Page 34 of Under a Wicked Moon
She could survive days without eating.
Flynn might be attractive in a way that signaled an easy time with lots of thrills, and the full moon might still be high in the sky, but nothing about him stirred her interest. Not even a tingle. In fact, no one sparked much—or no one had until Ky got thrown into her cell. Something about Ky…Your core will throb harder than this before I give it to you hard and deep. And then I’ll do it again.
The kiss had been a revelation. Her heart wobbled, and her whole body stilled. If she counted every minute they’d been together, it barely added up to a day. Yet, the thought that, when they deplaned, she’d go her way and he his, hurt deeply. Whatever it was between them had been short-lived. Had to remain that way. She needed to remember that.
Flynn opened a mini refrigerator. “We’ve got two turkey sandwiches, some cheese, and…” He rifled around. “Half a cheesecake and a few sodas. We need to restock.”
“I’ll take a sandwich. Thanks.”
“Kind of thought you’d be a sweets girl, but turkey it is.” He walked it to her along with a bottle of water, not that she moved to eat it. Her stomach grumbled, but she hid it by shifting positions. She rose and pointed at the bathroom at the back with a raised eyebrow.
Flynn nodded.
The restroom wasn’t spacious, but it was comfortable. The toilet was serviceable. But the toilet paper was a miracle. Two-, possibly three-ply paper? She took off a few pieces and rubbed them between her fingers.
At her reflection in the mirror, she traced an invisible ring around her neck. No more collar, even though it felt embedded in her skin.
A few tears leaked. She covered her face to suppress the sobs that erupted from her. Emotion leached out, starting as a small crack in a glass that fractured and then exploded into a zillion pieces.
She was on a plane about to take her far away from the prison and the life of constant pain and drugs.
Freedom.
Because Ky had been thrown into her life. Because he refused to leave her. She owed him so much. Everything.
You are safe.
His reassurance played over and over in her head.
She leaned on the edge of the counter and stared at herself in the mirror while she fought to suppress the crying. She hadn’t seen herself in a mirror in ages. The planes of her cheeks and chin were more prominent, but beyond weight loss, her eyes surprised her. They weren’t filled with lightness any longer but a steady darkness, the color of grief.
Parents dead. Sister executed. It was just her. Alone in a hostile world where she’d always be looking over her shoulder.
A few swipes removed a couple of renegade tears. She had to be better than tears. Stronger than loneliness.
Emerging from the restroom, she saw that Ky still wasn’t back.
“What are they talking about for so long?” she asked, looking out the window toward the small office and resuming her seat.
“Debrief on what happened while incarcerated, I’m sure.” There was an edge to Flynn’s tone that she couldn’t decipher. Her gut told her whatever was going on in there had a huge part to do with her.
Roman didn’t trust her, not that she’d done much to fix that.
Minutes later, Roman and Ky came up the stairs. Roman yanked the hatch closed behind him. He shot her a curious look she couldn’t interpret before stepping into the cockpit. “Buckle up. Weather guarantees some turbulence.”
“Grab me a water, Flynn.” Ky walked back and settled in next to her.
She slumped against the seat as tension ran out of her.
“So you’re okay with him and not me, huh?” Flynn handed a bottle to Ky.
Ky rolled his head against the headrest to stare at her. His lips ticked up in a small smile. “Got prickly with him, did you?”
“I don’t know him.” She went back to looking out the window, scared to admit how relieved she was that he sat next to her. Her need for his presence disturbed her.
“You threaten to cut off his dick too?” Ky asked.
“Said I’d scalp him. Figured he valued that gelled fluff on his head more than his dick.”
