Page 99 of The Devil's Heir

It's not the first time my friend has done this, so I nod. "Maybe we should just head out then. No sense in sitting around with our thumbs up our asses."

"I'm already packed," he states with a grin.

I text Joey to let him know we're leaving earlier than expected and he texts back letting me know the jet is ready. This is the first time I've ever been in a rush to get home. The anticipation of seeing my pauper has me feeling giddy like a fucking schoolgirl.

We're an hour from landing when I hear a banging coming from the guest bedroom. Joey's been in and out of it, saying his stomach hasn't felt right. When I look at Lonzo, we share the same look.Something isn't quite right.

I get up, walk over to the door, and knock, but I don't wait for an answer. Opening the door, I stop short when I see the pretty brunette with her hands tied to the bed. Joey is on the floor, holding his injured side, but he hurries to stand before I can say anything.

"Let me explain before you freak out, Jarek."

I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at my best friend. I've taken women hostage before; I'm not a newbie when it comes to abduction, but I've never taken a woman and smuggled them across the border. I smuggle weapons, not women.

"This is Zita. I ran into her last night at the club," Joey explains, but that doesn't tell me what the fuck she's doing here on my plane. "I've known Zita for a while. We hook up whenever I'm visiting."

I raise my brow, still waiting for the most important question to be answered, and he knows it. I hear Lonzo sigh heavily before turning and walking away while cursing in Italian.

"I thought it would be fitting…" He leaves it at that like I'm supposed to know what the fuck he's talking about.

"You have ten fucking seconds to tell me who the fuck she is and why she's on my plane!" I snarl at my best friend.

Joey slaps his forehead. "My bad. This is Zita—Zita Rossi."

My head jerks toward the woman tied and gagged on the bed, and that's when the recognition hits me. This is Rossi's only daughter. He's got two sons, but she's the only girl and—the apple of his eye.

A slow grin makes its way onto my face, and I begin to relax my stance. "Well, it looks like you found yourself in a little bit of a pickle now, didn't you?"

The beautiful woman glares at me as she starts yanking at her hands, trying to free herself. Her mumbling is unintelligible, but she continues as she fights the ropes.

Joey goes to her, trying to soothe her. "Come on, Zita. I had to. Your father is the one who sent the fucker who shot me. You won't be hurt; you know I would never hurt you."

I lift my brow at my friend. I've never heard him talk to a woman this way. It's amusing. At the same time, I can't afford him to get all lovesick over a hostage, either.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Joey," I say in a more menacing voice. "Miss Rossi is now my captive until her father turns himself over. She will not get any privileges."

My friend snaps his head to me and glares. He then walks over and stares me down.

"Can I havea word, Jarek?"

Smirking, I turn and walk out of the room with Joey on my heels. The moment we are away from the guest cabin, he starts in.

"She will not be harmed—"

I hold my hand up, cutting him off. "Youdon'ttell me what will happen, Joey. Have you forgotten who you work for? I give you leniency because you're my best friend, but don't push it."

"I understand, but I thought I was helping you out by bringing her, but I never meant for her to be hurt in the process," my friend states before running his hand through his hair.

"Have you ever known me to hurt a female hostage? I'm not into hurting women unless it's with my fucking cock, but if you tell her that she will be safe, then what's the point in keeping her? We need her scared if we ever need to show proof of life to her father."

"You're right—fuck!"

"Stop thinking with your dick, Joey." He may not like that, but it's true; he always lets his cock talk around pretty women. "Next time you get a wild hair up your ass and want to abduct someone, let me know before you bring them onto my fucking plane."

"Sorry. I was just excited to be able to do this for you."

I shove his shoulder playfully. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You wanted to bring her with us because she's a good fuck—admit it."

He gives me a cheesy grin. "Well, there's that, too."