Page 46 of Devil's Tulip

“Are you ready to go, Mr. Hart?”

Michael straightens, and I glance behind him to see a man dressed in full pilot’s gear who studiously avoids looking at me. Michael gives him a nod, and the man quickly makes his way back to what I realize must be the cockpit.

With a quiet sigh, Michael takes the seat across from mine, buckling himself in as the plane roars to life.

To my surprise, a flight attendant walks towards us with a huge smile. I had no idea we’d have a flight attendant on this trip. Her gaze falls on Michael first, and that smile softens—turning just a bit more interested.

Then, she sees me. Her expression barely falters, but I notice the subtle dimming of enthusiasm.Oh?I try to raise a brow in that arrogant way Michael does but end up raising both my brows instead.

“Would you like anything, ma’am?” she asks politely.

I smile sweetly. “No, thank you.” Then I turn to Michael before she gets the chance. “What about you, honey? Do you need anything?”

Michael smirks at me. “No,love, I’m good as well.” He practically purrs the endearment, dragging it out.

The flight attendant’s smile flickers, then vanishes entirely. With a quick nod, she turns and retreats to her station just as the plane starts taxing down the runway.

“You called me love,” I gloat as soon as she’s out of earshot.

“Yes, because you were so clearly trying to stake your claim on me, I figured I’d help you along,” he says, eyes dancing with pleasure.

My heart trips over itself. “N–no, of course not. That’s not what I was trying to do. What a ridiculous thing to say.” I laugh nervously, but—crap. That’s exactly what I was doing. I wanted her to know he was off-limits to her.

“It’s fine, Gianna. I like it.” He winks, and I blush, my heart rate tripling.

“Whatever,” I murmur, tugging at a loose thread on my shirt—when I suddenly realize something is missing.

I jolt up in my seat, eyes darting around wildly, heart pumping. My mom’s necklace is still secure on my wrist, like it’s been since I snatched it off that man’s dead body, but my backpack…

My stomach plummets.

It’sgone.

Shit. Shit. My clothes, my money, the canned meals I stole not so long ago—those are all my worldly possessions.I can’t lose it.

“Hey, Gianna, look at me.” Michael’s voice cuts through my panic. “What is it?”

I drag my gaze to his because I know—Iknow—he’ll fix it. “My backpack. I think we left it in your car. Stop the plane, Michael.”

He watches me quietly for a second, then unbuckles his seatbelt and gets to his feet. Relief floods me.

He’s going to stop the pilot. He’s going to get it.

Michael disappears from view, but then…

Minutes pass.

He doesn’t come back.

And the plane… starts leaving the ground, slowly levitating.

My breathing turns shallow, my fingers fumbling at my seatbelt. But just as I’m about to go into full panic mode, Michael reappears—holding the bag. My heart stutters in my chest. I didn’t really realize just how ratchet the thing looked until now that he’s holding it up in his diamond-ringed fingers.

“This is it, right? I saw it when I carried you out of the car and had my man bring it in for you.” He gives it a little shake, his brows raising at the clunking sounds from the cans inside. “What the hell do you even have in here?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly, snatching it from his grip the second he’s close enough. Hugging it to my chest, I mumble, “Thank you.”

He just shrugs as he drops back into his seat. A few minutes later, the flight attendant comes back, this time carrying a laptop. She hands it to Michael without a word before walking away. He presses a button on the side of his seat, and a table extends from the armrest, unfolding smoothly across his lap.

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