Hostages of Love (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Sophie del Mar

  Sean looked out the window as one of the soldiers lifted a bullhorn to his mouth.

  “Please deboard the plane at this time,” he said in heavily accented English. “You have five minutes to comply. After that, we're under orders to seize control of the aircraft.”

  Lloyd frowned. “They're not playing around, are they?”

  “Neither are we.” Sean looked from the lighted runway to the darkness beyond. “Let's get the hell out of here.”

  * * * *

  Fiona rested her head against Ian's shoulder. “I wanted to kill him,” she said between sobs.

  “I know, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of her head. “And you had every right to want that.”

  “I've never cried so much in my life. I can't seem to stop.”

  “You've held it in for so long. It's time you released the poison from your system.”

  “It is poison, isn't it?” She leaned over and kissed him. “You understand me so well.”

  “It's just that I love you.”

  “And I love you, too. You mean more to me than anything on this earth.”

  Ian swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. “I'm going to ruin my tough guy image if I start crying like a baby.”

  She smiled. “I won't tell anyone if you cry. Besides, you'll always be a tough guy to me.”

  “All I want to be is your hero.”

  “You are my hero,” she said. “Now and forever.”

  He held her against his chest and then his lips were on hers.

  Fiona pulled away from him.

  “What's wrong?” His voice was edged with concern.

  “Nothing.” She frowned. “I just wonder if he'll ever get what's coming to him.”

  “Eventually one way or another he'll pay.”

  “Can you be sure?”

  He nodded. “Everything comes back around.”

  She sighed. “I wonder how it would've felt to kill him.”

  He considered his words before speaking. “You might've felt good for a little while. Vindicated. But when your conscience kicked in, you would've felt overwhelmed by guilt.”

  “You think so?”

  “I don't know. Maybe. There's an old saying which goes something like this: When you seek revenge against someone, plan to dig two graves.”

  “Why two?”

  “One for the person who hurt you and one for yourself.”

  She looked at him for a moment then closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

  * * * *

  “The plane is moving.” Dina looked out the window. “Do you think those soldiers are going to let us take off?”

  “I don't know.” Larissa closed the window shade and looked down at her broken nails. “But I do know one thing. I can't watch this any longer.”

  “Will you talk to me?” asked Dina. “The silence is nerve-wracking.”

  “What do you want to talk about?”

  “How much do you think the studio will pay for the rights to this story?”

  Larissa laughed. “Don't you ever think about anything except business?”

  “Sometimes, but thinking about business keeps me distracted.”

  Larissa squeezed her hand. “It'll be okay.”

  “I guess I've lost Ian, haven't I?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Dina sighed. “I've known him for years but I've never seen him in love before. He's in love with that flight attendant, isn't he?”

  “Yes.”

  “All this time, I hoped we'd end up together once he got through sleeping with every woman on the planet. It was a beautiful dream I kept close to my heart. But now I've lost him.”

  Larissa shook her head. “You haven't lost him because he's still your friend. Besides, you can't lose something you never really had in the first place.”

  “It still hurts so much.”

  “I know.”

  Dina managed a painful smile. “Let's change the subject, okay? Do you have plans with that handsome pilot once we reach New York?”

  “Oh, yes.” Larissa gave her a mischievous smile. “And speaking of handsome, did you notice the co-pilot wasn't wearing a wedding ring?”

  “He's awfully cute, but he strikes me as a ladies' man.”

  “Maybe he is. Still he was pretty brave during this whole mess.”

  “That's true.” Dina looked toward the cockpit. “He is kind of handsome, isn't he?”

  * * * *

  Brian seethed with anger as he struggled to release his trapped wrist from the handcuffs. All he succeeded in doing was turning his flesh into a bloody piece of hamburger meat.

  His perfectly laid-out plans had fallen apart. How was that possible? After all, he was a genius. Wasn't he?

  His fantasies of possessing Larissa had proved as insubstantial as dust. His desire to extract vengeance against Fiona would never be realized. He slammed his head against the headrest as hot tears of rage burned his cheeks. He wouldn't give into self-pity as his mind sought a way out of the problem. Even if he went to prison, it wouldn't be forever. Eventually, he'd get out and then they'd be sorry. Every single one of them.

  He heard the sound of gunfire and turned to look out the window. The troops along the runway raised their weapons and fired at the plane. He ducked down, fearing a bullet would come through the window and strike him. The plane was picking up speed, but did the captain actually think he could get airborne with an aircraft shot full of holes?

  * * * *

  “Here we go,” said Sean.

  The plane began its turn. One silver wing barely cleared a military truck loaded with troops dressed in fatigues and armed with rifles. The soldiers piled out of the truck and ran alongside the plane. The man with the bullhorn spoke into a radio as he watched the plane move down the runway.

  Then came the unmistakable sound of machine gun fire.

  “They're shooting at the tires,” said Lloyd.

  Sean touched the instrument panel. “Come on, baby.”

  “They're aiming higher now.”

  A hail of bullets struck the aircraft.

  “Don't look now,” said Lloyd. “But they've come up with a new plan.”

  A triple row of military vehicles blocked the runway in front of them.

  “We can't stop,” said Sean. “Give it full throttle.”

  “I hope we can clear it.”

  “If not, we'll just have to mow them down.”

  Chapter 32

  The plane sped down the runway as the soldiers peppered it with bullets.

  “I feel like I'm back in the Persian Gulf,” said Sean. “But we never had to run a gauntlet like this one.”

  Lloyd shook his head. “I hope you were right when you called this aircraft a flying tank.”

  “We'll find out soon enough.”

  The nose of the plane lifted into the air. A moment later, the landing gear slammed into the top of the vehicles which blocked the runway. The aircraft shuddered with the impact, but continued its ascent.

  “We're clear!” shouted Lloyd. “We made it off this God-forsaken island.”

  Sean smiled as he spoke into the radio. “This is Flight 75, do you copy?”

  There was a crackle at the other end of the line. Then a voice said, “Flight 75, do you know how happy we are to hear from you?”

  * * * *

  Ian fell into an exhausted sleep. When he woke up, Fiona was no longer sitting next to him. He stood up and looked around. There was no sign of her in first class. He hurried into coach and spotted her at the back of the plane standing next to the seat where Brian was handcuffed. Her hands balled into fists as she glared at her stepfather.

  Fury burned on both their faces.

  Ian's voice was quiet, as if soothing a wounded animal. “Fiona, are you all right?”

  She turned at the sound of his approach, and her anger melted away as she gave him a reassuring smile. “I'm not torturing him, if that's what you're thinking.”

  Ian put his ar
m around her. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “I'm okay now. I just wanted him to own what he did to me because I no longer accept the guilt or the responsibility. I didn't deserve anything that happened to me because I was only a child.”

  “You deserved everything that happened, you little bitch.” Brian spewed the words at her. “You always thought you were better than me, thought you could hide from Daddy. I saw through you because you were nothing but a spoiled brat.”

  “No.” Fiona shook her head. “I might've believed that once, but no longer. You were always the monster, and you still are.”

  Brian's gaze narrowed as he yanked on the handcuffs. “I won't be in prison forever. I'll take care of you when I get out, and I'll enjoy doing it.”

  “Listen to me, you sack of shit.” Ian's angry voice sliced through the air like a razor. “If you ever come near her again, I'll have no qualms about killing you. Do you understand me?”

  “She means that much to you?” Brian's laugh was scornful. “Do you know how many times I've had her? More than you can count. Anything she does in the bedroom you can thank me for. So remember that the next time you're screwing my daughter.”

  Ian smashed his fist into the other man's face. “Shut your fucking mouth. Fiona is a beautiful, sensitive woman and nothing about her comes from you.”

  He took Fiona's hand and they walked away without looking back.

  Brian's voice followed them down the aisle. “This isn't over, little girl. Not even close.”

  * * * *

  They were finally airborne! Larissa exhaled with relief as she raised the window shade and looked out into the night. Then she wished she hadn't bothered. By the light of the full moon, the wing was a lunar landscape of pock-marked craters. Every bullet which had slammed into the plane had left a tell-tale mark on the silvery metal surface.

  “Would you look at that,” Dina whispered. “It's almost like we've been through a war.”

  “We have and now it's over and we're going home.”

  “Home. That word has never sounded so beautiful before.”

  Larissa smiled. “I know.”

  “Do you know what I'm going to do if we get out of this alive?”

  “What's that?”

  “I'm going to invite that co-pilot to attend the movie premiere with me.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Larissa thought about her own plans if they made it out of this alive.

  I'm going to marry Sean Merrick if he'll have me.

  * * * *

  “I think we've got a problem with the hydraulics.” Lloyd frowned. “The plane is unresponsive. Do you feel that wicked shimmy?”

  A red light blinked on the instrument panel and an alarm sounded.

  “We're losing hydraulic pressure,” said Lloyd. “We're not going to make it to New York.”

  Sean reached for the radio. “This is Flight 75 declaring an emergency. Losing hydraulic pressure and request closest available airport for landing.”

  “Roger that,” came the response. “The closest airport is Miami International, approximately ten minutes away.” Sean turned to his co-pilot. “It's going to take both of us to land this thing. We still have some hydraulic pressure, but we might hit the runway like a bullet without brakes.”

  “Then we better request the longest runway they have available. We're going to need every inch of it.”

  * * * *

  Larissa looked up as Sean's voice fill the cabin.

  “This is Captain Merrick and we're about to land at Miami International Airport. We've been through so much today, but I ask you to remain calm a little longer. We're facing a hard landing because we have a problem with the hydraulics. However, we'll do everything in our power to get you safely through this emergency.”

  His voice was calm as he continued. “Please remove your glasses and any other objects that might cause injury. Flight attendants, please prepare for emergency landing. And thank you for your cooperation.”

  Larissa closed her eyes as tears spilled down her cheeks. What more could they be expected to endure?

  * * * *

  Emergency vehicles lined the runway, and for a moment Sean was reminded of the troops which had surrounded their plane when they landed on the island. He shook his head to dispel the thought. These people were here to help them survive the landing. Landing, hell. This was going to be a crash, pure and simple. But if they were damn lucky, they might walk away with their lives.

  Another red light went off on the instrument panel, along with the sound of an alarm.

  “We're almost out of fuel,” said Lloyd. “Must be a leak in the fuel line.” “Maybe we won't go up in flames,” said Sean. “This might turn out to be a blessing.”

  “We could sure use one.”

  The plane was sluggish and unresponsive. Sean knew they were coming in too fast but there was nothing he could do about it. The aircraft hit the runway with a spine-jarring impact as both men struggled to slow it down. The emergency vehicles flew past them with surprising speed and he knew they would run out of tarmac before they could slow down the plane.

  “We're almost to the end,” said Lloyd.

  “There's grass up ahead. That might cushion us.”

  Then the runway was gone, but the plane kept moving. It finally slowed as the landing gear broke apart and the body of the 767 slid across the soft carpet of grass.

  The aircraft listed from side to side and Sean knew it would flip over. But it didn't. It came to a stop without bursting into flames because there was no fuel left to burn.

  Chapter 33

  “So which dress do you like better?” asked Larissa. “The red one or the other red one?”

  “They're both beautiful.” Sean sat on the edge of the bed as he watched her turn in front of the full-length mirror. “But I prefer the other one.”

  “That's my favorite as well. We'll save this one for another night.”

  He stood up and put his arms around her. “I wish we could stay here and forget about the premiere.”

  Larissa sighed. “So do I but you know that's impossible. The movie is sold out across the country, and it hasn't even opened yet. Tonight's event will be a media feeding frenzy.”

  “I've heard it's a great film.”

  “It's a fantastic film, but most people want to see it because Ian and I were on Flight 75. Those elevator pictures are still circulating, and the press likes to see us as the couple who survived the doomed flight. I think that's how the tabloids describe it.”

  Sean frowned. “They'll have to accept that I'm your man. Not Ian, even if they find the idea disappointing.”

  She smiled. “My darling, you certainly won't disappoint anyone. You have the face of a golden angel.”

  He laughed. “My imaginative girl.”

  “What about my hair?” she asked. “Up or down?”

  “Definitely up.” He slid his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck.

  “Shouldn't you be getting dressed? We're never going to make it on time if you keep doing that.”

  His voice was hopeful. “What if we skip the whole thing?”

  “Don't tempt me, my love.” She held his face between her hands and kissed him. “For some reason, they expect the actors who appeared in the movie to attend the premiere.”

  “I guess I'm being selfish.”

  “No more selfish than I feel at the moment.” She touched his cheek. “Just remember, it'll be over soon and then the rest of the night is ours.”

  “I can't wait. I have plans for you, beautiful lady.”

  “What was that idea about skipping the premiere?” she whispered against his earlobe. “It sounds more tempting with each passing second.”

  He chuckled. “Like you said, it'll be over soon. But I'm not looking forward to the media circus.”

  “You can't blame them for their interest. The American president gave you a medal, and so did your English prime minister.”

  Sean shrugged. �
��We all worked together to save the passengers. It wasn't just me.”

  “But the reporters have singled you out. Now I need to share you with the entire world.”

  He shook his head. “I belong only to you. You'll never have to share me with anyone.”

  “Oh Sean. Do you know how much I love you?”

  “I love you too, princess.” He kissed her soft, full lips. “I just hope this whole thing blows over so life can return to some semblance of normality.”

  “Well, I don't know about normality.” She frowned. “Whenever I have a film premiere, you'll have to deal with reporters. Can you handle that?”

  He was silent a moment as he contemplated the question. “Acting is what gives your life purpose, and I'm willing to accept everything that goes along with that. As long as you're happy, I can put up with anything.”

  She threw herself into his arms. “Am I the luckiest woman on earth or what?”

  * * * *

  In a small apartment across town, Fiona modeled her new dresses for Ian. “So which one do you like better?”

  “The black one is elegant,” he said. “But the red one is hot.”

  “Then the red one it is.”

  He rested his large frame against the back of her small loveseat. “I should get dressed now, but I'm having such a good time watching you model for me.”

  She smiled. “I don't think you want to be late for your own premiere.”

  “I wish we could skip the whole thing.”

  “Are you kidding?” She looked at him in surprise. “This is going to be such fun! I'm attending a movie premiere with the one and only Ian Renard. I'm wearing the most beautiful dress I've ever seen and I feel like Cinderella herself. If my friends from the Cactus Valley Trailer Park could see me now.”

  Suddenly she stopped speaking.

  Ian frowned. “What's wrong?”

  “I was just thinking about him.”

  “He's in jail awaiting trial. They're going to put him away for the rest of his life.”