52. Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter fifty-two
Adair
What?
I leaned forward to get a better look at Lukas’s face. “Hold on… Dallas. As in Emmett Dallas, the Don Supreme?”
He nodded. “Yep. Li called in her favor.” He glanced over his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Tori.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “How can you know that?”
Quinn bumped her shoulder against mine and grinned at me.
“Not only do we have at least six Agosti employees, but now some of the Don Supreme’s people are involved.
Adair, we literally have two mafia Dons and their families invested in this.
Not to mention, you literally helped blow up the bad guys following us.
I don’t want to sound cocky or jinx anything, but even with the chaos we just went through, I’m feeling pretty damn good about our odds.
Good enough that I’m willing to relax a bit once we are in the air. ”
Lukas nodded. “According to Ryan’s research, the control tower isn’t operating right now. It’s too early, so literally no one is tracking who is arriving or leaving.”
I let out a tense breath and leaned back in my seat. It was a sound plan, but then the first one had been, too.
As we closed in on the airport, Lukas turned around in the front seat again. “Hoods, hats, and scarves on. Disguised or not, I don’t want any cameras able to tell who got out of this SUV and onto that plane.”
As instructed, Peter drove us through the parking lot, past several rows of hangars, and straight toward the runway, where a small jet was coming to a stop.
Quinn let out a low whistle. “Damn, that’s an impressive sight.”
I nodded, awed by it.
By the time Peter stopped, the loading door was open, the stairs were down, and two men were standing at the base of them.
The larger of the two men walked up to Lukas’s window as he rolled it down.
“Jensen Maloy? I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”
The man nodded. “Good to see you again, Lukas. Don Dallas and Don Agosti wanted to make sure you made it home in one piece.” He looked up and down the vehicle, letting out a low whistle. “Did this happen on the way here?”
Lukas let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah. The commute was a bit more eventful than expected. The problem was taken care of, though.”
Maloy nodded. “We’re ready to load up if you are.”
Lukas let out a tense breath. “We are, but I want the girls on the plane first.”
“You and the ladies are to board first while Grant, Reynolds, and I load the luggage and monitor the area.” When Lukas opened his mouth to protest, Jensen Maloy shook his head. “Don Agosti’s orders. Take it up with her.”
I leaned forward and grabbed Peter’s shoulder, wishing it was his hand. This entire drive had been completely nerve wracking, and I needed the comforting touch point a second. As if he read my thoughts, Peter covered my hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s almost done.”
Tears gathered in my eyes as I met his gaze in the rearview mirror. “You be careful out there, or so help me God, I will be so pissed at you.”
He nodded and gave my hand another squeeze. “I promise to be careful and get on that plane as fast as I can.”
Clearing my throat, I nodded before readjusting my wig and pulling my scarf up higher to cover more of my face.
Quinn’s door was opened first, and Maloy reached in. “Mrs. Agosti, you ready?”
“Please call me Quinn, and yes.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded, took her hand, and helped her out of the vehicle before handing her off to the other man, who escorted her the short distance to the stairs and then up into the plane. Once Quinn was safely inside, Maloy gestured for me to exit. “Ma’am, you’re next.”
The same very nice man helped me up the stairs and into the cabin. Before I could even look for Quinn, her hands were on mine.
“I’m right here, Adair. Come on. There’s a couch we can sit on until the guys get on board.”
We’d barely sat down when Lukas appeared on the plane. His eyes went wide as he looked around and then rushed over when he spotted us. “The guys are almost done, and we’ll be taking off as soon as the door is closed and secure. I’d stay bundled up until then.”
I nodded, desperate to get out of here. “Any more signs of trouble?”
“Not that I saw.”
A tense breath came out. “Okay. Good.”
Lukas reached out and took my hand. “Peter is going to be fine. Maloy and Reynolds aren’t going to let anything happen, and just because Phil and Cole are with the trucks, don’t think they aren’t keeping an eye out.
Trust me. We are taking every precaution.
” He looked at Quinn. “Where do you want to sit, gorgeous?”
She looked at the couch behind me and then at the seats across from it. “I think I want a regular seat for takeoff. Adair, I’m guessing you want to sit by Peter?”
I nodded. “I would, thank you.”
As Lukas and Quinn took their seats, Peter boarded the plane, holding my blanket. I almost collapsed in relief as he walked toward me. “Thought you might want this for the flight.”
I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight. “Thank you.” In the rush to get onto the plane, I’d forgotten everything in the truck and was grateful he hadn’t packed it with the rest of the luggage. He went to step back, but I held tight. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Me, too. That was wild back there.” After a moment he asked, “Where do you want to sit?”
“As much as I want to sit on the couch, it might not be the best for takeoff.”
Peter nodded. “We can sit over there.” He leaned back and led me toward a pair of seats behind Quinn.
I knew Lukas and Quinn were likely watching my every move, but I didn’t care.
I wasn’t ashamed that I needed reassurance.
Derek had been in rough shape the last time I was in any kind of aircraft, and I had been so scared, but Lynette had been there, reassuring me that everything was going to be alright.
Peter provided that now, and even with that, I was still terrified.
“You’re going to be okay, Adair. The guys said they didn’t see anything while loading up. This is part of the reason Don Dallas picked this airport.”
I nodded at Peter’s words and leaned into his side as he wrapped his arm around me, taking a few seconds to listen to his heartbeat. There was a throbbing pain in my shoulder, but I brushed it off. I’d probably hit it on the door when I was leaning out the window shooting earlier.
Once I felt I had my emotions under better control, I sat up and looked around. As predicted, Lukas and Quinn watched me, but unlike the judgment I expected to see in their eyes, all I saw was care and concern.
“Feel better?”
I gave Quinn a tight smile and nodded. “Yeah. As much as I can right now.”
A loud thunk startled me as Jensen Maloy closed the door to the plane and secured it before walking to the cockpit.
The other man, Reynolds, I assumed, walked to where we were sitting.
“Everything is good to go. Maloy is talking to the captain and co-pilot now. We should be taking off in a few minutes.”
“Thanks.”
The man nodded at Lukas, turned, and sat in the seat closest to the front.
A few moments later, Jensen Maloy walked out of the cockpit. “Captain says he’ll let us know when we’re clear to move around the cabin.” With a nod, he turned and settled into the seat across the aisle from Reynolds.
Almost as if on cue, the engines roared to life, and we started rolling. Peter tightened his hold on me, and I clung to him, making a concerted effort to keep my breathing as even as possible.
“Would looking out the window help at all?”
I glanced up at Peter, whose face was very close to mine. “Maybe?” After shifting slightly, I looked out the window.
Being so early in the morning, the only lights I could see were the ones along the side of the runway.
There were tiny lights in the distance, but I let my eyes go unfocused and allowed the colors to blur past me as the plane picked up speed.
My stomach dipped as we took off. I gripped Peter’s arm tighter and held my breath for a second.
Several minutes later, the door to the cockpit opened, and a woman stepped out.
“We’re at cruising altitude now. You are free to unbuckle and move around the cabin.
In the event of turbulence, everyone must return to their seats for their safety.
The flight should last just under two hours, pending any complications.
Thank you.” She returned to the cockpit and silence descended on the cabin.
As if on cue, Quinn and I peeled off our coats, wigs, and scarves. It was a relief to be free of it.
Lukas’s eyes were wide as I leaned back in my seat again. “Tori, why is there a hole in your sweater?”
“What?” I glanced at my right shoulder and saw what Lukas was talking about. When I touched it, it was wet and my fingertip had red on it. “Shit.”
Lukas whipped around in his seat. “Malloy, you have a first aid kit on this thing?”
Without hesitation, he jumped out of his seat and walked past us to the back of the plane and almost immediately returned with a red medical box. “Who got hurt?”
Lukas gestured to me, and I swallowed hard as I looked into his somewhat familiar dark brown eyes. “Hey, Maloy.”
“Victoria Vaux?” He blinked at me, staring at my face in awe as I nodded. “Where in the hell have you been?”
I let out a nervous chuckle. “Around. In hiding. Trying to stay alive.” Peter’s hand squeezed mine, and I was grateful.
Maloy narrowed his eyes as recognition flickered in them. “You’ve seen some shit.”
Lukas cleared his throat. “While I’m all about strolling memory lane, can we figure out just how badly she’s hurt? I’m not crazy about the fact her shoulder is bleeding.”
Very quickly, Peter helped me move to the couch, sitting on one side of me while Maloy sat on the other. There was a collective gasp when I shrugged off my cardigan and blood was smeared down most of my arm.
“Tori! Why didn’t you tell me you got shot!” Lukas knelt in front of me, unable to take his attention off my shoulder.