Page 18 of West Bound

“Levi!” I shout again, and this time he’s up and aware that I’m awake. A frown mars his otherwise perfect face, and he pushes his glasses up as his brow descends in irritation.

I can see the look of agitation on his face when I finally get my seatbelt to snap free, and I jump up from my seat.

“Sit down,” he growls when he’s close enough.

“Listen to me. We have to go back. I have to get back to the convent.” I sound as anxious as I feel, but I lower my voice to sound more rational.

“Yeah, we’re not doing that.” He’s calm. Too calm.

“We have to do that. You don’t understand. This will end badly,” I insist.

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m warning you,” I snipe back.

I know I pissed him off thoroughly at the convent, but I’m still hoping some part of the Levi I thought I knew is real. I just need him to be sensible. Listen to me. Is that too much to ask?

“I think you’d better think twice about who’s warning who in this situation.” He grabs me by the rope around my wrist as a reminder of where I stand.

“I’m trying to help you by warning you. We’ve got to get back to the convent.”

He shakes his head, unimpressed with my pleas. “We’re thirty thousand feet in the air. You can sit down and finish your nap.”

“You’re not listening to me! We have to get back!” I lose my patience and start to rush past him, hoping the flight attendant will see more reason than he does right now. My attempt is futile. He extends one massive hand, catching me around the waist and wrapping me up. He pulls me tight to his chest. His lips pressed against my temple when he speaks.

“You need to sit down.” He enunciates each word.

“No. You need to listen.” I try to pull away from him but only manage to get enough separation to meet his eyes. “If he finds out I left, we’re both dead.”

“Who finds out?” I hear the confusion in his tone.

“My husband.”

“Yourwhat?” His brow furrows deeper, and his eyes narrow behind his glasses.

“My husband will kill us. You have to tell the pilot to turn the plane around.”

“How are you married if you’re a nun?”

“I’m in training. I haven’t taken my final vows yet. You’d know that if you were a real priest.”

“So you’ve been pretending to be a nun to hide from your husband?”

“He knows where I am. Or knew where I was, and now I guarantee he knows I’m missing. He always knows.” I talk faster because I know every moment we’re on this plane we’re putting more miles between us and the convent.

“I don’t give a fuck what he knows. He can’t touch us on this plane.” He scowls at the way I’m still struggling against him. I just want someone who will listen to the words I’m saying and take them seriously.

“But he will when we land.”

“He can try.”

He’s snide. Self-assured. Not the least bit concerned. Just like he was when I was ready to burn him. I’m starting to think the man doesn’t have a self-preserving bone in his body.

“Your arrogance—” I start and then realize it’s a failing venture. “Ma’am? You. Hello! You, in the galley! Can you tell the pilot to?—”

“Is there an issue?” The other man on the plane stands up and turns his attention to us, blocking my view of the flight attendant.

He’s heavily tattooed, and his hair is carefully styled. The suit he’s wearing is perfectly tailored, barely a wrinkle despite hours on this plane. He looks expensive. Lethal. Sinister steel-gray eyes stare at me from across the plane, and I can tell he’s irritated with my very existence. I’m a gnat to him—one he’ll gladly swat away if needed. A chill runs down my spine, and I look back at Levi.