She sat back, not surprised. Then all Flotilla had a camaraderie that was second to none. She might have gotten to know some of them if she’d lived closer to Min-seok. Had these ones been at his funeral? They might have been. She’d been so blind to everything but her grief. Now that she understood, she could see the resemblance in their faces. The same hard, dangerous look to them. Min-seok had sent her dozens of photos of men. Some here and many others. “I have a photo of you all. And more. From Min-seok.” 

They looked at her, gazes narrow, considering. She didn’t know if they were worried about the type of photo she had. “He kept it with him all the time. You’re all on a large boat, grinning.”

“Ship,” one of the darker haired men said in a pained voice. “It’s called a ship.” 

She chuckled. “I know that. It used to bug Min-seok too. That’s why I still say it.” 

The men’s eyes widened in shock then the air warmed up noticeably as they laughed. 

Min-seok had loved her teasing. It was one of the things she missed most. Teasing him and knowing it was part of the relationship. Part of the joy between them. They’d been so different. So much the same. God she missed him. 

As she struggled to pull her painful memories back to the present, there was a flash of light and a huge explosion. A high pitch mechanical scream ripped through the helicopter. It listed sideways. She shrieked. 

Suho grabbed her and held her close. Several of the men raced to the front of the injured machine. 

She didn’t have time to think what anyone was doing. Suho had his hand wrapped around her wrist like a vice on a board. But he was dragging her to the back, then he slammed something large and heavy against her chest. 

“Hold this,” he shouted at her. 

Her arms closed instinctively around the harness. Before she could understand, he spun her around and was leading her to the side, locked tight against his chest. “Now if we get separated, pull this.” And he stuck a cord in between her frozen fingers. “Ready?” 

She stared panicked into his gaze. “For what,” she screamed over the noise. “Are we going down?” 

“Yes, the easy way.” He dragged her to the side, the wind gusting into the helicopter. “We’re going to jump. Hang on to me.” He reached down and clipped their chest straps together. Outside the ground fell away to a valley way down there. Oh hell no. 

“No. No.” She shook her head. “No, it’s not possible.” 

“Three, two, one…” 

And he jumped, dragging her out of the machine. 

Cold wind pricked her face, head and hands, but it was her endless scream that killed . He finally grabbed her head by the hair and tugged it backwards. He lowered his head and sealed with a kiss. 

 She clung to him, her hands clutching his chest straps as soaked up his comfort. Whimpers escaped out of . 

It took her a long moment to realize her legs were wrapped around him, and she was kissing him back as much as he was kissing her. 

If she had to be thrown out of a helicopter then it was a hell of a way to go. 

She shuddered by the time he finally lifted his head. 

“Better?” he asked, humor in his voice. 

She heard it–barely. There was just enough volume in his voice to hear him over the wind streaming past her head. “As far as I can be…” she snapped. “Considering someone just threw me out of a helicopter.” 

“Would you prefer to have stayed inside?” he said against her ear. He moved his head to the side. And a whole different vista opened up. The other men in parachutes floated around them, apparently all safe. Thank heavens. Just then a huge blast split the skies behind them. A cry escaped as she watched pieces of the helicopter fly through the sky. 

That was the first she realized only one big white parachute floated above their heads. She’d had no idea. Somehow she’d seen enough to know Suho would take care of her regardless of the danger to himself. Clipped together, their parachute was carrying twice the weight. So not good. Thankfully she was a lightweight. Still, she had one on her back so maybe that was a precaution only. 

“Here we come,” he warned. “We’re going to come down hard and roll.” 

She had no chance to decipher what he was saying as the ground came up awfully fast. She screamed as they approached. A hard jolt, a series of tumbling rolls and he was on his feet, again stabilizing her as she struggled to sort out vertical from horizontal. 

“Is it over?” she asked, hating the shakiness in her voice, clinging to him, desperate to have the world steady. 

“It is.” He was busy unclipping, unhooking and undoing straps and clasps until they were separated. And the parachute harnesses were on the ground. He quickly spun around and rolled up the parachute as it slow