Dangerous Place For Love
Chapter One
The plane was going down and Erik Coldwell didn’t know how to stop it. The engines were on fire, the crew were dead and all he had to show for his effort was a whimpering woman, Kelly O’Donald. Great. His life couldn’t get any fucking better.
“We’ve got to get off this plane,” he shouted above the howling wind and alarms blaring throughout the aircraft.
Kelly sat huddled against one of the chairs. Her tears and whimpers were driving him crazy. The mission had been simple. To take Arthur O’Donald’s daughter to a secure location on the coast of Italy to one of his many villas. What Erik hadn’t taken into account were the few extra men on board who had killed the whole crew.
Running fingers through his hair, he glanced all around him trying to think on his feet. Situations like these called for fast and quick decisions.
Working for drug runners was going to be the death of him. At least he could finish one mission, which was to keep Kelly safe. He took hold of the screaming blonde and pushed her to the front of the plane and into the main cockpit. The door was still secured. He rummaged through the supplies, looking for anything to help him make the jump out of the plane. It helped if he didn’t allow himself to think, only to act.
It had been years since he’d taken the lessons but he didn’t have much choice. He would have to go by instinct and the vague information he could recall from his lessons. Glancing at his watch, he tried to determine where they would be flying over.
“They’re all dead,” Kelly whispered from behind him.
Erik turned to talk to her and held himself still. A gun was pointed at his chest.
“Now, sweet thing. Where did you get the gun?” he asked.
The killing device in her hand shook and he knew, even though her father had a reputation for killing people, Kelly had never hurt anyone. Her blue eyes were wild and the hysteria she tried to control was close to the surface. He saw all of her reactions and knew he had to contain it.
A gun going off right now would end both of them.
“I’m here to help you,” he soothed, taking a small step forward but holding his hands in the air in surrender.
“You killed them.”
“I took out the men who posed a threat. They were here to kill you, Kelly. You know that.” Another step moved forward and her eyes darted over his shoulder.
“They said I’d be safe.”
Erik blinked and placed his hand over the barrel of the gun. “You are safe. I’m here and I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
Slowly he took the gun out of her hand and pulled her close to his body as her sobs filled the air. He didn’t have much time. The plane was going down and there would be a small window of opportunity for him to get them to safety.
“They said I’d be safe,” she whispered again and Erik closed his eyes. She wasn’t ready for what the world was about to do to her. He hoped after this next obstacle, she’d be strong enough to pull through.
His life and her life depended on it.
“We need to get out of this plane.”
“How?”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
Erik found the parachute he was looking for. He would have to quickly secure her and make do with what he remembered from his jumping days. He’d promised to keep her safe and until he died, that was exactly what he was going to do.
“I need you to hold onto me.”
“Are we about to get stranded in the ocean?” She glanced outside the window and he knew she wouldn’t see much. Night was the worst time to consider a jump let alone jumping with a burning and falling plane around you.
“Let’s hope there are no sharks,” he teased.
Erik took her hand and pulled her to his body. “I want you to face me. Wrap your arms around me and no matter what, don’t let go.” He instructed her on the best way to secure herself. Trying to keep his voice calm and giving as much information as he could. Once he opened the door they’d be sucked out into the night air with only luck on their sides.
Erik said a quick prayer, closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift.
He couldn’t do this if he heard her fear. He broke himself off from the feelings and from thinking. Common sense wouldn’t do in this situation.
He opened the exit door and the wind sucked them out.
Chapter Two
Three weeks later...
Kelly gazed out at the endless view of ocean. If someone was to tell her, she would get sick and tired of seeing the still blue waters she would have laughed at them. Looking around her, Kelly would gladly replace the scenery with a busy and dirty working city any day of the week. For three weeks she’d stood in this spot and glanced out looking, for any sign of life. No boats, no planes, nothing. She was totally alone with one of the hunkiest, scariest men on the earth and she’d rather be back in a stinking city.
The plane was going down and Erik Coldwell didn’t know how to stop it. The engines were on fire, the crew were dead and all he had to show for his effort was a whimpering woman, Kelly O’Donald. Great. His life couldn’t get any fucking better.
“We’ve got to get off this plane,” he shouted above the howling wind and alarms blaring throughout the aircraft.
Kelly sat huddled against one of the chairs. Her tears and whimpers were driving him crazy. The mission had been simple. To take Arthur O’Donald’s daughter to a secure location on the coast of Italy to one of his many villas. What Erik hadn’t taken into account were the few extra men on board who had killed the whole crew.
Running fingers through his hair, he glanced all around him trying to think on his feet. Situations like these called for fast and quick decisions.
Working for drug runners was going to be the death of him. At least he could finish one mission, which was to keep Kelly safe. He took hold of the screaming blonde and pushed her to the front of the plane and into the main cockpit. The door was still secured. He rummaged through the supplies, looking for anything to help him make the jump out of the plane. It helped if he didn’t allow himself to think, only to act.
It had been years since he’d taken the lessons but he didn’t have much choice. He would have to go by instinct and the vague information he could recall from his lessons. Glancing at his watch, he tried to determine where they would be flying over.
“They’re all dead,” Kelly whispered from behind him.
Erik turned to talk to her and held himself still. A gun was pointed at his chest.
“Now, sweet thing. Where did you get the gun?” he asked.
The killing device in her hand shook and he knew, even though her father had a reputation for killing people, Kelly had never hurt anyone. Her blue eyes were wild and the hysteria she tried to control was close to the surface. He saw all of her reactions and knew he had to contain it.
A gun going off right now would end both of them.
“I’m here to help you,” he soothed, taking a small step forward but holding his hands in the air in surrender.
“You killed them.”
“I took out the men who posed a threat. They were here to kill you, Kelly. You know that.” Another step moved forward and her eyes darted over his shoulder.
“They said I’d be safe.”
Erik blinked and placed his hand over the barrel of the gun. “You are safe. I’m here and I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
Slowly he took the gun out of her hand and pulled her close to his body as her sobs filled the air. He didn’t have much time. The plane was going down and there would be a small window of opportunity for him to get them to safety.
“They said I’d be safe,” she whispered again and Erik closed his eyes. She wasn’t ready for what the world was about to do to her. He hoped after this next obstacle, she’d be strong enough to pull through.
His life and her life depended on it.
“We need to get out of this plane.”
“How?”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
Erik found the parachute he was looking for. He would have to quickly secure her and make do with what he remembered from his jumping days. He’d promised to keep her safe and until he died, that was exactly what he was going to do.
“I need you to hold onto me.”
“Are we about to get stranded in the ocean?” She glanced outside the window and he knew she wouldn’t see much. Night was the worst time to consider a jump let alone jumping with a burning and falling plane around you.
“Let’s hope there are no sharks,” he teased.
Erik took her hand and pulled her to his body. “I want you to face me. Wrap your arms around me and no matter what, don’t let go.” He instructed her on the best way to secure herself. Trying to keep his voice calm and giving as much information as he could. Once he opened the door they’d be sucked out into the night air with only luck on their sides.
Erik said a quick prayer, closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift.
He couldn’t do this if he heard her fear. He broke himself off from the feelings and from thinking. Common sense wouldn’t do in this situation.
He opened the exit door and the wind sucked them out.
Chapter Two
Three weeks later...
Kelly gazed out at the endless view of ocean. If someone was to tell her, she would get sick and tired of seeing the still blue waters she would have laughed at them. Looking around her, Kelly would gladly replace the scenery with a busy and dirty working city any day of the week. For three weeks she’d stood in this spot and glanced out looking, for any sign of life. No boats, no planes, nothing. She was totally alone with one of the hunkiest, scariest men on the earth and she’d rather be back in a stinking city.