Chapter 2

“Call whoever you want,” Leo said. “Call the president, for all I care. You’re not getting on that plane.”

He lifted the radio clipped to his shoulder.

“Security to Gate Twelve. We have a disturbance. Send someone over.”

I wiped at my face and looked at the name tag on his chest.

“Leo Carter,” I said. “I’ll remember that.”

He pressed a hand to his chest in mock fear.

“Oh no. I’m terrified.” His smile widened. “What exactly are you going to do? Call the chairman and have me fired?”

A laugh came from somewhere behind me.

Then a bright light hit my face.

A man with a phone rig had pushed his way through the small crowd, filming before I even understood what was happening. His hair was overstyled, his loafers were too shiny, and he was chewing gum with his mouth open.

“Guys, you seeing this?” he said into the camera. “We’ve got a live one at Solstice Air. Girl shows up dressed like she slept at a bus station, then tries to extort the airline with some sob story about her grandma dying.”

I raised a hand to block the lens.

“Stop filming me.”

He moved closer.

“Now she’s yelling at me. Classic.” He turned slightly, angling the camera to catch my face. “Everybody drop ‘shameless’ in the chat. Blaze is exposing airport fraud in real time.”

“Put the phone down,” I said. “You don’t have my permission.”

Blaze laughed.

“Permission? You’re making a scene in public. Don’t want people to see it? Don’t act crazy.”

His camera came so close I could see my own distorted reflection in the lens.

“Let me guess,” he said. “You saw rich people boarding first class and got jealous. Figured you’d cry a little, scream a little, maybe score some compensation?”

He glanced at Leo and grinned.

“You did the right thing, man. People like this need to learn they can’t bully staff.”

Leo straightened at once, suddenly playing the professional.

“Exactly. Solstice Air does not tolerate abusive passengers. She’s disrupting boarding and harassing our premium customers.”

They fed off each other. Within seconds, the livestream comments were racing across Blaze’s screen.

Gold digger.

Scammer.

Throw her out.

Bet the grandma isn’t even real.

My hands shook.

“You’re lying about me,” I said. “That’s defamation. I’m calling the police.”

I picked up my phone again, this time opening my father’s private contact.

One call. That was all it would take.

Our family had aircraft on standby. Private routes. Emergency clearance. If I could reach him, I could still make it.

Leo saw the screen and lunged.

“Blaze, she’s calling people. Stop her.”

Blaze reached for my phone.

“You still trying to call backup?” he said, laughing for his audience. “Watch this, guys.”

I pulled back.

“Don’t touch me.”

Before he could grab it, heavy footsteps pounded toward us.

Several airport security guards rushed over, broad-shouldered and grim-faced. The man in front looked me up and down as if he had already decided I was guilty.

“Who’s causing trouble?”

Leo pointed at me immediately.

“Her. The flight was overbooked, and she refused to follow instructions. She tried to hit staff.”

“That’s not true,” I said.

No one listened.

The security captain grabbed me by the collar and yanked me backward.

I lost my balance and hit the floor hard.

Pain shot through my knees and palms. When I looked down, blood was already rising through the scrapes.

“What are you doing?” I shouted. “You can’t assault me.”

Two guards pinned my shoulders before I could get up.

The captain leaned over me, his face twisted with impatience.