18. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Xane
Kian’s looking like the cat that got the cream as he lounges in the co-pilot’s seat, wide smile on his lips. Whatever crazy fantasy he’s concocted for himself that revolves around this reporter, I hope it doesn’t break his heart too hard when she inevitably shows her true colors.
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” I admit.
“You’re not going to regret it. I promise.”
I already regret it, but I don’t tell him that.
The kid needs to learn for himself.
We all do crazy things when we’re too young and dumb to know any better.
It doesn’t matter if we’re given the best advice from people who’ve been through it all before.
Everyone needs to learn life’s lessons for themselves.
I just wish Kian was past the youthfully enthusiastic phase.
He’s only a few years younger than we are, but sometimes he acts more like he’s a teenager, jumping into everything with both feet, not looking to see where he’ll land.
There’s nothing I can say to him now.
He’s already planning a fucking wedding in his head.
The creak of the door opening is followed by Trick peeking into the cockpit.
“When’s take-off?” he asks, his expression a little tense as he brushes his vivid red hair back from his pale face.
I look at Ki. “Ask the co-pilot.”
“Uh …” Trick mutters. “What?”
“Don’t mind him, he skipped breakfast when his mood soured the milk.” Kian turns in his seat. “We’ll be on our way as soon as our special guest arrives.”
“Um, our what?” Trick asks, clearly confused.
“The reporter,” I tell him with a sigh. “Kian insisted on sending a limo to bring her here to fly out with us, instead of letting her take the commercial flight and meet us out there.”
“Well, it might be the last time we use the Chaos Flyer. We should make the most of it.”
“He’s not really gonna sell,” Trick murmurs. “Right, Xane?”
I shrug, because I don’t want to think about it, much less discuss it right now.
“Have you slipped Riley his night-night pill yet?” I ask instead.
“It’ll wear off too fast if he does it before Sapphire even gets here.” Kian shakes his head.
“Sapphire?” Trick asks.
“The reporter,” I explain.
“Why?” Kian asks, curious.
“It’s probably nothing,” Trick muses. “But that kinda sounds like an Omega’s name.”
I sit up straighter in my seat as I stare at Kian until he meets my gaze.
“You said nothing about this woman being an Omega …”
“Oh, come on. She’s a Beta!” he protests. “You really think an Omega would be working as a reporter in the middle of Cressidan City?”
“I said it was probably nothing,” Trick mutters, shrugging.
“When the hell is take-off?” Riley roars from his seat.
Trick shudders at the sudden invasion of sound.
Kian laughs as I shake my head.
“She should be here in ten!” Kian calls back at a less jarring volume.
“She who?” Riley counters, just as loud as before.
I rub my head. I knew today would be rough, but I didn’t think the nightmare would start this early. “Someone needs to go settle our nervous flyer before I lose my mind.”
Trick sighs. “Fine, I’ll go sit back down and let him know, but I take no responsibility if he decides to leave.”
“He’s not gonna leave,” Kian snorts.
Trick leaves us in the cockpit, and Kian’s leg starts to bounce as he sits back in his chair.
I can hear Trick mumbling to Riley that we’re waiting for the reporter’s arrival.
I go over the usual safety checks in my mind, but they’ve been done.
All we really need to do now is bring in the stairway and secure the door.
Too bad we’re still waiting on one last passenger.
We could already be moving if it wasn’t for her.
The next ten minutes are going to feel like a lifetime.