Chapter 18
Ysabel reluctantly let go of Heath”s hand at the bottom of the steps leading to the private jet. “You’ll be exceptionally careful, yes?” She touched his cheek. The warmth and roughness of his stubble against her fingertips felt as familiar as the press of the strings against the neck of her violin. She loved both sensations, but nothing would ever equal the way she felt about Heath. If anyone asked her to decide between him and her music, she would gladly give up her violin for the rest of her life.
“That’s a promise. As soon as I’m done here, I’ll come for you.” His hands landed on her hips. “Val and Smith are good people. You’ll be safe with them.” He leaned down and took her lips with a kiss that reached her soul and claimed her for eternity. When he pulled away, he stared down at her. “I love you.”
“I’ll never doubt it.” She toed up and kissed him briefly. “You are my life.” She stared at him. “My love for you is forever.”
“Guys, I’m really sorry to break up the farewell, but someone needs to sit down,” Val said from behind Heath. She spun and glanced at Smith. The big guy was pale.
“Damn, need help?” Heath reached for Smith.
Smith straightened a bit, wincing as he did. “I can climb a flight of stairs.”
“You can catch him when he falls backward,” Val said, motioning Heath after her husband. She glanced at Ysabel’s violin case. “Whatcha got there?” She pointed at the case.
“My Stratovarius.” Ysabel lifted it a bit.
“You play?” Val looked from her to Heath and Smith, who were halfway up the stairs.
“A little.” Ysabel smiled.
“She’s the best in the world,” Heath said with his hand on Smith’s back. “Steady there, big guy. I don’t want to become a tarmac pancake.”
“Fuck you,” Smith retorted breathlessly.
“See, I told you he wasn’t feeling well.” Val looked at Ysabel. “He rarely cusses in front of a lady.”
Smith stopped at the top of the stairs and turned carefully. “My apologies.” He nodded before Heath encouraged him into the cabin.
“Should he be traveling?” Ysabel walked to the stairs with Val.
“Oh, he’ll be okay. Like all men, he just thinks he’s invincible.” They started up the stairs together. “Guardian wouldn’t risk his health. The doctor is going back to the States with us because he’s being reassigned. Most of our medical providers rotate in and out of countries. They get to travel and see the world, and we get the best medical care available.”
Ysabel placed her violin and purse by one of the large chairs. “Guardian is that big?”
“Honey, Guardian is global.” Val laughed. “Go say goodbye to your fiancé, and I’ll get Smith settled before the doctor gets here.” Val headed to the back of the plane.
Ysabel smiled at Heath as he approached. “I wasn’t planning on coming on the aircraft. I guess we get another goodbye kiss.” He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down.
Ysabel molded into his firm body. She wanted to memorize everything about the moment. His smell, his taste, the feel of his body against hers. He lifted away too soon, but then again, forever wasn’t enough time with him. “I’ll come for you as soon as I’m done.”
She nodded. “Until then, my love.”
“Until then.” He moved away, releasing her hand only when he was too far away to keep a grip. It was his way, and it was an action that showed her over and over again how much he loved her.
Heath moved to the side, and another man and a pilot entered the aircraft. “Hey, Doc. Long time.”
“H. No stitches needed today?”
“Nah, I’m good. Enjoy the flight.” He winked at Ysabel, then jogged down the stairs.
The doctor nodded at her and went to the back of the aircraft. The pilot extended his hand to her. “The name’s Mackenzie, but you can call me Mack. I’m your pilot for the trip. My copilot is finishing the preflight, and then we’ll be going. If there’s anything we can do for you during the flight, just let us know. Back there’s the galley. It’s self-serve and completely stocked. You’ll need to be seated and belted in during take-off and landing. The chairs are equipped with a shoulder and lap harness and flotation devices are in a compartment under the chair. You won’t need them, but regulations say I have to tell you where they are. The others have flown with us so many times they know the drill.”
Ysabel nodded. “My violin?”
“Yeah, it should be stowed, but that looks like an expensive case. You can strap it in the chair over here.” He pointed to a smaller chair beside the table.
“Thank you.” She moved over and strapped in her case. By the time she was done, both the doctor and Val were back.
“He’s a stubborn man.” The doctor sat down and strapped himself in. “But most of the Guardians I’ve met are.” The doctor looked over to her. “I’m Zeb Frazier.”
“Ysabel Archambeau,” she introduced herself. “Is Smith okay?”
“He will be. He’s pushing too hard.”
“He’s not a fan of admitting any weakness,” Val said with a shrug as the doctor made a noise of agreement.
The copilot came in, raised the steps, and closed the door behind him. He rubbed his hands together as he walked to the flight deck. “We’ll be taxiing in just a minute.” He motioned to Ysabel. “Please strap in.”
“Oh, sorry.” It took only a few seconds for her to sit down and strap in. The engines whined shortly thereafter, and they were off the ground faster than she expected.
After they leveled and the seat belt sign was extinguished, Val was out of her seat. “He’ll be up and out of that bed … See? You can’t keep him down.”
The doctor rolled his eyes and grabbed a paperback out of his briefcase. “I’ll be here when the stitches start to bleed.”
Val made a face and then turned to her. “Come on back and visit with us.” Ysabel glanced at the couch where Smith was now sitting. She unbuckled and followed Val back to the small seating area.
“Why didn’t you sit in the seats for takeoff?” Ysabel asked Smith.
“Surgical incision. The chest harness would have caused discomfort. How are you doing? I understand the morning was … eventful.”
Ysabel drew a deep breath. “Very. Heath handled everything, and Con kept me from running into the front room to try to help him. When I saw what he was capable of … I’ve made so many mistakes.”
Smith and Val exchanged a look. “H isn’t one of those mistakes,” Val said defensively.
Her eyes snapped to Val so quickly it almost hurt. “No, he isn’t. The mistakes were telling him I didn’t love him and forcing him away from me when I was in trouble. He could’ve prevented all this from happening. I should have trusted my instincts, but I let my father convince me I was protecting him.” Ysabel shook her head. “If I’d only known.”
Val leaned forward. “You weren’t supposed to know. No one is. What we do is highly classified. When we get to the States, you’ll meet the rest of our team. They do the same type of things as we do, in different areas and with different skill sets, but no one will ever mention work. We get together, have fun, celebrate, and sometimes, we mourn, but we never talk about the job.”
Ysabel stared at her. “If that was a warning, I understand. What happened this morning opened my eyes, and I assume I know what the job entails.” She looked down for a moment before leaning forward on her elbows and staring at Val. “I watched the man I love fight for his life and mine. What he did was necessary. I don’t know you or the others, but I know Heath. He’d never do anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary. I know his heart. He’s a good man.” She pressed her hand over her heart. “His job, as far as I’m aware, is a consultant for a global company. He’s a troubleshooter for management issues. Are you suggesting there’s some other job he does?”
Val smiled and leaned back into her husband’s side. “Nope. I think you’ve got the job description down.”
Smith smiled at her. “I understand you’ve found out your biological father is Abrasha Molchalin.”
Ysabel flopped back into her chair. “That’s what I’m told.” She shook her head. “My supposed sister was at the apartment this morning. I don’t think I want to be associated with that bloodline.”
Smith looked at Val, who put her hand on his leg and nodded. “I believe I understand your sentiment and distaste.”
Ysabel shook her head. “I don’t know if you could. From what I’ve gathered, both of them, Abrasha and Nadia, are criminals.”
Smith waited until she looked at him again. “Abrasha is my father, or so we believe.”
Ysabel blinked and looked from Val, who was nodding, back to the massive man in front of her. “Then … we’re related?”
“Supposedly,” he admitted. “We’ve been unable to validate it. No one has Abrasha’s DNA.”
Ysabel pointed to herself. “But I do. If what you say is true, we should share DNA, right?”
Smith nodded. “Yes.”
“Then we’ll take a test. If we have the same father, it should be evident.” Ysabel looked at the man who could be her brother. He’d given her the shirt off his back, was shot trying to help her, and worked for an organization she’d come to respect. “You, I’d be honored to be related to.”
Smith smiled again. That time, it was a beaming smile that transformed his face. “And I you.”
“Your mother? She couldn’t tell you anything about him?”
Smith looked up at the ceiling of the aircraft. “That’s a story for when I’m feeling a bit better. Suffice to say my parents were and still are …”
“Troglodytes and assholes,” Val supplied.
Smith chuffed out a laugh. “That.”
“Tell me about the violin,” Val said. “I’ve always wanted to play an instrument, but I’m tone-deaf.”
Ysabel laughed. “You’re not.”
Smith’s eyes shot up. He looked at his wife and then back at her. “She is.”
“Hey!” Val leaned away from him. “You’re not supposed to agree.”
“I love when you sing in the shower or in the car or when you’re happy.” Smith smiled at her. “But you can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”
Val stared at her husband and narrowed her eyes at him before bursting into laughter. “I’d be mad at you if it weren’t true.” She glanced over at Ysabel. “How long have you played?”
“As long as I can remember. My nanny gave me a child’s violin when I was four. She played and gave me lessons. When I was five, she suggested to my father he embrace my talent and hire teachers for me. I outgrew the instructors who could be brought to my boarding school, so my father arranged for me to go to Juilliard when I was old enough. Since a high school degree wasn’t necessary to attend, they base admissions on talent only; I lived in the United States for four years with a host family my father paid.”
“H said you were the best in the world,” Smith said.
“I’m not. I’m good, and I love music, but there are others who far eclipse my mastery.” She smiled at them. “I think Heath may be a bit biased.” She cocked her head and then asked, “Why do you call him H?”
“Ah, that’s just a work thing. Several of our coworkers have weird names they go by. Ice, Malice, and Flack. Names they got during training that we’ve always called them.” Val chuckled. “Wives are not required to call them by their nicknames.”
“How long have you worked together?” Ysabel wanted to know more about Heath.
“Wow.” Val’s brow furrowed. “It seems like forever. Training took years. Then we were put in the field. Anyway, we’ve been friends forever. Harbinger is a wonderful person. When he gets back to the States, we’re going to have to help him find a house near the rest of us in Virginia. I can’t wait to show you our house. Smith remodeled it for me into a little piece of heaven.”
“Close to shopping and far enough away from everybody who needs to call before they come over.” Smith smiled. “Those were the two requirements I had to fulfill.”
“And you did it.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. Pulling back, she put her hand on his brow. “You’re warm.”
“I’m ready to rest for a bit.” Smith nodded. “I don’t need the doctor, but I do know my limits.”
“Wait.” Val twisted and pointed at Ysabel. “You heard that, right? He admitted he has limits.”
Ysabel nodded. “I heard it.”
With Val’s help, Smith carefully stood up and went to the back of the plane. Ysabel went back to the front and unstrapped her violin. “Would it bother you if I played?” she asked the doctor.
He glanced up at her and blinked. “No, not at all. I’d enjoy it … unless you’re going to play square dance music. ‘Turkey in the Straw’ is not my favorite.”
She laughed. “No, I was thinking Paganini or perhaps Bach.”
The doctor smiled. “Please, I’d be honored.”
Ysabel took out her Stradivarius and her E. Sartory original bow. She carefully inspected it, tightened it, and rosined the hair. Once again, she listened carefully to the notes as she plucked the strings and tightened or loosened the pegs as needed before she tucked the violin and drew the bow across the strings.
She closed her eyes and played the music in her soul. The songs moved from one to another. Her fingers danced along the strings as she drew her bow, forming the tones that delivered her to another place. For her, playing wasn’t about the mechanics. It was about the heart. The leap from knowing the notes to hit to delivering a rhapsody of emotion and love was one she willingly took. Besides being in Heath’s arms, this metamorphosis, emboldened by the works of the masters, was the only other place she felt so alive and complete.
When she ended her last song, she opened her eyes. The doctor, Smith, Val, and the pilot named Mack were situated around her.
“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” Val had tears in her eyes. “H was right. You are the best in the world.”
Ysabel smiled as she lowered her violin. “Thank you, but there are better.”
“You couldn’t prove it by me,” the pilot said, getting up. “Thank you for that. It was amazing.”
“That was not ‘Turkey in the Straw’,” the doctor said.
Ysabel laughed. “I could play it for you.”
“God, no.” The doctor laughed.
“I thought you were going to rest.” Ysabel looked at Smith, who was reclining on the couch. “Did I bother you?”
He shook his head. “The music was wonderful. I rested here where I could hear you. Thank you.”
Ysabel could feel herself blushing. “It’s been a while since I could play.” Time where she wondered if she’d ever be able to play again. But both of her loves were restored to her. Heath and her music. There was nothing else she could ask for.