“Drink.” Rylie said.
“I didn’t think you could drink on the planes anymore.” He raised an eyebrow, and I was shocked. “Did you actually pull the Rylie Allen card?”
“When it suits my purpose, I do use it.” He smirked. “It will get me nowhere with you, but drink.”
“Rylie. I’m not sure—”
“Sweetheart, you haven’t stopped shaking since you saw that newsreel. I have two shots. Now. Drink.”
I sighed. He was right, of course. I took the first and let the warm liquid coat my throat and reached for the second immediately, letting the first burn heighten the taste of the first.
“Now hopefully you will relax some.” He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him.
The pilot came on and gave their normal disclosures and statements, and said, “We will be next for take-off.”
I looked around and only just then noticed that there wasn’t anyone else sitting with us. “Rylie, did you buy out first class?”
He smiled and kissed my temple as he pulled me to him. “Last night. I paid off the other four seats that had been sold, and pulled some strings with the airline.”
I nodded, and then he chuckled before saying, “I called to see how soon one of the company jets could be here, but it wasn’t going to be available tonight, and I knew you’d want to get back home as soon as possible.”
I chuckled. “I do. I want to leave everything in California behind me.”
“Everything?” He asked, running his hand up and down my arm.
“Not you or Katie, but I want to leave all the bad stuff.” I sighed heavily as the airplane sped down the runway and lifted off the ground. I sat straight up. “Katie! I didn’t call Katie. She’s probably freaking out right now.” I fumbled for my phone, but then realized that it wasn’t going to work now that we were in the air.
“It’s okay. I called her after I was done with Joe, while you were sleeping. She wants you to check in with her tomorrow, though, okay?”
I nodded and chewed on my thumb. There has been so much that has been happening in the last few days. My life has completely changed. I should be panicking, but… I wasn’t. I had Rylie. Justin was gone. Forever.
“What are you thinking, sweetheart?”
“Just how much things have changed in a few days.” I leaned back to look at him and twisted in my seat. “My ex tried to kill me, and the man I love. Who also happened to tell me he is a billionaire, and not just any billionaire, but the CEO of Webster Enterprises.”
He smiled, but there was something in his eyes, not shined, but dulled all at the same time. “And I got engaged to that man. I’m freaking getting married, Rye!”
“I’m aware, sweetheart, and damn if it doesn’t make me a jealous man. I should do something about that.” I gave him a look as the plane banked, and I felt the alcohol hit my head. “Oh right, I’m the lucky bastard.”
I smiled, pulled my sweater tighter around me, and leaned my head on his shoulder as the plane evened out. “Sleep sweetheart. I’ll be here to watch over you.”
I woke up to the plane descending and Rylie rubbing the sleep from his eyes. I smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you got some sleep, too.”
“Yea, I guess I did. Sorry. Guess I wasn’t watching over you.” I kissed him on the cheek, just as the wheels touched down.
When we landed, the pilot said, “If everyone could, please stay in their seats for the time being.” I looked at him and gave him a questioning look, that he just shrugged at.
The steward came over and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Allen, we will stop in a moment to allow you to disembark. We will then let the rest of the passengers off at the standard gate.”
“Can you even do that?” I asked. Even Rylie shrugged at that one.
The plane came to a stop, and I grabbed my work bag. Rylie grabbed his duffle and the two carry-on bags that had pretty much the only things I had to have from the apartment. If everything else got lost in between California and here, I would be disappointed, but not devastated. The only exception to that would be the bookshelf my grandfather had made when I was a kid.
Once we were stopped, and the ladder had been put into place, the door opened and Rylie took my hand and led me out. It was cold enough that I could see my breath as we stepped outside, and I wish I had my jacket. We made our way down to where a limo was waiting for us. I gave him a roll of my eyes, and he just tipped his head back and laughed.
I slid into the seat, and when Rylie sat down next to me, he pulled a fleece blanket from one of the compartments, laid it over my lap, and rubbed my arms.
“I’m not used to all this special treatment, Rylie.” Tears leaked, and I felt one plop on my shirt. At this point, I didn’t know how to process all the emotions that were going through me.
