Fuck Langston and his stupid games. Siren won’t let him come near me again.
I hear a light tapping on the door. I’m sure it’s just Siren telling me she put clothes outside the door for me.
I don’t stop showering, though, until I’ve used every ounce of water. Even then, I let the water droplets drip down my hair, face, and body.
I stare at these little miracles—tiny water droplets that brought me back to life.
After several minutes, I can’t hide in the bathroom anymore. I dry off and wrap a towel around me before cracking the door open to grab the clothes Siren left for me.
I look at them closely—jeans and a black T-shirt, fighting clothes. I quickly change, even though my hips don’t fill out the jeans like Siren’s would. My breasts fill the shirt, stretching the material to its limit.
I run my hand through my wet hair—good enough.
When I step out in the main cabin, I find Siren sitting in a chair holding Cayden.
How did I miss her baby when I entered?
I was too worried about just getting on the plane and in the shower to wash off everything that happened.
“Feel better?” Siren asks with a tense smile.
“Yes, thank you.” I make my way over to the captain’s chair directly across from her and sit down. Cayden is asleep in her arms, and Siren seems content to just let him sleep there.
“Is Zeke here?”
She shakes her head. “It’s just me, Cayden, and the pilot.”
“What if Langston had gotten to me first?”
“You don’t think I’m capable of getting Langston to do whatever I say?” Her eyes twinkle, and her face lightens with the knowledge that she’s able to control a man she’s not even married to.
My ribs clench, and my stomach drops in jealousy. If only I could control Langston as easily. It makes me wish even more that Siren wasn’t here.
I stare out the window as we fly over the ocean. I’m not even sure where we are. I’m about to ask, but Siren beats me to speaking.
“This plane can take you anywhere. So, where are we going?” Siren asks.
I furrow my brows as I glance back to her. We aren’t going anywhere. I’ll only be able to stand Siren until this plane ride is over, and then I’ll need her to head back to Zeke.
“Home.”
Siren blinks rapidly, trying to digest my single word in disbelief. She sits up and slowly lifts Cayden off her lap, placing him on the couch across from us. Once he’s solidly asleep again, she folds her arms and stares down at me like she’s about to give me an order.
“New York? You can’t go back there.”
“Why not? It’s my home. It’s where I want to be.” I stand up, wanting to be on the same eye level as her. I won’t let her, or anyone else, bully me into feeling weak.
“That will be the first place Langston looks!”
I glance at Cayden as Siren raises her voice, but he sleeps right through it. I guess when you grow up in our world, you can sleep through anything.
“I’m not going to run anymore. I’m not going to play his games.”
“Just hide out, take a vacation somewhere until I can talk some sense into that boy.”
“No. I have Waylon to worry about. I have a job. A life. I’m not going to let Langston take anything more from me.”
Siren’s eyes flick side to side as she looks into my eyes, hoping to find something in my eyes to persuade me. She won’t find anything. My decision is already made.
She lets out a long breath, blowing some of her hair out of her eyes.
“I’ll tell the pilot we are headed for New York, and then you and I are going to talk.”
She heads toward the front of the plane, while I take a seat again, feeling victorious, even though I know she’s not going to let this go that easily. I close my eyes. Maybe if I pretend to sleep, Siren will ignore me.
“Nuh-uh. That’s not going to work. You’re not asleep. Start talking,” Siren says as she plops back into her chair.
My eyes flick open. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time.”
I close my eyes again. “Sorry, Siren. I don’t want to lie to you, and that’s all I’ll do if I start talking. You’re better off not knowing.”
I texted Waylon to meet me at my apartment, but I never got a response. I don’t know if he’ll be here or not. I don’t know if he called the police and filed a missing person report. I don’t know if he’s given up on me coming back.
I get to my apartment door and realize I don’t have my key. I knock, hoping Waylon is inside, so I don’t have to break into my own apartment.
I hear footsteps inside, and I fidget with the hem of my black T-shirt. Will Waylon notice that I’m not wearing my usual power dress? Will he know that something’s instantly wrong? Will he ask me a dozen questions about where I’ve been or what I’ve been up to?
What do I tell him? How do I keep him safe?
The door swings open—the moment of reckoning.
“Baby, I didn’t think you were getting back from your trip for a while. I’m so happy you decided to change your plans and head home early.” He grabs me by the back of my neck and kisses me in a friendly kiss. His tongue parts my lips, his hand massages my neck, and he moans softly against my lips. It’s a good kiss—a grateful kiss, but not an ‘I was worried you were kidnapped, murdered, or dropped off the face of the earth’ kiss.
“Yep, I missed you. Thought I’d come back early.”
Waylon pulls me tightly to him, until I’m pressed up against him. That’s when I get a whiff of him—a musky, sweaty scent. I scan him up and down and realize he’s in a T-shirt and gym shorts. He must have just worked out.
“We are going to have to celebrate later, though. How about Noda for dinner in three hours? I need to shower, and then I have a quick meeting. After that, I’m all yours.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.
My body melts at his proposal. I need to let off some steam, and fucking Waylon all night is just the way to do it.
Waylon notices my body’s reaction. He leans in and kisses me softly on the lips. The kiss is full of promise for tonight.
I want to protest and tell him I want him now, but a knock at the door interrupts my plea.
We both groan in annoyance at whoever is at the door, who interrupted our kiss.
“I really need to shower and get to my meeting. Soon, love,” Waylon says, and then he’s jogging down the hallway to the bathroom.
I turn to the door, hoping it’s just a delivery. If it’s Siren, I’m going to kill her.
I open the door.
Langston is standing in the hallway with a heavy scowl, dark eyes, and an evil grin twisted on his face.
“I told you to come find me,” he growls.
My stomach drops as he pushes his way into my apartment and back into my world in record time. There is no getting rid of him, not unless I kill him.
“Waylon is in the shower. You can’t stay.”
“Good. It’s time I find out the truth. If he’s here, you won’t be able to lie about the status of your marriage.”