Page 21 of Love Without Control

“Jesus, is that velour?” Evie asked, her nose scrunching up. “I didn’t even know they still made that stuff.”

Rodrigo covered his laugh with a cough as Evie continued. “Just to clarify, I’m not allowed to call that guy Flava Flav?”

“No,” I replied wryly, “but you can say it in your head.”

“Like you could stop me,” she muttered under her breath as Guido approached the car.

Opening my door, I stepped out, and the prick slapped me on the shoulder. “Damiano, my boy. Everything go okay last night?”

“Fine.”If you consider taking out everyone in the house and then planning to completely screw over my father asfine.

Guido nodded, his smug smile irritating me as he clapped his hands together. “Great. Let’s get you on the road. Or in the air, I guess,” he said, and something about his subsequent laugh seemed tinged with nervousness.What the fuck is that about?

Rodrigo appeared beside me and nodded curtly at the other man. “Morning. I’m just gonna check on the helicopter.”

Guido’s head bounced up and down on his thick neck. “Oh, don’t you worry about that. I’ve got it all ready for you. Fuel, flight plan. Everything’s good to go.” The incessant nodding was making me dizzy, and I walked to the back of the car and popped open the trunk.

“Rod, you wanna help me with these bags?” I asked, shooting him a look.

“Yeah, I gotcha.”

He took two of the heavy duffels containing the money I was supposed to have handed over last night, and Guido frowned. “What’s in those?”

Rodrigo leveled him with a no-nonsense glare. “Necessities we had to pick up, which are none of your business.”

Guido followed him inside the hangar, but I didn’t need to worry about him snooping through the bags. Rod could handle that punk. Once they were out of earshot, I opened the back door and helped Evie out. She was dressed in more of the clothes I’d had Rodrigo pick up from Walmart last night, including denim shorts, an army-green T-shirt, and brown sandals. She looked younger than her eighteen-almost-nineteen years.

“Let’s go. Be good,” I told her in a low voice, reaching for her bag—another Walmart purchase. It was cheap, floral, and contained Evie’s toiletries and another change of clothes, and I looped the strap over my shoulder.

Gripping Evie’s hand with my free one, I led her to the hangar. Guido immediately gave her a slow once-over with his beady black gaze, and my blood began to boil.

“Keep your fucking eyes to yourself unless you want them removed with a rusty spoon,” I growled, and the prick immediately looked away. I turned to Evie and pointed to one of the seats in the chopper. “Sit there and don’t give me any shit. Understood?”

Her eyes were downcast, but she raised them to mine and said demurely, “Yes, sir.”

Fuck me.My suit pants stretched around my swelling cock at those words. And at the sight of her tight ass in those shorts as she climbed into the helicopter.Cut it out, Cappitani. This is not the time nor the place. And certainly not the woman you need to be lusting after. A woman you will never see again after today.

That thought brought to the forefront an emotion I couldn’t quite define, but I was pretty sure it was akin to sadness. Shit, I liked this chick. She was funny, brave, and spunky as fuck.And goddamn gorgeous even beneath the bruises.

Rodrigo was in the chopper, doing whatever pre-flight checks he always did. “What’s the deal with this flight plan?” he called to Guido, who was standing just inside the hangar. “It’s got us going southeast over the Gulf of Mexico instead of straight to the northeast.”

“Dunno. Luca sent it. Said he wanted you to stay just off the coast for a bit and then refuel in Florida.” He shrugged, his hands jiggling in the pockets of his pants. “I just do what I’m told, and I was told to make sure you leave on time, soooo…”

He let the word linger, and I rolled my eyes, taking my time walking back to the car to retrieve the final money duffel and my own leather bag. Just to piss him off.

A chirping sound came from my bag and I frowned, unzipping it enough to pull out my burner phone. Fiero was the only one who had that number. Flipping it open, I saw a text in all caps, and my blood ran cold.

[unknown]: DO NOT GET ON THAT HELICOPTER!

Chapter 8

Whattheactualfuck?

My brother and I never used names on these messages in case someone found our burner cells, but I checked the number, and it was definitely Fiero’s secret phone. I texted him back.

Me: Can I call you?

[unknown]: I’m not alone. I’ll call you when I can. Whatever you do, don’t get on there.

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