With All That I Am: Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Winter's Ultimatum

"Jake, you nearly gave me a heart attack! You got off work hours ago! Why've you been ignoring my calls? I thought something happened."

"Sorry, I was working late." Jake answered.

"Oh my god. You aren't taking me seriously, are you?" Winter snapped.

"I am," Jake said, eyes fixed on Karina.

"You aren't. You don't know what she'll do to you."

"I think I do." Jake replied.

The sound of a baby crying filled the room, short-circuiting Karina's killing gaze. Giselle. Fuck, she missed her baby girl. Why was she crying? Karina hated that sound with a passion. She would never be able to ignore her cries if she was in the vicinity.

Jake nabbed Karina's attention when he staggered as if he had been shot. He leaned against the closed apartment door with an anguished expression.

"You have a child with her?" Jake whispered.

There was a long pause on the other end. "Yes. A daughter."

Jake dropped his head into his hand and didn't speak.

"I thought I told you," Winter said.

"No, you didn't."

Even Jake knew having a child changed everything. Jake clearly grasped that Winter would have to leave her wife and child to be with him, which wouldn't happen. That's right, motherfucker, she's all mine.

"I told you, I love my wife. I'm married and have a daughter."

Her desolate tone made Karina's gut tighten. She hurt Winter, but she couldn't stop, not when she was focused on keeping Jake alive.

"I have to go," Jake said hoarsely.

"I'm sorry, Jake."

"Bye, Winter."

Jake hung up and looked at Karina with a suspicious sheen to his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Jake snapped.

Karina blinked. She couldn't believe this little shit. She had thirteen weapons on her person, not counting her bare hands, which could do more damage than people believed.

"What?" Karina asked, daring Jake.

"You have her. What the hell do you care about me for?"

The killing rage shattered as Jake's words penetrated. Winter was hers and she wouldn't leave her for Jake. Karina didn't like loose ends or the fact that Winter had history with another person, but that couldn't be helped. The only thing that would alter Winter's love would be to hurt a man who clearly had no chance with her.

Jake pushed himself away from the door, set his phone on the counter and slumped on a kitchen stool. "You want to kill me on principle, don't you?"

Perceptive bastard.

Jake met her gaze boldly. "I've read a lot about you. From what I saw in the hotel room, it must be true."

Karina said nothing.

"The media insinuated that you're involved in organized crime. I know you've been to jail and your family was murdered." Jake paused for input, but continued when Karina merely watched him. "When I met Winter I couldn't understand why such a beautiful woman couldn't look me in the eye."

Karina stirred, but forced herself to stay still. She had been trained to control her heartbeat to fool lie detectors and lay in wait for her prey for days. Jake was clearly suicidal. She'd be damned if she showed Jake that the bastard hit a nerve.