What We Owe

Chapter Four

I had never been on a plane before so the sensation of it moving forward was almost eerie. My body was a bundle of nerves. I wasn't sure whether my predicament was what had me so on edge or the unfamiliar feelings and sounds of being on a plane, but either way I was shaking from it.

Apparently, I appeared as uncomfortable as I felt.

"Nervous flyer?" I looked up and saw the man running a hand through his jet black hair and then down over his face - the disheveled look making him seem more daunting and handsome than before. He had a small grin on his face as he looked at my bouncing legs.

"First time flyer." I said.

His attention went back out his window so I took my time actually looking him over, full on in the light. Although I already knew he was what I imagined a Roman God to look like; muscular, rigid jaw, dark features, tanned skin, and wearing clothes that looked like they could be painted on - I was still taken aback by how truly striking he was.

I could make out some of the tattoos I had spotted back in my apartment but it had been too dark to be able to tell what they were. He had a dagger up the side of his neck, a lion on the back of his right hand, and letters on each of his fingers - all in black ink. He had dropped his hands down to the arm rests and was drumming his fingers against them so I couldn't see exactly they spelled. His beard was full but still refined making him look in his early or late thirties. He had a kind of relaxed swagger about him just in the little movements he made. It made me want to hate him but watch every move he made at the same time.

I looked back out my window, trying to relax and find something to focus on to calm my nerves. I readjusted myself as I saw a plane taking off paralleled to ours. It was incredible to watch it go from taxiing to launching it's self at full speed down the long expanse of runway. I had only ever seen planes on the ground or in the sky, so watching the actual act of one taking off was terrifyingly cool. The body of the airplane disappeared into the darkness of the early morning, but I could still see the flashing lights of the wings start to ascend from the ground into the sky.

As soon as the plane I had just watched was too far to see anymore, our jet started turning down the same runway and the loud humming of the engines grew almost defeating. The entire body of the plane was vibrating under me. I looked around at the men for some indication that this was supposed to be happening, or if we were going to blow up, but they just sat there unfazed by it all. I felt the plane start moving forward at a incredible speed, the force pushing me further back into my seat. Within a few seconds, a sudden feeling of lightness took over the aircraft and my heart dropped into my stomach. I shut my eyes, not wanting to look away from the window but not nearly comfortable enough to watch.

I heard the man across from me let out a low, deep chuckle. My nerves were still raging on with the feeling on flying, but the fact that he was laughing at me pissed me off enough to shove down my anxiety and open my eyes. He had a cocky grin on his face as he watched me. It wasn't a full on smile, but the look both infuriated me and made me want to pull him in and kiss it right off his beautiful face.

What the hell was that, Claire? He just abducted you.... Kiss him?!

My libido had to be unsettled from the interaction in Dex's office that ended with the opposite of a happy ending.

As intimidating as this man was, these small laughs and grins made him seem almost... approachable? I thought back to each time he had made a joke or almost smiled tonight. It was almost like he enjoyed when I was terrified.

"Do you know what Schadenfreude is?" I asked him, titling my head.

"Nope." He said simply, bringing one ankle onto his knee. He folded his fingers together over his knee and leaned back. "Enlighten me, Claire." My name coming out of his mouth made my heart race. I wanted to hear him say it again.