She nods, her eyes wide. “I mean, I’ve played plenty of flight simulators, but this is real.”
“Very.” I can’t help but smile at her, at how happy she is. Even though she knows what this trip is for. “Just keep us steady.”
“Aye aye, Cap’n.” She beams.
I should’ve left her safe and sound at the lodge, but I couldn’t bear to walk away from her. I know everyone there would protect her with their lives, but I guess I’m just a hands-on kinda guy when it comes to Daphne.
“It’s so pretty.” She looks down at the snowy landscape as we head west. “Like a Christmas village.”
I let her fly in peace for an hour, then take back over when we hit some rough air. “Just relax, Red.”
“You know …” She chews her lip. “My parents live there. In LA.”
“I know.” I reach out and take her hand. “I know all about you, Daphne, but there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Should I be doing this through a headset while we hurtle toward LA? Probably not. Am I going to do it anyway?
“Tell me.” Her eyes are bright in the setting sun.
Why does my voice seem to stick in my throat? She could judge me, hate me, never want to see me again. But she can’t jump out of the plane. So I’m already ahead.
I swallow hard and begin. “A long time ago my name was Max Luciano.”
Even with the engine noise and the slight hum in the headset, I can hear her gasp.
“That’s why you’re so familiar! You’re the cunning capo, the witty wise guy, the—“
“Yeah.” I shrug. “I was. But then I got into some trouble with—“
“The Davincis! I did a story on the whole affair when you disappeared. I mean, it was just in my notebook I kept by my bed before I started a blog, but Iknewyou weren’t dead! I just had a feeling. Like, oh my God.” She jumps up and down in her seat as much as she can while she’s strapped in. “You’re the missing mobster.”
“So you know all about me, then. You know I’m not a good guy.” It’s an odd sort of relief—I don’t have to tell her all my sins because she already knows most of them.
Her eyes are wide when I meet her gaze again. “The Campanellis—was that you?”
“The brothers?” My mouth goes dry. Where the hell did she find out about that? “Yeah. It was me.”
“I knew it!” she crows. “Why did you kill them, and where are the bodies?”
“They were trafficking children, and”—I smirk—“I’ll never tell.”
“Oh my God!” She jumps up and down again, making the small craft shimmy just a little. “See? I was right. I drew this huge web in my notebook with all the mafia happenings around you in the years before you disappeared, because I was trying to crack the case. I knew you were good for the Campanelli disappearances, though I didn’t know why. And then you pissed off the Davincis.”
“Yeah.” I rub my jaw at that. “If Nick realizes I still draw breath, I’m toast.” I give her a meaningful look.
Her mouth drops open. “That’swhy you’ve been keeping all this from me? You thought I’d rat you out?”
“Well, I thought you might want to break the story that—”
“Are you kidding?” She throws her hands up. “I would never rat you out! Don’t you know I love you?” she yells.
I’m shell-shocked for only a moment, then I release my harness, lean over, and kiss the ever-loving shit out of my woman. “I love you, too, Red. I love you so much.”
At that moment, I don’t need the fucking plane anymore, I could fly to LA with her in my arms with nothing more than the love she’s put in my heart.
13
DAPHNE
He loves me. It’s all I’ve been able to think about since Tiernan said those words. When the doors to the panic room opened to reveal Tiernan, I’d jumped into his arms. How did I ever think I could run from him? It was a stupid idea. I think I was subconsciously testing Tiernan, because I didn't want to say my feelings out loud. I wanted to see what would happen if I left. If he would track me down and demand I come back. I hadn't gotten very far.