28. Jet
JET
Amal is picking at her food, her gaze moving back again and again to that wall over the fireplace, to the coats of arms. Sev and I eat although with each bite I wonder if we’re eating our death.
The Society is adept at poisoning. It’d be the cleanest way to solve the problem we’ve created for them.
Although I suppose dumping our bodies in the ocean would do the trick too. So many options.
Except that we’re Blackstones and outside of The Society, we’re important. We have money and power enough to be missed. No, no poisoning for us. No disappearing of bodies. If they kill us, it’ll be made to look like an accident.
Amal, though? I glance at my wife who is looking at each of the soldiers, very aware that with us came the entourage which I noticed wasn’t here when she was here on her own. I guess they don’t expect trouble from a mere woman. If they only knew my wife.
I make a mental note to slip her the pistol strapped to my ankle. They never did search us once we got on the island. Jameson’s oversight, I suppose. She can at least protect herself should we be separated again. Should anything happen to me.
The thought of Amal on her own against these men turns my stomach and makes me clench my hands into fists. If I die, so will she. I know this. Because even with Sev’s promise to protect her, I know they’d kill him too.
“Shall we?” Sev says, tossing his napkin on the table and pushing his chair back to stand.
“Yes!” Amal exclaims and shoves her seat loudly. She and I stand at once. I take hold of her hand.
Jameson approaches with that smile on his face and I promise myself that if I get the chance, I will punch it off.
Soldiers flank him and I take Amal’s hand before stepping slightly in front of my brother. Wanting to shield him from them, too. Although I know Sev’s more than capable of handling himself, what I saw, what they did to him, has given me pause.
He submitted to branding. To what I’m sure was an excruciatingly painful punishment and no doubt it was a punishment. A warning. He did it to protect me. He did it when he thought he’d failed me.
I never thought that. Never. He wouldn’t have been able to defeat our grandfather. There was only one way to stop that man and that is one thing Sev is not capable of.
But I was.
I am.
And as I count the men gathered here, I know I would murder each one of them with my bare hands to keep my family safe. To keep my wife and my brother safe.
My hands clenched, I step toward Jameson. “Show us to our room,” I tell him.
“Of course. I shall escort Ms. Lombardi to—”
“Mrs. Blackstone,” I correct.
“Apologies,” he says with a slight bow. “I shall accompany Mrs. Blackstone to her wing, and these men will take you to your rooms.”
“No, my wife and I will be staying together.”
“That’s not really—”
“I’m not asking,” I say, taking an aggressive step toward him that the soldier at his back matches.
Jameson puts up a hand. “Of course. This way.”
We all follow him through several corridors which are much more luxurious than the ones where the rooms they gave Sev and me are. Carpeted with priceless Persian rugs and hung with ancient oil paintings I’m sure any museum would pay an arm and a leg to get a peek at.
When we get to Amal’s room, I exchange a look with my brother who raises his eyebrows subtly. While Sev’s room was comfortable, Amal’s is opulent. Where I assume Sev and I had the standard accommodation, Amal’s room looks like it’s fit for a queen.
“We’ll have your things brought over,” Jameson says with distaste.
“My brother will take the room next door,” I tell him.
“That room is occupied I’m afraid. However, I shall make another available a few doors down.”
“Well, that’s nice of you,” I say sarcastically. It makes me happy to see him look irritated.
Once I see the room Sev’s in, Amal and I enter ours and close the door.
I want to lock it but no key. I walk the perimeter of it, checking for hidden cameras and, or bugs.
Although I don’t see anything outright, I walk with her into the spacious bathroom and close the door.
I then switch on the shower before turning to my wife.
I’m glad to see she still has her bag on her shoulder, and I bend down to remove the gun and strap at my ankle.
“They didn’t take that?” she asks as I try the strap around her thigh.
“Nope. Never searched me. I guess they want to keep a pretense of civility.” Once I make sure it fits, I straighten. “You’re going to take it, just in case.”
“In case we get separated you mean? We’re not getting separated again. No way,” she says, trying to make us both believe it. “I don’t want the gun, Jet. I want to get out of here. I have a bad feeling. A really bad feeling.” She tries to push out of my arms.
“Listen to me,” I say, holding tight. “Hey, listen to me. You need to stay strong for me.”
“You don’t understand. I think there’s more going on than the watch. I think…” She closes her eyes. “This makes no sense.”
“Amal, sweetheart.” I take her face in my hands and wipe away her tears with my thumbs.
“I’m going to get you out of here. I promise.
But you need to keep a clear head right now.
I need you strong, sweetheart. I need that high school girl who took an Uber to my office when she needed help.
I need the woman who had the nerve to steal from me and to manage to keep herself hidden from a fucking mob boss for three months.
Can you be that woman now, Amal? It’s in you, sweetheart.
You are fierce and powerful. Don’t forget that.
Don’t let these assholes make you think anything different. ”
“Jet, I…” she trails off, worry etched on her face.
I walk her backward to sit her on the edge of the tub and kneel at her feet. “Do you know your name means hope?”
She looks up at that, stops trying to pull her hands free.
“Your mother named you, didn’t she?”
She nods, more tears falling. While I watch, I make a silent vow to make everyone responsible for those tears pay.
“You were her hope, weren’t you?”
Her eyes search mine and I see how young she is. See how much she wants to believe me.
“You’re my hope too. Did you know that?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve only been trouble for you.”
I take her hands, kiss them, then lay them over my heart.
“You’ve made this dead heart of mine feel something I never thought it was capable of feeling.
I’ve fallen in love with you, Amal Blackstone.
And I plan on having a long life together, you and me.
And Cotton,” I add, which is a good move because she laughs through her tears.
“I love you,” I say, not sure if it’s for her benefit or my own.
“I love you. And I will never let anyone hurt you. I will make all these mother fuckers pay for scaring you. Do you trust me, baby?”
She nods.
“Good.” I stand up, pull her to her feet with me. I hold out the gun. “Do you know how to use it?”
She takes it from me and checks the magazine like a pro. That’s my girl. She nods.
I kiss her mouth, draw back to glance at her face, then kiss it again.
She’s breathless when I pull back enough to undress her.
Undress myself. I close my mouth over hers again and walk her into the shower, the glass stall big enough for the two of us, and there, beneath water pelting down on us, I kiss her hard, lips smashed against lips, hands tugging at hair, mine and hers.
I draw back only long enough to catch my breath, my heart racing as fast as hers.
My cock is a steel rod between us, and I grip one hip to lift her. She uses that momentum to wrap both legs around my waist and, our eyes wide open, I thrust in to the hilt and hear her grunt as she pulls me to herself, thighs clamped around me, drawing me closer, closer, ever closer.
“Jet. Jet. I…” she says between kisses.
“You what?” I ask, one hand at the back of her head cushioning it from the wall. “You what, baby?”
She draws back and I stop kissing her and look at her. Our faces are inches apart when I kiss her.
“I love you, too. I have loved you for a long time. I want you to know that,” she says.
I smile so wide it hurts my face and as if it were possible, my cock grows even harder and when Amal’s eyes start to roll back and her mouth opens in that way I’m learning it does when she comes, I hold her tight to me and watch her.
I watch her beautiful face lost in ecstasy.
I look at those perfect lips that just said the best words anyone has ever said to me.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.