Chapter 9
“Congrats. Never thought you’d make it this far.”
I’d just taxied the fighter jet to its spot when Kellan appeared beside the tarmac.
I glanced over, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
“Same to you. Heard you’re marrying Luna soon.”
He grimaced, a flicker of frustration in his eyes.
“Luna’s pregnant. Swears it’s mine. The Hendersons–they raised me, so now they’re guilt tripping me into taking her and the kid Like I owe CRLS
1 can’t help but laugh.
“Why’d you pick this? Flying, I mean.”
I shrugged.
“Wanted freedom. Spent too long watching others soar while I stayed grounded. Got this second chance–not want wasting it being anyone’s doormat.
He called after me, “Mia, you are also-”
“Save it. My folks are waiting.”
I strode off, but he chased after me, boots thudding on the concrete.
“Mia, you remember. Don’t you? Everything between us–the past life.”
I didn’t slow down.
“No clue what you’re on about.”
Tears glistened in his eyes, voice cracking.
“Fifty years. We were married fifty years. Happy ones, once. We-”
I spun, glaring at his crocodile tears.
“Fifty years that turned you bitter. Bitter enough to want me dead when I was just a baby!”
He froze, face paling–flashbacks to that night in the hospital, his hands hovering over my crib. That’s not-”
“Last life, you stole Luna’s place, ruined her life, and buried my real love.”
“God, I wanted to kill you so many times. But you were still my wife.”
“This time? Let’s never see each other again.”
I threw his own teenage words back at him, slow and sharp.
His face drained of color. Shoulders went rígid.
No excuses. No denials. Just silence.
He couldn’t say a damn thing.
Luna and Kellan got married.
Soon after, she had a baby–blonde–haired, blue–eyed, no mistaking who the father wasn’t.
Kellan, already quiet, withdrew even more after the kid arrived.
Chapter 9
But he swallowed it all, never snapping at Luna
Guess fifty years of biting his tongue with me taught him how to endure.
Luma seethed at her life.
Slapped him around and screamed daily.
“Total loser this is why everyone looks down on me!”
“Reading those stupid books? Waste of time! Figure out how to MAKE MONEY!”
“Everyone else climbs the ranks, and you’re stuck as a nobody? Living in this dump!”
The drama got old fast.
Thankfully, Mom and Dad had moved us out of the complex ages ago into a nice townhouse.
After one particularly grueling training exercise, Kellan appeared as ground crew, handing me water.
I took a sip, studying him.
His eyes skittered away, guilty as hell.
I said nothing, just followed him to the back lounge as he suggested.
Minutes later, Mr. Hawthorne–now demoted–appeared.
He leered, that slimy grin on his face.
“Damn, baby–Nice pilot costume–looks almost real!”
“C’mon, play nice with me. Whatever you want? I’ll hook it up. Easy.”
I kicked him across the room and called security.
The investigation was quick.
Evidence stacked up–Kellan confessed immediately.
And of course, Luna was in on it too.
When they hauled her in, she screamed like a banshee.
“You stole my life! Why do you get everything? Why am I messed up in both lives?!”
“I wanted Hawthorne to ruin you! Wanted your dad accused of pimping out his daughter! I wanted to burn it all down!”
“Mia Kane, WHY? You were a colonel’s wife last time–this time a national hero! I hate you! I HATE YOU!”
“Kellan, you spineless worm! You were a colonel once/why’re you such a coward now?!”
“YOU RUINED ME! Not one good day! I should’ve died after those twenty years of fun–better than this!”
Turns out, Luna remembered the past life too.
Bitter, she’d goaded Kellan into drugging me, hoping to destroy my parents like they’d been destroyed before.
But I wasn’t that girl anymore.
ཋ ཇ ༣༠
Not with the rank, the connections, the people who had my back
She never stood a chance.
When they carted Kellan off, he didn’t scream like Luna.
Chapter 9
He looked. Telieved.
Jax raught him smiling, asked why.
Kellan’s gaze flickered to me, heavy with meaning.
Had enough of this life. Next time? Let it all start clean.”
1:arrowed my eyes, voice cold.
“Hope you get that next time. But you won’t stick around to see how good mine gets.”
Shock flashed across his face–then raw regret.
Trying to harm a national hero?
Luna and Kellan got the death penalty, Colonel Hawthorne, too.
No one messes with what’s worth protecting.
On execution day, I climbed into my cutting–edge fighter jet and shot into the sky.
Below, kids watched the annual air show, eyes filled with dreams.
I’d carry their dreams with me,
swear to guard our borders and our nation–for life.
Chapter 1
