Summer Of My Secret Angel (7 page)

“Oh, you’re already here.” She reached out
with one hand, but apparently thought better of it and pulled back
before her fingers made contact with my cheek. “I’ve got all the
papers for your departure. The taxi is waiting outside. I suppose
we can start our journey.”

Miss Mulligan shook my hand, mumbled some
crap I didn’t listen to, and then saw us off to the front door.
Julian stuffed my belongings into the boot of the black car next to
two other suitcases. He climbed into the backseat after me while
the dragon sat in front.

“Now put on a nice smile and enjoy the
trip,” Julian whispered as he leaned over to my side. “You’ll like
the flight. I guess you’ve never been in an airplane before?”

“Airplane?”
Oh shit!
I hadn’t even
thought about that part of the voyage! My knees started to tremble.
“Isn’t there a way to go by car or train? Or even a ship?”

His forehead creased into a frown. “What’s
the problem? Are you afraid of flying?”

“I wouldn’t say that exactly.” Because I’d
never been up so high. Actually, just climbing the first few rungs
of a ladder scared the wits out of me. Not to mention the horror
when I had dared to lean out the window in my room. That dare had
won me a brand new pullover Debby nicked from H&M, but the
prize was hard-earned. “I just have a little issue with
heights.”

Julian pursed his lips. “We best not give
you a window seat.”

Within forty minutes we arrived at Heathrow
Airport. I followed on Charlene’s heels, frightened I might get
lost among so many people. But then again, what was I worrying for?
This would be my last chance of escape. Maybe drop back, then take
a wrong turn, and dash for freedom? My strides getting slower, the
distance between me and my mishap of a mother grew steadily.

People wheeling their suitcases filled the
space between us. Anticipation grew inside me. I stopped and peeked
around, searching for a good place to hide until the dragon was out
of sight.

From behind, someone slipped fingers under
the straps of my backpack and pulled it down. “Let me carry this
for you. We don’t want you to miss your flight for the sake of the
heavy baggage.”

“Quinn!” I spun around and flung my arms
around his firm body. My nose buried into the fresh smell of his
dark uniform.

He laughed, staggering back a couple steps
at my enthusiastic embrace. “All right, kiddo. I get it. You’re
happy to see me.”

“I thought you wouldn’t come after all.”

He grabbed my shoulders and held me away
from him to look me sternly in my eyes. “When did I ever break a
promise to you?”

The chance at escape might be gone, but his
showing up filled me with happiness. I smiled, knowing he’d never
go back on his word.

Julian approached us. “Morning.”

“Hey, Jules.” Quinn planted a heavy hand on
Julian’s shoulder. “I hope you had no trouble bringing the princess
to her carriage.”

One corner of Julian’s mouth lifted. “So far
she’s heeled like a nice puppy.”

I glared at both of them. “Would the two of
you stop making fun of me?”

Julian took a small step backward, hands
lifted in defense. “Your mother is at the check-in desk. Do you
want to take your backpack with you into the cabin? Otherwise I’ll
take it to her now.”

“No, just take it.” I picked up my bag and
shoved it at his chest.

He didn’t budge at my hard push. One strap
over his shoulder, he trudged toward my mother, who stood in a
snake-like queue at the luggage drop-off. With him gone, I had a
moment to say farewell to my friend.

Quinn pulled me aside. “Listen, kiddo. I’m
sure your aunt and uncle will provide you with anything necessary.
Food, clothes, a room. So no stealing in the foreign country, is
that clear? Especially not from their house.” He pointed a warning
finger in my face, and I restrained the impulse to snap my teeth at
it.

“I’ll be nice.”

“Jona, I mean it.”

“Okay. Got it. No stealing.” I blew a strand
of hair out of my eyes. “What about gambling and selling my body
for money?”

His eyes grew wide, and his jaw dropped to
his chest.

I fought back a laugh. “Close your mouth,
buddy, I was only jesting.”

His dark brows furrowed.

“Honestly!” I lifted my palms in
surrender.

“Very funny.” If he’d been a little bit more
like me, he’d have stuck his tongue out with the words. But he
didn’t. Instead he heaved a sigh and slipped his hand between my
hair and my neck. “You just be a nice girl, do you hear? Don’t do
anything reckless. And in God’s name, don’t even think about
running off on your own once you’re in France.”

I raised one innocent brow. “Anything
else?”

Scratching the stubble on his chin, he
pursed his lips. “Beware, cars hit from the right side in mainland
Europe.”

“You mean from the wrong side?” I
offered.

Long wisps slipped through his fingers as he
ruffled my hair. “Exactly.” His low chuckle reminded me of how much
I was going to miss this man. He was more like family than my
mother could ever be.

A moment later, Julian approached us again,
this time with the dragon in tow. “We’re boarding in twenty
minutes. Better get through passport control now.”

Bile rose in my throat the moment he
announced our short departure.

Quinn didn’t miss the tremble of my lower
lip. He dipped his head, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “You’ll
be okay, kiddo.” Then he turned to Julian. “You’ll take good care
of the princess, won’t you?”

“I promise.” Julian’s eyes fixed on mine as
he spoke.

My mother said goodbye to Quinn and shook
his hand. “Thanks for watching over my baby. I hope we’ll get a
chance to meet again.”

Her baby? Which one?
The one she
would have drowned in the river with a happy laugh? I had to look
elsewhere to restrain from making this woman eat her teeth.

She and her pet started for passport control
with me following at a reluctant pace.

“Julian!” Quinn’s shout had us all turning
around once more. He retrieved a set of silver handcuffs from the
back of his belt and tossed them at Julian, who caught the glinting
object with one hand. “You might want to make use of those. And
better keep an eye on the exit.”

Julian’s chuckle didn’t bother me half as
much as it should have. Neither did Quinn’s final banter. Before I
knew it, I broke into a run and slammed hard against Quinn’s chest.
His arms enveloped me with the strength of a best friend, and I
wished there was a way to stay in this protective cage.

“Cheer up, kiddo. It’s only for six weeks,”
he said into my ear. “If, after that time, you still want to return
to England, I’ll come and pick you up myself.” He pressed a kiss to
my temple. The first and the last. Then he cupped my chin. “Now go
meet your family. They’re waiting for you.”

There was no way to delay the walk into the
lion’s den any longer. Slipping away from Quinn’s hug, I dragged my
feet over to the sliding glass doors where the dragon waited for
me. Every so often I cast a glance over my shoulder to ensure Quinn
was still there. He waved, then shoved his hands into his pockets,
but didn’t move. We rounded the corner and he was out of sight.

After we passed passport control and
security, my suddenly lethargic body slumped into one of the many
red vinyl chairs lining the wall. Arms crossed and jaw set, I
waited for the time to board the plane.

It took not a minute for Julian to sit down
next to me. “You know, six weeks isn’t an eternity. Give yourself a
push. You might even enjoy the stay.”

“Yeah, right. Like pulling a tooth.”

Resignation filled his sigh. He brought his
hand down on my thigh for a second. The move caught me unaware, and
I completely forgot to jerk my leg out from under his touch.
Instead, I stared at his fingers for as long as they lay on my
jeans.

Then he rose from the seat and crossed the
hall to the huge windowpane where Charlene stood and paid attention
to the traffic on the runway.

Even with his gentle caress gone from my
leg, the spot where he’d touched me remained prickling with heat.
An odd sensation raced over my skin. I rubbed my hand over my
thigh; my heart pounded as warmth filled me.

Whether there was magic in his touch or I’d
lost my mind, I couldn’t tell. Either way, his unexpected caress
distracted me long enough to ease the pain over the departure from
my hometown and my only friend.

Over the loud speaker, a stewardess
announced the plane was ready for boarding. I rose from my chair
and followed Julian and Charlene through the final ticket control.
The noise of the plane engines grew louder with every step down the
narrow gate. A slight chill wafted into my face as I stepped over
the small gap and entered the plane.

Two captains and another hostess greeted us
at the entrance and wished us a pleasant journey.

“Pleasant, my arse,” I mumbled and trudged
down the narrow aisle behind Charlene until she found the row with
our seat numbers inscribed overhead.

She turned to me with an expectant smile.
“Would you like to sit by the window?”

Julian uttered a few words in French to her.
Her expression fell, then she slid into the window seat. Did he
just reveal my little problem with big heights to her? I wished
he’d chosen English to sell me out.

Damn
!
Shock weakened my knees
as I realized in France no one would speak my language at all.
Julian planted himself next to the dragon which left the aisle seat
for me. I collapsed into the navy blue seat, my mind racing.

The flight attendant had the passengers
buckle their seatbelts. I slid the metal slots together, but the
belt was long enough for me to fit in there three times. I opened
the buckle and searched for a second, shorter belt around my seat,
but there was none.

“Let me do it for you.” Julian’s fingers
were on the seatbelt before I could refuse his help.

Hands lifted to my shoulders, I watched as
he buckled me in then pulled at the loose end to tighten the belt
around my waist. His alluring, sweet scent filled my head when he
leaned toward me. I licked my lips.

His hand rested on my belly. “Too
tight?”

Slowly, I shook my head. He stared into my
eyes for an infinitesimal second longer, then he leaned back. I had
to forcefully take in a breath. “Thanks.”

On the small screens attached to the
overhead compartments, an animated hostess had started to give
instructions for what to do in case of emergency. I strained to
listen and memorize the appropriate conduct in the unlikely event
of the aircraft performing a landing on water. The short movie of
people gliding down on a giant slide and then initiating their
life-vests in the water freaked me out.

“If it’s so unlikely, then why show this
movie?” I clenched my teeth and prayed that Julian wouldn’t notice
my trembles.
Crap.
No such luck.

“Relax. Nothing’s going to happen,” he
whispered in my ear.

The plane taxied back then rolled to the
runway. I stared straight ahead, focusing on the headrest in front
of me.

The captain announced the time in France
would be one hour ahead of British time and the weather on the
mainland was supposed to be sunny and close to thirty degrees
centigrade. He expected the flight to take sixty minutes. There
shouldn’t be turbulence, just a slight rattle when the aircraft
crossed the border of the island to the sea.

Bloody brilliant.
This was going to
be one hell of an hour.

1. A HAPPY THOUGHT
   

SITTING WITH MY back pressed to the seat, I
really didn’t want to look through the small porthole window, but I
couldn’t help myself. Outside, parts of the wing moved up and down
with an eerie creak as the aircraft came to a standstill at the
start of the runway. My stomach churned.

“Don’t be afraid.” Julian leaned toward me,
and the warmth of his breath slowed the rollercoaster in my belly.
“They are not loose parts. It’s standard procedure. The captain’s
testing everything before takeoff.”

“Isn’t
now
a bit late to be testing
everything?”

“That’s routine, believe me.”

I hoped he wasn’t bullshitting me. Tipping
my head back to my seat, I focused toward the front.

Seconds passed, the sound of the revving
engine dotted my forehead with beads of cold sweat.

The instant the airplane shot forward with
break-neck speed, my back plastered into the seat. My knuckles
turned white with the strength of my grip on the armrests.

Dear God, I’m too young to die.
I had
yet to get my driver’s license!

If only Peter Pan was here. He would know
what to do.
Think a happy thought. Think a happy thought.
My
lips moved as I repeated the mantra in my mind like a prayer. But,
alas, no happy thought came to me.

The craft flew down the runway like a
rocket, the world outside zoomed past in a blur. If I could have
moved a single muscle, I might have made the sign of the cross.
Instead I begged the Lord for a painless end.

All of a sudden, a feather brushed the back
of my clenched fist. No, not a feather. Julian’s fingers were as
soft as a whisper. I sneaked a glance to my right and fell into
gorgeous sapphire eyes.

Slowly he unclenched my fingers and laced
his through mine. “Everything’s all right.”

His light tone tempted me to believe him.
His touch filled me with trust and comfort and left no doubt I’d be
safe as long as he held me. He squeezed my hand. A beautiful,
crooked smile appeared on his face.

Gee, here was my happy thought.

Then I went deaf. Something got stuck in my
ear. But my breaths became calmer, and inside my boots, my toes
uncurled.