Irish Deception

Chapter Forty-One

Blake

Hugh hasn't resurfaced from the back of the jet. He's been hunkered down in there with Stasia for the last three hours, even when I last went in there to check she was completely passed out sprawled across the bed snoring away like she does yet he's remained rooted at her side.

He'd merely muttered a "she's fine" not tearing his eyes away from her and I decided it was best to leave the two of them.

I have no doubts she'll remain comatose for the duration of the flight and doesn't need him looming over her but he clearly has some issues to figure out and maybe this'll be a start to that process.

The guy in there right now, the one that was gently stroking her hair isn't the version of Hugh that gets presented to the world. It's been locked away for longer than I can remember and I just hope the possibility of losing her has enabled him to finally let it back out. For her.

Who knows maybe she'll wake up and by the time we land they'll have sorted their issues out meaning we have one less thing to deal with.

It's highly doubtful but I guess miracles can happen and maybe pigs can fly after all.

Vlad and Marianna have remained huddled together on one wide with a sleeping Natalia, the whole time Vlad has been attempting to reassure and calm the woman with him only managing to get her to settle in the last half an hour.

Once she's also out cold he drapes a blanket over her and joins me where I'm sitting across from them. His eyes glued to them for a long time before he finally turns his attention to me.

"What's your plan now?" I ask nodding towards the sleeping pair.

Sighing he runs a hand down his face looking as if he now has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I hadn't thought about much past getting them out of there" he admits "everything's moved a little faster than I'd anticipated" he then sighs and gives me a knowing look.

"Yeah things seem to go that way when Stas is around" I scoff.

"You're telling me" he laughs his tension visibly easing slightly. "You know she clubbed him with a wine bottle" he says with a smile shaking his head as if he still can't quite believe it himself. "One of the many she'd guzzled down" he then adds laughing.

"That's my girl" I say proudly unable to stop the smile that spreads straight away.

"What happens now for you?" He asks and I instantly let out a long breath.

The truth is I'd be more than happy for us all to go home and for everything to be settled but I'm not stupid enough to think that's going to be a possibility.

The tip of the iceberg has only just struck and I can only imagine it's going to be a long stretch ahead of us.

"We'll hunker down for a few days with my younger brothers and then we'll figure out how to deal with Volkov" I explain and his expression is dubious straightaway.

"He's not a man you just simply deal with" he warns and I have no doubt he's right.

"He was serious about her. He's not going to just let her go without a fight" he then warns and that gets my heckles up.

Because she's not his to fight for, she didn't belong to him and never fucking will. It's not that she belongs to us either, no one owns Stasia she's not just some object but she does belong with us and that's the difference.

"And we'll fight to keep her" I say briskly.

He nods his understanding but something tells me he doesn't have a speck of faith in our ability to do that.

"I have family in the states" he offers up and I see the meaning of those words written all over his face.

He wants out. As far away from Volkov as he can get and it's obvious the two sleeping across from us are the reason for that. 

But when I glance over to where Natalia sleep I can't help but wonder what them disappearing with her is going to do to Stasia.

Over two months she's been there with her finally getting that chance to know her daughter I can't imagine she's going to let that go easily.