CHAPTER TWO
The car ride over to the airport was awkward and mostly silent. I was still trying to wrap my head around what was happening, and Nico seemed to sense that I needed time to process. I could see him studying me out of the corner of my eye, but I refused to look at him just yet. .
I looked out the window and tried not to think about what was happening; of the way my father had so willingly let me go. There was no possible way that he could know that I’d be safe in Nico’s care, and yet he’d offered me up just the same. He was refusing to accept the consequences for his own actions yet again.
I kept the tears at bay, but it was hard to know my own dad thought so little of me that he'd send me away with a complete stranger. It felt pretty awful to know he thought I was so expendable to him, a commodity that could be sold on a whim.
“Have you ever flown on a private jet, Sophia?” Nico asked me, trying to make conversation.
“I've never flown at all,” I said. “I've been to San Francisco and L.A a couple of times. But for the most part, I've never left the Central Valley.”
“Well then, you're going to be in for a surprise,” Nico said, trying to warm me up with a smile. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-one,” I said quietly. “Just turned twenty-one actually.”
“Happy belated birthday,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, staring out the window.
If he truly had a private jet, then I guess he wasn't lying when he said he had a lot of money.
“So, you said you’re a real estate developer?” I asked.
“That’s right,” he said. “And I'm looking at developing a resort on a small, semi-private island in the South Pacific. That is where we're going. I think you'll really like it. It's beautiful.”
“So, we'll be alone then?” I asked, nervousness making my stomach turn flip-flops.
“Not completely, no,” he said. “And don't worry, Sophia. I promise to return you to your father safe and sound. And because I know it's crossed your mind, you are not obligated to sleep with me. That's not what this is about. So, if that's what you're worried about, please put your mind at ease.”
I was worried about that, quite honestly. It seemed an obvious conclusion to come to knowing that my father had sold me to this man to pay for his gambling debts. I was afraid that I would be his plaything, forced to do anything and everything he wanted. The mere thought of it made me feel nauseous.
“Good, because I'm a virgin,” I blurted out. “I've never even had a boyfriend.”
“Really?” Nico looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe. You're a beautiful young woman. Intelligent, well spoken, witty; I would have assumed the boys would be lining up to date you.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush with color. “I've just never had time to date. Not with practically running the diner and all. Even back in high school, my dad needed me to work most evenings and weekends, so it's not like I had a lot of time to have a social life. And besides, most of the guys back in school weren't really all that interesting to me. All they wanted to do was drink and have sex. It wasn't really my thing.”
Nico pulled into the airport parking lot, and in the distance, I saw a massive airplane that looked too big to be a private corporate jet. I figured it would be the smaller, sleeker kind of plane I'd seen on TV and in the movies, but it was the only one I could see on the runway.
“There she is,” Nico said, pointing to the plane. “My baby.”
I could hardly believe my eyes. I was going to be flying on a giant, luxury liner that was probably worth more money that I could ever hope to see in my entire life. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. To think that the first flight of my life was going to be in that thing nearly left me breathless.
Nico got out of the car and handed the keys to a valet, then came over and opened my door for me. I wasn't a girl who wanted or expected to be pampered, and I certainly never waited to have my door opened for me, but I'd been too afraid to step out. I knew that as soon as my feet hit the tarmac, this would all become real. I'd be leaving California and headed to some mystery island in the South Pacific with a strange man I knew next-to-nothing about.
It was terrifying, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some small part of me feeling the first tingles of excitement and adventure. It was a small part – a very small part – but it was there, lurking in the background all the same.
“Right this way, Sophia,” he said. “The crew will take care of your bags. You need not worry about a thing.”
I got out of the car and silently, walked toward the jet. The closer I got, the larger it got, and my heart was beginning to race. It was becoming more and more real with each step I took.
“Are you scared?” he asked me.
“Honestly? Yeah, a little,” I said.
It was a lie. I was actually very nervous; bordering on terrified about everything. From the actual flying to being swept away by a man I hardly knew. I tried to tell myself that it would all be ok, and that I was doing this to preserve my family legacy. In truth, I was more than a little angry at being put in this position in the first place. Raising an eyebrow, Nico asked, “Scared of the flight? Or scared of me?”
He could see right through me – which shouldn't have surprised me. He was proving capable of reading me like a book. I looked down at my feet and kept walking toward the jet, unable to answer him. We boarded and as soon as I did, my eyes grew wide as saucers.
“This is – wow,” I said, looking around at just how fancy the jet was.
It was nicer than most any home I'd ever set foot in, and was more spacious than some I'd lived in. As I walked down the aisle and settled into my seat, I had to admit, I could get used to this very quickly. With a pillow and a blanket, I could sleep the entire flight and be just fine. That was, if I could calm my nerves and shut my brain down enough to actually allow me to sleep.
Nico settled in across from me.
“You never did answer my question,” he said, a concerned look on his handsome face.
“I'm sorry, what question was that?”
“Are you afraid of flying?” he asked, and I could see a flash of worry in his eyes. “Or are you afraid of me?”
Ahh, yes. That question. I decided to answer honestly. He'd always been so kind to me that I felt he deserved that.
“A little of both, actually,” I said.
He nodded. “You might find it hard to believe, but I've never done anything like this before. So, I would have to imagine what you're feeling is normal,” he said. “But I swear to you, Sophia, I'm not a bad guy. I'm not trying to be inappropriate or make you do anything you don't want to do. My only intention is to take care of you and make sure you have a great time. Please believe me when I say that I would never hurt anyone – especially a young woman like yourself.”
His words sounded sincere and the look on his face seemed equally genuine, which put me at ease. After all, this was Nico, the kind man who came into the diner that I flirted with every few weeks. We chatted, made small talk, he'd sometimes flirt back with me – but never in a way that made me uncomfortable. He honestly seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and I had to admit, I usually smiled when he came in. He had a way of making me feel good about myself.
“And as far as the fear of flying, well, even I get a little nervous,” he said with a wink. “Which is why we have champagne. You're welcome to have some, if you'd like.”
I nodded and smiled at him.
“Yes, please,” I said. “Maybe that will help.”
Nico flagged down one of the crew members and whispered something to him. The man walked away and came back with a bottle of champagne on ice and two glasses. He poured us each a glass and handed one over to me.
Nico lifted his glass to mine. “Here's to having a fabulous vacation where I get to spoil you rotten.”
I had to admit, that did sound lovely. I'd never really been spoiled before by anyone. I took a drink of the sparkling champagne and the bubbly sensation tickled my tongue. I found myself enjoying it, and finished my drink rather quickly. It helped ease my nerves a bit and I was feeling better just in time for takeoff.
My heart skipped a beat or two when we lifted off, but once we were in the air, I found myself amazed at the view from the airplane window. Fluffy white clouds and the deep blue sea below – a view I never imagined I'd actually see.
Yet there I was, on a private jet with an attractive, rich man who swore he wanted nothing more than to enjoy my company and spoil me silly.
I had to admit, I was warming up to the idea of spending time with Nico. Maybe it was the champagne, or maybe it was his stunning, sexy eyes and the way they watched me as I stared out the window. He smiled, causing a dimple to form in his cheek.
He was enjoying this, and I couldn't deny that I was beginning enjoying it too.