Broken Trust

by Tanya Jean Russell

  “I know,” she replied.

  “But you’re doing it anyway, aren’t you?” he said, resigned.

  She nodded her agreement with a small smile.

  “In which case, it’s just as well I’ll be there,” he said, injecting a teasing note into his voice so she would know he wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “That’s the only reason I can be brave enough to do it,” she replied in all seriousness. Her words took his breath away. Despite himself, the question that had been spinning in his head since she’d come to him and touched his face gently the night before popped out.

  “Do you really mean it about the investigation? What if we find something you don’t like?”

  He could have kicked himself. Why couldn’t he just keep his mouth shut? The fact that Beth’s father had shut himself away after the crash his dad had been blamed for had been itching at his brain, but he didn’t need to bring it up. He should just accept that it could mean nothing, that despite what he believed, he could find his own dad was to blame.

  Yet there it was, his need to check that Beth understood what she was committing to, that she understood they might find something one of them wouldn’t like.

  She pulled back from him, still in his embrace but far enough back that they could look at each other. She eyed him seriously.

  “We’ll find the truth, and that matters.” She held up a finger to stop him from interjecting. “Neither of us know what we will find, but I meant it. We will face it together.” Her frown faded, a determined look in its place. “I’m glad you told me you would continue to investigate. I’m trying to get past my own insecurities, but it will take time. I can’t promise I’m going to get this right all the time. Us being open with each other helps.”

  His heart pounded in his chest. He loved this wonderful, imperfect woman. They were both flawed, but together they would find their way.

  He pulled her close and for the first time in his life forgot all about the food that was rapidly cooling as he thoroughly distracted her from the trial ahead.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Standing in the corridor, waiting for her cue to step out onto the tarmac and into the glare of the media attention that would greet her, Beth smoothed the fabric of her cotton suit with sweaty palms and looked nervously at Chase. Lounging against the wall opposite her, he looked totally relaxed.

  “How can you be so calm?” she asked, frustrated that he was handling this so easily when she was coiled so tight she feared she’d throw up before it even started.

  “You’ve going to be great,” he said, ignoring her question.

  “Really?” she asked, irritating herself with the question. It just a press conference. In fairness the most important one in the history of the company and her life had been threatened, but still it was just a press conference, something she’d handled many times over the years. She really shouldn’t need Chase’s approval. Yet somehow his confidence in her gave her a much-needed boost.

  “Of course. I can’t believe how much work has gone into this. You couldn’t be more prepared. I thought people just pitched up at these and waffled on for a bit.”

  She gave him a shove.

  “We don’t waffle on,” she said, knowing he was just trying to relieve her tension.

  “But we still don’t know if there will be another attack,” she added. That’s what her nerves were really about. She was putting herself out there as bait to try to draw out the threat to her family. It had seemed like a good idea at the time; now, not so much.

  “That’s why I’m here,” he said. “I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

  “You can’t make that promise,” she said. “No one knows what will happen out there.”

  He stepped towards her, closing the gap between them. Just inches from her he stopped, his palm curling around her cheek. The contact sent her pulse racing. Somehow he’d gotten so far under her skin that he had the power to make her melt with just a look. He stared at her for so long she figured he wasn’t going to say anything, and as the seconds passed all thoughts of the danger she was about to place herself in faded. Her mind filled with the woody scent that was all Chase alongside memories of the night before. She made an effort to keep her rebellious body still while silently willing him to press his body against hers and kiss her again.

  Finally, he leaned closer, pulling her against him with his other hand as he kept his palm on her face, and lust flooded through her. As he rested his forehead against hers Chase’s mouth opened, but not for the promised kiss.

  His voice barely a whisper, he said, “I promise you I’ll die before I let anyone harm you.”

  Beth’s heart spluttered in her chest at his words. Everything between them was so new. She hadn’t imagined that his feelings for her could run so deeply, and the truth of it took her breath away. She wanted to protest. Not at his feelings, for they spoke to something deep inside her that responded in kind. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t even know where to begin. What she could say that would convince him? Instead the single thought driving away all her logic and reason won out.

  “No.”

  She tried to push him away. He couldn’t die. God, he couldn’t even be hurt. Somehow she’d never considered that possibility, and now it had occurred to her she couldn’t accept it. It felt as though she couldn’t breathe, the idea crushing down on her chest.

  The corners of his mouth turned up as he held her firmly in place.

  “You can’t stop me, sweetheart,” he said softly.

  Annoyed at his presumption and overwhelmed with panic, she pounded his chest with her fists until he released her. She’d been more than prepared to put herself in danger in the hopes of resolving this situation for good, in the hopes of securing the safety of her family. But the fact that Chase might get hurt in the process hadn’t even crossed her mind. How could she have been so stupid?

  “Of course I can stop you,” she all but shouted at him. “I’m calling this off.”

  “This isn’t about me,” he replied, seemingly unaffected by her temper. “This is about saving your family, and you know it. I’m not important here.”

  His tone was bland, but the reality of his words made it feel as though he was shouting back. The fear he had pushed back resurfaced, but this time it was focused on the fact that if she didn’t do this there was no Plan B, no other option to secure her family’s safety.

  She swallowed hard. How the hell was she supposed to do this? She was being forced to choose between the safety of her family and the man she loved. She stared into his eyes hopelessly. Trembling, she felt that Chase’s hands on her waist were the only thing keeping her upright.

  “You know I’m right,” he said, leaning forward to press his forehead to her own. “You’ve been prepared to take this risk for yourself, and, despite how terrified that makes me for your safety, I respect your right to make that decision. You have to do the same for me.”

  Damn him, he was throwing her own words back at her. Before she could come up with a response the heavy metal door to the airfield swung open and they were momentarily blinded by the bright light that filled the corridor. At the sound Chase had moved like lightning, leaping in front of her, his body a physical shield between her and the shadowy figure that stood in the doorway.

  “If you’re determined to go ahead with this madness we’re ready.” Oliver’s voice echoed, his tone terse.

  Chase turned to look at her, his expression clear. This was her decision, and she knew he would support her no matter what. Without saying a word, she nodded and pushed past him. There wasn’t any choice. She had set out to save her family, and that’s what she intended to do. All she could do was play her part and try to keep enough distance between her and Chase so if anything did happen he wouldn’t get caught up in it.

  Plastering a smile on her face, she ignored Oliver’s tight expression and walked around him, giving him a nod before stepping out into the warmth of the summer day before he could s
top her. If it hadn’t been for their current drama the day would have been perfect for the launch, the kind of day she and her father would have been praying for. Yet now the beautiful weather seemed to mock her.

  She took in the expanse between the podium and the press area. Beth knew the press and realized just how unhappy the reporters would be at being kept at such a distance, but Chase had advised it to ensure none of the people in attendance would be in any danger. Used to being right in front of the podium for press releases, she was sure the extra distance would give them an opportunity to label her a diva.

  But for once she realized she’d be happy if they did. It would mean the launch had been uneventful. She would rather them be unhappy than take the chance of any of them getting hurt. She had made the decision to put herself in harm’s way, but she couldn’t make that call for anyone else. As it was she now had the complication of figuring out how to get Chase away from her so he would be safe. Oliver was standing on the podium, but as far away from her as possible so at least she didn’t have to worry about him. He’d even managed to make himself look less like he was sucking on a lemon.

  Standing on the podium that had been erected in front of the brand-new Horizon airliner, she took a deep breath and forced a cough.

  “Are you okay?” Chase asked quietly, his presence at her side causing a conflict of worry and comfort to churn inside her.

  “Yes.” She coughed again. “I just need some water.”

  Chase raised his arm to get the attention of one of the cabin crew standing near the media enclosure. Okay, well, that didn’t go to plan, she thought.

  “Could you get me some?” she asked, looking at Chase as innocently as possible. If he went to get her a drink he’d be safe for a while at least.

  “Nice try, sweetheart,” he said, a smile in his voice. “Now go on and do your thing.”

  Swallowing hard, Beth took a step forward and plastered a smile on her face.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming today. Before we commence with the purpose of today’s little get-together—” A quick laugh came from the crowd. Whatever else today was, it certainly wasn’t little. “I have another matter I want to address.” She held the sides of the podium so her shaking hands wouldn’t show. She had a carefully prepared script in front of her, which she was now ignoring entirely. No one else knew what she was about to say, and she hoped her father would understand.

  “Many of you will know that there has been a great deal of speculation regarding Maddox Engineering over the last twenty-four hours.”

  She felt rather than saw Chase stiffen beside her at the mention of his father’s company and hoped she wasn’t making a huge mistake. The assembled crowd were silent. Of course they knew, as many of the people in front of her were the ones doing the speculating.

  “I was not part of the original events which led to Maddox Engineering being held accountable for the crash that tragically took so many lives. However, on behalf of Great Britain Air, I am today making a commitment that the investigation into that tragedy will be reopened. As many of you will have been the ones asking, you will know there continue to be unanswered questions about how that tragedy occurred. Great Britain Air will find the answers to those questions and share any and all details it finds with you.”

  The hush over the crowd evaporated with a rush of questions. Beth simply stood waiting until the chaos subsided before attempting to identify and answer any questions.

  “Miss Worthington, has your interest in reopening this case got anything to do with the fact the son of the late owner of Maddox Engineering has been protecting you since the attack on your sister’s wedding?” one of the reporters called out.

  She turned to Chase, and his expressionless features continued to scan the crowd. She hoped she hadn’t overstepped by making such a public declaration, but since he had shared the truth about his past, it had been turning around in her mind. Combined with her own concerns, it had led her to the undeniable conclusion that something was wrong in Great Britain Air. She and Chase had committed to uncovering the truth, but she’d made the public declaration to prove to Chase just how serious she was about it. No matter what she would keep her word on this, and this way, if something were to happen to her, the Company would be obliged to follow through.

  “I have been extremely fortunate to be under the protection of Trooper Maddox for the last few days. So yes, whilst his presence has made me aware of this issue, I am reopening the investigation in the interests of ensuring that if an injustice was done that it is identified and corrected. Now, before you all get too excited by the presence of this obviously very handsome man—” She gestured to Chase with a smile. “Let’s get on with the matter at hand. Today we are pleased to unveil the Horizon aircraft. With the launch of the Horizon we will reduce our energy consumption and the associated emissions by over thirty percent without any compromise on safety and comfort. Thanks to this amazing feat of engineering, Great Britain Air pledges to reduce the energy use and carbon emissions of its entire fleet within ten years.”

  Beth looked around, pleased to see the mouths of the press hanging open. These were people she knew of old, and they did not impress easily. Cynical and generally a bit bored, they clearly had not been expecting today’s event to cover anything more exciting than a new seat design.

  “We will shortly be pleased to board you all for a test flight so you can experience it for yourselves. In the meantime, I’d like to share with you some of the details of how this amazing feat of engineering has come about.”

  Quickly glancing at the script in front of her, Beth decided to continue ignoring it. Instead she spoke from the heart about the team behind the design, and her father’s passion and drive to make air travel even more sustainable by supporting the global initiative to reduce carbon emissions. As she spoke, the fear and worry faded in her mind and she focused only on engaging the audience in front of her, determined that they understand just what a breakthrough this was. She stepped to the side, wanting to connect with the people listening, and stumbled on a wrinkle in the carpet just as a loud crack echoed through the open space.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Falling face first onto the rough carpet, she narrowly avoided banging her head as she landed. Before she had a chance to register what had happened the weight of a person landed heavily on her. Chase. She turned her head to confirm what her senses were telling her, his familiarity surrounding and comforting her.

  “This is getting to be a habit,” she joked, even as tears filled her eyes. Someone had really done it. They had really tried to kill her, again.

  “There are easier ways to get my attention,” he teased back without looking at her, all of his attention focused on their surroundings as his eyes darted around.

  The reporters were screaming, and chaos reigned.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  “Well, there’s this huge pressure on my chest,” she said.

  “What? Where? Did they get you?” he asked, suddenly turning all of his considerable focus onto her.

  “Uh, no. You’re crushing me.”

  “Damn, don’t scare me like that,” he said, shifting his body slightly to lift his weight as he once again turned away to scan their surroundings. “Just stay there for now, until we know it’s safe to move.”

  “Is the suspect secure?” he barked, pressing a hand to his earpiece.

  She could hear a crackle in return but couldn’t make out the words.

  “Operating alone?” Chase asked the source of the crackle, surprise clear in his tone.

  “Oliver,” he called. Beth lifted her head enough to see Oliver huddled behind the podium.

  “Get your ass over here,” Chase instructed.

  Oliver looked over at them with an expression of shock.

  “Me?” He pointed to himself.

  The events of the morning had obviously shaken him. Gone was the usual arrogance, in its place a mask of fear.

  �
��Yes, you. Get here and help me with Beth.”

  “Is she hurt?”

  “No, but I need your help to keep it that way,” Chase called, clearly exasperated at the questioning.

  “What about me? I don’t want to get shot,” Oliver shouted.

  And that, thought Beth, was the fundamental difference between the two men in her life. Chase couldn’t have even had a second to decide to jump on her and protect her. He’d done it instinctively with no regard for his own wellbeing. Yet Oliver was happy to leave her exposed while he talked about it. That difference had nothing to do with her being a woman and needing protecting, and everything to do with the selflessness that comes from really caring about someone else.

  “The shooter has been apprehended. Now get here.”

  With a look of shock Oliver eased himself up and moved across the stage to Beth and Chase. With the realization that the danger was over, the expression of disdain returned. When Oliver was standing right next to them Chase eased himself off of her and helped her to her feet, all the time taking care to keep her between himself and the aircraft.

  “Keep yourself between the airfield and Beth and take her inside. I’ll meet you both in the supply closet. Don’t let anyone in but me.”

  “What’s going on, Chase?” she asked, looking at Chase with concern. “If they have the shooter isn’t this over?”

  “The shooter won’t be working alone. He’s not an airline employee, so he had help getting here today,” Chase answered distractedly.

  “Why can’t you come with me?” she asked, knowing she sounded pathetic but beyond caring. Chase had saved her life twice and was about to put himself at risk again trying to ascertain whether the threat really was over.

  “I need to finish this.”

  He took her hand and looked directly at her, holding her gaze for the first time since she’d stepped outside. The intensity in his eyes took her breath away.