Silence. “A sweep.”
Turning my head, I tried to scan the flightline for him. “Yes, he said I needed to call you.”
“Angel, get down,” he barked through the phone. My stomach tightened as fear latched onto my neck, sucking the life out of me. Immediately I sank to my knees and crawled behind the seat as I heard them.
Gunshots.
My hand snapped over my mouth as the gunshots got closer and closer. There was a scream, cut off by a loud round of gunshots and then a thud. Col was shouting at me on the other, but my heartbeat was the only thing that registered in my ears.
I peeked around the corner of the seat, my teeth clutching the skin of my palm as my eyes scanned the dead flight attendant. Her crisp white shirt was now covered in blood. Her onceenvious eyes were lifeless, and her hair spilled around her in messy waves. Blood drained from the side of her mouth.
Shock.
I was in shock.
There was a loud bang just outside the small plane, causing it to shake. An explosion.
I scrambled to the back of the plane, behind the curtain. I was in the staff area now. It was small, and there weren’t very many hiding places. My eyes darted around the space, looking for something—anything—-that I could use as a weapon.
“Karina!"
I jumped at the voice. Collin’s voice. I looked down at the phone in my hand.
He was still on the line.
Putting the phone up to my ear, I grabbed a serving tray and crouched down in the corner. “Col,” I whispered. My voice didn’t sound like my voice and there was slight ringing in my ears.
“Baby!” His strong voice was panicked and angry. My heart cracked a bit at the sound. He was a there, and I was here…in the middle of a fucking war.
There was another loud bang, and then I heard voices. They were in the plane. Vomit rose up in my throat.
“This isn’t her. Boss said she was blonde,” a deep, thick accent said. An Italian accent.
Boss.
Italian.
Ray Romano.
The footsteps got closer and closer to the curtains pulled shut. “Boss said we can’t hurt her,” another male voice said, his voice further away.
“Fuck off, Russo.”
“Karina! Karina!” Col. My sweet Col.
“Romano,” I whispered before hanging up.
There was a new form of anger rising within me, within the darkness inside me. I would use it to my advantage. The men on the other side of that curtain were arguing now. Grinding my teeth, I made my decision. I wasn’t going down without a fucking fight.
I would fight. For Col. For me. For the years we lost and for the years we had left to live together.
Leaving the tray on the ground, I rose to my feet and pulled my hair up into a high, powerful ponytail.
Was I strong? Yes.
Could I take down a fully grown man with a gun? We were about to find out.
I raised my fists and took my stance. “I love you, Col,” I murmured as the curtains were yanked open and I was met with a sinister smile.
