Katie sat up, wiped the tears from her face, and said, “Jackson isn’t coming with me. I’m going now. I need to get to Nashville. I have damage control to do after missing an interview with the magazine, not to mention a new publicist to hire.”
Silence stretched out between the four of us, brought in to protect the small, terrified girl sitting between us. All of us glancing around at the others as we blinked rapidly while trying to process what the fuck was happening.
Heidi spoke up, “What do you mean Jackson isn’t coming with you?”
Katie leveled her gaze on Heidi, who stared back in a silent standoff. Katie finally caved.
“Jackson will not be joining me in Nashville, and I will not be attending the race with him. I’m going to Nashville, and Jackson will be doing what Jackson needs to do.”
Katie sighed a deep, depressing sound accompanied by a huff of breath, but she ignored it.
“I’m taking the three of you,” she said, pointing at the girls. Then she looked at me and said, “and Declan…”
“Fuck that. Absolutely not. I won’t let you leave here without me,” I said.
Katie looked at the girls and said, “Can you speak with Declan while I talk with Hayden?”
They all nodded slowly, their eyes wide with shock as they moved toward the door.
“Needless to say,” Katie said, pausing their exit, “I do not want this mentioned to anyone. Do you understand?”
They all nodded again, then Katie clarified, “That includes Jackson, my dad, Walker, and Gran Dad.”
Heidi wet her lips. “Katie, Matthew, and Walker are our bosses. We have to speak with them.”
Katie crossed her arms while staring at Heidi and the others. I knew in that moment she wouldn’t allow us to stop her. She was going to do this stupid, asinine, self-sacrificing thing.
“You can do it once we’re in the air, but not before. Oh, and I need my phone back. I’ve been out of touch with my people for too long.”
“Okay, we will go get Declan and get things arranged,” Celeste said, her face stony and cold. She turned toward the door with Lucia and Heidi following behind her.
Once the door closed, Katie said, “Hayden, Icannottake you with me.”
“Katie, I mean it; I won’t let you go without me,” I said stubbornly.
She stared up at me as she said, “I cannot leave Jackson and take you with me, Hayden. I love him too much to throw that in his face.”
I sighed. “You will take people with you. You understand?”
She nodded. “You heard me. I’m taking Declan, Heidi, Lucia, and Celeste with me. I’m leaving you, Scott, and Foster here with Jackson since his dad and grandfather are here as well.”
I gazed at her intently, studying her face, then I said, “You will not ditch the people who are there to protect you.”
“I promise. I’m not stupid. I cannot take on three people who are gunning for me alone.”
I squatted down in front of her, taking her shoulders in my hands as I pointed out the obvious.
“You know he’s going to come after you, right?”
Tears ran down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. “I know, but I will turn him away when he does. You have to convince him not to come after me.”
“Katie, I wouldn’t even if I thought I could. I won’t mess with him that way. Contrary to how the past makes me look, I am not that guy.”
“Then all I can ask is that you look after him. Keep him safe, Hayden. I’m leaving my heart and soul here, and I’m trusting you to keep them and him safe,” she said, hugging me before walking out the door.
I followed her. My eyes finding Declan’s over everyone else’s heads. Declan stared at me for several minutes, then walked toward me. I moved a few feet away to give us some privacy.
“You told her, didn’t you?”
