Page 46 of Tainted King

He looked down, his face pinched. “I wish you’d reconsider.”

“I can’t.” The need to be with Liam overrode anything else.

“Then promise you won’t forget that I’ll always be there for you. If you need me to get you, call. No matter what time.”

Hugging him, I kissed his cheek. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend as loyal as you, but I’m keeping you. And don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

He waved me off, and I disappeared inside the sliding glass doors, Pete right behind me. He’d ridden in the car with us, much to Vlad’s disgust. But since he was still following me, it made sense.

Check-in was a quick process, since I only had carry-on luggage. When I was standing in front of the gate, it all hit me at once. I was going to see Liam again. All my fears that we’d only get one night disappeared, replaced with happy butterflies. I felt lighter than I had in days, my thoughts scattered, too excited to think straight.

A woman with a tight bun and business suit approached me. “Miss? I’m Mary and will be your flight assistant today. Please come with me. Your plane is this way.”

My plane?“You must have me mistaken for someone else.”

“Are you Quinn Lombardo?”

“Yes?” I sounded like I didn’t know my own name. But this was all too strange. I looked at Pete who gave me a nod. I guess if he wasn’t worried, I shouldn’t be either.

“Then you’re the person I’m looking for.” She held her arm out to the side, indicating a side door. “It’s through here.”

Stunned and entirely too trusting of strangers, I followed her through the passcode-protected door and into a stairway. There was a golf cart waiting for us once we reached the bottom.

Curious where they were taking me, I climbed onto the bench seat, Pete taking a seat behind me. After a short ride, we turned off and ended up at a different runway altogether. “Where are we?”

“This is the area for private planes.” Mary waited for me to get out of the cart, then pointed to a sleek plane behind her. “We’re over there.”

“Are you sure it’s me you’re supposed to take there? Because I booked a normal ticket. This seems a bit over the top for $227.”

“Mr. Olysses asked me to get you.”

Suspicious, I stopped and stared at her. “Mr. Olysses sent you? Which one? The one with the perfect hair, the crazy one, or the one who can’t sit still?”

She chuckled behind her hand. “The one with the perfect hair.”

Liam.

“Okay, then. Lead the way.”

I followed her inside the plane, once again speechless at the opulence that could be crammed into one small plane. Pete sat down in a chair in the corner, giving me as much privacy as the plane would allow.

“You can sit anywhere you wish.” Mary walked to a curtained-off area. “I’ll let the pilot know we’re here. Takeoff will be in about ten minutes.”

Nodding, I took the seat closest to me and automatically buckled in. The leather was comfy, and I had enough room to stretch out. My ripped jeans stood out in stark contrast to the gleaming interior, reminding me that I didn’t fit in.

But too late now. Because I was doing this.

14

Liam

“Whatever you do, don’t try and get out of the contract,” Gabriel growled, imparting his wisdom minutes before we were due to meet with the Russians. This time it was an official meeting.

“I know what’s at stake. Stop treating me like an imbecile.”

I lengthened my strides, my sweaty hands clenched at my sides, my clothes feeling too tight. I didn’t want to do this. Was still trying to find a way out. And Gabriel knew me too well not to have noticed.

But even though I’d been frantically taking apart the contract word for word, I’d found no way out of it. The head of the Olysses family had to marry the oldest daughter of the head of the Bratva.

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