Chapter 78：Jumping the Gun

"Kyle! Are you with Lana?"

"Yeah..I've given her the tour like you asked, helped her get plugged in-"

"Your detail is with you, right?

"As usual- yes."

"Please make sure they're on high alert-in fact just get her out of there and let's meet back at your house."

"Sure. I'm on it."

"Can I talk to her?"

Kyle handed the phone over to Lana. "It's Jordan."

"Hey babe."

"Hie baby."

"Thanks for getting Kyle to take me around-although we were stopped by almost every female specie-it was a very productive day. "

"Listen baby...you need to go with Kyle now okay? I'll explain everything when I see you."

"Is everything okay babe?"

"I can't talk now-driving baby."

"Okay see you soon then."

"Bye baby. I love you."

"I love you too Carter."

"Carter is acting very strange..do you know what's going on?" Lana gave the device back to Kyle and looked at him skeptically.

"I'm as clueless as you are." Kyle frowned. "We better get going."

He waved over to his bodyguards and alerted them of the impending danger. They were escorted to the safety of his car and transported directly to Kyle's residence, where they found Jordan was parking his car ahead of them.

"Hey baby." Jordan rushed over to them and hugged Lana. There was protective tenderness in the gesture and the embrace.

"Hey Ky-Lana." Jones nodded.

"What's going on Carter?" She looked at him closely, trying to read his facial expression.

"Can I talk to Kyle alone first?" He drew his brow into a pucker which furrowed the flesh between his brows. "I'll tell you everything after-I promise." He said as he tenderly kissed her forehead.

"Jones, can you ask Maria to prepare some lunch for you?" Kyle suggested. "You can go and sit in the entertainment room so long-believe me the options in there are endless."

"I might as well.." Lana sighed in defeat. "You boys go and do what you need to do. I'll be okay."

"I'm not going to complain. I could spend all day in there." Jones agreed eagerly.

"We won't be long." Jordan said, a tinge of sullenness in his tone as he kissed her on the cheek.

Kyle led the way to the entertainment area; and when they made sure Lana was comfortable they retreated to the study. The moment they entered the study Kyle walked around to the maroon leather couch at the other side of the huge oak desk. Jordan sank on the seat next to his friend, and bowed his head upon his hands.

"No way! That's low-even for him-"

"He told me himself." He leaned his head in a baffled, tired way against the sofa.

"Can you give me more buddie? I'm kind of lost.." Kyle frowned in confusion.

Jordan began to explain how his father had called him and threatened to kill Lana and his unborn child; and sort for advice. "So what do I do? How do I handle this Ky?"

"Do you think he will go through with his threat?"

"Yes. He knows Lana is my weakness-the most important thing in my life, so he's using that as leverage...and he doesn't have much time left now-so he's desperate..." Jordan put his fist on his mouth and sighed deeply.

"You still against being his donor-"

"You'd have to kill me first-that's never going to happen. I'm not going to risk my life for that ungrateful pig-"

"So that's scratched off the list." Kyle ran his fingers through his hair and pursed his lips, lost in thought.

"What if we talk to the President? Maybe he can tell Alexander to back off??" Jordan's face lit up.

"What??" The idea was absurd—too wild for serious consideration.

"You and Maya are practically on first-name basis with the guy-"

"Maya is. Me? Purely by default.." Kyle admitted.

"You're always invited to the White House functions-can't she get him to see me?" Jordan pressed.

"What makes you think that he would believe anything you say about their golden boy? Your story sounds far-fetched dude. Do you think he would believe you?"

"Don't you believe me?"

"Jordan..I do..you know I do. Only because I've known you for a long time and I have the background story...and in case you're forgetting you snubbed the guy-three times??"

"We can at least try Ky-" Jordan stood up and raked his hair, clearly frustrated.

"Why don't you try talking to her mother?"

"She's shacking up with him so she won't listen to anything I have to say. She doesn't really care about what happens to her daughter or her grandchild for that matter." His appearance was forlorn and miserable. "The lives of my wife and kid are hanging in the balance and-I can't let them die Ky-" he choked up. "I can't stand by and let him wipe out my whole family because he's trying to get back at me."

"You're right...I'm sorry I was being insensitive." Kyle rose up and gave his friend a comforting hug. "Let's speak to Maya and then we can map the way forward?"

"Thanks. I really appreciate it." Jordan said with a weak smile. "Do you think we should tell her mother?"

"It's up to Lana really. I think you need to tell her first though. It's her life that is on the line-and her mother that is sleeping with the enemy.."

"Yeah..then there's that.." Jordan mused, making a mental calculation of the repercussions.

"It's not going to be easy...." Kyle pointed out the obvious.

"How do I tell her Ky? How do I tell the woman that I love-the mother of my child-that my freakin' sperm donor wants to kill her because I won't give him my freakin' kidney?!" Even as he vented his rage, still the question recurred, what was to be done?

"I don't envy you man..but it's going to be okay. Things usually work themselves out." Kyle reassured him, patting his shoulder as he left, with imperturbable good-nature.

"Carter.." Lana stood at the door, hesitantly as she glanced around the room.

"Lana..there' something I need to tell you-" He turned to face his wife and his heart broke yet again.

"It's serious then? Just like I thought.." she covered the distance between them and put her hands on his chest. His heart was racing and she thought it was a sign of fear? Guilt maybe?

"Yeah.. it is. I don't know how to tell you this-"

"Don't-" she put her fingers over his lips and tried to silence him.

"I have to baby-need to..really, really need to tell you this..because it will affect you in a profound way-" he took her hands in his and fixed his gaze on her.

"If you want to tell me that you-you cheated or were unfaithful..then I don't want to know Carter..I don't think I'd be able to handle it-" She ripped her hands from his hold and moved away from him, sitting on the far end of the seat.

"What?? You still don't trust me? After everything Lana?! Wow!" Jordan was quite crushed in his expression of disbelief in that possibility. The despondent look expressed his powerlessness.

"I don't think my heart can take anymore..I'd rather not know. Ignorance is bliss right?" The disheartened look on his face, made her interlace her fingers with nervous anxiety, but it set a fire in his eyes.

"Is that what you think of me? You think that I would-" There was much Jordan wanted to say, but he choked the words back. He slumped beside her and wiped his hands over his face.

"Maybe you did it-you know-before we got back together again..and you feel like you need to confess everything-for whatever reason-" she fiddled with the hem of her shirt, "I don't want us to dwell on the past Carter-as much as I want us to start on a clean slate I-" He grabbed her suddenly and kissed her passionately until she was limp in his arms and their breathing was heavy.

"I never cheated..never have-never will.." he whispered against her parted lips.

"I'm sorry- I thought-I shouldn't have jumped the gun again- "

"Do you trust me Lana?" he implored as he shook her gently by the shoulders.

"Yes." She whispered in a soft, quiet voice; searching his eyes for some sort of conviction.

"Then say it! I want to hear you say it, Lana." He demanded. There was a sort of breathless touch in the air of the room.

"I trust you. I trust you, Jordan Carter. " There was a movement in her throat as though she swallowed something hard.

He crushed her against his chest and stroked her hair. "Don't ever doubt me again okay?"

"I'm sorry babe.." she broke away from the embrace and stroked his face. "Please forgive me?" He answered her with another fiery kiss.

"So what is it that you want to-need to tell me?" she dropped her hands to her lap and listened expectantly.

"Lana...I don't know how to say this but-my father wants to kill you..."