Private Pilot

by Karen Deen

  “Lex, I can’t pay for this.” Mia looks frightened.

  “What? No, I don’t expect anything. This is a gift for you and the kids. You needed them tonight, and I got them. It’s that simple.”

  “You’re very kind, I don’t know how I can repay you for all this.”

  “Just seeing you smile once tonight will be payment enough. Now let’s get this set up so you can get these little ones to sleep, and you and Paige can finally talk. I’m guessing it’ll go long into the night.”

  I look at Mason who smiles with a little wink.

  “Let’s go, Lex, I’ll show you the guest room where we can set them up. They can sleep in there with Mia. I doubt she wants her kids too far away at the moment.”

  “Thank you, for everything, all of you. It means more than you know.”

  “This is just the beginning, Mia. Welcome to the family,” I say as I kiss her and pick up Jack who’s now getting tired. I tuck his head into my shoulder and kiss his forehead.

  What a difference a day makes.

  ~

  Driving in the car with Mason, Mia, and the kids towards my father’s house is terrifying but exciting at the same time. Last night lasted into the early hours of the morning. Once we got the kids to bed, we stayed up talking and trying to make sense of everything that had happened yesterday, the events leading up to yesterday, and both our pasts.

  Mia told us how Bent made me out to be a woman who has stolen all our mother’s money and they needed to get it back. He put her in the building so he could keep an eye on her and so she could help spy on me. But he was angry at her for not doing very well at it. She said she felt funny about the whole thing, it just wasn’t adding up once she met me.

  Piecing together what we’d both found out, it was hard to imagine the pain our mother must have felt giving up not only one baby girl, but to have to do it again a year later. She must have lived in true fear all the time. I wish we knew more.

  Of course, there were tears over Bent and the loss of a brother we didn’t even know, yet a sorrow for the chance lost to get to know him.

  It was so late that Lex ended up staying and sleeping on the couch because he wanted Mia to feel safe that no one could get in. If the elevator opened, he would hear it and they would never get past him. It horrified me that he wouldn’t take one of the beds, but I have to admit, I thought it was a bit cute.

  Mason organized for the police sergeant handling the case to come to the apartment to do the statements instead of us going down to the station. It was much easier with the kids. It was perfect that Lex was there so he could support us all and will represent Mia and the kids in everything she has to now go through.

  Franco was also there and delivered all the evidence he had, along with all the computer records he took off Bent’s computer this morning. There was no disputing he was the mastermind behind everything. Tyson, it turns out, was just a misguided infatuated man who Bent took advantage of. I will have HR deal with him. Although he lost his way towards the end, his work is excellent; it’s just he started stepping over that very fine line into my personal life.

  Brian, although his role with the company is a little blurred, had nothing to do with this mess. It was actually Tyson who used to contact him late at night, which Brian just put up with because he thought I really needed Tyson to help me. We’ll talk more about that and give him more responsibility so I can step back a little to get to know my family.

  Now the hard part.

  For all my life, my father has been the only family I’ve known. Along with Beth, Uncle Franco, and Aunt Veronica. They were all I needed. Although I yearned for more, I never expressed that to them.

  I don’t want my father to feel anything has changed now that I know more about my biological parents or that I have a sister and niece and nephew.

  Pulling up into the circle driveway of the house, I sit and take a deep breath.

  “Let me go in for a few minutes on my own first.”

  “Sure, baby, we’ll be right here if you need us.” Mason leans over and kisses my cheek. Mia reaches between the seats and puts her hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze for support.

  Walking into the house, I head for the sunroom where I know Daddy will be having his morning tea with Beth, reading the paper while she reads a book.

  “Paigey, we weren’t expecting you.” Beth jumps up to come to me. “I’ll get you another cup and plate for you.”

  “No, please sit, Beth, there’s something I need to tell you both, and it’s important.” I walk to my father and lean down, kissing him on the forehead. “Hi, Daddy, how are you feeling this morning?”

  “Fine until you just said that. Spit it out, Paige, no crap. Is it the business? The fraud? Has something happened?”

  “You could say that. We caught the person responsible last night. However, you’re never going to guess who it was or what followed. It was Bent.” My father’s face registers shock and sadness. He sits for a moment digesting what I said and then eventually speaking up. “I trusted that man with my baby, and he betrayed me. I put you in danger, Paige. I will never forgive myself for that.”

  “Daddy, don’t be silly, you could never have known. He was very clever. I’ll leave it to Franco to sit with you and explain the ins and outs one day as to how he did it. There was more to it, though. The reason he did it all was one of greed and jealousy of me.” Both Daddy and Beth are looking at me waiting.

  “It turns out he’s my half-brother, and I have a sister who is a mother to two little ones, so I’m also an aunty.” I stop, waiting for a reaction.

  “Well, fuck me.” The words out of my father’s mouth shock me more than the last few days’ events. Beth and I, both in shock, react together.

  “Daddy!”

  “Sweetheart!”

  I turn to look at Beth, who’s red, and her hand is over her mouth.

  I start to giggle. I can’t help it. “Well, it looks like today is full of surprises.”

  “Jonathon, I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, stop it, my love. I’m sure Paige guessed years ago. Why else would you put up with my moods and grumpy nature?”

  He puts his hand out to her to come and sit with him.

  “If you two have love and happiness, I could not be more pleased. Why didn’t you tell me, though? Why have you kept it a secret?”

  “Your father is old school, Paige. Plus, early on we didn’t want to give the adoption agency a reason to take you away. I mean, I’m the housekeeper and he’s my boss.”

  “Forty years ago, but not now. Daddy, you are a stubborn man sometimes.”

  “Never going to change, you know that.”

  “Beth, you are a saint.” I get up and hug them both.

  “Now, can we go back to the bombshell you just dropped about a secret family?”

  I proceed to tell them everything that happened and about Mia and the kids.

  “They’re in the car with Mason, do you want to meet them?”

  “Of course, of course,” Beth starts chatting. “Bring them in. I have grandbabies—well, sort of—to spoil. Oh goodness, I need to find cookies.”

  “Sit still, woman, so we can meet them first. Then you can go fuss all you like.”

  I stand, looking at them both.

  “None of this will ever change how I feel about either of you or change our relationship. You do know that, right?”

  “Of course, we do. Now stop stalling, child, and go get them.” My father, always the bossy one.

  Mia walks in shyly, Mason with Kayla in his arms, which is so hot. and Jack’s holding my hand.

  “Daddy and Beth, this is my sister Mia, my nephew Jack, and my niece Kayla. This is my father Jonathon and his partner Beth.” Mason looks at me, trying not to laugh.

  My father walks straight to Mia and takes her in a hug.

  “I’m sorry your mom didn’t bring you to me, I would have loved and taken care of you too. Please call me Daddy if you like. I don’t have lo
ng left in my life, but with what’s left I would love to make up for what you’ve missed.” Mia bursts into tears, and he wraps her up in one the hugs that I so vividly remember from when I was a child and scared.

  Within minutes, Jack is sitting on my father’s lap, and Beth is cuddling Kayla while we all chat together. I don’t know what I expected, but this far outweighs anything I could have imagined.

  From such a horrible deed comes such a beautiful new life for us all. We all have a long way to go to heal, but as a family, we can get there with each other to lean on.

  ~

  “You okay, baby?” I feel Mason behind me starting to wake.

  “Yeah, I think I am. I’m not sure how much I slept, but it’s not a lot.”

  I’m still getting over the news from the DNA test that said Bent wasn’t even related to me or Mia. That must be why I never got the same tingling around him as I did when I first met Mia. Then thinking of him befriending our mother in her dying years makes me sick. It’s awful that people prey on the old and vulnerable. He can rot in jail for all I care, for everything he’s done, including to my mom. Mason kisses me on the cheek, rolls me onto my back and lifts me onto his chest. One of my favorite cuddling positions.

  “Yeah, I agree. I don’t think you’ve slept all week since Mia and the kids have arrived. You need to remember, Mia has been raising them for four years on her own. I think she’s all right to get through the night without your help.”

  “But she needs rest, and I can help. She doesn’t need to do it on her own anymore.”

  He starts laughing at me.

  “Paige, she told me last night that she loves you dearly, but if you sneak into her room one more time in the middle of the night and freak her out, she’s finding somewhere else to live.”

  I smack him on the chest, unsure if he’s joking or not. We lay in silence for a little longer until I get the courage to ask the question that has been worrying me the last few days.

  “Mason?”

  “Yeah, Tiger?”

  “Kids, do you want them?” His hand that’s been rubbing up and down my back stops still.

  “Why do you ask, baby?”

  “That’s not an answer.” I lift my head up to look at him.

  “When I was in the army, I never thought about it, or even when I came home. Then I met Daisy and thought she was pretty cool.” Leaning forward, he gives me a quick kiss on the lips and then continues. “Then you came smashing into my life, and thinking of you carrying my child and having a mini Paige running around fills me with a happiness I never imagined. So yeah, baby, I want kids with you. Why are you asking? Oh god, you’re not pregnant, are you?” I can’t help but giggle at the fear on his face. I want to string it out a little longer, but that’s just cruel.

  “No, I’m not, although it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m not sure how much the protection of the pill is supposed to take with the amount we have sex.” His face relaxes a little. “I just never thought about kids,” I admit. “My life plan never even included you, so kids were something that wasn’t even in my head. Over the last few weeks, though, I’ll be honest, it’s one of the things that keeps going around my thoughts. Now with Jack and Kayla here and watching you with them, my ovaries are doing one hell of a dance and trying to make me take notice.” I pause and think about saying the next part, and my heart tells me it’s the right thing to do. “I’m thirty-nine and not getting any younger, so if I’m going to have kids, I need to do it now. I know that’s scary, and we haven’t been together that long. I understand if that freaks you out and you want to walk away.”

  Looking at him, his face lights up. “Marry me,” he says.

  “What?” I gasp in shock.

  “You heard me. Marry me, Paige, let’s make beautiful babies together. I heard the practicing is pretty awesome too.”

  The words won’t come out of my mouth.

  “Well? What do you say, Tiger? I told you from the beginning, you’re my forever girl. Let me be your forever boy.” I can’t help it. I start giggling just looking at him. He’s like a little boy begging.

  “Yes, Mason. Yes!” I squeal as he rolls over on top of me and kisses me all over my body.

  “I love you, my fiancée. Now, can we start practicing?” He wiggles his eyebrows.

  “Like you and your magic cock need practice.”

  We both hold still for a minute and stare into each other’s eyes. Savoring the moment.

  “I love you, my Magic Man. You will always be my pilot, flying me safely through this crazy life.”

  “Always and forever I’ll be keeping you safe. That’s what my love is, baby, your safety net, never letting you fall. You be my bossy Tiger, and I will always be your Private Pilot.”

  “Deal.”

  Which we sealed with passionate kissing and a hot, hard fuck.

  EPILOGUE

  Paige

  “CAN YOU SEE HIM YET, Mommy?” John Jr. asks from the top of Mason’s shoulders.

  “Not yet, little man, keep looking.” My eyes are straining like everyone else’s to the other side of the parade ground.

  “I see him, back row in the first group.” Mason points for Johnny so he can find him.

  “Lewoy, Lewoy, here I am!” Johnny starts calling.

  We both laugh at our little boy.

  Leroy has become part of our framily. Like a much older big brother to Johnny and little Maisy. I look down at my beautiful girl all wrapped up sleeping in my arms.

  Being the man he is, Mason did everything possible to get Leroy through the interview for the scholarship and accepted into the flight school. He knew that Leroy didn’t need him to step in and get him a position. It was more important for Leroy to work hard and get his dream all on his own.

  I couldn’t make the flight to California for the interview at the time, what with everything that unfolded finding my family that week. But Mason never let Leroy down and took the jet with my blessing and made sure he got his chance.

  Down below us in the stands, I see Leroy’s parents and sister standing so proudly. His mom is crying and his dad with his shoulders squared with the emotions we’re all feeling today. It has taken five years, but finally Leroy is graduating as a helicopter pilot in the air rescue division, taking top honors of his graduating class. We flew his family out with us so they could see him, and it was the first time they’d been on a plane. Not sure it was the experience they were expecting, having Johnny running around telling them everything he knows about the plane, and I think about a hundred times that his daddy is the pilot and his mommy is the boss on this plane.

  I laugh at that statement. His father has tried so hard to convince him that he’s the boss, but still to this day the same applies. On our plane, I’m in charge, and in our bedroom, he’s the bossy controlling husband. Which I am more than happy to be on board with.

  “Mommy, why isn’t he waving back? I’m his buddy.” Johnny has his little pout on that looks just like his father when he doesn’t get what he wants.

  Mason gives Johnny a little bounce on his shoulders. “You are his buddy, but remember what I told you, son? Leroy isn’t allowed to wave to us because he’ll get into trouble. See how no one else is waving? They’re all concentrating on marching and not making a mistake.” Mason tries to explain it to him, although I can see he still doesn’t really get it.

  “He looks so handsome in his dress uniform.” I elbow Jacinta, our nanny, who giggles with a little blush on her cheeks. There is definitely something going on between her and Leroy. I don’t ask, and to be honest I’d be thrilled if there was. Jacinta has been a godsend to us. I still get to work, and Mason still flies me everywhere I need to go. Then he helps Jacinta with the kids if they’re with us while I’m in meetings. Cutting back a little was just what I needed, but it was never an option to stop working for me. I need the buzz of the corporate world. Now I get the joy of coming home to the family I always longed for.

  Having Mia working with me is amazi
ng too. She has trained up and is now my PA. To be honest, the best damn PA I’ve ever had, but I’m biased. Watching her blossom into the beautiful woman she is today still brings me happy tears.

  “Hey, Tiger, I’m the only person you’re allowed to say is handsome in a uniform.” Winking at me, Mason still makes me melt. Picturing him in uniform—then the vision of no uniform—still makes me flush. My man is one hot pilot.

  I thought I could only have one type of life when I became the CEO of the business. Only living for work.

  Then came Mason.

  He showed me love, compassion, but also how to never lose my strength and drive. Mason has allowed me to have it all.

  The perfect life…so they say. I would call it my perfectly crazy life.

  The only one I want.

  Mason

  There are many moments in your life that are tattooed on your heart.

  The day I met Paige, kissed her, made love to her, told her I loved her, and the day she became my wife. My kids have tattooed me black-and-blue since the day they were born. They totally own my heart and soul.

  Then there are other days that you always remember, and today is one of them. I’ve mentored many kids over the years, but none have become as special to me as Leroy. Seeing him in front of me, standing to attention as he is presented his wings, is one of my most proud moments. It’s even more special that he got here on his own. I’ve guided him but never stepped in and taken over. His hard work and determination to better himself have achieved his dream. Nothing is more amazing than seeing a boy become a man.

  “Daddy.” Johnny is tugging on my hand and bouncing up and down next to me. “Can I go yet, can I?” Standing next to the parade ground as they throw their hats into the air, he’s dying to run to Leroy—or Lewoy as he pronounces it. I’ve got a feeling he’ll be twenty and still calling him that.