Page 129 of His Kidnapped Queen
He looks shocked when I look up at him. I’m sure I look like shit.
“No,” I say hoarsely. “But we gotta go, don’t we?”
“It’s time.”
He heads off to the cockpit to tell the pilot we’re ready, and I slowly make my way over to a seat, slumping down in it with a groan.
I’m really not well enough for all this travel, but I can’t seem to care. What does it matter, anyway?
This was never going to work. I’ve been in love with Sophia Bianchi since before I knew her last name, but we were always doomed to end like this. I can’t be afather. What was I thinking? That I’d send her letters and pictures from prison? Attend her wedding via a Zoom conference?
Sophia’s right. This is the only way.
“Want a drink?” Arturo asks, and I hum out an agreement.
He pours me a single Scotch and I shoot it back, the alcohol burning my throat.
If I’m going to travel and leave my family, I might as well do it half-drunk.
“Wait!” A scream pierces the silence and I nearly drop my Scotch glass.
I struggle to stand up and Arturo helps me. I make my way to the door to see Sophia flying up the steps with Rosa on her hip.
“Oh my god,” she says when she steps into the plane. “Oh my god, I’m really doing this.”
“You are? Sophia. Pixie.” I cup her face, kissing her, doing the same to Rosa and Rosa giggles.
“We fly!” Rosa says brightly, and I nod at her, not realizing tears are streaming down my face until she frowns. “No cryin’, Daddy.”
“No crying,” I agree, wiping at my face, unable to stop smiling.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Sophia mutters and I laugh and kiss her again.
“Where we goin’?” Rosa asks, wiggling down from Sophia’s grasp and walking around the plane.
“Aruba,” I answer.
“Where’s Ruba?”
“A long way from here,” Sophia answers, scooping her up and placing her in a seat, putting on her seatbelt. “Now get ready, it’s almost time.”
“Time to fly!”
“Time to fly,” Sophia agrees, looking shell-shocked.
Sophia helps me back to my seat and I sit, looking up at her with a dopey grin.
“You shouldnotbe drinking on the meds they had you on,” she points out, staring at my empty Scotch glass.
“I’ll never drink again if you don’t want me to.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You’re awfully agreeable right now.”
“I’ll agree to anything you want.”
She smirks. “You really don’t want to give me that kind of power.”
“I do. You and Rosa get whatever you want, always.”
