No reviews for the last chapter...but i get it. Containment has finished and its not fresh in peoples minds. Im doing this for myself at the moment! Haha.
Next chapter...spicing things up with the introduction of the infamous Grace...
Katie swallowed quickly. She hated Grace calling her Katherine. It was like she had some divine right over her. That she was better than her. Not once had she ever called her Katie. She didn't want this to turn out badly. Especially in front of Jake who she noticed at the corner of her eye as looking at her intensely.
"Grace Belfield, this is Jake Riley" she stated, trying to start the conversation out the right way. Katie knew Jake already knew about her. But Grace didn't know about him.
"I don't need to know this ones name...i never need to know any of their names" Grace commented rudely.
"Excuse me?" Jake stated, sounding shocked by her comment.
"Grace don't do this" Katie hissed rubbing her forehead. It had begun.
"Why not? Let me guess her new dealer?" Grace almost chuckled under her breath.
Katie closed her eyes. This was the world she didn't want to subject Jake to. Her constant back and forth with Grace was tiring. She felt him tense next to her.
"Who do you think..." Jake started, Katie could feel his anger rising.
"- Hes a Police Officer actually" Katie spoke calmly and noticed the surprise on Grace's face. She felt pride saying that.
"Oh" she spoke quietly before carrying on, "catch you taking..." drugs was going to the be next word. God Katie couldn't believe this women sometimes.
"Enough!" Jake shouted standing up abruptly, hands in fists shaking at his sides. Katie jumped up too and grabbed a hold of the clenched hand.
"Jake its ok..." Katie began. She was used to it. It almost didn't phase her anymore.
Jake quickly turned his head to her, "No. No. Its not ok" he whipped his head back round to Grace, "you have no idea. Seriously no idea what has happened to Katie and Quentin this last month. I don't know you. And frankly i don't care to. But you don't come into Katie's home and talk to her like that. No way"
Grace rose from her seat, taking a quick glance at Jake's fists still clenched, his chest moving up and down in anger, "Another violent one...when will you learn Katherine?"
Suddenly Katie felt a surge of confidence. Jake had his anger issues in the past. But she wasn't going to let Grace label him, label him like she has always labelled her, "He's standing up for me Grace. Something i rarely do for myself in front of you anymore. I gave up. Because you will never not see me as that wide eyed, stupid, drugged up pregnant teenager who, as you so politely put it 'ruined my sons life'" she sniggered. Taking in the moment this women was for once listening to her, "i understand you have been without Quentin for a month. You can take him out for the day. But you will bring him home by 8.30. He is my son. I know you love him dearly. But half of him is me as much as you hate to admit it. What he saw in this past month no child should see. He lost a lot of his class. I am picking up the pieces. I am. Not you" she then turned and laced her fingers in Jake's, "and this is no dealer Grace. This is the most selfless man i have ever met. You may want to thank him. He saved the life of your grandson while we were in there. A number of times. I owe him a lot" she felt Jake squeeze her hand, "and you owe him, because without him, both myself and Quentin would not have gotten out of that hell"
There was silence. A silence Katie wasn't used to in the company of Grace. She spat insults and jibes. She was never quiet.
Grace started to move towards the door and without turning round she spoke, "I will have him home for 8.30" then, she was gone.
Katie let out a gasp and she turned to Jake who grabbed her face in his hands, "Shit Katie. That was amazing"
"I cant believe i did that. God that felt so good!" Katie screamed and also grabbed Jake's face and brought it to hers. Giving him a long and deep kiss. They pulled away and leaned their foreheads together.
"That's what you meant wasn't it?" he asked, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face.
She nodded, "Im sorry you had to see that Jake..."
"Hey...no. Don't do that. Im not" Jake told her flat out, his smile was full of pride, "she loves Quentin...that means deep down without her realizing, she loves a part of you. Because that kid is every inch his Mothers son"
Katie lets out a rasped sigh, "Thank you Jake" she takes his hand from her face and gently kisses it. His words always soothed her.
A moment of holding each other Jake spoke, "Another violent one?"
Katie looked up into his eyes. Looking back at her was fear and anger. She knew as soon as Grace had said that he would question what she meant.
She cleared her throat, "Only one. There have been only 2 serious relationships since Quentin was born...something you have to know about Grace is she exaggerates to the max..."
"How?"
Katie furrowed her brow, "How what?"
"How was he violent?" came the question Katie didn't expect.
She shook her head instantly and moved away from him, "No Jake. Its the past. There is no point dragging it up"
"I need to know" Jake spoke quietly. But she could hear the anger building.
"Well i don't want you to know ok?!" Katie cried, quickly covering her mouth, "it was something that happened to me, that surprisingly i don't want to relive. Its over. He's in prison ok?"
"For what he did to you?"
Katie looked down, frustrated. He wanted to know. She knew that. Anyone who had hurt Jake. She would want to know. But another part of her wouldn't. She couldn't bare the thought of him in any pain. She didn't want to put him through that either. She looked up and he had come closer. Near enough to touch. But he didn't.
"I wont push you. I get it. Im sorry" his voice was tight. But she knew he meant it. One day she would tell him. On her terms. Not when Grace had let it out.
Katie nodded thanking him, "This is it Jake" the tears in her eyes appeared and she started to wipe them away quickly, "now's the time to leave. I mean it" she had to say it. Give him an out. She didn't want him to leave. But she had to give him a choice.
"What?" his face looked disgusted that she would even say that.
The tears wouldn't stop coming, "I give you permission. Leave. Go back to the life you once had...freedom, drinking, nights out..."
"Loneliness" came his voice through her, "yeah i want to go back to that" he stated sarcastically, "Meaningless sex with endless women. Drunk half the time. Work. Going out. Work. Drink. It was fucking lonely Katie!"
His voice was now raised and Katie watched as he shook his head, pacing backwards and forwards on her hardwood floors because reaching her and grabbing her arms to look at him.
"Both of us were lost Katie. When we got trapped in the Cordon i never had a meaningful relationship other than my friendship with Lex. You opened my eyes to so many things i cant even explain. You were literally my constant light in there" his voice was wavering.
Katie looked up at him and stroked his face softly, "And you were mine"
Jake nodded, "There. See. Lost and lonely. I need you Katie. The thought of not seeing you again? That's my biggest fear. Nothing scares me more" he gently leans in and kisses her forehead, "no rude old lady is going to scare me away from this life with you"
Katie still let the tears fall, but this time, she felt happiness, "I have no idea what i would do without you Jake. I don't know how i even functioned before..."
"Baby that's it!" he cried smiling through his tears as well, "we didn't! We just existed before. We never lived"
"Live with me Jake" Katie stated with happiness.
Jake chuckled and gave her a soft kiss, "Lets live"
