Their Heart Search: Bethany & Jordan's Story (Search Series) (6 page)

‘Raiden had just left, but Kai hung around. “You know...” He said taking a sip of his beer, “Lee and Melanie screwed our community.” The last couple of years Kai had been changing. His father was getting to him and Kai was buying in. His relationship with Raiden had become strained, but it was different for her. Kai talked with her, opened up to her.

“You don’t believe that, Lukas?” she replied, taking a sip of her seventh beer for the night. She knew she should stop. In fact, Raiden had tried to cut her off, but she fought him on it, throwing the fact they weren’t married yet in his face so he didn’t own her. Raiden sighed and left.

“I do. You don’t regret your life, knowing what you could have?” he fired back.

“No, Kai, I like my life,” she answered on a sigh.

“Ha! Yeah right. You’re stuck marrying Raiden. You are happy with that fact?” She shrugged.

“It is what it is,” she said taking a long swig of the beer.

Kai pulled the bottle from her lips, his face close to hers. Her heart stopped. The truth was, Kai was right, she didn’t want Raiden, and she wanted Kai. “What do you want, Bethany?” he muttered against her lips.

“You,” she breathed. She was tipsy and not in her right mind. She wanted Kai but this was wrong. His lips closed over hers and she couldn’t stop what happened next.

Kai carried her to her room and there, they had sex. Kai Lukas took her virginity. “Doll, I’m going Dark Night in three weeks, join me,” he whispered before vanishing.’

Bethany shot up in bed. Kai hadn’t gone Dark Night. Neither did she. However, the Kai Lukas she knew was gone. His father had tucked the last shred of good from him. It was war from that point forward.

She lay there trying to go back to sleep, but she couldn’t. Before she could second guess herself, she was knocking on Jordan’s door. “Come in, beautiful,” he called.

“Hi,” she said meekly.

Jordan

She was there. In his room. She looked beautifully sad. “Hi,” he returned.

“Am I disturbing you?” she questioned, still in the doorway.

“No, beautiful,” he answered, getting up and walking towards her.

“What’s wrong?” he questioned pulling her into the room.

“I can’t talk about it yet, bad dream though.” He nodded at her answer walking her towards the bed.

“Lay down, I’ll take care of you. I’ll chase the nightmares away,” he whispered his mouth at her neck. He couldn’t stop himself. He had to have a taste. He licked her skin and she fell back against his chest.

“We can’t, Jordan,” she rasped.

“One kiss, Bethany. Just one,” he replied spinning her to face him. He didn’t give her the option to reply. He pressed his mouth against hers. He didn’t move he just stayed liked that. Her tongue started caressing his lips and they parted. His tongue locked with hers and he was gone.

He pushed her onto the bed breaking their kiss. She was breathing heavy, her eyes filled with many emotions, but the one that rang out to him, fear. “I’m sorry, beautiful,” he whispered caressing her cheek, holding his body above hers.

“I wasn’t any good?” she said draping her arm over her eyes.

“Beautiful,” he said taking hold of her arm to remove it from her face. “That was the best kiss of my life.” He kissed her cheeks and then stared at her lips again.

“Really?” she questioned. He smiled pressing his lips against hers again. He let some of his weight fall onto her.

He raised hers arms above her head holding them in one hand. His other hand began traveling down the side of her body. She squirmed under his touch. Jordan was gone, she owned him. He broke their kiss again, staring deep into her eyes.

“Wow,” she panted. He smiled, wow was right.

“Jordan, I can’t, not yet” she choked out.

“I know, beautiful,” he answered rolling off her. “I hope I didn’t push you too hard.” He knew they shouldn’t, not yet. Her mind hadn’t caught up with her heart.

She shook her head. “Can I stay tonight?”

“Of course you can.” She crawled under the covers and Jordan followed.

“I’ll take care of you,” he whispered. Pulling her back against his chest, he kissed her head. “I’m not going anywhere, no matter what.” He thought he heard her sigh, but her arm draped around his and her breathing evened out. He held her for a bit and watched her sleep. Just as he was about to doze his phone vibrated, he glanced at it on the nightstand.
‘Meredith Calling’.
He sighed in frustration and gently slipped away from Bethany to answer it.

Bethany

She didn’t know how long she had been asleep, but when she woke she knew she was alone. “Leave me alone! Call your damn daughter!” She heard his voice boom. She got up and cautiously pushed her way out of the bedroom. “No, of course not.” His voice quieted down. The second she entered the living room he turned towards her giving her a sad smile. “I’m looking for my heart, Meredith.” he said before hanging up.

“I woke up, you were gone,” she said softly.

“Sorry about that, beautiful, she called right after you fell asleep,” he answered walking towards her.

“You didn’t ignore it.” He shook his head.

“I couldn’t anymore, Tai is.” She nodded.

“You told her you were looking for your heart.” He nodded taking her face in his hands.

“Not looking anymore, but she doesn’t need to know that. She wants me with Tai for now.” Bethany frowned. “Don’t frown, beautiful, when Tai’s ready to talk with her, she’ll understand.”

“Why isn’t Tai talking to her?” Jordan pursed his lips, and his brows furrowed.

“Mistakes, beautiful.” he whispered before placing a light kiss against her mouth. It didn’t go further. He pulled back and she couldn’t help but smile at him. He smiled back.

“Come on back to bed,” he said pulling her behind him.

“I can go back to my room now.” He shook his head.

“No. I want you near me.” She nodded and let him lead her back into his bedroom.

Jordan

He was in love just a couple months in Aishan and he was certain of it. He was getting ready for work when she tapped on his door. He smiled, “Come in, beautiful.”

She pushed through the door and stopped when she saw he was shirtless and in the process of zipping up his jeans.

“Oh damn, I’m sorry.” She blushed and Jordan laughed.

“Beautiful, if I didn’t want you to see, I wouldn’t have invited you in,” he said crossing his arms as her mouth dropped open.

“So you wanted to torture me?” she chuckled moving towards him.

“Whatever helps, beautiful,” he said grabbing her hand tugging her forward.

She rolled her eyes, “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re beautiful,” he breathed against her mouth. He could feel the shiver run through her body.

She stepped away, “I’ll let you get ready.”

“Wait, beautiful,” he called before she got too far from him. “You got plans with Tai?” She nodded.

“Giving her more information on the Lukas family,” she sighed.

“Why isn’t Raiden doing that?” he questioned.

“Because he wants to protect her.” Jordan nodded. He could appreciate that it was something he should’ve done. It was something he wanted to do for Bethany.

“Who’s protecting you, beautiful?” he asked, she looked down to the floor and sighed.

“I hope one day you will,” she whispered and he barely caught it.

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed settling her on his lap. “That day is today. Anything Bethany, anything you need, anytime you’re scared, anytime you need a hug you come to me.” She rested against him and nodded.

“I’m trying not to fall, but I’m failing,” she whispered.

“Well keep falling, beautiful. I’ll catch you.” He kissed her cheek. “Well I need to get ready. Tell Tai and Raiden hello from me.”

She nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek. It was something she had been doing the last several weeks and Jordan was taking it. She still needed time, but she was progressing.

Bethany

She sighed. Jordan had left an hour ago. Her plans with Tai weren’t till tonight. Raiden would be working with Lee tonight in the capital so they had made dinner plans. She felt lucky to have Tai as a friend. She had never had a girlfriend like that. Her mom and Raiden’s mom really had been it. She had closed herself off to anything that could lead her astray from her duty, except Kai and that had been a mistake. Her phone rang.
‘Raiden Calling.’

“Hello,” she answered.

“I have news,” he spit out bubbling over with excitement.

“Okay and that is?” she asked intrigued.

“I asked dad for mom’s ring last night.” The words hit Bethany at full force. This was it. She was going to be free. She could fall and not get crushed.

“That’s great, Raiden.” She smiled. “Tai is great.” She meant that Tai was perfect for Raiden. She wouldn’t probably ever know why she was, just that she was.

“I want to make it special. She deserves special,” he sighed.

“Raiden, it’ll be perfect no matter what.”

“I’m afraid she might say no,” he said quietly.

“Why would she say no?” Bethany couldn’t imagine Tai saying no to Raiden’s proposal.

“It’s complicated, Beth.” he replied.

“Well for the record, I think she’ll say yes.”

“Thanks, got to go.” With that he hung up. She thought about calling Jordan but instead decided to tell him face to face. She had to tell him their time was coming. She raced out of the apartment and towards the diner.

Jordan

He had just finished wiping down a table when she barreled through the door and into his arms. “Hello, beautiful,” he chuckled.

“I’m sorry, but I have news,” she panted out in joy.

“What is it, beautiful?” He was curious for sure.

“Raiden called...” she paused and he cocked an eyebrow urging her to continue.

“Okay...?” he prompted.

“He asked his dad for his mom’s ring.” At her words his eyes widened.

“He’s going to propose to Tai.” The words came out harsh mostly because he processing what that meant from him, for Bethany, for their future.

She took a step back. “This is good, right?” She stumbled over her words, and it snapped Jordan back to the here and now.

“It’s great news. Does it mean what I think though, for us?” It was his turn to hesitate.

She bit her lip, damn that was sexy. “I want it to, but can we still take things slow?” she questioned. He nodded and replied pulling her back into his arms.

As they were hugging, he looked towards the door and swore he saw Tai. She was just standing there not really looking at them, but in their direction. Then out the door she went. Jordan pulled back and Bethany stared back at him with concern.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Perfect, beautiful, but I thought I just saw Tai at the door.” She held onto his arm and turned her head that direction.

“You don’t think she heard us?” she asked facing him again.

He shrugged, “I can’t answer that.” Her head dropped against his chest. He placed his hands around her again and rubbed her back. His chin resting on her head.