Page 20 of Hush Darling

Regret swamped her as she pictured her parents’ worrying. Then there would be the absolute devastation of learning she was aboard a plane that crashed once the story splattered all over the news. Was she even recorded in the flight log? What if she just became a missing person, a lost girl who was never found?

“Hey.” He removed his safety belt.

“What are you doing? The turbulence?—”

“I’m fine.” He fully faced her as the plane shuddered about and gripped her shoulders. “You’re fine. We’re fine. It’s just wind.”

Panting, she searched his stare for reassurance but found no anchor there. They were just words, not actual guarantees. He was a stranger. His confidence could not protect her anymore than?—

His lips sealed to hers, and she squeaked.

Pushing at his chest, she tried to shove him back, but he tightened his grip, forcing her to accept the kiss. His hand closed over hers, pressing her palm against his chest. “Feel my heartbeat. Nice and steady.”

“Peter—”

“Hush.” His tongue slid into her mouth, distracting her from the sense of danger and sending her thoughts to a different place. When he pulled away, the turbulence had slowed, and the plane hardly jostled.

“There,” he said, as if proving he’d been right all along and there was nothing to worry about.

Her eyes narrowed. “Well, you don’t have to look so smug about it.”

The captain’s voice returned. “We’re past the storm now, folks. Feel free to remove your safety belts and move about the cabin.”

Her mercurial mood swings between euphoric enthusiasm and terrifying dread gave her whiplash. Any more excitement, and she’d exhaust herself before they landed.

They traveled in silence for a stretch. Peter didn’t attempt to touch her again, which was for the best. She just wanted to land safely on the ground.

When they reached the coast, the jet circled the Isles of Kassel, and she stared in awe at what only a few people in the world could claim to have seen.

Several small, interconnected islands dotted the dark sea. She wished it was daylight because, at the moment, it looked a bit ominous and wild.

“Which are the Never Lands?”

Peter pointed to a small grove of an island where illuminated mansions twinkled through the canopies of palm trees. “There.”

Lush everglades curved wildly about the landscape in an undisrupted sign of organic life. She’d expected it to be more occupied and populated by buildings, but the Never Lands were mostly made of trees and jungles.

All the isles appeared darker than expected. Where were the people? This wasn’t at all as she imagined and her stomach pinched with unease.

“Where’s your family’s house?”

“Who said anything about family? The Never Lands are mine.”

The overhead bell chimed. “This is your captain speaking. We’re preparing to land. Please fasten your seatbelts, and we’ll have you on the ground shortly.”

Wendy straightened her clothes, eager to get off the plane but nervous about what might come next. Peter glanced at her and chuckled.

She glared at him, unsure what was so funny. “Why are you laughing?”

He smirked. “No reason. Tonight should be fun—once we loosen you up.”

“We?”

“Yeah, me and the Lost Boys.”

Her expression fell. Who were the Lost Boys?

Chapter 4