Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
ELLINOR
I watch as Marcello’s face drops, and then it hits us all like a tsunami.
Willow has been taken.
Nash’s sister, Willow.
? * Why would both of them be taken?
This all has to be spun into the same disgusting web of people. Dario’s cracking voice has tears lining my eyes. “Our hacker is running the video they sent, but it’s heavily encrypted. We think it has something to do with the Hayden’s dad…”
My eyes shoot to Nash, but he doesn’t look sad.
Determination.
Determination is what lines his features, and burning anger.
Zamir has his phone out and up to his ear before the news has even sunk in.
“We need you up here now, Noah.” There’s not a hint of softness in Zamir’s voice. The care he already carries for Nash’s family, really all of us and our families, has my heart swelling more than I knew possible.
I question, “Nash, baby, are you okay?”
“This has my dad written all over it,” he says, but his eyes aren’t focusing on me. He’s staring off into the distance like he’s stuck in a memory. I have a bad feeling the memory is what his dad did to him when he was taken as a child.
Marcello announces, “They’re fueling the plane as we speak. Pack your bags; we’re all going. I refuse to leave anyone again.”
“I’ll go pack quick for everyone. You all do what you need to.”
Zamir pecks my lips, whispering, “Thank you, Shpirt Im. I’ve got him until you come back out.” I give him another kiss on the lips, spin on my heels, and walk back to Marcello’s room, where all of our shit is. He’s the rock that this relationship between the four of us needs. Marcello’s the absolute unhinged one, Nash is our sweet teddy bear of a man, and Zamir is the perfect mix of both.
I’m in the room pulling out the basics I know we’ll all need, mindlessly stuffing them into a couple of different bags. This has to be some kind of trauma response. I’m nowhere near ready enough to be dealing with this kidnapping, so close to being kidnapped myself. Then I find my head putting myself in Nash’s shoes and imagining if this was my sister who was being held captive, and brand new tears are streaming down my face. But the sob that breaks out of me shocks me the most.
I’m throwing our toothbrushes into a toiletries bag along with some soaps and basic skin care when I look up in the oversized mirror at my reflection and see nothing but the exhaustion that’s blanketing my whole presence.
Then there’s even more tears.
The tears that I haven’t had the time to shed.
The tears of the woman I was before.
Before, I was fearful of my stalker.
Before, I thought I was going to die.
Before, I was stupid enough to forgive that same man who caused all of this solely because I know the soul and good meaning behind those fucked up actions of his… no matter how bad they were.
Marcello Barone is a good man.
A good man to a fault.
I stuff all of that down deep inside me and put my hardened mask back on.
Soft Ellie got me kidnapped, and clearly, letting my guard down leads to horrible shit happening to all of us. And my soul can’t handle any more horrible shit.
Driving into the private area of the airport feels illegal, but I’m quickly remembering that nothing is illegal when you’re in the presence of Marcello Barone. His private planes were sitting there on the runway, ready to go, and I really should’ve taken something to take my mind off of flying.
I fucking hate planes.
I blurt out, “Has someone checked this thing for bombs?” as we pull up to the sitting plane.
The whole car turns to look at me in the middle of the back seat, and Noah’s the one to break the silence first. “Yes. Rhett and Dino check the plane every time before it takes off. Also, the pilot was an explosive expert in the military. He does a check before take off as well.”
“Okay, that makes me feel better.” I slump back into the seat, adding, “I don’t like flying…”
Nash grabs my thigh, comforting me. “I didn’t either before starting to play at Palm University. We never flew as kids, and I had to get used to it once I got to college. I can show you some of my breathing techniques when we get boarded.”
He shouldn’t be the one comforting me right now. The whole reason we’re getting on this plane is that his sister and one of her lovers have been kidnapped, but of course, he is.
It’s Nash.
My sweet Big Boy.
I’ve flown twice, and neither was a bad experience, but I still do not like it. However, walking onto this plane is completely different. I roll my eyes and turn to look at Marcello. “Do you know how bad this is for the fucking environment?”
“Yes, I do. That’s why I donate to nonprofit environmental foundations, and my plane releases the least amount of emissions available on the market. I have to have this thing for the organs to allow Haisley to conduct her job properly.”
“I really try to hate you… then you say shit like that,” I say over my shoulder as I walk away from the people piling onto this plane. We really are taking the whole damn crew.
Mar and her guys are here. The two of them follow her around like two lost puppies, and I can’t blame them one bit… she’s hot as fuck. Blair, Vin, and Noah are on here as well. Plus, Marcello’s two right-hand men, Rhett and Dino. I still don’t know how I feel about them after finding out they were the ones that were supposed to be protecting me at the bar when my car blew up. But I know they couldn’t have stopped it even if they wanted to, and that scares the fuck out of me.
Nash sits beside me in the oversized seat, lifting the armrest between us. He buckles me into the seat, does the same to himself, and then pulls my upper half under his arm, wrapping his arm around me. Inhaling his scent sends me back to the first night I met him. The cinnamon, orchid, and some other spice I can never figure out that he wears are unique, and they’ll forever be ingrained in my brain for him, Nash Hayden.
The plane starts to taxi down the runway, and Nash starts to whisper to me, “We’re going to breathe. In for eight.” I start to pull my air in through my nostrils, slowly letting my eyes drift close. “Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Hold it for four.” We do it together, and then he instructs, “Now release through your lips. Slowly.” We go through that same routine too many times to count, and before I know it, we’re in the air, and the pilot’s voice is coming over the speakers, letting us know we can unbuckle if we want to.
We both unbuckle, and he pulls me into his lap to lie across it. It feels odd being as tall as I am, but I feel so small compared to this monster of a man.
“Are you okay, Mi Amor ?”
“Now I am.” I snuggle into his chest and listen to his heartbeat for a minute. I could easily fall asleep, but I want to use this time to check in with him. “Are you okay, Nash?”
He starts, “I thought I was, and then that call from Dario brought back every bad memory with my dad, plus the guilt of leaving Willow down here with him is really eating at me now. I find myself wondering if this would’ve happened if I would’ve tried harder to get her to come with me when I moved here.”
“I don’t think this is only from today’s events. I know you’ve been fighting with this for a while. This shined every light on it. You couldn’t have stopped this from happening.”
“I know, but I also know me being involved in everything in Las Vegas isn’t helping anything. Especially if my dad’s hands are deeper in this shit than we all thought.”
“Again, none of that is your fault. You cannot control other people’s actions or emotions. Even if that person is your parent,” I explain to him while wrapping my arms around his stomach.
He grew up with a parent just like my mother, but he was a hundred times worse.
A dirty cop.
My mother’s tongue was the worst thing on her. She never cared how deep her words would cut me, but it did give me tough skin. The one person that was supposed to love me unconditionally couldn’t do that. Everyone talks about daddy issues, but having a mom who can’t love you for you is the worst wound I will ever wish on anyone. How Nash still has any light shining in him, I’ll never know… but he does.
* ? HEDONIST [RECHARGED] - Bad Omens, WARGASM (UK)