by Dani Criss
Jake squeezed her hand. She needed reassurance, he realized. Reassurance that this time they could weather the storms. She needed to realize that their relationship five years ago had been rocky because it had been based on chemistry. and their physical need for each other. This time his feelings went much deeper, and so, he was sure, did hers.
“Katie,” he said, kissing the back of her hand, “this time is different. This time I know I love you.”
She drew in an uneven breath and smiled down at him—a shaky smile, but it was a start. “Jake, I care for you, too....”
She leaned down to kiss his forehead. After the unrestrained passion they’d shared earlier that morning, this little kiss and her tame declaration of “caring” were much too cool and distant.
“Why can’t you say you love me?” he asked hesitantly, knowing she was holding back, knowing he couldn’t let her.
“I did,” she protested. “I said I cared—”
“Cared isn’t the same.” It was much too mild for what he felt, for what he wanted from her, for what he had to have. “I love you. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I want to take care of you. Katie, I want you to marry me.”
Marriage? Kaitlyn’s heartbeat stumbled. He was moving much too fast. “Jake, you’re way ahead of me here.”
“No, I’m not. Honey, if you think back to how you felt when we made love, you’ll know that we’re on the same page. You just aren’t willing to admit it.”
She let that issue slide for now. She didn’t know how to respond to it. For now she would concentrate on the one that frightened her the most.
“Marriage? Jake, there are so many unknowns here. We need to take this slow—”
“We did that the last time, Katie, and in the end it was only that much easier for you to walk away. I’m not going through that again. This time I have to know that you’re willing to commit to us. Completely. If you can’t do that, then perhaps we should put things on hold until you can.”
Kaitlyn felt the ground shift beneath her. This wasn’t the direction she’d pictured their relationship taking at this point. She needed time to adjust, to get used to having him in her life again. But that wasn’t what he wanted, so he was issuing an ultimatum—just how she’d feared things would go between them.
She took a step back and folded her arms across her chest. “Why marriage, Jake? Why can’t we try living together for a while first?”
“It’s the level of commitment—”
“No piece of paper ever kept two people together,” she pointed out firmly.
He ran a weary hand across the back of his neck, reminding her that he was injured and in pain. She longed to go to him, to tell him she would do anything to make him happy. But he was demanding the one thing she wasn’t sure she could give him, so she stood her ground.
“You’re already thinking it’s not going to work between us,” he said, pushing back his chair. “You’re already prepared for us to split up. I guess that says it all.”
He stood up, then walked away, down the hall to the bedroom. Kaitlyn knew he was leaving her, just when they’d begun to connect. She wanted to shout at him, demand he come back. But there was no compromise on this issue.
This was just what she’d feared would happen. Jake would make rules for her and demand she follow them. She couldn’t live that way. Gone was the man who’d bargained with her on so many things. In his place was the man she couldn’t deal with.
As she folded the towel she held, the doorbell rang. She grabbed her wallet off the counter and, determinedly ignoring Jake’s earlier order, walked through the living room to answer the door. Through the peephole, she saw a man dressed in a knit shirt with the Pizza Store logo over the pocket, his ball cap tugged low over his forehead, his head bent as he studied the delivery ticket. Pulling out a twenty-dollar bill, she turned the knob.
The door flew open. Craig Fallon glared at her, a knife in his hands, insanity in his eyes.
Chapter 13
Kaitlyn gasped in horror. She turned to run, but Fallon caught her by the hair and jerked her against his chest. Tears of pain filled her eyes as he yanked her head back and held the knife to her throat. The cold steel stung her skin. A chill of fear rushed down her spine.
“Where is he?” Fallon demanded, his mouth against her ear. “Where is Riley?”
Jake. Fallon would kill him. Kill them both. She had to do what she could to prevent that. But what? She could barely think past the panic rushing through her.
“He’s not here,” she said, her voice quivering. “He had to leave.”
Fallon’s arm around her waist tightened, driving the air from her lungs.
“You’re lying,” he growled. “I’ve been watching the house. I know he’s still here. Call him.”
When she didn’t comply immediately, he pressed the knife harder against her throat. Kaitlyn couldn’t breathe, struggled to think past the fear consuming her. She had to warn Jake. Could he hear what was going on from the bedroom? Did he realize Fallon was here?
“Now,” Fallon ordered. “Call him.”
“Jake...” His name came out in a croak. Kaitlyn cleared her throat and tried again. “Jake, darling...” An endearment she never used. Would he understand that she was warning him? His cell phone was in the bedroom. Had he perhaps called for backup, already alerted the police? Would help come shortly?
Fallon tightened his arm around her waist again. “Tell him to come out here.”
She swallowed carefully. What was he doing? Surely he’d heard the door crash open. He was planning something. A trap. He had to be. How could she help? If she did the wrong thing, they could both end up dead.
“Tell him,” Fallon growled in her ear.
“Jake, come out here, darling.”
She bit her lower lip, hoping she’d done the right thing, knowing she had no choice. Silence was her only answer. Her heart thudded against her ribs. If only she knew what Jake needed her to do.
Maybe she could still convince Fallon they were alone in the house. It might be their only chance of getting out of this alive.
“I told you he’s not here,” she said, her voice raised slightly. Hopefully Jake would hear her and understand what she was trying to do.
Fallon kicked at the pizza box on the floor. “He’s here, all right. It’s a large. You wouldn’t order a large pizza for yourself.”
Still holding her tightly, he shoved the door shut with one foot. Remembering her self-defense training, Kaitlyn shifted her weight hard against him, throwing him off balance. They tumbled to the floor, Fallon on his back, she on top of him. She heard his breath rush out on impact.
She rolled to her side and scrambled to her knees. Fallon caught her ankle before she could get to her feet. She kicked at his arm, but he easily fended off the blows. He held her firmly as he got to his knees, then jerked her back against him and hauled her to her feet. Her breath caught as he raised the knife to her throat again.
“Damn you,” he snarled. “You’re mine and I won’t let you go. Not even Riley will be able to save you this time.”
Rage burned in his voice. She could feel him tremble with the force of it, felt the fear settle in the pit of her stomach. He meant to kill Jake, she was certain, and afterward he would kill her.
From the hallway, Jake watched the brief struggle between Katie and Fallon, remembering his sister and how he’d let her down. He would not fail Katie.
He had the 9 mm from her nightstand, but he couldn’t get a clear shot at Fallon. The man managed to keep her in front of him, just close enough so Jake couldn’t fire. There was a tiny trickle of blood where he’d nicked her skin. Jake vowed the man would pay for that.
She had to be frightened out of her mind, he knew, yet she was keeping her cool. He had to do the same, though as he saw the blood, it was harder than hell to remain calm. He wanted to kill Fallon with his bare hands. But first, he had to be sure Katie was safe.
Finally curious as
to what was going on, the dog slowly walked out of the bedroom and came to stand beside Jake. Ears erect, she growled deep in her throat. He laid a hand on the animal’s head to quiet her. He didn’t want to startle Fallon as long as the man held a knife to Katie’s throat. The dog stood still, but growled again. Jake flattened himself against the wall as Fallon whirled toward the sound.
“It’s just the dog,” Jake heard Katie say. Had she seen him? Did she know he was there, waiting for the right moment? Did she trust him to rescue her, take care of her?
“Put it in the basement,” Fallon ordered, shoving Katie forward slightly. “Don’t try anything. Just get it out of here or I’ll kill it.”
Careful to keep Katie between him and the snarling animal, Fallon inched forward. Another few steps and he would have a clear view of the hallway. Jake silently eased his way back into the bedroom. Listening, he could hear Katie in a shaky voice instruct Star to go downstairs, then close the door on the dog. Sensing something was very wrong, the animal began barking and scratching at the door.
“To the bedroom,” Jake heard Fallon say over the noise the dog made. “You and he spent the night there, didn’t you? You were together.”
Kaitlyn’s stomach knotted. Jake was in the bedroom. He had to be. Fallon would find him. She had to do something. She dug in her heels, but Fallon pushed her on.
“Why the bedroom?” she asked loudly, dragging her feet as he continued to push her down the hall.
He didn’t answer, just kept shoving her in that direction. Had Jake heard? She wished he could give her a sign, but she knew he couldn’t. She was as afraid for him as she was for herself.
Fallon stopped in the doorway to look around the room. He pushed the door flat against the wall. Satisfied Jake wasn’t behind it, he nudged Kaitlyn into the room, inching her toward the rumpled bed.
“He was here with you,” Fallon snarled, looking at the shirt and shoes on the floor. “You bitch. I said you belong to me.”
Again Kaitlyn felt him trembling with rage. He hurled her onto the bed. She twisted onto her back, to see him raise the knife above his head. She kicked at him, but he dodged her foot. She prepared to lash out again, then saw movement out of the corner of her eye—Jake, standing just inside the closet, his gun aimed at Fallon’s head.
Fallon followed the direction of her gaze. Whirling around, he grabbed her off the bed, holding the knife to her throat once more.
“Put the gun down,” he ordered Jake, his voice full of malice. “Put it down or I’ll cut her.”
Kaitlyn could see Jake consider his options and come up empty. Reluctantly he laid the gun on the floor. Straightening, he leveled a calm gaze at her.
“You don’t want to hurt her,” Jake told Fallon. “You love her. It’s me you want.”
Fallon didn’t answer. Kaitlyn felt his breaths coming in short bursts. Hatred and anger emanated from him. Jake, she realized dimly, was feeding those emotions. He wanted Fallon to lose control, wanted Fallon to attack him.
“I’m the one you want out of the way,” Jake continued, taking one cautious step forward, then another.
“No, Jake,” she whispered, realizing he was offering himself in her place. She thought of all that could happen to him—because of her. She’d brought him into this. He was already injured. He couldn’t take on Fallon, not in his condition.
But there was unwavering determination in his eyes. He held out his arms and motioned for Fallon to make the first move. She could feel the man tense. Hear his breaths coming closer together. Then slowly he lowered the knife and loosened his hold around her middle.
He was going to attack Jake. She thought of Jake mortally wounded, dying because he wanted to save her. Giving his life for her. She couldn’t bear that thought, couldn’t stand by and do nothing.
Shoving fear aside, she thought again about her self-defense classes. She rammed her elbow into Fallon’s stomach. It connected with a solid thump. He doubled over. His breath rushed out.
“Katie, move,” Jake commanded. “Now.”
She realized Fallon had the knife raised. She twisted out of his grasp as it arced toward her. Jake lunged for the gun. He picked it up, but Fallon was on him before he could aim it.
Jake braced as Fallon pounced on him. He had his finger on the trigger, then felt a sharp, white hot pain run up his arm. Fallon’s knife had sliced his wrist. The gun fell from his hand and bounced across the carpet.
The knife was coming toward him again. Jake caught Fallon’s arm and tried to wrestle the knife from Fallon’s hand. More pain shot through him as he felt something in his left shoulder tear. The knife came closer to his chest. And closer. It scraped across his skin, drawing blood. Jake felt himself weakening. His shoulder was throbbing, but knew he couldn’t give up. Fallon would kill Katie. He couldn’t let that happen.
Fallon groaned as Jake twisted his wrist and held it with all the strength he could summon. Jake slammed the man’s arm across his knee. Once, then again. Fallon still managed to hold on to the knife. He came at Jake with a left hook. It connected with Jake’s jaw. He stumbled backward and sank to the floor.
Kaitlyn’s heartbeat tripped as Jake fell and Fallon pounced on him. The gun was a few feet away, by the foot of the bed. She grabbed for it as the two men wrestled. She aimed it, but couldn’t risk a shot. She was apt to shoot Jake. His forearm was bleeding where Fallon’s knife had sliced his skin. Finally Jake had Fallon’s wrist pinned to the floor. He slammed his fist into the man’s face. Again. And again. Fallon’s hand went limp. The knife fell from his grasp.
Jake raised his fist again, then stopped. Fallon was unconscious. Katie was safe. Jake looked around for her, spotting her next to the bed, kneeling on the floor, the gun aimed at the man who would have killed her. Her eyes were still full of fear. She held the gun trained on Fallon as if she couldn’t put it down.
“Katie, it’s over.” Jake sat beside her, gently pried the gun from her stiff fingers and laid it on the floor.
“You’re hurt,” she said, her voice a mere whisper. She was trembling.
Kaitlyn reached for Jake’s knit shirt, the closest piece of cloth she could find. She had to stop the flow of blood from his wrist. The cut went from his thumb, across his wrist and up his arm a short way. More blood seeped from a scratch on his chest, and the fight had torn his stitches enough that his bandage was turning red. Hands shaking, she wrapped the shirt tightly around his wrist.
Movement... She caught a flash of motion out of the corner of her eye. Fallon. He had come to and was sitting up. She whirled for the gun.
Instincts on alert, Jake grabbed for the weapon. He pointed it at the other man. Fallon shook his head as if he were still disoriented, then in an instant he had the knife in his hand and was charging at Jake. Jake shoved her out of Fallon’s path, then fired. Eyes closed, Kaitlyn heard Fallon’s body hit the ground.
More men burst through the door. Someone whisked her out of the room and settled her on the sofa. Star, hearing more commotion, increased her frantic barking and scratching at the basement door.
“Hang in there, Red,” Steele said, squeezing her shoulders.
She struggled for a deep breath. “Where’s Jake?” she asked, looking around the living room. He was gone, leaving her alone.
“Max is taking him to the hospital. A few more stitches and he’ll be as good as new,” Steele told her.
She tried to nod to show she believed him, but couldn’t pull it off. All she could think about was how lonely she would be without Jake. He’d left without saying a word to her. Left her in the care of others he trusted to look after her in his place. Very unlike him where her welfare was concerned. She had a feeling he wouldn’t be back.
“It’s a good thing Jake could call us when Fallon first showed up,” Steele was saying, probably in an attempt to calm her.
But she needed Jake, she realized. Needed him to be with her. Without him she felt very empty and very much alone.
“Can you
take care of Star before she hurts herself?” she asked Steele. “She knows you.”
“Sure. I’ll put her in my car. She’ll be all right there.”
The house was filling up with people in uniforms and suits, she noticed dimly as Steele walked away. They drifted in and out of the bedroom, stood talking in small groups. Two officers at the front door made sure only authorized personnel came on the crime scene.
Kaitlyn sat on the sofa, watching the activity and wondering where Jake was. Had he made it to the hospital yet? Were the doctors concerned about the cut on his wrist? How much damage had Fallon’s knife caused?
She longed to be with Jake, but knew he wouldn’t want her there, not until she could promise him forever. She needed time. Time to see how they dealt with each other. Time to be sure she could handle his protectiveness, his authoritativeness. But Jake wanted his answer now.
“Chin up, Red.”
Kaitlyn blinked past her threatening tears, and Steele’s face came into focus. He knelt in front of her, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket. When she raised her chin, he dabbed at the smudge of drying blood at her throat.
“Looks like it’s just a nick,” he said, studying the tiny cut. “A small bandage should be sufficient.” He glanced at his watch. “Jake should be getting sewn up by now. They would have taken him back right away.”
She nodded. He gave her a reassuring smile, then walked over to chat with one of the uniformed cops. Kaitlyn didn’t know how much longer she sat there, lost in thoughts of Jake, before someone touched her arm. She looked up to see Rob Donovan sitting beside her, his gaze full of concern.
“How are you doing?” he asked her.
“Fallon. Is he...”
“He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. It’s over.”
Over, Kaitlyn thought, letting out the breath she’d been holding. The nightmare was finally over. But so were she and Jake. He would have no reason to come back to her until she could give him the commitment he wanted.