Chapter Eleven

The caravan of luxury SUVs that carry us away from my apartment felt extravagant. The small private plane feels extreme—but they’re nothing compared to the private jet that awaits us in Seattle. It’s sleek and gleaming, with the word Pajarita across the side. A man in a suit and dark sunglasses waits beside metal stairs. Delilah has been fussy since halfway through the drive, not at all pleased to be confined to a seat when she wants to roam.

“We have a few minutes before takeoff,” Luca murmurs.

He pulls the car seat away from me and heads up the stairs.

I follow him, my eyes widening at the inside of this plane—all wood paneling and plush carpets. The seats aren’t stacked together like the small plane. Instead they’re arranged in a casual circle, each with a large headrest and wide leather arms.

It’s a relief to kneel in front of Delilah’s seat where Luca sets her down, to focus on something mundane like stroking her hair into place, unlatching her seat belt. She springs up with a wordless exclamation of gratitude.

“Thank you,” I murmur, unable to look at Luca.

I knew that my apartment was small and dingy, but this is a whole new world. What did Luca think when he saw my broken car and the sleeping mat? I must look pathetic to him.

“Hey.” He touches my arm, and I look at him. “I know we’re the reason you don’t have a home. Because we showed up with fucking—with guns blazing. And then I took you.”

Doesn’t he understand that he saved me?

Delilah grasps the edge of the leather seat, pulling herself into a wobbly stand. She uses it as leverage to edge toward the back of the plane. A shiny mirror at the back is her goal.

“Stay here, baby,” I tell her.

Luca glances down. “Everything in here is safe to fly. She won’t get hurt.”

A flush burns my cheeks. “I’m more worried about her breaking something.”

“Let her.”

“Won’t Ivan be angry?”

“I doubt he’ll care. It’s my plane.”

I take in the luxurious surroundings with fresh eyes. I knew that there was money to be made in the criminal underworld. Otherwise why would anyone do it? I didn’t realize that Luca had this kind of wealth. Muscle, yes. Pure force.

What had he done to earn this kind of money? “How many people have you killed?”

His chuckle is low, unoffended. “More than my share, but I earn most of my money through fights. Big money fights, sponsorships. And betting, when I’m not in the ring.”

“Oh. Then why do you—” I bite my lip, remembering it’s none of my business. Girls were slapped across the face for asking questions in Harmony Hills. Living on the run brought me out of my shell by necessity, but I can never forget the pecking order.

His eyes darken. “You can ask me anything, Beth.”

Already he has shown me more tolerance, more kindness than any man I’ve ever met. But his hands are huge, his arms bulging. His entire body weighs more than twice mine, hard packed and built to fight. If he ever decided to teach me a lesson, I wouldn’t survive it. “Okay.”

“Then why do I work for Ivan?” he asks, his voice droll.

I wring my hands together. “You don’t have to answer.”

“Technically you didn’t ask.” He nods toward one of the wide leather seats. “Did you see the name of the plane?”

“Pajarita,” I say, not knowing what it means.

His eyes darken. “Little bird. I named it after you.”

My heart thuds heavy in my chest. Something this huge, this luxurious—after me?

He gives me a small smile. “Do you want anything to drink?”

As soon as he mentions the word, my mouth feels parched. A desert. I take a seat, feeling out of place in the plush armchair. I shove my hands between my knees, holding myself tightly. Pajarita. “Water, please.”

He walks to the bar, a counter above where Delilah is blowing kitten-breath clouds on the mirror. He stirs around in the fridge before pulling out a clear bottle. He brings me back a glass.

“Thank you,” I whisper before taking a sip. Bubbles tickle my nose.

Even the water is different here.

He takes the seat across from mine, our knees almost touching when he reclines. “What do you think I’m going to do to you?” he asks, his voice mild.

My knuckles turn white as I clench the glass. I force myself to relax. “What do you mean?”

“You fought me tooth and nail when I took you from Harmony Hills. And you were ready to fight me again last night when we were alone in that shit hole—in your apartment. That’s the Beth I know, but this morning you’ve been the picture of obedience. Tell me what changed.”

When I fought him, I thought I could get away.

I thought I could keep Delilah safe on my own. I learned a long time ago never to rely on a man, never to trust him, never to believe that he wouldn’t hurt you if he got mad. And Luca is so big and so strong it would be even worse.

Then he found me at the Last Stop, saving me in my final moments. Which meant my brother would have found me eventually. No matter how careful I am, they always catch up.

I choose my words carefully, knowing I can’t risk insulting him. “I appreciate you helping me and Delilah. That’s all I can focus on, keeping her safe. And you’re helping me do that. Why would I fight you?”

Unless he wanted to hurt Delilah. I would turn into a lioness if he laid one of those large hands on her. I cringe, imagining the backhands I got when I was little. Those men hadn’t been half as big as him.

“They fucked you up good,” he says, his voice low enough that Delilah can’t hear.

I flinch. “It’s not a nice place.”

“And I’m not a nice man,” he says, as if acknowledging the conclusion.

“You’ve always been good to Delilah.” And that’s all that matters. That’s all that can matter now. My brother would hurt me, but he would take Delilah away. And that means that I choose Luca, even if he requires my body as payment.

He leans forward, touching two fingers to my knee. I’m wearing jeans, but the feel of him burns like a brand. “I liked the Beth who fought me. You look like you’re made of glass, so damn fragile a harsh wind could blow you over, but that’s not true. I saw it when you stood in that office holding a rifle as big as you were.”

A shudder works through my body. I contemplated hurting Leader Allen so many times. Every afternoon, our daily prayers. His wrinkled face above me, flushed red, panting.

Then when Candy brought those dangerous men back to Harmony Hills, I knew that was my chance. My only chance to escape. And I took it.

“I’ve never been more scared in my life.”

He laughs softly. “You were a goddess. And the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”

He must have met so many women—beautiful, confident women. And of course he’s seen Candy. Our looks are similar, both blonde, both slender. But she has wide eyes and full lips, curves in all the right places. “I’m not anything special.”

“You wanted to know why I worked for Ivan. We met when we were kids. Both stupid, fucked up—sorry. Both of us dumb kids who wanted to get out of the barrio. He lived in a group home, parents long gone. I still had my mom at home. She turned tricks to keep food on the table.”

Sympathy clenches my heart. It’s hard to imagine this large man as a small boy, vulnerable to the cruelties of the world. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It made us tough. Forged in fucking—forged in fire. Like you, Beth. That’s what I see when I look at you. A goddamn mirror.”

My breath halts. “Me?”

“You and me, we’re the same.”

I swallow hard.

The sound of a cabinet door thumping draws my attention to the far end of the plane. Delilah tugs on a door, but it’s caught by some kind of lock that must keep it closed during flight. Her black curls shimmer under the ambient lighting, a dark angel.

She doesn’t look anything like her father, at least not how I knew him—old and deranged. It would be a comfort to imagine that she was implanted by God, but I know better. Despite what Leader Allen preached, God never lived in Harmony Hills.

“I learned not to fight,” I whisper. “Not to speak. Not to breathe when he didn’t want me to.”

The creak of leather lets me know Luca leans forward. “I’d kill that fucker all over again if I could.”

Maybe we are the same, because I would too. “I don’t want to be quiet anymore.”

“No,” he agrees gently. “Don’t stop fighting me either.”