Page 26 of Little Dove

“It does, but most aren’t so casual about it. Why purple?”

“It’s my favorite color,” she admits with a grin. I glance at her black T-shirt and black pants, arching a brow at her. She chuckles. “Black helps you blend in, and with Hades’ fur being black, it’s extra camouflage. Hell, if I have to, I’ll dye my hair black, but emo goth girl is so not my style.”

“No, her style is pure witch,” Alonzo huffs.

Rori ignores him, clearly unfazed. “Anyway, we’ll figure it out when we get back. And don’t be surprised if Sienna wants you to do hers, too. She’s not as adventurous with her hair as I am, but she likes to change it up now and again.” Then she grins wickedly. “One time, when we were both young and stupid college freshmen, she decided that she was going to dye her hair on her own, and she wanted all these crazy colors. She’s a graphic designer, so she loves vibrant, bold colors, but she had no idea what she was doing, and this was before colorful hair became popular. She ended up with bright orange hair, like a pumpkin, with some patches of red and yellow that made it look like fall threw up all over her. I’ve never seen her so horrified. She wore a wig for months until it faded and she had aprofessional dye it back to her natural color. She’s never dyed it a bright color again.”

“Please tell me you have pictures,” Lazaro interjects, grinning wickedly at Rori.

“I do.” She grins back. “Perhaps we can come up with a fun way to get them to Alessio. You know, the next time Sienna pisses me off.”

An uncomfortable feeling settles in my chest as I see them looking at each other conspiratorially. Like they already have some kind of connection, despite them only just meeting. Maybe Rori is more his type. I mean, she’s taller and braver than me by far, and she’s clearly got a sense of humor that he appreciates.

I try to push the stupid insecurity down and look toward Alonzo instead, noticing he’s glancing at Rori in the rearview mirror. There’s jealousy in his dark eyes, plain as day. Hmm, it might not only be anger between these two, after all.

When his gaze catches mine, he quickly blanks his expression and looks away, but it’s too late. I know what I saw. At least I’m not the only one with conflicting feelings. But unlike him and Rori, Lazaro and I can never be anything. Those kisses in the bunker were nothing more than forced proximity. Now that we’re back in the real world, he’ll have his pick of women, and I need to learn how to navigate my new life.

The rest of the ride, I focus on getting to know Rori a bit more and loving on Hades, who eventually jumps up between the two of us, lying across us with a sigh of pleasure. Rori just rolls her eyes and scratches his back leg, while I pet his head. “You’re a sweet boy, aren’t you?” I coo, smiling. “Just one big cuddly bear.”

Alonzo snorts, but I ignore him.

When we finally reach the airstrip where the plane is waiting for us, a pit settles in my stomach. This is it. I’m officially leavingArizona and leaving behind everything I’ve ever had. It’s not much, but it’s all I’ve ever known.

You were the one who said you wanted to leave town.

I ignore that thought, because I meant the town, not the state. And it’s not like I’m going on vacation. I’m going to meet people that are related to me, who had no idea until recently that I existed. Not to mention, I’ll be walking into the middle of a mafia war. What if it keeps getting worse? Am I heading to my death? I mean, my life has been rough, but I’m not suicidal.

For a moment, I consider making a run for it. Sure, they might try to chase me down, but I’m fast, and I’m sure I can find somewhere to hide. Maybe I can start again here in the city. I’ve been without a permanent home for years, so what’s the difference now? And with my barber’s license, I can find a job in a salon, or work as a waitress again. Anything is possible.

“Amara.” Lazaro’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I realize I’m the only one left in the car. He’s holding my door open, and from the look on his face, he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Instead of chastising me, he leans in quietly. “It’ll be fine. I promise. Trust me.” Then he reaches around me to unbuckle my seatbelt before taking my clenched hand in his and uncurling my fingers. He tenderly strokes his fingertips across my palm, then wraps his hand around mine. “I’ve got you,colombina.”

I blink. “You’ve called me that a couple of times. What does it mean?”

He smiles. “It means little dove. Small, beautiful, but also strong and smart. Now come on.” He helps me out of the SUV, and I let him.

Is that truly how he sees me? Or has he only cranked up the charm in hopes of getting into my pants? I just wish I wasn’t melting a little inside. Damn it.

I follow him up the steps of the plane, my nerves jumping with each one. I’ve actually never flown before, and I’m nervous that I won’t like it. Maybe Hades will cuddle with me.

When we reach the top of the steps and walk onboard, I realize this isn’t a normal plane. The ceiling is high enough that Lazaro and Alonzo barely have to duck their heads as they walk down the center aisle toward the back. There are plenty of seats toward the front, and I assume they’ll soon be occupied by the men who followed behind us in the other SUV. The seats also look comfortable as hell, which TV and movies have taught me is definitely not normal.

There’s a partition behind the rows of cushy seats that separates the front section from the rest of the plane, and I add another tally to the not-a-normal-plane column when I walk into a galley-style kitchen that looks like it’s made of black marble and dripping in gold. I pass two smiling women dressed in stylish, navy blue, fifties-era dresses, each with their hair pulled back into intricate styles and wearing pearls. One is blonde, the other a brunette, but it’s the blonde that I note first. Her eyes are a cold blue, and the minute they land on me, they harden, even though she doesn’t lose her wide smile.

I know that look. It’s the look worn by a woman who feels that someone is encroaching on her territory. However, I’m not sure if it’s just me or if she gave the same look to Rori. Instead of dwelling on it, I focus ahead and continue through the kitchen into the back section of the plane.

Holy. Fuck.

My jaw drops, and I stare, wide-eyed, at all the luxurious leather couches and chairs. There are even areas where four seats are grouped together around low tables. If I’m not mistaken, there are two desks, one on each side of the plane, each backed up to a solid wall and facing outward for privacy. There’s another door between them, and through it, I can see alarge bed decked out in black, gilt-edged bed linens and at least a dozen pillows.

Whoever said ‘crime doesn’t pay’ was a big, fat liar. The mafia’s got bank.

Lazaro leads me to one of the groups of four, sitting me down on the inside near the window, with him on the outside. Rori slides in across from me, with a tight smile when Alonzo sits beside her. Alonzo doesn’t even glance her way; he just looks past Lazaro and barks an order in Italian. I look around for Hades, but then I feel a tail slap against my leg and hear a low groan as he flops on the ground at our feet. I smile, even as Alonzo’s jaw clenches tighter, and Lazaro eyes Hades warily under the table.

“Don’t worry, he’s good with flying,” Rori assures us. “He just likes to make sure we all know he’s here.”

“If he bites me, I’m going to be pissed,” Lazaro warns her.

“He won’t bite you unless I tell him to.” That earns her a glare from Alonzo, and she cracks a smug smile as she looks back at him. “He didn’t bite you. He just gave you a warning snap. And I ordered him to do that.”

---