that Jay’s gonna do what he needs to do, and I’ll have to wait it out.
The pilot’s voice comes on overhead alerting us to the near departure. “Everyone in the cabin get situated. When we get the word that we’ve got our man, it’s going to be a quick takeoff.”
“What’s happening to him?” Marenah asks. I can tell that she’s concerned about Cole, too.
“I don’t know yet, but Jay will get him out of harm’s way. It may just take a bit,” I say, pushing a dangling strand of hair behind her ear so I can see her emotion-laden eyes.
I’m trying to keep her calm as we wait, but my insides are bunched, thinking that he could be in serious danger because he helped us. “Jay, you have an update?” I ask, my impatience getting the best of me.
> “Yep, hold tight,” Jay says as the night around us lights up with siren wails and blue and red flashing lights all over the tarmac, and what looks like Cole’s car screams past us with cops on his tail, flying down the runway to the other end of the strip. A couple minutes later, another vehicle makes its way to the plane, squeals to a stop, and Cole jumps out of the front seat, running up the ramp and into the main cabin out of breath.
As the door closes behind him the pilot’s voice comes over the speaker again. “Buckle up boys!” the pilot says as the plane begins to drift across the tarmac, gaining speed at an unusually rapid pace and then begins to careen down the runway, gaining even more speed before lifting into the air just as the car that Cole left idling on the tarmac blows up, igniting into flames right below our very eyes.
Cole slumps onto the leather couch, catching his breath, and looks at both of us, one and then the other. “Alright, someone’s going to tell me right the fuck now what the hell we’re into? These fuckers have goddamn drones, heat-seeking fucking drones, and they just about roasted our asses,” he says.
“Fuck!” The mafia boys are high tech, but they’re not equipped like that. I have a pretty good idea who is, but I want to talk with Marenah in private about this. “I’m not sure if I fully understand what’s going on myself,” I say as Marenah’s eyes drop to the floor.
I think she’s going to stay silent, and that’s fine, because the conversation that I plan to have with her isn’t one that should be done in public, but she surprises me. “I’m sorry that I brought you both into my world. If I had it to do over again, I would have pushed you far, far away,” Marenah says.
I lean over and lift her chin, because I want to see her eyes when she either tells me the truth or tries to lie to me about who she’s working for. These people, whoever they are, want us dead. Fucking drones that had no issue with taking what they thought was Cole’s car out right at the airport. Whoever these people are, they have balls, big ones, and while I thought at first my little princess may have be working for the Russian government, I now wonder if she is running from them, because it’s become extremely obvious that whoever these fuckers are, they not only want her dead, but will take out anyone helping her.
“Marenah, we can talk privately, but either way, we need you to tell us what the hell is going on if we’re going to protect you and stay alive,” I say.
Her wide sky-blue eyes are swirling with emotion, but she looks me straight in the eye. “I told you, I’m trying to do the right thing. I have to help the women and children. The people that are after me want to prevent me from doing that,” she says.
Cole’s looking at her and then at me. “Trafficking,” I say.
“Fuck!” Cole says. “No wonder they were trying to take our asses out.”
“So, you’re working for the United States and pretending to be working for the Russian government, they found you out and brought a shit ton of heat down on us?” Cole asks.
She pales at his reference to who she’s working for, not realizing that my security men have eyes and ears on all our conversations if it means potential security breaches to us or the families we protect. The way she’s breathing leads me to believe he’s not far off with his assessment. “Enough. Marenah and I will talk,” I say, taking her hand and leading her to the door of the bedroom suite to the Gulfstream and closing it behind us. “Are you going to tell me which country you’re working for Marenah? I can’t keep you protected or help with the trafficking issue unless I know what you’re up against and what we need to mitigate as a security team,” I say, running my hands along the moist seam of her mouth, and across her bottom lip.
Marenah
The feel of his finger on my lip, so sensual and intimate leaves my heart racing, but I know that he’s looking for answers, things that I can’t tell him if I am to keep him and his security team alive.
“I told you what I could, Matt. I wasn’t lying when I told you that I was trying to help the women and children that are snatched into a life of trafficking. I just didn’t tell you who I work for, and unfortunately I can’t, because if I did, it would put you and your men, my sister, and basically anyone that is close to any of us in jeopardy.”
“Princess, I know you’re doing right by those people but if we’re going to get those women and children out alive, you’re going to need to trust me, and right now I’m not feeling it. Where are they being held? What can you tell me that will help my security team get a lock on them? Once we know who and where they are, we can put a plan together and deal with it, Marenah, you have my word,” Matt says.
I haven’t gotten any messages from my team, and for all I know they could be dead, but I do know someone is after us, and right now the only hope for these women is staring me in the face with narrowed steely grey eyes. “I can’t go on record telling you who they are, it’s in my contract, but I can take you to where the trades are made. You can’t take a picture of me or record my voice. If so, they will be able to recognize me, and a world of heat will rain down on all of us,” I say.
“No pics and no voice recordings. You have my word, Marenah,” Matt says, running his fingers through my hair.
Once I lead his team to them, there will be no turning back. “Then let’s go back to America,” I say, watching as his eyes widen with surprise, and then comprehension.
“Marenah, is that why you were in the bar?” Matt says, and I can already see him putting two and two together.
I nod. “The Chicago boys have a hand in this, but they aren’t the ones responsible for the entire system and structure that enables trafficking. Those are the people I want! I only went back to Russia afterwards because I didn’t have backup, and it still hasn’t arrived. I don’t know if it’s still the priority right now, but it is to me,” I say.
He looks solemn for a few moments and places a hand on each side of my face, caressing my cheeks, waiting, knowing there’s more that I’m not saying.
“It means that I’m all alone if we go in,” I say.
He nods. “If you can’t tell me who you’re working for, then I don’t technically know you’re working for anyone for the next twenty-four hours. I’ll get a small group together and we’ll go in and get them out. I’ll clear it with Jay, but you have to know that I’m only going to ask for a day’s window before I’m going to need to let Chase and Brian know what’s going on,” he says.
I nod, fully understanding what he’s not saying. Once he does that, we’re over. It would have to be, unless I could tell him who I am working for, and we both know that just isn’t possible.
The intensity of my emotion for this man is something I’ve never felt before. He’s putting his life and those of his team members on the line to help these people. I know this could get him in trouble with Chase and Brian. I look at the equipment he’s still wearing, and his headset is standard issue. While I’m not sure how he’s connected to the mystery that my life has become, I believe in my heart that I can trust him to help get the women that have become my mission, and keep them alive before we part ways.
“Let me give them instructions so they can get the flights routed and the plans approved,” Matt says, connecting with one of his team. He goes through the directions, letting his teams know we’ll follow their original flight plan while they’re working to get a flight to America approved, refuel, have clothes put on board for us, and then we’ll be on our way. As he does, my throat constricts with the knowledge that tonight may be the very last time we are together. I look up, and he’s watching me with those steely grey eyes, and the energy is almost palpable.
If this is our last night, I want it to be one that we both remember, regardless of what happens in the future. I slide off the bed and stand to my full height and begin undoing the pearl buttons of my light pink blouse. The desire in his eyes as he watches me while listening to someone on the phone is hot, and I feel my nipples pebble
and strain against the lace material of my bra. His eyes don’t leave me, watching every move I make until I have reached the last button, letting it slide from my shoulders and onto the floor. He disconnects with whomever he was talking with and tosses his cell on the dresser, watching me. The heat of his gaze is intoxicating, and I want to see that look grow with intensity. I unclasp the clip to my bra and watch his chest as he gently inhales and exhales as my breasts are freed to his view, and my eyes gravitate to his pants and the bulge that has formed.
There is one thing that I want to do right now, and if I don’t, I will regret it forever, so I don’t hesitate. I unbutton my slacks and slide them over my hips, letting them meet my other clothes in the heap on the floor, and walk slowly toward him, left only in my white lacy panties.
I slowly sink to the floor in front of him, onto my knees, needing to taste him and to feel the power of bringing him to his pleasure. “Let me do this,” I say, looking up at him and relishing in the hazy steely grey eyes that are watching me intently.
I start to unzip him, releasing the bulging cock from his underwear and trousers. I lick it’s tip, just like an ice cream cone. He moans, and the sound alone makes my pussy wet.
“I want to please you. Tell me how you like me to suck you,” I say, licking softly up and down his shaft, teasing until I reach his balls. I am not about to regret or hold back during the last twenty-four hours that we have together, and suck his balls into my mouth, first one and then the other, alternating and intermittently tasting and fondling the crevice that goes right up to his shaft.
He holds my face, and moves me onto his cock, slow, letting me acclimate before inching forward. “Relax your mind and your throat muscles. You can take me, Marenah,” Matt says, inching forward, little by little, until my head is pressed tightly against his belly, ensuring that I have all of his cock in my mouth and down my throat.
