Wheels Down in 30

~ cologne ~

~ pull me out the train wreck ~

I hastily wipe the tear from my cheek, swallowing thickly. Everyone was starring at me but I couldn't take my eyes off of Aaron. His face was blank, stoic, but his eyes were full of anger. I knew it wasn't aimed at me which informed me that he had heard most of the conversation. Him and everyone else.

Clearing my throat, I motion for Eve to come to me. She runs up, clinging to my thigh, "Are you okay mummy?"

I nod at her, "Ya. Why don't you go grab your jacket, we need to get-" I cut myself off when I realize I was about to say home. We didn't have a home. Not here and not in London. "Just go get your coat."

Eve runs off and I avoid the prying eyes of my friends, declining the call coming from my phone. Aaron lays a hand on my shoulder, "You said you would give me a chance Dani. Why don't you and Eve come stay with me, just till you're back on your feet." His eyes were begging, wanting. I expected him to be pissed, I had told him straight up I wasn't engaged when I was, but all I could read was the genuine concern he held for me. A hint out a proudness that I couldn't quite place was also there.

I glance over at Eve, Jack was helping her put on her coat with a brotherly smile gracing his face, he had gotten so big. He loved her, I could already tell. I couldn't take her away from here, I knew that the moment I got of the plane I just chose not to delve into it then. I knew me and Evan were over the second Aaron had called, I still loved him and like all my strong emotions I tried to push it away. The feelings. But I couldn't. So I just pretended they weren't there. That the didn't exist. I threw myself into a relationship and hoped it would get my mind off of him. And it did in a sense, I was more focused on being the dutiful girlfriend then the man I was so helplessly in love with.

But Aaron never left my mind. Eve had asked for stories of her father a multitude of times.

"He's out being as hero." I would always respond.

"Do you love him?" She would ask.

"Always."

She never stopped questioning why I left him if I loved him until I told her the complete truth. And when Aaron called I wasn't sure if she wanted to meet him because she wanted to meet her father or because she wanted to meet the man who made her mother smile genuinely for the first time in a long time.

"Aaron as in my daddy?" She had asked it so calmly, watching me carefully for a reaction. I nodded at her, a forced smile on my lips. I knew in that moment she had made her decision and I knew I would go through with bringing her to Aaron but I also knew that he wouldn't ever let me leave as easily as he did before. And when he asked me to stay I couldn't so no. I hated him so much for hurting me but I loved him so much for loving me. He loved me. As much as I tried to say he didn't I knew he did. He loved me so much he let me go and now it was my turn to prove I loved him just as much.

I nod ever so slightly, "Sure." Aaron beams at me, pulling me in for a hug I was not expecting. I laugh slightly, wrapping my arms around his neck hesitantly. He smelled of his cologne. He smelled familiar. Safe. My left hand gripped his dress shirt tightly as I buried my face into the crook of his neck. The hug was more intimate then what Aaron was expecting, I could tell by him tensing up slightly, but he just held my closely. HIs hands gripping my hips, his face burring itself in my neck.

We exchanged no words, we didn't need to, and pulled back from one another gently. I smile at him warmly and his hand reaches up and cups my cheek, "Thank you." He murmurs, his thumb rubbing gently across my skin. I place my hand over his, removing it gently with a small kiss and a reassuring smile. He needed to know I would try, I could tell by the way he looked at me like he wasn't expecting it. Aaron needed to know that I cared for him more than he could imagine and honestly, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that.

Eve runs up to us, "I got my coat. Jack had to help me put it on. You know Uncle Spencer told me I like really smart-" She rambles as Aaron placing a hand on my lower back, walking us through David's house and out to his car, "He says I'm way smarter than him when he was my age and that-" I open the door for her and she climbs in.

I turn to Aaron, "I'll have to get her booster seat from my care real quick." I mumble. He nods. I walk towards my car, stopping short when I see a figure standing against it. Pulling my gun from the holster on my thigh, I click of the safety, pointing the barrel at the person standing in front of me.

"Chill Franny, it's your favorite-"

"Dumbass. Nah, Derek has that title. You are just a narcistic cunt Clyde."

"You love me."

"My gun has a silencer."

"And?"

"I will not hesitate to complete my threat if you don't get out of my sight."

Clyde rolls his eyes, "Viktor Gladvense." He starts.

I grunt lowly, "I'm on vacation Clyde-"

"I know. I just thought you'd like to know he struck again. Cuba, Viñales. 10 this time."

I place my gun ontop of my car grabbing the booster seat, "You could have called Clyde."

"Would you have answered?"

"I may hate you but I'm professional."

"You threatened to shoot my-"

"And I will go through with the threat if you don't give me the real reason you are here."

He sighs, "Gladvense left a message for us and when I say us I mean you."

I tilt my head to the side, "What?"

"It's a picture of you and Evan. He threatened his life."

"Cool." I mutter walking towards Aarons car.

"Ha." Clyde exclaims, "I knew you didn't like him."

I don't turn around when I pull the trigger and Clyde doesn't scream when the bullet hits his leg, "You are lucky I didn't go through with my threat."

"You shot me in the bloody leg."

"At least it's not your cock."