CHAPTER Thirty-one
Kacey laid her head back against the wall.
No flights out tonight meant she had to sleep in the airport. Sure, she could go to a hotel, but for some reason she wanted to feel sorry for herself. Well, there was that and the small opportunity she had to get an earlier flight than the one Jake was on.
That was just what she needed.
To sit next to Jake after sleeping with his brother.
Her life was like a dramatic TV show. She shook her head and shivered.
The airport was desolate. It was doing nothing for her horrible mood. Maybe she really should go somewhere else so she didn’t end up crying by herself in the corner. That would be the ultimate of lows.
Pulling out her cell phone she pressed Menu, but the screen was black. She shook it — not that shaking a phone really did anything.
Dead.
Just like her heart.
Figured.
She threw it back into her purse and sighed. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a bit she could get some sleep.
But the minute they fluttered closed she heard a voice.
“Hey…”
Her eyes flickered open. “Jake?”
“I know, I know. I’m supposed to be at the condo or wherever, but I got bored, and Grandma left saying something about having dessert with the neighbor away from the watchful eyes of the family, leaving me even more bored. Then Mom and Dad were treating it like another honeymoon, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I decided nothing was worse than that, so I drove home.”
“Oh.” Kacey shifted in her seat and broke eye contact.
“But then,” Jake continued to talk. “Travis was gone and Grandma was muttering something about her damn grandson. I can’t help but think she was referring to me.”
Kacey snorted.
“What?” Jake nudged her. “No flippant remark? No agreeing? What’s wrong? You sick or something?”
She shook her head and then burst into tears.
“God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were sad. I’m such a selfish bastard sometimes. What’s wrong? Are you sick? Are you okay?” He pulled her into his arms and held her.
It felt foreign, not at all like Travis. It was comforting to an extent but only as a friend, not a soul mate.
She shuddered, trying to gain her breath. “Nothing. It’s fine, it’s…” She continued to sob even though she was willing herself to stop.
“Kace?” Jake whispered into her hair. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Travis.”
“I’ll kill him.” Jake pushed her away and rose to his feet. “Did he do this to you? Is that why you’re crying? That son of—”
“No, no.” Kacey sniffed. “It was me too. It was both of us. But in the end it was him.”
“Huh?” Jake crouched to her eye level. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
He had no clue. This perfect specimen of a man had no clue the hurt he caused. Well, he was about to.
“Actually…” Her voice waivered. “It starts with you.”
“Me?”
She nodded. “Yup, the night you left me and never came back.”
Surprisingly, she was holding herself together quite well, considering.
“You’re referring to the night I live to regret every day of my life. That night?”
She wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or a really cruel thing to say.
Jake cursed and wrapped his arm around her. “I was scared.”
“What?” Of all the things he could have said, that was the least expected.
“Yes, I know. Jake Titus, scared? But it’s the truth. I knew I’d messed up. I knew we were friends, and of course we were attracted to one another. I mean, how could we not be? We were inseparable, and let me tell you it’s nearly impossible for girls and guys to be friends.”
Kacey sighed into his shoulder.
“I knew I’d messed up and I didn’t know how to fix it. For once in my life I didn’t have a plan. I had no idea what to do. Should I apologize? Should I do it again?” He chuckled. “Should I say I loved you? I just didn’t know, so I did the only thing I could at such an immature age.”
“You left,” Kacey finished.
Jake nodded. He looked at her watery eyes and cursed. “I was an ass.”
Kacey laughed. “That we can agree on.”
“I never said I was sorry.”
Her lip trembled.
Jake reached out and tilted her chin. “I am though. I’m so sorry, Kace. I never meant to hurt you. I was stupid and young and well, sometimes it’s easier to be selfish and cruel than to be real. I chose the stupid route, hoping it would just make everything go away.”
“I’m sorry too,” Kacey mumbled. “I should have done more, said more, or even said no. I just, I don’t know…”
Jake pulled her to her feet. “Kace, let’s both agree that bad choices were made, but let’s move past it. I don’t know what Travis did, but I do know one thing. That kid has been obsessed with you ever since you were old enough to run away when he threw rocks.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “It will work out, promise.”
Kacey nodded, still not trusting her voice to speak.
“And, I think we’ve waited long enough. Let’s drive home.”
“It’s four hours.”
“We’ll pay someone.” He shrugged.
“Heartless billionaire.”
Jake threw his head back and laughed. “Heartless, no. Billionaire, yes.” With a wink he wrapped his arm around her and led her back through the airport.
And directly into the lion’s den.
Paparazzi cameras went crazy. The flashing lights blinded Kacey so much that she tripped. Jake grabbed her arm and, with a curse, tried to cover her with his jacket as they walked to the waiting cars.
He looked down the street and cursed. “Come on, this way.”
Kacey followed in an emotional haze as Jake led her back inside and pulled out his cell phone.
“I don’t care if it’s past midnight, just get a car down here now.” He threw his phone onto the chair and sat down.
“I’m sorry, Kace. I had no idea. I mean, we’ve been here for the whole weekend without actually running into the paparazzi. I only told the ones I hired.”
Kacey sat with a huff and put her hand on his back. “It’s okay, it’s not like you’re a normal person. You hired people to take pictures of us? You really are an ass sometimes, Jake.”
Jake lifted his eyes to glare at her.
“But it’s not like you had to hire anyone. People follow you everywhere.” She shrugged then gave him a small nudge. “You are Seattle’s most infamous bachelor, not to mention a celebrity in these parts.”
“Right.” He looked down at his hands.
“Jake,” Kacey said as she rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s going to be fine. The car will be here soon and then we can go home. Besides, isn’t this what you wanted?”
“Home,” he repeated and shook his head. “I thought it was. But not like this, Kacey.”
With a sigh he nodded his head and said, “Home sounds good. Thanks, Kace. Sorry for dragging you into all this. You know they’re going to think we’re together.”
“Ah.” Kacey waved her hand in the air. “It’s just like high school all over again.”
“Except this yearbook gets national attention.”
Kacey nodded. “And I’m pretty sure any pictures taken of me today will make it look like you’re dating an emotional pill popper.”
“Yes, there’s that too.”
“Thanks.”
“No prob.” Jake flashed her a grin. “Come here.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “You know it will all work out, right?”
“Yeah, I know. We’ll just have to sneak into the car and…”
“No,” Jake said, squeezing her shoulder. “With Travis. God, it sucks being passed over for my older nerdier brother, but apparently that’s what’s happening.”
Kacey wasn’t confident enough to think that she and Travis were going to make it through this rough spot, even if she did get to talk to him. She still couldn’t read his mind.
Did he miss her?
Was he just as upset as she was?
Should she have stayed?
“Get the hell off of my woman!” a male voice yelled.
“Wasn’t he kicked out?” a woman shrieked.
Kacey looked up to see Travis charging them both, his hands in fists and a woman pointing at him as if he was some sort of criminal. Her eyes were wide with fear.
To be fair, Travis did look a little menacing.
“What are you talking about?” Jake pushed up to his feet. “She’s not your woman. If she was your woman, why the hell would she be sitting here with me?”
Bad move, Jake. Bad move.
“You lying bastard!” Travis lunged for Jake.
Both men fell to the hard ground with a grunt. Travis was on top, and Jake, unfortunately for him, was on the bottom.
And soon cameras were flashing all over again.
Kacey yelled, “Get off of him! There’s nothing going on!”
“You left her!” Travis punched Jake across the jaw.
A loud thunderous yell emerged from Jake as he wrapped his hands around Travis’s throat. “So did you, you bastard! At least I apologized.”
Travis’s fist came crushing into Jake’s jaw. Jake hooked his foot inside Travis’s leg, like some sort of MMA move, and then Jake was on top. His fist pulled back to hit Travis, who had suddenly stopped fighting. And then security was pulling them apart.
Travis’s eyebrow was cut and Jake was spitting blood.
And the cameras caught it all.
Every bloody thing.
“Come with us,” a security guard ordered, grabbing both men.
“Wait! Wait, they, um…” Should she claim them, both of them? Reluctantly she realized she had to. “They — they’re with me.”
“That true?” A security guard asked Jake.
He nodded.
And the next thing she knew, Kacey was getting arrested along with them.
Of course.
Paparazzi followed them, asking questions. “Jake, is this your new girlfriend? Isn’t that your brother? What’s going to happen to Titus Enterprises? Is this a reflection of how the company is being run since your father’s retirement?”
Kacey felt sick to her stomach.
They were led into a cold, dark room that she could only assume was used to torture would-be terrorists.
The minute the door closed, she glared at both of them.
Both brothers.
Two men she had known her entire life.
One a friend, the other something so much more.
Her heart ached in her chest. She looked away and huddled in the corner. She couldn’t say what she wanted to say, not now.
“I came after you,” Travis mumbled in a low voice.
“Shut up,” Jake said and groaned.
“Imagine my surprise when I see you in Jake’s arms on the receiving end of his kisses. Seriously, Kace? Hours after we have sex? Really? I thought…” His voice trailed off. “…I thought we were more.”
Furious, Kacey jumped to her feet and charged toward Travis. Jake scooted as far away from his brother as possible. Kacey slapped him hard across the face.
“That is less than what you deserve.”
Jake chuckled in his corner. “Ouch.”
Kacey turned to him. He squirmed in his seat, breaking eye contact. “As for you!” She pointed at him. “We are on very shaky ground, my friend, very shaky ground.”
“She called me friend,” Jake boasted aloud.
Travis cursed and held his head in his hands. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’m so damn sorry.”
Kacey closed her eyes to fight the tears. “You should be.”
“I’d like to say something.” Jake cleared his throat.
Travis turned a murderous glare in his direction. “I’d rather you not.”
“Regardless,” Jake said, pushing up from his seat and pacing the room. “I think it must be said that both of you are being stupid.”
This? From Jake? Kacey scowled. “And what? You’re suddenly the voice of reason?”
“Voice of reason.” Jake shoved his hands into his pocket. “I kind of like the ring of that.”
“I’ll bet,” Travis mumbled.
“Speaking of bets…” Jake walked over to Travis and lightly kicked his foot. “I think you won this one.”
“Bet?” Kacey repeated. “What bet?”
“I was eight.” Travis seethed.
“You were in love.”
“You made a blood oath!”
Jake laughed. “Again with the blood oaths. Let’s get one thing straight. An oath taken by spitting is not even close to being a blood oath.”
Travis swore and glanced at Kacey. “I had to see you. The way you left…”
Kacey was still stuck on this whole bet business, and just as she was getting enough courage to ask…
The door burst open.
“Make that two of my least favorite grandsons.” Grandma seethed.
Jake flinched and sat down next to Travis.
“Arrested at an international airport for fighting!” Grandma Nadine put her hands on her hips. “Shame on both of you! To think I had to find out on national television where my sweet boys were.”
“She said sweet, that’s a good sign,” Jake said under his breath.
Grandma swore.
“Grandma!” The men said in unison.
“Poor Kacey,” Grandma said, walking over to Kacey and opening her arms. Kacey went into them willingly, comforted that Grandma was there but also finding it mildly amusing that both boys were getting the cold shoulder. Just how immature would it be to stick out her tongue?
“You, my dear, are coming with me.” Grandma grabbed Kacey’s purse.
“What about us?” Travis asked.
“I told the lovely security guard to let you sit and stew for a while. He’ll release you in three hours.”
“But—”
“No,” Grandma said, pointing a finger in the air. “When this is all over with, I’ll let you speak to Kacey, Travis. Until then, I suppose now is as good of a time as any to settle the score with your brother.”