24. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kian
Ican’t say I’ve ever found it easy to sit quietly for the time to be right to talk, but today there’s nothing else I can do but wait.
Xane has take-off procedures to follow. He needs to get us off the ground and into the air safely, and without any unnecessary distractions.
So, I stay stuck in the seat next to him, tapping my fingers against the armrests, while I wonder how easy it’s going to be to get him to agree to part two of my crazy plan.
Part one was easier than I’d expected.
Somehow, I doubt he’ll be so quick to accommodate the rest, and maybe it won’t matter.
Either way, we’ll get to spend time with the lovely Sapphire Faris.
That’s not going to change, no matter what we do.
I know that.
Still, I can’t help but worry.
Because I don’t need to be psychic to figure out that at least one of my pack brothers is gonna need a whole lot more than a few flirty moments to open his eyes while Sapphire tries to do the job she was sent to do.
Being around her isn’t going to be enough for Riley.
He’s attracted to most women and he’s not that fond of reporters in general, so he probably won’t pay attention to how she makes him feel, if he doesn’t just ignore it entirely.
That’s not even taking into consideration the other women who’ll be at Golden Sands, wandering around wearing next to nothing in Riley’s eyeline.
Xane sighs as he pushes his headset down.
He glances at me. “What is it?”
Sitting up straighter, I quit drumming out a beat on the armrests.
Now it’s just my heart that’s hammering against my ribcage.
“You get it now, right?”
“Get what?” he asks, obviously determined to be an asshole about it.
I glance back, making sure the cockpit door is still closed.
“Okay then, let’s pretend she’s only my true mate,” I start, feeling like it’s a lost cause.
He felt something when he met her, I know he did.
He’s acting like he didn’t, but he can’t hide from this forever.
“I’m not letting this go, Xane.”
“She’s a reporter, Ki. That makes her bad news. Why don’t you understand that?”
He’s frowning at me when I look back up at him.
“Is that seriously all you can think about?” I ask, shaking my head. “It’s not even true. She writes articles about beauty products and lifestyle trends for a living.”
“Fuck off, there’s no way they’d send someone with no experience …”
“I requested her by name when I pitched the idea to our sponsor. They own the magazine now, so they want the final say before the interview gets published. You know they have a vested interest in the band. Literally nothing you’re worrying about is going to happen here.”
He’s quiet while that information sinks in.
Seconds tick by, and I let out a breath while I wait for some kind of response.
Eventually, he gives me an oddly defeated look, before he asks, “How did you know?”
“How did I know?” I echo back, trying to understand what he’s asking me.
It takes a few seconds to realize he’s asking how I knew she was ours.
“You guys are always telling me I must be part Omega. I don’t know how I knew, I just did.”
I shrug because it’s the truth.
The way his expression twists, he doesn’t like my answer.
“This is crazy. True mates are … They’re fictional. Tell me you know that.”
His pleading tone makes my stomach hurt.
He doesn’t want her to be ours.
He’s literally begging me to tell him I didn’t feel our connection.
I can’t do that.
“No,” I protest, shaking my head. “We both felt it. Fated mates might be rare, but these connections are real, Xane. Nothing else explains this.”
He doesn’t look the slightest bit comfortable now.
I think that’s because he knows I’m right.
It doesn’t mean he can accept it.
Looks like that’s going to be a harder sell.
Damn.
There’s no way he’s going to say yes to the second part of the plan.
I’m going to have to rely on destiny to pull us together.
It will, and I know it will.
I’m just not sure how quickly it’ll happen if Xane and Riley are both so against the idea.
The thought of waiting weeks or months now that I know who she is …
It makes me want to march into the cabin and kiss her right now.
It’s not my place to make the first move, but if our lead Alpha’s not gonna do it …
My hands go to my seat belt.
“Stay,” Xane commands, like I’m a dog.
Usually, I do whatever he asks but considering how hard he’s ignoring his own feelings right now, I don’t see why I should have to listen to anything he’s saying.
“Why should I stay?” I ask, fully ready to go shoot my shot.
If I can’t convince him Sapphire’s ours, then I’ll make sure she knows it before this asshole can get the chance to chase her away.
Xane sighs, and the pause before he speaks is long enough to test my patience.
I undo the latch on my seat belt, and I’m moving forward, ready to get up, when he speaks.
“I think you’re right.”
It’s murmured so quietly, that for a second, I’m not sure it wasn’t an auditory hallucination.
“Uh, what?” I ask, slouching back into my seat. “Sorry. Can you repeat that, much, much louder than before?”
His frown deepens as he stares back at me.
I wait, raising my eyebrows instead of asking again.
He sighs deeply. “I said, you’re right.”
It’s through gritted teeth so it’s not a whole lot louder, but I definitely heard him that time.
“Huh,” I murmur. “I thought it would feel better to hear you say that.”
He shakes his head and turns back to his controls.
I’m not willing to sit here in silence for the next hour, but maybe I don’t need to go make a move on our mate just yet. It would be kind of forward. She seems shy, I think, so that probably isn’t the way to go.
I clear my throat. “Okay, so you understand then how important this vacation actually is …”
He cuts me off with a groan. “No, Ki. We’re not coming up with some crazy plan together. If this is fate … If we’re really supposed to be with her, it’ll happen.”
“Well, yeah, that’s how it should be,” I admit. “But there’s just one problem.”
Xane sighs. “Whatever it is …”
“Other women,” I blurt, adding, “and Riley.”
He closes his eyes for a few long seconds while I wait for that to sink in.
It’s definitely a problem, and he’s got to see that.
“Fuck,” he murmurs, as he opens his eyes.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what he’s gonna go out looking to do the second after we land.”
It’s what he always does, and we both know it.
“Fuck.” He runs a hand through his hair.
“It’s a problem, for sure, but don’t worry. I’ve got a solution.”