Before I could stop myself, I clicked on Calista’s profile and messaged her. I kept it short, telling her that I’d already beat some sense into my idiot, disgusting brother. And would continue to do so until he pulled his head out of his ass. To my surprise, she replied instantly.
Calista: Don’t worry about it. I get crap like that from guys all the time. I’m not scared of some punk in another country who thinks he can get to my stepdad through me. I have other things to worry about than what some nobody like your brother fantasizes about doing to me. He’s just pissed he doesn’t stand a chance with me.
A laugh left me, and I found myself liking the other girl. Maybe if her stepdad hadn’t tried to kill me, we could have been friends.
13
Nova
Ryan Age 21 : Nova Age 16
“Miss Hannigan, we will be landing momentarily,” Oliver, one of the Vituccis’ flight attendants, told me in his gentle voice.
In all the years he’d been on these flights with me each summer, I’d never seen him be anything but friendly and calm. Even when my brother was with me and being a total ass. Garret could try the patience of a saint, but Oliver had never once been anything but courteous to him.
I lifted my head from the book I’d spent the entire flight reading and smiled up at him. With his salt-and-pepper hair cut short, and dressed in the typical uniform of any cabin crew, he didn’t look like he’d just spent the last twelve-plus hours in the air. More than six of those hours were flying out to fetch me from Northern California, and then the rest of that time was spent seeing to my every need on the return trip. Other than the occasional drink request, I hadn’t required his services, and I could have easily retrieved the soft drinks myself. But Ryan would have been furious if he knew no one had been around to see to my every possible need.
I didn’t know if I should roll my eyes at that or melt a little more over how much time Ryan spent worrying about my comfort. I loved that he wanted to take care of me, but he needed to realize I could do most things for myself. And while it irritated me—a little—that he didn’t want me to lift so much as a finger, it made my heart hope that it meant he cared for me more than as just his best friend.
“Thanks, Oliver. Will I see you at the end of the summer for my return trip home?”
He bowed his head. “I sincerely hope so. As always, it was a pleasure to serve you on this flight.”
After fastening my seat belt, I put my book in my purse. Moments later, we were on the ground and I had my gaze trained out the window, looking for any sign of Ryan. When I caught sight of the three blacked-out SUVs, my heart jumped in excitement, but I told myself to take it easy. If I got up before the door was even opened, he could possibly suspect that my feelings for him went deeper than those of a best friend. I’d done my best to keep my crush from him, but it was getting harder and harder every time I saw him after weeks and months apart.
It was a lesson in willpower as I waited for Oliver to open the door and then step back. But once he was out of the way, I couldn’t hold back another second. Grabbing my purse, I stuffed my phone into the side pocket and slung the strap over myself like a crossbody and sprinted off the aircraft.
As soon as I got to the door, I saw Ryan waiting at the bottom of the steps. He was dressed in a tailored suit, his hair pushed back from his face, and a pair of aviators covering his dark eyes. The very sight of him eased the ache deep in my chest that was constantly present when we were apart. Unable to hide my happy cry, I ran down the stairs and threw myself into his arms before I reached the last few steps.
I molded my body around his, my legs wrapping around his waist and my arms clinging to his neck. There had never been a time when I hadn’t greeted him exactly like this. It was our tradition, and as soon as his hands caught my hips, holding me in place, I felt like I was home.
But instead of laughing like he always did, he groaned, his large hands squeezing my flesh and holding me against him a little harder than usual. My heart started racing at the unusual—yet completely welcomed—way he was holding me. I held my breath, waiting to see what he did next.
I felt his cheek press to the side of my head, heard his deep inhale as if trying to trap my scent inside him. I tightened my legs around him instinctively, combing my fingers through his hair in a soothing, inviting way I’d noticed Delaney doing to Max right before they kissed.
Slowly, I lifted my head, but before our gazes could lock and I could read what he was thinking, I found myself once again on my feet and Ryan turning for the small convoy of vehicles waiting for us. “How was your flight?” he asked in a tight voice.
One of the guards started to open the door for him, but he growled something as I rushed to keep up, and he opened the door himself. Stepping back, he waited for me to get in first before following behind me.
“It was a smooth trip. Nothing exciting happened.” I put on my seat belt and then turned enough to face him. But his gaze wasn’t on me as it normally would have been. Usually, Ryan’s entire focus was directed at me, as if he were looking for every change that had occurred with me since the last time we’d seen each other in person. His head was turned so that he was looking out the side window, his jaw clenched so hard that I knew he was angry about something.
“What’s wrong?” I asked softly, wondering what I’d done to make him so upset.
He clenched and unclenched his hands into fists several times before he turned his head in my direction. Even with his sunglasses still on, I could tell he wasn’t looking directly at me, though. “I know I promised we would have the entire day together, but something came up at work. I hate that I’m going to disappoint you, Nova.”
“Oh,” I muttered, swallowing the lump that suddenly filled my throat. “It’s okay. I understand. You have a lot on your plate now that you’re working at the club and for your dad too. But we have all summer to hang out.”
Ryan was already nodding. “Absolutely.”
Hesitantly, I reached out and wrapped my fingers around his. He turned his hand over, interlocking his fingers with mine. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too,” he choked out. “I can’t wait for you to graduate so you can move here full time.”
My lips lifted into a happy smile. “Well, that might—”
“Sir,” Pietro, the guard who was the head of Ryan’s security detail, interrupted before I could tell him my news. “Do you want us to drop you off first, or take Miss Nova home?”
Ryan muttered something vicious under his breath before answering. “Me,” he surprised me by saying. “And then I want you to take her back to the compound yourself, Pietro.”