“Here’s the secret third party,” I said under my breath.
A man stepped out gracefully. I would recognize that silhouette anywhere—tall and powerful, with muscular, broad shoulders and a refined posture rarely seen in this day and age.
“That rat bastard,” I mumbled.
“What?” Dizzy asked before hurriedly finishing his glass of champagne.
“I can’t see. It’s too dark.” Callie hunched down in order to see out the window opposite her.
“Ah yes, Mr. Durant is here. We can be underway soon.” The attendant’s eyes glittered as she glanced out the window.
I shook my head, fire tingling across my middle.
Darius pulled his suit coat taut across his chest before doing up a button. He glanced up at the very window from which I was watching him. His face remained impassive. He must’ve known the anger he was walking into, but it didn’t show in his expression.
“I am not amused,” I said quietly.
“Do not ruin this beautiful plane, Reagan Somerset,” Dizzy said, relaxing again. He held his glass up for the attendant. “Might I have another, please? Now that we aren’t fearing death, I think all of us could do with some unwinding.”
Callie shook her head at Dizzy in exasperation.
Darius paused outside to speak to the attendant who had been scurrying around. She nodded before continuing to direct the ground crew. After his unhurried walk up the stairs, he appeared in the plane, his body showing off his tailored suit to perfection. “I apologize for making you wait.” He lowered next to me and flicked the button on his jacket open again.
“You buttoned it up just for the short walk in?” I leaned back, feeling anger pinging through my body.
“First impressions are key. Callie, Desmond, so nice to see you again. Will you be accompanying us to Seattle?”
“You bet your ass we will,” Callie said, her bulldog expression firmly in place.
“What a lovely plane you have, Darius,” Dizzy said. “I am in awe. Such luxury.”
“Thank you.” Darius clasped his fingers, his focus on me. “You have questions.”
“Yes, but I’m not at all curious about how fast you can run,” I said. “Do you know why?”
“I couldn’t begin to guess.”
“Because when I teach you a lesson for interfering in my life, running away won’t save you.”
“Fascinating. Horribly inaccurate, but fascinating.” Darius regarded me evenly. “You quit the MLE office.”
“Yes. Why, did you expect me to stay and thenthank you for bailing me out?”
“Reagan, I really think a glass of champagne would calm you down.” Dizzy pointed to his glass as it was refilled. “You seem awfully tense. Ouch!”
Dizzy reached down to rub his shin where Callie had just kicked him, a piece of violence Darius and I had been at the perfect vantage point to witness. Judging by her scowl, she didn’t care.
“You are too good to waste away in that office,” Darius said. “I had hoped you’d realize that long before you did.”
“Then why did you make it so I could stay?” I asked suspiciously.
“The short story is, you desired it, and I was in the position to make it happen.”
“And the long story?” I asked.
His eyes flicked toward Callie and Dizzy. “Will need to come at another time. First I should probably explain what I am doing here.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but yes, I needed that answer. I motioned him on.
