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OKDeanna's Passions Fan Fiction Forum > Luis & Sheridan Stories > Chapter Eleven - Fifteen |
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Chapter Eleven - Fifteen Posted By: OKDeanna - ezOP Posts: 229 Posted At: (10/13/02 11:41 am) Reply |
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CHAPTER ELEVEN Sheridan walked inside the book cafe and sucked in a deep breath as more memories floated through her brain. How many times had she and Luis run into each other here? Countless times, she thought walking toward an empty table in the back and lowering herself into one of the chairs that surrounded it, she had run into Luis here countless times. Is that why she'd come here today? Was she hoping to run into Luis? It had been nearly a week since he'd broken her heart and walked out of her life and the pain was still as sharp as it had been the moment he'd closed the front door to her cottage, separating them for the first time in months. Something told her the pain she was feeling now would be nothing compared to the pain seeing him again would bring. She swallowed hard then got to her feet suddenly realizing that running into Luis so soon after he'd broken her heart was not something she had the strength to deal with today. Walking quickly with her head down, she made her way out of the cafe. Once she was back outside in the fresh air she began to breath more easily. Was there anywhere in Harmony that she didn't have memories of Luis? No, she thought shaking her head, there was no place she could go to in Harmony that she hadn't already been to with Luis at some point or another. Maybe now was the time for her to leave Harmony. She didn't have to return to Paris. She could go some place else. Perhaps, she could go to New York or LA. She knew a few people there. But she wasn't sure she could get on a plane without remembering the last time she'd been on one... with Luis. She shook her head. Maybe she'd take a cruise to somewhere exotic? No, she couldn't do that she thought frowning, getting on a boat would only remind her of prom night when Luis had risked his life in that storm to go after the people on the boat. She certainly couldn't drive herself somewhere. The moment she got behind the wheel, she'd see Luis' face staring back at her. Memories of all the times she and Luis had spent together flashed in her mind and before she realized it, she was running toward Lighthouse Park as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. She heard someone call her name, but she didn't stop to see who it was. She just kept running. Maybe if she ran fast enough the memories couldn't catch her. Maybe if she - "AH!" She screamed as a pair of masculine arms wrapped around her midriff and picked her up off her feet. "Let me go!" "Dammit Sheridan calm down. It's me!" "Luis?" She asked as she began to place a halt on her struggles. The moment he sat her back on her feet and released her she turned to face him. "What the hell do you think you're doing grabbing me like that? You scared the hell out of me!" "Me?" He asked arching two brows in surprise. "You're the one running through the park like some madwoman! Hell, I thought someone was chasing you or something!" "Something was." She muttered under her breath. "What?" Luis asked suddenly grabbing her by the arms and going into cop mode. "What was chasing you?" "Memories." She replied as the tears began to sting her eyes. "Memories were chasing me. I thought I could outrun them, but I should have realized I couldn't. Why did you stop me? Why didn't you just let me go?" "I wanted to make sure you were okay." He replied a bit too quickly. She glanced up at him and realized he was as tortured about their parting as she was. "Don't look at me like that, Sheridan." "Why?" She asked raising her hand to his face and closing her eyes as he leaned into her touch. "What are you so afraid of, Luis?" "I'm not afraid of anything." He said removing her hand from his face and setting her away from him. "But this isn't going to happen. It can't happen." "Why?" She asked wrapping her arms around herself to fight off the sudden chill. "Help me understand why a relationship between us can't happen. Tell me the reason you don't want me." "It's not that I don't want you." He said closing his eyes and raising his head toward the sky. "God knows I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone or anything in my life, but I can't have you, Sheridan. I can't have you." "Yes you can." She said walking toward him and taking his face in her hands forcing him to look into her eyes. "In fact, you already do. Don't you understand that? You have my heart, Luis. You have my soul. What else do you want? What is keeping you from accepting my love?" "Please." He whispered closing his eyes. "Don't do this, Sheridan. I'm not strong enough to -" "To what?" She asked searching his eyes when he finally opened them again. "What aren't you strong enough to do?" "To resist you." He replied wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body flush up against his. "I'm not strong enough to resist you." "Then stop trying." She whispered brushing her lips across his. "Just stop trying." A moan tore from deep within his throat as he finally gave in to the passion swirling around them. Her hands grabbed a fistful of his jacket material, trying to pull him in closer. She'd expected the intense passion that always came with his kiss, but what she didn't expect was the fierce desperation or the sudden electric current that began to course through her veins. Their kiss was a live wire of passion and emotion, passion and emotion she knew he would not be able to deny or ignore. * * * * * Luis brought his hand to the back of Sheridan's head then angled his lips more fully against hers. He was drowning in passion and even though he knew it wasn't fair to her, he couldn't seem to pull away. He'd been dreaming of her kiss every night since he'd left the cottage and now that she was back in his arms, he couldn't bring himself to push her away. He just wasn't strong enough to do that. She parted her lips on a sigh and he took the initiative and deepened the kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth and he began lost in its sweetness. Nothing could have prepared him for the emotions that swirled around his heart. There was nothing he could do to stop himself from taking what she offered him. He was a man after all, a man who loved the woman in his arms with everything he had inside him. But it wasn't fair to allow her to think that they could be together now. It wasn't fair to him or to her. "Sheridan." He choked out as he finally managed to push her away from him. "We have to stop. Nothing has changed." "What do you mean nothing has changed?" She asked arching her brows in surprise. "Don't tell me you still don't want to be with me, because we both know that would be a lie. You want me as much I as want you and you love me as much as I love you. So don't you dare think I'm going to suddenly believe that you don't." "I never said I didn't want or love you, Sheridan. I only said it was impossible for us to be together." "Yeah you did say that, but you never gave me a reason why." She said placing her hands on her hips, her temper clearly rising. "If we can't be together then I damn sure deserve to know why!" But he couldn't tell her, he thought his own temper rising because of his own lack of willpower where she was concerned. "I'm sorry, Sheridan." "I don't want to hear you say you're sorry!" She said balling her hand into a fist and smacking it against his chest. "I want to hear you tell me why! Why can't we be together? Why Luis? WHY?" "Because I made a deal with the devil!" He yelled suddenly unable to stop himself. The moment the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. No way would Sheridan allow him to dodge that explanation, he thought watching, as her face took on a look of complete and utter confusion, no way at all. CHAPTER TWELVE Luis ran a hand over his face unable to believe what he'd just said. He always knew one day his Latin temper would get him into trouble and now it appeared it had. He knew that any moment now she would ask him about his 'deal with the devil' and he had no earthly idea how he was going to explain his way out of it. He couldn't lie to her, but he couldn't tell her the truth either. He should have already talked to Julian about the damn deal, but his emotions had been running all over the place since he walked out on Sheridan and he knew seeing Julian while he was in his current state would only fuel his hatred of him. The last thing he needed was for Julian to bring an assault charge against him. It was bad enough he was holding the kidnapping charge over his head. "What deal did you make with Julian?" Sheridan asked as she lowered her balled fists from his chest and looked up at him, her eyes showing her confusion. "How do you know the deal I made was with Julian?" Luis asked his voice holding no trace of the surprise he felt inside. "Because there are only two people you would think of as being the devil," Sheridan said as she took a step back and folded her arms in front of her. "Julian and my father. Julian was my first guess and judging by your reaction I'd say I was right so what deal did you make with him?" Luis drew in a deep breath then turned around unable to look her in the eyes and think at the same time. He couldn't tell her about the deal. He would be breaking his word if he did that. But she was bound to go to Julian if he didn't and that was all he needed. He had no doubt Julian would lie to her and only cause them even more problems than they already had. "Sheridan, please don't ask me anymore about the deal." He closed his eyes and prayed she would understand. "I can't tell you. I gave my word and I can't go back on it." "Then I'll make Julian tell me." She said anger apparent in her voice. "No!" Luis said turning around and catching her by the arm when she started to walk off. "I can't let you do that." "Why not?" She asked as she pulled her arm free from his grip. "Why don't you want me to talk to Julian? What has he done? What deal could you two have possibly made? And why on earth would you agree to a deal with Julian in the first place?" Luis released a frustrated breath then closed his eyes and fought the demons within him, the demons of pain, pain of being unable to tell Sheridan the answers she wanted to know. He opened his eyes again then stared into hers wishing things could be different. "I can't tell you, Sheridan. I want to but I can't." "When did you two make this deal?" She asked arching one brow. "Can you at least tell me that much?" "A few months back." He said figuring there was no harm in giving her that answer. "A few months back." Sheridan repeated staring into his eyes. He knew the moment she realize it. The look on her face said it all. "The kidnapping charges!" * * * * * * Sheridan watched the shock register on Luis' face and knew without a doubt that she was right. Julian had made him a deal in exchange for getting the charges that she had brought against him dropped. But what did Luis have to do? "What did you agree to do in exchange for Julian getting the charges dropped?" "I gave him my word, Sheridan. I can't tell you." His voice was low and she could hear the regret in it. She could also hear the pain. She thought back to that time, but nothing really stuck out at her. She and Luis had been furious with each other at that point. In fact, she had wanted nothing more than to stay away from him and she knew he felt the same way... Her brow furrowed and she looked at him, his dark eyes peering intently into hers, begging her to drop it. But she wasn't going to drop it. She was going to find out the truth and then she was going to make her brother pay. "He made you agree to stay away from me, didn't he?" Luis closed his eyes then shook his head. "Leave it alone, Sheridan." "I can't! Not until I know what my brother has done! What did he threaten you with if you didn't stay away from me?" He didn't answer her but then he didn't really need to. She already knew. Julian had told him he would reinstate the charges. "I am not going to let him get away with this." "Sheridan -" "NO!" She said her anger on the rise. "Don't you Sheridan me! Julian and Alistair have messed with my life long enough. I will not let them stop me from being with the man I love! I won't!" "You plan to confront Julian about this, don't you?" Luis asked in what sounded like defeat. "Yes I do." Sheridan said giving him a look she hoped showed her determination. "I have to, Luis. He can't continue to do this. He can't continue to try and run my life for me." Luis sighed then gave a quick nod. "Then I'm going with you." Sheridan smiled then held out her hand to Luis. A rush of emotion swept through her body as he took it into his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. Julian might not know it yet but his plan to keep them apart had failed. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Luis pulled up in front of the cottage and shut off the engine then turned to look at the woman next to him. Shadows danced across her face, but when she turned toward him the only thing he was able to focus on was the look in her blue eyes. "Sheridan, are you sure you want to do this?" "I'm positive." She whispered reaching out one slender hand and laying it against his cheek, the heat of her skin seeping into him and causing him to suck in a deep breath. "He can't keep interfering in my life and trying to make decisions for me, decisions he has no right whatsoever to make. Threatening to reinstate the kidnapping charges if you didn't stay away from me, is going too far." Luis nodded then raised his hand and covered hers, before linking their fingers together and bringing her palm to his lips. He placed a small kiss in the center then smiled against her skin when she drew in a quick breath. "It isn't going to be pretty, Sheridan. Julian is going to be steamed." "I don't care." She replied letting her hand fall back to her lap as he released it. "Julian needs to learn that there are places his nose has no business being and my relationship with you is one of those places." Luis sent her a wide smile then took a deep breath and reached for the door handle behind him, pulling the keys out of the ignition with his right hand and sliding them into his right jean pocket before opening the door and stepping out into the cool night air. He'd been putting off dealing with Julian and this damn deal because something in his gut told him the moment he told Julian what he could do with his deal, would be the moment he sealed his own fate and that of his relationship with Sheridan. But now that Sheridan knew about the deal, there was no way he could put off confronting Julian about it any longer. He drew in another deep breath then shut the door and walked around the front of his police cruiser to hold the door open for Sheridan as she exited. She sent him a thankful smile then stepped out of the way so he could close the car door. He turned around and froze when he noticed the determined gleam shining in the depths of her blue eyes. "Sheridan?" She placed a hand on his chest then slowly backed him up until his back hit the vehicle behind him. He arched a brow at her, but the index finger of her right hand across his lips stopped him from questioning her. "Before we go see my brother there is something I need to know." He swallowed hard as she slowly drew her finger across his lips before finally lowering her hand back to his chest. "Wh…What?" He finally managed to choke out. "What do you want to know?" "Did you mean what you said when you left the cottage that night? Do you really believe that the love we feel for each other isn't enough to overcome the obstacles thrown at us?" "Sheridan, " He sighed. "I don't think this is the time or the place to discuss that." "Well, I think it's the perfect time and place." She said as she stepped closer and searched his eye with hers. "Do you really believe what you said?" "I don't know." He whispered into the air as his head fell back against the top of his police cruiser. "I'm not sure what I believe. What we felt for each other wasn't enough to make you talk to me about that night on the wharf. It wasn't enough to make you trust me, to believe in me enough to know that I would never say those things about you. Even when I told you it wasn't me, you still didn't believe me. I’m not sure you really believe me even now." He stopped and raised his head, his eyes immediately locking back onto hers. "Maybe what we feel for each other really isn't love. Maybe we both just want to be in love so bad that we've convinced ourselves that what we're feeling is love, when it really isn't love at all." Her brow knitted together in confusion and her hand that had been resting comfortable against her chest fell away. "You don't believe that. You know as well as I do that what we feel for each other is love. If you didn't you wouldn't be here now." "You're right." He whispered as his lips pulled into a smile. "I wouldn't be." She raised her hand toward him, but he shook his head and quickly removed himself from between her and his cruiser, coming to a stop when he was a few feet away from her. "Sheridan, I've had a lot of time to think over the last week and… and there is one thing that keeps popping in my mind over and over again like a worn out record. For over a year, you believed I said things about you that I didn't say and when you finally confronted me about it and I denied it, you called me a liar. You didn't trust me, Sheridan. You didn't believe in me. How on earth can we have a relationship when you can't even trust me?" "Luis, that was before I -" "Before you what?" Luis asked arching a brow at her. "Before you realized I was telling you the truth? I'm not sure that even matters right now. If Freeman hadn't called that day things would have gotten out of hand, way beyond what they should have. We needed to talk about your distrust of me, but we didn't. All we did was let our passion for each other carry us away. Passion will only go so far, Sheridan. There has to be some type of a foundation to base it on and without trust… everything else fails." "I do trust you!" She answered her voice slightly shaking. "I do!" "With your life maybe, but with your heart… You didn't trust me when it counted, Sheridan. For months, you treated me like I wasn't fit to breathe the same air as you. Hell, you filed kidnapping charges because of your inability to trust me!" "I know." She whispered as she lowered her head to look at the ground, tears filling her voice and eyes. "I'm sorry, Luis. I'm so sorry." "I know you are." He said his need to comfort her almost winning out over his need to tell her what her distrust of him did to him. "But that doesn't change the fact that it happened. I mean we wouldn't be here right now, if you had just trusted me and believed in me." A sob tore from her throat and his head lost the battle with his heart. He closed the distance between them and gently pulled her into his arms. As she buried her face in his chest, he raised a hand to the back of her head and cursed himself a thousand times over for making her cry. * * * * * When the last of her tears subsided, Sheridan raised her head off of Luis' chest and took a step back out of his embrace before reaching up to wipe away her tears. Everything he said was true. She hadn't believed him when all along he'd been telling her the truth. She hadn't trusted him when he'd told her he cared about her and that he would never use her. The only thing she had done was screw up the best thing that had ever happened to her. And she hadn't really a clue as to why. Yes, she had seen someone at the wharf that night and yes he did look like the identical twin of the man standing in front of her. But she knew now in her heart that it hadn't been Luis. She should have known it then. Perhaps, deep down in her heart she had, but it was her mind that doubted him. Her mistrust of him had stemmed more from the fact that she cared about him and thinking he didn't care about her hurt her than it ever had about what she had heard whoever was on the wharf that night say. But Luis didn't know that. How could he when she had never told him? She took a deep breath then looked up and met his eyes. "That night I went to the wharf to prove Julian wrong. He'd been telling me what a lousy judge of character in men I was and that every single man I had been involved with had used me. He was right. They all had. Every one of them. I wanted to prove to him that you were different so I went down to the wharf to see you." She closed her eyes as an image of Luis talking on his cellphone flashed in her mind and she had to suck in a deep painful breath as his words once again played themselves in her head. "When I got there, all I could think about was proving to Julian that he was wrong. That my caring about you wasn't going to get me hurt because you cared about me too. But then… then I saw you... or whom I thought was you… talking on a cellphone. I moved closer, intending to let you know I was there, but then I heard you call me a spoiled princess and how you were just using me for your own ends. Maybe I should have known it wasn't you, but the person I saw had your face and your voice. How could I know it wasn't you?" She reached up to wipe away a tear that began to trickle down her cheek then shook her head as the pain she'd felt that day reinvented itself full force. "I cared about you so much and hearing that you didn't care about me, hurt. It hurt more than I could ever tell you. I didn't know what to do because the pain in my heart was… was killing me." She shivered from the memory of the night then looked up at him and sucked in a deep breath when she saw his eyes were filled with pain, pain that mirrored her own. "I reacted the way I did because everyone I had ever cared about had done the same thing I thought you did. They had pretended to care about me when really they were only using me. I should have known you were different than they were, but can you really blame me for thinking what I thought? The man had your face and your voice. How could I know it wasn't you?" "The same way I would have known it wasn't you. You could have trusted your heart." She shook her head. "But my heart was what was in pain. Don't you understand? I was already in love with you and when I heard those things it broke my heart? I couldn't trust my own judgment. I thought I had once again let myself fall in love with a man that had no intention of returning that love back to me. What reason did I have to think you really cared about me? You had spent the better part of six months telling me how much you hated my family and that you were going to do anything you could to prove they were involved in your father's disappearance." "But that proving your family was responsible for what happened to my family had nothing to do with you and I." "How did I know that?" She whispered as more tears fell. "How did I know that you weren't just pretending to like me so that you could find out what you wanted to know? I'd never had a man like me for me so how was I to know that you were any different? Especially considering the fact that my eyes and my ears just heard you say you were only using me." "You could have trusted me." Luis stated as he took a step forward and cupped her face in his hands, the pad of his thumbs automatically brushing away her tears. "You could have trusted me enough to know that I would never and could never use you or anyone else." "It wasn't so much about trusting you as it was trusting me." She replied letting out a soft sigh. "I didn't trust my judgment enough to trust you. Don't you see? My past relationships and Julian's reminder of them, made me doubt my ability to know who I could trust and who I couldn't, who was just using me and who wasn't. It had just as much to do with me as it did with you." "Is that why you ran away to Paris?" Luis asked his eyes not betraying any of what he felt. She nodded. "Yeah, I think it is. I left because my emotions where you were concerned were fighting with each other. One part of me said I should hate you for what you had said and the other part… the part said I should love you. But I was too hurt to admit to myself that I was in love with you so I did the only thing I could do. I tried to escape the heartache you had caused me, but it followed me to Paris, as did you." She shook her head. "When I pressed those charges against you, I was angry because I wanted to believe that you had come to Paris because you did care about me. But the only words that flew out of your mouth were… 'It's my job'. I hated you for making me think you really had cared about me and my pressing those charges against you was my reacting to that not to your chloroforming me, although I was pretty mad about that too." "You had a right to be." He whispered as he moved one hand into her hair and lightly ran it through her blond curls. "You had a right to be mad at me. I kept telling you I was only doing my job, because I wasn't ready to admit that protecting you had never been about my job. I didn't want to give you the chance to hurt me, because your slapping me that day and refusing to tell me why…" He broke off and shook his head. "That hurt like hell, Sheridan. I tried to shrug it off, but… but I couldn't. I needed to know what happened, but you refused to tell me and then all of the sudden you were gone." He swallowed hard. "My gut told me you were in trouble, but my going to Paris wasn't just about my job. Nothing having to do with you was ever about my job. It was always personal, between you and me. I should have had the guts to admit that to you, but... but like you I was scared of how I felt." He smiled ruefully. "We hurt each other quite a bit." "Yes we did." She replied with a nod. "But look at where we are right now. We're together. We might not have everything figured out yet, but I know what we have is worth trying. Don't you think?" "I -" He broke off as the loud roar of a motorcycle sounded throughout the air. He turned toward the noise and furrowed his brow when his eyes landed on the man taking off his helmet and setting it down to rest on the motorcycle seat he'd just vacated. "What is Jake doing here?" "Jake?" Sheridan asked as her eyes focused on the backside of the man walking up the steps to the Crane mansion. He reached out to ring the bell then turned back around, the moonlight illuminating his face. She let out a gasp of surprise. "No, it… it can't be! That's impossible!" "What's impossible?" Luis asked as he turned back around to look at her. "Do you know him?" "Know him?" She asked as her blue eyes lowered in a glare. "I should know him. I was married to him for over a year and a half!" "What?!" CHAPTER FOURTEEN "You were… you were married?" Luis finally managed to choke out as his heart took a dive toward his feet. He didn't like thinking of her being married to another guy, especially someone he knew. Granted, he had only met Jake Bryant a little over a week ago, if you didn't count their run in at the wharf last year, but they had played pool and had… His thoughts trailed off as realization hit him. The bastard had known who he was the whole time they had been playing that pool game and talking. He'd told him all about how his relationship with Sheridan and how things had taken a turn that he really hadn't expected. The guy had pretended to be sympathetic, but… but he'd been playing him for a damn fool! "That bastard!" "Luis?" Sheridan asked as her eyes shifted from the man standing in the distance to him. "Dammit!" He muttered hotly as he jammed a hand through his hair. "He played me for a fool!" "Luis?" Sheridan asked again as she reached a hand out to touch him. "How do you… how do you know Jake?" "He was in the pool hall the other night. We played a few games of pool, drank a few beers, talked about you. Or rather I talked about you. He just listened. And now I know why." Luis shook his head and turned around to glare at the man in the distance. "At first, I was hesitant to talk about us since I didn't know him, but then he told me that he didn't know you… and that he would be an objective third party… So I told him about us, about how we met and stuff. Either I was too drunk to notice or he's just a damn good liar, but I never would have guessed that he knew you let alone had been married to you." "Jake is one of the best at hiding things he doesn't want others to see or know." The bitterness that dripped from her voice had his head swinging back around in her direction. The anger he saw flashing in her blue eyes gave him pause. Did she still have feelings for this guy? "Sheridan? Do you -" "Damn him!" She replied as she shot around him and began walking up toward the main house. "I knew it! Julian just opened the door and let him in! He must've called him and asked him to come to Harmony. Just wait until I get my hands on him! He knows how I feel about Jake!" "I'm glad someone does." Luis whispered into the air as Sheridan's angry stride took her further and further away from him. He ran a hand over his face then let out a rush of air as he made the decision to catch up to her. * * * * * By the time Sheridan reached the front door of the mansion, her anger had increased ten times from what it had been when she first saw Jake stepping onto the porch. There was only one reason Julian would ask him to come to Harmony. He wanted to them to try again. How many times since their divorce over two years ago had Julian asked her to give Jake another chance? Fifty? A hundred? He just didn't get that she didn't want to give Jake another chance. That she couldn't trust him not to lie to her again. Damn him! What was he doing here? He knew she would never forgive him for what he'd done. He knew that! So why would he come here and put himself through hearing it again? She shook her head then closed her hand over the doorknob only to freeze when Luis' hand shot out to stop her before she could open the door. She turned her head toward him and sucked in a deep breath when she found herself staring into his questioning brown eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you'd been married?" She opened her mouth to answer him, but closed it again when she realized she had no clue as to what she was supposed to say. She really hadn't even thought about Jake in over a year, well except when Julian occasionally brought him up. Telling Luis about him really had never entered her mind. When she'd come back to Harmony it had been about forgetting what a creep Jean Luc was, but then she'd met Luis and her life had never been the same since. "To be honest, other than Julian mentioning him to me a few times, I hadn't really given him or our marriage much thought. We didn't part on good terms. In fact, I'm really surprised he would come here. If Julian hadn't called him and asked him to, I'm sure he wouldn't be here. He knows I wouldn't want him here." "How do you know Julian called him?" Luis asked with a raised brow. "Couldn't he have just decided that he wanted you back?" She shook her head. "Jake knows that there is no chance of that happening. Not after what he did. Julian and my father, on the other hand… ever since my divorce from Jake they have been telling me what a mistake I made. How much he loved me and that I should have stuck with him and tried to work things out. My brother is crazy about Jake. They do a lot of business together, overseas. That's how Jake and I first met. Julian asked me to deliver some papers to his office." "And you think Julian called him into town to play matchmaker?" Luis frowned. "Something tells me that Julian wouldn't go to the trouble of calling him here unless he thought Jake really had a chance of winning you back." There was a question in his eyes, but the sudden opening of the door stopped her from answering it. She turned only to find herself staring into another pair of intense brown eyes, only these eyes held no question. They only held shock. "Sher." She swallowed hard as long forgotten memories replayed themselves in her head and before she even registered the thought, her arm shot out and her palm connected with his cheek, making his eyes go wide with surprise. "You have a lot of nerve coming here!" "It's good to see you too." Jake replied as he straightened himself up and gave her a rueful smile. "I'm only here because Julian called me and asked me to come. We had some business that we needed to discuss." "I just bet you did." Sheridan stated bitterly. "Did your business happen to include trying to win me back? If it did I can tell you right now that it's a lost cause. You already burned that bridge way beyond repair." "Your name did come up." He answered after only a moment's hesitation. "But only because I asked how you were doing and if you knew he had asked me to come into town." "Why don't I believe you?" She asked arching a brow at the man in front of her. "Could it be because you never know when to tell the truth?" "I never lied to you, Sher. I may not have told you everything, but I never lied to you." "You may not have lied to her." Luis accused from beside her. "But you damn well lied to me." "Luis." Jake breathed out slowly as if just realizing he was standing there. "I'm sorry I told you I didn't know Sheridan. I thought it would be awkward for you if you knew I was her ex-husband." He stopped and shrugged a shoulder. "I should have told you, but we'd both had a few too many and when you mentioned her name, I was just too caught off guard to think about telling you who I was. Hell, neither one of us was really thinking that straight that night anyway." "That's really funny." Luis replied with a bitter laugh. "Because something tells me that you knew exactly who I was before I ever mentioned Sheridan's name." "Well you're wrong." He answered in a tone laced with edginess. "I had no idea you knew Sheridan. Not until you told me." "Why do I get the feeling that you're lying? That you're trying to hide something?" Luis took a step forward and Sheridan sucked in a deep breath as Jake took one too, bringing both men within a foot of each other. "Maybe because you're paranoid?" Jake asked as he arched a brow in defiance. "You know I really resent those accusations of yours." "I don't think they are accusations." Luis stated in a voice as cold as ice. "I think they're the truth." "Well your version of the truth is a bit twisted then." Jake retorted as his temper began to take hold. "You're way off base." "Am I?" Luis questioned as his head tilted slightly to the left. "If I'm so off base then why do I feel like I just hit a nerve?" "Maybe because you're looking to hit one?" Jake asked as he took a step closer. Luis smiled and Sheridan took a deep breath as he took another step closer, bringing the two men nose to nose with each other. "I didn't have to look very hard, did I?" Dear god, Sheridan thought closing her eyes, please don't let them get into a fight. It will only make things ten time worse. If Jake got it in his head that Luis wasn't good enough for her… her eyes popped open and she immediately got between the two men, sending Jake a warning look. "Back off, Jake." "Sher -" "No!" She interrupted by holding up a hand and placing it against his chest, forcing him to take a step back. "You are not going to start a fight." "Me start a fight?" Jake asked incredulously. "He's the one that -" "That what? Called you on the truth?" She shook her head and glared at him. "What is the real reason you didn't tell Luis who you were? I know you have one. You don't do anything without thinking it through first." "Sher -" "Tell me!" She yelled angrily. "Why didn't you tell Luis who you were?" "Because I couldn't!" He yelled back in a frustrated voice. "Look, I was telling you the truth. I am here on business." "But?" Luis asked from beside her. "But that's not the whole reason I'm here." Jake stated with a quick glare at Luis. "I knew it!" Sheridan said curling her fingers into a fist. "What else does Julian want you to do?" "Julian has offered me a position at Crane industries." Jake answered as his brown eyes locked onto hers. "He wants me to move to Harmony… permanently." CHAPTER FIFTEEN So he was finally getting the position he'd wanted from the start, Sheridan thought shaking her head as her anger built. Getting a position in Harmony working for the Cranes was the whole basis for their relationship. He'd only pursued her romantically because her father had promised to eventually give him a higher position in the company. Of course, when she found out about their little deal, it had not only destroyed their marriage, but it had also destroyed his chances at the position. Or so she thought. "After all this time," Sheridan stated not taking her eyes off the man in front of her even for a second. She knew he was far too good at hiding things and she wanted to know if he made the slightest twitch. It was usually a good indication that he wasn't being entirely truthful. "Julian just offered you the position you've always wanted? Why? What do you have to do for him in return?" Jake's hesitant pause before answering told her there was a lot more to it than what he stated. Knowing him it was a whole lot more. "The job offer hinged on work I've already done." She started to ask him what he'd had to do, but before she could her brother appeared in the doorway. His surprise at seeing her there was written all over his face. "Sh…Sheridan? Luis? What…what are you two doing here? Isn't it a bit late?" "Not late enough." Sheridan replied her eyes narrowing in a glare. "I guess we sort of ruined your little surprise." "What?" He asked as if he had no earthly idea what she was talking about. "If you're talking about Jake, he's hardly what I would call a surprise. I mean you know he's been working for the family for years. When a job opened up here in Harmony, he was the first person I thought of." Now she knew something was up. Crane industries had a mountain of people vying for jobs, why on earth would Julian want to hire her ex-husband? Jake had said it wasn't because Julian wanted him to win her back. But maybe Julian hadn't told Jake that particular detail yet. Maybe he was just waiting to spring it on him. "So after two years, you just up and called Jake?" Julian shook his head, his tone exasperated. "Sheridan just because you divorced him, a rather stupid move on your part if I do say so myself, it doesn’t mean we don't still talk. Jake and I have business dealings all the time. There was nothing unusual about my calling him up for this position." Sheridan arched her brow at that. "Nothing unusual about you calling up my ex-husband and offering him a position in Harmony without even talking to me first?" "Why on earth would I consult you about a business matter? You have nothing to do with Crane Industries. You never wanted anything to do with the company. And besides the last time I mentioned Jake to you, you bit my head off. Is it so shocking that I wouldn't want to bring his name up again?" Julian asked arching a brow to match her own. It was when you were Julian Crane, she thought not breaking the stare she had going with her brother even for a second. She knew there was more to this than they were going to tell her; there always was. She'd learned that fact a long time ago. Nothing her family did was ever as cut and dried as it appeared to be. "What exactly is the job Jake will be doing for you?" "I'm kind of curious about that myself." Luis asked from beside her causing her to turn her head to look at him. It was the first time he'd spoken since Julian appeared and she knew he had to be as confused about Jake's appearance as she was. Who wouldn't be? She'd been married to the man for almost two years and she'd never been able to figure him out. He was as secretive as her father and brother were. Perhaps that was why they had always loved him so much. "I'm afraid the job Jake was hired for is one not to be discussed with those not involved with Crane industries." Julian smoothly replied causing Sheridan to turn her attention back to him and narrow his eyes. "Julian I have a right to know -" Julian interrupted her by waving his hand in the air dismissively. "If you want to know what Jake's job description is then you'll have to go to work for the company, otherwise it is not up for discussion." "Are jobs within Crane industries always so secret?" Luis questioned suspicions lacing ever word. He was in cop mode. She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. Or maybe that was the wheels in her own, she could hear turning. "Not always." Julian answered exasperation back in his tone. "But sometimes our business does involve keeping certain dealings under wraps and this is one of those times." "Very convenient." Luis replied. "Nothing convenient about it, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald." Julian sneered. "It's the way the business works. If you had the slightest head for business you would -." "That's enough!" Sheridan said giving Julian yet another glare. She knew where that kind of insult would leave and there was enough to deal with already without having to listen to her brother and Luis have a war with words again. She pressed a hand to her temple, to try and alleviate the pounding in her head, and the voice that questioned her about it was one she would have just as soon not heard. "You okay, Sheridan?" "I'm fine!" She snapped giving Jake the same glare she'd given her brother a few moments before. "Really Sheridan," Her brother replied in annoyance. "Must you be so unwelcoming? I mean you haven't seen Jake in a long time. Do you really have to bite his head off? He was just asking if you were okay. I think his interest in the state of your welfare should be commended considering how you up and divorced him without giving him -" "My marriage to Jake - or our divorce for that matter - is none of your business, Julian. It never was. So I would really appreciate it if you would keep your opinions to yourself! And while you're at it, you can keep your nose out of the rest of my personal life too!" Julian furrowed his brow in confusion and it only angered her further. Did he really think he could just mettle in her life and she wouldn't question him on it? If he did then he was in for a big surprise. "What are you talking about? You're my sister. I worry about you." "I may be your sister, but that doesn't give you the right to try and run my life for me!" She stated her anger over his actions making her voice raise a notch. "I know about the deal, Julian. I know what you did. I know all about you dropping the kidnapping charges against Luis in exchange for his staying away from me and I'll be damned if I let you get away with it!" "Are you wanting to reinstate the charges? Is that what this is all about?" "No, I'm here to tell you that your deal with Luis is officially over." She glared at him, daring him to object to what she was saying. When he didn't she continued. "The kidnapping charges will not be reinstated and there is no way in hell Luis and I are going to stay away from each other." "Okay." Julian stated with a nod. "If that's what you want then the deal is off. The only reason I made it in the first place was because you told me you wanted him to stay away from you. You said you wanted nothing more to do with him. I thought making the deal with Luis was a way to get you what you wanted, but if you've changed your mind then there is really no reason I would reinstate the charges, even if I could." She had no doubt about that he could get the charges reinstated. Crane money could buy a lot of things and Julian wouldn't hesitate to use it if it meant getting him what he wanted. "I mean it Julian. If you even think about trying to get those charges reinstated -" "I said I wouldn't, Sheridan." Julian replied with a shake of his head. "Do you want me to give you my word? Fine. Then I give you my word. I will not reinstate the kidnapping charges against Luis. Happy now?" She was far from it, but it was a start. "While you're handing out your word, why don't you give me your word that you didn't hire Jake on at Crane industries in the hope that we would get back together?" "I'm afraid I can't do that." Julian replied his eyes straying toward Jake. "Not without lying." "I knew it!" Sheridan accused turning her attention toward Jake. "I knew you weren't being honest!" "I told you the truth, Sheridan." Jake answered with a shake of his head. "I had no idea Julian hired me in the hope we would get back together. He didn't bother to mention it to me." Sheridan studied him for a minute then turned her attention back to her brother. "Is that true?" He nodded. "Yes it is. I hired Jake because of his business expertise. That is true. I had my own hopes that his moving to Harmony might lead to a reconciliation between the two of you, but obviously that isn't going to happen. Not now that you and Luis are involved. You are involved, I assume? That is the reason you two aren't going to stay away from each other, right?" "That's right." Luis replied moving his hand to rest against her lower back. "Sheridan and I…" His voice trailed off as he turned his head to look at her and she sucked in a deep breath at the emotions she saw in his eyes. There were still questions lurking in his amber depths, but there was also love - love for her. "…are in love." She smiled as he finished his statement then wrapped her arm around his waist as she turned back to face the two men standing in front of them. "That's right we are. We are very much in love and I won't tolerate any interference from you or father, Julian. The same goes for you, Jake. If any of you have any ideas about trying to come between Luis and I, you may as well give them up now. It isn't going to work. I love Luis and he loves me. Nothing you can do will change that." "Well," Julian nodded shifting his gaze between her and Luis. "I can't say I'm happy about your choice in man, but I am glad you are happy. That's all father and I want and I'm pretty sure Jake will agree with me too. We only want you to be happy and since you say you are then there is no reason to interfere." For his sake, Sheridan really hoped he meant that, because if he tried to interfere with her relationship with Luis, he was going to find out just how much of her father's daughter she could be. She may not act like the rest of her family, but you didn’t grow up a Crane without learning how to fight and she would do whatever she had to do to fight for her relationship with Luis. It was too important to her. Luis was too important to her and she wouldn't let anyone try and destroy what they had. And she knew instinctively that Luis felt the same way. To Be Continued... Author of over 40 fan fiction stories, some of which include:
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| The Twisted Truth: Prologue - Chapter Five | OKDeanna | 10/13/02 11:38 am |
| Chapter Six - Ten | OKDeanna | 10/13/02 11:40 am |
| Chapter Eleven - Fifteen | OKDeanna | 10/13/02 11:41 am |
| Chapter Sixteen - Twenty *Final Chapters* | OKDeanna | 10/13/02 11:43 am |
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