Keeping Katie (17 page)

"Katie, wait please." Jordan, buck-naked, had come out of the bedroom after her. "I know Jack can be a prick sometimes, but he really did mean well. I don't want you to go. Katie, I love you, sweetheart, and I know Jack does too. That's why he did it."

She stared at Jordan as if he had grown three heads. Her heart constricted in her chest. She did love them and that was the problem.

"No, you can't." Katie didn't know what else to say. The old fears had come flooding back. She had to get out.

"I have to go." She backed away, turned and bolted for the front door.

~ * ~

"Let her go, Jordan." Jack placed a hand on Jordan's arm as he struggled to put his clothes on to go after Katie. "She needs time to calm down and see reason." Jordan ignored him, running bare foot outside, but she was well and truly gone. Jordan was heartbroken at her reaction to his confession of love. She had looked panic stricken.

Jordan slowly walked inside. Jack was moving around the kitchen, fixing two drinks, handing one to Jordan as he sat down at the table.

"So much for your fucking plan to make her fall for us. Did you see the look on her face when I told her I love her?" He threw back the neat scotch wincing, as it burned its way down his throat. Jack brought the bottle and sat down at the table.

"She'll come to her senses. It's not as if she can avoid you if she still wants to work...

Oh, shit." Jack ran a hand back through his tousled dark hair before throwing back his own drink.

"What?"

"Her grandfather's house has been sold. Financially she's set. She doesn't need to work for you anymore."

Jordan groaned before looking back up at Jack. "I've had enough of your plans and scheming. This time we do it my way."

"Your way? Since when did you have a plan?"

"It's not about plans. It's about honesty. We need that woman and she needs us. The only way to win her is to be open and honest, no more playing games."

~ * ~

Katie had been walking around east London for two hours in the dark, eventually finding a cab to take her back her aunt's house. Her aunt was coming down the stairs as Katie walked into the kitchen.

"Jack's called three times to see if you had gotten home safely."

"Oh," was all she managed to say. She had switched off her phone and left it that way.

"You all right, love?"

She looked at her aunt. "Why didn't you tell me Jack had come to see you?"

Penny flushed guiltily. "I didn't tell him anything. If he knows about your past, he would have found out on his own. He is a smart man, your Jack."

"He's not my Jack," Katie snapped harder than intended.

"What about Jordan?"

"They are just as bad as each other."

Penny raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "Want a cup of tea?"

"No thanks, Aunt Penny, I just need some sleep."

"All right, love. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning." Penny knew as well as she did sleep only meant terror.

It was time she woke up and faced the real world. There was no happy ever after, especially with two men, and especially for her. Love only meant disaster. She had never meant to let things get so out of hand. She could not bear another loss in her life. Before it was too late, she would do the leaving.

She didn't turn up for work the next day. When Jordan called her on her phone and got no reply, he called the Myers' house. Penny Myers told him Katie needed some time alone. Jordan could respect that, but couldn't help the empty feeling he had within. He was useless at work, not getting half as much done without Katie to help.

Jack had gone into a sulking mood, which continued for two straight days. By Friday both their nerves were shot. They finally hit a breaking point. It was very clear. There was no
them
anymore without Katie in their lives. Jordan couldn't stand it any longer.

He walked up to Jack, slapping him up the side of the head.

"What the fuck was that for?" Jack growled at him.

Jordan wasn't going to put up with his dominant shit now. "For a lawyer you really are a stupid fuckwit. All your plans and schemes got us nowhere."

Jack looked guilty and seemed to actually cower. "How the hell was I to know she'd take it like that? Fuck, I love her just as much as you do. I love you too. I'm sorry, all right."

Jordan could hear the emotion breaking Jack's voice. It was the first time Jack had ever confessed his love for him. He didn't have time to get emotional over it. Now was a time for action.

"I think it's way past time all three of us sat down and really talked." Jordan snatched up Jack's keys. "Come on, let's go."

"Where?"

"To get our woman back, and this time we're not letting her go!"

~ * ~

Jack jumped to his feet, shaking off the guilt of his idiocy. He could make it up to Katie later, slowly, over and over again, but right now they needed her back, back in their arms. He intended to have her between him and Jordan where she belonged.

Jordan was right. They needed Katie to complete them.

"I'm driving. It's my car." Jack snatched the keys from Jordan's hand and they headed for the door.

~ * ~

Jack opted to stay in the car while Jordan went to find Katie. Jordan came back looking more worried than before.

"What is it? Where is Katie?"

"Gone." Jordan slumped into the passenger seat.

"What do you mean gone?" Dread hit Jack's stomach at the thought of losing Katie.

"Her aunt has taken her to the airport. She's heading back to Australia."

"Fuck, how long do we have?"

Jack glanced at his watch. "They have a half hour head start on us. The airport is easily an hour away."

"Buckle up, and pray we don't get pulled over. We'll get there, we'll get our woman back." Wasting no more time, Jack pulled his BMW out onto the road.

~ * ~

Katie glanced up at the flight departure screen in the outer part of the huge airport terminal. It wasn't a wonder they told people to turn up several hours before the flight, as it was all in aid of getting people through the security check points and customs.

She had her boarding pass gripped in her hand and chose the lesser of the two long ques. Her aunt was waiting by her side.

"You don't have to wait with me, Aunt Penny. Once I'm through the security, you can't come with me."

"I know, love, it's just..." Her aunt had a distant expression on her face for a moment before she shook it off and looked directly at Katie. "Are you sure you want to do this? We have loved having you; don't let those men drive you away."

Katie smiled at her aunt. She had been nothing but loving and supportive through the whole sordid ordeal.

The last few days had seemed the longest and most painful days she had ever struggled through. Even though she had avoided their phone calls, she had walked past their place several times but never gaining enough courage to knock on their door. She knew she had overreacted to Jack's confession. She kept telling herself she had to get away from them. Staying around Jack and Jordan would only cause her more heartache. So why did she feel like her heart was already breaking? She felt empty and numb inside. She gave a sigh and hugged her aunt, masking her pain and confusion.

"I think it's for the best. Australia is my home and I should make a proper go of it." It was a sorry excuse, and Katie knew it. Her aunt nodded.

"Remember, we are always here if you need us."

"Thank you, Aunt Penny, for everything." Katie blinked back the tears threatening to spill.

~* ~

"That has to be a new record--across London in less than sixty minutes. Remind me to change my pants when I get home, and I may have left a stain on your seat."

Jordan looked at Jack with a new respect and fear. Jordan wondered how there was anything left of the armrest. He had gripped it so tightly as Jack had weaved dangerously in and out of traffic as he drove several miles above the legal limit. It was only a miracle they hadn't been spotted by the cops.

"I got us here, didn't I?" Jack glared, unimpressed with his satire. "Just pray I got us her before she heads through security. Once she's through, there is no way we'll get in without a ticket." Jack's voice sounded more urgent than he'd ever heard before.

Jordan felt his fear as he was struggling to control the rising panic of not reaching her in time. They didn't want to lose the woman they loved. Weaving their way through the international airport crowd, they side swiped luggage trolleys, and jumped over several suitcases before they paused to study the outgoing flight displayed on the computerized boards.

"This is useless. How the heck are we going to find her in this crowd?" Jordan groaned. "Here's the plan, you search one of the security check queues. I'll search the other."

The line was long, full of complaining people who thought Jordan was trying to jump the queue. It was then he spotted Penny Myers, standing in line, a suitcase at her feet. Jordan scanned the line but couldn't see Katie.

Penny Myers glanced up, a small smile on her face as Jordan approached her.

"I wondered how long it would take you. I held her off as long as I could."

"No one told us she was leaving," Jordan said. "Where is she?"

"Just gone to the ladies' room. She'll be back in a moment." The line moved forwards and the people behind them glared as Jordan was holding up the progress of the queue.

"Is this her bag?" He lifted the suitcase. Penny gave an affirming nod.

Good. He and Penny moved out of the way of the other people. The gap in the line, which he had created, was quickly filled with edgy people sick of waiting to get through the security gate.

Jack had come down the other side of the line after spotting him with Mrs. Myers.

"Where is she?"

"Ladies' room." Jordan jumped in first, glancing in the same direction as Mrs. Myers.

He saw her, a black bag slung across her shoulder as she walked towards the line.

She had a sad expression on her beautiful face and seemed lost in thought as Jordan broke away, striding towards her. Katie glanced up, giving a startled gasp and coming to a sudden halt as she saw him.

It took all of Jordan's self-control not to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless as he loomed over her.

"Goodness, Katie, you can't leave us, don't you know how much Jack and I love you.

Sweetheart we are nothing without you."

~ * ~

As much as Katie's heart leapt seeing Jordan and Jack at the same time, she was terrified, her pulse fluttering wildly. Jordan's words filled her with conflicting emotions.

She raised her eyes and met Jack's worried gaze as Jordan tugged her toward him.

"We need to talk, all of us." Jack's dark gaze swept over her from head to toe.

"There are a few closed off areas under construction just down past check in counter twenty. Perhaps you three can use one of them," her aunt suggested Katie glanced at her aunt in surprise. Just whose side was she on?

"I can't. I'll miss my plane." Her weak protest wasn't fooling anyone.

"Then miss it. Damn it, Katie, this is more important," Jack growled.

Katie's resistance failed her as both men pushed her to where her aunt had indicated.

Once inside the vacant area, Penny turned on the men.

"Don't screw this up again. I'm going to take a nice stroll and leave all of you to sort things out." Penny left the three of them alone. Katie pulled away from Jordan who set down her suitcase while Katie took a seat in on one of the benches still covered in plastic wrap, not trusting her legs to support her. Jack paced. Jordan leaned against the wall, watching them both.

"Well then?" She glanced between them.

"Fuck, I'm no damn good at this." Jack ran a shaky hand through his dark hair. "Katie, I'm sorry for being such an asshole. I only wanted to know how you'd been hurt because I love you. I know what it's like to be hurt. My father was an asshole too."

She drew in a steady breath, fighting back the rampant emotions threatening to swamp her.

"He was constantly drunk and used to beat my mother. When I was old enough to start defending her, he'd lay into me too." The pain in Jack's eyes was evident.

Katie's heart lurched in her chest. She wanted to reach out and comfort Jack but remained seated. "He was a decorated army hero." Jack gave a disgusted snort at his words. "Shot in the line of duty, so he always claimed. I found out later he was discharged after getting into a fight with civilians who were defending themselves against his drunken onslaught. My mother couldn't take it anymore and left. She left me with my father. What kind of woman leaves their seven-year-old boy at the mercy of a monster?" Katie looked at Jordan. From his concerned expression, it was clear he was hearing this for the first time as well.

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said quietly, understanding his comment about how they had more things in common than she realised.

Jordan moved away from the wall to put his hand on Jack's shoulder in comfort. Jack sat down besides her taking her hand. "I understand what it's like to lose people you love and to be hurt. I know it doesn't nearly compare to what you've been through, but that's why we need each other. When I met Jordan, he helped me believe there were better things in the world--him being one of them." Jack looked at Jordan, love clearly written across both men's faces. Katie was deeply moved. She guessed it wasn't an easy thing for Jack to tell them these things. "When I met you, I couldn't believe I could get so lucky twice."

"You've got each other. You don't need me." She was struggling to keep the tears at bay.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, sweetheart. There is no us without you. You're the one we've been looking for. You are the only woman who can complete us."

Jordan knelt down, reaching up to touch her face in a gentle caress. Her chin wobbled.

"We need to know how you feel. I know together there is nothing we can't face, and there is nothing we wouldn't do to keep you in our lives. But if you don't feel anything for us, we won't stop you from leaving."