Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
My heart thuds against my ribs, the encounter lifting the hairs on my nape.
“What’s wrong?” She twists, glancing at the door to the cockpit. “What happened?”
Nothing.
The lie sits on my tongue. I’m trying to comfort her, not add more stress.
But I’ll never lie to her.
“Monty watched me kiss you.” I move to the seat facing hers. “Pretty sure he wants to disembowel me.”
“He’ll have to go through me first.” She sets her cute little jaw.
“He doesn’t scare me.” I latch my seat belt and reach for her, fitting our hands together. “This will be an adjustment for him as much as it is for us.”
I can’t imagine losing this woman’s love and watching her move on with other men. I can survive anything. But not that. It would hollow me out, cleave me apart, and turn me into dust. No coming back from that.
The engines roar with a surge of power, the vibration seeping into the cabin.
At first glance, Frankie seems composed, but subtle signs creep in—the twitching of her hand in mine, the hitching of her shoulders, and the way her breath catches as the plane begins to taxi.
Her momentary calm fractures before my eyes.
The jet picks up speed on the runway, and her fingernails dig into my hand. Her jaw flexes, and a fresh layer of fear clouds her eyes. No doubt every motion of the plane reminds her of what could go wrong.
I scoot forward as far as my belt allows and wrap my hands around her thighs, marking the tension there.
Our gazes hold as I soften my voice just for her. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Her breath shudders.
“We’ll make it through this, just like we always do.” I squeeze her thighs gently. “Focus on me.”
“That part’s easy. You’re really nice to look at.” She tries to smile but not quite managing it. “I thought I could handle this.”
“You are handling it. Being scared doesn’t mean you’re not strong. It means you’re human. We’re all a bit shaken.” As the plane lifts off, ascending higher and leaving the ground behind, I keep talking to distract her. “We’re rising above it all. Just like we planned. Nothing can touch us up here, not while I’m by your side.”
Her eyes dart to the window before meeting mine again. “I don’t want to feel this way, so scared, so out of control.”
“Fear is just…it’s like the cold we faced in the hills. You acknowledge it. You respect it. But you don’t let it stop you. You taught me that. We adapt. We survive.”
“I taught you that?”
“Yeah, you did. You also taught me kindness. And forgiveness.” I caress my hands along her legs. “You taught me how to be with a woman. Not just sex. But the truest form of love I’ve ever known. A woman’s love.”
“Your mother loved you.”
“I don’t remember. I don’t even know what she looked like.”
“Maybe Monty has photos of her.” The plane bumps with turbulence, and she chokes. “If we make it to Sitka.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you.” I grip her hands, stilling her shaking. “Just like we always had a plan if a storm hit or the ice cracked beneath our feet, we have a plan now. You’re not alone. You’ve got Leo up there, giving Monty hell. Anything feels off, he’ll take care of it.”
The muscles in her face relax, the fear not gone but somewhat abated by the reassurance. “Thank you. For understanding. For talking me through it.”
“Always.” I feel the heaviness of my promise, not just in the words but deep in my bones. “You focus on breathing. Control what you can. Let us worry about the rest.”
She sways closer, her grip loosening as she listens to my voice.
“Remember the wolf you took down? And the bear you outran? And the psychopath who hurt us for thirty years?” I keep my gaze steady but fierce, imbued with my pride. “You annihilated our greatest enemy within months. You’re a force to be reckoned with.”
“I nearly starved you to death in the process.”
“We survived. Nothing has beaten you. Not going to start now.”
With our fingers intertwined and the world receding below, the threats and shadows of our past might linger, but together, we’re untouchable.
We fall into silence until the speakers overhead crackle with static.
Leo’s voice fills the cabin.
“Ladies and feral men, welcome to cruising altitude. If anyone’s thinking of joining the Mile High Club—I’m looking at you, Frankie—give me the signal.” He laughs. “The pilot doesn’t like that. You should see his face right now.”
Rustling and scraping sounds over the intercom.
“I hope they’re not fighting.” Her complexion pales.
“Just a reminder,” Monty cuts in. “My plane, my rules. This is a family flight. Keep it PG.”
She snorts.
I glance back at the divan, and my thoughts plunge into darkness. “Have you and Monty…?”
She goes still, her lips pressed in a line.