It's dark when I finally open my eyes.
How long have I been out?
I reach for the wall lamp, turning it on. I look at the clock near the door.
4 am.
I lay my head back down on the pillow and sigh. We should be touching down somewhere in Africa to refuel soon.
Sitting up, I notice I'm feeling a lot better. Having to deal with Ryder isn't what I want to do right now. However, I have to suck it up! He's the only one that can help me get to my parents before Max does.
I make my way to the cabin to find Ryder staring out of the window. He has his legs crossed, and his head is resting on his hand. I've never seen him so calm and pensive.
It makes me think of what he told me earlier.
Did he really say he loved me? More importantly, did he mean it?
I have so many questions, but now isn't the best time to ask. I also don't want to disturb him, but I need to find out how close we are to Mom and Dad.
I sit across from him.
"So how long before we get there?" I ask, breaking Ryder from his thoughts.
"Hey!" He says, shifting happily, scanning my face. "I was about to check on you. How are you feeling?"
He genuinely looks concerned as he reaches across the table, grabbing my hand. I desperately want to pull away from him, but I choose not to. We do not need any more tension between us.
"I'm feeling better! I guess the stress of the past twenty-four hours really got to me."
He breathes a sigh of relief and then looks like he wants to ask me something.
Ryder rubs his neck nervously. He opens his mouth and then closes it. "Sam, can I ask you something personal?"
I look up at him curiously. "Yeah! Sure."
"You're not pregnant, are you?" His brows furrow.
I close my eyes and chuckle wryly. Did he seriously ask me that?!
"No! I'm not! Max and I never...did anything."
I hesitate to try to say that last part, although I am so annoyed. I'm sure Ryder knows the answer to that.
Come to think of it; I really need to thank him for breaking my bedroom sliding door.
If he hadn't, I would've slept with Max that night. That would have been the second-worst mistake of my life, including the fact that I married the psycho!
Ryder nods and sits back in his seat. He looks relieved, which makes me roll my eyes.
"All right! So we touch down in less than two hours. There's a fueled jet waiting for us at an airstrip in Morocco. We need to get to your parents as soon as possible. I don't want any delays!"
I nod in agreement. We have no time to misuse the duration of this stressful journey. Getting to my parents is important. Not only because I don't want Max to kill them, but everything is at stake.
Along with mine, he wants their death to seal his deal as the owner of Hallowell Enterprise.
Something I will gladly give up my life to stop him.
Ryder stands and walks to the front of the jet. He comes back with his black, metal suitcase. He places it on the table in front of me.
"I'm going to show you some weapons and how to use it. I don't expect you to be in any gunfight, but in the event something were to happen, I want you prepared."
I look up at him, stunned. "You don't expect me to sit around and wait while you get my parents, do you?!"
"Of course not! I don't think that at all."
He opens the case and takes out a gun. I shake my head in agreement and begin to look through the suitcase.
"...that's why LeAnn is going to be with you at the hotel. She's going to make sure you don't leave the room."
I look past Ryder at LeAnn. She isn't in her usual white blouse shirt and leather skirt uniform. Instead, she's wearing black leather pants with a white button-up shirt. Her short hair is slicked back, and she's sharpening knives.
I'm impressed and in shock.
Is she also an assassin?!
I stand from the table, furious!
How dare he think I am some child who needs to be looked after?! "No! That's not fair! I need to go with you! They are my parents, Ryder!"
"You're right! They are your parents, and I'll be able to do my job more effectively if you're safe. I promise I'll do everything to get them back safely from Max. However, I can't do my job if I'm trying to protect you also, Sam."
I seethe and throw my hands in the air, throwing myself back down onto the chair! I am livid! He needs to stop acting like I'm a child.
Ryder then takes a case of bullets out of his suitcase. My mouth drops when I realize what he just said. I quickly stand!
"Wait! What do you mean by getting them back safely from Max? We're supposed to pick them up."
What is going on?! What is he not telling me?
LeAnn looks at me, then sympathetically looks down. Ryder has a cartridge in his hand and puts it on the table. He grabs me by my shoulder, signaling me that I am to sit. I grab his hand as I sit.
"What? What happened!?"
He swallows and gives me an empathetic look. "While you were sleeping, I was informed that your parents' boat went up in flames."
I push his hand away from me. "What?! No! How?! How could Max have gotten there so quickly?"
Ryder shrugs. "My guess is he had someone watching and waiting."
"Are they okay?! Oh God, please tell me they weren't on that boat! Ryder, please!" I grab his shirt as I stand.
He gently places both hands on my face.
"Listen to me! Calm down. The bodyguards were found shot dead and disposed of in the water. No trace of your mom or dad."
I bury my face into his chest and start to cry.
"How can you be certain?!" I look up at him. I can't imagine the terror they are going through!
The thought of losing my parents is something I am not prepared to handle!
"I'm starting to understand Max. He likes a big spectacle. He's not going to kill them unless he has an audience. Not until one of us shows up. Which will be me. You are vital to his plan. That's why you must be safe. Okay?"
I nod as I close my eyes. Ryder's right! He's only protecting me.
He then runs his fingers down my cheek and neck. I exhale deeply at his touch. I love it when he does that. It always calms me and makes me feel protected.
"I'm going to get them back. Do you understand me?"
He takes my chin and makes me look up at him. I love that he's going to war for my parents, but I want to be there.
After what happened in Naples, I've never forgiven myself for leaving him behind. He was shot in the back, and I could have lost him.
"Please, baby, let me go with you. I can help you, I promise." I let go of him and look over at his metal suitcase, wiping my tears.
"No, I need you safe. And safe is with LeAnn."
I put my hands on my hips and sigh. There is no way he's going to let me win this argument, so I leave it alone. I trust Ryder.
I look over at LeAnn. If he thinks Ms. Assassin here can protect me, then so be it!
LeAnn walks over to us and smiles. She looks into Ryder's suitcase and grimaces. "Packing light, are we, sir?"
Ryder closes the suitcase and puts it on the floor.
"Do I ever?" He asks, smirking at LeAnn.
I give them both a confusing look. He goes to the armrest of the chair, where he always sits, and pulls it upwards. To my shock, it uncovers another palm scanner.
He places his hand on it, and the table in front of him opens and flips upside down.
My mouth drops.
It reveals tons of knives and grenades. I look over at LeAnn, stunned, who walks to the table behind her. It's also upside down and revealing more weapons.
I look around in awe. At the front of the plane, the backside of all the seats is now lying flat, displaying a wide range of weaponry.
"Oh my God," I whisper.
No wonder he only travels on this jet. LeAnn walks to the furthest table and grabs a gun, cocking it.
She looks at me and winks. "I love my job!"