Page 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

I stared at my phone, scrutinizing Gabe’s cryptic message for the hundredth time. Was he mocking me with this vagueness? Frustration gnawed at my gut, mixing with the constant worry for my sisters.

I sighed and leaned back in the plush leather seat of the private jet, the low hum of the engines a constant backdrop to my racing thoughts.

The cabin was dimly lit, creating an intimate atmosphere that did little to calm my nerves. Outside the small oval window, it was slowly dawning while, for most of our flight, the darkness had been broken only by the regular pinprick of light from our position lights.

The muted beep of the intercom broke the white noise created by the engines. “Mr. Salvini, we’ll be beginning our descent in approximately an hour,” the pilot’s voice crackled through the speaker.

I nodded though he couldn’t see me and pressed the acknowledgment button. The soft click seemed to echo in the quiet cabin .

Matt leaned over the middle aisle, his brow furrowed. “Are you still brooding over Gabe’s message?”

I exhaled, ran a hand through my hair, and read the message again.

“I’ve already been informed. Took you long enough, though.”

What the hell was that supposed to mean? And why didn’t he pick up?

“When I talked to Gabe this morning, he didn’t mention anything about this, either,” Alex said, joining the conversation from his seat across from me.

The implications of that statement hung heavy in the air. I looked up and exchanged a glance with Alex, seeing my own unease reflected in his eyes.

Not cool.

Dom’s voice cut through the tension. “You don’t think Gabe could be…you know, in bed with Zotov or something?”

I clenched my jaw, considering the possibility.

It felt wrong.

Gabe had been my oldest childhood friend. We’d both bonded over hiding from our annoying little brothers. We’d spent every summer growing up in Italy, stayed in contact ever since he went back to Italy, back to take over the family.

But I couldn’t afford to dismiss anything at this point. Couldn’t afford to trust. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “We need to be prepared for anything.”

My gaze drifted toward the back of the jet where Jemma and Fee sat huddled together, their heads bent in quiet conversation.

Jemma’s presence both calmed and unsettled me. I was relieved to have her by my side, but the thought of putting her in danger again, and of the possible impact going back to Italy would have on her, made my stomach churn.

I looked over at Fee. It had been a surprise when Matt told me the three of them would join us, but once she appeared on the airplane, my worries were blown away.

She looked fit and appeared surprisingly healthy for someone who had just been poisoned. Thank God the dose was so small.

“Fee’s surprisingly resilient,” Alex said. Apparently, he’d followed my gaze and recognized my interest had shifted to his wife. “All the Donnelly girls are.”

I nodded. “She’s tough, that’s for sure. But I still can’t help but feel responsible for what happened. Under my roof, under my protection.”

Alex waved off my apology. “Believe me, if I’ve learned one lesson, it’s that we’re not responsible for our father’s actions.”

I met his gaze. I didn’t know a lot about Alex’s struggles, but from the little Gabe had told me, Alex had been in a bit of an existential crisis after learning he was a Moretti, not a Falcone. And Connor Donnelly, head of the Irish mob in Dublin—Fee’s father had started it all. Without his attack on Matt, I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to get my hands on Jemma—at least not without starting a war with her father.

“We got lucky this time,” Alex continued, “but you know how it is with the Donnelly women—never a dull moment, right? ”

I couldn’t help but chuckle and appreciate the fact that, despite nearly losing his woman, he could still joke about our situation. “You’re not wrong there. I can’t wait to see if Gabe’s struggling to keep Sophie in check as much as we do our women.”

Alex grinned. “I bet he is, especially with her pregnancy. He’s probably bending backward to keep the peace.”

To keep the peace. How much I would give for ‘keeping the peace at home’ to be my biggest concern. Especially right now, with my father gone, the whole family in an uproar, putting the business in a precarious position.

I took a deep breath. Hero and Dante were handling operations back home.

It was strange relinquishing control. But if I’d learned one thing in the past couple of weeks, it was to trust my brothers more, to give them a chance to prove themselves. I just hoped they wouldn’t burn the house down while I was gone.

Well, there was nothing I could do about that.

Right now, I needed to focus on getting Isabella and Mirabella back safely. And once I got my hands on Bella, I would slowly strangle her myself. What was she thinking putting herself in danger? And to think she’d done all that right under my nose… I still couldn’t believe it.

What was it with these young women? Where did they get the audacity to do stuff like that? Jemma, Bella. I narrowed my brows; I didn’t even want to know what Mira was up to. What kind of risk was she taking as a hobby?

And here I thought I was in control.

Matt’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You think Zotov’s going to play fair in all this? ”

I sighed. “Are you high? He hasn’t played fair from day one, so why would he start now? But we don’t have much choice right now. We have to play along, at least until we can figure out his endgame.”

Dom leaned forward, his expression serious. “Whatever happens, we’re all with you in this. You know that, right?”

I nodded, grateful for the support. I’d been a loner my whole life—the oldest, the one responsible and in control of everything.

Not anymore.

My gaze drifted to Jemma, who caught my eye and offered a reassuring smile. That small gesture steadied me, reminding me that no matter how dirty I had to fight, the price was totally worth it.

As if sensing my thoughts, Jemma and Fee made their way over to join our little group.

I instinctively reached out and pulled Jemma into my lap. Her warmth and familiar scent instantly calmed my frayed nerves.

Alex mirrored my actions, pulling Fee onto his lap.

She gave him an exaggerated eye roll. “Feel the need to cuddle because they’re doing it?”

He grabbed her neck and squeezed. “I always feel the need to cuddle,” he said softly, his eyes full of love, somehow in contrast to his grip on her neck.

“Glad you didn’t get rid of me?” Fee whispered, but something in her voice told me they still had a way to go to get over that poisoning scare .

They stared at each other, completely unaware of everyone around them.

Alex nodded, swallowed, and his Adam’s apple jumped. I would bet everything that he was getting choked up right about now.

Fee grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Well, if you ever want to get rid of me, poison clearly isn’t the way to go. I’ve got superpowers, you know.”

Alex chuckled, playing along. “Noted. If I ever want to get rid of you, I’ll probably have to off myself instead. Because the thought of being haunted by your ghost is far more terrifying than death.”

“You bet your ass it is,” Fee retorted with a teasing smile and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

A kiss Alex deepened by holding her neck and keeping her locked in place.

They went from playful banter to deep emotions and back to bickering.

Somehow, their dynamic was similar to mine with Jemma. They shared the same mix of challenge and deep affection and the ability to find humor even in the darkest moments.

“You know how it is with the Donnelly women—never a dull moment, right?”

Did Gabe and Sophie share a similar turbulent relationship? I’d only met Sophie very briefly, and I’d been preoccupied with Matt in the hospital and everything.

But it was hard to imagine my stoic friend dealing with a whirlwind the likes of Jemma and Fee. But then again, these Donnelly women had a way to turn your world upside down. Until you couldn’t even imagine ever living without them .

Jemma sure had done that to me.

As if she could read my mind, she squeezed my hand, drawing my attention back to her. “What are you thinking about?” she asked softly.

“You.”

She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes.

I cupped her cheek, and she immediately leaned into my touch. Then cuddled herself deeper into my arms. A perfect fit. Her green eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and affection that never failed to captivate me.

“Just you,” I murmured, leaning in to brush my lips against hers. “Always you.”

Jemma’s lips curved into a smile against mine. “Careful, Mr. Evil Prince. People might start to think you’re going soft.”

I chuckled and pulled her even closer. “I don’t care what anyone thinks. And I’m okay with everyone knowing I’m completely smitten with my wife.”

Her soft smile was everything.

As if on cue, Matt piped up from across the aisle. “Geez, get a room, you two. Some of us are trying to keep our dinner down here.”

I shot him a look, but there was no real heat behind it. “Jealous, little brother?”

Matt snorted. “Of you two lovebirds? Nah, I’ve been inoculated by watching these two.” He nodded at Alex and Fee, who were in a world of their own. “I’ll pass on the drama, thanks.”

Jemma stuck her tongue out at him, then nestled closer to me. “Ignore him,” she whispered. “He’s just cranky because he’s the only single one here.”

I laughed, not caring who heard. It felt good to let my guard down, and here, in this circle of friends who felt like family, it was safe to show the world how much this woman meant to me. For years, I’d kept everyone at arm’s length, convinced that showing affection and love was a weakness I couldn’t afford.

But Jemma had changed all that. She’d stormed into my life, challenging me at every turn, and somehow wormed—or bullied—her way past all my defenses.

There was a short silence while everyone was probably hanging onto their own thoughts.

Jemma’s breathing slowed as she nested her head against my chest.

I looked down at her, and sure enough, her eyelids slowly closed as she drifted off to sleep in my lap.

Dom must’ve realized what was happening as he offered me a blanket.

I nodded, and he spread it over her, with more affection than I’d seen in my best friend in a long time.

He truly liked her, which was another sign of how right she was for me.

I leaned back and exhaled, her warmth a comforting weight against my chest, and followed the discussion that had broken out between Dom, Alex, and Matt about how to best deal with Zotov.

I caught Fee staring at me with an intensity that made me pause .

“If you ever hurt her,” Fee said, her voice low and deadly serious, “I’ll off you myself.”

I met her gaze unflinchingly. “That will never happen. I’d rather die than hurt her. She’s the love of my life.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, a hush fell over the group. Matt looked thoughtful, Dom’s face lit up with amusement, and Alex seemed content as if my declaration only confirmed something he already knew.

“Once you fall for one of them, it’s game over,” he said and squeezed Fee’s side.

In that moment, I realized how much my family had grown beyond just the Salvini name. These people around me—my brothers, brothers-in-law, my friends—we were all part of something bigger now.

“We’re strong together,” I said, my voice firm with conviction. “Whatever Zotov has in store for us, whatever comes our way, we’ll face it as a family.”

As if on cue, Jemma mumbled in her sleep, “As a family.”

Laughter erupted around me, breaking the tension.

“Look at that,” Matt teased, “you’ve got your wife’s support even when she’s unconscious.”

The others chimed in with their agreement, creating a moment of unity that filled me with an unexpected sense of peace. Despite the challenges that lay ahead, I knew that, together, we could conquer everything. And with Jemma by my side, I was a better man—a stronger man than ever before.