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“Did you see someone?”
I squeeze her hand. “Stay close to me.”
The attendants wave Piper forward, and it’s not as if we have a choice. Even if I broke out an emergency window, how would I lower her fifteen feet down to the ground? There’s only one way in and one way out.
I send a quick text to Akim.Something isn’t right. Meet at gate.
“Timofey?” Piper squeezes my hand. “Is everything okay?”
I’m on edge. Given everything going on right now, I have a right to be. Still, that doesn’t mean I need to bring Piper along for that ride. Not when she needs to be focused on taking care of herself and our child.
“It’s nothing. Just a precaution.”
She looks back at me, exhaustion pressed into the skin under her eyes.
“It’s fine,” I tell her again just as we approach the flight attendants.
A blonde woman smiles and waves. “Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Viktorov. I hope you had a nice flight.”
Piper chuckles. “Oh, we’re not—”
“Thank you,” I interrupt, ushering her into the walkway.
“They thought we were married.” She laughs nervously. “And she knew your name. Is that normal for first class?”
“It’s normal for me.”
I’m aware of how much Piper still doesn’t know about my life and this world. People recognize me all over for all kinds of reasons. My life is lived either in the spotlight or the underground. There is no in-between.
Suddenly, I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Is it because Piper is pregnant? We started the whole dating charade, and I knew she’d be in the public eye. But there was always the opportunity for her to disappear. For better or worse, I’ve now roped her into a dangerous existence. One where her connection to me is permanent.
Thoughts of what the right thing to do is—what my next steps should be—swirl around my head. I bat them away to focus on getting Piper through the airport and back to my gated, secure mansion as quickly as possible. That’s the nice part about my life—at least I have the resources to keep her safe.
When we step out of the jetway and into the airport, Piper pulls right, following the crowd. I grab her arm and steer her to the left.
“But baggage claim is that way,” she protests.
“Someone else will collect my luggage. Or I’ll leave it. I don’t care. We’re not wasting our time there.”
She frowns. “You’re going to leave your luggage? Why? Are we in danger here?”
“No.”
“Then why can’t we wait and get your suitcase?”
“Because,” I bark, growing frustrated.
Another flight has just arrived. If the sounds of grumbling passengers are anything to go by, it was delayed. Now, both planes are disembarking at the same time and there are too many people clogging up the walkway.
Piper pulls back, trying to slow me down even more. “Timofey. What is going on? Should I be worried?”
“No.”
That’s my job. I’ll be worried enough for the both of us.
She blows out a frustrated breath. “If something is going on, you need to tell me. Honesty, remember? We’re going to be honest with each other. Is something going on?”
“I’m trying to navigate a busy airport and get you home.”
