Alexander, Kalissa - Katlynn in Training (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Kalissa Alexander

  “Look, I’m not a child. You don’t have to try and protect me. And as far as being alone, I’m taking on a new project at work that I’ll be working on with another coworker who I’m friends with.” Only part of what she had said was a lie, but she’d be damned if she going to let Jarred think she couldn’t survive with someone looking after her.

  “I hardly think of you as a child,” Jeremiah said with an edge.

  Jarred gave Jeremiah a sharp look before he turned his attention to Kat, who lowered her eyes, feeling even more uncomfortable than she had before.

  “I’m the one who spoke out of turn,” Jarred began. “If you should be upset with anyone, it should be me.”

  “We should have told you ourselves,” Justin said calmly, looking at Kat. “But it’s only for a few days. Besides, it will be a great chance for you and Jarred to get to know each better.”

  “I guess that depends on whether or not Kat wants to get to know me better.” Jarred turned to Kat. “Do you still want to show me around and keep me company while they’re gone, Kat?”

  “I told you earlier that I’d be happy to show you around Philadelphia and I meant it. And for the record, I’m not upset. I was just caught off guard. I’m not some mental case that’s going to fall apart just because you two go away on vacation for a few days. I would hope you would give me a little more credit than that. After all, we are just friends. So, you can all relax.”

  “I hate it when you say we’re just friends. I thought we had come to mean a lot more than that to each other. I guess we thought you’d come to need us a little,” Jeremiah said quietly. “And neither of us thinks you’re a mental case. That’s ridiculous.”

  “I care for you, you know that. I care for you both, and as much as I’ve enjoyed having you in my life, I knew it wouldn’t last forever. I don’t want you to feel responsible for me.”

  “When you say you care for us, what exactly do you mean, Kat?” Justin asked softly, still holding her hand. “And who says it has to end?”

  Kat looked first at Justin and then Jeremiah. She withdrew her hand from Justin’s and stood up. “I think I should leave. I’m not feeling so well. If you’ll excuse me.” She got up quickly and headed toward the door.

  Justin ran after her. ‘Don’t run away, Kat. You did this once before and you promised you wouldn’t do it again. Talk to us.”

  “I said I’d try not to, but I’m feeling so…” She struggled for the right word but couldn’t find it. “How I feel about you doesn’t really matter.”

  “It matters,” Justin said matter-of-factly, his face a mask of hurt and anger. “It matters a lot.”

  “Well if that were the case, you wouldn’t have hidden the fact you were taking a trip. All you had to say was we’re taking a trip to Vegas with friends. Did you really think I was going to crumble and beg you not to go? Do you really think so little of me?”

  “Damn it, Kat, we love you,” Jeremiah yelled, pushing himself away from the table so quickly his chair fell backward. “We made a mistake, but it was done out of love.”

  You love us, too. I know you do,” Justin said, raising his voice.

  Jarred stood up, watching his brothers and this woman who they thought they were in love with. They had no idea how stupid they were behaving—proclaiming their love for her in anger and then demanding she tell them she loved them in front of what was to her a stranger. Besides that, they had not prepared her for what they were asking her to embrace. Had they no sense?

  “We can’t be wrong about this,” Jeremiah said, coming to stand beside her, his hand circling her waist, trying to pull her to him.

  * * * *

  Katlynn stood still, not moving. Jarred could see her slim frame begin to tremble. She must be in shock.

  When she turned her face toward them, it was as white as a sheet. “I love you,” she whispered. “But I can’t do this. I just can’t,” she cried, running to the door that she pulled open and disappeared through.

  They both started to run after her when Jarred yelled, “Leave her. She can’t wrap her head around what you just told her. In the state you’re both in, running after her will only push her further away at this point.”

  “But we can’t just let her go like this,” Justin yelled back. However they both stopped at the door.

  “You don’t understand, Jarred, we can’t lose her,” Jeremiah choked out.

  “If she’s the one for you or for us, you have to believe that this will work itself out. You have to trust me. Let me talk to her tomorrow after she’s had some time to calm down.”

  “I know you’re more experienced, but you don’t care for her the way we do. How do you know she’ll even speak to you?” Justin turned toward Jarred. “I told you she was fragile, that she needed to be treated with care.”

  “I admit I should have kept my mouth shut about your trip to Vegas, but you didn’t help matters by telling her you were thinking of moving back home. Trust me on this. Now close the door and finish your meal if you can, then you two need to start packing. You have a plane to catch in the morning. By the time you return, you’ll have your answer.”

  “You don’t really think we’re going to Vegas now, do you?” Jeremiah spat. “There’s no way I’m getting on a plane tomorrow after this.”

  “You can do what you want. But in my opinion, if you don’t let me handle this, there’s no way she’ll ever come to see that I’m not an intruder. I’ll always be the outsider. I want her as much as you do.”

  “You do,” Justin said warily.

  “Yes, I do,” he said softly, almost to himself. “I thought you two were a little crazy until I met her, talked to her. She’s everything you told me and more.”

  “You think you could love her?” Jeremiah asked.

  “Love is something new for me, but if this gut-wrenching need I have to make it right with her is love, then maybe that is what I’m feeling.”

  Jarred could tell they were not totally convinced, but reluctantly they did as he asked. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say to Kat or if, like Justin had warned, she would even speak to him, but when he set his mind to something, he rarely if ever failed. She had gotten to him in a way he had not thought possible, and he’d be damned if would let her walk away from his brothers or him without a fight.

  Chapter Eleven

  Katlynn locked her front door behind her and ran into her bedroom, throwing herself across the bed. The evening had been a disaster from the moment she had met Jarred. He had baited her and then watched her fall to pieces, knowing full well what he was doing. How had he known that she was in love with both of his brothers? Was she that transparent? And now they knew it, too. How could she face them again knowing they would expect her to choose between them? She hated Jarred. He had forced her hand with the expertise of the most experienced poker player. But, in his defense, she knew he had only put in motion the events that he thought were necessary to protect his brothers.

  He had dealt the cards and sat back and watched them each play their hand. It was a dangerous game that she had lost hands down. She had never been in love before, and to have fallen for two men who had now been ripped from her forever was more than any woman should have to bear. He had not only forced her to acknowledge her love but also the hopelessness of their situation. She would rather die than allow herself to become a wedge between Jeremiah and Justin. She loved them both equally, and to even think of choosing one over the other wasn’t only something she couldn’t do, but she wouldn’t do. Not having them in life would break her heart, a heart that was already in pieces.

  She wished she could just go to sleep, but with everything that had happened she knew that would be impossible. Stripping off her new dress she threw it in the corner of her room. She never wanted to wear it again. It would only remind her of tonight. She’d send it to the cleaners and give it to the Salvation Army. Hopefully someone would be able to get some use out of it.

  Wearing just her panties, not even p
utting on a nightgown, she went into her second bedroom that she had converted into an office and sat down at her computer. Focusing on work might help her to stop crying. She checked her e-mails and found one from David. He hadn’t wasted any time. She replied back that the dates and times he had chosen to meet with Hayward Trucking were fine with her. To her surprise, another e-mail popped up from him a minute or so after she had sent hers. He thanked her for confirming so quickly and wished her pleasant dreams that ended with a smiley face. Not exactly professional since that was something he had always put at the end of the personal e-mails he had sent to her while they were dating. He was probably just trying to being nice. She shouldn’t read anything into it. Finally she went to bed and prayed for sleep.

  At some point between tossing and turning, she must have passed out. When she woke up the following morning, her first thought was of Justin and what he would be making for their breakfast. When the painful memories of the evening before pushed through the morning fog, she had to face that there wouldn’t be any more breakfasts with Justin or dinners with Justin and Jeremiah. She had to get a grip on her emotions and not let herself drift back into that dark hole that would be all too easy to get lost in. They might be out of her life, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t take the lessons they had taught her and put them to work to make new friends. However, the thought of making new friends left her cold. All she wanted to do was wallow in the waves of self-pity that were all but consuming her. She had a right to mourn her loss, only this time she didn’t have anyone to help her though it like Justin and Jeremiah had when she lost her mother. This time she was truly alone. She didn’t feel like getting out of bed except she had to go to the bathroom. Still wearing only her panties, she dragged herself into the bathroom.

  She had just returned to pull the covers back up over her head when she heard a knock at her door. She wanted to think it was Justin, but that thought was quickly replaced with the knowledge that Justin was already on a plane to Las Vegas with Jeremiah. The only other person it could be was Jarred, and he was the last person she wanted to see. However, the knocking persisted until she threw off the covers and grabbed her robe. She’d open the door, but before Jarred could even say hello, she’d slam it in his arrogant face. Maybe then he’d get the message that she never wanted to see him again.

  However, when she threw open the door, it wasn’t Jarred that stood before her but David. He was holding two cups of coffee and a bag from one of the local donut shops.

  “David?”

  “Katlynn?” He laughed. “You look like you just got out of bed.”

  “David?” she asked again, knowing her surprise was more than apparent on her shocked face.

  “Yes, it’s me. I’ve brought coffee and donuts. You look like you could use some. Aren’t you going to ask me in?”

  Dumbfounded, she stood aside and watched him saunter in and put the coffee down on her dining room table. “It’s fixed just the way you like it. Two sugars and three creams.”

  “David, I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “I know. On a whim I just took a chance you might be home. I wanted to talk to you about some ideas I have for Hayward Trucking. After you left the office yesterday, I pulled up some of their incident reports, and I think I see a pattern.”

  “You could have just e-mailed me.”

  “I could have, but I wanted to see you.”

  “Why?”

  “Look, I know I told you I was seeing someone and I wasn’t lying, but when I saw you yesterday…well, I guess I’m not as over you as I thought I was.”

  “David, I’m sorry, but you have shouldn’t come. I really wish you had called first.”

  “And if I had, you would have told me not to come. I didn’t want to hear that.”

  “You’re right. I would have. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the coffee, but you shouldn’t be here. I hate to be so blunt, but I don’t want to get back together with you, it’s over between us. I thought you knew that.”

  “I shouldn’t have let you go so easily. I didn’t want to, but you hurt my feelings with your lack of emotion. Your coldness hurt, Katlynn.”

  “I was in shock when my dad died. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings, but things weren’t good between us even before my dad died.”

  “You wouldn’t even return my calls. I mean, it was as if I didn’t exist. I kept telling myself you’d come around, but you didn’t.”

  “I admit I should have handled things differently. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. But that doesn’t change anything. I’ve moved on, you need to move on, too. Thanks for the coffee, but you can’t do this again.”

  “Damn, you’re still a cold-hearted bitch,” he said, his voice suddenly thick with anger.” I don’t deserve your cruel indifference.”

  “I didn’t mean to be cruel. I’m sorry you feel that way.

  “Even knowing how heartless you can be, I still can’t get you out of my head, Katlynn. I keep seeing you lying naked beneath me…those beautiful breasts of yours begging to be played with and your warm cunt sucking me into you, making me come. I need you back in my bed.”

  “That’s enough, David! Not another word, do you hear me. It’s time for you to leave.” Katlynn walked toward the door, but before she could open it, David maneuvered his way in front of her, blocking her path.

  “Not this time. I’m not going to let you go so easy, not like I did before.” His eyes traveled up and down her body. Shivering, she wrapped her robe more tightly around her, trying to tighten the belt.

  “Get out, now!”

  “I don’t want to leave, and when I’m done with you, you’ll be glad I stayed.”

  Before she could grasp what he had planned, her robe had been ripped open to expose her breasts. “That’s more like it.” He grinned, flicking one of her nipples roughly. “Your breasts are even larger and more beautiful than I remember. And trust me, I spent a lot of time thinking about what it would be like to squeeze those tits and suck on those nipples as I fucked you again.”

  “David!” she screamed, pushing his hand away. “Stop it right now. You’re scaring me.”

  “There’s nothing to be scared of, baby,” he whispered into her hair, holding her tightly while at the same time he jerked her robe off her shoulders until it was pooled around her feet. “I’m going to give you a proper fucking like I used to. You know you want it. I’m going to enjoy proving to you just how much you’ve missed me.”

  “David, please stop. You can’t do this. Please, I’m begging you just leave,” she cried, trying to get away from him, but his hands gripped her more tightly, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her upper arms.

  “Yes, David, please leave before I wrap my fingers around your neck while I watch you take your last fucking breath.” Jarred’s cold, steely voice growled menacingly from behind them.

  David looked over her shoulder. His face stiffened in shock. He stepped back, taking her with him, his back against the closed door.

  “Who the fuck are you and how did you get in here?”

  “I’m Kat’s boyfriend from next door. She always keeps the sliding glass door open for me.”

  Jarred closed the distance between them, his eyes never leaving David’s. He was bigger and more intimidating than she remembered. “The question is,” he spat, “who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  “I dated her before you did, and I know what she likes. She wants this. She asked me to come over.”

  “That’s a fucking lie, you piece of shit. I’m going to take great pleasure in watching you suffer while I put you out of your misery.” Jarred grabbed David’s shirt.

  In his haste to escape Jarred’s grip, David pushed her from him. She fell backward, losing her balance.

  Jarred was on him instantly, pulling him back around by his shirt and up against the door. “You motherfucking asshole. I’ll make you curse the day you were born.”

 
David began to whimper and then screamed. “Katlynn, make him stop.”

  “Jarred, please” she said, pulling herself up into a sitting position, “He’s not worth it. Just make him leave, please,” she whispered tearfully, her breath coming out in gasps.

  “This is your lucky day, you fucking coward. But then again, a man like you is probably used to having a woman save him. Get the fuck out of here, and if I ever see you near Kat again, I promise you’ll wish I’d killed you now.”

  Without releasing his grip on David’s shirt, Jarred pulled him away from the door and opened it, throwing him out onto the landing where he fell in a heap. Katlynn watched through the open door as David picked himself up and ran down the steps before Jarred slammed it shut.

  Turning around, he bent to where Katlynn was slumped on the floor with a dazed look on her face. Her tear-stained face looked up into his. “Jarred, oh Jarred,” she cried before she collapsed in his arms, darkness overcoming her.

  Chapter Twelve

  When Katlynn came to, she was in her own bed. She felt odd, not at all herself. She started to get up when in a rush, David’s attack came back to her, causing her to cry out.

  She heard footsteps and looked up to see Jarred enter her bedroom. “Kat, you’re finally awake.” She could see the worry in his eyes.

  “I must have fainted,” she said weakly. “How did you know I was in trouble, that…” She closed her eyes, unable to continue.

  She felt Jarred move closer. She opened her eyes to look up into his that were full of concern. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “You don’t have to thank me, Kat. I’m just glad that you left your sliding glass door open. Otherwise, I would have had to smash through it.”