Page 79 of Heartless Mafia Prince 2: Rocco & Ryah

She leaned her chin on my chest. “No.”

Her big green eyes were full of worry.

“You know I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”

Ryah reached up and caressed my stubbled cheek. “Yes, Rocco, I know.”

“Babe, have a seat. There’s a blanket in the cabinet above.”

She nodded before slipping into her seat. I threw her coat on the plush chair across the aisle.

“Hey, Rocco?”

I turned to Agosto as I shrugged out of my coat. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, I wanted to show you something.” He tapped his phone screen.

Please tell me he didn’t find a bug on this plane.

I tossed my coat on top of Ryah’s.

He turned his screen toward me. “I caught a rare moment of you and Ryah. Thought you might want the picture.”

I held his phone, smiling at the pic. Ryah was so short compared to me. God, she was my life.

“Thanks, Agosto, send that to me, please.”

His heavy hand patted my arm. “Sure thing.”

Ryah stared out the window as I sat beside her. “At take-off you can squeeze my hand as hard as you can or sink your teeth into my arm.”

She shook her head, laughing. “I’m ok. I’ll hold on to you for sure. Much like I did the last time we flew.”

Tipping her chin, I pressed my lips against hers.

The jet picked up speed down the runway. I wrapped my arms around Ryah.

“I’m here. Right here.”

She shook violently in my wake. My heart slammed into my rib cage at a rapid speed. I was just as freaked out, but I hid it from her.

We had to fly. This was the right move.

The jet leveled out in the air.

Rubbing her back, I kissed her hair. “We’re fine, Ryah.”

She sat up and glanced around us. “We’re ok,” she exhaled sharply.

An hour into the flight, Ryah sipped her second glass of Jack Daniels.

“We’ll arrive in Seattle in five hours,” Genn stated over the intercom.

“We’re looking good,” Simon confirmed.

Still holding the glass, Ryah’s eyelids lowered as her head lightly thudded against the black leather seat. I removed the glass from her hand just before it crashed to the floor. She was out like a light. And it was all my doing. I slipped a sedative into her drink when she wasn’t looking. I didn’t feel bad. What was I supposed to do? Let her get sloppy drunk. Not a fucking chance.

This flight had to be as painless as possible for her.

---