8. Chapter 8

Jade

Five Months Later

Apollo grunts as I hug him with enough force to tackle a normal-sized man to the ground. He doesn't waver, catching me easily as I bury my face into the side of his neck. "Emotional little thing, you are," he grumbles, but I feel his arms wrapping around me in return.

"Going to miss you so much, big brother," I tell him, meaning it entirely. Apollo may be a grumpy, generally unfriendly jerk to most, but he's one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.

Five months ago, he listened to me spill the worst of the worst from my past, and since then, he's taken me under his wing. I know how to throw a solid punch, shoot any gun you put in my hand, and I'm even a bit better of a liar. All because of this man.

"Yes, I'd miss me too," he agrees. In Apollo language, that translates to: I'll miss you as well, little sister.

I smile, letting myself down from his hold, and look up at his impassive face. "You're going to send me lots of emails, aren't you?"

"I'll reply to your constant pestering, yes."

I grin. "You're the best."

"I'm aware."

Matteo scoffs next to us. "Come on, Jade, let's get to the boat before Apollo freezes it with his cold-ass attitude."

"Wait!" I rush back over to Dad, interrupting his chat with Uncle Cesar to give him the same big hug I gave to Apollo.

He laughs as my hair hits him in the face, hugging me back just as hard. "Have a good time, sweetheart. Be safe, and listen to your brothers on the boat."

He's said the same sentiment at least thirty times in the month leading up to this, and I don't even care. I've grown addicted to the way my family cares for me. It's the best part about my whole new life—feeling truly cared about.

"I will," I promise again. "Email me tons, and keep Martha updated about me! I'm going to miss her."

Dad chuckles. "She'll have my head if I don't."

Putting me down and kissing the top of my head, he meets my eyes. "If you want to come home, I can make that work, sweetheart. Just say the word."

He's also told me that more times than I can count. Uncle Cesar offered to help Apollo train me in everything I could learn at school if I really wanted to stay. It's a tempting offer, truly. But I want to be like all of my brothers and go to the school they've all attended. Plus, I think I would feel pretty dang sad without seeing Matteo for months. He's not just my brother, he's more like my best friend.

"No, that's okay," I assure him. "I'm going to have fun, and you can always pull me out early if I hate it."

He'd burn the island down before letting me stay a minute longer than I didn't want to be there, he told me himself.

"That's right," he agrees firmly.

Our goodbyes don't last much longer, fading out until the people who are staying separate from the people who are going.

We flew on a private plane to get here. Dad, Uncle Cesar, Apollo, Nico, Remo, Armani, Matteo, and me. It was my first experience in the air, and I'm really glad it was a private flight. If my family didn't own a plane or have the budget to rent one, I can't imagine how nervous I would've been—surrounded by strangers while doing something for the first time.

It wasn't so bad. The plane was spacious and comfortable, with plush leather seats and a bathroom that wasn't too small. The landing was not my favorite. I'm pretty sure I scarred Apollo's forearm from holding on to it so tight during that horrible process. I'm glad I've got months to prepare for doing it again.

We aren't the only ones who had to fly in to get here. The airport was extremely busy, but luckily, it wasn't a far drive to the dock. And this dock is huge. The boat is frighteningly large, like a small cruise ship, and Armani is practically glued to me as we make our way to the boarding area.

One last time, I look back to see Apollo still standing where we left him while Dad and Uncle Cesar walk back to the rental cars. Lifting a hand, I wave and send him a smile. It feels like my first day of school, only with a lot less fear and a lot more love.

To my surprise, Apollo lifts a hand and waves in return, giving me a nod.

"Last chance to go running back," Matteo warns, flashing a cheeky grin.

"Can't get rid of me now," I tease in return, poking his ribs.

He chuckles and passes me my boat ticket. "Armani and I are going to walk you through the checkpoint. Remo and Nico will go ahead to find our reserved space."

"Okay." I nod along, nervously looking at the large men checking tickets nearby.

"They're not scary," he tells me, nodding in that direction. "They verify identities and nothing more. Even if you weren't supposed to be here, they wouldn't touch you. They just wouldn't let you through."

"Not scary," I repeat, attempting to convince myself that it's a fact.

"Exactly," Matteo says, playfully tapping the tip of my nose. "Besides, if they even look at you in a way Armani doesn't like, he'll tie them to the ship propellers and simply wait while they drown or get sucked in and obliterated by the blades."

"You know you don't need to come up with creative, hypothetical ways to threaten death upon everyone who makes me a little bit nervous, right?"

"Don't need to?" he scoffs, leading me toward the men. "It's one of the many joys given to me as a brother."

Armani puts a firm hand on my shoulder before passing his ticket to a large man with a detailed skull tattooed on the side of his neck. The man eyes the ticket and looks at Armani's face before nodding. I hand him mine next, and he does the same thing, then once more to Matteo.

"The rest of the Morettis," he says, returning the tickets. "You're approved."

His big frame shifts to the side, allowing us to pass. He pulls an index card from his suit pocket and stretches it out for me to take.

Matteo nods that it's okay, and I accept it, making sure not to let our fingers touch. "All first-years get one," my brother says. "Liability reasons. No one can claim ignorance if we're all informed."

Nodding while they guide me onto the ship, I study the card, reading over the rules my family has already drilled into my head.

Empire Rules and Regulations

Murder is strictly forbidden and punishable by death.

Staff may not have relationships with students unless under a marriage contract.

Leaving before the semester ends is allowed with the penalty of suspension until the next term. There are two exceptions to this rule.

Leaving and returning to the island before the semester's end is not allowed unless express permission is granted via the Lord. Or, if the leaver is undetected on their trip.

Letters and email are the only allowed forms of outside contact.

The ocean air scent from the dock drowns out the further we go into the ship, being replaced by notes of warm wood and various colognes. Armani and Matteo quietly show me points on the ship to familiarize myself with before taking me up three floors on an elevator to where we need to be.

When we find them, Remo and Nico have already found our space and dug their perspective entertainment out of our shared backpack. A magazine for Nico and a pack of cards for Remo. The rest of our bags are all being transported under the boat and apparently they're guarded.

Dante pays three men to make sure none of our stuff is compromised. Non-students and staff aren't allowed to be lingering on campus, so they don't get to stay. They'll return home with the boat after dropping us off with our things.

The boat is set up sort of like a cruise might be, if movies are any evidence to that. Only we aren't all cramming into tiny dorm-sized rooms with little beds and portholes. Instead, larger rooms have been carved out with living room-type setups. In our reserved room, there are two couches, a mini fridge with snacks, a flatscreen, and some pillows and blankets in a storage basket.

Matteo explains that larger mafia families typically own reserved rooms they bought way back when the school started. Smaller families can schedule the use of small rooms on the ship, too, as anyone admitted to Empire Academy is entitled to a seat on the ship. It's the only way on and off the Island, after all.

Well, sort of. Apparently, planes can land there as well, but it's frowned upon without reason and can result in fines if it's done too often without cause.

Yawning, I drop down onto the couch that Armani claimed, and my body sings as I sink into the soft leather. Nico, Remo, and Matteo spread out on the other couch that's larger. The boat is still docked, from what I can tell, but judging by my watch, we should be leaving very soon.

Dad said the ride is slow but that the room doesn't make it feel like a burden. I'm already thinking that I agree with him. I could hang out here for four hours without feeling bored out of my mind. Sometimes comfort is really all you need.

Armani wraps his arm around my shoulder to cup the side of my head and slowly pulls me against him. The side of his chest and arm are warm against my face, and I can't help but relax into his hold.

"Sleep, it's a long ride, and you're tired."

I try not to flush. I was too nervous to sleep last night, and apparently, my brother can tell. I attempted to nap on the plane earlier, too, and my brain was not having it.

"I'm o?—"

"You're not okay," he interrupts, keeping his hand protectively on top of my hair. "You're tired, so sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

He doesn't need to tell me another time. Drifting into a relaxing nap, I let any possible worries melt alongside the world around me.

Voices float around me. Low at first, but louder as I begin to wake. I try not to pout, still feeling sleepy and comfortable where I am. Keeping my eyes closed, I stay still, wondering if I'll be able to doze back off. When the voices become more clear, I know I won't be able to sleep because I need to listen.

"Really, Armani?" a nasally feminine voice asks. "Getting your fraternizing over with before we dock, are you?"

Fraternizing?

"What I do or don't do is hardly any of your business, Lorna," my brother replies in a dull, bored tone.

"Seems a bit beneath you, does it not?" Lorna, I assume, snipes. "I thought public displays weren't your thing."

"Only when I'm disgusted to be seen in the person's presence," he quips back, sounding equally as bored as before.

"You're a pig, and you've downgraded," she seethes. "Is this an arranged thing? I can't see you letting someone drool all over you otherwise. Seriously, she looks like an infant."

"Fitting, since she's our fucking baby sister," Matteo growls.

I blink my eyes open at her gasp, finding my youngest brother towering over her. He must have just walked over.

"What?" she blurts, blinking up at him.

I guess I can see why she'd say I look young, because Lorna is definitely older than me. She's still beautiful, of course, which is a pity considering she doesn't seem very nice.

"Yeah. Baby. Sister," Matteo emphasizes. "Need it repeated a third time?"

"You don't have a sister," Lorna states, refusing to believe it.

Matteo looks like he wants to reach out and choke her. "For a teacher, you're pretty dense, aren't you?"

This lady is a teacher? My stomach churns. Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?

"Watch it," she warns. "You can't talk to me like that once we're off of this boat."

"You watch it," he retorts. "You know just as well as I do how badly I can fuck with you inside of the rules. You're lucky I don't start now for your snide remarks about Jade. Fuck. Off."

Steam practically shoots out of her ears as she leaves, storming out of our space and huffing with anger.

"What a way to wake up," I joke, trying to remove the scowl from Matteo's face.

He frowns. "You shouldn't be spoken to like that, Jade. I won't accept it."

"Hey." I nudge him playfully with my elbow. "Being called a downgrade for my brother and an infant is like one of the lamest ways I've been insulted. Not even in the top fifty rudest moments of my life, I swear."

He narrows his eyes. "That does not make me feel better. Write me that top fifty list so I can kill the people responsible."

I pat his hand. "You're sweet."

"He's serious," Armani retorts.

"Seriously dramatic," I counter. "I'm a big girl; I don't need anyone killed for me for calling me names. If I cared about the things that have been said about me, I could have killed them myself."

Matteo sighs. "I wish you did."

"Well, we can't all be murderers, can we?"

He cracks up at that and ruffles my hair. "Sure we can, we're Morettis."

I roll my eyes but chuckle. Matteo's humor is playful and teasing most of the time, but it's almost a bit bleak as well. He's too honest to care about what anyone thinks of it, and that's what I love most about him. That, and his unique disposition.

When I'm sure that Lorna is out of sight, I stand up and inform my brothers that I need to pee. Armani is quick to get up with me, but I shake my head at him.

"You already showed me where the closest one is, and there's no way in hell I'm going to be the girl who lets her brother guard her in the bathroom."

Armani shakes his head. "You shouldn't go alone."

I groan, blowing out a breath. "I love you, but you're a little paranoid, brother."

He cocks a brow and folds his arms over his chest. "You hardly know where you're going, and no one here really knows you. Do you want to run into Lorna again? Alone?"

"She went the other way and would literally need to pass you guys again to come after me," I point out. "Come on, Armani. I'll be fine, don't embarrass me more than necessary, please."

His eyes darken, and his teeth grind. "Fine, you have five minutes."

I hold in a groan. "It'll take me several minutes just to walk there, and what if there's a line I have to wait in?"

"Oh well," he chimes.

Smiling tightly, I reach out and pat the side of his face. "How about after ten minutes, if I'm not back, you can come looking for me?"

He's considering it when Remo claps him on the back. "Just let her go. No one is going to touch her, they've seen her with us. The rumor mill might not have hit everyone yet, but it's pretty fucking clear she's protected."

"See," I say, giving Remo a grateful smile. "No one is going to risk messing with me. I've practically got Moretti written on my forehead."

"Now there's an idea," Armani mutters bitterly.

If he tries to write anything on my forehead, I'm telling Dad.

"Okay," he relents eventually. "Keep your eyes open, Jade, I mean it. Be conscious of where you're going and how to get back here. I won't hesitate to come get you if you take too long. You know what's more embarrassing than being walked to the bathroom by your brother? Having him yelling your name on a loop until he finds you."

Arguable, but I'm not in any position to continue bickering. My bladder is starting to hurt.

"Thank you," I tell him, excited to have won this little battle.

I can feel Armani watching me like a hawk until he loses sight of me. It seems like most people are in their reserved rooms because I don't pass by more than a few men and women on the way. Some of them don't even look at me, which is sort of cool. There are people on this ship who care very little about some new girl, contrary to what my brothers seem to think. Everyone knows our family, but there are people who simply don't care or need to care about us.

I'm willing to admit that I struggle a little trying to find my way to the bathroom, but when I do, I'm happy to find it's a private and clean one. After doing my business and washing my hands, I take a long look in the mirror and smile at what I see. No dark circles plaguing my eyes, no sunken in cheeks from lack of nutrition, healthy hair that shines, and white teeth that have never looked better.

I used to imagine what looking as good as I feel would be like, and it's better than my brain could ever assume. Becoming a Moretti saved me in more ways than one.

Straightening out my uniform, I'm reminded to thank Armani again. Having my skirts and blouses for the semester tailored has made all of the difference. I don't love the style the school has chosen for its uniforms, but it could be way worse. Silver paired with a green so dark that it's nearly black, isn't the worst color combination in the world.

Leaving the bathroom before I stay too long and prompt a full-blown search party for myself, I check both hallways before exiting the room. Unfortunately, each side of the hall is like a mirror of itself.

They're so similar, and now I'm debating with myself about which side I entered the bathroom from. Picking the way that feels the most right, I take a few big strides before it begins to feel wrong again.

I definitely didn't come this way… did I?

Oh no,I pout, frowning. Lost before we even dock? Armani and Matteo are going to lose their minds.

Spinning around to look back the way I came, my face collides directly into muscle. I panic, yanking myself back and gasping.

"Oh my god! I'm so, so sorry! Are you okay?"

The thick wall of a man doesn't speak but to my utter relief, nods that he's fine. He's not just fine because I didn't hurt him, though. This man is fine in every sense of the word. He's huge. At least a solid six to eight inches taller than me. And he's broad, with shoulders so wide I could definitely use those suckers to climb up his?—

Oh lord, those eyes!

Big, consuming pools of the loveliest brown, highlighted by his thick, dark eyelashes, with full lips, a strong jaw, and sharp cheekbones to top it off? He's gorgeous.

I blink a few times, wondering if he'll disappear because he's simply too good to be true. "I'm sorry, I should have been looking where I was going," I reiterate, just to be sure. "I'm kind of lost, but I slammed into you pretty hard. Did I hurt you?"

His hard features soften slightly as his lips quirk up on the sides.

"Right, you're huge, I definitely didn't hurt you," I ramble with a flush. "Um, any chance you can tell me how to get back to my brothers?"