Ethans Fal (42 page)

I watch as he scoops out a tiny mound with his fingernail and roughly sniffs it into the back of his brain. He lets out a huge sigh and refocuses his attention on me. His eyes are wide and his smile is wider. “I wasn’t lying when I said my boss took an interest in you, more so, when I told him who you were. He likes the idea of having a ‘real lady’ as a slave. The fact that you can’t ever get pregnant, well that’s just a fucking bonus all around.” He barks out an evil laugh.

“No…not that…I don’t care what happens to me. I want to know why you did what you
did?
If you didn’t want us, why didn’t you just leave?” My voice catches and he takes a moment to look at me. His features soften then he closes his eyes.

“I did want you. I wanted everything and I would’ve waited to save to buy into the business. But then everything went to shit.” His voice hardens and his anger is rife with venom and unjustifiable hatred. “You couldn’t have any more children…you had a girl for fuck’s sake! It might’ve worked, only one child, if you had a boy maybe, but not with a girl.” His face is red with rage and his hands are clenched ready to punch something–me by the look in is heavily dilated pupils. “I knew your father would pay and clear everything up. I just didn’t care how. You ruined everything!” He is in my face shaking, high on whatever, with an unhealthy mix of adrenaline and fury.

“And giving me to your Uncle makes everything all right?” My pitched voice is distorted by the grip he has on my face. “You loved me, Cal, remember that? How can you do this to someone you once loved?”

“Love is a luxury I can’t afford, princess.” His contempt and distain obliterates any hope I have of kindling his memory of what we had. “Your sweet body will save my ass. You ruined everything back then, but now you get to make it right. You owe me.” He snarls, spit covering my face. He pinches my face and covers my mouth with his. My jaw drops slack and I squeeze my eyes tight. His psychotic delusions would sear my heart but I am dull to pain. How is it possible you can truly love someone and not know them at all? I feel my body shutting down, nerve by nerve, pulse beats and sensory preceptors, all slow and numb.

His tongue delves into my open mouth, growls with frustration, pulling my head this way and that, squeezing my jaw, painfully trying to get me to respond.

Finally, he pulls back with a dark scowl fixed on his face. “We have plenty of time to play before I hand you over, princess. If you try and hold back on me, like you just did, I will just have to give you something to make sure you can’t.” His eyes flick to the discarded plastic bag, still plump with powder. There is a crackle of sound and then a man’s voice over the speaker.

“I am sorry, Mr. Krasnov but I have to inform you we need to return to Newquay.” The line clicks and Cal storms to the small door at the front of the plane and he swings it wide. My whole body tenses.
Please don’t kill the pilot, Cal…that would be really stupid.
Then again I think, what would be worse, dying quickly and taking Cal with me, or being a sex slave to some arms dealer. I let out a stifled laugh tinged with hysteria. I’m going to die either way.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cal is shouting. The pilot lifts his earphone off one ear but remains calm despite the intrusion.

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Krasnov, but there is an issue with one of the fuel lines. I am sure we can get it sorted in no time, but I have to return now.” His eyes widen when they catch mine and I get the impression he didn’t know I was on the plane or that I looked like I do, which must be shocking: bloody, beaten, and half naked.

“Gatwick, what about Gatwick?” Cal’s agitation is a mix of the drugs, I’m sure, but also he always did hate a change of plan, unless it was his change of plan

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I have to return to the nearest available airstrip.” With that he flicks the earphone back on his head and I feel the plane bank sharp right. Cal stumbles back to his seat. He looks really pissed.

It feels like no time at all when the plane starts its steady decline and finally screeches to a halt on a darkened tarmac. The plane taxies toward the main building that is only illuminated by a few lights. I can’t see that anyone would be working this late. It is a really small airport. Cal unclips his belt and mine, and pulls me up. My arms are still tied and he wrenches me free from the chair almost dislocating my shoulders with his brutal force. Before I can gain purchase on the floor, he drags me along the narrow aisle. The small door at the rear of the plane is locked and he fumbles with the key. Once the door is open he throws me inside. I land in an awkward heap against the small bed.

“Not a fucking sound!” He slams the door. The keys jangle and I hear the dead bolt lock fall into place.

Patrick, to his credit has floored the car and we are racing down the winding coastal roads, thankful there is little to no traffic.

“Fuck!” I drop my phone in frustration. No fucking signal. The car phone rings and I look over to Patrick with curiosity and relief.

“Satellite phone.” Patrick hands me the handset from the centre console. “That will be Daniel.”

“You better have a good fucking excuse for leaving my wife alone in your apartment.” Daniel’s gruff voice is clipped with aggression.

“They’ve got Ada and she won’t answer my call. I fucked up, Daniel. I can’t lose her.” I swallow the lump and can feel my very real panic start to rise and claw at my chest.

“Who’s got Ada?” His voice has switched from angry to calm concern.

“Patrick says the licence plates were Czech, so I’m assuming it has something to do with that piece of shit you didn’t let me finish off the other night or his uncle.” We take a sharp turn off the main road and follow a sign posted to the airport. The red blinking dot has stopped. I assume it is Ada although how she has a tracker I don’t know…wait yes I do, she borrowed Bethany’s clutch.

“It’s unlikely it’s his uncle. He flew out of the City this morning, which also means Cal doesn’t have the family plane. Are they headed for the airport or are they heading inland? I can call ahead and get a road block set up if they are heading back to London by car.” Daniel offers. Never again will I mock his overprotective, borderline stalker nature.

“No, they are at the airport now. Shit…faster Patrick, I can’t lose her.” The car swerves and the pressure of the G-force on the turns is evidence enough that Patrick is doing everything in his power to get us there before that plane takes off. We screech into the almost empty car park. The airport is deserted and I think my heart just stops beating. I leap from the car and run to the main entrance.

It is a small airport which completely shuts down at night and now it looks like everyone has left; no lights, no plane, and no Ada. The blacked out Range Rover has been abandoned by the side of the main doors and I guess that is where Bethany’s clutch is, as the tracker dot is still blinking away on the screen in Daniel’s car. Patrick stands back as I let out an almighty roar of utter pain and devastation. No…no….no! Fuck no! I run my hands through my hair and try to think. Daniel has a plane but how do I know where they are heading? I need details, I need flight plans, and I need them now. I turn when I hear some keys jangle.

“Hey, Ethan, what are you doing here?” Clinton Woods is standing by the exit, locking up for the evening, dressed in his air traffic controller outfit. I’m used to seeing him in a wetsuit. I let out an incredulous breath and stilted laugh. I am so fucking happy to see him, I shock the shit out of him by pulling him into a manly hug.

“So fucking happy to see you, man.” Clinton stiffens and furrows his brow with confusion. “That plane that just took off. I need you to get it back.” He sniffs out a laugh but stops when he sees my expression darken with deadly seriousness. “The man on board has kidnapped my girlfriend and is very likely going to kill her, or worse. So unlock the fucking door and call that plane back!” He swallows thickly and starts to fumble with the keys. “Please.” I add and he nods sharply. Clinton moves with impressive efficiency and only moments later he is calling up the pilot. He grins at me when he shows me the name on his flight docket information sheet. Small fucking world, another surf buddy, Jim-Bob, or James Robertson, charter pilot, and now life saver. For the first time in the longest night of my life, I take my first real breath. I close my eyes and picture my world…crystal blue eyes searing my soul. Tonight I’m getting my girl back and tonight is the start of forever.

I try to shuffle to stand but the space and angle I am lying in makes it really difficult. I can hear voices, quiet at first then all Hell breaks loose. Bright blue flashing lights, sirens, and shouting. I can feel movement and the door handle shakes aggressively. My heart is racing and I can’t breathe. I know what’s coming through that door couldn’t possibly be as bad as the monster who just left, but it could be someone
just as bad
. The door bursts open, shrapnel from the broken lock flies across the small room but I can’t look, I have my head tucked to my chest curled up as much as my tied arms will allow.

“Fuck!” Ethan’s voice, then his hands rapidly covering my body, his arms embracing me. He cuts my ties, pulls the cover off the bed, and wraps it around my trembling body. He scoops me in his arms and holds me so tight, not moving, just holding me. His lips kiss my hair. “Angel, I’ve got you…Shhh.” He draws in a deep breath and lifts me up a little higher, grips a little tighter.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything.” He looks devastated at my apology.

“Fuck, angel…I’m sorry I didn’t give you the time to. I just wanted everything from you…wanted you to be mine completely…I didn’t trust myself to give you time. I never believed the things Guy told me, I just saw that you still didn’t trust me. I’m sorry I pushed…you take all the time you need. I’m going nowhere and neither are you.” He tucks me against his chest and backs out of the doorway.

There are police in the main part of the plane, an array of weapons from some large carry-on case, and a springer spaniel sniffer dog going mental. Ethan strides past them, down the stairs, and carries me straight into the back of Daniel’s town car. Patrick is talking to the police. Cal is bent double over the back of an unmarked car, his face distorted with pain as he fights the tight plastic restraints securing his arms behind his back. Not quite the payback he deserves, but it’s a start. Kidnapping, drugs, illegal fire arms, and pissing off his uncle will finish that particular debt.

We arrive home and I realise I slept the entire way, only an hour but I was dead to the world, wrapped in Ethan’s protective arms. He carries me up the stairs and leaves me only for a short time to sit on his bed while he runs a deep bubble bath. He uses a soft hand towel to wash the blood away from my face, neck, and breasts, before he picks me up and lowers us both into the heavenly water. Oh, God, that feels good. His strong hands reverently skim my skin, moving silky bubbles as they go.

“How did you find me?” I rest my head back. I feel exhausted but I have so much to say, I know I won’t rest until it is all out.

“Daniel.” Ethan chuckles. I tilt my head and frown. “Daniel has trackers in quite a few of Bethany’s things…one of which was the clutch she lent you. I never thought I would be so fucking grateful he is OCD when it comes to Bethany’s safety.” He scoops some water into my hair and continues until it is completely soaked. Taking the shampoo he starts to massage my scalp with soapy suds. I wince at the firmness of his touch, he freezes and adjusts the pressure. “The tracker stopped moving at the airport and I called in some favours. I happen to know the air traffic controller and the charter pilot–both are surfing buddies. He happened to take this last minute job. If Cal had used his Uncle’s plane and pilot I would never have…” I hear is voice hitch and his struggle to swallow. I shift around and cup is stubbled jaw. His eyes hold mine, warm with relief and shared understanding. Yeah, there’re a lot of
if
paths I don’t want to go down.

“Don’t.” I tell him softly, but his jaw is tight and I can feel the tension in his body.

“If I hadn’t said those things…if you… you hadn’t heard–”