3. Ember

3

EMBER

T he city passes by in a blur as I stare numbly out the window. My father has been on a call since we left the house. I’ve managed to stop crying, but now I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep. And I’m dying to snuggle Spike. I can’t pull him out in front of my dad and his guards, though. I can’t handle hearing my father tell me I need to grow up. Not again, at least.

I hesitated to pack Spike at all, but I couldn’t leave him. I just couldn’t. He’s my best friend. The poor guy probably can’t breathe being stuffed in there. I’ll have to give him CPR. Thank goodness dragons have nine lives.

What if this bodyguard is mean? Where is he going to take me? Is my life truly at risk? Why would anyone want to come after me? I have nothing to do with politics or my father’s career. I think most people forget he has a daughter because of how few times I’ve ever been seen with him in public.

As soon as the SUV comes to a stop, I blink several times to get my eyes to focus. I hadn’t noticed where we were going. Why does it matter? I don’t seem to get a say in any of this anyway.

Oh my God. Why are we at an airport?

I shake my head, my body trembling at the same time. This is not happening.

“Dad,” I whimper.

“Ember, it’s fine.”

“No. No. I don’t like planes.”

He shoots me a look of annoyance and pulls his phone away from his ear. “You don’t have a choice. It’s a perfectly safe private jet.”

My eyes burn with tears. This can’t be happening. It’s been nearly two decades since I’ve flown, and I planned never to get on one of these death traps again. I squeeze my hands together, the urge to have a meltdown simmering just below the surface.

One of the security detail opens my door and steps to the side so I can climb out. There’s no way in hell I’m getting out of this car. My entire body is frozen as I stare at the enormous, shiny, white airplane with the steps lowered. My heart races. It’s getting harder to breathe.

“Ember.” He’s using his disappointed voice, the one that always guts me and makes me feel like a terrible daughter. It won’t work this time.

I turn to him, my bottom lip quivering. “I don’t want to go on a plane.”

Ignoring me, he presses on my seatbelt release and then gets out of the car. When he comes to my side, he and the security detail look at me expectantly.

“What’s the problem here?” The deep voice comes out of nowhere, sending a shiver down my spine.

Both of them turn to face the man who’s approaching. My gaze travels between them. When my eyes land on the stranger, I gasp. I’m not sure if he’s as tall as he appears or if it’s all his muscles that make him look huge, but the man is imposing to say the least.

“You must be Cage?” My father tilts his head back to look at him.

He nods and holds out his hand. “Cage Black.”

This is my bodyguard? Why is he dressed like he’s about to go into combat?

“Zeke Griffin,” my father replies as they shake hands. “This is my daughter Ember.”

I can’t take a breath as Cage’s gaze moves to me. Heat creeps up my body. Wow. He’s intense. Those eyes look like they know too much. There’s no way I’m going with this man.

Unable to hold his stare, I look away and cross my arms over my chest. It’s a double-no for me.

Plane.

Nope.

Scary dude.

Nope.

“Ember,” my father hisses.

“No,” I answer between clenched teeth. “I’m not going.”

“This isn’t an option. It’s not safe for you here. You’re going with him.”

“No. I’m not getting on that plane.”

“What’s wrong with my plane?” Cage asks, his eyebrows drawn together in disbelief as he looks back at it. Is he seriously offended because I don’t want to go with him? “It’s the safest plane on the market. I’ve inspected it myself.”

My head snaps toward him. “Planes aren’t safe. I’m not going.”

The men all look at each other for a moment as if none of them are sure what to do.

“I was told there are no limits to keeping her safe.” Cage turns his attention to my father for a second. “She’s in my care now?”

“Yes. She’s all yours,” he replies.

Cage smirks and takes a step between my father and his security detail. “Great. Excuse me, gentlemen.”

The next thing I know, Cage reaches into the car and plucks me off the seat with ease before tossing me over his shoulder like a bag of freaking potatoes. Then he grabs my bag, slinging it over his other shoulder, and heads toward the plane.

“You know how to get in touch,” he calls out, giving a quick wave with his free hand as he starts up the steps.

“Let me down!” I scream as I pound on his back.

“I’ll let you down in a minute. Just take a breath and stop kicking me.”

I don’t stop flailing. I’m not going to make this easy on him.

“You’re kidnapping me! What kind of person kidnaps a woman?”

“Not kidnapping you, firefly.”

“I don’t want to go!” I squeal.

He chuckles. Actually freaking laughs at me. Jerk.

“It’s cute that you think you get a choice, firefly.”

I pound on his back some more, though it probably feels more like a massage to him; he’s so dang big and muscular.

He’s not even winded. Why is he in such good shape? It’s not fair.

When he flips me into a plush leather seat, he grins and holds onto the armrests, blocking me in. “There ya’ go. Nice and comfy. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asks, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Snarling at him, I reach out and pinch his forearm, twisting as hard as I can. He doesn’t flinch.

“Keep doing that, firefly, and you might be flying with a hot ass.”

I gasp and let go of him, biting back a slew of insults. Who does he think he is?

He looks so pleased with himself as he takes a step back before I can kick him right in the balls. It’s not fair that he’s so good-looking because he’s a real asshole. As soon as I get off this death trap, I hope it does crash.

I’m halfway up when I realize the plane is already moving. Oh, God. Dropping down again, I grab the safety belt and fasten it, tightening it as hard as I can while Cage walks around the cabin like nothing is happening. Doesn’t he know he’s about to die? That we’re going to die in a minute?

“Ready for takeoff, Mr. Black,” one of the captains calls from the cockpit.

“Thanks.” Cage casually sits across from me. He doesn’t buckle up. Even though I hate him, I don’t actually want him to die.

“You’re supposed to fasten your safety belt,” I say in a small voice.

He looks at me, his eyes dark and studying. “You don’t like flying.”

I stare at him, unblinking. Is he an idiot? Was it not completely obvious to him?

My irritation quickly disappears, replaced with cold-hard, sweat-induced fear as the plane picks up speed on the runway. I grip the armrests of my seat so hard that my knuckles turn white as I wait for the moment this tuna can drops to the ground after lift-off.

“Ember.” His voice is deep yet gentle, bringing me out of the spiral of panic I’m tumbling down.

When I look at him, he isn’t smiling anymore. No, he looks concerned. And maybe even a little regretful.

He leans forward and stares at me like he’s trying to figure me out. “Why don’t you like flying?”

I blink as sadness takes hold of my heart and squeezes so tightly that it actually hurts. Bringing my hand up near my chin, I rub my thumb just below my lip. “My mom died in a helicopter crash when I was five.”

Almost as if I’ve slapped him, he sits back abruptly. “Fuck.”

That’s it. He doesn’t say anything else.

After a few minutes, when the pilots let him know that we’re no longer climbing altitude, he gets up and heads to the front of the plane, returning a moment later. “Here, this might help with your anxiety.” He lowers a warm blanket over me, and almost instantly, my panic eases.

Okay, that was nice of him. Maybe he’s not the worst person in the world. Maybe this time away, wherever we’re going, won’t be so bad.

Unfortunately, that comfort only lasts about twenty minutes until one of the pilots announces over the intercom, “Mr. Black, we have a plane following our tail.”