I Told You To Run But You Didn't (Georgia) novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

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Finished

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Georgia’s POV

The next day, Patricia took me to the national aviation expo. Smith Armories was showcasing new products for military application, and since my own special forces career had started in the air force, I was genuinely interested.

Still, as I looked around at the gleaming aircraft and bustling crowds, a soft sigh escaped me. I remembered this place all too well. I could almost see my parents walking these same halls, holding my hand while my brother, Zane, ran ahead.

Oh, Zane… where are you now? It’s been seven years.

My gaze settled on a young family nearby-a little boy pointing excitedly at a fighter jet, his parents smiling down at him. A lump formed in my throat.

I was so lost in the memory that I startled when a deep, masculine voice spoke directly behind me. “Do you like children?”

I turned, and my breath caught. Estevan Salvatore. My face flushed, and my throat suddenly felt dry as I took in the sight of him. Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, he looked devastatingly handsome and completely in his element. Of course he was here; he was the son of the late general.

“Mr. Salvatore?” I paused, remembering his insistence. “Estevan,” I corrected myself.

A slow, dangerous smile curled at the corner of his lips. His dark eyes followed my gaze back to the family. “What were you looking at?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.

A hint of professional concern crossed my mind. “Where are your bodyguards?” I asked, my eyes scanning the crowd.

“If they were to follow me closely, it would draw too much attention,” he said calmly. “They’re in the shadows, mingled with the crowd.”

I glanced around again, a newfound respect for his security detail blooming. They were good. I couldn’t spot a single one.

“Are you alone, Georgia?” he asked, his gaze never leaving my face.

“I came with Patricia, but she’s off attending to business. I responded, forcing myself to look at a nearby engine display. It was unnerving the way he looked at me, as if he could see every thought in my head.

“Then how about we take a stroll together?” he suggested

My first instinct was to say no, to retreat to a safe distance. But he was my friend’s biggest new investor, and his tone wasn’t so much a suggestion as a gentle command. It would be rude to refuse.

“Okay,” I said softly.

As we explored the exhibition, I was stunned by how extensive Estevan’s knowledge of aviation was. It far surpassed that of an average enthusiast; he spoke with the authority of an expert, articulating professional terminologies and principles with ease.

He stopped in front of a sleek, next-generation fighter je. “The F-22 is a marvel of engineering,” he commented, “but its reliance

onditonal afterburner for supercruise is its Achilles heel. Too much fuel,

Chapter 19

too much heat.”

Finished

I couldn’t help but challenge him. “It’s a flaw they corrected in the YF-23,” I countered, stepping closer to the display. “Variable-cycle engines, superior thermal management. It was the better aircraft.”

A slow, appreciative smirk spread across his face. He turned to face me fully, his eyes glinting with amusement. “The better aircraft that lost the contract. Proving that in our world, the best technology doesn’t always win. It’s about politics, logistics… and who you know.”

“Or maybe it’s about having a pilot who can push the machine beyond its known limits,” I retorted, raising an eyebrow.

His smirk widened, and he took a half-step closer, lowering his voice. “And are you that kind of pilot, Georgia? The kind who pushes beyond the limits?”

Before I could answer Estevan’s loaded question, my phone rang, shattering the moment. It was Lucas.

“Where are you?” he demanded without a greeting.

“The aviation expo,” I answered, my voice flat. “Why?”

“I’m on my way to get you,” he stated. Just before he hung up, I heard Kiara’s sharp voice in the background, full of surprise and suspicion. “What? Why is she there? The call ended abruptly.

I turned back to Estevan with a sigh. “It seems my husband is coming to collect me. Thank you for the tour.” I started to walk away, but his voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

“Did I say you could leave?”

I pivoted, my lips parting in disbelief. A flush crept up my neck. “W-What?”

“I’m leaving as well,” he said, falling into step beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world. We walked toward the main exit in a tense silence.

Just as we reached the doors, Lucas, Kiara, and Peter intercepted us. They looked as if they had seen a ghost, their eyes wide as they took in the sight of me walking side-by-side with Estevan Salvatore.

Kiara immediately leaned in and whispered something viciously in Lucas’s ear. I watched as his fac contorted with a flash of rage before he forcibly smoothed it into a neutral mask.

Peter, however, stepped forward with a condescending smirk. “Well, look who it is! I didn’t expect to at an aviation expo, Georgia. Are you sure you’re not a little out of your depth here? Do you even understand any of this?”

Estevan didn’t even look at him. His gaze remained fixed on me as he spoke, his voice a low, dismissive rumble that cut Peter down instantly. “She understands it better than you ever will.”

Peter froze, his face flushing with angry humiliation.

Lucas surged forward, his hand grabbing my arm in a bruising grip to pull me away from Estevan’s side. “Georgia, we’re going. Now.”

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