The hum of the jet engines filled the cabin as the plane cruised smoothly through the night sky. Jade stood near the galley, carefully arranging three glasses on a small silver tray. She poured chilled sparkling water into one and whiskey into two others, the amber liquid glinting in the soft cabin light.
Glancing toward the main cabin, she saw Milan, Enzo, and Thiago settled into their seats. Milan, as usual, had a stack of paperwork spread out in front of him, his blue eyes skimming the pages with laser focus. Enzo sat lounging in his seat, one ankle crossed over his knee, a relaxed smirk playing on his lips as he scrolled through his phone. Thiago, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, stretched out with his hands tucked behind his head, his dark eyes lazily watching the ceiling.
Taking a deep breath, Jade picked up the tray and made her way toward them. The soft carpet muffled the click of her heels as she approached.
“Here you go,” she said, her voice calm and polite as she handed out the drinks. “Sparkling water for you, Mr. Milan.”
Milan barely glanced up from his papers, his voice smooth but distracted. “Thank you.”
“Whiskey for you, Mr. Enzo.”
Enzo looked up, his dark eyes locking onto hers as his smirk widened. “You know me too well already, Jade.”
Jade ignored the flutter in her chest and rolled her eyes playfully. “Lucky guess.”
Finally, she placed the last glass in front of Thiago. “And whiskey for you, Mr. Thiago.”
Thiago grinned up at her, sitting up a little straighter. “Now you’re speaking my language. Thanks, Jade.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied, standing upright and smoothing down the front of her uniform.
As she moved to step back toward the galley, Thiago called out, “Wait, you’re not just going to stand back there the whole flight, are you?”
Jade paused, turning to look at him. “Well… that’s my job.”
Enzo raised an eyebrow, his voice low and teasing. “Your job also involves keeping us company, doesn’t it?”
Milan finally looked up, his sharp gaze cutting through their banter. “Don’t harass the staff.”
“It’s not harassment,” Enzo replied with a shrug. “We’re making conversation.” He turned his attention back to Jade. “Come on, Jade. Take a seat for a minute. We promise we don’t bite.”
Thiago laughed quietly. “Most of the time.”
Jade hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to remain professional, but something in their relaxed demeanor made it impossible to say no. She sighed softly and took a seat on the small lounge sofa across from them.
“There,” Thiago said, raising his glass. “Now it feels like a proper flight.”
Jade smiled faintly, clasping her hands together in her lap. After a moment, curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced between the three of them. “So… can I ask what we’re going to Brazil for?”
Milan exchanged a brief look with Enzo and Thiago before setting his paperwork down on the table. “It’s a business trip,” he replied simply, his tone as even as ever.
“Right,” Jade said, nodding. “But what kind of business?”
Thiago leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he grinned. “You’re curious, huh?”
“Well, you’ve been dragging me across the world, so I think I deserve to know a little bit,” Jade shot back, surprising even herself with her boldness.
Enzo chuckled, his dark gaze glinting with amusement. “Fair enough. We’re meeting with some partners in Rio. It’s… complicated business.”
“Complicated?” Jade repeated, narrowing her eyes. “You mean ‘dangerous,’ don’t you?”
Enzo’s smirk didn’t waver. “Possibly. But don’t worry, you’ll be safe.”
“Safe?” Jade’s brows furrowed. “What kind of ‘partners’ are these?”
Milan cut in, his tone calm but firm. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, Jade. We’re handling everything.”
Jade frowned, not entirely satisfied with the vague answers. “You can’t blame me for being curious. I mean, Paris felt like a whirlwind, and now Brazil? It’s not exactly a normal job.”
Thiago leaned back in his seat, watching her with that lazy grin of his. “You signed up for this, remember? Flying around the world with three men who rarely tell you what’s going on.”
“I didn’t realize how much mystery came with the job description,” Jade muttered, taking in their expressions. Milan was serious and guarded, Enzo looked smug and secretive, and Thiago seemed to enjoy the entire situation far too much.
“You’ll get used to it,” Enzo said smoothly, taking a sip of his whiskey. “Or you’ll quit. But something tells me you’re not the quitting type.”
Jade stared at him for a moment before replying. “I’m not. But it doesn’t mean I won’t ask questions.”
Thiago laughed, raising his glass toward her. “That’s what I like about you, Jade. You’ve got guts.”
Milan cleared his throat, shooting Thiago a pointed look before turning back to Jade. “You don’t need to know every detail of our business. What matters is that we’re headed to Brazil, and your job is to make sure the flight goes smoothly.”
Jade sighed softly but nodded. “Understood.”
“Good,” Milan replied, picking his paperwork back up. “If you need anything, let us know.”
Enzo leaned back in his seat, smirking at her as if he knew her mind was still spinning. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride, Jade.”
She gave him a look but couldn’t help a small smile. “That’s easy for you to say.”
Thiago raised his glass in another mock toast. “To Brazil, then. And to our fearless flight attendant, who’s somehow surviving us.”
Jade rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her grin. “You’re impossible, all of you.”
“Yet you keep showing up,” Enzo teased.