29. Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Xane
Isit in the pilot’s seat for a while after the engines are down, more than a little dazed over what I just did. It wasn’t a crash landing, at least, but I reported engine trouble over false co-ordinates before I killed the radio, and then I brought us down on the wrong side of the island.
This is so fucked.
Someone at the resort must have seen the jet before we landed.
They’ll send a boat to check on us, or something.
And then I’ll have to admit what I did.
Because anything else would sound crazy.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the engines, or anything else on the jet.
But there is most definitely something wrong with me.
Instinct took over once Kian made me see what would happen if we went to Golden Palms like we planned. The thought of Riley screwing up our chances with a fated mate was intolerable.
I allowed myself to fully trust that instinct.
It felt really fucking good.
And now …
Now I don’t know how the hell to feel.
This situation I’ve landed my pack in is insane.
Trick, Riley and … the reporter, they all think we’re stranded out here on a random uninhabited island. Only Kian and I know we’re less than fifty miles away from Golden Palms Resort.
And I’m supposed to pretend like we’re actually stuck here.
I don’t know if I can do that.
Lying doesn’t come easily to me.
I don’t like the thought of tricking anyone.
“Fuck,” I whisper, as I take off my headset and put it down.
When I close my eyes and clear my thoughts, I manage to relax, a little.
I’m gonna have to pretend like I’m doing shit to get the jet back into working order.
That’ll keep me out of everyone’s way.
I won’t have to lie, because I won’t have to speak to anyone.
Great. You have a plan.
The sound of someone stepping back onto the jet makes me open my eyes and get out of my seat. If it’s her, I can tell her I’m busy and close the door until she leaves.
It’s Trick. He nods at me in passing, heading to the seats.
“What’s happening out there?” I ask.
“Oh, uh, Riley went for a walk along the beach. Sapphire and Kian are standing in the shallows out there. It’s kinda nice, I guess. I mean, the weather’s good and whatever.”
He pulls his bag out from under his seat.
“You doing okay?”
He looks up and nods, but his eyes are unfocused.
“It’s kind of wild, but we’re used to that, right? At least we’ve got some real privacy out here.”
I bite back the urge to ask him if he felt the connection with her.
He takes a beach towel out of his bag.
“They’re gonna have wet feet, so …” he shrugs as he straightens up. “Are you coming out to see what it’s like? We might have to talk Riley out of deciding to stay here forever.”
I snort at the last part. “Uh, yeah. I’ll come speak to Riley before I start work on the jet.”
“Cool,” he murmurs, motioning to me to leave first.
The heat outside hits like a wall as I step out of the jet.
Suddenly my casual jeans and shirt combo feels excessive.
“I don’t remember Golden Palms being so fucking hot,” I admit as I head over to the pair of heels discarded on the ground. They have to be hers.
“Well, this isn’t Golden Sands,” Trick says, shrugging.
I kiss my teeth as I pick up the heels, holding them in one hand.
Barely out of the cockpit and I’m already blurting stupid shit.
I guess I’d better make this quick.
I don’t think I can keep my cool for too long in this heat.