The Date

Chapter 47

"Us," he said as his thumb brushed against my heated cheek.

"Jake... there is no us" I focused the words out.

"Really because this sounds different to me" he held up his phone as my voice played out of it. The words sent panic through my body down to my toes. My bouncing heart stopped dead as my words from the hospital played through. He wasn't meant to hear any of that. I felt sick... how... who... Oh God, I thought as I looked up into his eyes. He knew.

How did he get that recording? Who gave it to him? Tina? Oh God, I felt sick, my body run cold, every nerve in my body froze and yet I felt so warm. I felt my face burn hotter and hotter before the heat became too much that I needed to take a breath. I moved to get up and run in panic. He couldn't know the truth, all that I've done, all that I've fought against would have been for nothing if he knew. Tina was still out there.

"Kate... Kate" Jake grabbed me before I could leap. He held my hands while I sobbed, I couldn't look at him. I was panicking. I looked all around us to make sure no one was watching us. God was this my life now, looking behind my back all the time.

I took in deep breaths to calm down, as I finally felt my shaking hands being wrapped around Jake's strong heated fingers. This is the closest I've felt too safe in a long time. His hand moved up to my head as he entwined his fingers into my hair. I felt him lift my head so I was looking into his eyes.

He looked down on me in worry. For months I've only seen him look at me in anger and sadness that to see him looking worried... it filled my heart.

"Kate, tell me that the hells been going on" his deep voice brushed lightly over me. My whole body wanted to give in to him. To run into his arms and never leave but I couldn't...

"I can't" I sobbed trying to move again from him but he was persistent.

"Why not?" he spoke in frustration as he held me tighter at arm's length.

"You know why" I cried pointing to his phone. He heard what I had to say, he heard me saying how I only did what I did to keep him safe, what else did he need?

"I want to hear it from you. So I know I'm not imagining any of this" he asked in a sad tone, tears were dancing in his eyes. He looked... lost. My poor Jake, my poor lost boy... It broke my heart to look into his eyes but now I have I couldn't look away.

"How did you get it?" I asked.

"Chris, he saw you visiting me at the hospital"

"You weren't meant to hear any of that"

"But now I have. So please... explain" that sad emotional tone, it broke my heart. I never thought I'd see him like this. Before he was so angry and vial but now... he just looked... so sad yet hopeful in some way as he looked at me in confusion, every type of emotion played on his face. "Who is 'them'?" he asked.

The jig was up kid, a voice inside my head told me. It was all over. After everything I've worked towards in keeping that part of my life away from him, he was about to find out everything. I had to explain, maybe now it was safe... it was too late now to think if it was safe or not. He wouldn't just let what I said on that recording go. It was time for him to know the truth.

"You said 'I won't let them hurt you, I won't let my past ruin your future'. Who are you talking about?" he asked again.

"Bill and Tina my foster parents" was all I said I suddenly felt this weight lift from within me already by just saying their names.

"I knew they had something to do with it" I felt his fingers tighten over my hands. It hurt a little but I ignored it and looked up at him to tell him more.