Girl on a Plane

by Cassandra O'Leary

  Padraig’s scent assaulted her, the stale stench of cigarettes and alcohol in an earthy haze sent her hurtling back five years. To the night he’d hit her and left her with no option but to run.

  Run.

  It was her first instinct again, and she lurched forward to escape his grip. But he jerked her backwards, pulling her into his large body, wrapping his thick, tattooed forearm firmly across her middle. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out, just a gush of air. And she couldn’t move.

  A cold wash of fear came over her like a bucket of ice water. He was always tall, but now he seemed even bigger and stronger than years ago. She was tiny and breakable in comparison. If she were alone her sense would’ve deserted her. But she remembered where they were – the party, the crowd, Gabriel on his way back.

  Padraig couldn’t possibly hurt her, not here and now. Her brain silently relayed these facts but her body shook. Then a blast of hot, rancid breath on the back of her neck made her freeze stock-still.

  “Calm down, Sinead. I won’t hurt you, I only want to talk.” He trailed a fat forefinger along her arm. She winced and clenched her jaw shut. “I tried to forget about you after you ran off. Humiliated me. Stole my money. But I’ve been watching. Seen you acting like a cheap whore, flying around in your slutty uniform. I can soon make you behave. We’re meant to be together. The last couple of months, your hot little sister nearly took your place, but the dumb bitch went to the police,” Padraig said.

  No. Don’t tell me you hurt Bridie. She’d never heard back from Bridie, but surely she was safe. Her sister had friends here in London.

  He circled his thumb around on her belly, making her stomach clench and sour vomit rise in her throat. One positive thought rang through, chiming like a bell. Bridie had called the police. Her sister must be safe. Please let her be safe.

  Padraig’s fingers dug into her hip, as he pinched her, hard. “I’ll leave you with pretty-boy businessman, but he can’t keep you from me, darling. I’ll be back for you soon.”

  “No, you bloody won’t be back.” Gabriel’s voice came from in front of her, cold and crisp as the frost on her bedroom window on a winter morning.

  Sinead raised her head and sought Gabriel’s face. He stood a few paces in front of where Padraig held her pinned. Anger and defiance poured out of every inch of Gabriel’s beautiful body, his arms crossed over his broad chest, jaw set hard as concrete. His eyes were fixed over her shoulder on the man who held her against her will.

  Even with her wits scrambled, Sinead couldn’t take her eyes off Gabriel. He was magnificent, like an avenging angel set on vanquishing his enemy.

  Padraig’s grasp loosened and she caught Gabriel’s eyes for a second. The hardness in his expression melted, with a look full of support and love. It could have been love. A second later, Gabriel’s eyes shot back above her head and locked onto Padraig again. That venomous look could’ve murdered Padraig. She wished.

  Suddenly Ryan was by Gabriel’s side, a woman standing right behind him. Sinead blanched, all the blood draining right out of her head. She closed her eyes to stop the wooziness. Charlotte. Oh, God. Be gone. Sinead didn’t want Charlotte in danger too.

  Padraig tightened his grip on Sinead’s middle. His forearm was a tight band cutting off her circulation. Sinead could not deal with one more thing, one more drama. Her legs buckled and she wanted to cry or hit something, fear and anger battling to win out.

  Ryan ordered Charlotte into action. “Charlotte, call the police and get hotel security over here. Now.” Ryan’s deep voice held an authority and calm Sinead hadn’t known he possessed.

  Charlotte nodded, her eyes wide, phone already in hand. She hurried towards a door at the back of the function room.

  Sinead shuddered, as Padraig’s hot breath teased the back of her neck. He held her too close. How would she ever get loose?

  Gabriel and Ryan stepped forward a pace, slow and in control. They were both so tall and broad, one golden-haired man, one dark, opposites in so many ways. They were utterly terrifying as a team when they displayed that stance. Barely leashed violence threatened to break loose with the slightest push.

  Gabriel stepped forward a pace. “Let go of Sinead, right now.” His voice was low and menacing, a slow roll of thunder.

  Padraig spat on the floor by her feet. “I don’t answer to you, or your lapdog.”

  Her ex was overflowing with fury. The muscles in his forearm tightened on her waist once more, before he shifted slightly to one side, moving his hand across to her hip. He reached behind him with his free arm. What was he doing?

  Oh, no. No, no, no.

  He might have a gun. The man was fecking crazy, to be sure. Before he could grab her, she spun out of his grasp, stamping a stiletto heel hard into the top of Padraig’s foot. His strangled cry of pain sent a short-lived rush of exhilaration through her system.

  Padraig’s mumbled, “Bitch” didn’t worry her, because his hands unclenched. She was loose, but he grabbed for her again. She shook, stumbling sideways on wonky legs. A thudding noise filled her ears, maybe Padraig falling, but she didn’t look back.

  Gabriel reached her in a split second, pulled her close, and wrapped his strong arms around her back. A sob wrenched from her throat. Sinead leaned her head on Gabriel’s chest, breathing in his comforting scent of spice and clean male sweat. He was so warm. So solid. Her pulse thumped in her ears.

  Gabriel kissed the top of her head and pressed his cheek to her hair. “It’s all right now. I’ve got you.”

  Peeking out from Gabriel’s chest, she spotted Ryan crouched down over Padraig, flat on his stomach on the floor. She hadn’t seen him, but Ryan must have overpowered Padraig when she’d stumbled. A whoosh of air left her lungs and she sagged with relief. Ryan had him pinned in place with both arms.

  A security guard in a black uniform ran up behind Ryan and dropped to the floor, frisking Padraig’s prone body. Sinead gasped when the guard retrieved a handgun from its hiding place, tucked in the waistband at the back of Padraig’s jeans. He passed it to a younger, brick-shaped guard with ginger hair, standing behind him.

  The senior guard looked up at her, safe in Gabriel’s arms. His forehead creased, his kind brown eyes open wide. “Is everything all right now, Madam?”

  “Yes. Thank you.” Her voice shook. She couldn’t form any more words. Her brain was too busy flicking through all the might-have-beens. She might have been stabbed or choked. Shot.

  The guard rose to his knees, clicking handcuffs onto Padraig’s wrists. “Mr Anderson, Mr McKinlay, we’ll take it from here. The police are on their way.”

  Ryan rose in slow motion as the guard and his colleague took over, pinning Padraig down.

  “Thanks Greg. I think this man is someone Sinead knew back in Dublin.” Gabriel frowned down at her as he spoke. His eyes held a question, hurt hiding in the background.

  Meeting his eyes, her face heated with shame. She should have told Gabriel everything. Should have trusted him. Now he’d think she was keeping secrets from him.

  Wasn’t it what I did? I lied to him, not telling him what he was getting into. Her stupid brain decided to chime in, heaping on extra spoonfuls of guilt.

  Not only had she been a liar but a scaredy-cat. She’d been hiding her past. The violence and sadness she’d been running from for years. Gabriel might think she was still having some sort of relationship with Padraig, and would probably run a mile too. She wouldn’t blame Gabriel if he never wanted to see her again.

  She took a deep breath. “His name is Padraig. He … he was my boyfriend a long time ago. He’s been sending me messages, harassing me, but he’s never followed me like this. I think my sister filed a police report about him too.” Sinead shivered as she spoke, her body chilled even in Gabriel’s arms.

  “You’ll need to talk to the police later tonight or tomorrow, but don’t worry for now. We’ll take him into temporary custody.” Greg tipped his chin upwards and spoke to Gabriel. “I�
��ll contact you with an update soon, Mr Anderson.”

  “It’s Gabriel, please. I don’t want Sinead to be alone tonight, so she’ll stay with me here in the hotel.” He tipped his chin to her and she nodded. He kept his eyes fixed on her face as he addressed the senior guard. “You know how to reach me, or talk to Ryan. Could you post a guard outside my suite?”

  “Of course.”

  The two guards hauled Padraig to his feet, then he raised his chin and glared at her. Beady eyes in a mean, twisted face. God, she hated him. How could she have ever loved him? Or fooled herself into thinking she did? How could she have let him dictate where she lived, what she did? How could she have been so stupid?

  Gabriel smoothed his hand through her hair and squeezed her tight. Padraig couldn’t hurt her, he was gone. No, not completely gone. What had happened tonight, Padraig’s existence, it could threaten what she had with Gabriel. She breathed out slowly, jaggedly, her heart still stammering along a ragged beat.

  “Irish, sweetheart, thank God you’re safe.” He ran his thumb over her cheekbone, then straightened up and extended his hand. “Let’s go.”

  She nodded, hoping that Gabriel wouldn’t push her away now. She linked her hand with his, wanting nothing more than to be out of there.

  Gabriel tucked her into his side, keeping her close. The party raged on around them, sounds of laughter rushing into Sinead’s ears again. People were oblivious to any kind of incident, or the fact she could have been shot.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Gabriel and Ryan, still tense, standing as if ready to pounce. Gabriel muttered his thanks and Ryan offered a tight-jawed nod in return. She couldn’t string a sentence together now, but she’d be sure to thank them later. She owed the two men her undying gratitude, possibly her life.

  If her time with Gabriel was over, the least she could do was thank them before she said goodbye.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Gabriel stood immobile by the bed, arms crossed over his chest, afraid to make a noise in case he woke her. Sinead was finally asleep after he’d urged her to take a warm shower. He’d been so tempted to join her. To take her into his arms again, smooth his hands over her silky skin, to kiss her and taste her. To never let her go.

  He’d occupied his hands and mind by making her a mug of hot chocolate in the kitchenette. Then he made sure she drank it. She’d settled in his bed in one of his T-shirts, comfortable and sexy as hell. But she’d been shivering, probably in shock. Staring up at him with too-wide grey eyes, shiny with unshed tears.

  Now she looked far too small and vulnerable, tucked into his king-size hotel bed, surrounded by an array of pillows with the black quilt pulled up to her chin. Her icy blonde hair fanned out around her beautiful face, her expression soft and untroubled in sleep. He wished he was as untroubled.

  The drama, the fear, was over for the night. She was safe with him, right where he wanted her. But he couldn’t seem to move. He was in shock. The arsehole, Padraig, could have hurt Sinead. Gabriel could have lost her tonight. He clutched his gut, sick to his stomach.

  In the short time since they’d met on a plane, Sinead had turned him upside down and left his whole life, his future, up in the air. It was unexpected and surprising. Completely the wrong timing. But he wasn’t scared of what it might mean.

  The truth hit him like a tonne of bricks. He wanted Sinead in his life and he loved her – he loved her vibrancy and optimism, her bravery, her caring and forgiving nature.

  Sinead’s sister Bridie deserved anger, even hatred. But Sinead had forgiven her, more concerned about her sister’s safety and wellbeing than her own feelings of betrayal. Amazing.

  There was a worry nagging at the back of his mind. He might not have done enough to win Sinead’s trust. Maybe Sinead still wasn’t confident in him, or that they could have a future together. Sinead hadn’t felt she could tell him about Padraig, not the whole story. It hurt. She must have been terrified and he could have helped her. Still, he understood. Sinead had been running for her life, same as him.

  Only in his case, the danger was inside his own body. His genes were a hidden landmine waiting to explode. He had to tell her about his Mum’s illness, how serious it was. Early-onset Alzheimer’s was a dark spectre hanging over not only his mother but him too. It threatened his freedom, his autonomy, and his life. The bloody awful disease was often hereditary.

  If his Mum’s example was anything to go by, he’d be reduced to a shell of a man by the time he was in his forties. By fifty, he’d be on his way out. His mum was only fifty-four and the doctors reckoned she didn’t have long.

  He sagged into the suede armchair by the bed, resting his head in his hands. He couldn’t let Sinead see it, couldn’t let her stand by his side and watch him decay. This was why he’d never got close enough to any woman to have a relationship.

  While he hadn’t been looking for it, love had found him. Struck him square in the heart like a Norse god wielding a bolt of lightning. He loved Sinead. Warmth permeated his body, spread through his chest and wrapped around his heart. It almost winded him.

  He’d do whatever he needed to love her, to cherish her and keep her safe. If it meant leaving her, letting her go, he’d do it. Even if it killed him.

  The buzz of his phone in his back pocket shook Gabriel back to consciousness. He grabbed it and rose from the chair, pacing into the suite’s living area, quietly shutting the bedroom door behind him.

  He glanced at the screen. Ryan calling. Answering, he kept his voice low. “Ry?”

  “How’s Sinead doing?”

  Gabriel’s lips stretched upwards as he ran his hand through his hair. Ryan was a good friend. The best. He’d put himself on the line tonight and Gabriel wouldn’t forget it. “She’s good now, finally sleeping. But she was pretty shaken up. It took a while to get her to calm down. I only got pieces of the story about Padraig, but it sounds like he’d been stalking her for years. I didn’t know what to say. I can’t even think about what could have happened to her.” He ground his teeth together.

  “Man, it makes me sick. The police will want to know the background. They asked if Sinead could come and give a statement first thing tomorrow. Sounds like they’ll charge him with assault at least. Greg from hotel security said the bastard was spouting crap about Sinead and Bridie being whores and owing him money.”

  Gabriel breathed slow and deep, unclenching his jaw with effort. “I’ll go with her to the police station. I don’t want her under any more stress than necessary. If the arsehole’s spreading lies like that she’ll need me. Did you contact Bridie like I asked you to?”

  “Yeah. She’s okay, staying with an old friend in East London. Hiding out, really. She went to the police after she split with Padraig and he started following her. She sounded scared. She was going to call Sinead ‘when the coast was clear’, as she put it, then head home to their mother’s house in Dublin. But she decided to hang around a while.” Ry breathed out, loud in his ear. “She was horrified when I told her what happened tonight. I don’t think she had any idea the guy was so crazy. I get the impression Bridie’s a bit naive and Padraig duped her. I don’t think she’s a bad kid, just in a rough situation with debts. It’s obvious she loves Sinead.”

  Gabriel breathed out slowly, stretching his neck from side to side. “Thanks Ry. I’ll call Bridie and try to get some sense out of her. I wish I didn’t have to fly home tomorrow night. I’d stay here, but I need to check on Mum. Sinead’s flying to Melbourne in a couple of days, but it doesn’t make it any easier to go.”

  “I’ll look out for Sinead, don’t worry. Get some sleep before you head to the cop shop.”

  “I will, I’m dead on my feet. Thanks for everything tonight. Talk soon.”

  Gabriel ended the call and headed straight back to Sinead. He didn’t want to leave her alone. He wanted to hold her close. Pacing around the bed, he stripped down to his boxer briefs, flung his clothes on the armchair and turned back the sheets.

 
He climbed into bed and scooted close to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. The gentle curve of her hip, her inviting warmth and softness had his body tightening and jumping to conclusions. But tonight wasn’t about sex.

  Breathing in her heady floral scent, their first day together in the Singapore airport hotel sprang to mind. Sinead had talked him into “spooning”. Now it seemed like the perfect idea and he couldn’t think of any place he’d rather be in the whole world.

  Alone again. Sinead unlocked her flat the next day and stepped inside the eerily quiet and all-too-cramped space. It was depressing. Far from her ideal home. There was nothing holding her in London. Her closest friends like Yuki and Deanna were based in Melbourne. And Gabriel, of course.

  London wasn’t too far from her home city of Dublin, but the relationship with her family was so strained it didn’t matter. Visiting and playing happy families wasn’t high on her to-do list, especially after the incident with Padraig. Ma’s sixtieth birthday party was in a week’s time, but she couldn’t go. She’d put off RSVP-ing and hoped it would go away.

  Gabriel had headed home to Melbourne. She’d see him in two days, after her long-haul flight with a stopover in Dubai, but it seemed like an age. He had become a central figure in her life already. So mind-bogglingly attractive, she sometimes forgot to breathe in his presence. But he could be so much more. Someone she could depend on, someone to share everything with, even the difficult times. Although she may have scared him off. Her horrible family and the stain of her experiences with Padraig had ruined other relationships.

  What if Gabriel had flown off to Melbourne, thinking how glad he was to be rid of her? How would she cope if he didn’t want her to visit? She couldn’t fool herself into thinking everything was settled with Gabriel. Everything was so new, even if sometimes it seemed she’d known him for years.

  She walked into her living room and dumped everything on the sofa. Her carryall bag, the garment bag containing her evening dress, and herself. She sank into the puffy cushions with a humpfh, popping her feet on the coffee table. She sat staring directly at the empty place where her television should have been. The television Padraig and Bridie had stolen. She squeezed her eyes shut.