Page 22

Katie

“Do you know that guy, Katie?”

My jaw drops open. He is the very last person I expect to see on his beach. A hundred things run through my mind. What is he doing here? When did he get out of prison? How did he know where I am? Has he been looking for me? Oh god, what will Leo do if he sees me talking to him?

“Umm, sorry, Emmaline—I’m just a little shocked. Yes, I know him. It’s my ex-boyfriend.”

“Ohh, tricky; I’ll leave you to it.”

Emmaline leaves just as Jax approaches, and I stand up.

“Katie!” Jax wraps his arms around me. I don’t hug him back, so he releases me.

“What are you doing here, Jax?”

“Well, that’s not the reaction I was expecting; I was released from prison a few days ago. I went looking for you but was told you’d gone on holiday. So here I am.” He opens his arms with a big cheesy grin, like I should just melt into his arms.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“I wanted to surprise my girl.”

Oh god, he doesn’t think we are still together, does he?

“Jax, I didn’t know what was happening or what had happened to you. I wasn't sure if I would ever see you again.”

“I didn’t know what was happening either.

I’m sorry, babe. I should have called you, but all I could think of was seeing your face.

” He strokes my cheek. “I was framed, babe. They finally saw sense and let me go. All I’ve thought about is you.

I can’t believe I’m finally here with you. I’ve missed you so much.”

Guilt grips my stomach. He goes to hold my hand, but I pull away. He has been in prison all this time for something he hasn’t done. He thought his girlfriend was waiting for him on the outside, but instead, I was here with Leo.

Jax is a typically attractive man. But he does nothing for me anymore. Not like the tingles I get from Leo just from hearing him say my name.

“Katherine!”

There they are; it’s like my skin physically hears him. Oh, dear. I’m scared for Jax. I turn to meet him .

“Leo, hi.”

One of his spies has obviously alerted him to Jax’s presence.

Both Leo and Jax are similar in height and build, but I know Leo will kill Jax in one swift movement.

“This is a friend of mine—Jax.” I gesture to Jax.

“Friend?” Jax asks, clearly perplexed.

“Jaxon Adams?” Leo queries. I shouldn’t be surprised that Leo knows who he is, but I am.

“Guerra,” Jax replies.

Okay, do they know each other? The men puff out their chests and shoulders. Both their stares could kill.

“We are leaving, Katherine.” Leo beckons.

Jax looks at me in question.

“Jax, it’s great to see you. But I have plans right now. Can I catch up with you later?”

“I suppose.” He looks upset, and I feel terrible.

“You still have the same mobile number?”

“Yep.” He waves his phone at me.

“Great, speak soon,” I shout back as Leo pulls me away, grunting.

He doesn’t speak to me the whole way back, just mutters under his breath.

When we get to the house, he lets go of my hand and goes into his office.

I take a deep breath and follow him. He pours himself a drink, downs it, and pours another.

He then goes to his desk, pulls out a cigar, lights it, and sits down. I feel like I’m in serious trouble.

“Jaxon Adams?” Leo questions, as if the name hurts him.

“Yes, how do you know him?”

“I told you; I make it my business to know whom my wife-to-be has recently been around. What is he doing here?”

“Well, I’m not quite sure; you pulled me away before I had the chance to speak to him,” I answer sarcastically.

“I will not have other men touching my wife!” He slams his hand on his desk.

I keep my composure. “Calm down. There’s no need for this.”

He squeezes his hands to fists in anger.

“Firstly, I am not your wife, and secondly, he was hardly touching me; he just gave me a hug, as he was pleased to see me.”

He sits back in his chair and takes a long drag on his cigar.

“Look, I don’t know how much you know about him, but I’m going to tell you the truth. Jax and I were in a relationship before I came here.”

Leo's eye twitches, he forcefully blows out his smoke.

“He was arrested days before I left for something he didn’t even do. The reason I came here was because some guys came round to his house, and Jax told me to leave and not return. I thought these guys were following me, and I panicked. That’s why I accepted your plane ticket. I needed to get away.”

Leo sits forward in his chair as he demands, “What guys? What did they look like?”

Hold on a minute. Is Leo the reason Jax was in prison?

“Did you frame Jax?”

“He doesn’t love you.” He drains his drink, stands up, and pours another.

“It was you, wasn’t it!? Seriously Leo, have you been controlling my whole life?” I’m furious. My breathing is erratic. My heartbeat pounds in my ears.

“Do you love him?” Leo demands, making me jump a little.

The answer to that question is easy. No, I don’t love Jax. I don’t think I ever did. But for some reason, I say …

“Yes.”

Crash. His glass hits the wall to the side of me. There’s pain in his eyes, and I instantly regret that tiny word. I’m just about to beg for forgiveness and tell him the truth when he opens the safe behind him and throws my passport at me. “Get the fuck out!”

He means it. He looks like he wants to kill me.

I leave. I run to my room, throw everything into my case as quickly as possible, and make my way to the front door.

Marco stands in front of it. He doesn’t say a word, just winks and lets me pass.

I run down the driveway as fast as I can before he changes his mind.

I wonder whether Jax was sent by Damien, that this was the way to get me home.

Either way, I’m finally free, finally going home.

A taxi drives by, so I wave it down. As soon as I’m inside it, I ring Jax.

“Hi, Jax, it’s me. Where are you?”

“Katie, sooner than I thought. I’m in a bar near the beach where you left me.”

“I'll pick you up in two minutes; that okay?” I ask hopefully.

“Sure.” He seems surprised, but pleased I won’t be long.

Two minutes later, Jax joins me in the taxi, and we are on our way to the airport.

“Are you sure you don’t need to pick anything up?” I ask.

“No, I only brought this bag. You’re all I need. But did you manage to pack everything?” Jax seems concerned.

“I hope so. I just shoved everything into my case. It doesn’t matter if I didn’t; I suppose I can buy new,” I reply.

“What about that scruffy of yours?”

“Snuggly? My teddy? Yeah, he’s safely in my bag.” I tap my handbag beside me.

Jax smiles and laughs. “If there’s one thing I can always rely on, it's that you will have that thing with you wherever you go.”

Still laughing, he pulls me into a side hug. I try to ignore his use of the word “thing” when referring to my teddy. He knows how important he is to me.

When we arrive at the airport, Jax gets out of his side and closes the taxi door.

After a moment or two, I realise he isn’t coming back to open my door.

Jax never has done, though. I have become used to Leo opening my door and helping me out.

I feel a pang in my chest as I think of him.

Taking a deep breath, I open my door, pay the taxi driver, and follow Jax into the airport.

There’s a flight leaving in thirty minutes.

“If you hurry, you will make it before the gate closes.” The lady at the check in desk points us in the right direction.

We run through passport control and get on the plane just before they close the gate. I slump into my seat beside Jax. The flight attendants close the plane doors and start their safety checks.

“So, Jax, how are you? What have the police said? Did they find out who framed you?”

Jax is messaging someone on his phone. He holds it at an angle so I can’t see the screen.

“Jax?”

He’s abrupt when he responds, “Just give me a minute.”

I'm surprised by his tone. Maybe he is stressed and doesn’t want to talk about prison. I give him a few minutes to finish his messages. The flight attendant comes around to check our seat belts.

“Could you put your phone on flight mode now, please, sir?”

“In a minute,” Jax snaps back.

“I’m sorry, sir, but it’s very important that you turn it off right now so as not to interfere with the aircraft’s communication for takeoff.”

“Right, right, it's off. Happy now?” He puts his phone in his pocket.

I have never heard him be so rude before.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, concerned .

“It's fine. I’m just tired. Do you mind just letting me get some rest?” He puts in his earphones, lays his head back, and closes his eyes.

I’m confused. He comes all the way to Italy to find me the minute he gets released from prison, but as soon as we have time together, he wants to sleep?

Maybe it was Damien who arranged for him to come and get me.

At least I am going home. Back to England, rainy England.

Back to work. Back to my lonely apartment.

Oh no, what have I done? My heart feels heavy at the thought of being so far away from Leo.

The last time I saw him, he was so hurt.

I did that to him. He’d better not do anything stupid.

I get out my phone to message him but then remember it’s on flight mode.

As soon as we land, I will send him a message.

The next two hours and twelve minutes drag like you wouldn’t believe.

I have read the inflight magazines front to back I don’t know how many times.

I’ve had drinks and snacks and played stupid games that I didn’t even know I had on my phone, and Jax still has his earphones in, sat in the same position.

The minute we start to leave the plane, I switch my phone on. It instantly rings. Bella lights up my screen.

“Bella, I’ve just landed; I’m home!”

Jax turns around, annoyed. “Get off the phone,” he mouths angrily.

I’m not sure why. There were plenty of other people on their phones, and the cabin crew didn’t say anything as I walked past them.