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If I had to guess, one of the older members of the crew put her up to this to embarrass her. I don’t know her name, so she must be new. This plane takes off when Iwantit to, nobody ever comes totellme that it’s time.
It’s obvious she’s been standing outside the door the entire time, too. It’s been nearly an hour if I had to guess. After a few seconds of tense silence, she notices she’s blocking my path and steps out of my way.
I put my hands into my pockets, regarding her with a blank expression. “Did you want to join us? Is that why you were standing outside the door?”
Her face grows even redder. “N-no, sir, I—”
I hold up my hand, stopping her in her tracks.
At the other end of the aisle, I see Agatha walking toward us. Agatha’s been a member of my cabin crew for as long as I can remember and it shows—the starchy stiffness of the pale blue uniform, the silvery strands of hair tucked back into a chaste chignon, her purposeful steps.
She steps into earshot right as the new stewardess opens her mouth again.
“Mr. Duke, my apologies for Miss Florence’s intrusion,” Agatha says, casting a pointed look at Florence.
The girl shrinks even further.
“I’ll take a whiskey sour with my meal,” I say, stepping past them toward one of the seats. “And champagne for my fiancée.”
They both move to the front of the plane, Agatha practically pulling Florence along. I settle into my seat, and against my better judgement, I take my phone out to look at the picture Graham sent again.
My anger is back in an instant, along with the whirlwind of thoughts.
I’m reliving that day in the greenhouse, but instead of the masked figure with the tattooed hands, it’sthisman I see. I see his contemptuous glare, the look of satisfaction after he’s killed my mum. My stomach roils, and I’m overcome by the need to punch something. I slam my fists on the table in front of me, the sound echoing through the cabin.
I need Lev to get back to me with the truth sooner than later.
It doesn’t help that I’ve found this outrightas Alize and I are meant to be visiting with my father. On its own, handling my father will require all my mental fortitude.
I can’t afford to be distracted bythis. I’d rather not think about it at all. How can I bring Alize home when her family might be responsible for the tragedy that tore mine apart?
I’ll have to protect her from my father, but who will protect her from me?
My patience and self-control are withering by the moment, and each second I spend with her feels like it sets me back. I can’t shake the feeling that everything about us is wrong, even when it is what I need to survive.
I can’t exist without her, but her very existence could be an affront to everything I’ve told myself that I believed over the years, that I’ve fought to safeguard. That I promised to avenge.
It’s like being allergic to the very thing keeping you alive.
Five, ten minutes, fifteen minutes pass.
Agatha returns with my whiskey sour, but there’s still no sign of Alize. I swallow the drink in a single gulp and send Agatha back for another while I wait. The alcohol helps just a bit, calming my thoughts enough for me to think a bit more logically.
I don’t know for sure what Alize’s relation toLe Bourreauis—if there even is one. So I can’t make any decisions yet. I owe it to her and my sanity to at least figure that part out first.
I send a text off to Lev, requesting an update on the situation—there’s no fucking reason it should be taking this long when I sent the sample a few days ago.
When the truth is out, all the cards will have been dealt, and I will make my final move.
Either way, I’m certain of one thing.
Nothing will ever be the same.
THREE
ALIZE
My heartbeat thrumsall over my scalding skin.
