Page 10 of Cage

Shit.

Why do I feel like Ruth didn’t give me the full magnitude of this job?

Ember pales. She looks around the plane as if she wants to bolt, but there’s nowhere for her to go. Not that I’d let her anyway. I’d have her captured in a heartbeat. Then I’d have her over my knee for trying to run away.

If we continue to Idaho, we’ll be leading them right to the safe house. That’s not an option. I quickly look through my GPS while formulating a plan.

“Land at the airstrip in Illinois. I’ll work on getting a car to meet us there.”

Without wasting a second, I grab the untraceable phone we all carry around and call Ghost.

“Speak,” he answers, knowing this isn’t a call for pleasantries.

“I need an armored SUV at our airfield in Illinois. And a dozen armed men to escort me plus one from a plane.”

“How long?”

“One hour, five minutes.”

“Ten-four.”

As soon as Ghost ends the call, I find Cassian’s name.

“Speak.”

“I have a plane tailing me, and I need to know who the fuck it is.”

Cassian is already typing in the background. “Can you see what kind of plane? Any numbers or colors on it?”

“Stay put,” I tell Ember sharply as I rise to go to the cockpit. She startles at my tone. Shit, I’m an asshole. I probably need to be more gentle with her. She’s terrified. Right now, though, I have a more pressing issue to handle.

The next few minutes are spent trying to find anything identifiable on the other aircraft, but we come up with nothing.Whoever is flying it is smart. They’re keeping a distance and staying in a blind spot almost constantly.

“I’ll work on this and get back to you,” Cassian says, then abruptly ends the call.

“If they get closer or do anything other than keep our tail, let me know,” I tell the pilots before I turn and stride away, a feeling of urgency to return to Ember settling in my stomach.

“What’s happening?” she whispers, her blue eyes sparkling with tears.

I kneel in front of her, hoping to comfort her in some way. In any way. I can’t stand seeing her like this. Mad, sure. Scared and sad, I don’t like it. Not one bit. She won’t stop shivering despite how warm it is. She blinks, sending a stream down her cheeks. Fuck, I’m such an asshole.

“I’m not sure yet. I’m putting things in place so we can land safely and get into a car. My brother is trying to figure out who is following us. Do you know anything about who is threatening you, Ember?”

She shakes her head and for the second time since we’ve been on the plane, she starts rubbing just below her bottom lip with her thumb. It reminds me of when Rowie sucks her thumb. Something she does when she’s stressed or frightened. Maybe stroking her chin is soothing for Ember?

“I don’t know anything. My father told me an hour ago about all of this.” She sniffles, and I can’t help but notice the smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Adorable. Too damn innocent for someone like me.

“We’re going to crash and die, aren’t we?”

Her voice is so fucking small, and she’s curled herself up into the tightest ball that her safety belt will allow. I want to layer blankets over her just to get her to stop shaking. The problem is that won’t work. She isn’t cold. She’s fucking terrified. I bunchmy hands into fists to keep from pulling her onto my lap to comfort her. She’s a client who I’m meant to protect, not coddle.

“No, Ember. If anything went wrong with the plane, I have parachutes available for emergency evacuation.”

When her skin turns green and her eyes bulge, I curse under my breath. I don’t think that was the best answer to give.

“No matter what happens, you’re not going to die with me. My job is to protect you, and I never fail. Understand me, firefly?”

She studies me for a few seconds before she gives a slow nod. “I don’t like planes.”

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