Zephyr's Promise

36

"If we aren't in the sky in the next thirty minutes I'm going to blow this jet up. With all of you inside it." I would do it too. We have too many explosives in our inventory anyways.

Unfortunately for my flight crew they have to deal with even more insolence than usual from me.

My attempt to smooth things over last night went about just as well as I expected. While I am more than prepared to fight for her I truly underestimated just how shitty the rejection would feel. Especially while feeling complete gratitude at just seeing her again.

Pictures simply don't do her justice. They never fully capture the dazzle in her eyes. Even when she is angry with me, she still shines. Like magic her essence wraps around you until you're dizzy with need for her. Being in her presence again reminded me just how potent she can be.

"Sir we have received word from your brother to delay take off."

"And you follow his word over mine?"

"He insists that what he has to say is urgent and must be done...privately."

Of course he does. Because my brother has no understanding of what being in this city is doing to me. How haunting it is to know she is only minutes from me now and it means nothing. To her I might as well be back in Russia. There is nothing I hate more than feeling like I am running away. Disappearing because I didn't get what I want. While that is one part of the equation. It is far from the entire equation.

She told me she absolutely hated me. Only for half a second I considered the possibility. But I know my girl too well. The hitch in her breath from trying to force out the words gave me pause. Getting her back is not going to be easy in the slightest. However I need to come at a different angle.

What that angle will be, who knows?

Heading back home isn't me tucking my tail like an embarrassed dog. Being home will allow me to think of how to do this correctly. Sleeping in the same city. Under the same stars as hers causes me utter madness. Common sense isn't all that common wherever she is concerned.

There are almost zero regrets I have in life. All except one. And now I am paying for my foolishness. The hurt in her eyes spread itself into my chest. Tightly it twisted and turned until I could physically feel what she was. I had hoped when I awoke it would be a dream. Or that I would finally have a better plan. Sitting in this stupid ass seat with a scowl neither wish has come true.

I am still at step one just as I was yesterday. If anything I am even worse off because she knows how deeply I care for her. While she knows, she doesn't care.

Is this how I made her feel when I left? This bottomless pit of desperation and hopelessness?

"Fine." I tut. This flight crew knows the only person I am somewhat lenient with at times is my brother. The only reason they even know of our closeness is because they have been our crew since Papa gave me this jet at sixteen. "If he isn't here within the next ten minutes we start to take off."

"Yes sir." The pilot turns much less stressed than his initial approach. Really I shouldn't be threatening the man who has overseen multiple safe flights from country to country. However, what I should and shouldn't be doing doesn't matter much right now. Nothing does.

What does my brother have to say that is so important anyway? Quite literally I just left him back at The Tower. What I came to America to deal with has been handled. The tabs I have been keeping on Costa don't indicate any issues. He has been efficient in cleaning up the messes Sidorov created. In doing so he has gained favor from the people.

I'll admit I knew he would do well. He's always been cut out for this kind of life. In our younger years he loved the allure of the city. Vegas was his calling. The place was built for him. Some might say I did him a huge favor by running him out of Chicago.