The air was filled with Mark Reed's scent, a vast, forest-like aroma, elegant and distant.
Valentine Teller wanted to push him away, but on the shaky plane, she desperately needed a lifeline, and Mark's tall frame fit the role perfectly.
Being held by him, she was not as afraid anymore, feeling much calmer and more at peace, her screams no longer escaping her throat.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here... don't be afraid..."
He murmured, holding Valentine with one arm, clutching the armrest with the other. Suddenly, a memory of a previous plane crash flashed in his mind, where it started with violent shaking and at the moment the plane plunged into the sea, he had only one thought - to survive and see her again.
Now, holding her in his arms, he felt an unusual calmness with no other thoughts.
The plane finally broke through the turbulence and flew smoothly, accompanied by a reassuring voice over the intercom.
