Sorry this one is short but I have to resolve that cliffhanger. I will try and get Ch 45 up tonight or tomorrow morning.

(29/9/2018)

CHAPTER 44

Shane was sitting across the room when Smyth grabbed him by the arm.

"Oh no, we've got trouble" he said as he moved hurriedly past him.

Shane spun around and saw Jack laying into some guy at the bar. The other guy was swinging back but was not making contact. Jack was too fast for him. The guy fell against the bar just as Smyth pulled Jack off him. Shane dragged Jack straight out the door to the pub as the security guards showed up.

"Jack! What the hell!"

Jack had a look of fury in his eyes. He was angrier than Shane had ever seen him as he continued pacing out the front of the pub.

"What was that about?!" Shane yelled again.

"I hate that guy!"

"Since when?"

"He's a friend of Beth's."

Shane looked back inside the doors to the guy who had been helped up and had blood pouring from his nose.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. His name is Charles."

Jack was rubbing his knuckles which were now grazed and bloody and his shirt was torn.

"Okay so why did you hit him?"

"He said he kissed Elizabeth."

Shane knew Jack was always protective of his family, which made sense he would react the way that he did.

"Right, well just wait by my car and I will drive you home. Don't go anywhere Jack."

"Fine" Jack said walking toward Shane's car.

Shane ran back inside and grabbed his keys.

"Is Jack okay?"

"Yeah. The guy apparently said something about Elizabeth. I've got to go. See you guys next week?"

"Yes. Tell Jack we said bye."

Shane waved as he ran back out the door.

Elizabeth was in the backyard with the girls, laughing as they kicked a soccer ball around. Eve was slowly getting the knack of it. As Elizabeth passed her the ball, she managed to stop it rather than let it roll between her legs.

"Elizabeth. I need to talk to you inside."

Jack's voice surprised her and she glanced up still smiling, but after seeing Jack her smile vanished.

"Jack? What's wrong?"

His shirt was torn and there was drops of blood on it. She could see he was angry. He went back into the house without answering.

The girls had stopped playing when Jack had appeared and they looked at each other uncertainly.

"Keep playing. It's okay" she said, patting Halley on the shoulder as she followed Jack into the house.

Elizabeth found him in the lounge room, pacing backwards and forwards.

"Jack are you okay?"

"No! I ran into Charles at the pub."

Elizabeth felt like her heart had stopped.

"He said you were going to leave me for him."

"What? No! Don't be silly."

"So I'm also being silly when I ask you if you've kissed him?"

Elizabeth froze.

"You kissed him?!" Jack's voice got louder as he yelled across the room at her.

"No … yes …" she stammered, "but it's not what you think."

"When?"

"Jack, would you just listen?"

"WHEN?" he yelled.

"A week ago."

He looked crushed. She continued speaking before he could cut her off.

"I was out to dinner with the girls, Lee and Rosie and he showed up at the restaurant."

"You kissed him in front of the girls?!"

"No! I didn't kiss him. He cornered me!"

"How could you? After everything we've been going through."

"Jack! Just stop!" she said, her hands going to his face. Holding him tight, she brought his fuming eyes to hers. "Look at me, Jack."

He tried to pull away but Elizabeth held him tight. "Jack. Look at me!"

Finally, his eyes came back to hers and she forced him to hold her gaze. "I love you. Only you. I have never sought to kiss anyone but you. Okay?"

Jack stared at her for a long moment but slowly nodded.

"I ran into Charles last week and he convinced me to talk to him outside. He told me he had separated from his wife and the next second he tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and told him to leave me alone, that you were the only man for me. I didn't tell you because there hasn't been time to bring it up."

Jack was quiet for a moment.

"Why would he try and kiss you?" His voice was now softer, the anger fading.

"Sarah overheard me talking to Abigail about your leaving and it got back to Charles. He assumed we were separated permanently."

Jack was quiet as he stood there.

"You believe me, don't you?"

"Yes. I just don't understand why he was baiting me."

"He's always been jealous of what we have together."

"And what's that?"

Elizabeth looked at him trying to work out if he was being serious. "Really. You don't know what we have that would make other people jealous?"

When he still didn't answer, she leant in and kissed him slowly. "This" she said, as their lips came back together and she felt him calm down, his arms wrapping around her.

"Are you calm now?" she said.

"Not quite" he said as a small smile played on the corner of his lips.

Elizabeth leant in, kissing him again.

"Now?"

"Almost."

Elizabeth ran her lips down his jaw before they settled just below his ear. She kissed him gently underneath his ear.

"I won't be falling asleep tonight" she said as she bit her lip and walked back out to the yard.