Freed by You

by Danielle Fox

Julian woke me with a gentle hand stroking across my face, removing the loose waves that were covering it. I blinked rapidly as my eyes adjusted and tried to cover my obvious yawn with my hand.

  I had expected Gatwick or Stansted but this was neither.

  “Where are we?” I mumbled, my voice sounding thick with sleep.

  Julian ignored my question and simply flashed his dazzling, child-like smile at me. His face glowed with excitement. He kissed my temple before climbing out of the car. He removed our cases from the car boot, with Ryan’s assistance, then returned and opened my door, holding his hand out to mine to assist my exit.

  I looked around me. There were rows of low buildings, almost like large garages, to my right, and to my left – nothing. Nothing except grass and Tarmac. Tarmac! Was this what I thought it was?

  “Julian, why are we here?” I asked nervously.

  “I’ll show you.”

  He took my hand and led me towards the buildings while Ryan cradled a sleeping Maia. I noticed a tall man standing in front of one and on closer inspection realised that it was in fact like a giant garage. As we got closer, Julian raised his arm and gave the man a thumbs up and instantly the man crouched and began fumbling around close to the ground, but with his back to us I couldn’t make out what he was doing.

  Julian seemed to be almost bursting with excitement. His stunning eyes were wide and his mouth was fixed into a seemingly permanent grin. A loud crashing sound forced my attention back to where the man had stood and my mouth dropped open as I saw what was inside the garage.

  “What is that?” I managed to choke out through my quivering state.

  “It’s a plane, Miss Braxton.”

  “I can see it’s a plane, but whose plane? We’re not seriously flying on that?”

  “In answer to your first question, it’s my plane. And to the second, yes, we are seriously flying to France in it.” He hung his arm loosely over my shoulder as he spoke, looking extremely pleased with himself.

  “You mean to tell me you have a plane.” I was completely flabbergasted!

  “Yes, Emily, I have a plane.”

  “Right, of course you have a plane. Please explain to me why you have a plane.”

  I was in complete shock. I gawped at the small but luxurious looking plane in absolute astonishment. How could this be his? I mean, didn’t these things cost millions?

  “I don’t only conduct business in London, Emily. I have to travel a lot for short stays, you know, meetings, etcetera, so I thought what better investment could there be besides a plane?”

  “Right.” I couldn’t form any sensible words.

  “And besides, I love flying. It’s my favourite hobby.”

  I nodded at his seemingly simple explanation. And then my stomach dropped as a horrifying thought crossed my mind.

  “When you say flying, you mean sitting in an aircraft, right?”

  “No, Emily. I mean flying an aircraft.” He grinned ridiculously at me before removing his arm from my frozen shoulder and casually strolling towards the man – and the plane.

  I watched Julian shake his hand and then they both walked towards the plane and disappeared from sight into the garage.

  “Ryan, is he joking?” I was too stunned to even turn to face Ryan as I addressed him.

  “No, he’s serious. Don’t worry, Emily, he’s a very experienced pilot.”

  “Pilot?” I squeaked.

  Ryan looked at me through sympathetic eyes before chuckling quietly to himself and heading for the plane.

  “Come on,” he called over his shoulder as he realised I wasn’t following.

  I glanced back over my shoulder – just to be sure that the car was still there in case I decided to change my mind and make a run for it – and saw another stranger approaching with our cases, one in each hand. I forced one unsure foot in front of the other and followed Ryan quickly, eager to catch up with him.

  Great! So he had a plane and he was going to fly me to France. I could get my head around this. No, on second thoughts, I couldn’t. We reached the plane and Ryan stopped at the stairs.

  “After you,” he smiled, unable to hide his obvious amusement at my distress.

  As I entered the plane I was instantly greeted by a very ecstatic Julian.

  “Emily, this is James. He’ll be assisting me with the flight. James, this is Emily, my girlfriend.”

  So I was his girlfriend now, was I? I raised a single eyebrow at Julian and flashed him my practised seductive smile.

  “Hi,” I said as I extended my hand towards James to shake his.

  Instead of shaking it though, he pulled it to his mouth and kissed my knuckles.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Emily.”

  Julian inhaled deeply and I noticed his fist clenched at his side before he released it and clutched my waist firmly, pulling me against his side.

  “Ryan will keep you company,” Julian started, “then once were up in the air he’ll show you to the cockpit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to get this baby started!” He kissed the top of my head and released his hold on me.

  Panic coursed through me as I finally realised that Julian was actually going to fly this plane. With me and my daughter on it. I slowly released a deep lung full of air and placed a shaking hand on Julian’s shoulder just as he turned away from me. He grasped my hand, quickly turning back to face me. His confident eyes locked on my frightened stare.

  “Trust me, Emily,” he said, obviously sensing my unease. “I would never put either one of you in danger; I know what I’m doing.” I nodded in response as I took a steadying breath and before I had the chance to release it again Julian’s lips were against mine.

  “You’re perfectly safe with me,” he whispered before straightening himself. “Ryan, please ensure that they’re both belted in before take-off.” He squeezed my hand gently before turning and disappearing.

  I sat in one of the plush, cream leather chairs and fastened my belt tightly. Ryan had managed to find me a child-sized belt that fixed onto my own so I sat Maia on my lap and strapped her to myself. I felt happier with her close to me. I had always been extremely nervous about flying but on a plane this small, I couldn’t help but imagine that it couldn’t be as safe as a standard plane. Surely it could come down easier? Wouldn’t a strong gust of wind be able to take down something this small? I shook my head, trying to be rid of my paranoid thoughts, just as the plane began its manoeuvre onto the runway.

  Ryan must have noticed my white knuckles as I clutched the arm rest and handed me a glass containing a brown liquid.

  “Here, drink this,” he ordered. “It’ll help with the nerves.”

  I took the glass and tipped the liquid into my mouth with one fast movement and quickly found that I was going to struggle to swallow it. I held it in my mouth for what seemed like a long time and finally had to swallow it in two gulps. It tasted exactly how I would imagine poison to taste. I felt it swim down my throat, leaving a heated burn in its wake.

  “Ugh! What was that?”

  “Scotch.” he chuckled. “One of the finest, too.”

  And now I knew why I didn’t drink scotch!

  “You really needn’t worry, Emily. Julian’s been flying regularly for a long time. He’s held a pilot’s licence since he was just eighteen and he passed with flying colours, excuse the pun. Why do you think he flies his own plane?” I shrugged in response. “Because he knows he’s a far better pilot than most.”

  It wasn’t hard to believe that he would be a better pilot than most. He seemed to excel at everything he did, past and present. I often think he’s too good to be real. There must be a flaw in his constant perfection somewhere, surely?

  We were up in the air before I knew it and I had relaxed considerably – maybe the scotch had some uses after all. Maia watched out of the window, pointing at everything she saw. There was definitely no sign of any feelings of fear coming from her. She tapped at my arm regularly to show me a new sight or a new
cloud.

  “You two want to go and see the pilot now?” Ryan asked.

  “What’s a pilot?” Maia replied. Ryan smiled warmly at her and crouched down to her level.

  “The pilot is the man who flies the plane, like a driver drives a car. He has his own special part of the plane where you can see out of really big windows and he has lots of buttons and lights.”

  “Yes, I want to see.” Maia itched to get off my lap and into Ryan’s arms.

  Ryan carried Maia, again, and a wave of guilt washed over me at the realisation that I was turning half of Julian’s staff into full time babysitters.

  “Hey, baby,” Julian beamed. His face was glowing with sheer joy. I could get used to this side of Julian.

  “Hey, how’s it going?” I asked, trying to contain my own smile in an attempt to look a little less gormless.

  “Very well, thank you, Miss Braxton. And how is the little princess enjoying the flight?” he asked, turning his attention to Maia.

  Maia looked so deliriously happy that tears threatened my eyes as I watched her with Julian. She and Julian pointed out the clouds to one another as they searched for faces or animals and Julian told her all about flying a plane – which buttons did what and which levers did what – before promising to teach her to fly her own plane one day. That wasn’t likely to happen, not if I had anything to do with it, but it pleased me more than I thought possible to hear him making plans for the distant future – our future together.

  When Julian had successfully landed his plane, he left it in the capable hands of James and we stepped out onto a small tarmac runway where a large, dark grey car awaited us. I had expected to feel some warmth when we stepped off the plane, but instead I felt cold. In fact, it didn’t feel any warmer than London had this afternoon. Except, rather than murky grey skies that were filled with thick layers of cloud and smog, we were greeted by a pure blue sky and bright sunshine. I inhaled the fresh air and smiled at the smell of pureness and cleanliness – something else you didn’t experience in London.

  Again, Julian had thought of everything and there was a child seat ready and waiting in the back of the car. I sat upfront next to Julian as he drove. This was the first time I had seen him drive and there was definitely something strangely sexy about it. I watched his eyes as they danced back and forth, scanning everything in front of us and equally behind with his regular glances in the rear view mirror. His hands looked strong and masculine as they rested lightly on the steering wheel and the way his veins strained as his fist clutched the gear stick was somehow very arousing. I’m not sure how any of this could be remotely erotic but I found myself craving his touch. I shifted in my seat and tried to focus on the scenery out of the window.

  “Why are you blushing, Miss Braxton?”

  “How do you do that? How can you possibly know that I’m blushing when you’re watching the road?”

  “I know you.”

  “What car is this?” I asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

  “It’s an Audi Q7. Why, do you like it?”

  “I love it. Is it yours?”

  “Unfortunately, no, it isn’t. I’ve just hired it for the weekend. Although I was thinking of buying one and considering the fact that you love it, I might just do that.”

  “Hey, don’t be buying anything on my account. You’ve got a car.”

  “I’ve got two, actually, but there’s always room for more.”

  “Two? What else do you have, besides the Bentley?”

  “An Aston Martin DB9, but that’s just for fun really. I like these; they come out far better off in an accident so it would be perfect for when Maia is in the car.”

  “No, no, no. Don’t you dare even think of buying a car for any benefit of mine or Maia’s. Besides, Maia will not often be in your car; everywhere in London is easier on foot or on the tube, why do you think I don’t have a car?”

  “So you can drive?” Julian looked astonished at my revelation as his widened eyes, complete with raised brows, flashed across to my face.

  “Lose the look, Julian,” I warned. “Of course I can drive; I just have no need to. Anyway, what’s Ryan doing? How come you left him at the plane?” The fact that Ryan was no longer with us had only just occurred to me.

  “He’s got friends that live close by, he’s staying with them.”

  My dad lived in Gif-Sur-Yvette – a small town just a few miles from the centre of Paris. It had the look and feel of a traditional French town, with plenty of greenery and idyllic scenery and, as he worked in the centre of Paris, was the perfect location for him.

  Julian followed the instructions of the navigation system and in just under an hour, he slowed the car and stopped outside a black, iron gate.

  “Is this the hotel?” I asked, feeling a little bewildered.

  It didn’t look like a typical hotel. Behind the iron gates I could make out a long driveway, surrounded by trees and greenery. At the end of the driveway stood a small looking house, or maybe it was just further away than I thought and so appeared small.

  “It’s where we’ll be staying, yes.”

  He punched a code into the keypad situated next to the gates and they slowly opened. I was right, this was definitely no hotel. It was a small house, made up of stone rather than the typical brick that you so often see in London, and was covered in greenery that climbed up around the small wooden framed windows. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

  “Do you like it?” Julian asked as the car stopped.

  “It’s beautiful, Julian.” I reached over and cupped his cheek with my hand. “Thank you.”

  He smiled sweetly and leaned in for a kiss, which, of course, I granted him.

  The house certainly didn’t disappoint on the inside either. It was traditional, to say the least. The furnishings were all of chunky oak wood, the walls were all decorated in an ivory colour and large paintings hung from every single one. Throughout the entire house were plush, cream carpets that felt warm and cushioned under my feet. The living room housed two large, chocolate coloured sofas that both faced towards a burning fireplace.

  “Julian, I don’t know what to say,” I gasped. It was incredible; there were no words to describe its beauty. It felt like home – all warm and cosy and completely inviting.

  “You don’t need to say anything. I’m glad you like it.” He pressed a single kiss to my temple. “Shall we go and surprise your dad? We can go out to dinner, I’m sure he will know the best places.”

  Maia jumped up and down in delight. “Granddad, Mummy. Granddad,” she repeated.

  “I think that answers your question,” I laughed. “Maia, let’s go and change.”

  I chose my berry coloured dress. I had no idea where my dad would recommend so I wanted to be dressed appropriately in case it was to be anywhere special – and knowing Julian, with all of his surprises today, it would be. The dress sculpted to my body and fell to just below my knees, effectively disguising their slightly bandy appearance. I slipped my feet into a pair of black stiletto shoes and added my black trench coat. With a final touch of make-up I was ready for the big surprise.

  As I entered the living room, Julian’s eyes met mine briefly before wandering down the entire length of my body.

  “Wow!” he choked.

  I smiled shyly, my eyes lowering to the floor whilst he made his way across the room to where I stood.

  “You look ravishing, Miss Braxton,” he whispered. “Although I’m not sure how you expect me to concentrate on making a good impression when you’re dressed like that. Maybe we should skip dinner,” he challenged as he stroked a gentle fingertip down my arm and eyed me wickedly.

  “Behave, Julian,” I laughed, playfully smacking his hand away from my arm.

  “Very well. Let’s just hope nobody wants dessert.”

  His teeth nipped gently at my earlobe and my lower muscles tightened in response. I guess that now made two of us that would be struggling to concentrate
for the entirety of the evening.

  Chapter Nineteen

  As the car came to a stop outside my dad’s house my stomach twisted with excitement. I couldn’t wait to see his face. I couldn’t wait to have him hug me tightly and tell me how much he had missed me as he always did. I had missed him so much. Life always seemed to feel absent of something without him around. I understood why he had felt the need to move to France, to run away, but that didn’t make it any easier.

  I scooped Maia into my arms, resting her weight on my hip, and smoothed my fingers through my hair.

  “You look beautiful, Emily. Stop worrying and ring the doorbell, would you?” Julian grinned almost from ear to ear before his face took on a more serious expression. “Would you rather I wait in the car, for now?”

  “No, of course not.” His question shocked me. Was that the impression I was giving?

  “Your dad won’t mind you showing up with a boyfriend?”

  “No, Julian, he’ll be happy that I’m happy.”

  “Great. Then what are we waiting for?”

  I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the clean, crisp air and pressed my finger against the illuminated button. My heart leapt as I heard the sound of the latch releasing.

  His eyes fixated on Julian first, his forehead creased deeply in confusion, before crossing to mine. His eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed rapidly as if he was speaking, but no words came out.

  “Hey, Dad. Surprise!”

  “Emily!” he sputtered, throwing his arms around Maia and me and squeezing firmly. “My god, I’ve missed you!”

  And there it was. The moment I had been waiting for. I loved this man so very much.

  “What...how...?”

  “How about you invite us in and I’ll fill you in?” I chuckled, straining for a breath as he crushed me against him.

  “Sure, sorry, Ems. Please, come in.” He held the door open wide and gestured us inside.

  It had been over a year since I was last here but nothing seemed to have changed. It looked tidier and smelled cleaner but that was all. No dust appeared to be gathered between the photo frames filled with mine and my mother’s faces on the small cabinet. The throws on the back of the sofa and chair appeared to have changed and looked fresh. But every other detail remained the same. The large, incredibly old fashioned, red patterned rug still covered the oak wooden floorboards. The large, box-shaped television still stood on the same antique wooden cabinet. I didn’t realise these box televisions still existed – didn’t everyone have flat screens these days?