Page 20 of Undefeated Love
“It’s way the hell out at the eastern end.” Tori took a laser and circled the area. “Looks pretty damn remote to me.”
“Shit. We’re looking in the wrong place.” Katlin widened the picture. “That’s only five miles from the British Virgin Islands. I know for a fact there’s at least three airports over there. One of them, I think, is international.”
Thirty minutes later, Lei Lu stood and did a happy dance. “I got him.” Video of Jack Ashworth walking through security at the international airport in Road Town, BVI appeared on the big screen behind Katlin. “This is him leaving thirty-five days ago.” Then her computer dinged. “Another hit.” Still standing, she bent over and clicked several keys then Jack reappeared on the screen. “This is him returning.” As it dinged several times, Lei Lu sat down. “He’s been coming and going quite a bit. Before you ask, working on it.”
A world map replaced Jack’s image.
“Our former boss is certainly racking up his frequent-flier miles.” Lei Lu glanced up. “What do Turkey, India, Spain, Ukraine, and Czech Republic have in common?”
“Running that now.” Grace’s mouth dropped open. “You’re not to like this, Katlin.”
All eyes went to Grace. “They have the highest success rates for IVF, in that order.”
Katlin collapsed back in her chair. She’d hoped the unsuccessful fertilization of Nikkole in Pennsylvania just before Jack disappeared meant that he’d given up on forcing another woman to carry the child he’d created from her eggs and his sperm. As though her body knew, she suddenly had wrenching pain in her lower abdomen. As she sat up, she knew she was going to be sick.
She ran from the room, slamming into the closest bathroom just in time.
CHAPTER10
The Same Afternoon
The private executive jet touched down in D.C. and Alex exited immediately.
Katlin’s tracker had been all over Washington for several days but relatively confined within the Beltway. Section 7 must have gotten the device fixed. At least he hoped he’d find Katlin there.
Alex needed to talk with Katlin. Explain. If that meant he kidnapped her, tied her up, and forced her to listen to him, that’s what he’d do. He was desperate.
He couldn’t live without her. He’d tried that years ago. While building Guardian Security to the nationwide corporation it was today, he’d concentrated all of his time and effort into the company. Sure, he’d had his share of one-night stands, and then there was Aleta in Chicago. He’d tapped that every time he was in the Midwest. But Katlin understood him in a way that no other woman had or could. She was his soulmate.
As he headed to his D.C. office, memories of the morning after the premiere occupied his mind. When he’d finally awakened from the night of celebrating JJ’s success, Alex knew he’d fucked up even worse than he’d believed the night before. Walking through the Los Angeles Center, he was congratulated dozens of times on his engagement. Only his manager had the balls to ask, “Does this mean that Katlin is no longer to be treated as your girlfriend and will JJ be making regular appearances? Is she to have access to the penthouse the way Katlin did?”
Gritting his teeth, Alex reminded his entire management team, “Katlin Callahan is an owner of Guardian Security and should be treated with the same respect you show me. JJ will never be dropping in at any Guardian office, for any reason, and if she does show up, she is to be met in the small reception space on the ground level and treated as you would any other client.”
He hadn’t bothered to try to explain to them the real truth.
“Sir, how do you want to handle the paparazzi?” His manager hit him with another hard question. “They’re all over the sidewalk at the front door. And the switchboard has been bombarded with media calls.”
Realization punched him hard. He didn’t want to be thrown back into the spotlight. He’d been there, done that, several years ago when JJ was a rising star. No way in hell did he want his picture plastered all over the rags, photoshopped next to hers in suggestive poses. He’d already warned JJ to keep his name out of the press, but he called her again that morning with a stern reminder of his threat.
A day later, Katlin’s tracker had stopped bouncing around the world and settled in Hong Kong, China, moving within a very small area.
Had the team been called out on a mission to the far east? Was that why Kat disappeared so quickly?
Alex sat in his LA office and stared at the phone. Should he call Griffin? Would his best friend be mad at him? Would he believe him that it was all a mistake that swirled into a publicity stunt? Would Alex believe anyone else if the tables were turned?
No.
He picked up the phone and called the Miami office rather than Griffin’s cell.
“Guardian Security Miami Center, is this an emergency?”
“No. It’s Alex. Can you put me through to Griffin?”
“Hey, Alex. It’s Nate. Griffin is still at the beach with Grace. I think her whole team is there. Are you heading this way to see…? Oh, damn. I’m sorry. I forgot. Fuck. Congratulations. We all saw on the news this morning that you got engaged to JJ.”
“Don’t believe everything you see and hear on TV,” he snapped. He drew in a breath and got his temper under control. “It was a long night and I didn’t get much sleep.”
“I’ll bet.” The tone of Nate’s voice aggravated Alex even more until he considered his words.
