by Lucy Wild
“A couple of miles.”
“Great, hang back a bit, I don’t want them to see you.”
He did as I asked and I fell silent until the perimeter fence of the airfield appeared on the horizon. “Turn off down here,” I said, pointing to a single track road on the right. Once we were off the main road, I glanced towards the airfield. “Stop here. Once I’m in, you back up to the entrance and wait. Anyone asks, you’re out watching planes, all right?”
“Hey, they know my car here, there isn’t anyone going to worry about me.”
“Great. What’s your name?”
“Alfred. Alf.”
“You’re a big help, Alf. I appreciate it.”
“Hey, anything for my country. But if you ask me, you’re better off just driving in.”
“What?”
“Guy climbs through fence. Even I’d notice that. But guy walks in like he owns the place, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.”
“You reckon?”
“Trust me,” he said, backing up to the main road and heading towards the security station at the entrance.
“I hope you’re right,” I said, wiping my face as we slowed to a halt, a security guard stepping out in front of me.
“You know you’re not allowed in,” the guard said as he walked round and looked in at the window. “Sorry, Alf, rules is rules.”
“I just thought you’d let me in seeing as I’ve got a plane to catch today.”
“Bullshit.”
“I have. Saved up for five years. The charter’s ready for me. Hanger three.”
“Are you serious?”
“Give them a ring if you don’t believe me.”
“I’ll do that,” the guard said, his eyes narrowing. He turned away, walking back to the booth.
“Go,” Alf muttered under his breath. “Out the door.”
I took the hint, slipping my door open and crouching down out of sight. The guard was on the phone, looking the other way as I slipped under the barrier and then I was in. I stood up at once, strolling across the tarmac as if I belonged there, waiting to see if the guard would notice me. Nothing happened. I was in.
TWENTY-FIVE
BELLA
I hadn’t seen her properly, the woman who’d taken me. Two pairs of hands had lifted my chair, carrying me silently from the warehouse as I looked at the back of her head, the way she was watching Jack. I had a funny feeling I knew her from somewhere but unless she turned round, I wouldn’t be able to work it out.
She didn’t turn round. I didn’t see her again until I was dumped in the middle of an airport hanger, looking at a gleaming white plane that was facing me. She brushed past me but I still couldn’t see her face. I could hear her though. She was talking to the man who’d been fighting Jack, his face in the corner of my eyeline.
“The plan stays the same,” she said. “Leave the police to pick him up.”
“But if she’s not there, they won’t have anything on him. You shouldn’t have let him run.”
“I didn’t know he’d run, did I? Don’t worry. A tip off will do the trick. Her DNA will be all over his cellar. Go see if they’re ready to fly yet.”
“What about Geoffrey? We still don’t know where he is.”
“He’ll show himself when he knows I have his daughter. I’ve waited long enough to get him back for taking her from me. I can wait a little while longer. What was that?”
I heard it too. A noise outside the hanger that sounded a lot like a gunshot.
“Go and look. Be careful,” she said.
A pair of hands reached down to my ankles, untying my feet so they were no longer attached to the chair. “Get up,” the woman said, grabbing me round the waist and holding me in front of her, a gun in her hand, pointing towards the door. The man vanished outside. A second later there was another gunshot, then another. The door flung open again as the woman gripped me tightly. A figure staggered in, stumbling forwards. It was Jack. He’d found me.
“I told you it wasn’t over,” he said, blood pouring from his shoulder as he pointed a gun at the woman behind me. “Let her go.”
“I don’t think so,” she replied. “Either you drop your gun or I kill her.”
“You’d kill your own daughter?”
“Want to find out?” She pressed the gun to my temple as I froze in place, crippled by fear.
“All right,” Jack said, loosening his fingers. His gun clattered to the floor. “Now let her go.”
“You shouldn’t have taken the job,” the woman, my mother, said. “You should have stayed retired. Look at you. You’re out of shape, you’re hurt, you couldn’t even keep her safe for a week. You’re a failure, Jack.”
“And you’re a shit mother.”
“That’s the last thing you’ll ever say,” she replied, turning the gun to point at him. “I hope it felt worth it.”
She went to squeeze the trigger. As she did so, I shoved her arm with my bound hands. The shot hit the ceiling and then everything happened at once.
Jack ran towards me, his hands outstretched for her gun. He got his fingers to it, fighting her as she tried to point it towards him again. Over at the door, the other man appeared, limping and covered in blood, his gun waving towards me. He squinted before firing, aiming for Jack. He missed. The bullet struck my captor square in the forehead and she flew backwards, her grip on me gone in under a second. The man stumbled forwards, ready to fire another shot but he’d lost too much blood. He fell on his knees, taking one last despairing look at us before slumping down onto his face, not moving again.
“Come on,” Jack said, grabbing my hand and dragging me towards the door. “Before anyone else comes to say goodbye.”
We got out into the open. I threw my gag away, though I couldn’t get my hands untied yet. In the distance men were running towards us. Jack picked up speed, grunting with pain as he got over to the entrance. There was a car there. Beside it a man was waving. “I helped,” the man said excitedly, pointing at an unconscious security guard next to him. “I had no idea you could knock a guy out with one punch. What do you think?”
“You did great,” Jack said with a grimace. “Now get us the hell out of here.”
We climbed into the back of the car as the man got into the driver’s seat. He set off a second later, racing away and leaving the airfield far behind us.
“We need to get you to a hospital,” I said, pressing my hands to Jack’s shoulder.
“He only clipped the skin,” he replied. “Drake always was a shit shot.”
“I can’t believe you came for me,” I said as he looked at me. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“I said I’d keep you safe,” he replied, leaning across and kissing me, his lips making mine tingle with heat.
“Are you allowed to do that on duty?” the man driving asked, glancing in the rear view mirror.
Jack ignored him, his hand wrapping round me. I snuggled in next to him, glad his shoulder had stopped bleeding at last. “What happens now?” I asked.
“I get in touch with your father and we get you out of the country, at least for now. It’s not safe here for you.”
“What about you? What happens to you?”
“I go back into retirement. I’m getting too old for this.”
“Was that…was she really my mother?”
He nodded. “Nice lady, huh?”
“And the other man? The one who shot her? He had scars all over his chest.”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
“We both worked for your father, long ago. There was a job at the warehouse. It went wrong. Drake got injured. I got a few scars myself that night.”
“Is that why he hates you?”
“He blamed me and your father for what happened. The truth was, it was just one of those things. A hazard of the job so to speak.”
He winced again. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“I’ll be all right long
enough to get you out of here.”
“What if I don’t want to get out of here?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I don’t want to leave you behind.”
“You have to. You won’t be safe here.”
“Then neither will you.”
He frowned, shifting in his seat. “We’ll talk about later. Alf, can you get us to a hotel?”
“Sure thing,” he said, glancing back. “Say, will I get a reward for this?”
Jack leaned back on the seat, his hand sliding round my back before answering. “I’ll see what I can do.”
TWENTY-SIX
JACK
I sat in the chair by the window, watching Bella as she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in an enormous fluffy towel. “I feel so much better,” she said, sitting on the bed and grinning. “How about you.”
“I’ve stayed in worse places,” I replied.
It was a decent hotel. Alf had gone far beyond the call of duty, checking in on our behalf before saying his goodbyes outside. “It’s been fun,” he said. “If it was GTA, I’d have a four star wanted rating now.”
I nodded, having no idea what he was talking about. “Thank you,” I said, shaking his hand. “You’re a good guy.”
Once he was gone, I took the room key from him, heading inside and bypassing reception, Bella next to me. I looked a wreck and I didn’t want to have to explain myself. We made it to the lift without anyone seeing but I didn’t relax properly until we were locked in our room.
An hour later, I was clean, wrapped in a dressing gown as Bella perched on the edge of the bed, looking much happier for having bathed. “Your father’s been in touch,” I said. “A flight’s booked for first thing tomorrow.”
“Where to?”
“An island somewhere. I’m guessing that’s where he’s staying at the moment.”
“Are you coming with me?”
“He wants me to, just to make sure nothing happens on the way.”
“I’m glad,” she said, a smile spreading across her lips, her eyes lighting up. “I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet.”
“Me neither,” I admitted. “I’m sorry for what happened.”
“I’m still here, aren’t I?” she asked, standing up and coming to sit on my lap. “You did your job. You kept me safe.”
I looked down at the ugly wound on her arm. “I didn’t do a good enough job. I let them hurt you.”
“I’m sure he’ll forgive you. I’m alive, that’s what matters. And so are you.”
She threw her hands round my shoulders, hugging me tightly. The softness of her skin against my neck made me stiffen in my seat. I wanted to apologise more but as she looked into my eyes I couldn’t resist kissing her. My tongue slid into her mouth as she closed her eyes. I held her tight, lifting her into my arms and carrying her across the room as we embraced. I stumbled against the edge of the bed, falling onto her as her hands began feeling for the cord of my dressing gown. Her fingers on my skin sent tingling heat through my body and I ripped her gown open, kissing my way down her chest, sucking her nipples into my mouth one after the other. She groaned in place, her hips thrusting up at me, drawing me downwards towards her pussy.
For that brief time, I forgot about everything that had happened. All that mattered was her and me in that moment, the rest of the world locked outside the room, to be ignored until the next morning.
I pushed her legs apart, plunging my tongue into her, drawing the wetness from her. She tasted divine, my tongue running up over the hardened nub of her clit, flicking over it as her hands gripped my head, holding me in place. I teased her with my tongue, listening to her moans take on a more frantic quality. As the pitch intensified, I stopped, kissing my way back up her. Looking into her eyes, I reached down and took hold of my shaft, thrusting into her whilst kissing her again.
It was the greatest sensation I’d ever known, her pussy fitting perfectly around my cock. We rocked together on the bed, perfectly in sync. It wasn’t rough, it wasn’t fast, but it was exquisite. I was careful to avoid the cut on her arm, not wanting to hurt her. Time seemed to slow down, my mouth pressed against hers until she finally pulled away. “Please,” she muttered. “I want it in my ass again.”
“Turn over,” I said, sliding out of her and watching as she rolled onto her front. Lying on top of her, I kissed the back of her neck, rubbing her shoulders, my cock resting between her buttocks. She squeezed the muscles in her cheeks, making it hard for me to wait. Her wetness was enough lubrication for me to find my way down to her tight hole. With a gentle push, I was in her, stretching her wide as she groaned into the pillow under her.
It felt as good as last time, my hips pressing into her ass, my cock gripped so tightly it almost hurt. I thrust all the way into her, burying myself in her ass. I ground into her as she rocked back against me and once again time lost all meaning. All I cared about was being in her and making this moment last as long as I could.
She lifted herself slowly upwards and I went with her until she was on all fours. Staring down at her, the sight of my cock buried in her ass was almost enough to make me come. What tipped me over the edge was when she touched herself, her hand between her legs, bringing herself to an orgasm that made her scream into her pillow, her legs shaking, her ass gripping me even tighter. I thrust faster, wanting to join her in ecstasy. It only took seconds, my mouth falling silently open as I shot my cum into her ass, filling her up as her own climax continued to race through her.
She slumped onto the bed as I slid slowly from her. My cock was still twitching as I rolled onto my side, lying next to her. “That was incredible,” she whispered, reaching across to kiss me, her eyes half closed.
“You’re incredible,” I replied, stroking her cheek as she smiled, her look that of complete contentment.
It was a myth of course, pretending the world didn’t matter. That all that mattered was the moment. But I could ignore the reality for just a little while longer. Come the morning, I’d be taking her on a journey that would tear us apart. But that was for the future. At that moment, the only thing I cared about was lying next to her, keeping her safe.
TWENTY-SEVEN
BELLA
I was exhausted. It had been a hell of a flight. More hours than I could keep track of including the last leg on a private plane, just me and Jack sat together, watching the endless ocean beneath us. I’d been able to get an email off to Claudia, telling her I was safe, but that I might be gone for a while. I didn’t tell her anything else, just in case.
We finally landed on a tropical island, the heat the first thing that hit me when we stepped off the plane. The sun was high in the sky, though my brain was certain it was the middle of the night. All I wanted to do was sleep but there was no way I was stopping, not when I was so close.
Jack sat bolt upright in the ancient taxi, the engine growling and grumbling as we bumped along the dusty track that barely counted as a road. “You look like you’re on honeymoon,” the driver said in a thick accent. “You two lovebirds?”
“Just drive,” Jack said as I grinned across at him, enjoying his embarrassment.
The taxi stopped in front of a gate marked PRIVATE in huge black letters. “As far as I can go,” he said.
Jack paid him, holding the door open for me to climb out. “You ready?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Pushing open the gate, he waved me through. On the other side the track continued, curving lazily through tall palm trees that seemed to bow down, their limbs beckoning us on. We walked more than a mile until a house came into view. It was a tall white stone mansion and it was right next to the beach. The closer we got, the more I could see of the beach itself. It was a long flat expanse of sand that led out to gently lapping azure blue waves. There was only one person on the beach, laid back on a sun lounger, facing the ocean.
“Is that him?” I asked.
Jack nodded.
I sque
ezed his hand before leaving him behind, walking off the track and onto the sand, my feet sinking as I made my way across to the sun lounger. The man was wearing white, the only sound that of the waves. Everything came to a standstill. I stopped just behind him. He seemed to know I was there, sitting up, turning to face me.
His face was older, wrinkled and weather worn. His hair was as white as his mansion. But there was no doubting who it was. “Hi, Dad,” I said as a smile spread across his features.
“Hello, Bella,” he replied, getting to his feet. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes it has.” I didn’t know what to say. All the way here, I’d been rehearsing what I would say to him but now the moment had arrived, I was dumbstruck.
He walked towards me, wrapping his arms around me. “I’ve missed you,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’m so sorry.”
Ten minutes later, Jack came over. I had stopped crying by then and so had my father and we were sitting together on the sun lounger, saying nothing, just being together. “Dad, this is Jack,” I said when he reached us.
“Hi, Jack,” my Dad said. “I think I owe you my thanks.” He held out a hand.
“You’re looking pretty good for a dead man,” Jack said.
“Yeah, it’s surprising what a few years here will do to you. I guess I should give you an explanation.”
Jack shook his head. “I’m sure you had your reasons. Did she tell you Zoe’s dead.”
“I found out. I still have contacts. You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked, turning to me. “It means you’re safe, Bella.”
“Why was she after me?” I asked. “What did I do wrong?”
“You didn’t do anything. She wanted to use you to get to me. When I found out she was alive, I knew it was only a matter of time. She always told me she would get me for taking you off her.”
“But why? I don’t understand.”
He tapped the top of my hand. “I could spend hours explaining. Tell you everything about how I got custody and she was furious, how they found her clothes on the top of the cliff where we first met. Everyone was sure she was dead apart from me. I knew she’d be after me and she was, so many attempts on my life, I lost count. So when that job with Jack went wrong, I took my chance, I let them all believe I’d died in the explosion. I thought it was the best way. I had no idea she was insane enough to go after you. But there’s no point rehashing the past. The important thing is that you’re safe.” He smiled but there was a pain to it. “Some people are just bad, Bella. You should be careful who you choose, don’t make the same mistake I did. Choose someone good, Bella, don’t end up like me, hiding out for decades.” He squeezed my hand. “Choose someone good.”