Chapter 17：Signed and Sealed

"What do you mean I signed the wrong document?? Don't I pay you to make sure that never happens??" Jordan flipped over the glass table in a rage. Barry loosened his tie and cowered in the corner, beads of sweat scattered on his forehead.

"Look Jordan, why don't we all take five? Let's step outside so you can get a bit of fresh air and collect our thoughts?" Ryan put his hand on Jordan's shoulder and he shrugged it off, before storming into the cool night-or morning rather.

Dawn was breaking and while Jordan loved to watch the sunrise, he didn't derive any joy from it today. It had turned from a beautiful day to a nightmare-his worst nightmare. He sat by the poolside and hung his head in his hands. How was he going to get out of this mess? Most importantly how was he going to explain it to Lana? Yet again he had got her entwined in his drama. He ripped off his t-shirt and dove into the water, did laps back and forth until he was spent. The sun was peeping threw the clouds when he jumped out and collapsed onto the well-manicured lawn.

Ryan stood over him and handed him a towel and a robe after he had dried himself. Alison had begun to serve breakfast out on the patio and Jones was barking orders to the bodyguards. Security was on high alert as per Jordan's instructions. Lana would need a bodyguard as well, once the story got out.

"I'm going to go break the news to Lana before she hears it from someone else. Please don't come anywhere near my room until I say so. If anyone so much as knocks..there will be hell to pay." Jordan stormed back into the house and ran up the stairs to his room. Lana was still sound asleep when he jumped in behind her. He put his arms around her and held her like it was the last time. After what he had to tell her he was sure she would never want to see him again, because it would throw her world into absolute chaos.

"Hmm..you're cold." She protested, still half-asleep.

"Hmm...You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah-please go back to sleep baby." He kissed her hair.

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"Barry please explain to me again how you messed up the paperwork? You are always so articulate and careful. What went wrong this time? Your wife giving you problems man?" Ryan paced up and down Jordan's study, where he, Barry and Jones were having a closed-door meeting.

"I had printed out the revised contract for him and Lana to sign right? Then my sister-in-law asked me to process her papers for a marriage contract so I could submit them to the courts, then she could get her marriage license. But I know someone that can take a shortcut and-somehow I mixed up the documents so-Jordan and Lana signed-in actual fact-not only a marriage contract but a marriage certificate. I don't know how I missed it..probably it was in between their documents and they mistakenly signed it. Well..it was my mistake but I then went on to submit it to court now-" Barry sighed and gulped down his third glass of whiskey, forgetting that it was only a little after 6:00 am.

"Now some douche from the marriage office got his dirty hands on the documents and is blackmailing us for freakin' $5mil. Thanks for that Barry. Thanks a lot!" Ryan spat. He pulled at his hair in agitation and threw deathly daggers at Barry.

"Look I know I messed up okay?? I'm probably going to be out of a job when JC walks back down those stairs..I'm so screwed." Barry sank back into the couch and covered his face with a cushion. "Plus that guy has given us until noon to pay up or else.. "

"He's leaking it to the highest bidder." Ryan finished off distastefully.

"How are we going to fix this Ry?" Barry sat on the edge of his seat.

"Unfortunately, you have hit a very sensitive spot. JC is rather fond of Lana and has developed a strong attachment to her. He doesn't know it yet but I think he's actually in love with her." Ryan put his hands in his pockets and stared at the carpet thoughtfully.

"Yeah. I noticed.." Barry pursed his lips. "I'm finished aren't I?"

"Yeah." Ryan nodded.

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"Morning sweets." Jordan leaned over and kissed Lana on her forehead. "You sleep enough?"

"Ye-ah, I guess..we had a pretty late night." She sat up and stretched out her arms. "Sorry for wearing these PJs-I needed something to wear." She said sheepishly.

"What?? No need to apologize, sweets, they're yours." He smiled.

"Mine?"

"Yeah-" He shifted nervously," Look Lana thee's something I need to tell you." He swallowed hard not being able to meet her eyes.

"Lana? Wow-this has to be serious then." She pushed her back and propped herself on the headboard. "I'm listening.."

Jordan explained the mess up that Barry had got them into. Lana's face went from confusion to shock. After Jordan was done she sat quietly, staring into space.

"So..what you're trying to tell me is that we're married??!"

"Yes." He finally met her bewildered expression. "We can get an annulment-"

"No! I don't want that on my record." She raised her hand.

"Tell me what you want me to do? I know apologizing is pointless but I really am sorry Lana." Jordan held her hands and looked intently at her. The remorse clearly displayed on his handsome face.

"Say, something baby. Please?" She still hadn't responded to his question and it was beginning to scare him.

"I'm sorry...I need to go home." She hopped off the bed using the other end, wanting to escape. The walls felt like they were caving in and she found it hard to breathe. She had to put some distance between them so she could think straight. How could she be married to Jordan Carter? Married??

"Lana! Wait!" She slammed the bathroom door in his face and locked it. "Can we talk about this?" He leaned his head against the door.

"Please sweets? Can you allow me to fix this? We're in this together remember?" The door suddenly flew open and she stood there, tears streaming down her face. It tore his heart into a million pieces seeing her like that.

"How are you going to fix this Jordan?! Huh?! Please tell me??!" She cried out and started to punch his chest. He grabbed her wrists and crushed her against his chest.

"I'm reeally sorry okay? I'm going to fix this. Trust me okay?" He cooed as smoothed her hair with his hands. "It's killing me to see you like this-I can't-" His voice broke and he buried his face in her neck.

They sank to the bathroom floor still in each other's arms. Lana's cries were now sniffles and her head was lying on Jordan's shoulder. This was a perfect disaster. How would he even fix it? Where would he begin?

"You want to get out of here?" He broke the silence.

"Yes. Please take me as far as possible. I don't think I'll be able to handle any of this right now." She pleaded with him, her eyes still brimming with tears. He stood up and held out his hand to her and she grabbed on it as she got up.

"You can take a quick bath while I take care of our travel arrangements. Don't worry about packing clothes or anything like that-all I want is you." He kissed her gently on her lips and left her in the bathroom.

She took a quick shower and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. There was breakfast waiting for her in the corner table, so she wolfed down a slice of toast and cheese, washed down with a glass of orange juice. When she went downstairs in search of Jordan she heard loud voices coming from the poolside.

"You're fired!" Jordan shouted to Barry.

"Jordan it was a mistake-" Barry tried to reason.

"One that is going to ruin an innocent girl's life!" Jordan shot back. "Just leave! Get out of my face!"

"Wait!" Lana called out as Barry made to leave.

"Lana, please stay out of this. Let me handle it okay?" Jordan walked over to her and held her shoulders.

"Barry stays." She challenged.

"What? He's responsible for-"

"He stays." She said firmly.

"No he can't-" Jordan protested.

"As your wife, I say he stays." His eyes softened, he dropped his hands and stepped back to look at her.

Everyone else stared at the exchange in awe. Barry breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He really needed this job, he was the sole breadwinner in his family. He had a lot of people that depended on him.

"Fine," Jordan said with clenched teeth. "But you will owe me big time Bambi."

"Can we leave now before the circus begins?" She said.

"Yeah-Jones we're good?" Jordan visibly relaxed.

"Sure thing boss," Jones replied.

"Great. Now I can go and give my wife a real honeymoon. We might even have to consummate the marriage. What do you think Bambi??" Jordan put his arm around Lana and gave her a knowing look.

"Don't push it, sweetie." She rolled her eyes but her heart was hammering wildly against her chest. How was she going to handle being totally alone with the sexy, irresistible Jordan Carter?