Page 77 of That Time I Accidentally Took Over the Mafia

“But I do, Delaney.” His stormy gray eyes meet mine with sincerity. “She didn’t greet us when we boarded, or else I would’ve tossed her ass down the stairs then. She’s the kind of woman who works jobs like this so she can sell herself to the rich clients. Fuck a few billionaires, get a couple thousand in tips, and hopefully become a full-time mistress for one of them.”

“Hey, I respect the hustle.”

“But it’s disrespectful to you.” He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering. “We wouldn’t do that to you, angel.” His gaze is almost pleading, and I feel the weight of his words.

I nod and kiss him softly. “Thank you for explaining it.” My nose brushes against his as I lean closer. The squeeze of his hand on my thigh and the glimmer in his stormy eyes make my heart flutter. The ever-terrifying Enzo Vincenzi is a closet teddy bear.

The engines roar to life as Jax presses a button, retracting the stairs and sealing us inside the plane. With a message from the pilots, we all take our seats.

I return to mine as Enzo sits across the aisle with Luca. Jax plops down beside me, the two of them acting as a buffer between Luca and me. Fastening his seatbelt, Jax stretches his arms and pulls me close. Propping his feet on the seats across from us, he crosses one ankle over the other, his body a wall of warmth and ease.

“Next time we’re on this plane,” he whispers against my ear, his breath sending a shiver down my spine, “I’m taking you in the bathroom and eating your sweet pussy.”

I smile and turn to him for a quick peck on his full lips. He winks, unwrapping a pink sucker and popping it into his mouth. His masterful tongue rolls the candy around as he fidgets with the wrapper, finally crumpling it in his fist.

One hour into the flight, with three more before we reach Kenosha, Jax and I are engrossed in a fast-moving card game.He accuses me of cheating, as usual. Enzo places a fresh glass of diet soda in front of me with a kiss to the top of my head, then sits next to Luca, his hand possessively resting on Luca’s thigh.

Luca is focused on his laptop at the small table in front of him, breaking into our captive’s cell phone. Enzo’s hand slowly slides upward, his forearm flexing as he teases Luca. I catch the subtle movement and the way Luca’s blue eyes flicker with warning before darting to mine. Embarrassed I was caught spying, I look away quickly.

Jax and I start another round. The first cards we lay down are two queens. I slap my hand down before he can, claiming them with a victorious grin.

“How are you so fucking fast?” Jax exclaims, mock-offended.

“I’m just where I’m supposed to be, unlike you.” I smirk as we continue laying cards one at a time.

“Not fair. I was locked in the tank… unlawfully, I’ll remind you.” He grins, laying down double aces and claiming them with a triumphant flourish.

“I’m not talking about prison. You conveniently left Enzo and me to handle a shootout all by ourselves.” My tone is teasing, but I know the truth—He and Luca were securing a new vehicle that wasn’t riddled with bullets.

Jax sets his cards down, his playful expression hardening into something serious.

“Jax, I was only teasing,” I say quickly, reaching for his hand.

“I don’t tease when it comes to the people I love being safe.” His voice is steady, but there’s an edge of intensity. He squeezes my hand gently. “We didn’t get a call, and the club’s silent alarm didn’t alert us, or else we would have fought through hell to get to you. We paused on the bridge, seeing the smoke from the club, and tried to call you both.”

Enzo shifts in his seat, his jaw tightening as he exchanges a glance with Jax and me. “But I pushed the silent alarm myself.Are you telling me someone disabled it before the attack? How would they have had the time?”

Luca’s fingers freeze on his keyboard. He looks up from his laptop, his face hardening as if processing something monumental. Then he returns to his screen, his fingers flying faster across the keys. After a few moments, he mutters a curse under his breath and slams the laptop shut.

We all stare, waiting for him to explain.

“There was a blackout net cast over the whole fucking town,” Luca finally says, his voice low and steady. He pushes the table away and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“What is a blackout net?” I ask, throwing out the first olive branch since his apology this morning.

Luca’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the entire world feels like it pauses. He clears his throat, his gaze unwavering. “It’s a digital net. A hacker’s tool that blocks all signals from coming in and going out. Calls, texts, everything. It’s invisible. Completely undetectable.”

“So how did you figure that out if it’s invisible?”

Luca’s jaw tightens, the weight of his next words evident in his posture. “Because… I invented it.” He leans back slightly, letting the revelation hang in the air. “And I only showed one other hacker how to do it.”

The jet touches down, and it’s barely lunchtime. A new black SUV waits for us just a few feet away. Jax and Enzo load our captive into the back. He’s awake now, drooling, and won’t stop trying to talk to us. Apparently, he doesn’t understand the purpose of a choke ball.

Luca adds our luggage, and Enzo insists I sit in the front. He doesn’t want me close to the underboss in case something happens, so Jax and Luca take the backseat. It’s not a far drive to the next safe-house, and the route is beautiful, winding through a serene countryside.

We turn off the main road and pass two decorative gates on either side, each proudly displaying the letterBfor Bellini—Luca’s last name. You can tell this was once a fully functioning farm. The land is still well-maintained, and most of the buildings, including a stable, remain intact. I wonder if there are horses inside. I’ve never ridden one before.

This is Luca’s childhood home—the Bellini farm. It’s been in his family for generations. I remember him talking fondly aboutit. He promised to bring me here one day, though I would have preferred if we were on better terms when he did.

---