The plane rumbled beneath them, the occasional creak and groan of metal feeling louder than usual in the heavy silence that followed. Sera had tried to ignore Cass—tried to lose herself in the bland comfort of her phone screen. But it was useless. The damn guy had already crawled under her skin.
"You look like you've just discovered a bomb in your bag," Cass remarked, nodding toward her clenched fists.
She loosened her grip, forcing herself to breathe. "You're the weird one who switched seats. I have every right to be concerned."
"Concerned?" His brow arched, amusement shimmering in his eyes. "Or intrigued?"
"You're delusional."
"Maybe. But you haven't asked me to leave yet."
She scowled. "Trust me, if I could shove you out the emergency exit, I would."
"Violent. I like it."
Sera had to press her lips together to keep from laughing. She shouldn't be charmed. Not by him. And especially not when something felt... off.
But then the lights flickered again, just like before.
"Okay, what is with the power?" she murmured, glancing around as if the answer would suddenly present itself.
"Old plane, probably," Cass replied, but something in his tone made her suspicious.
"Uh-huh. Sure."
Another rumble, this time more of a shudder that rippled through the cabin. Passengers shifted uncomfortably, restless murmurs filling the air.
And then the captain's voice crackled over the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties. We apologize for the delay and ask that you remain seated while we conduct a thorough inspection."
Technical difficulties? What the hell did that mean?
"Guess we're not going anywhere anytime soon," Cass said lightly, but his gaze was too sharp. Too focused. Like he was waiting for something.
"What do you know?" Sera asked, her voice low.
He hesitated. For the first time. "Let's just say... I didn't switch seats on a whim."
"What?"
"Look, I'm not here to freak you out. But let's just say you're not the only one on this flight that's... special."
Sera's mind raced. "Special? As in...?"
"As in someone who might have information certain people would love to get their hands on."
Her heart pounded. "Are you saying someone's after me?"
"Maybe. Or maybe it's me they're after. Or maybe it's both of us."
She swallowed; her throat suddenly dry. "You seriously expect me to believe that?"
Cass leaned in, his playful demeanor completely gone. "Believe what you want. But right now, you're better off sticking with me. Because if something's about to go down on this flight, two heads are better than one."
The hum of the plane's engines felt too loud. The air too thin.
"And what exactly are you proposing?"
"A deal." His gaze locked onto hers. "You help me, I help you. We make sure we both get off this plane alive."
Sera's breath hitched.
But she also knew making a deal with Cass Everhart would come with strings.
The plane jolted violently, trays clattering and overhead bins snapping open. Someone screamed. Panic erupted like wildfire. And through it all, Cass's gaze never wavered from hers.
"Now or never, Sera. What's it gonna be?"
"Fine," she gritted out. "We stick together."
"Good choice."
For the next excruciating hour, they sat in silence, tension hanging thick between them. But no more jolts. No more flickering lights. Whatever crisis had sparked the chaos seemed to pass. Just the steady hum of the engines and the occasional shuffle of passengers murmuring nervously.
Eventually, the captain's voice returned. Calmer this time. "Apologies for the inconvenience, folks. We've managed to resolve the technical issues, and we'll be making our descent shortly."
Sera exhaled sharply. Relief flooded her system, but so did a fresh wave of suspicion.
"Guess you were wrong," she said, trying to sound confident. "No hitmen. No secret agents. Just a faulty plane."
Cass shrugged, but his eyes remained hard. "Maybe. Or maybe they decided to wait until we landed."
"Great. Thanks for the comforting thought."
He grinned. "Anytime."
They exchanged no more words until the wheels hit the tarmac. As the plane taxied toward the terminal, Cass leaned over, his tone unexpectedly sincere. "Stick around, Sera. Just until we're sure."
She wanted to say no. Wanted to grab her bag and storm off the plane the second she could. But something told her Cass wasn't entirely wrong. And she was never one to ignore her instincts.
"Fine. But this better not turn into some weird stalker situation."
"Trust me, you're more likely to be the one stalking me."
She snorted. "Keep dreaming."
The seatbelt sign blinked off, and the restless crowd surged to their feet. Sera and Cass remained seated, watching the frenzied movement with quiet intensity.
Whatever had started in the air, they both knew it was far from over.