Chapter 26

 

Paige slowly told Jay about Junna. She told him about the readers and about what Junna had said about her kidnapping. He just listened.

He didn’t nod or give any other acknowledgment of what she was saying. Finally, he stood and walked across the room as Paige just watched him. He paced back and forth in the kitchen. His mind was racing, mostly in disbelief. Wanting desperately to wake up from this nightmare he pinched himself. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered continually. Crossing his arms and drumming his fingers on his elbows, he continued to pace. His emotions were bouncing from anger, to wanting to kiss Paige, to wanting to slug David for upsetting her now. He had watched them from the window enough to know David had hurt her, but he didn’t understand how he felt about anything for certain so he continued to pace.

After watching him for some time, Paige walked to him and touched his shoulder.

He wheeled around and looked at her, “Are you reading me now?”

Stunned she took a step back. For a second she was relieved to know he believed her and then disappointed that he seemed aggravated at the thought that she could read him. Her heart was pounding in her ears while it rested in her throat.

“No, I wasn’t trying to,” she whispered as tears started to form, yet again, in her eyes.

“How many times have you read me?” His demeanor was cold.

“I don’t know. A couple of times I thought I had but wasn’t sure. I wasn’t trying to until tonight. I took a chance tonight by telling you that. I was afraid I was forming words in my head of what I thought I wanted to hear from you.” Paige was feeling defensive now and still afraid. He would think she was crazy and would want to leave her alone. Who could blame him? “I’m sure you think I’m crazy,” she finally whispered and turned her back to him. Tears began to swell now and fall down her cheeks.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?” His voice was still cold.

She hesitated. “I didn’t want you to think I was off my rocker. Hell, I think I’m off my rocker now! I’m hearing voices, seeing people,” exasperated, she paced around the kitchen with her hands in her hair, squeezing her head.

He reached up and touched her face. “Read me, Paige. Read me now,” he said, finally certain of what he was feeling.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, worried that she would not be able to read on demand. Trying to relax and breathe slowly, she turned her entire attention on him, trying to find him in the collective conscious. Words formed in her head as she heard him say “Paige, I do love you. I do believe you.”

“I’m afraid to say,” she was crying harder now as she looked at him.

“Paige, I do not love you,” he said this time out loud.

Astonished, Paige turned from him. “You didn’t say ‘not’ in your mind, or did you?”

Jay laughed out loud. “Okay, so I love you. Just don’t tell David okay?”

“He has Aileen now,” she was looking at him again as the anger started to rebuild.

“You are full of surprises tonight. What do you mean?” he said as he motioned for her to sit down at the kitchen table, knowing that was what the argument outside was about.

“That’s what he came by here to tell me. The woman in the paper is Aileen. They are together now. Evidently Jones knows too,” sighing, she rested her head in her hands, trying to choke down the bitter anger that was building like bile in the back of her throat.

“Are you okay?” he asked her; feeling a little dumbfounded.

“I’m fine. The only surprise was that it was Aileen.” She took his hand in hers, “I was expecting it to happen. It’s been different for a while now. I’m just upset about Aileen; all of the lies. I feel like such an idiot. Why didn’t I see it? I feel so betrayed by both of them, especially Aileen. How could she do this to me?” Paige stood to pace the room.

The pain of it all had built up so much inside that she started to sob uncontrollably, trying to find some sort of release.

“Paige, take a breath,” Jay pleaded as he pulled her to him. “Do you need some time alone?”

“The first thing I saw when he left was you sitting at my kitchen table,” she paused. “I felt like you belonged there. I need you. I’ve never been able to admit to needing anyone, but I need you. I need you here with me!”

“I belong wherever you are,” he pulled her to him and kissed her lightly. He held on to her and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

“I know you are confused and vulnerable right now, but I’m here for you.”

“I do want some time before anything more happens between us. So you don’t think I’m using you to get over David. Hell, so I don’t think I’m using you to get over David,” she said softly as she touched his cheek.

“I feel the same way. I won’t take advantage of you right now. I love you too much.”

“I already know that,” she wiped her face with her hands and kissed him again.

“We’ll get you some help, I promise you that. We’ll find out what is going on,” he tried to reassure her. At the same time, he tried to reassure himself.