“Let’s go eat something,” he suggests and reaches out for my hand. He leads me into a different part of the plane where the others are seated. Carmine and Nadia are curled up on a loveseat, looking at an iPad. Rafe is staring out the window. All their heads come up when they hear us enter.
“How are you feeling, sugar?” Nadia asks, rushing over to hug me.
“I’ll be okay. I’m hungry.”
“I have a tray ready for you, miss.” I look up at the formal voice and blink at the older gentleman who’s smiling kindly at me. “I’m Charles, and I’m happy to help you today.”
“Thank you.” I glance up at Shane, but he just nods and gestures for me to sit at a table. Within a few seconds, Charles sets a charcuterie board full of cheeses, meats, nuts, and olives in front of me, and I immediately dig in. “This is awesome.”
“What would you like to drink, miss?” the attendant asks.
“Water, please.”
He nods and turns to fetch my drink. Shane sits opposite me, watching me wolf down the food.
“Want a cashew?” I ask him, holding out the nut.
“No, you eat,” he says.
“How long has it been?” I ask, suddenly not sure how long the jerk had me. “Since I left the clinic?”
“About twenty-four hours,” Rafe says.
“This is pathetic,” I reply with a laugh. “I just ate twenty-four hours ago and I’m starving. I can’t even consider this a fast.”
“Killing people burns a lot of calories,” Nadia says.
“And so does adrenaline,” Carmine adds.
“True. And probably the drugs. What a crazy turn of events. So much for living a boring life.”
“I have questions.” I look up at Shane’s statement, and my stomach tenses. “Questions I need answers to so I can do my job here and protect you.”
“I’m not your job.”
His jaw clenches. “Yes. You are.”
“No. I’m not.” I eat a grape and consider him. “Don’t get me wrong. You’ll never know how much I appreciate all of you for saving me. I shudder to think what might have happened to me if you hadn’t come to find me. I would have died. Whether that was a long, slow death with a corpse decaying next to me, or a quick one when the other bad guys got there, I don’t know. But I wouldn’t have lived through it. So, I owe you a huge debt of gratitude that I can never repay.”
“You don’t owe us anything,” Nadia says. “This is what family does.”
“We rescue each other from kidnappers?” I ask, suddenly feeling emotional. Annika and Nadia are the only family I’ve ever really had.
“Among other things,” Nadia says with a wink.
“I’ll answer your questions,” I say with a sigh. “But can I please eat this delicious cheese and get some rest first?”
“I don’t see why not,” Shane replies, seemingly placated for now. I need to think about how much I’m going to tell him.
It’s not that I don’t trust him. It’s that I’m embarrassed. Of what and who I come from. Of what I had to do as a child. And I’ve always hoped that my past was so far in the rearview that it was forgotten.
Over.
But now, out of the blue, it’s front and center. Exactly where I never wanted it to be.
But, worst of all, I’m afraid that when I tell Shane the whole truth, his feelings for me, whatever they may be, will change. He’ll lose that spark of interest in his eyes whenever he sees me. He’ll want nothing to do with me.
And that will hurt most of all. Because even though we don’t know each other all that well yet, he’s come to mean a lot to me.
“Looks like we’re landing,” Rafe says as the plane starts its descent. “We’ll be at Annika’s in about an hour or so.”
Chapter 3
~Shane~
“You really should go with him,” Annika insists for the third time, but Ivie just shakes her head stubbornly.
“I’m needed here,” she says. “I have a job and a life to see to. I can’t let them win.”
“Staying safe,” I insist through gritted teeth, “isn’t letting anyone win. It’s being smart.”
“I’m not trying to be difficult,” Ivie says with a long sigh. “Honestly, I’m not. But I almost lost this life, and I love it. I’ve worked hard for it. And, damn it, I want to get back to living it.”
“Nothing says that you won’t be back at it in just a few days,” Carmine points out. “In the meantime, hang out with Shane until all of this can get resolved.”
Ivie firms her lips, and I decide that I’d like to tie her up and carry her to my place myself.
But I don’t think she’d like that either.
“Fine. If you won’t go, I’ll stay.” I stand and shove my hand through my hair. “I’ll stay with you.”
“Shane—”
“Did you really think that after what happened to you over the past twenty-four hours that I’d just walk away?” The outburst is unusual for me, but I can’t hold it in any longer. “Because the answer to that is fuck no. You come with me, or I stay with you. That’s the way it’s going to be. You choose.”
Her little chin comes up, and she meets my eyes. “Fine. I have a spare bedroom.”
“Fine.”
“I think you’re both tired,” Nadia says and pats Ivie on the shoulder. “Go get some rest. Fight in the morning.”
“Good idea,” Annika agrees. “I’m so, so relieved that you’re home. And I’m sorry that I let you down.”
“Stop apologizing,” Ivie insists. “You didn’t know. I’m just glad you listened to the message and sent the cavalry in to save me.”
“Oh, this is Uncle Igor,” Annika says as her phone rings. “He’s been worried sick. Hello, Uncle. Yes, she’s here. She’s safe. The Martinellis are with her. I’ll let her know.”
“Your family is the best,” Ivie whispers.
“They love you,” Nadia says with a shrug. “Was Papa angry?”
“Livid,” Annika confirms. “And very concerned. We all have been. We’re just relieved that she’s safe.”
Tired hugs are exchanged. Once outside, I pull Rocco and Carmine aside.
“I would rather be at my place. I can protect her better there.”
“I know,” Carmine says. “We’re going to stick close for a few days, just in case.”
“I’ll be around, as well,” Rocco says and gestures to the two additional vehicles on the street. “I had these delivered. Figured we’d go our separate ways.”
“Appreciate it,” I reply with a nod. “I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
“Same here,” Carmine says, and the three of us go to our separate vehicles to drive away.
“How did these cars get here?” Ivie asks after she buckles up.
“Rocco had them delivered.”
She frowns at me as I back out of the driveway. “How?”