GIOVANNI
“So… you’re really doing this?” André sits in the ivory leather stitched seat to my right and crooks his ringed fingers at the male flight attendant, signaling for liquor.
It’s been a long week for all of us.
Lola leads the dog on a leash as she boards, her gaze wandering over the sleek interior of Sinéad’s private jet. She plops herself down on a beige couch beneath two portholes, pats the space beside her for Daenis to curl up on and picks up the television remote control, her wide eyes dazed by the sitting room layout.
I push my Randolph aviators further up my nose and hunt out India’s beautiful face. She’s sitting next to Leo a few seats away, talking about the jets she used to take with her brother and my twin. He’s all starry-eyed at the luxe décor and how the efficient cabin crew had given them frozen treats for take-off.
My twin's pregnant wife sits opposite them, listening to the stories and laughing at India’s off-the-wall memories of André.
“Yeah. They’re my priority,” I tell him, my balls tingling when India sucks the tip of her popsicle. “It doesn't mean I’m hanging up my sniper rifle permanently. If you guys need me, I’ll be there. But The Covenant will take over the daily grind. I said the same to Tommy before he took off.”
“Are you one step closer to trusting them?”
My girl glances across the aisle to find me staring, unable to take my eyes off her. And I never will. If I hadn’t thrown myself on top of her that night, those spineless fuckers could have killed the only woman I’ve ever been in love with. The bullet I gladly took for her could have taken her away from me––and I’d rather die first than be without her.
The constant ache in my stomach isn’t from healing scar tissue. No, it's the haunting fact I almost lost her. Aside from that grim realization, I’m brimming with pride too. She’s a fearless, devoted woman and I’m lucky she picked me.
Her intentionally teasing smile and sexy licks send my balls into a spasm. Christ, I love her so much.
My pulse beats harder, faster––stronger. I feel alive for the first time in my life. All because she loves me too.
“I can’t answer that right now,” I admit, all the while keeping my gaze locked on her every suck. “Buffalo saved Matheus, but that doesn't mean shit. An opportunity presented itself and could easily be viewed as a calculated plan to blindside us. But I’ll figure it out.”
India hands her popsicle to Sinéad and strips off her hot pink hoodie. Beneath it, she’s wearing another one of those skimpy sports bras with crisscross straps. They hint at the thin leather straps I’ve buckled over her curves before and suddenly, my conversation with André disappears behind my filthy thoughts.
My blood catches fire and it takes everything I have to stay seated. Once the jet takes off, she’s in trouble.
I discreetly fix the hard-on she gives me behind my black joggers, not really minding the strain on the comfy jersey material compared to my usual day-to-day utility pants.
I can’t give up my old habits that easily, though—nothing beats extra pockets for concealed weapons. They’re strapped to parts of my body now, and India seems to appreciate the look of them when I take off my clothes. It gives her chills and turns her into my hungry little whore every damn time.
I decided to take a more relaxed approach to my style now that I’m stepping down.
My days spent as the Souza Sicario are in the past. The future is for training the next generation of killers who’d serve me without question or doubt. Me—not Carlos Blanco.
“Yo, cabron?” André slides a whiskey on ice across the lacquered table. “Stop eye fucking her while I’m sitting here. That shit is still weird for me.”
I leave behind the image of India’s perfect tits in my hands and roll my neck to ease the tension. “I’ll keep a close eye on the team and watch Blanco’s trainee like a hawk.”
André sits forward and rests his elbows on the table. “They might be loyal to you in the beginning, but it only takes one asshole to plant a seed and poison the whole lot of them.”
I hum out my agreement and catch Matheus boarding next with his dark hair tousled and his expression blank. He’s been out of sorts these last few days. Or maybe he wasn’t acting like himself long before he came home to Colombia. How the hell would I know since I was preoccupied with my own duties for too long?
I jerk my chin at my youngest brother and acknowledge his half salute. Rather than join us, he sinks into a seat closer to the cockpit and puts his AirPods into his ears.
“He’s quieter than usual.” I point out, remembering the conversation I had with him about his career path.
André continues to sip his whiskey while his knee bobs up and down. “Yeah, he doesn't say much about Uni either when I ask him about it. Just that he passed all his exams and says everything is fine.”
“Why do you think Papá treated him differently?” I say out loud, having wondered that forever and never asked the question.
“Because our old man was a psycho.” André scratches the coarse black hairs on his chin. “Although I’m not going to lie. Sometimes I wish the bastard had ignored me too. Then again, I guess it only made it harder for Mat when he was expected to be like us.”
“He asked me if he could join The Covenant.”
“Fuck…” André grunts. “And what did you say?”
