In His Arms

Chapter 44

Scratching at the bob-haired wing on my head for what must seem to be the twentieth time since putting on my disguise. I slide the harlot red lipstick along my lips in the review mirror as the black sedan that Mr Lee sent for me two nights ago speeds along the expressway to get to the airport. Eugene chuckles softly when I reach up to tug at the blonde wing once more.

"You know it'll look much more natural if you don't keep on tugging on it every five seconds," He comments as he pulls one side of my wig making it lopsided.

"Sorry, I just haven't put myself in a disguise in so long," I sigh heavily, straightening my wig. "Well, no that I've ever had to."

Silence emits from Eugene once more and this time it lasts until we're on the plane and up in the air. In the toilet three minutes after the seatbelt sign switches off, I lose all the contents in my stomach within seconds of me closing the door behind me.

"I really hate flying," I groan out to myself as I lean on the sink for support, my reflection mirrors how I feel as I take in the blotchy, red-faced blonde in the mirror. "I look like a cooked crab."

Splashing water onto my face after that statement, I head back to my seat in business class receiving glances of concern from the still silent Eugene. However, his silence lasts until our meals came to us and I had to run to the toilet again to throw out all the liquids and in-flight peanuts.

Wow...I knew aeroplane food is bad but is it really bad enough that the smell of it is enough to turn my stomach?

"Reminiscing about the cargo hold?" He comments as I sink into my seat tiredly. "How are you still haunted by flights? It's been years already."

Drinking down the glass of water in front of me, I respond coldly, "It doesn't mean that once the wound is healed there isn't a scar. Do me a favour and eat my share. I don't think I have the stomach to eat it."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Eugene slides my pre-cooked meal of stewed beef brisket, mashed potatoes and broccoli over to his serving table eating it with his meal of 酱油炒面(soya sauce fried noodles) and vegetables.

For hours until the plane lands in Sea-Tac, I blankly stared at the screen in front of me as it played some randomly chosen movie and I did manage to take a short nap a few hours before we touched the ground.

It is currently 7 am in Seattle on Sunday.

Sighing softly once I get through customs without a hitch, a smile spreads across my face when I see an old man with a greying mop of smooshed back dark brown hair that is neatly cut to shape his angular face, his sharp grey eyes scan the arrival bay as he holding up a large whiteboard with my fake name written on it in his signature unintelligible handwriting at the arrival terminal. The movement of his eyes enhances the light lines that signify wrinkles along his forehead placing emphasis that he has certainly aged a lot since I last saw him.

"Beatrice!" He jovially calls out to me when he spots me. "Over here, darling!"

The eyes of the other people at the arrival terminal shot at me immediately making me smirk at the attention, how ironic is it that I wanted to keep my arrival 'hush-hush'. Gripping the strap of my duffel bag tightly, I make my way over to Daniello who shifts his weight on his feet excitedly as I approach him.

Wrapping his arms around me the second the barrier is no longer separating us, I drop my duffel bag to hug him back. Over his shoulder, I scan the moving crowd looking out for Eugene who at some point disappeared while going through customs although he did inform me via text that I'm on my own now and that I should call him if I need help.

"It's so nice to see you again Daniello," I gush as he holds me at arm's length to take in my appearance. "How have you been?"

"I've definitely been better in the last ten years compared to you in the last month, "He responds, meeting my eyes. "You've truly grown up to be a real beauty, Alastora."

Picking up my duffel bag from the floor, Daniello holds me by the waist to guide me out of the airport and to a waiting sleek black Audi Quattro. In the driver's seat is a man with an in-ear headset hanging on his shoulder.

"Alright, let's talk business," Daniello starts, turning in his seat to look at me. "I heard from Angela that there is a call out to kidnap a ten-month-old baby in Seattle. She also mentioned that it could be yours. What do you want us to do?"

"I want eyes on him at all times," I respond forwardly, looking into the old man's eyes to show my seriousness. "And my fiance too. If Carter thinks he can play with me and get away with it's clear he forgot about his Italian mansion in 2001."

Smirking at my words, Daniello nods, "Consider it done, Amato(dear)."

"Since when did you trust others to drive you around?" I ask the old man teasingly as the formalness between us melts away after he texts someone on his phone.

"My son and daughter don't want me to drive," He responds sulkily, crossing his legs over one another. "They say that I'm a road hazard."

A road hazard! The great Don Daniello Cosa of the Cosa Nostra crime syndicate is a road hazard! Biting my lower lip to stop a giggle of laughter from leaving my lips, I receive a playfully strict glare from him.

"Laugh all you want," He smirks, jabbing me in the shoulder with every word he says. "The day your children say you're too old to drive is the day I laugh at you!"

My children...haha...I don't think Danny would ever call me a driving hazard eh, would he?

"Well, that's not for a few decades yet, "I giggle, poking his buttons. "You can drop me off at the Harlot Inn, Daniello. I've got a room booked under my name over there."

'Oh, I thought you could come and stay with me and my wife," Daniello falters, looking at me. "We won't mind another person in the house."

Shaking my head, I respond, "I can't impose on you like that. It's too much to have you both accommodate me and pick me up from the airport."

Reluctantly giving the driver the change of destination, Daniello sulks like a little boy who has been denied candy all the way to the hotel. Only when I move to leave the car does he reach out to grab my arm.

"My family is having dinner next weekend," He states quickly, eyeing the bellman coming towards us. "My eldest son will be there, you can talk business with him after dinner. I'll send Tony here to pick you up to join us on that day."

Not even giving me the chance to respond, Daniello lets go of my hand to close the car door and his driver speeds off. Huffing in slight irritation, I can't help but smile at his antics.

He may have aged but he's still the same man I knew thirteen years ago when I was eight.