by Becca Van
Savannah’s eyes ran over her face and she gasped. “Shit. Did he hit you? Fucking asshole.” She turned to glare at Miller. “Why would you do that?”
“Savannah, that’s the least of our worries. Can you bring back a bottle of water and a straw? We need to keep Miller hydrated.”
“Why? I think he’s had more than enough to drink. He stinks.”
“Savannah!”
Savannah smirked. “On it, Captain Crowe.”
“Cut that out, Sav.” Roxy smiled.
“Yes, ma’am.” Savannah saluted and turned on her heel.
“There’s no doctor on board,” Savannah advised when she came back in.
Roxy frowned but nodded. She took the pills Savannah handed her and washed them down with water. The hostess then placed the straw to Miller’s lips and Roxy was relieved when he managed a couple of sips.
The next thirty minutes seemed to take hours to pass. Roxy was glad when she was able to start the slow descent. She glanced at the radar and saw the weather was clear and was glad she wouldn’t have to contend with deviating around any storms.
Slowly but surely the plane altitude lowered until they were only thirty minutes from the runway. She’d just finished another flight check when a loud bang sounded and the aircraft shuddered. She scanned the control panel and saw that engine four had just shit itself. Her heart leapt into her throat and sweat broke out on her forehead but she kept a cool head and shut down engine number four, before leveling the plane from its slight list.
She’d never been so damn glad she’d dealt with a lot of troublesome scenarios in the flight simulator. Only yesterday she’d handled the same situation in that pretend cockpit with engine failure from engine one. After doing another panel check she decided she needed to address the passengers to relieve their fear before contacting the tower again. The last thing she needed was to have a full blown panic on her hands.
“This is Captain Crowe. We just hit a little turbulence. Please make sure you have your seat belts secured and remain in your seats.” She felt bad about not revealing an engine was down but sometimes lies were necessary. She needed everyone to remain calm and in control. After contacting the tower and advising them of engine failure, she concentrated on landing the aircraft safely. She went through the motions in her head until she was satisfied she had everything in hand.
Roxy glanced at the altitude and saw that she was right on target with only ten thousand feet before touchdown. She was aware of Captain Miller beside her and Savannah strapped in behind her but her total concentration remained on the aircraft and controls. She flipped the landing gear switch and waited for the panel to tell her they were down and locked into place, but the light never came on.
She swore under her breath and flicked the switch again.
Fuck!
Roxy’s heart was racing inside her chest and for a moment or two she couldn’t get enough air into her lungs. When she realized she was starting to panic, she cleared her mind and concentrated on her breathing. You can do this, Roxy. You’ve been trained to handle this. Once she was in control again, she let her mind take over again.
“Sav, get out there with the other hostesses. I need you to help to keep the passengers calm, but you need to tell them to prepare for a crash landing.”
“What?” Sav asked as she stood up. Roxy didn’t look at her but she heard and felt the movement behind her.
“We have no landing gear. It won’t stay down and lock in.”
“Shit!”
“We’ll be fine, Sav. Go out and inform everyone what’s going on and help the other hostesses keep everyone calm.”
Savannah placed her hand on Roxy’s shoulder and squeezed before exiting.
“San Angelo tower, this is flight JK989. Request full emergency services on runway one five. Mayday, San Angelo tower, we have no landing gear. Mayday, mayday, JK989 will be landing on skin.”
“Roger, flight JK989. All emergency services will be standing by. Good luck, Roxy.”
“Thanks, Will. I’m going to need it.”
Chapter Five
Stefan’s eyes snapped open when a hand landed on his shoulder. Years spent in the military had helped him come awake in an instant.
“What time is it?”
“2:30 a.m. Get your ass into gear. We need to get to the airport,” Dusty said.
Stefan flung the covers aside and sat up. He didn’t bother asking questions since his older brother by twenty minutes was already striding away. He pulled his jeans and T-shirt on and, after brushing his teeth and grabbing a sweater, he hurried out to the kitchen.
Book was filling travel mugs with coffee, and after putting the lids on them, he handed him a cup.
Dusty entered the kitchen and grabbed the keys to his truck from the hook.
“What’s happening?”
“I’ll explain on the way but we need to leave now,” Booker said in a firm voice.
Stefan followed his brothers out and, after making sure the door to the house was locked, jogged to the truck and got into the backseat. Booker was in the driver’s seat and he reversed out and then they were speeding down the road.
Dusty turned in the front passenger seat so Stefan could see his face. “We just got a call from Wilson. Roxy’s in trouble.”
“Fuck! Tell me,” Stefan demanded.
“First of all she suspects Miller has had a stroke.”
Stefan knew there was more so he just nodded instead of asking what else.
“She’s lost an engine and is only running on three.”
Stefan sighed. “Okay, but I can’t see her having any trouble with the landing. She’s the best fucking pilot we’ve ever seen.”
“Agreed,” Booker said. “But there’s more.”
“Shit,” Stefan growled.
“She has no landing gear. From what Will said it won’t stay down and lock in,” Dusty explained.
“Fucking bullshit!” Stefan vented as fear swamped him. He leaned forward and looked at the speedometer. “Can’t you go any faster? What time is she due to land?”
Dusty glanced at his watch. “We have ten minutes.”
“Move it, Book,” Stefan ordered and was glad when his brother put the pedal to the metal.
* * * *
Roxy could see the runway lights in the distance and banked slightly to align the aircraft. Her heart was beating so fast she was scared it would jump right out of her chest. Sweat trickled between her breasts and the hair on the nape of her neck felt damp. But she kept her cool and eased the 747 toward the tarmac.
The emergency services flashing blue and red lights were distant but she could still see them. She thanked God that she’d had time to have everything set up in preparation for the landing and hoped that the fire retardant foam had been sprayed down the length of the bitumen. She wasn’t looking forward to sliding the great metal beast on the runway but hopefully the plane wouldn’t fall apart or start a fire by flying sparks.
She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and prayed. She kept her eyes on the encroaching runway and the height meter and just as the belly of the aircraft touched the ground she raised the flaps, reversed the three engines still working, and gripped the steering yoke hard. The noise was so loud she wouldn’t have heard herself scream if she’d had a voice, but right at that moment she didn’t think she’d be able to make a sound. The screeching of metal on the runway put her teeth on edge but she gritted them and held tight to the yoke.
It seemed to take forever for the aircraft to slow and finally the great metal monster came to a stop right on the edge of the tarmac and grass. Roxy wanted to get up out of her seat and leave the plane but she didn’t think her shaking legs would hold her weight right then. Plus she had to make sure all the passengers, cabin staff and Miller got off before she did.
She took several deep breaths and let them out before removing her seatbelt and turning to face Miller. She was surprised to see him looking at her and there were tears in his eyes. H
is right arm lifted toward her and as she approached him and clasped his hand he spoke to her.
“Th–tha…ank…y–you.”
Roxy swallowed audibly around the huge lump in her constricted throat and nodded her head, before clearing her throat. “No problem. Just let me make sure everyone is off and I’ll be back.”
Miller’s right hand waved in acknowledgement and Roxy left the cockpit. Savannah was standing at the exit slide and as far as she could see she was the last person on board besides her and Miller.
“You saved us all, Roxy. You’re an amazing woman. Thank you.”
Tears filled Roxy’s eyes but she quickly blinked them away. “You’re welcome,” she said in a raspy voice. “Now get your ass off of this plane.”
“You got it,” Savannah said before she sat down on the edge of the slide and pushed off.
Roxy hurried back to the cockpit on trembling legs, crouched beside Miller, and released his safety belt. “Let’s get out of here. Do you think you can stand? Walk?”
Miller blinked and Roxy took that for a yes. She shoved her arms around Miller’s back and hooked it beneath his arm. “On three,” she said quietly. “One, two, three.”
Miller got to his feet, waivered, and then managed to get his right arm around the top of her shoulders. It took a lot of maneuvering and time but between the both of them she was able to get her Captain to the slide, and she was relieved to see paramedics waiting at the bottom.
“You’re going to have to catch him,” Roxy yelled. “He won’t be able to stop his momentum.”
“We’ll get him, ma’am, don’t worry,” one of the men yelled back.
“Okay, Captain, let’s get you on your ass.” Roxy slowly eased Miller down but he tilted at the last second and she ended up going down with him. The side of her face slammed into the door and she saw stars for a moment or two as agony shot through her forehead and brain. She concentrated on keeping the darkness at bay. She couldn’t give in to the blackness swirling on the edge of her mind, not until Miller was safe.
She pushed the pain away, disentangled her arms and legs from Miller, and pushed to her hands and knees. Dizziness and nausea assailed her but she wasn’t about to give up. Something wet and sticky dripped into her eye but she wiped it away. When her vision cleared enough to see, even if it was blurry, she reached for Miller and shifted until her body was behind him, supporting him in a sitting position with her strength keeping him upright.
“Okay, Miller, it looks like we’ll be going down together.” Roxy scooted forward with her arms locked around Miller’s arms and chest and used her pelvis to shove his ass onward. She felt Miller tense and knew he was scared but she didn’t have time to alleviate his fears. The fuselage could have torn apart and for all she knew there could be fuel leaking from the tank. Even though there was fire retardant foam everywhere it wouldn’t take much to ignite the gas and blow the whole damn plane up.
“We’re going on three.” Roxy released one arm from around Gerard’s chest, placed her hand on the floor, and wriggled forward. “One.” She pushed off.
She and Miller went sliding down the emergency exit fast and before she knew what was happening Gerard’s weight was lifted off of her. Roxy stared up at the sparkling stars and tried to blink them into focus but they seemed to be moving.
She wondered how that was possible but then those thoughts flitted away when firm strong hands gripped her upper arms and pulled her to her feet. Her legs buckled and she stared uncomprehendingly at gorgeous blue-green eyes just before she passed out.
* * * *
As soon as the truck stopped, Stefan jumped out of the backseat and ran toward the control tower. He didn’t have to look to know that Dusty and Booker were right behind him.
He raced up the stairs and slammed into the room. He glanced around for Wilson and then he looked out the tower window. His breath caught in his throat and fear lodged in his gut as he watched Roxy’s plane touch the tarmac. The noise from the metal grinding along the bitumen was loud but a little of his fear dissipated when he saw the white fire retardant foam on the runway. It didn’t prevent sparks from spraying up from the metal belly but at least it would stop any fires from breaking out.
Stefan held his breath but didn’t realize he was doing so until his lungs started burning. He drew in a deep breath and exhaled before drawing in another lungful of air, praying that the 747 would stop skidding soon. It was nearly the end of the runway and if it didn’t stop it would end up crashing into the side of the airport terminal.
The aircraft finally stopped and Stefan smiled when everyone in the tower started cheering, but he needed to see that Roxy was safe and unharmed. He turned on his heel and without saying a word to his brothers they all headed back out and down the stairs.
He and his brothers sprinted across the concrete and then the open field and he never once took his eyes from the plane. The exit doors had been open by the hostesses and the emergency slides released. Passengers disembarked and with help from the first responders they were directed away from the aircraft.
“Where the fuck is she?” Dusty asked through clenched teeth.
Stefan searched the cockpit windscreen but he couldn’t see Roxy at all because the nose of the 747 was tilted up and they couldn’t see the pilot’s seats.
“You know she won’t leave that plane until everyone else is safe,” Booker said.
“We need to get up there to help her. How the hell is she going to get Miller off if he’s had a stroke?” Dusty looked around the crowd. “Where are the fucking stairs?”
“They won’t line up, Dusty. The planes not at a terminal,” Stefan said.
“Shit, I feel so helpless.” Dusty ran his fingers through his hair.
“Yeah me, too, but we’re going to have to wait,” Booker said.
“There she is,” Stefan said and pointed to the door. His brothers moved closer and he heard them both sigh in relief. “See she’s just making sure everyone’s off.”
The last hostess slid down the slide.
“What the hell is she doing now?” Booker snapped. “Where the fuck did she go?”
“Calm down, Book. You have to get your emotions under control. She’s going to need us when she gets off that fucking plane,” Stefan said.
Roxy appeared at the door again but this time with Captain Miller in her arms. She was half carrying the man but from the looks of it she was supporting nearly all of his weight and he had approximately seven inches on her as well as at least a hundred pounds.
Stefan kept going until he was behind the paramedics standing at the bottom of the slide and gasped when he saw Roxy and Miller fall to their asses.
“Is there any way we could climb up that chute?” Booker asked.
“If we had some ropes, yeah,” Stefan said.
“Fuck.” Dusty spun around and Stefan figured his brother was searching for a way so that they could get to Roxy.
“Dusty, she’s okay. Look.”
“Shit, is that blood on her face?” Booker questioned.
Stefan squinted and looked at Roxy’s face when she leaned to the side. Sure enough he could see red coming from her forehead and over one of her eyes before it ran down her cheek.
His heart flipped and his belly dropped when he saw that she was hurt, but she was alive and that was all that mattered right now. She would heal and he was going to make damn sure he and his brothers were at his side to take care of her.
He didn’t care if she never got her full pilot’s license. This incident had shaken him up, was still shaking him up, and made him realize life was too short not to reach out and grab hold of what he wanted. Roxy was his and his brothers’ woman and he wasn’t about to spend another minute away from her.
Once she was feeling better they would sit down and tell her what they wanted from her and he wasn’t about to take no for an answer. He wasn’t going to force her or seduce her but he wasn’t giving up until she was theirs.
Roxy someho
w managed to push Miller toward the edge of the slide and then they were moving toward them fast. Stefan took a step closer, ready to help catch her and her captain but he couldn’t even see her. Miller had fallen back on Roxy and the only part of her he could see was her arms which were wrapped around Gerard’s chest.
Just before they got to the bottom Dusty said the words he’d just thought himself.
“She’s ours.”
The paramedics carefully lifted Miller off of Roxy and Dusty hurried toward her where she lay staring at the sky. Stefan saw the two inch cut on her forehead near her hairline and it was bleeding profusely. He didn’t panic about the blood because head injuries tended to bleed a hell of a lot, but he was concerned about the head injury. He hoped she hadn’t whacked her head hard enough to fracture her skull or to induce a concussion. He’d had a mild concussion once or twice and he wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. His head had throbbed like a bitch and made him sick to his stomach. He’d hate to have experienced a full-fledged concussion.
Dusty gripped Roxy’s upper arms and gently lifted her to her feet and she swayed a moment, and then to Stefan’s horror her eyes seemed to roll back in her head, her knees buckled, and she fainted.
“We need a paramedic over here now,” Booker shouted.
Stefan shifted aside when Dusty scooped Roxy up into his arms and hurried toward an ambulance. One of the medics met them with a portable stretcher and his brother gently placed their woman on the bed. He, Dusty, and Booker followed when she was wheeled over to the ambulance.
Another medic started assessing Roxy straight away.
“Laceration to her forehead, possible concussion. Her blood pressure and heartbeat are good.”
“What about the bruising on her face?” one of the medics asked.
“Shit. It looks like someone clocked her one. Fucking asshole. Who would hit a woman?”
Stefan wanted to roar with anger but he kept his ire in check.
“Let’s get her to the hospital.”
“I’m coming with you,” Dusty said and climbed into the back of the ambulance.