Desire Unleashed (37 page)

He hung on an inordinate length of time and was beginning to wonder if Liz was refusing to take his call when her voice came over the wires, glacial and clear.

“Well, well, fancy hearing from you.”

“How are you, Red?”

“Let’s dispense with the niceties shall we and get to the point—what do you want?”

He was unconcerned at the barely contained anger that colored her voice. “I want to see Kat.”

“Kathy doesn’t want to see you.”

“I think she will when I explain.”

“Believe me when I tell you, she’s not interested in you or your damn explanations, leave her be to get on with her life.”

“Liz, I don’t need your permission, nor am I asking for it. Tell Kat to…”

*

Liz slammed the phone down. What was she to do? She couldn’t tell Kathy he’d called, it might jeopardize the twins. They were both still reeling from that shock. Kathy was admitted to hospital with high blood pressure. Yesterday the doctor said if it stayed down then he would release her, provided she remained in bed.

It was a difficult pregnancy. Kathy was sick much of the time and rarely spoke about Shane anymore, but Liz sometimes heard muffled cries in the night. She hated what he’d done to her. God, she’d never allow herself to love anyone that much.

If only Shane hadn’t taken up with that other woman. Maybe, given time, and with the twins on the way, they could have worked things out. But it was too late now. Kathy would never forgive him.

When she’d first arrived, Kathy had been reluctant to talk about Shane, but as the days passed, she’d finally let her guard down and spilled the entire sorry story. Liz had her own reservations about their relationship all along, didn’t think it had a snowball’s chance in hell of survival, but Kathy was smitten right from the start. Heck, people fall in and out of love all the time and you accept it as part of life, but he’d stooped to an all-time low. The woman confessed she’d been a regular, so Shane must have had her on the sidelines the whole time, but to bring her into his home the very week Kathy and he had broken up was unforgivable. Kathy didn’t deserve to have her feelings trampled into the ground, and he didn’t deserve a second chance.

* * * *

Ice glared at the receiver incredulous, Red had hung up on him. He knew she’d be one tough cookie, but he thought she’d at least be fair. Sure he’d stuffed up, but wasn’t everyone entitled to a second chance. Yes, Kat was hurting and his prolonged absence wouldn’t have helped, but he had a damned good reason, and she was going to hear it face to face. If after that, she still didn’t want anything to do with him then he’d get down on his knees and beg until she did. After Red’s little outburst, he was itching to get out of hospital and bring Kat home, love her until they were both spent and make up for the past few weeks.

Later that afternoon, Ice was feeling stronger, more like his old self if the hard-on from hell beneath the sheets was any indication. When Hawk barged into his room, the sheet tent poling around his hips had the kid smirking.

“I see you’re feeling better boss.” He chuckled. “But this’ll put a bigger smile on your dial.” Handing over a slip of paper Hawk explained, “Kathy’s address in Baton Rouge.”

Ice took the paper from him and memorized the address. “I owe you one, Hawk.”

“Not by a long shot.”

The door burst open. Havoc, Frosty, and Wolf romped in, crowding the room. “You’re up mate,” Havoc drawled as he approached the bed.

“Well, he was a moment ago. The sheet was looking like a teepee.” Hawk took the cheap shot and laughed.

Ice shifted uncomfortable in the bed, of all the dumb luck, it was the first boner he’d had in a fortnight, and the kid had to witness it and advertise it to the whole freaking community. The ignominy of it all made him gruff. “I’m going to Baton Rouge as soon as they release me.”

“Yeah, we figured as much when Hawk told us he had Kathy’s address. We all drew straws to see who’d go with you. I lost.” Wolf straddled a chair. “Just say when and I’ll book the flights.”

“The doc said I’ll be out in a couple of days tops, but I don’t need a minder.”

“Did he also say you had to take it easy?” Frosty queried, smacking the nail fair on the head.

* * * *

The couple of days turned into the better part of a week before Ice was released. He lost the argument with the guys. Wolf was waiting in the pickup when he gingerly walked through the hospital doors.

“Ready buddy?”

“Sure, just got to stop by the apartment and collect a few things.”

The shuddering of the truck as Wolf shifted through the gears caused him to wince. The doctor had cautioned against a long car journey, and he was glad they’d taken his advice and decided to fly and hire a car at the other end.

The stop off at the apartment was a matter of minutes only, ninety minutes after that they were boarding the plane, and by midafternoon, Wolf was shaking him awake, and they were preparing to land.

The plane’s wheels touched the tarmac with a judder and taxied up to the terminal. Wolf unloaded their gear from the overhead locker where he’d stowed it for the flight. Ice unfolded his big frame from the narrow confines of the seat and ambled up the aisle to the exit. He was moving slow, but he was damn lucky to be alive. Wolf had said it had been touch and go, that the blood had pumped out of him as fast as he could get it in, and that it had taken all of his skill to keep him breathing. He shuddered at the thought as they entered the crowded terminal, it was chaotic with people coming and going for the holidays. Wolf wasted no time in collecting the keys to a Mustang from the rental desk then brought the car around while he waited with their gear.

Ice was quiet on the drive to Liz’s. He didn’t have to read the road map, the GPS provided directions. He rummaged in his mind for what he would say to Kat, sorry seemed trite, but she’d knocked him off kilter with her declaration. Sure, he’d hurt her, but when he explained she’d be reasonable, and they could pick up right where they left off. It was a win-win situation.

Wolf parked the car in the narrow street and looked at the address written on the paper. “This is it,” he said killing the engine.

Ice braced himself as he unlatched the door and stepped from the Mustang. The journey had knocked him around. When the doctor had told him to take it easy he hadn’t been whistling Dixie, he realized that now. His injury and operation had weakened him.

They walked in silence up the pathway to the front door and knocked. Wolf clapped him on the back and squeezed his shoulder. “She loves you man, it’ll work out. Besides, you look like shit, so how could she not take you back? Women love that kind of stuff, all that fussing brings out the maternal instinct in them.”

Ice smiled at Wolf’s attempt at levity. As they waited for the door to be answered, they could hear movement inside, but no one came. Wolf rapped louder. Ice peered through the glass panel on the side. A young man, not much older than Hawk, closed the door to the room he’d just exited and marched toward them. The front door was flung wide and the young man served them a surly glare.

“Hi, I’m Shane Jackson…”

“I know who you are, what are you doing here?” Hostility radiated off him in waves as he blocked the entrance.

“Who are you?” Ice growled back, royally pissed at his impertinence.

“Ian Roberts.” He scowled giving them a venomous glare.

“I’ve come to see Kathy, and I’m not leaving until I do, so if you know what’s good for you, you’ll toddle off and tell her I’m here.”

Wolf took up a defensive stance, and Roberts flicked them a contemptuous look. “You don’t scare me Jackson, nor does your sidekick. I’ll run it by Kathy, not because you tell me to, but because it’s her call whether she sees you or not.”

“You do that son,” Ice condescended keeping his temper in check.

Ian flashed him another filthy glower. “Wait here,” he ordered, turning away and leaving them on the threshold.

Ice and Wolf, with no intention of remaining on the porch, followed him inside. Roberts re-entered the room Ice had seen him vacating through the glass panel.

“Where’s he going?”

Muffled voices could be heard from within. “Shut up Wolf, I can’t make out what’s being said, but that’s a bedroom and if you remember, Robert’s is her fucking ex.”

“For God’s sakes Ice be cool, she wouldn’t do that.”

Ice ignored him and started for the bedroom. Wolf latched onto his arm. “Think man, don’t blow it by going in there half-cocked, wait and tell her how you feel and listen to what she’s got to say.”

Roberts walked out leaving the door ajar, dismissed Wolf like one would an annoying insect, and addressed Ice.

“You’ve got five minutes, Jackson. Don’t upset her or you’ll have me to deal with, and the clock’s already ticking.”

Ice shouldered passed, he would have liked to sit Roberts on his ass, but didn’t think Kat would appreciate it. He inhaled a big one then walked through the door.

It was a girly room, all frills and pillows, lace and perfume. Kathy was a sight for sore eyes. Soft and sexy, propped up on cushions, quilt tugged up around her chin, dwarfed by the big antique four-poster bed.

His heart lurched.

“Hello, babe.” The mattress gave beneath his weight as he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand, brushing it with his lips.

“Why are you here?” She croaked, snatching it back.

“For you babe, I’ve come to take you home. I want things back the way they were.”
Smooth Ice, real damn smooth. Not.

“You’re wasting your time Shane, there’s nothing more to say.”

“There’s plenty more to say, but I’d rather we say it at home.”

“Home! Give me a break. Just get out of here. Go.”

Ice tamped down his frustration and strived for composure, calmness was called for. “I’m sorry I said those things to you it was dumb, I’m sorry for how I behaved. Now get dressed, I’m taking you home.”

“Shane, you big macho shit head, you’re not calling the shots. It’s too late,” she shrilled.

“Too late. What the hell are you talking about? Geezus Kat, I came here to take you home, doesn’t that mean anything?” He was shocked at the venom in her words, he thought she’d have been happy, but she was angrier than a bull with a bee sting. The image of her curled up in the big bed with Roberts, flashed like lightning before his eyes, startling him with its suddenness and strong enough to make a blind man see. “It’s that stalker Roberts, isn’t it?” He lashed out. “You said he was just a friend, that there was nothing between you, so what’s he doing in your room while you’re tucked up in bed? Answer me that, Kat,” he stormed, hopping to his feet.

Kathy’s face was a mixture of fury, indignation, and hurt. “How dare you accuse me of infidelity, Shane.
You
of all people. You’re nothing but a bloody hypocrite. You’re the one who installed another woman in our bed the very week you dumped me.”

“I didn’t dump you Kat, I made a mistake. I’m an idiot I know, but you can’t hold that against me.” It took a second for the rest of her words to sink into his thick head, and when they did it pulled him up short. He’d been so focused on convincing her to come home he’d almost missed them. “Another woman? Babe, what are you talking about? What other woman?”

“P-lease, I may have been a virgin when we met, but I wasn’t born yesterday. And before you try and deny it, I saw Madam Amazon coming out of your apartment with my own eyes.”

“Madam Amazon?” His foggy mind took a few seconds to clear. “You mean Yolla? For chrissakes Kat, she feeds the fish when I’m away.” A glimmer of hope ignited. Kat was jealous—he could deal with jealous.

“Then why haven’t I seen her before, and why haven’t you mentioned her?” Kathy sniffed and rubbed her nose.

“How the hell should I know, maybe she turned up while you were at school? She works on the base, she knows my schedule, I don’t even have to organize her. Hell Kat, she’s nothing to me, never was, never will be. I bought the apartment and aquarium from her. She wanted me to take it off her hands, I agreed on the condition that she’d take care of it when I was away. Babe, you gotta believe me.”

* * * *

The raised voices carried through to the other room. Roberts sprang up, alarm written all over his face. Wolf bolted after the younger man, but before he could reach him, Roberts had slammed open the bedroom door and exploded into the room like a storm trooper.

Ice was towering over Kathy. Roberts rushed him, catching him off guard and spinning him around. “I warned you not to upset her, now get the fuck out of this house before I call the cops,” he yelled, shoving Ice toward the door.

“Get your fucking hands off him before I drop you on your ass,” Wolf bellowed. He had the distinct impression he and Ice were missing something but couldn’t put his finger on it.

Roberts let go and backed off.

“All of you get out,” Kathy cried and burst into tears.

“What the hell is going on here? I can hear the ruckus half way down the street?” A tall redhead Wolf assumed to be Liz Ellis, blew in like an ill wind. Three pairs of male eyes shifted from the woman in the bed to the woman framed in the doorway. No one had heard her arrive. Although her voice was controlled, the underlying anger ready to erupt was evident. Her fury flicked the men like a lash and rested on Roberts.

“You at least should know better,” she accused. Roberts shuffled, shoved his hands into his pockets, and dropped his eyes.

“Ah … we were just…” Wolf stammered, wanting to explain the commotion.

“Stow it.” Liz froze him out and pinned Ice with a hostile glare. “Her blood pressure will skyrocket, and she’ll end up back in hospital if you continue like this. Is that what you want?”

“Hospital?”

Ice’s surprise reflected his own. Yes, there was definitely more going on here than met the eye.

Liz’s voice softened. “Kathy, haven’t you told him?”

Kathy sniffed and shook her head. Liz pulled a tissue from the box on the dresser and handed it to her. Kathy dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose.

“Right. You two, out,” Liz said hustling him and Roberts. Wolf didn’t have a problem with being evicted as long as Roberts was shown the door too.