Page 48 of Ruthless God

Then we arrive.

The helicopter sits on its own pad, sleek and intimidating in matte black. It’s not a civilian model, but military-grade, built for speed, silence, and resilience. Its sharp angles and reinforced plating scream efficiency over comfort, and the blades are already spinning, sending gusts of hot air swirling around us.

Cecely slows her pace as we approach, her gaze flicking up at the machine like she’s reassessing her life choices.

I don’t give her time to hesitate.

I pull open the door and motion for her to climb in. “Move.”

She scowls but obeys, ducking inside and strapping in.

I follow, sliding into the pilot’s seat and flipping switches with practiced ease. The control panel lights up, the display screens casting a cold, green glow against the dark interior.

“You’re flying?” Cecely asks, her voice edged with something between skepticism and concern.

I smirk, gripping the cyclic stick. “Relax. I’ve done this before.”

Her fingers tighten on the harness across her chest as the rotors kick up speed, the deepthump-thump-thumpvibrating through the cabin.

I push forward on the controls, lifting us off the ground in a smooth, controlled ascent. The world below shrinks, the airstrip turning into nothing more than a patch of gray against the sprawling Italian countryside.

Cecely sucks in a breath as we tilt forward, accelerating.

She grips her seat, muttering something under her breath that I don’t quite catch. I glance at her briefly, the corner of my mouth twitching. This is the easy part. The hard part comes when we land on Isola Ombrafiore.

Cecely finally begins to relax, her tension easing bit by bit as the landscape unfolds beneath us. I hear the subtle change in her breathing, the quiet sounds of awe escaping her lips as we pass over historic towns, rolling vineyards, and roads that snake through the Italian countryside.

She leans slightly toward the window, watching intently, completely absorbed.

Then, the ocean comes into sight—a vast, glittering expanse of deep blue stretching toward the horizon.

Her head snaps my way. Instantly alert.

“We’re going over the water?”

I smirk, keeping my eyes on the controls. “What part of island did you not understand?”

Her cheeks flush, a faint pink creeping up her neck.

“Guess I didn’t take in the ‘endless ocean’ part.”

I snort. “It’s not endless. Though it is deep.”

She shoots me a glare. “Your reassuring skills suck.”

My grip on the cyclic remains steady as I glance at her, amusement flickering across my face.

“What? You afraid of drowning now?”

“I’m afraid of crashing into the ocean,” she corrects, crossing her arms. “You know, the whole falling from the sky and sinking into the abyss thing?”

I chuckle. “If we go down, it’ll be quick.”

Her jaw drops. “That is not better!”

I smirk, tilting the chopper slightly, just enough to make her tense again.

“Relax,” I say smoothly. “You’re safe.”

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