Chapter 5
Mario
I gritted my teeth as each small imperfection in the runway jarred through the wheels, up the structure of the plane, and into my ribs. The seat’s belt dug into the pressure bandage I’d applied.
Allie stared out the window at the city we escaped. “I hope Ellie makes her flight.”
“Is your sister impaired?” The pain made me less than eloquent.
Allie huffed out a laugh. “No, I just worry is all.”
Ah. I knew that temptation. Without me, Ringo would be lost. Good.
And right as the wheels lifted into the air, an especially hard jolt raked the bandage across my wound and I wished him all the ill travels possible.
Then the acceleration pressed me back against the seat, and I had to forget about anything but trying not to voice the pain out loud.
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth to bear it.
Once the jet leveled off, Allie disappeared into the back.
She reemerged dressed in a pale honey-colored cotton T-shirt and lightweight dark pants that hugged her subtle curves.
Her hair was still up, but in a sedate ponytail rather than the half-fallen updo the planner had created.
This was the real woman peeking out. She was pleasing to the eye.
Allie had long legs, a narrow waist, and an athletic build.
The wedding dress she wore earlier gave the illusion she was much more well-endowed on top than the reality.
But I liked the real her much better than fantasy.
She wasn’t wearing a bra.
I tried not to stare.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
I’d kept our copy of the paperwork we signed at the wedding center. In plain language, we’d been duped by the Justice of the Peace. He’d made it sound like we were signing the venue contract for the limousine service. In reality, it was a marriage license…a very legal marriage license.
I couldn’t marry Dianora now. With that mistake, I was destined to die much sooner than I planned.
Somehow, that didn’t register emotionally.
Yes, of course I was disappointed I no longer had an easy option to stay alive, but unlike most, I thrived when challenged.
This was more than that, however. It was a battle for my life.
Anticipation would be closer to an accurate way to describe what I was feeling.
I had a challenge and a beautiful wife. One who presented as amenable, kind… soft.
Those thoughts weren’t appropriate. Perhaps I was tired. It was well after midnight. Flying eastward, we’d cross…was it six or seven time zones? My brain was foggy with pain.
“I must be tired.”
Allie heard my complaint and leaned across the aisle. She placed a hand on mine. “Are you okay?”
No. My wound throbbed, was warm, and the blood loss was making me weak. The plans I’d made to survive were in tatters. And my best friend not only stabbed me, but watched me flush my life down the toilet by marrying the wrong woman, and he didn’t say one word.
Wait. He did speak. He dared me to sabotage myself. Idiot. He’d signed his own death warrant, too. Unless he succeeded in killing me.
Instead of answering her, I handed the paper to Allie. “Read this, please?”
Her brows furrowed for a moment, but she took the page from my hand. Her hands were narrowly delicate in build, but not pampered. I longed to trace my fingers down the length of each finger to discover their nuances.
She read in silence for all of a minute. Then, returned her attention to the top of the page where it clearly stated the intent of the contract.
“This can’t be right.”
Nothing had gone correctly in a week. At this point, I was immune to the shock. Allie, however was not.
“We’re married?”
“Say it louder so the staff can hear your disgust.” I shot her a warning with my eyes. But the staff were already whispering.
A range of emotions flickered across her face. Defiance, anger, fright, and then something cautious settled into the line of her tight lips.
“We can get it annulled,” she said softly.
We could. But I’d had at least ten minutes or more to create contingency plans. And once those took shape, I figured I could use this complication to my advantage. “We could. If we were in Las Vegas. Here, we can’t. And when we land it will not be easy.”
The stewardess brought Allie a glass of champagne. Its mate was on the tray she balanced.
I waved her off. “Water.”
As the stewardess retreated, Allie frowned and stared at her glass. “I don’t feel like celebrating now.” She set the glass on the ledge near the window.
There was a little table hidden in a pocket under where she set the glass.
I pressed the latch for mine and pulled it out, being certain she watched how it was done.
She picked up the glass, sipped off a small portion and then mimicked my motions.
Once her glass was on safer ground, and the cabin staff returned to the front of the plane, I leaned back to press my palm over the worst of the pain.
She probably hated me for tempting her along on this trip.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” I lied.
She studied me, taking one more sip before grimacing and setting the glass down again.
“You wouldn’t know this, but I used to volunteer for a mobile veterinary service in northern Illinois.
One of the farms had an old dog named Charlie.
He hid a limp from his owner so well, his regular vet didn’t even notice it.
But I was new and saw the way Charlie couldn’t walk in a straight line.
He’d compensate for it by taking two steps sideways before moving.
His owner thought it was just something the dog did because he was getting old. ”
I set my hand on my knee, determined not to show any more weakness.
Her eyes followed the motion. The frown on her face tightened.
“After finishing with the horse I’d been called out for, I asked if I could pet Charlie. The man warned me he bit folks who’d get too close.” Her expression twisted into a question, but it didn’t beg for an answer.
I speculated instead. “Let me guess, the dog was in pain.”
“That’s right.”
She let the silence fill the air around us. I should use it to admit my secret. But I didn’t.
Once she’d let enough time pass, she continued. “I took my time. He had a broken rib that was almost healed, but that poor thing had suffered so long, he…” she trailed off, obviously broken-hearted over the poor animal’s pain.
Was I wrong about her? “How’d you get Charlie to trust you?”
The corner of her mouth went up. Then she picked up her glass and slipped out of her seat to kneel on the floor between us. “I sat like this and waited for him to approach.”
This close, I caught the scent of the perfume she wore. I’d captured notes of it before. The first time was when I bumped into her before I stole her ride. It distracted me then, now it tempted me to touch her.
“That’s all?”
A shoulder went up. “Animals can’t talk, and despite what some people think, they don’t really understand words. However, they do understand body language. I showed Charlie I’m not a threat. That’s how I was able to help him.”
She took a sip of her champagne. Her eyes darted to mine.
I motioned for her to hand me her glass. The tart flavor burst on my tongue.
There was over half of the glass remaining. I passed it back to her. And opened my water.
She stared at it for a moment and lifted it slightly. “Here’s to our marriage?”
Her throat was fascinating to watch as she swallowed. She stared at the carpet for a moment, then looked up at me and smiled.
The glass in her hand was offered gently. Instead of forcing it into my space, she held it within hers.
That old dog hadn’t had a chance against her wiles. I unbuckled and shifted forward so I wouldn’t have to bend against my wound as I took the glass from her hand. “To my beautiful and smart wife. May she always think of me kindly, even if I don’t deserve it.”
She wouldn’t understand my toast because I spoke in my grandfather’s tongue. He was born in Gallura on Sardinia. The dialect he’d been born to was spoken centuries before the modern Italian.
I only used it around him and the immediate family there. Or, if I needed to keep my own secrets.
When I completed my toast, I emptied the glass. The stewardess offered a refill, but I refused. “We’re ready to retire. Please?” I motioned for her to prepare the back suite.
She did as asked.
Allie leaned a bit to observe the activity at the back of the cabin. “One bed…”
I took that moment to brush her cheek.
Trust went both ways.
“I won’t pressure you.” Not that I would. Nor could in my condition.
Her lips parted as my fingers paused at her jawline.
This time, I did lean in, ignoring the sharp bite of pain.
Her eyes were a mixed canvas of green and brown and blue.
There was no reason to it, just chaos that started as a pale earthy green then spread into a kaleidoscope of colors before the deeply-colored edges shifted from almost brown to deep blue in the light.
I wanted to kiss her again. My carnal desires for her tempted me to turn against my code and just take her for my own.
“The suite is ready.”
I acknowledged the stewardess’s interruption. Carefully, I stood and offered Allie a hand to help her stand.
She put her hand in mine, but stood without putting weight on me by using her free arm for leverage. Even without speaking, I’d given my secrets away.
It was a relief to slide the bulkhead privacy door closed. My shoulders dipped as the stress of the day lessened. For the moment, I was as safe as I could be.
“Let’s see where you’re hurt.”
I looked over my shoulder at Allie.
She motioned to my side.
“It is nothing.”
Instead of arguing with me, she went through the lavatory to the luggage storage behind it. When she returned, she carried a garment bag. It wasn’t the clear one with the wedding dress in it.
It was the other dress. The one that made her appear naked. Despite the fatigue and the wound, my cock hardened from the memory of her in it.