Players (Lessons by Loki) (26 page)

She gasped and he
rushed past her, refusing to give her another thought.

Loki watched the exchange from the shadow realm, fascinated by the emotional undercurrent. Whatever love these two had for each other was officially gone. Chase still found her physically pleasing, but her cruelty was unforgivable. Besides Chase’s entire being was now fully engaged. His connection with Josiah was rock solid while his connection with Katie was fragile yet stubborn. He knew they were in serious trouble, but he wasn’t willing to give up without a fight. All of the twisting threads fascinated Loki.

Chase told the clerk he needed two dozen roses then remained by the front desk as she prepared his order. Vanessa lingered for a moment then sighed and left the flower shop.

On impulse Loki followed the leggy brunette, not sure why he was bothering. As Chase had said she was selfish and mean, not the sort of person who generally interested Loki. Still, there was something about her, something that made him curious enough to push deeper into her mind.

Pain and loneliness assailed him as soon as he reached beyond her surface barriers. Despite her outward perfection, Vanessa was shockingly insecure.
She had wealth, beauty, and a large social circle. Why was she still so miserable?

“Finish one project before you start the next,” Freya said from behind him.

He chuckled and turned around, knowing he could easily find Vanessa if he wanted to study her some more. Preferably in the shower. “A momentary distraction. I’m back on track.”

“Good because Josiah is on his way over to Katie’s house. He’s going to break in and wait for her to come home from work.”

Loki shook his head though he couldn’t help but admire the human’s spirit. “That foolish mortal is going to get himself shot.”

“I think we should let it play out. She’s ready for this confrontation
whether she realizes it or not.”

“Then do we need to be involved?”

“They shouldn’t need our assistance, but I sure as hell want to watch.”

Finally understanding the reason for her appearance, Loki laughed and followed her
toward Katie’s house.

* * * * *

Katie gripped her steering wheel and waited for the garage door to close behind her. All she had to do was look at the house across the street and her composure crumbled all over again. She’d cried until she had no more tears, railed about the selfish cruelty of men in general and her neighbors in particular. She’d even indulged her temper and smashed a figurine. Of course, she’d never really liked it in the first place, but that wasn’t the point. All the venting in the world hadn’t eased the gnawing ache in her heart.

Her heart didn’t seem to care that a bet had set things in motion or that Josiah and Chase had played their cruel games before. She’d never felt
so alive as she had while she was with those two men. And it wasn’t just the sex—or the daring foreplay if she wanted to be specific. She’d enjoyed their playful conversations and wanted to know everything about them. She felt comfortable and accepted whenever she was with them, and she wanted them to feel secure with her.

Pulling her keys out of the ignition, she grabbed her purse and headed into the house. If it hadn’t been for work, she would have gone completely insane. Peace and quiet were her enemies. Without something to occupy her time, her mind filled with images and echoed
emotions that wouldn’t allow her to hate.

She put her keys away then dropped her purse onto the kitchen table. Then she crossed the room without bothering with the light. Maybe a long, hot bath would help her relax. She’d reached the stairs and flipped on the light when something moved in her peripheral vision. Gasping, she spun around then
raced for the phone. Josiah stood in the middle of her living room as if he had every right to be there.

“Get.
Out.” She held up the phone as if it were a weapon. “You have ten seconds then I’m calling the cops.”

“I brought back your scrubs.” He motioned toward the neatly folded garments on the coffee table.

“Thank you. Now leave.”

“Katie-cat—”

“Don’t you dare call me that! In fact don’t call me at all.” Emotion gripped her throat, making it hard to speak. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry, again.

“Five minutes.
” He moved forward, yet left plenty of space between them. “I just need five minutes of your time.”

She lowered her arm, but kept the phone in hand just in case she changed her mind. “Nothing you say will change anything. You toy with other people and it’s wrong.”
The only light in the room was behind her, which allowed her to see his face while keeping her in shadow. She was thankful for the tiny advantage. God knew, she needed any help she could get.

He looked tired and scruffy
, as if he hadn’t slept well for several days. Good. Why should she be the only one tossing and turning all night?

“I agree, for the most part, but there are several things you need to know.”

“‘For the most part’?” She shook her head, aghast at his arrogance. “In what way do you disagree?”

“The other people we
’ve bet on were sexually adventurous. They frequently had casual affairs and wouldn’t have, sometimes didn’t, find it insulting that they had been the focus of our competition.”

“That doesn’t make it right.”
She should kick his ass out of her house. Why was she bothering with any of this? The mission was over. She should be focusing on putting her life back together. “How many times have you done this? What does the winner get?” She didn’t really care, but the questions she really wanted to ask were too damn painful.

“
Your lessons were not part of the bet.”

“I don’t believe you.” She set down the phone and turned toward the stairs. His hand closed around her upper arm and she closed her eyes. She’d wanted him to touch her, needed him
to stop her from running away. She waited for him to turn her around, or better yet, drag her away from the stairs and shove her up against the wall. But his fingers eased then slipped away, though she could still feel the heat of his body.

“After the party, Chase wanted to end the bet. We both realized you weren’t like the others. You’re sweet and honest and innocent.”

“I’m not that innocent.” She opened her eyes and put her foot on the first step.

His arm banded her waist and
he pulled her back against him. “You’re pure as virgin snow compared to me, compared to us. That’s why I never approached you before. I didn’t want you to find out that all of the rumors were true. I am depraved and twisted.”

For some reason the description made her smile. What they’d done to her in the playroom had been a little twisted, but depraved? Not even close.
“Did you call off the bet that night?” Everything he’d said so far corresponded with what Loki had told her. That was part of the reason she was allowing Josiah to continue his explanation.

“I wasn’t ready to let you go
and I didn’t see any other way to justify my interest.” He buried his face in her hair, his breath teasing the back of her neck.

“Why did you need a justification for your interest? We’re both unattached adults.”

“Because…” His other arm slipped around her as well and he held her even tighter. “I’m not meant for someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”
She needed to see his face, to understand the emotions thickening his voice.

“Someone wholesome and—”

“If you say pure again, I’m going to kick you.”

He chuckled and his hold loosened, though his arms remained around her.
“After our date I agreed with Chase. It wasn’t right to continue. I didn’t want our lessons to be tainted by some asinine game.”

She didn’t say a word, couldn’t think of anything that was both honest and distancing. She would be a fool to trust him, to give him a second chance.
Yet she wanted nothing more. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest and tears burned her eyes. If she looked at him, she’d be lost. The only rational option was retreat.

“I knew you’d break my heart
,” she whispered, then shoved his arms away and flew up the stairs.

Gran’s visitations felt different than ordinary dreams. Katie always sensed her presence strongly as she relaxed in bed and then a drugged lethargy would overtake her. Tonight she’d been brooding about all of the things Josiah said when strength seemed to bleed from her muscles. She wasn’t afraid, knew Gran would never hurt her, so she closed her eyes and surrendered to the weakness.

“I’ve been trying for days to draw you here.” Gran’s sweet voice pulled her deeper into the vision.

Reality faded to black and then the scene refocused. She was seated at the kitchen table, her grandmother across from her. Sunlight streamed in through the eyelet lace curtains and the scent of baking bread made her mouth water. “I’ve been distracted.”

Gran smiled, her green eyes twinkling merrily. “Can’t imagine what’s captured your interest.” She’d pushed her glasses to the top of her head
, which pulled the front of her silver hair back from her wrinkly face. According to Gran, her life had been long and full of wonders, so she’d never been vain about growing old. Her outfit was always the same, black jeans and a burgundy blouse with a paisley print and long, fluttery sleeves. “Talk to me, child. I hate to see you so upset.”

“I want to hate them, but I don’t.” She didn’t need to explain herself further. Katie wasn’t sure how much of what went on around them Gran was able to perceive, but she knew everything that took place within her house.

“It’s not in your nature to hate.”

“
Then I should forgive them and try and make it work?”

“I can’t tell you what to do.” She laughed and shifted in her chair, making the wood creak. “I suppose I could, but I won’t. You’re the one who has to live with your decisions. I can only help you sort through the variables.”

“I was afraid to love Chase because I thought he was still in love with Vanessa.”

“You don’t think that’s true anymore?” Gran picked up her favorite mug and took a sip of tea.

“He still has feelings for her, but I think he honestly wants to move on.”

“And what about that thundercloud who was just downstairs?
Do you know why he doesn’t consider himself worthy of you?”

She’d never really thought about it in terms of worthiness, but as usual, Gran was right. Josiah didn’t feel worthy of her love. “
It has something to do with his sister, but things fell apart before he could tell me what happened.”

“Are you afraid because there are two of them? Being part of a
plural union will be complicated.”

Katie smiled, trying to imagine her mother’s reaction to the arrangement.
Her mother would have been shocked and horrified. But Gran was different. Gran never judged, never projected her opinions onto others. She was more than happy to express her opinions, but she didn’t expect others to conform. “Knowing they were together is a big part of the appeal. I’ve always been drawn to nontraditional relationships.”

Gran chuckled and set down her mug. “
Which is why your time with Dillon was such a nightmare. You were pretending to be something you’re not and so was he.”

“Well
, there would be no pretending with Chase and Josiah. If I give them another chance, it would either be the best thing that ever happened to me or the worst.” She sighed and the scene around her blurred. They were losing their connection. “I’m not sure I’d survive if they rejected me.”

“Nothing worth having comes without risk.” Her image
began to fade as she said, “You’re stronger than you know, Katie dear. Are you brave enough to risk everything?” Then right before her image blinked out, she shouted, “Loki never left.”

R
eality returned and Katie found herself in bed, staring up at the ceiling, more confused than ever. She wasn’t surprised about Loki. After all he’d invested in this conflict, it didn’t make sense that he’d give up before it was resolved.

As for Chase and Josiah, w
hen she stripped away all of the uncertainty, it all came down to trust. She had to be able to trust her partners if they were going to build a future together.

She trusted Chase. Despite his participation in the bet, he had never lied to her.
He’d left an awful lot unsaid, but what he’d said was true. Their attraction was slow and steady. There were no flash-fire highs or devastating lows. He was dependable and fun. Life with him would be comfortable, solid.

Josiah, on the other hand, was combustible.
Dangerous. He would devour her affection and ravage her body. And still leave her aching for more. If it weren’t for Chase’s steadying influence, she wouldn’t even consider a relationship with someone as volatile as Josiah. But she couldn’t deny her attraction to him. She wanted to feel the heat and be overwhelmed by his intensity. She just needed Chase there as well to protect her from her own cravings.

But could she trust Josiah?

That was the crux of the issue. Chase had already proven he could commit to one lover. Vanessa hadn’t been the right partner, but Chase had been devoted to her. Could Josiah change the way he’d lived for more than a decade? Would he be content in a committed relationship, even if it was with a man
and
a woman? That question was much harder to answer, but one thing was for sure. She would never find out until she stopped ignoring them.

* * * * *

The next few days passed in a flurry of activity. Time passed quickly at work, yet the nights seemed endless. Each morning she found a new gift on the hood of her car. The first morning it had been a fabulous bouquet of roses, which she’d taken to work with her. On day two they left a memory stick onto which they’d recorded a video. Rather than groveling and asking for her forgiveness, as she’d expected, they earnestly asked for the opportunity to speak in person. Josiah reminded her that her phone number was unlisted and she’d never given it to them. The third morning brought an apology card from Chase and another message from Josiah. He told her that he’d instigated the bet and asked that she focus her hostilities on him. He ended the message by saying, “Chase is really torn up. I’ve never seen him like this. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but please talk to him.”

The selfless gesture could have been calculated, but Katie didn’t think so. Josiah
had always been protective of Chase and vice versa.

All she had to do to end this nonsense was lock her utility door. Leaving it unlocked
was giving them hope and that wasn’t fair unless she was willing to give them another chance at some point. But did she really want to give them another chance? Almost a week had passed since the night in the playroom and she was still struggling with the question.

By Friday evening, Katie was exhausted
from work and tired of their little game. There had been no gift that morning, so she wasn’t sure what to expect. Had they finally given up or just run out of ideas. When the doorbell rang, she thought she had her answer. Apparently, it was time for a live performance. Then she pulled open the door and froze. Rather than Chase or Josiah on her porch, she found Vanessa.

“I think you have the wrong house.” She tried not to sound as annoyed as she felt.
The last thing in the world she wanted was another round with this cold-hearted bitch.

“May I come in
?” Her voice lacked its usual haughtiness.

“Why?”

“I just want to talk to you. I promise I won’t start a fight.”

She couldn’t imagine what Vanessa would want to talk to her about, but she pushed open the screen door. “I just worked a t
welve-hour shift, so I’m grumpy as hell. Just thought I’d warn you.”

Vanessa moved to the nearest chair and sat. She was wearing jeans for a change, but her boots had four
-inch heels. Why did she feel the need to tower over everyone? Vanessa was naturally tall and her obsession with heels made her taller than most men.

Katie left the
main door open while the screen door swung shut, then she sat on the couch facing her unexpected visitor. “Why are you here?”

“
I saw Chase the other day and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him.”

It was
all Katie could do not to roll her eyes. “We’re not together anymore so have at him.” Her rebellious heart clenched at the thought, but Katie didn’t take it back.

“He was buying flowers for you, so I figured there was trouble in paradise.” She crossed her legs then uncrossed them as if she couldn’t find a comfortable position.
“I’ve been a royal bitch to you and still you’ve been civil and honest with me. Most people can’t rise above a conflict like that.”

“Don’t make me sound so honorable. I’ve slung my share of mud.”

“No. You
pretended
to sling mud.”

Did she mean… “You weren’t fooled in the parking lot?” Vanessa’s smile confirmed it.
Katie frowned. The memory was much more fun when she thought Vanessa had fallen for the ruse. “I thought I was pretty convincing.”

“
You were very convincing. I just happened to have the perfect angle to see that his pants were still zipped.”

A tense pause followed, so Katie said, “Surely this isn’t why you’re here.”

Vanessa fortified herself with a deep breath then revealed the purpose for her visit. “I shouldn’t have told you about the bet. It was mean spirited and I’m sorry. I know you were hurt because of my spitefulness and you didn’t deserve it.”

What the hell was this?
Women like Vanessa didn’t apologize for anything. “You were right. I was the target of their bet. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I’ve known Chase for a long time. We were friends for years before we started dating. I wanted to change him, mold him into my idea of the perfect husband. That’s just as wrong as what they did to you.”

She had no idea what Vanessa expected her to say or why she was telling her all this, so she just nodded.

“You were with them for a week and yet I saw more pain in his eyes than when I broke up with him
after almost a year. You are everything they’ve ever wanted, everything they need. Don’t let my meddling screw that up for them, or for you.” She looked as if she was about to cry. “I know you don’t believe it, but I really do want the best for Chase. I’ll never forgive myself if I end his best chance at true happiness.”

Dumbfounded Katie watched as Vanessa stood up and let herself out.

She sat there for several minutes too confused to move. Then she stood and went outside. Vanessa was gone, but Josiah stood on his front porch. Their gazes locked and he advanced; his stride purposeful.

The coward in her urged her to run back inside and
lock the door. But she was tired of hiding. He crossed the street and went as far as the sidewalk before he stopped. “If I come up there, will you call the police?”

She allowed herself a half-smile. “I’m feeling generous tonight.”

He walked up her driveway and across the walk path, but stopped before stepping up onto the porch. “What did Vanessa want? Are you all right?”

His concern was sweet and she really was too tired to fight, so she opened the screen door and motioned him inside. “Believe it or not, she came to apologize.”

That brought him up short just inside the doorway. The screen door swung shut behind him as he looked at her quizzically. “Vanessa apologized?”

“I was as surprised by it as you are.” They stood near the door as if he w
as still unsure of his welcome. “Do you want something to drink? I have pop, juice or ice water. Sorry, I’m not a fan of beer.”

“I’m fine, but can we sit? This feels
confrontational.”

“Afraid I’ll open the door and shove you out on your ass?”

“Basically.”

He smiled and she quickly turned around so he couldn’t see her lips curve. Josiah was sexy as hell when he brooded, but she liked him best when he smiled. “So what happened this morning? Did you over sleep?”

“We didn’t want to be predictable. We figured if we deprived you of our attention for a day or two you’d realize how much you miss us.”

“Playing hard to get.”
She chuckled as she curled up in the recliner. “Not a bad strategy.”

He sat on the sofa and rested one foot on the opposite knee
, not looking nearly as comfortable as usual. “Nothing else seemed to be working.”

“If it hadn’t been working, I would have locked the door.”

He didn’t smile, but warmth lit his gaze. “That’s what Chase said. I wasn’t so sure.”

“That’s surprising. I didn’t think anything had the power to make you insecure.”

His stare locked with hers, drawing her toward him like a physical tug. “Only you, Katie-cat. Nothing else has this much power over me. I thought you realized that.”

The pet name blanketed her wounded heart, so she didn’t object
to its use. “I don’t know how to get past this. I’m not even sure I want to try.”

“If you’re willing to listen
, I’d like to explain what happened in the playroom.”