He stood up abruptly, pulling her up with him thanks to the handcuffs, and pinned her against the wall. His grip on her wrist tightened.
Ni-ki leaned in closer, his voice a cold whisper. "You're playing with fire, angel. Don't think for a second tha...
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"LADY, ARE YOU OKAY?"
Rhaine blinked, startled out of her daze by the small, curious voice beside her. She turned and found herself looking into the wide eyes of a young boy peering up at her with a mix of concern and confusion.
"You really look like you don't want to leave," he asked, his head tilting slightly, innocence written all over his face. He looked like he was Jian's age.
She forced a smile, wiping quickly at her cheeks. "I'm fine," she whispered, though her voice wavered as she said it. She realized she looked dead inside so she took out lipstick and reapplied them.
The boy simply nodded, as if he understood, and then offered her a crumpled napkin he'd been holding. "Here," he said shyly. "In case you need it."
Rhaine took it, her heart swelling at the small gesture. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself, but Ni-ki's face flashed in her mind—the raw hurt in his eyes.
The boy watched her for a moment longer, then shrugged and turned back to his own world, lost in a coloring book. She envied his simplicity, the way everything seemed so straightforward at that age.
The noise of the plane, the chatter of other passengers who were beginning to board—it all faded as she turned to gaze out the window, wondering if she'd made the right Rhaine sniffled as she dabbed at her eyes with the crumpled napkin. It was soaked through, and she rummaged in her bag for tissues, her fingers brushing against something small and metallic.
She paused, pulling it out to see the bracelet—Jian's bracelet. The one Ni-ki had given her sister, a small charm with delicate engravings that held so much meaning in such a tiny piece.
Her little sister had sneaked it into her bag.
She felt her breath catch, a fresh wave of emotion flooding through her. Her mind spun with memories—of Ni-ki. She'd thought this was the right path, but now, looking down at the bracelet, she felt a pull she couldn't ignore.
She closed her eyes, heart hammering. The life she'd dreamed of was right in front of her—freedom, McGill, a clean slate. But would any of it mean as much without him?
Before she'd even fully processed the thought, she was on her feet, grabbing her bag. "Bye, Ms. Lady," the boy said, as if he wasn't surprised.
"Bye," she softly smiled, her heart pounding as she fought her way through the narrow aisle toward the front of the plane.
The flight attendant gave her a concerned look as Rhaine reached the front. "I'm sorry. I—I can't go," she said breathlessly, barely holding back her tears. "I need to get off if that's okay."
The attendant hesitated, but after a beat, she nodded. "I'll notify the captain. Please take a seat here until we get clearance."
As soon as she got the green light, Rhaine bolted from the airport, the sounds and lights blurring around her as she ran. She rushed outside, scanning for a taxi. When she spotted a cab, jumped in, and closed the door.
