A few of our guys rush into the belly of the plane and come back out.
“Clear,” one of them says.
Luciano curses under his breath. He points his gun at the man’s head. “Where is he?”
The pilot shakes his head. “I don’t know. It’s just me.”
“Why are you here?” Luciano stares at the man such intensity, proving just how very similar he is to Franklin.
“I—” the guy struggles to speak under the pressure of the many weapons trained in his direction. “I got paid, twenty large. To fly here. I didn’t ask questions. I need the money. My kid has this medical—”
Luciano cuts him off. “That’s enough.” He looks to one of his men, “Get his phone.”
The pilot’s eyes glisten, “Please, I have…”
Luciano interrupts him again, and just when I think he’s about to shoot this guy because he can, he motions at him. “Get out of here.”
Making damn clear that he may be in the same line of business as Franklin, and they may share blood, but they are not cut from the same cloth.
And that alone gives me hope that Johnny may be able to have a relationship with this man after all.
Luciano turns toward the gathering group of men. “Tear that plane apart. I need any clue you can find.” He flits his attention toward me and Johnny. “He knew you had a spy on him. And he played it right into his hand. We’ve been busy orchestrating this, distracted.” He hesitates before finishing, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already here.”
If he snuck in without Luciano finding out, that could mean that he’s anywhere.
No place is safe. No one is safe. It’s only a matter of time until he comes for us.
Until he comes for Johnny.
* * *
“Hey…” I sit on the edge of this unfamiliar bed, watching Johnny pace across the room Luciano gave us to hide out in. “Come here.” I pat the lavish comforter next to me.
Johnny pauses, his gaze meeting mine. His eyes are full of immense worry that will only be erased when this is all said and done.
I can’t rid him of that apprehension, but maybe I can take his mind off of them for a little while.
Johnny lowers his butt onto the mattress, his shoulders slump despite the tension flowing through him. “I have a bad feeling.”
I place my hand on his arm. “We’re going to get through this.”
I hate how difficult it is to hide my own uncertainty.
He turns toward me, doing his best not to flinch at the sight of my face. “I can’t believe I let that happen to you.”
“Johnny, stop. Stop beating yourself up about something you ultimately had no control over.” I inch closer to him. “Let’s focus on the here, the now.”
Johnny tilts his head. “Claire…”
I press my finger to his lips to quiet him. “No. I don't want to hear anything else. All I want to do is get lost in the only thing that truly matters to me in this world.You. There’s no point in focusing on anything else when there’s nothing we can do right now.”
He sighs, his gaze carefully fluttering over me.
“Give me that, at least for one last night.”
Johnny rocks his head back and forth. “See, that’s the thing, I can’t stomach the thought of this being the end.”
“Then don’t.” I graze my fingers along his cheek. “We’re going to win this, no matter what it takes.”