Dark Desire

Chapter Thirty-one

MARIANA

Over the course of twenty-four hours, we've secured ourselves plane tickets to Italy using the money Wolff put into my account at the start of our contract. We settled on economy class, desperate to flee out of the country as soon as possible. Before we boarded, I tried contacting Louis to let him know I was coming home and I'd be needing his help. It went straight to voicemail and I left him a message, hoping he'd get it in time before we landed.

Wolff clasped my hand tightly as soon as we sat on the plane and cradled me to him, knowing how anxious I was at the thought of coming home and seeing my family again. They probably hate me too much to let me stay. And Louis, despite being my best friend for years, could still be looming over my betrayal and refuse to help. I didn't want to think about what would happen if he turned us down. He was our last resort, our only hope against Axel and Victoria.

When I felt warm fingers brush over my jaw, my tensed shoulders relaxed a little. "You okay?" Wolff mumbled, his green eyes softening with concern.

I nodded, licking my dry lips and leaning into his touch. "Just worried. I don't know what to expect when we get there."

"Whatever happens, we'll deal with it, okay?" He slid his hand on my leg, settling over my knee that was bouncing anxiously. When my free hand lifted to cover Wolff's, we both noticed that I was shaking profusely.

As soon as the pilot turned off the seatbelt sign, Wolff unclasped from his seat and stood, taking me with him to the far back of the aisle, towards the bathroom. I followed blindly, my nerves still getting the best of me and making everything else seem blurry.

When we got the the bathroom, Wolff hurriedly pushed us inside before clicking the door close. His both hands cupped my face in an instant, holding me close to him. "You're okay, Mariana." He said against my mouth, the faint scent of his aftershave making me nuzzle his neck. "I'm here. We'll get through this together."

"I don't know what else we're going to do if it doesn't work." I mumbled against his neck, my lips brushing against his skin and making him shiver. "We can't go back to Seattle if Louis refuses to help. We'll have nothing."

Wolff sighed against my temple before pressing a kiss on my forehead. "We'll find something. We'll work it out, okay? Whatever happens, we'll get through this."

I leaned back a little to look at him. He's so beautiful. My Wolff. So strong despite what he's gone through. He could hold me for days and I'd never get tired of the feel of him around me, his heat pressing into me like a blanket of comfort. Even when we're just in a tiny, crowded airplane bathroom, I felt content having him near me. Like nothing else mattered as long as he's with me.

I dropped my forehead helplessly against his chest, trembling with apprehension. Yet, underneath the nerves and worry of what's to come, my feelings for him pulsed stronger and the blinding need to say it seared through my chest in a blinding wave of emotion. I pressed my cheek against his chest, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. "I love you."

Wolff's entire body stiffened. His heart thudded harder beneath his chest and I could hear it perfectly, feel how much his heart was beating. "I—"

"I love you." I repeated, feeling how inconsequential the words sounded compared to what I felt for him. I pushed back to look at his face, shocked and searching my eyes like he's afraid I might take it back.

His fingers trembled when he cupped my face. Then, in one blink, he bent down and crashed his lips to mine. Hungry yet slow. Urgent yet careful. It was like he was saying his answer through his kiss and my heart soared with pleasure, knowing what he was about to say even before he broke away and panted. "Fuck, Mariana. I love you too."