“I hate flying. I won’t go. You can’t make me!” Jessa screeched. “No one will let you take off with a woman screaming inside the plane.” She knew her arguments were stupid, but they were doing the trick. The only two men remaining between her and freedom were staring at her like she’d gone slightly crazy.
In seconds, Cole had pinned the guard to the ground, denying him air until his legs finally stopped kicking. Burke stood in the shadows, his gun out, his eyes on the plane. Cole stood, and they both began coming closer. The guard at the top of the stairs would see and hear them coming a mile away. He’d have plenty of time to draw his gun and shoot them both—unless she distracted the guard.
“I won’t go.” She stood up and stamped a foot like a toddler in need of a nap. Anything to bring their focus on her and not the men moving to the plane. She let it go, throwing a fit to end all temper tantrums.
“Shut up,” Delgado growled.
“No!” she screamed, tossing the blanket in Marco’s face. His eyes widened before they disappeared under the scrap of black felt. He batted at it, the glass slipping out of his hand and spilling.
The guard rushed forward, grabbing at the blanket.
“Sit down, bitch,” Delgado said, baring his teeth as he swiped at the Scotch on his slacks. “No, wait. Don’t sit yet. Michael, teach her a lesson first.”
The hulking guard near the door stalked closer and lifted his hand. Jessa braced herself, but she still lost her balance from the vicious slap that smacked her head back. She fell against the chair, her skin burning and stinging. But she couldn’t give in. The doorway was tight. Both men would have to come through there first. They’d be in deep danger. She couldn’t stand either one being hurt. She forced herself back to her feet and shoved at the guard using every bit of strength she had. She screamed as she pushed at him to let Burke and Cole know that she was in the plane.
“Two! Two! Two!” Jessa screamed. If they heard her, they would know that there were two people on the plane with her. They would know they had two men to kill.
“She’s gone crazy,” Delgado said, reaching out to grab her hair. His fingers tangled brutally against her scalp, forcing her head back. “We can start your training now, bitch. Michael, get the duct tape. I don’t want to hear her scream when I use her ass.”
There was a loud crack, and Michael stopped, his enormous body frozen for a single moment. There was a neat hole where a bullet had exited his forehead, blood blooming around the circle.
Cole entered the plane behind the falling guard, his gun ready once more. Burke was right behind him.
Delgado pulled her against his body. She felt the sting of his hand pulling at her hair and the hard press of metal against her flesh. “Get back. Both of you.”
Cole’s gun went down. He let it fall to the floor. “Let her go and you can do anything you want to me.”
“Or I could just blow a hole in her side and you two can watch as she slips away,” Delgado shot back. “Your brother will put his gun down, and you will both allow us to leave this plane or I’ll kill her right here.”
That wasn’t happening. If Burke dropped his gun, Delgado would simply shoot them all. She understood their hesitation, but she had to take a chance if she was going to save them. “Cole, Burke, I trust you. I trust you.”
The minute the words were out of her mouth, she let her body go completely lax. She fell toward the floor. The only thing holding her up was the hold Delgado had on her hair. But it was enough. He couldn’t balance and hold on to her.
Another shot rang out, the sound ricocheting through the plane. She hit her knees as the hand in her hair let go. Cole caught her before she hit the ground, his arms pulling her away.
Burke stood over Delgado’s prone body. He kicked the gun away. In the distance, Jessa could hear the roar of sirens coming their way. Cole held her close, but all she could see were dead bodies.
“Baby. Baby, are you all right?” Cole’s hands were everywhere, looking for damage. “Did someone hit you? Did they hurt you?”
Burke was at her back, crowding her. “Sweetheart, he’s dead. They’re all dead. They can’t hurt you again.”
Yes. They were all dead, and she was alive. Her hands shook as she pulled away. So much had happened. She felt herself shake again, the shock setting in. Her knees threatened to crumble beneath her. Delgado was lying dead feet from her. She knew that in her head…but destructive thoughts crept through her mind. What if he’d somehow gotten to Caleb? After all, why should she trust a criminal to keep his word to leave her baby unharmed?
She looked at Burke and Cole with stark terror and begged, “Take me to Caleb. Please. I need to see my son.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jessa stared at the door that separated her from Caleb. She’d thought about sleeping on the floor beside his crib, but decided that simply leaving the door open between their rooms would work. When they’d arrived at the James’ condo, she’d spent over two hours holding him, cradling his little body, but he’d been sleeping fitfully, waking with an occasional cry. She’d known that if she didn’t let him be, he would be one cranky boy in the morning. And in the morning she had to decide what to do with her life.
She sat up in bed, knowing that sleep wasn’t coming soon. She’d made it through the police interview and the paramedics examining her. She’d held herself together through it all, but now that the distractions were gone and she was all alone, the tears fell.
Why couldn’t she just take what Burke and Cole were offering and so willing to give her? Tonight, they had hovered over her, telling her again and again how much they loved her. And she kept pulling away, almost afraid to believe that it was true. Trembling at the thought they might leave her again—this time for good. Maybe she was exhausted and not being terribly rational. But…broken trust was hard to repair. She wanted to try, but being so utterly alone this past year as she’d tried to live without Burke and Cole had been torture. Some days—and nights—she’d thought that if she had to spend another minute without them, she’d go insane.
She frowned. She still loved them. That wasn’t ever going to change. Something in her was wired for them. So why couldn’t she cling to them now? Why was she holding herself back?
Fear.
Jessa rolled out of bed, her feet sinking into the luxurious carpet. She was wearing one of Hannah’s silk nightgowns, the material soft on her skin, but all she could think about was her men’s strong hands caressing her, their arms surrounding her.