The car pulled up to a private airport, and Rey felt her stomach drop as a cold sweat covered her body. "You didn't say anything about flying... I'm not going..."
Ben chuckled as he exited his side of the car, waiting for one of his men to open the door for her. When she didn't exit, he told the guard to carry her to the plane as she screamed obscenities at them.
"She has quite the temper, but I like her," Armitage chuckled next to him.
Ben sighed. "At least I won't be bored."
Obi-Wan clapped him on the shoulder as they turned to climb the stairs to the plane. "All the luck to you, Ben."
As his men settled in the front of the plane, Ben made his way to the back where Rey was strapped to her seat, fuming and grumbling under her breath as her face grew unnaturally pale. Before sitting, he reached out to pull at the ties of the curtains to close off the area from his men, wanting relative privacy with Rey.
"Ben, please..." she whispered. "I don't want to go anymore."
Ben sat on the long couch, across the aisle and adjacent to her seat, as he stared at her nervous profile before he leaned into her space and placed his chin on her bare shoulder –her low cut white silk camisole displaying her small perky breasts delectably.
"Why? You were all set to go when we left the house, but as soon as we got to the airport... You're afraid of flying, aren't you?"
She nodded once as her knee bounced nervously.
"You flew to Sicily and had a return ticket to London. Why would you fly anywhere if you are afraid to do it?"
"Because I would never be able to travel around the world to visit all the places I've always wanted to see... When I fly, I take pills to knock me out during the flight. Please... Let me off the plane, Ben. I can travel there by boat..."
The plane started to move as it made its way down the airstrip as Rey's eyes rounded before it took off into the air.
Ben kissed her tense shoulder before his fingers moved to one of her nipples, circling the area until it pebbled. "It's a very short flight, and I can take your mind off your fear until we land in Rome, but I'll need to touch you."
Rey's eyes bored into his beautiful hazel ones before she nodded once, again, as her hands gripped the armrests at her sides when the plane shook from turbulence. "Please, but don't..."
"I promise to stop when you tell me to, Rey."
Taking a deep steadying breath to calm himself, he slowly undid the straps wrapped around her body until she was freed. Ben pulled Rey up to stand and guided her across the aisle by his hand to have her sit across his lap as he leaned back into his seat, her hand landing on his chest as the plane shook again.
"What are you going to do?" Rey whispered as her fingers clawed into his shirt.
Smirking, he raised his hand to rub at her nipple again before pinching lightly, causing her to gasp loudly as his other arm wrapped around her waist to keep her body close to his. "Shh, you don't want the men in front to hear you as I help you with your fear of flying."
Their eyes locked as Ben slid his hand under the deep 'V' of her camisole and cupped a breast in his large hand, grateful she chose not to wear a bra as a mix between a sigh and a moan escaped her lips.
"Ben~"
The thumb rubbing against her harden peak stilled for a second before it resumed its movements as he savored the way she moaned his name, committing it to memory.
When she shut her eyes, he gave her breast another squeeze before removing his hand to undo the buttons of her pants, thankful she didn't protest. Slipping his hand in, Ben swore as his fingers came in contact with her soaked panties –surprised at how wet she was with such little provocation as he harden underneath her ass as his fingers tugged her panties aside and dipped into her wetness.
With a growl, he leaned his head forward to lick against her collarbone before dipping further down to take a harden nipple into his mouth through her camisole. He was delighted when her hands lifted to cradle his head closer to her as she rubbed her ass against his lap.
"Ben, please~"
"What, Rey? Tell me what you need. Fuck, please tell me you need me as much as I need you."
"I-I need..."
"Say it, and I'll give it to you. I'll give you everything you ask for."
Rey opened her eyes to find Ben staring ravenously at her, but his hungry gaze wasn't the only things she saw in the depths of his eyes; she also saw sincerity and, dare she say, love behind his possessive stare as she almost gave in to her desires for him. An odd feeling she had never felt before for any man came over her as she opened her mouth to tell him she gave her consent to whatever he desired, to have his way with her. However, the plane shook violently again as her hands moved to cup his face, causing her to squeal, clutch at his hair, and bounce on his lap as he swore.
"Can you just hold me for a while?" she asked in a soft voice as her body shook from fear.
His fingers stilled at her words before he quickly withdrew them and placed them in front of her lips. "Sure, but you need to suck on my fingers. They seem to need cleaning."
Wrapping her tiny hand around his thick wrist, she moved his fingers to his lips instead. "No, you clean them."
Ben watched as her eyes dilated and a shiver, not from fear, racked her body as he licked and sucked on the fingers that were inside of her, her mouth opening slightly as she watched him. Not wanting to waste an opportunity, he quickly cupped the back of her head with his other hand and brought her lips down to his as their tongues dueled between his fingers, making Rey taste herself.
He smirked against her lips as he removed his fingers from their mouths, Rey deepening the kiss now that she was able before the pilot's announcement on the intercom alerted them of their arrival within the next hour.
Pulling back slowly, Rey smiled self-consciously against Ben's lips as he followed her movements in order to prolong the kiss, continuing to lick at her mouth before she placed her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for taking my mind off of flying and stopping when I asked, even though I can feel how hard you are underneath me. I really hate flying..."
"Believe me. It was my pleasure."
Closing his eyes with a smirk and a sigh, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer into his body as he thought of ways to calm his erection for the rest of the flight.
*****
Rey's eyes darted everywhere as soon as they landed in Rome, taking in the sights of the gorgeous city she had never been to as they made their way to the hotel.
"You can see more of Rome when I meet with a few of my associates during the week."
"I can't wait~" Rey responded as she continued to stare out the window, awed by the beautiful architecture of the ancient city.
When they pulled up to Rome's location of The Resistance, Rey gaped at how stunning the hotel was compared to the others she had visited in other countries as the doorman opened her car door.
Ben was quickly at her side and offered his arm to her before guiding her inside.
"There will be hair and makeup artists waiting in our suite to help you ready for the ball tonight so let them do as they please. There will be important people there, and I need to make an appearance."
"What kind of ball is it?"
"It's actually more of an annual fundraising event for a foundation founded years ago by my father called The Scoundrel's Liberation.
"And what kind of nefarious things do you do with the money raised?"
"The Scoundrel's Liberation is for a children's charity," Ben chuckled. "And we use the money for the prevention of human trafficking, specifically with children, and the rehabilitation of said children if they were unfortunately trafficked."
Rey's head snapped to his as they waited for the elevator. "What?"
He turned to her with a sheepish smile. "I told you I'm not a monster. When will you start believing me, Rey?"
They entered the elevator, Ben stopping his men from entering with them as the door slid closed.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would it have mattered?"
"Yes..." she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest.
"What's the matter?" Ben lifted her face to his as tears fell from her eyes, not liking the distraught look on her lovely features as his heart constricted at the sight.
"I guess you couldn't find out everything about me," she laughed, sounding watery with her tears. "I was..."
She paused for so long he thought she would never tell him.
"Tell me, Rey. You can tell me anything."
Staring up at him, Rey licked her dry lips before speaking. "I was almost trafficked as a child... If it weren't for Rose and her quick thinking, I wouldn't be here today."
Ben tensed at her words, vowing to himself that he would find the bastards that dared to touch his Rey. He wanted to ask further questions, but she continued speaking as she cleared her throat.
"When my foster family moved to London when I was a child, we didn't know which streets were safe to tread down or what areas to avoid. One day, I went out to explore without telling anyone, thinking I was a 'big girl' and not needing anyone to hold my hand to cross the street, but I ended up in an area I had never been in before. I knew something was wrong when a group of men started following me, trying to lure me into their van with promises of candy and money, but I knew not to fall for their trap. When I turned down the next street, there were more men waiting for me, and they pushed me into the van... I was fortunate though, compared to other children, because Rose, who was my neighbor at the time, followed me from a distance to keep an eye on me, letting me be independent until I was in danger. Rose acted quickly and was able to find police officers down the road, and they came to my rescue and luckily, they were able to capture and arrest all of the people involved with the trafficking ring in that area. You have no idea how scared I was when they told me I would go for a high price because of my age and looks. I was only 10 then..."
A few more tears fell down her face before she rose on her toes to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Thank you for continuing your father's charity through your foundation that's so near and dear to my heart."
Ben wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders to comfort her, kissing the top of her head "It is a great privilege to be the chairman in my father's foundation for this charity because I believe it is truly a vile matter that should be eradicated in this world."
"Thank you."
"There's no need to thank me."
Rey wiped the last of her tears from her eyes as the elevator doors finally opened.
Keeping one arm wrapped around his waist, Rey let Ben guide her to the penthouse suite where two people awaited her arrival to help her with her hair and makeup for the charity ball that resonated close to her heart.
Before letting her go into her private room, Ben lifted her hand to his lips. "I'll be waiting with bated breath until you return to my side."
Rey lifted her free hand and cupped his face, scratching at the stubble growing there. "I'll be back soon so try to get some rest while you can."
When she turned to move, he pulled her back to face him.
"Rey, I..."
"Yes?"
"I..." He smiled sadly before shaking his head, almost as if he were dislodging the words he truly wanted to say. "I can't wait to see you in your dress."
With one last look at him, Rey turned toward her room –her heart beating erratically in her chest.