Page 10 of Come Alive
Disconnecting the call, I hoped that would be enough to get her twoguardsaway from her. I didn’t have time to text Izzy before the stall’s door was ripped open.
“Mateo,” I grumbled. “What are you fucking doing?”
Mateo didn’t answer. Grabbing my forearm, he dragged me out of the bathroom.
Thankfully, by some divine miracle, there wasn’t anyone around when we exited. He rushed us to the outer part of the TSA line. A large man in sunglasses and a suit stood there. I expected him to shoo us off, but instead, he lifted the partition for us as we approached.
Mateo offered the man a glare, but didn’t acknowledge him as he pushed me forward. He didn’t speak again until we were at our gate.
Digging my heels in, I attempted to find a place to sit, but then Mateo was lifting me in his arms, cradling me to him.
“Come on, we have to go.”
“Mateo,stop.” My throat filled with gravel as worry overtook me.
He kept marching us forward, through a door, down a flight of stairs.
“Mateo,pleaseexplain.” My voice must have relayed my terror because he paused.
“Swapped us to a private plane. Safer and less eyes. You were being watched, I felt it when we stepped into the airport, butdidn’t realize the extent until you ran for the bathroom. When nearly half the line in front of us jumped to find where you went. We’re almost there. Okay?”
His anxiety was new and it zapped the fight out of me.
“Okay,” I agreed and then he continued on.
Outside, onto a tram, across the tarmac, into a hangar far off into the distance. Towards a smaller plane, up the steps, through a door, until finally placing me gently into a seat.
He clicked the seatbelt in place and settled down across from me, his large knees pressing into mine.
The cabin could easily fit another dozen people, but it was empty, save for us. The pilot and crew tucked away out of sight in the front of the plane, while we were situated in a separate room in the back.
Raising an eyebrow, I waited expectantly, but Mateo paid me no mind. His hand at his waistband, his eyes focused through the window on the plane’s door. He didn’t relax until the stairs were brought up and we started moving.
“Mateo.”
He finally snapped his head in my direction but still didn’t speak.
I didn’t either until we gained acceleration and lifted off into the air.
After a few tension-filled beats, I tried again. “Mateo, this isn’t the flight Kazi booked us.”
Mateo found my attention, he leaned forward, reaching out and taking my hands in his. Once more I was reminded of how much larger he was than me, of how he could easily abduct me, hurt me.
But I trusted him. Even if hehadjust essentially kidnapped me.
“The man at security knew you,” I started, remembering how we had just been let through.
Mateo cocked his head, appraising me. “He knew my father,” he corrected.
Worms wriggled along my bones uncomfortably. “I don’t know anything about you.”And you might be the father of my child.
But I kept the second part to myself.
“Nobody does,Yara.For many years, that was how it was meant to be. I was a shadow that crept in the darkness, the soulless void of the grim reaper, the enforcer.”
“The enforcer?” I asked.
Mateo’s grip loosened on my hands, but I clung to him. I needed his comfort, his chaotic stability.
