Captivated (Partners in Crime Book 4)

Chapter 20

Hazel held on to the nearest thing for dear life. And that nearest thing happened to be Cole. Her hands gripped his upper arms so tight she was afraid he was going to get hurt.

"Hazel! Snap out of it!"

She jerked her head to look at him. Only then did she realize that she had been mumbling nonsensical things aloud.

"We need a parachute." Cole looked around frantically. He spotted one near the flight attendant cabin. "Of course, that's the only one. He planned on killing you then using that to escape. Hazel, sit in that chair and don't let go."

Hazel did and closed her eyes tight. Dad, help us to get out of this alive. Another jerk of the plane caused her to fall to the ground. She felt a bruise start to form on her upper arm when she slammed into the bottom of the seat. Whatcom was trying to hurt them.

She pulled herself back onto the seat just as Cole came back with the parachute. He slipped it on like a backpack. "I need you to find something to attach yourself to me with."

Her jaw dropped, "What?"

He gave a small grin, "Ever gone skydiving?"

"No!"

"Well there's a first time for everything. Now, we need to find a rope or something." Cole hurriedly looked around.

The plane dipped and Hazel let out a strangled scream. "Cole!"

He caught her. "It'll be fine."

"Right." Sarcasm oozed from her voice. Her eyes scanned the plane. She whirled her head around to stare at Cole, "How high is your adrenaline?"

"It's skyrocketing as we speak."

Another jerk of the plane.

Hazel gripped the chair and pointed to the seatbelts, "Rip those apart. The one strap is long, get a couple of those."

"I like how you think." Cole got to work tearing apart the cheap, thin seatbelts and handing them to her.

Hazel was able to create a makeshift harness for herself and tied herself to Cole. "Are we really doing this?"

"Jump out of a plane with a parachute designed for one person? Yeah."

Whatcom stormed into the cabin, "What do you think you're doing?! Don't move or I'll kill you both!"

"Hold on to me and don't let go." Cole whispered into her ear.

Hazel did so .

"How do you think you two are going to escape?" Whatcom sneered.

Cole took a deep breath. "Like this." He grabbed the emergency door, whipped it open and jumped.

~~~~~

The first thing he heard was Hazel's scream. He felt her holding onto him tightly and burying her head in his chest. His insides did not agree with the skydiving thing. The sound of the wind was deafening.

He wrapped his arms around her and let them fall.

They weren't going to die. Not on his watch.

He waited until he could make out that the dots on the ground were cars before he opened his parachute. They were jerked up and slowed down immediately. Cole was able to open his eyes fully and not worry about them getting blown out.

Hazel was staring up at him intently, her heart beating against his. "That was insane."

He laughed, "Good or bad?"

"I haven't decided yet."

God, thank you so much. We haven't died yet, we're safe, and we love you. "I'm never skydiving again."

"I'm never flying again." Hazel looked up at him, "I'm sorry I ran away."

"It's okay. I forgive you. Be my wife and we'll call it even." He grinned.

Her expression was adorable, "Did you just-"

"Propose? In the sky? Yes." A first, but he'd take it.

"Well alrighty then. I suppose we can make that work."

"I love you." Cole meant it with every inch of his being.

"And I love you."

"Do you like corn?"

"That was so random. Why?"

"Look down."