Chapter 6
The remaining two hours of the flight were a masterclass in psychological torture, though entirely of Jet’s own making.
Over the intercom, his voice occasionally drifted through the cabin, smooth and authoritative, pointing out landmarks and giving weather updates. Every time he spoke, I imagined him sitting in the cockpit, perfectly smug, thinking he had heroically defended his beautiful, rich fiancée from a deranged passenger.
He probably thought the story would earn him a spectacular night of gratitude in her hotel room.
Finally, the plane began its descent. The landing gear deployed with a heavy thud, and the aircraft kissed the tarmac at JFK.
As the plane taxied to the gate, the lead flight attendant’s voice came over the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York. The captain has requested that all passengers remain seated. Port Authority police will be boarding the aircraft momentarily to handle a security issue. Please keep the aisles clear.”
I felt Ruby stir awake.
“Are we there?”
“We’re here, baby,” I said, unbuckling her seat belt.
Through the windows, I saw the flashing red and blue lights of police cruisers pulling up on the tarmac near the jet bridge.
Jet was really going through with it.
He had actually called the cops on me.
The passengers in economy began to whisper, craning their necks to look back at me.
The security officer stepped into the aisle, blocking my exit.
“Ma’am, please stay seated.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I replied.
The forward cabin doors opened. Within moments, three uniformed Port Authority police officers marched down the aisle.
But they weren’t alone.
Walking right behind them, practically glowing with vindictive triumph, was Rose.
She had reapplied her makeup. The orange Birkin hung perfectly from her forearm, and she was clutching the lapel of Jet’s captain’s jacket.
Yes, Jet was with her.
He was looking down at his phone, his pilot’s cap pulled low, his posture dripping with the casual arrogance of a man who owned the world.
“Officers, the disruptive passenger is in the back,” he said, his voice loud enough for the whole cabin to hear. “She assaulted my fiancée and caused a severe disturbance.”
“We’ll handle it, Captain,” the lead officer said.
They reached the back galley.
Rose stopped a few feet from me, folding her arms, her diamond watch catching the fluorescent cabin lights.
“There she is,” Rose sneered. “The crazy one. Arrest her.”
Jet finally looked up from his phone. He stepped out from behind the officers, ready to play the commanding captain. He raised his eyes to meet the face of the deranged woman who had dared to attack his lover.
Our eyes locked.
I didn’t move. I didn’t blink. I just sat there, my arm wrapped protectively around our daughter, who was staring up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
“Hi, Jet,” I said.
My voice was quiet, but in the dead silence of the cabin, it rang like a gunshot.
Jet stopped walking.
He didn’t just freeze. His entire body seemed to shut down.
The color drained from his face so fast he looked like a corpse. His jaw unhinged, but no sound came out. His eyes darted from my face to Ruby to the security officers and then back to me.
The iPad he was holding slipped from his grip and clattered loudly against the floorboards.
“Rachel,” he choked out, the word barely a rasp in his throat.
Rose looked at him, frowning.
“Babe, what’s wrong with you? Tell them to put the cuffs on her.”
Jet looked like a man who had just stepped off a cliff and was waiting to hit the ground. His hands began to tremble violently.
“Rachel? Ruby? What… what are you doing here?”