2. Jet
JET
Iwatch her go, tuning Cassian out for a minute. Amal Lombardi, daughter of the man who terrorized Allegra and was single-handedly responsible for the destruction of her family.
Who tried to kill us all.
I see the guilt in her eyes. In the set of her shoulders.
I recognize it. I know what that weight does to a person.
There’s a difference between Amal and me, though.
She’s innocent. Me not so much. In a way, my new position in Cassian’s family, it fits.
It’s brought out what was always there. It’s given the devil inside me an outlet.
Amal can still be saved. No monster lurks inside her contrary to what she may believe. There’s a part of me that thinks, no, that craves, to be the one doing the saving.
“She shouldn’t be driving herself,” I tell Cassian.
“She’s an adult. She has a license.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Malcom’s got her,” he says.
I drag my gaze to his and find him watching me closely. He chose his words well.
“Or would you rather be the one who’s got her?” he asks, eyes narrowed.
I shove my hands into my pockets so he can’t see me clenching them into fists. “It’s not safe for her. For either of them.”
“No one will touch them. They know if they do, they’ll answer to me. But that’s not what this is about, is it?”
“What’s it about then?” I ask, irritated. Mostly at myself.
“She’s not for you, Jet.”
I grit my teeth. Look away. “Who’s she for then? You have someone in mind?” I hear my attempt at casual. My failed attempt.
“No, nothing like that. Hell, I think you’d kill the bastard if I did.”
I shrug a shoulder, not committing. He’s probably right though.
“I just need to figure out what to do, Jet, considering everything. But she’s safe. We’re in Trevino territory.”
“Trevino territory or not, her father made a lot of enemies, and they all want a piece of her. Today’s evidence of that.”
“You took care of it. Sent a clear message.”
I did. This one was a smaller player in the Romanian mafia. His brothers will have to go on a scavenger hunt through the city to find all his body parts. It’s why I was late. I like to be thorough especially when it comes to Amal Lombardi.
“I need to head to the club, or Sybil will lose her mind. You coming?” Cassian asks when Allegra stands with a sated, sleeping Seth in her arms.
I nod.
“Good. I’ll see you there.” He takes two steps away, but stops, returns. “Jet, it’s for her own good. You know that. You don’t want her in this life any more than she wants to be in it. That’s what these last four years have been about.”
“It’s not a choice she gets to make though. You and me both know that. It’s one made for her. I want her safe.”
“That’s all? It’s me you’re talking to.”
I jut my chin out, not answering because I don’t fucking lie.
“Thought so,” Cassian says and meets Allegra as she comes toward us. I watch him with them, see how his whole face changes when he’s around her. Around his baby. It’s good seeing him like this. He’s happy.
Although he’s also distracted. Which is why when I leave the church, I switch on the tracker I placed on Amal’s car and follow. Amal and Daniel are inside McDonald’s when I pull up beside Malcom.
“Boss,” he says, gesturing to the two through the window. “They’re fine.” Amal and Daniel are ordering at one of the kiosks.
“I’ll take it from here. Take the rest of the day off.”
“You sure?”
I know he’s exhausted. He’s been up since four this morning. So have I but I don’t have a family to go home to.
“Go.”
He nods his gratitude. “See you tomorrow.” He drives away and I take his place watching Amal and Daniel.
When they walk out a few minutes later, Daniel is happily picking fries out of his bag two at a time and Amal is sipping on a milkshake.
When she sees me, she stops momentarily and lays her hand protectively on Daniel’s shoulder, tugging him just a little closer, a furrow forming between her brows.
I smile, give a casual wave.
Daniel waves back, pointing me out to Amal, as if there was any way either of them would miss the lime green Porsche. She rolls her eyes, unlocks her car door and gets inside ignoring me altogether.
I follow them back to my family’s private club where the reception is taking place. I make no move to be subtle about tailing her. She’s a smart girl. She knows the reality of her situation, the consequences of her father’s actions.
The parking lot is full of the families loyal to the Trevinos. They’ve come to pay their respects to the king’s heir. I also notice a few soldiers from some of the other families in bordering territories. Not quite friends, but peaceful. For the moment.
Amal pulls up to the valet. He opens her door and she climbs out, scans the parking lot. I take note of every single pair of eyes that follows her.
“What happened to Malcom?” she asks as I catch up and walk alongside her to the front doors.
“Hey Jet.” I mock. “It’s good to see you. Thanks for keeping an eye on us. How’ve you been? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
She stops, sighs loudly. “What? Did you miss me?” She looks up at me through dark lashes looking coquettish as she sips her milkshake.
“Didn’t miss that sass,” I say, plucking the milkshake from her hands and sipping from her straw. Pretty as her eyes are, shadows circle them. She looks tired. I don’t like it. “Chocolate. My favorite.”
“Why were you late to the church?”
I shrug a shoulder. “Busy morning.” I take another sip of her shake.
I think she’s just going to take the cup back from me, but she takes hold of my hand instead and turns it over to study the back.
It’s unexpected and when her fingers brush over my bruised knuckles, something weird happens in my gut.
I look down at her small, pale hand on mine. Delicate. Unblemished. Guiltless.
The opposite of mine.
Of me.
I shift my gaze back to hers. She’s watching me from behind thick black lashes, the blue like cut glass. “Mob business?” she asks.
I don’t answer.
She drops it and takes her shake back. She sips, eyes never leaving mine. “You know if you think you’re being subtle in that lime green Porsche…” she trails off.
“Subtle is pretty much never what I’m going for. Let’s get inside,” I say, setting a hand at her lower back to walk her into the building.
Daniel comes up on my other side. “Hey Jet.”
“How you doing, buddy? Survive that long-ass baptism?”
“Barely,” Daniel says, sighing loudly.
“Fry?” I ask.
“Sure but take it from Allegra’s. I’m never allowed to have McDonald’s with Nana.” He opens the bag and I take one.
Allegra meets us in the lobby, Seth on her arm, as we check our coats.
“That smells amazing,” she says. She glances over her shoulder through the open doors that lead to the reception.
“I’ll have to hide out to eat. Cassian is like the police when it comes to my diet these days. Kitchen?” she asks Daniel.
“Yep.”
The two of them head off together and I turn to Amal. She’s drinking the last of her shake. I watch her. She watches me.
Amal is something of a mystery. She’s different than she was when I first met her. Then, she was a wildcard. She didn’t follow any rules but her own. Now, she’s grown skittish under the burden of her name. I see it beneath the facade of nonchalance.
She finishes her shake and crosses the lobby to throw away the empty cup.
It’s been about a year since I saw her when she and Daniel came for a brief visit.
She’s wearing a deep pink dress that comes to just above her knees, along with high heeled shoes.
Her curly hair is shorter than it used to be but I’m glad to see it’s still as wild as ever.
She returns, pretending to look for something in her clutch when I see her gaze move to the room where about a hundred people are gathered.
“Ready?” I ask her.
She shrugs a shoulder, but her anxiety shows on her face.
I set my hand at her back and we walk inside. I don’t know if she’s aware she moves closer to me once we enter but I like it. A lot.
When a waiter walks up behind her, she startles, shoulders jerking. Her cheeks flush in embarrassment when she realizes it was just a server doing his job. I keep my eyes on her as I take two glasses of champagne off his tray.
“You’re nervous.”
“Well, in case you haven’t noticed, Cassian’s guests are not exactly my biggest fans.”
“They’re not his either,” I say with a chuckle. “Business acquaintances.”
“Right. That makes it better.”
“Relax,” I tell her, steering her to a more private alcove. “Nothing’s going to happen.”
“Because we’re all friends now?” She looks around, taking in all the faces. I’m sure she recognizes many of them and knows the ties they have to various crime families. Despite her flippant remark, I see the worry beneath the tough girl act she’s trying a little too hard to sell.
“You cut your hair,” I say when she turns back to me.
She tucks a blue-black ringlet behind her ear, but it bounces right back. Unruly. Like her. She shrugs a shoulder. “It’s easier. Florida’s hot.”
“It looks good. You look good, Amal.”
Her crystal-blue gaze holds mine and again I’m left wondering what she sees when she looks at me. “So, you’re his enforcer now?”
I narrow my gaze, my jaw tense as I study her and wait. How much does she know about what I do for Cassian? What would Allegra have told her?
“It’s not exactly a secret,” she continues. “And I mean, you showed up at a baby’s baptism with blood on your shirt, Jet.” She touches the cuff of my shirt. “Or did you think no one would notice? Just another day at the office?”
“I took care of something that needed taking care of.”
“You like it?”
“What?”
“The violence.”
I can’t tell what she’s getting at, what she thinks of it. Of me. I care, though. Which is weird since normally I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks.
I also know that if she could she’d take her little brother and walk out of this life, but she can’t. She’s too entrenched.
“Sometimes,” I answer honestly. When it’s quiet for a beat too long, I continue. “Does that bother you?”
Her eyes search mine. “I just didn’t think you’d be that.” She swallows the contents of her glass in one go and turns to face the room.
I follow her gaze and see Severin at the far end, whiskey in hand.
He’ll nurse that all day. He’s openly watching Amal and I and he’s definitely not giving off the warm fuzzies.
Sev has made no secret of the fact that he does not want me involved in mafia business especially now that he’s running for state senator.
But I’m an adult and he’ll just have to get over himself.
“If looks could kill,” Amal says. She noticed it too.
I move to block his view of her. “Ignore my brother.”
“I don’t mean just him. Look around.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Leave it to Malek Lombardi to fuck over every thug up and down the east coast and probably farther.” She goes to take another sip, notices her glass is empty and flags down a waiter for a second.
When he pulls up with his tray, I tell him we’re fine and he walks away.
“Really?” Amal asks. “I’m twenty-two, Jet. I’m allowed to drink. And even if I wasn’t, I’m not your responsibility.”
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea since you insist on driving yourself all over town.”
“Two glasses of champagne are not going to incapacitate me. And why do you care, anyway?”
“You don’t have to be afraid, you know. You’re under Cassian’s protection.”
“Yeah, I think we both know how that will end for me.”
“What does that mean?”
She draws a tight breath, shakes her head and turns away. “I need some air.”
She tries to walk past me, but I stop her. “Hey, he will protect you. He won’t let any of them get near you or Daniel.”
“Yeah? For how long, Jet? How long do—”
I cut her off. “And if he did, they’d have to get through me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
That gives her pause. Her eyes search mine and I get the feeling she wants to believe me. But she shakes her head and continues. “How long do you think he’ll be able to stand looking at me? At Daniel? He’s growing up, you know. He won’t be a boy forever.”
“Cassian’s not like that.”
“No?” she snorts and when she tries to walk away again, I capture her arm. She’s surprised and tries to tug free, but I don’t let her. “My own father would have sold me to a man twice my age, Jet. What makes you think Cassian would do any better by us?”
“Your father was loyal to no one but himself.”
“Do you really think I’m na?ve enough to think someone who has no obligation to us will protect us forever? That’s not how the world works.” She pulls at her arm. “Let me go.”
“Educate me then. What do you know about the workings of the world, Amal? At the tender age of twenty-two, what do you know?”
“What do I know? You said you like the violence.”
“I said sometimes.”
Her eyes search mine. “Well, what if he asked you to get rid of me?”
“Fuck, don’t be fucking stupid.”
“Or Daniel.”
“Amal. Seriously? What the fuck?” I ask, anger building. Because seriously. What in the actual fuck?
She snorts, shakes her head.
“Hey. What the fuck?”
People are openly looking at us now. She notices. “Let me go.”
I draw her closer, step between her and them. “I would never hurt you or Daniel. Never.”
She turns her face away but not before I see the sheen of tears in her eyes. “I need to get out of here.”
“Did you hear me?”
“Let go. I can’t do this.”
“I’m not letting you go.”
“I can’t fucking breathe in here!” she snaps too loud.
I grit my teeth, feeling the eyes on the back of my head. “Okay. You need air? Fine. Let’s go get you some air.”
Holding onto her, I walk her across the room to the exit. Although I have an apartment here, this isn’t home.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I lead her outside. “I can’t leave Daniel.”
I slip my phone out of my pocket and type out a text. “There. Allegra will take him home. You’ll see him tonight.”
I signal to the valet who has the Porsche parked before us in a minute. I open the passenger door.
“Get in.”
“I can’t just leave.”
“Yeah, you can. You are. In, Amal. Now.”