I cut in before he could speak again. “The helicopter is lifting us to Delaware. The flight is an hour. From there, we are taking a speedboat north. The GPS is picking up the signal fifteen clicks from shore. However, the Valero are already aware of your stunt and will most likely have men in the water trying to recoup any lost drugs.” Stepping forward, I made sure he understood I was not playing. “First, you see what I’m doing, telling you every detail of this? Yeah, that is what you should have done. Second, this is my operation now. My men. So if you fuck up, I will slit your throat and then fill you with bull—”
His eyes lit up like fire before he grabbed me and threw me against the wall. “Every moment you waste roaring at me, is a moment against us, Captain Bitch-a-Lot. As smart as your plan is, it would be better to have snipers in the air. Something I thought of before I even stepped out here.”
I just grinned. Even with his arm on my neck, he thought he was so fucking smart. “You are so right. Which is why I already have Neal and Antonio locked, loaded, and waiting. Anything else you assume I didn’t think of? When will you get that while you’ve been number two for daddy, I’ve been number one?”
He said nothing, just glared.
“You should release me, Captain Dipshit or lose your arm. Your choice.”
I didn’t wait, I broke free. I was tiny compared to him, so all I needed to do was drop down and roll out of his grip. He had so much to learn, and this was his time to do it.
Due to the fact that I had shot up Sedric’s house, the party they had thrown in my honor had ended and everyone departed.
Outside were four motorcycles, two of which were taken by Declan and Monte. The other two for Liam and me—mine white, and his green and black. He looked at me as if I was a china doll, and all I could do was roll my eyes before jumping on my bike and taking off as soon as one of their people opened the gate. Only a second had gone by before I saw him skyrocket past me, almost cutting me off, the sour brat, so I sped up beside him. We raced through the backstreets of Chicago, the lights from the buildings up above us all blending together in a single streak. No matter how much gas I gave while weaving in and out of traffic and intersections, he was always winning. I could only get in front of him for a second before he would shoot past me out of nowhere. It was as if he was toying with me.
By the time we got to the silver, luxury-style helicopter parked privately at the airstrip, Declan and Monte were right behind us. Liam was already off his bike, arms crossed with a grin on his face, as if he had waited hours—the asshole.
Saying nothing to him, I walked right onboard to find Antonio and Neal salivating over sniper rifles like kids on Christmas morning.
At least I don’t have to worry about Irish and Italian feuding between them.
“I’m glad to see your loyalty is still so easily bought, brother.” Liam glared at him as he took a seat.
Or not.
Neal froze, and I saw a speck of anguish go through his eyes. Liam must have seen it as well, because he didn’t stop whatever mental assault he was delivering. It was like he could see into his brother’s soul.
Can all siblings do this?
“Jinx,” I said as loudly as possible.
Liam, Declan, and Neal all looked around to find the person behind the name, but no one came. A second later, the helicopter’s engine kicked on and a soft voice broke out over our headphones. “Benvenuto a bordo,8 ma’am. I will have us to Delaware in forty.”
Monte sat before me in the seat Fedel normally would be in and turned to Liam, who also sat across from me. “Jinx is our master aviator. If it goes in the sky, he can fly it.”
“That’s his name?” Neal asked, “Jinx? I feel safer already.”
Monte sneered. “If he’s good enough for the Boss, he’s good enough for you cane.”
Antonio snickered.
“Cane? What the fuck did you just call me?
So much for no feuding.
“It means dog.” Liam glared at me.
Was he waiting for me to do something? His brother started it. Rolling my eyes, I looked to Monte who muttered something under his breath. Neal hunched over like a cane and focused in on his rifle.
I knew Antonio could shoot to kill in any sort of condition. The wind and darkness of the evening wouldn’t be an issue. It wasn’t the first time he had done it in such conditions. However, I was testing Neal, and if he didn’t pass, this would be the last time he worked closely with me. At least until he became better. I already had an idea of Declan’s skills. Seeing as he was the one who had “hacked” into my computers. I made it easy for him, but he still did it quicker than I expected.
“You will be monitoring the GPS,” Liam stated, finally catching up.
Monte nodded, and Liam turned to me.
“Declan can hack into the surrounding frequencies and keep track. The area should be filled with paramedics, cops, and the coast guard,” Liam said, and in his eyes he was daring me to agree, now of all times.
Seeing as he was being a good little boy, I would let him have his moment of dominance. Monte looked at me, and I nodded. I had planned to have Declan on the sea with me since he was great with hand-to-hand combat as well and we may need it, but sure, Liam could pretend he helped. Once finished, Monte stood up quickly to get out of the negative bubble created by Liam and me.
He did not say a word, but I could see Liam’s mind racing, and I could tell he didn’t like me being here. I almost wanted to tell him to get the fuck over it, but the helicopter was tense enough. Declan and Monte were focused on the four sets of laptops between them, while Antonio and Neal both kept checking their rifles. They seemed close already since Neal threw him a pack of chewing tobacco and Antonio accepted it like it was gold. One moment they were fighting, the next they are trading toys.
Finally, when my eyes fell back on Liam, I found him watching me. He didn’t look away like most people would when caught staring. Instead, he just stared harder, as if I were a book he was trying to read, but it was in a language he didn’t understand.
“Yes?”
He shook his head. “We’re here.”
And sure enough, the helicopter began its illegal descent on the beach.
“Sir, ma’am,” Declan said, looking between us both. “We have a problem.”
“What?” Liam and I asked at the same time.
Monte clicked away at his computer. “The Valero have just gotten the recorder and are heading further out to sea. They have a boat waiting.”
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the button overhead. “Jinx, take us . . .” I looked over at Declan and Monte for the coordinates.
“38.09, -72.50,” they both said, quickly.
Liam nodded, looking over at Antonio and Neal as the helicopter pulled up. “They’ll bring it to us. Melody and I will wait on their boat. You guys will shoot from the door.”
They nodded while Liam stood up and looked over to me. He was doing so well until he opened his mouth again. “Or you can shoot and Neal and I can go.”
Standing up, I glared right back at him. “Give me a rifle and the bullet goes in your spine,” I told him as I waited by the helicopter door. Jinx was going to have to circle around continuously. Liam stood in front of me, hand on the door handle and just stared at me, once again. Always with the staring, the creeper. For a moment, in the midst of the storm that was in his eyes, I saw worry. He was fucking worried about me, the fucker. This was not my first—nor would it be my last—jump out of an aircraft. He needed to grab his balls and take a shot of testosterone, because I wasn’t worried for shit. I just wanted this over so I could drink myself to sleep.