Chapter 29
Everett
The helicopter swept in over the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and I saw Denver situated on the flat plains, spread out along the Front Range. My gaze shifted north and snagged on the white, tent-like peaks of the airport, designed to mimic the mountains.
I glanced at Piper beside me. She’d been silent most of the way, her hands clenched together in her lap.
“It’s going to be okay. Your mom texted and your grandmother is awake and talking.”
Piper nodded woodenly. “I just… I’m worried.”
Of course she was. She worried about everything.
I was here to make sure she was okay.
The side benefit, I could get her away from Windward and Corvo. Hopefully while we were gone, Caden and the others could deal with him.
Moments later, we came in to land.
As I helped Piper out of the helicopter, I thanked the pilot, then turned to look at the sleek private jet parked nearby. Another man hurried past to get our bags and load them onto the jet.
As we walked toward it, Piper was unfazed. She was used to this. Flying on private jets and helicopters wasn’t new to her. I frowned. It was just another reminder that she didn’t belong in a small mountain town.
She hurried up the steps and ducked into the plane. I had a second to admire her ass in her skirt. She hadn’t taken the time to change before we left.
Wow. Large cream leather seats contrasted with dark, sleek wood. I should have known Ro’s jet would be pure class.
“Please get settled.” A smiling female flight attendant nodded at us. She wore a trim navy-blue dress, her blonde hair pulled back in a neat bun. “Once we’re airborne, I can get you some refreshments. It’ll be a two-hour flight to Chicago.”
“Thanks.” I sat in one of the plush leather seats beside Piper.
“You didn’t need to come. I’ll be fine.”
“Be quiet.” I settled back in the seat.
Her gaze met mine. Her blue eyes were sad, worried.
I slid an arm around her and pulled her close. When she leaned into me, I felt things loosen inside me. It made me feel like I’d won a damn prize to have a woman like Piper lean on me.
“Just switch off for a bit, okay?”
She nodded.
Soon we were in the air. I wasn’t surprised when she fell asleep, her head resting on my shoulder. I hadn’t let her get much sleep last night.
The flight attendant returned, and smiled at the sleeping Piper. “Can I get you something?”
“Coffee. Black. Thanks.”
Piper made a little noise and nuzzled my shoulder. She had no armor on right now. I looked at her lashes lying against her cheeks.
Fuck, I was falling in deep for this woman.
She was going to break my heart when she left.
Piper’s heels clicked rapidly on the floor as we hurried into the Good Samaritan Hospital.
“Big city.” I grabbed her arm. “Slow down, or you’ll break a leg and end up a patient in here yourself.”
We’d landed at a private terminal at Midway Airport. A car had been waiting for us. Piper had fidgeted the entire drive. I knew she was desperate to see her grandmother and mom.
She reluctantly slowed down.
“Breathe,” I ordered.
She shot me an annoyed look, but dragged in a breath. Then I tugged her close and kissed her. It took a moment, but I felt her muscles relax. I broke the kiss and took her hand in mine.
We checked at the nurses’ desk and found out which room Hazel Ellis was in.
Piper hurried to the door.
A woman in a chair beside the bed looked up. “Piper,” she cried, pushing to her feet.
“Mom.” Piper hugged her mother.
Although the woman was a couple of inches shorter than Piper, they looked the same. Staring at Penelope Ellis gave me a good idea of what Piper would look like in a few decades. With her long, silver-streaked blonde hair and good bone structure, she was still gorgeous.
“Doll, you didn’t have to come all this way,” a quieter voice said. It was a little frail, but I heard the thread of steel in it.
Piper turned to the small woman in the bed.
Hazel Ellis was tiny, but had the same high cheekbones as her daughter and granddaughter. Her hair was pure white and cut short around her wizened face.
“Of course I came, Gram. You had me worried.”
Piper leaned over the bed and carefully hugged her grandmother.
“I’m fine,” the older woman insisted.
Piper straightened. “You scared us. I…” Her voice turned watery.
“Oh, darling girl, you worry too much.” She lifted her wrinkled hand and patted Piper’s face. “I do love you.”
“I love you too, Gram.”
“Such a good girl.”
I shifted, and all three women turned their heads to look at me. They all had the same blue eyes.
Both her mother’s and grandmother’s eyes went wide.
“Oh my,” Penelope murmured.
“Now, who is this.” Hazel sat a little straighter in the bed.
I smiled. “I’m Everett Murray.” I glanced at Penelope. “We spoke on the phone.”
“You work with Piper.”
“Everett is the maintenance manager for the Langston Windward,” Piper told them.
“And you came with her,” Hazel said, a look in her eye.
“I wanted her to get here safely. Ro kindly provided his jet.”
Hazel tilted her head. “Are you from Windward?”
“Born and bred.”
The old woman smiled. “A solid, handsome mountain man.”
My smile widened, and I saw Piper roll her eyes to the ceiling.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Everett,” Penelope said. “Thanks for bringing, Piper.”
Her grandmother kept staring at me. “You work with power tools?”
“Sometimes.”
“Do you chop wood?”
“Occasionally.”
“With your shirt off?”
“Gram!” Piper said.
I chuckled.
“My heart had a flutter, doll, but I’m not dead.” Hazel’s shrewd, blue gaze swung back to me. “I’m glad you’re taking care of our girl, Everett. Now, can you all do something and spring me from this place. I want to go home.”