18. Matias

18

MATIAS

M y eyes are fixed on Kali as she sleeps across from me on the jet. Her chest rises and falls with each breath. She's so peaceful, contrasting to the chaos we've endured. Ileana's reign of terror is finally over, but at what cost?

My gaze drifts to Thiago, his expression stoic as always, but I can sense the weight of our actions bearing down on him. We've crossed a line, spilled the blood of our former leader, and now we're left to pick up the pieces of the Navarro cartel.

Taren's decision to split our operations leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. While he'll rule from Mexico, we're relegated to the States. A part of me wants to rebel, seize control, and build an empire of our design. But another part that still clings to the faint glimmer of humanity within me knows this is for the best. It also means I get to stay close to my rabbit.

As I study Kali's delicate features, guilt twists in my gut. She's been through hell because of me, because of my obsession and inability to control my darkest impulses. And yet, despite it all, she's still here, bound to me in a way I can't fully comprehend.

I trace the curve of her jaw with my eyes, remembering the countless times I've felt her tremble beneath my touch. A possessive hunger stirs a primal need to claim her in a way that transcends the physical. But I know that path only leads to more suffering and pain.

I barely register Thiago's voice as he calls out to me. Kali's sleeping form entirely consumes my focus. Her chest's steady rise and fall is hypnotic, lulling me into a trance-like state where the rest of the world fades away.

"Matias." Thiago's tone is firm, finally breaking through the haze enveloping my mind. I reluctantly tear my gaze away from her, meeting my brother's intense stare.

"What?" I growl, irritated by the intrusion.

Thiago's expression remains impassive, a mask he's perfected over the years. "We need to discuss our next move."

I scoff, leaning back in the plush leather seat. "Our next move? In case you haven't noticed, we're in a jet full of traumatized girls and have no clear plan."

Thiago's jaw muscle twitches. "Which is precisely why we need to figure out our strategy."

Waving a dismissive hand, I return my attention to Kali. "You worry too much. We're alive, we're free of that puta Ileana, and we've got everything we need right here. "

Thiago's eyes narrow, and he leans forward, his voice dropping to a low hiss. "You're deluding yourself if you think this will be easy. We've just taken down the head of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. There'll be consequences."

I meet his gaze. "Then we'll handle them. I'm not afraid of anyone who thinks they can take us down."

A heavy silence stretches between us, charged with unspoken tension. Finally, Thiago leans back, shaking his head. "Sometimes, I wonder if you've lost your mind, Matias."

A feral grin spreads across my face. "Maybe I have. But I'm not a coward who is too afraid to embrace the chaos.

Thiago's jaw clenches, but he doesn't rise to the bait. Instead, he stands abruptly, his expression hardening. "Fine. Do whatever you want. But don't expect me to save you from your madness when the wolves come circling."

With that, he turns on his heel and stalks toward the back of the jet, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the rhythmic sound of Kali's breathing. I let my gaze linger on her once more.

"Don't worry, baby," I murmur, leaning forward and brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "I'll keep you safe, no matter what chaos comes our way. But I can't promise to save you from myself."

Kali stirs from her slumber, her eyelids fluttering open as my fingers graze her cheek. Confusion flickers across her face as she blinks up at me. "What did you say?" she asks, her voice thick with sleep.

I shake my head. "I didn't say anything."

She sits up, rubbing her eyes and glancing around the jet's cabin. "Why are you coming to Providence with us?"

I chuckle. "I'm not going to Providence, exactly. I'll be stationed in Boston, overseeing our interests there."

Her eyes widen, and I can practically see the gears turning in her head as she processes this information. "Boston? That's... not far from Providence at all."

I nod a predatory glint in my eye. "Exactly. I'll be close to you, always. Watching over you."

"Whatever happened between us at the compound, it won't continue," Kali says, her voice trembling as she meets my gaze. "I'm not going to be degraded and treated like shit now that I'm finally free."

Her words are like a razor-sharp blade, igniting a searing rage flooding my veins. How dare she speak to me like she has any say? She belongs to me, mind, body, and soul, and she needs to be reminded of the fact.

I'm on my feet in a flash, towering over her as she shrinks back in her seat. "You think you're free?" I snarl, my voice dripping with contempt. "You're more deluded than I thought."

I lean in close, my breath hot against her cheek as I drink in the fear radiating from her. "You're mine, Kali. Every inch of your body, every breath you take, belongs to me. There is no escaping that fact."

Her eyes widen, and she opens her mouth to protest, but I silence her with a bruising kiss. She struggles against me, but I pin her arms above her head, my grip like iron. When I finally break the kiss, she's panting, her chest heaving.

"Don't fool yourself into thinking this is over," I growl, my breath tickling the shell of her ear. "You're mine, now and forever. And I'll remind you of that daily if I have to."

With a sharp tug, I pull her from her seat and into my arms, reveling in the way her body trembles against mine. "You can fight me all you want, but in the end, you'll always come crawling back to the wolf, begging for more."

Kali's eyes blaze with defiance, but there's a flicker of something darker and more primal, sending a thrill coursing through me. She's not as immune to my touch as she pretends to be.

"Never," she spits, her voice laced with venom. "I'll never beg you for anything."

A wicked grin spreads across my face as I tighten my grip on her, eliciting a sharp gasp. "We'll see about that."

Thiago's voice cuts through the tension like a knife, "Enough, Matias. Let her go."

I whirl around, my grip on Kali's arm tightening as I glare at my brother. "Stay out of this, Thiago. This is between me and her."

I see Luna stirring awake from the corner of my eye. "Let her go, you psycho!" she shouts, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger.

A harsh laugh escapes my lips as I turn my gaze towards her. "Or what? You gonna try and stop me?" I taunt, my grip on Kali's arm unrelenting.

Thiago steps forward, his expression a mask of calm control. "Matias, release her. Now."

For a moment, I consider defying him, my possessive nature screaming at me to assert my dominance over Kali. But something in Thiago's tone gives me pause, and I reluctantly release my grip on her arm, shoving her away from me with a snarl.

Kali stumbles backward, her eyes wide with fear and relief as Luna rushes to her side, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders.

"Take a chill pill," I sneer, sinking back into my seat with a nonchalant shrug. "I was just having a little fun."

Luna shoots me a hateful glare, her arm tightening around Kali as she ushers her away from me. But as they move to the other side of the jet, I can't help but let my gaze linger on Kali, a slow smile spreading across my face.

She can run and hide all she wants, but once we're settled, there will be nowhere to hide from me. I'll make sure of that.

My mind drifts, conjuring up a thousand delicious scenarios of how I'll break her down, strip away her defenses, and claim her as my own. Perhaps I'll start small, toying with her mind and emotions, leaving her craving my touch, my attention. Or maybe I'll take a more direct approach, overwhelming her senses with pleasure and pain until she has no choice but to surrender to me .

A low chuckle rumbles in my chest as I imagine the countless ways I'll make her beg for me, her body trembling with need, her resolve crumbling beneath my relentless onslaught.

Yes, Kali may think she's free, but she'll soon learn that her true freedom lies in submission to the wolf that will forever haunt her dreams and desires.

As the jet soars through the night sky, carrying us towards our new beginnings, I can't help but feel a twisted sense of excitement. The hunt may have taken a new form, but the thrill remains.

And this time, there'll be no escape for my little rabbit.