In Your Shadow

by Middleton, J

  “You have no idea how much you mean to me Katie.” His voice was soft and passionate.

  “I think I do. You are my world John.” she smiled up at him. He pulled her closed to him and reminded her how much he loved her. Being in her arms always felt so right to him.

  Katie finally pulled away feeling dizzy but not from the head injury from the fact that she was in love. Climbing out of bed she headed for the bathroom. John watched her walk his eyes on the small bandage on the back of her head.

  “This woman has been through hell.” He thought.

  John got up and got dressed, with Tom on his mind. He was so in raged with the thought he was still out there. He would find him and this time aim for his heart. He turned around and seen Katie standing in the doorway of the bathroom with a white robe on. She was so beautiful it made his heart beat harder. She could light a fire that would never burn out.

  “How about some breakfast?” he smiled trying not to let her see the anger that was building up inside of him.

  “Breakfast sounds good, plus I have to check on my dad.”

  He watched her dress and threw her hair up in a ponytail as they walked out of the bedroom and headed down stairs. When they reached the dining room, Daniel was already sitting at the end of the table.

  “Morning Daddy.” She said as she noticed his dark rings under his eyes and they were red and blood shot. He looked mental and physically exhausted.

  “Morning Love.” He smiles slightly.

  Katie wasn’t sure to say anything are not, so she sat there in silence for a few minutes sipping on her coffee.

  “Katie have you been up to Jewels’ room?” Daniel ask with a surprised look on his face.

  She turned to him her eyes widen.

  “Yes daddy I have.”

  “Oh so you know what happened to her clothes.”

  “Yes I do! She doesn’t deserve nice things. She can con someone else out of their money.”

  Daniel started to laugh, and shakes his head.

  “Well I was going to send them to Good Will but no need to do that now.”

  “Now that we have that issue resolved, have you gave any thought to coming back with us daddy?” She had to change the subject she was already getting anger by the minute just thinking about what happened. She knew her dad couldn’t take any more, this was just about to take its toll.

  “Yes I have, I think I may join you this weekend. I have something to take care of and then I will come stay with you for just a short period. That way I know you want get into any trouble.” His eyes were narrow as he glanced at her.

  “Sounds good.”

  She turned her head to John as she felt his hand go down her back. He had a slight smile on his face waiting for an invitation.

  Katie just smiles and continued to eat her breakfast, she was just toying with him. She loved to keep his feathers ruffled. A few minutes later Daniel excused himself from the table. She watched him head straight to his study.

  “Would you go check on him please. I know something isn’t right and he isn’t talking to me. I think he is still mad at me.”

  “Katie he has been thought a lot in the last 24 hours, and you being so stubborn isn’t helping.” He gave her a slight grin.

  “I know I will listen next time.” She looked up to him with her deep eyes that could melt any one’s heart.

  “Alright Katie, on one condition!”

  “What is that?”

  “I will be staying with you and I want take no for an answer.” He smiled waiting for her to say something smartass.

  “I guess that is for my safety right.” Giggling under her breath.

  “Oh you think that is the only reason?”

  “The other.” She was pulling it out of him she loved to hear them three letter words coming out of his mouth.

  “I can’t stand to be away from you, I love you with my heart and soul.”

  That was what she was waiting for, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

  “I love you to John, and I was hoping you would anyway.”

  “You are something else my dear. I think I have done turned that hard heart of yours.” He turned her to him and kissed her lips and left her gashing for air, before he got up from the table.

  Katie watched him leave the room, she knew he was right. He had changed her in a good way. She was finally happy after so many years.

  She pulled out her phone from her pocket and Jewels phone bill. She dialed the first number on the list and it was an apartment complex. She dialed several more still nothing. Then another one, it rang a couple of times and all she heard was breathing on the other end.

  “Hello” she said softly.

  They never said a word, before she could say anything else she heard footsteps coming from the other room. She quickly put the phone in her pocket with the list of numbers.

  “Damn that could have been him, I will find you Tom, I will.” she thought.

  She looked up and John was coming closer to her.

  He steps toward her and pulls her into his arms and holds her tightly. Her gaze flashed up to meet his eyes. Anger lit his eyes as she could feel it in his strength of his arms. She takes her hand and pulls his head down to her face. As her lips cover his, pleasure beat though him when he tasted her lips. When he pulled from her he could feel his body relax. She was the only thing that could calm him down. Looking down at her beautiful face he freed his arm from around her. All he wanted to do is get her out of here and back to his penthouse were she would be safe.

  “How’s is my dad?” she asks.

  “He is fine Katie, just worried about you.”

  “It will be alright, now that we know who he is. He will be found.”

  “You sound hopeful.”

  “Well we didn’t know what we were dealing with before but now we do. So it is just a matter of time.”

  “You are right, but his is still out there somewhere.”

  “Not for long” she said, looking at him with this mischievous look.

  “What are you up to Katie? Don’t even think about doing any stupid?”

  “I’m not.” She turned and headed for the study to see her father.

  John was right behind her, he knew that she had something on her mind. This time he was not letting her get that far away from him.

  “This woman.” He thought.

  Katie headed for her father study, he was on the phone when she opened the door. He quickly got off the phone and walked towards her.

  “Daddy is everything alright.”

  “Yes it is fine.”

  “You don’t look fine.”

  Katie knew right then he wasn’t going to talk to her about it. She could tell he was still upset about everything that was happening. She turned around as the butler came in and walked toward Daniel.

  “Excuse me sir your car is ready.”

  “You going somewhere.”

  “Yes Katie I have some business to take care of. I will see you this afternoon.” He got up and started walking towards the door. He stopped a few feet from her and hugged her neck.

  “Don’t go anywhere without John. I mean it?” His look was serious.

  “I want. Daddy I think we are heading back I have a work I have to catch up on.”

  He looked over at John.

  “Keep her close to you.” He told him.

  “I will sir, take care of yourself.”

  “I plan on it.”

  They walked to the front door and said their goodbyes and gets in their cars. Katie was quiet until they got on the interstate.

  “I am worried about my father. Do you know what is going on?”

  “No Katie I don’t! He has his reason’s I’m sure.”

  Katie continued to look out the window in silence thinking about how long Tom had been watching her.

  “How didn’t I not notice this? Was I so involved with myself that I didn’t see anything around me. I don’t understand why he would do this. He was Mit
ches best friend.” So many question was going through her head, and she had no answers.

  “I will find the answers and I will find him, he is going to pay for this.” Revenge started to fill her veins, along with anger.

  Chapter 34

  She felt John’s arm go around her as she leaned her head on his shoulders. The safest place there was in his arms. She could fill the tension in his body, he was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

  “I need to stop by my office I have to get some contracts?” she looked up and he didn’t even smile.

  “Katie I don’t know if that is a good idea.”

  “Why not?”

  “What if he is waiting for you?”

  “I don’t think he will be there it has been a few days and no one as seen him. They would have called me. Plus, he is hurt he would be noticed don’t you think.”

  “I don’t like this idea at all.” He nods his head.

  He knew he had his work cut out for him. He was going to have to double security around her. He picks his phone up and orders two guards to be at the car when they pull up.

  Katie looks at him with a surprise look.

  “Really John you think that is necessary.”

  “Yes I do, I told you father I would keep you safe and I am.”

  Katie knew it was going to be hard now to catch Tom with everyone around her but she would find away.

  They pull up at her office building an officer opens the door for her. John gets out and escorts her in. With his arm never leaving her side, they enter the building and go straight to the elevator. Katie is looking around to see if anyone resembles Tom, but no one did. They get on the elevator as her sweat starts to form in the palm of her hand.

  “Why am I so nervous?” she thought.

  John could feel he tense up. He didn’t want to say anything to her with a guard in front of them. The elevator opened and they walked to her office. When she opened the door she could smell the odor of old spice.

  The memories started to flood her mind. She could see him walking in her office, her body started to tremble as she walks to her desk.

  “Pull it together Katie.” A voice in her head said.

  “Are you alright.” John asks, as he seen the color of her face turn pale.

  “I’m fine, it just the last time I was in here Tom was standing at my door.”

  “Yes I remember.”

  He stood there watching her gather her papers together and checking her messages.

  “I have so much work to do, I will never get it done.”

  “You run a business Katie get your employee’s to help you that is what you pay them for.” He popped off.

  She looked up at him, knowing he was right. She got on her phone and called her sectary and started giving orders. John sat there and listened for the at least an hour before she finally was ready to leave.

  “Now you feel better.”

  “Not really, I have become the old me again ruthless.”

  “No you are a business woman. That’s why people succeed you have no friends when it comes to business. They work for you not the other way around.”

  Katie just stared at him, she had never seen this side of him before. He was harsh when it comes to work, but she knew you had to be to have a great company.

  “You ready.”

  “Yes.” She got up and they walked out the door. The ride back down was quiet. She could hear her own heartbeat. The door flew open quickly as the lobby was full of people. Watching everyone with the corner of her eye, but there was nothing different. The driver had the car door opened as he got in and John slid in beside her. She took a deep breath relief that she was out of there, just the feeling that he had been there sent shivers down her spine. She turned her head and looked out her window, an old 70 green jeep passed her. Her heart jumped out of her chest as she seen a man in the driver’s seat that looked just like Tom.

  “That’s him?” she yells, with her heart racing so fast.

  “What?” John looked over at her surprised.

  “The car that just passed it looked just like him.”

  “Are you sure.”

  “Yes turn around now.” Her voice loud.

  They turned the car around as Katie was glued to the window trying to see the green jeep.

  “What kind of vehicle was he driving?”

  “A green jeep.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes it was him I just know it.” Her voice in state of panic.

  John got on the phone and called his security team.

  John finally seen the jeep it was at a parking lot a few miles were she us to live. They zipped in behind the car.

  “Don’t you get out of this car? I mean it Katie.”

  She looked up at him and never said a word. Her body was trembling so bad she couldn’t move even if she wanted to. Between panic and rage she was frozen to the seat.

  He jumped out and ran to the jeep but no one was in it. Looking around to see if he seen him but nothing. He turned his head and seen Katie was still in the car, he walks back to her and gets in. She was a nervous wreck shaking all over. They sit there for a few minutes before police surround the car.

  “I can’t believe he came back to this town.”

  “Katie he has an obsession with you he will come back until he is caught.”

  She didn’t know what to say he was right. Somehow she was going to catch him she was tired of looking over her shoulders.

  Katie got out of the car and stood there with John talking to the police. They told him that a jeep was stolen a few miles outside of town, and he fit the description of the driver.

  Now she knew for sure that it was Tom. Katie knew at this point he would stop at nothing to get her. She climbed back into her car and breathed in deeply as she looked down at her pocket. The phone bill she just remembered, looking out her window John was still talking to officer. She pulled out the numbers and dialed the number on the bill. It rang for a couple of times before someone answered. She heard breathing on the other end, but no one said a word. This was him she could feel it.

  “Tom” her voice low.

  All she heard was breathing, she could tell he heard her.

  “Tom talk to me this is Katie.”

  The breathing got heavier and heavier but he still never answered.

  The End