Page 82 of Shattered Souls

“No, I paid last week.” Rayvn is currently arguing with our pilot, Alfie.

“I understand you paid, but I’ve added a new fee on top of the rush fee.” His Italian accent is thick and heavy.

“Oh, yeah? And what’s this new fee?” Rayvn’s not having this man’s shit. Hayze is pressed against her back, kissing the crook of her neck softly, something Alfie has taken note of a few times, while I have our bags at my feet.

“It’s a one of yas’ is bleeding fee,” he points at the gash on my arm, completely oblivious to the far more severe injuries of the other two. “And aren’t you two supposed to be siblings?” He motions between the other two.

Hayze chuckles, grabbing her ass to throw the pilot off even more.

“I’ll give you a thousand extra, but that’s it.” I finally cut in, the events of the night pressing on my skull.

“Ha. I like the way you talk, American.” He smiles at me, the corners of his thick mustache curling up. “A thousand it is! Everyone get on board and buckle up, we’ve got a fifteen hour flight ahead of us.”

We all clamber into the small plane. Where I was expecting a small and questionable interior, maybe a few rolls of duct tape stuck around the walls, the plane has four tan leather seats all turned to face each other. Rayvn takes no time at all going to the back and falling into one of the seats. She blows out an exhausted breath and closes her eyes.

I take the seat beside her, Hayze taking the one in front of her. The pilot throws himself into the front, messing with the controls and doing whatever the fuck he needs to just to get us off the ground.

I reach into one of our bags and fish out our new lives on paper. I hand each of them their respective IDs. Hayze looks his over, smiling at something, and then peeks at Rayvn’s.

“Sybil Walker.” She smiles at the passport, ID, and birth certificate. Hayze is officially Cameron Payne, and I’m Nick Payne. I wanted to give her our last name, but I want that to be her choice.

She didn’t have a choice when it came to being with us, so I at least want her to pick when she becomes a Lowe. Though on paper she’ll be a Payne, she’ll always be a Lowe.

The first half of the flight is full of everyone taking turns getting as much sleep as we can. Rayvn knocks out almost immediately, thanks to the pain meds I gave her before we left.

Hayze sat looking out the window until he finally dozed off. But me? Well, I haven’t slept yet. The realization that I almost lost both of them sits heavy on my chest.

I wasn’t even there when she was stabbed. I sent her off to run for her life, and she would’ve been killed if Hayze wasn’t there. The fact that two people I once considered friends turned on us and almost succeeded in taking my life long run from the cops to the ground makes me sick.

“I can’t believe I heard him speak.” I turn my head to see Rayvn looking right at me with a tired smile. “I dreamt of his voice, you know?”

“I had too.” I admit. “There were so many times I wanted him to yell back at me.” We both chuckle at the truth. It was surreal to hear his voice.

“Did you ever stop trying to make it to the exit?” I ask her. The question has been plaguing my mind for a while now. She fought so hard the first few nights. But her fire left her eyes very quickly.

“I think I stopped caring after the first weekend.” She turns in her seat and extends her legs to me. “I figured I was dead anyway. I just wanted to make it harder for you to kill me. Then it just became fun, chasing that high of being chased.”

I nod absently.

Hayze moves his hands, neither of us even realizing he was awake. “Can I just say, the cage in the middle of the maze was my favorite.” She smiles at him, and he returns the gesture.

“So what’s going to happen now?” She looks between us, her fingers twirling a few strands of hair.

“What do you want to happen, little scarecrow?” Hayze signs.

“I just want to live in a small, secluded house with both of you. I want to share a bed, and share all the stories from our pasts. Maybe I’ll get a job somewhere, and when I’m home, I can finally show you two what real food tastes like.”

“Rayvn,” I grab her hand. “If you want both of us, then you have us. Anything you want, you can have. I will spend the rest of my life making sure you’re happy.”

A long and comfortable silence falls between us. Each of us is content to just exist among the others. Hayze stands from his seat, walks over to Rayvn and scoops her up. He places her in his lap, taking her seat. I idly rub her feet while he kisses her head.

“If Maverick or the other man killed me, what would’ve happened?” Both sets of hands halt on her skin.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.” Hayze signs to her, and I’m thankful for it.

That’s a road I’m not willing to cross. Since letting myself fall into her trap, I’m not sure I could find beauty in anything else in life. She’s as delicate as a butterfly, but has the fire of a phoenix all wrapped into a small and gorgeous body.

She never treated Hayze as a monster. The women I’ve brought home before always shied away from my overly quiet brother, as they’d call him. Some found interest in him, but it would quickly dissolve when he’d refuse their advances.