A beat of silence stretched between them. Then, with deliberate slowness, Vector lifted one hand to brush his fingers over her sensitive lips. The touch was fleeting, barely there, but it sent a sharp jolt of awareness through her.
“You’ll see soon enough,” he murmured. “Don’t ruin the surprise.”
Well, dammit. When it put it that way, how could she resist?
They ate in companionable silence. When she couldn’t eat another bite, the door opened, and Talon stepped inside, his expression unreadable. “The helicopter is ready.”
Vector glanced at her over his shoulder, a slow, deliberate look that sent heat curling through her belly. “Trust me.”
CHAPTER 8
The crisp morning air greeted them as they stepped outside onto the castle’s private helipad. The powerful hum of the helicopter’s rotors reverberated through Raven’s chest, the wind whipping strands of her hair across her face. She had never been this close to one before, let alone about to step inside a luxury aircraft with a man she barely knew, but who had already turned her world upside down.
Vector placed a possessive hand at the small of her back, guiding her forward. The simple touch sent a ripple of warmth through her, even as her mind screamed at her to keep her guard up.
Talon moved ahead of them, speaking briefly with the pilot before giving Vector a sharp nod. The moment they approached, one of the Guardians opened the sleek black door, revealing an opulent interior lined with plush leather seating and a fully stocked bar. Raven hesitated for only a second before Vector took her hand and helped her inside.
The moment she sat, she realized how intimate the space was. The hum of the engines, the close proximity of their bodies, the weight of Vector’s gaze—everything about this felt charged.He sat next to her, closer than necessary, and she was hyper-aware of the heat radiating off his body.
“Have you flown in a helicopter before?” he asked, watching her closely.
She shook her head, trying to ignore the way her pulse fluttered. “Just the flight here yesterday.”
Vector smirked, buckling his harness with an ease that spoke of experience. “Then you’re in for something special.”
She swallowed, fastening her own belt, her fingers fumbling slightly under his scrutiny. “Where exactly are we going?”
Vector leaned back, the low rumble of his voice barely audible over the sound of the rotors. “You’ll see.”
That wasn’t an answer. Not really. But the way he said it sent a shiver down her spine. He wasn’t just keeping secrets—he was enjoying it.
The aircraft lifted smoothly into the sky, the ground falling away beneath them. Raven tensed, gripping the armrests. The sensation was surreal—weightlessness, movement, the sheer power of the machine carrying them away from everything familiar.
Vector’s hand covered hers, his fingers warm and steady. “Relax,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand in slow, deliberate strokes. “You’re safe.”
Her breath caught at the unexpected gentleness in his touch. She turned slightly, meeting his gaze, and for the briefest moment, she forgot to be cautious.
He was dangerous. But so was the way he made her feel.
Talon, seated across from them, cleared his throat. “ETA is under an hour. The jet is ready.”
Jet? Raven forced herself to look away from Vector, focusing on the view beyond the window. The castle was already a distant memory, the rolling landscape giving way to endless stretches of water and sky.
She had no idea where this journey would take her, but one thing was certain.
There was no turning back now.
He glanced at her over his shoulder, a slow, deliberate look that sent heat curling through her belly.
Less than an hour later, the helicopter landed smoothly on a private airstrip, the powerful thrum of the rotors dying down as the aircraft settled. Vector escorted her inside the small, private building surrounded by private planes, helicopters and men who looked like they belonged in aJames Bondfilm. Spies. Bodyguards. People she could have lived her entire life and never seen.
If her life had still been anything remotely close to normal. The moment the doors to the small building opened, a rush of crisp air swept outside, carrying the scent of jet fuel, polished leather, and expensive cologne. The stark contrast between the cold outside and the opulence inside the private terminal made Raven hesitate.
Vector guided her forward with a firm but gentle hand on the small of her back, his touch grounding her in a way she wasn’t ready to examine. Flanking them, Talon and another of his guards moved with practiced ease, their sharp gazes sweeping over the area, ensuring everything was secure before they moved through the terminal and out a door on the opposite side.
A sleek, black luxury car waited just outside, its engine purring softly. The driver, dressed in an immaculate suit, stepped forward and opened the door. Vector barely acknowledged the man, leading Raven into the vehicle with the kind of authority that spoke of a man who was used to being obeyed.
Raven slid inside, her fingers gripping the smooth leather seats as she took in the extravagance around her. The carsmelled like cedar and something darker—something distinctly Vector.
