Page 63 of Taken By Sin
By the end of the two weeks, I’m exhausted but oddly… happy. My driving has improved, Alice in Brewland feels less intimidating, and Bria’s infectious excitement about Italy is starting to rub off on me. Not that I’m not over the moon about having the opportunity to one, go on a plane, and two visit an entirely different country, I just plain as day think Sin’s dad will see me for what I am.
Unworthy of his son.
We pull onto the terminal and exit my sleek black Mercedes. I drove us here, white-knuckled through nighttime traffic. The day was spent packing with Bria, getting excited for my first ever trip.
Ever.
And it’s out of the country.
The private jet gleams under the airport lights, sleek and intimidating, its sharp lines cutting against the dark sky.
My stomach twists with excitement and nerves as I stand on the tarmac, staring up at it. The faint roar of engines in the distance hums in my ears, blending with the pounding of my heartbeat.
“First time flying, huh?” Sin says, coming up beside me, his voice warm and teasing.
I glance at him, his easy grin and calm demeanor doing little to settle my nerves. “You meanfirst time flying ever,not just on a private jet.”
His grin widens, and he offers me his hand. “Then this is going to spoil you forever.”
I laugh nervously, taking his hand. His grip is firm and steady, grounding me as he leads me toward the steps. My fingers tighten around his as we climb, the sleek metal stairs feeling surreal beneath my feet. The cabin door is open, and the faint scent of leather and something faintly citrusy greets me as we step inside.
The interior is nothing like I expected—plush leather seats arranged like a living room, soft lighting that feels more like a luxury hotel than a plane. I pause just inside the doorway, taking it all in.
“This is… insane,” I breathe, turning to him.
He chuckles, his hand lingering at the small of my back. “You like it?”
“‘Like it’ feels like an understatement,” I say, running myfingers over the edge of one of the seats. “This doesn’t feelreal.”
He gestures toward a seat near the window. “It’s real, I promise. And that one has the best view.”
I sit down carefully, like the seat might somehow evaporate under me. He takes the one across from me, a table between us, leaning back with the kind of effortless ease that makes me wonder how many times he’s done this. A flight attendant appears briefly, offering drinks and a warm smile before disappearing again.
Bria, Rollins, Zeik, and Maxwell arrive moments later, climbing in like it’s nothing more than a simple car ride.
“Don’t worry,” Sin says, sensing my nerves. “Takeoff’s the only part that might feel weird, but once we’re up there, it’s smooth sailing.”
Bria gives me a little wave before lying down on a plush bench seat, covering her eyes with a sleeping mask.
“Does she need to be buckled in?”
Sin looks over at her, a smirk playing on his lips. “She’s fine. Wouldn’t hurt for her to get thrown around a bit anyways.”
This makes me laugh, but I watch the way Max sits beside her, ready to steady her at a moment’s notice.
I nod at Sin, gripping the armrests a little too tightly as the engines start to rumble. The sound grows louder, the cabin vibrating faintly, and I glance at him. He reaches over the table, taking my hand in his.
“Relax,” he says softly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I’ve got you.”
His words, paired with the steadiness of his touch, calm memore than I expect. I focus on him instead of the sensations—the way his eyes soften when he looks at me, the faint smirk that never seems far from his lips.
The plane begins to move, rolling down the runway faster and faster until the moment my stomach flips and the ground falls away. I gasp, gripping his hand tighter, and he laughs quietly, his fingers lacing through mine.
“We’re flying,” I whisper, the awe in my voice undeniable.
He turns to look out the window with me, the lights of the city shrinking below us, the darkness of the sky enveloping the plane. “Told you it wasn’t so bad.”
I can’t help but smile, my fear melting away as I take it all in—the endless expanse of stars, the way the clouds seem close enough to touch. “It’s… beautiful,” I say, leaning closer to the window.