I move to her dresser and grab a bottle of water, twisting the cap and taking three deep pulls. Immediately, there’s a small scrunching of her brows, a bit of unease at our small separation. However, once I sit to her right, my girl calms.
Her need makes me feel ten motherfucking feet tall. Like a king.
“I love you,” I lean down and whisper into her ear, kissing the sweet skin of her neck. I know she’s been worried lately, that she didn’t sleep last night, and it’s why I’m okay with her taking something to sleep now. The changes in our organization haven’t been the easiest to adjust to—the imminent move Ivan will make and a few others too weigh heavily on her mind.
Luna likes having the family close. She enjoys the impromptu visits and Sunday dinners her family never had, but in mine are part of the De Leon religion.
And while I find the trait adorable and I indulge all her wants, the next forty-eight hours are about us.
My wife thinks we’re spending our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple with our loved ones, a large celebration to make memories, but not yet. We need these next few days.
In our relationship, we come first. It’s always her and me.
Against the world and whatever life throws our way, my devotion and happiness always lie with her.
Our family will wait. They know and approve of my plans to kidnap my queen.
So, while she slumbers peacefully, I sit back and pick up a file that’s been waiting for me. While she lets out a low snore and drools a bit, something I find cute, I make the final decision on those being held by Ivan.
Because our moves in Cuba have brought forth both an enemy and fake allies. Two men and a woman who want the same and all wish to fool me and mine by using a different tactic.
My eyes scan the first sheet, and I take in the important facts:
Andy Cruz wants to traffic through my territory: age thirty and the son of a Cuban diplomat who has the backing of the current regime.
Jadiel and Belinda Rojas want to gain my connections to Chicago, Colombia, and the UK through a bullshit friendship. He’s twenty-five and his family comes from Venezuela. He’s power-hungry, and his wife is a movable pawn at his disposal; she approached Luna first, but my beauty isn’t stupid.
You can’t hide their envy. You can’t hide their desperation.
And yet we’ve let both players run. Let the cord loose, but back in Havana, things are changing. Ropes have become nooses and the first to crack and run back to her home country is Mrs. Rojas, but not before personally handing me a recording of her husband and his father.
Not that she got far.
Setting the papers aside, I lie back and close my eyes. Their fates are inevitable.
Unconsciously, Luna shifts closer in her sleep and I smirk. “Am I too far?” I ask, not that I’ll get a reply; my poor girl is out like a light, but I take the twitch of her hand as a response. It’s good enough for me, and I wrap my arms around her small frame and relax, closing my eyes while following her breathing.
The rhythmic rise and fall lull me.
Her sweet scent gives me a reprieve from thoughts of revenge.
Those I’ll save for later. Instead, I give in and sink further into the mattress with the only thing that matters within my arms.
There’s beeping in the room and I turn my head to the noise, opening one eye. It’s my phone and our alarm, the signal from the pilot that he’ll be landing shortly so as to not wake Mrs. De Leon. Not that I’ll be moving her to our seat.
Instead, my arms tighten around her as we begin to descend, and I lay kisses on the side of her head, breathing in that natural sweetness that permeates her skin. At this, Luna gives a short grumble and I pause, but she settles right back down.
Just that small noise and I’m thankful. Makes my little surprise so much easier to pull off.
The landing is a bit bumpy, wheels jumping as they gain traction on the hot asphalt and then they turn, sliding into the private hangar where men wait to load our belongings into my car. From our place on the bed, I hear the door open and then the low chatter as the crew disembarks and the others grab her bag and mine.
We won’t need much while we’re here.
No clothes. No barriers.
Moreover, I don’t get up until everyone disperses.
They have orders to stay on land at a home fifteen minutes from here, while we’ll take residence on the property attached to this landing strip with an ocean view and her name written on the deed. My gift to her. One of the many.
“Let’s celebrate, beautiful.” Slipping a hand beneath her head and the back of her knees, I bring Luna up to my chest and exit the room and then the plane, shielding her face from the harsh morning sun even though the sleep mask protects her. It’s milder than back home but just as bright, and I sit her carefully in the back of my white G-wagon before slipping behind the wheel. It’s a short drive to the other side of the property before I’m pulling into the underground parking structure and rushing to her side, being careful to grab her and walk inside the property without alerting her.
She’s been out for two and a half hours, and I know she has a few more to go before reawakening. And with her comfort in mind, I head toward the back of the house where our room
