Son of the Devil

Chapter Nine: Playing with Fire

The plane's engines rumbled, creating a steady background noise as Enzo and his crew settled into their seats in economy class. They were finally on their way back home after that mess of a mission. Everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts about what went wrong and what lay ahead.

Enzo leaned back in his seat, his mind swirling with questions and uncertainties. Marrying Lucio was out of the question. He couldn't entangle himself in the underworld. He'd had a brush with it when his father was alive, and he didn't want that life to resurface. If Lucio started digging into his past, he'd uncover more than just street rumors.

Beside him, Fonsie drummed his fingers on the armrest, a furrow forming between his brows. Stefano flipped through the pages of a magazine, though his eyes were unfocused, lost in thought. And Tina sat with her arms crossed, a pensive look on her face. Giorgio was sitting solo near the Romano siblings, beside a woman with her noisy infant.

As the minutes ticked by, the chaotic scene worsened in the economy class section. It was a bustling hive of activity, teeming with smelly, sweaty, and complaining passengers jostling for their seats within the sea of tightly packed rows. Every available space seemed to be occupied, and the air was filled with the hum of conversation, rustling of bags, and occasional cries of babies.

Enzo shifted uncomfortably in his cramped seat; his knees pressed against the seat in front of him. He let out a sigh, gazing out the tiny window at the clouds below.

Beside him, Fonsie fidgeted, shooting him a pointed look. "Dude, seriously, why did you have to argue with Lucio now? Couldn't you have waited until we were flying in style on a private jet?"

Enzo rolled his eyes. "Oh, right, because arguing with a mafia boss is so much better at 30,000 feet in the air."

Fonsie raised an eyebrow. "Fair point. But still, economy class? I didn't sign up for this."

Stefano, seated across the aisle, joined in. "Yeah, I thought we were supposed to be living the high life now that we're in Lucio's good graces."

Tina, sitting beside her brother Stefano, leaned forward. "Hey, at least we get peanuts, right?"

Stef groaned. "Peanuts won't make up for the lack of legroom."

Enzo chuckled. "Well, at least we're all suffering together."

Fonsie let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh joy, what a silver lining." When he didn't get a response from the person next to him, Fonsie turned and faced Enzo. "Seriously, Enzo. What went down back there? I thought you were vibing with Lucio Moretti. I mean, you're the only one who can negotiate with him, not to mention maintaining eye contact."

Enzo smirked as he remembered his final encounter with Lucio before parting ways. Actually, he felt a sense of pride; the smug expression on Lucio's face vanished in an instant when he had a taste of Enzo's temper. "I chucked the glass of bourbon right at his face," he replied, showing no remorse.

Fonsie stared for a few moments before deciding not to say anything further.

♡.﹀﹀﹀.♡

A few hours earlier before their flight.

Enzo persisted; frustration evident in his voice. "Did you not hear what I just said?" But it seemed like the man either couldn't hear or didn't care about Enzo's feelings. "I don't want you in my life, and if you force me, I'm going to make sure you regret ever meeting me for the rest of your life!"

Lucio had a way of making someone's heart skip a beat just with a glance. That one-time hook-up was the hottest experience Enzo had ever had, not that he had many. The responsibilities left by his father made it hard for Enzo to have meaningful and passionate relationships with others. But even Enzo couldn't deny that there was something deeper beneath their connection.