Chapter 5 Yara
Yara
Tapping my foot, I anxiously waited in the long TSA line.
Why is it so busy this late at night?
I had texted Kazi earlier and he reassured me he was okay, but I couldn’t shake that he wasn’t.
My phone vibrated in my hand and my heart stuttered, thinking it was from him, but then Izzy’s NDA came through.
It’s time for her to do this.
I wanted more than anything to be excited for Izzy as she was finally taking the leap into her own needs. Putting herself first. But I couldn’t help the live wasps that buzzed their way around my stomach.
The blank text came through next.
Her signal.
Fuck!
“Hold our spot!” I told Mateo, spinning away from him and racing towards the bathroom before he could stop me.
Paying him no mind, I called Oliver, Izzy’s friend.
“What is it, gremlin?” His irritating voice came through the phone as I locked myself into the stall.
“You two need to get downstairs!” I shouted before turning my head away. “You aren’t going up there to see Izzy!” Twisting back to the phone, I yelled, “Both of you need to get down here! Bring Maddox too! Izzy doesn’t need to deal with this.”
“What are you—”
“No! Harry! Get away from the elevator! How do you know her room number?!” I cut back to Oliver, demanding, “Hurry!”
“What’s going—”
Disconnecting the call, I hoped that would be enough to get her two guards away from her. I didn’t have time to text Izzy before the stall’s door was ripped open.
“Mateo,” I grumbled. “What are you fucking doing?”
Mateo didn’t answer. Grabbing my forearm, he dragged me out of the bathroom.
Thankfully, by some divine miracle, there wasn’t anyone around when we exited. He rushed us to the outer part of the TSA line. A large man in sunglasses and a suit stood there. I expected him to shoo us off, but instead, he lifted the partition for us as we approached.
Mateo offered the man a glare, but didn’t acknowledge him as he pushed me forward. He didn’t speak again until we were at our gate.
Digging my heels in, I attempted to find a place to sit, but then Mateo was lifting me in his arms, cradling me to him.
“Come on, we have to go.”
“Mateo, stop.” My throat filled with gravel as worry overtook me.
He kept marching us forward, through a door, down a flight of stairs.
“Mateo, please explain.” My voice must have relayed my terror because he paused.
“Swapped us to a private plane. Safer and less eyes. You were being watched, I felt it when we stepped into the airport, but didn’t realize the extent until you ran for the bathroom. When nearly half the line in front of us jumped to find where you went. We’re almost there. Okay?”
His anxiety was new and it zapped the fight out of me.
“Okay,” I agreed and then he continued on.
Outside, onto a tram, across the tarmac, into a hangar far off into the distance. Towards a smaller plane, up the steps, through a door, until finally placing me gently into a seat.
He clicked the seatbelt in place and settled down across from me, his large knees pressing into mine.
The cabin could easily fit another dozen people, but it was empty, save for us. The pilot and crew tucked away out of sight in the front of the plane, while we were situated in a separate room in the back.
Raising an eyebrow, I waited expectantly, but Mateo paid me no mind. His hand at his waistband, his eyes focused through the window on the plane’s door. He didn’t relax until the stairs were brought up and we started moving.
“Mateo.”
He finally snapped his head in my direction but still didn’t speak.
I didn’t either until we gained acceleration and lifted off into the air.
After a few tension-filled beats, I tried again. “Mateo, this isn’t the flight Kazi booked us.”
Mateo found my attention, he leaned forward, reaching out and taking my hands in his. Once more I was reminded of how much larger he was than me, of how he could easily abduct me, hurt me.
But I trusted him. Even if he had just essentially kidnapped me.
“The man at security knew you,” I started, remembering how we had just been let through.
Mateo cocked his head, appraising me. “He knew my father,” he corrected.
Worms wriggled along my bones uncomfortably. “I don’t know anything about you.” And you might be the father of my child.
But I kept the second part to myself.
“Nobody does, Yara. For many years, that was how it was meant to be. I was a shadow that crept in the darkness, the soulless void of the grim reaper, the enforcer.”
“The enforcer?” I asked.
Mateo’s grip loosened on my hands, but I clung to him. I needed his comfort, his chaotic stability.
Mateo cracked his neck, and I watched as he forced himself to relax. To unclench his jaw. To fall back further into his seat.
My fingers stroked his palms absentmindedly. They were littered in scars.
I watched as an internal struggle played out across his face. “The truth, please.”
“For the cartel,” Mateo murmured.
Stiffening, I made myself not react otherwise. “For the cartel.” I repeated the words, testing them out.
They weren’t a good flavor.
“And Kazi?”
“He was a driver. Until…” Mateo paused. “Well, that will be for him to tell you.”
My mind raced with the endless possibilities, but I compartmentalized. “But you were—are—the enforcer?”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But not for much longer. I made one last promise to him, the current leader, and we are nearing the end of it.”
“And your father?”
“Dead. But he was close to the previous leader before they were both killed over a decade ago.”
“That’s awful.”
“No, they both deserved it,” Mateo disagreed, his voice turning to gravel.
“They allowed scum into our town. Allowed a psychotic murderer to take hold. Emi—the current leader—is doing a much better job at keeping the peace. But…” Mateo sighed.
“I’m not good with words, Yara. But I said I would explain. I promised to be honest with you.”
Rolling my shoulders, I released his hands and unbuckled my seatbelt.
“Mija,” he warned.
I had a habit of not listening to warnings.
And this time was no different as I fell into his lap.
Wrapped in his arms, I soaked in his strength.
“Is it easier this way?” The unmistakable length of his cock dug into my ass, but I ignored it.
“Now tell me about your father.” The pain in his voice speaking of the man had been unmistakable, familiar.
Mateo’s arms tightened, constricting around me. “He wasn’t a good man.”
“Neither was mine,” I advised. “But he’s dead now. Just like yours.”
Mateo growled.
Lifting up as much as I could, I whispered into his ear before nibbling it. “Tell me your pain and I’ll tell you mine.”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Yara.”
He was right, but I needed a distraction.
Rolling my hips against him, I pressed my lips against his for a searing connection. “I know.”