A low hum filled my ears, steady and rhythmic, like the gentle purr of an engine. My body felt heavy, sluggish, wrapped in an unfamiliar warmth. The soft pressure of a blanket covered me, and for a fleeting second, I thought I was home
But then the memories came crashing back
My eyes fluttered open, still hazy, my vision swimming as I tried to focus. The ceiling above me was sleek, curved—nothing like my bedroom. The air smelled different, crisp and expensive, with a faint trace of leather and something else I couldn't quite place.
I shifted slightly, the plush surface beneath me molding to my body. It wasn't a bed, not exactly—more like an oversized leather sofa. A private cabin.
A Private jet.
Panic clawed its way up my throat as my senses sharpened. I wasn't home. I wasn't safe. I was on a plane—one I had no memory of boarding.
The hum of the engine was louder now, filling the space with a quiet authority, reminding me that wherever we were going, there was no turning back.
I forced myself to sit up, my muscles protesting from the lingering effects of whatever they had injected into me.
My head throbbed, a dull ache settling behind my eyes. Blinking away the dizziness, I scanned my surroundings. The cabin was spacious, lined with cream-colored leather seats and polished wood accents. A bar sat in the corner, stocked with expensive bottles, and dim overhead lights bathed everything in a soft, golden glow.
And then, I saw him.
Aaron.
He sat across from me, legs crossed, his posture relaxed as if this was just another ordinary flight. A book rested in his hands, fingers idly flipping through the pages, but I could tell he wasn't really reading. He knew I was awake.
He didn't look up right away. Instead, he let the moment stretch, the silence thick between us, as if giving me time to process what had just happened.
Like I'd ever be able to.
My throat was dry, my voice barely more than a whisper as I forced out the only thing I could manage.
"Where... where are we?"
Aaron finally looked up, his dark eyes meeting mine with an eerie calm. He didn't look surprised to see me awake. If anything, he looked like he had been waiting for this moment.
He closed his book with an almost lazy motion, setting it aside on the polished table beside him. "Somewhere you can't run from," he said simply.
His words sent a chill through me. My fingers clenched the blanket draped over me, my pulse pounding in my ears.
I swallowed hard. "You drugged me."
Aaron tilted his head slightly, as if considering my words. "You didn't give us much of a choice."
I stiffened, my body still sluggish but my mind racing. "I told you—I didn't want to go with you. That should have been enough."
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone before I could place it. "And yet, here you are."
I gritted my teeth. "You can't just—just take me. You don't get to decide my life for me."
Aaron let out a quiet sigh, rubbing his temple as if this conversation was exhausting him. "Mia," he said, his voice steady, patient—too patient. "This was never about what you wanted. It was about what needed to happen."
My hands tightened around the blanket, the soft fabric doing nothing to steady the storm of emotions raging inside me.
"And what exactly needs to happen?" I shot back, my voice sharper now, my frustration bubbling over. "Because from where I'm sitting, all I see is a kidnapping."
Aaron didn't even flinch. If anything, his lips curled into something that almost resembled amusement. "Call it whatever makes you feel better," he said. "But you should get comfortable. We have a long flight ahead."
My stomach twisted.
"Where are you taking me?" I demanded.
He leaned back into his seat, stretching out like he had all the time in the world. "You'll find out soon enough."
I hated how calm he was, how unaffected. Like this wasn't some massive violation of my life—like it was just another day for him.
My heart pounded, and I shifted slightly, testing the weight of my limbs. The drug was wearing off, but I wasn't at full strength yet. Still, I had to think. I had to figure out a way out of this.
I glanced toward the door of the cabin, but Aaron caught the movement instantly. His smirk deepened.
"Don't bother," he said smoothly. "The pilots work for us. And even if you somehow made it past me, past them, where exactly would you go?"
His words settled over me like a heavy weight, pressing down on my chest. He was right. There was nowhere to go....For now.
But that didn't mean I would just accept this.
I turned my glare on him, my nails digging into my palms. "You won't get away with this."
Aaron chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You really don't get it yet, do you?" His voice dropped just slightly, his gaze locking onto mine with something darker lurking beneath the surface.
"We already have."
The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. My mind raced, desperately trying to think of anything—any way out of this. But I was trapped.
Trapped at 40,000 feet with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.And then, the door at the far end of the cabin opened.
I stiffened as Anderson stepped inside, his presence instantly commanding the space. He didn't rush. He moved with the same calculated precision as before, his expression unreadable. Behind him was Alex
Alex remained seated, watching me like a cat watching a trapped mouse. Anderson's gaze swept over me, lingering for a moment as if assessing my state. His lips pressed into a thin line before he finally spoke. "Good. You're awake."
I didn't respond. I wasn't going to make this easy for them. Anderson stepped further into the cabin, taking a seat across from me with the same quiet authority that made my skin crawl.
Aaron remained where he was, flipping his book back open as if this was just another mundane moment in his day.
Anderson studied me for a long moment before sighing. "I imagine you're feeling... unsettled."
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "Unsettled?" I repeated, my voice dripping with disbelief. "That's an interesting way to describe being drugged and kidnapped."
Anderson didn't even blink. "It was necessary."
"Necessary?" I snapped, my fingers tightening around the blanket. "You're insane if you think any of this is normal."
Alex hummed from his seat, "She's taking this well," he muttered.
Anderson shot him a sharp look before returning his attention to me
I tightened my grip on the blanket, my pulse pounding in my ears. My entire body was tense, ready to lash out even though I knew there was nowhere to go. My voice was sharp when I spoke.
"The police will be looking for me since I'm missing now!" I snapped, my gaze darting between Anderson, Aaron and Alex. "You can't just take someone and expect there to be no consequences."
Aaron let out a low chuckle, finally lowering his book. He tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You think that matters?"
My stomach twisted. "Of course, it matters," I shot back. "People will notice. My friends, my job—
Anderson didn't look away, didn't so much as blink. His expression remained unreadable, but the weight of his words pressed down on me like an unshakable force.
"We're not ordinary people, Mia," he said, his voice carrying the same quiet authority that sent a chill through my bones.
The air between us felt heavier, thick with unspoken truths I wasn't sure I wanted to hear. The way he said it—it wasn't arrogance, wasn't a threat. It was just fact. Cold. Unavoidable.
My grip tightened around the blanket, my pulse drumming in my ears. I hesitated, the words catching in my throat before I finally forced them out.
"Then... who are you?" I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper before I quickly corrected myself, my gaze flickering between them. "Who are you all?...