JAX
Ilied. It was alongnight.
Lying next to Kat, listening to her breathing… for the first time, sleep eluded me. Thoughts of Kat naked in the shower, talking passionately over dinner, laughing in the rain, sleeping a mere arm’s length away.
At daybreak, I gave up and went for a walk around the island, followed by a gruelling swim. Everyone else was asleep, only hotel maintenance was busy cleaning up after last night’s storm, getting the island ready for the guests when they awoke.
I look down the beach to see Kat walking along the shoreline. I stop what I’m doing, my gaze locking on her. Kathryn Frazer has no idea how beautiful she is, which is something that has always amazed me. Her sandals dangle from her fingertips, swinging as she walks, her mid-length sundress floating around her legs. She’s the epitome of poise and grace. A light breeze gently caresses and lifts her hair.
She turns and stares out over the water. Her meeting with the general manager and his team must have ended. She tilts her face up towards the sun, and I can picture her eyes closed as she absorbs its power.
This morning, when I saw her at breakfast, she looked as tempting as the pastries she was staring at. Our waiter could have knocked me down with a feather when she invited me to join her. As for the plate of pastries I consumed, I usually don’t eat them. I’m more of a savoury man, but when the opportunity arose, offering her little tasters was too good to miss. When she’d accepted them, a pressure had built within my chest.
Last night, in the rain, was the first time I’ve seen Kat that relaxed in a very long time.
Elijah always used to joke that his sister took life far too seriously, needed to loosen up and remove the stick from her arse. At least he had, until his own life became a completeshitshow.
I never saw that in Kat. It’s true, she’s not as carefree as Elijah or Caleb. Instead, she’s quieter, more reserved, like Gabriel. One thing is certain, she has the same steely determination and inner drive as her brothers.
She’s known to analyse any situation before jumping in. Her decisions are always well-informed.
It’s something I should’ve remembered sixteen years ago. When faced with all the facts, my simple denial had been weak at best. With no alibi, nothing to back up my truth. I just wanted Kat to have faith in us, to trust in me and in what we had. But I’d been asking too much.
Sixteen Years Ago
“Where were you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Answer the question, Jax. Where were you?”
“You’re asking me a question from two months ago.”
“You weren’t with me. Do I need to jog your memory?”
My heart starts to race. What the hell is going on here?
“There are lots of nights I’m not with you. I’m hoping we can rectify that soon.”
“Really?” Her tone is one of disbelief. “After graduation?”
“We’ve discussed this,” I say, stepping forward and placing my hands on her upper arms. She flinches, and a shiver runs down my spine as she shrugs me off.
“Kat, what’s going on?”
I frown, my pulse rate kicking up. Something is seriously wrong. I’ve never seen Kat like this.
“Sasha Dennison,” she spits. “Remember her?”
“Sasha? Darra’s friend?” I ask. “What the hell has Sasha got to do with anything, with us?”
“You tell me? Apparently, you and she…”
I laugh, a full belly laugh, before Kat can finish.
“Kat, you can’t be serious? Sasha?”
My laughter dies in my throat as I take in Kat’s expression, a line of sweat breaking out along my spine.
