by Simone Elise
So, while I was going out of my mind with worry, she was working? Had I not given her everything? Made sure that money was the last thing on her mind?
Then it hit me, realization slowly creeping into my thick skull. She was doing this because I had given her everything. She wanted to cut ties. She wanted independence. Getting a job shouldn't be a big deal, but it was when I knew she had done it to not rely on me.
"When will you be home?" Marc asked, sounding concerned. He wasn't ready for her to hang up.
"What time is it now?" she said, like she hadn't looked at the time all day.
"Ten thirty-six."
"I'll try to be home before midnight. I still have to get a cab to the middle of nowhere. I might end up staying in the city."
Like hell she will!
"With fucking who?" Marc barked. Good, because that was my reaction.
"Scott offered me his couch before, because I said I live outside town."
"WHO THE HELL IS SCOTT?" I snapped, not being able to keep quiet.
"Chloe…" Marc started before I took his phone off him.
"Don't say anything to Chase." Chloe cut him off. "And I don't need a lecture."
Marc's eyes flashed to mine and, while we were both breathing heavily from our fight and we would love to disagree on this, he was thinking the same. We weren't about to let Chloe go sleep at some stranger’s house even if Marc would get pleasure from it, just to piss me off.
"Well, you are bloody well getting one." Marc started.
"Fine, go." She sighed.
"You don't go sleeping at someone's house who you just met," Marc said calmly to her.
"Tell her to come fucking back here." I yelled at him and he covered the phone, telling me to shut the hell up.
"Fine, I won't stay there. Just don't expect me to be home by midnight, okay? And you can tell Chase that too." She said simply, but I heard the way she said Chase. Like just saying my name disgusted her.
"Yeah, he heard." Marc grunted looking at me. "He isn't happy."
"When is he? I have to go." Chloe scoffed and hung up.
"Before you even ask, I've sent you her number," Marc said and pointed to the ground. "I'm not cleaning this shit up, and when she asks me who gave me these bruises, I'm not lying like Oliver. Now I'm going to bed."
Marc stomped off but I didn't care. I had my phone out and walked back through the open double doors and outside.
Where are you? I'm coming to get you. I sent it and waited for her to reply. I had never wanted to see that speech bubble so badly.
It said read which meant she had read it. Why hadn't she written back?
I watched the minutes tick by. Maybe she didn't know who I was, although who else would be demanding to know where she was.
Please tell me where you are. It's Chase. I sent it after she didn't reply.
Then my eyes shut for a brief second, seeing she was writing back.
I'll be home when I'm done appeared on my screen. What was she doing? Why couldn't she just leave and come to me? The real question was how pissed off was she? The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.
How mad are you? I sent to her, basically dying to know the answer.
Not mad.
My stomach sank. That was even worse. Anger I could deal with. I could try and calm her down. Distance I couldn't handle. I found myself typing three words.
Come home then. Didn't she know I had to see her right now? To somehow fix this mess? Screw it, I never should have agreed to that lunch. I thought I could handle Massie. Clearly I was wrong.
Can't. Working.
Well, if that was the only thing stopping her I could fix that.
You don't need a job.
Can't talk, Chase. I'll see you later.
You promise you will come home?
Yes.
I'm sorry, baby girl.
I was unbelievably sorry. I gripped the rail of the balcony and noticed my fists were bleeding. I should really ice them. Fuck it. Looks like I'm staying up until she comes home. She said she wouldn't be home before midnight, so that meant she was still at least an hour and half away.
I headed inside, walking over the broken glass, picking up my cigarettes from the kitchen island. I pulled a seat out at the table and grabbed an ashtray. I always chain-smoked when I was stressed. This was a classic example.
Chapter 57
Chloe's Point of View
Ash had meant it when she said she was booking her next session with me. Before I knew it, Scott had given me a few of his clients and I had mornings and nights booked. Scott had offered to drive me home but, seeing as he paid me, I kept my word to Chase and took a taxi. I guess when it came down to it I didn't want people knowing where I lived.
It turned out that most of Scott's clients trained at night because of university and work which worked for me.
I paid the taxi driver and watched him pull away. I was surprised he even found the place.
The porch lights came on as I walked up the stairs, balancing my laptop, textbooks and phone. I really needed to get a bag.
I twisted the doorknob and wasn't even mildly surprised to see the lights on. Did the boys ever think, hell, I might turn the lights off? I walked out of the foyer and into the dining room, and I found the reason for why the lights were still on. I guess the boys weren't being lazy not turning them off, considering they weren't all in bed.
His expression was masked as he inhaled a cigarette. As soon as my eyes locked with his intense eyes, they were smoldering like a fire.
I inhaled sharply. Now to have the conversation I had been putting off since I saw him with that woman. If only I could look into his mind and see a sign of what he really wanted and what he was capable of.
"You really shouldn't have stayed up." I finally found words, breaking eye contact with him and dropping the textbooks and laptop on the table.
"Like I could sleep."
I looked up. God, why did that have to come out so husky? Didn't he know his voice did crazy things to me? I licked my lips "Well, you can now."
"Not until we talk." He got up, putting his cigarette in the ashtray, and my hand automatically flung out.
Please don't come any closer. "Chase, what are you doing?" I said, inhaling sharply, my hand pushing into his chest. I could feel his heart beating, his sharp inhales, like he was barely controlling himself. His tight chest under my hand caused my hormones to go off, which had me pulling my hand away.
Until he grabbed it and put it back right over his heart.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." He spoke softly, but his heart was pumping so fast. It was nearly as quick as mine.
"You didn't." I went to pull away from him. I needed space to think clearly but he just made that impossible by pulling me into him. His hands gripping my hips, he made sure there was no space between us.
Why was I letting this happen?
"I did hurt you." His hot breath was swirling around my face as he spoke down to me. "And I'm sorry."
Find words, Chloe. I couldn't just look into his mind to see if he seriously cared, nor could I look in a crystal ball to see if he would be a faithful boyfriend so I had to go with facts.
Facts were, he was a biker. An outlaw. Didn't follow rules. Didn't like commitments. Didn't like ties. I scoffed, hearing myself repeat the facts in my mind, making him frown down at me. Why the hell was he even trying to be in a relationship when everything about him went against it?
"You didn't hurt me because I didn't expect anything more of you." I was honest. I knew there was a reason I was only thinking one day at a time when it came to him. "You can't be in a relationship, Chase."
"I don't know what you saw, but it was harmless."
I pushed him away. I would not let him put this down to my imagination! His grip on me tightened and he held me in place.
"Is this what it is going to be like? Me just dealing with the fact you have club wom
en all over you? You’re just expecting me to put up with it?! I won't be that woman!" I pushed him harder in the chest, and I glared up at him. "Don't make me be that woman."
If he cared for me at all, he wouldn't expect that of me. Hell, I wouldn't expect him to deal with me being all over guys.
My breathing was coming out sharply as I had finally broken his hold on me, but the coldness of not having him touch me swallowed me whole. Why was that worse than being suffocated by his scent and the feel of his hands on me? Claiming me, like I was his; handling me, like I belonged to him.
"Maybe we should try to be friends," I stabbed out. I was desperate to keep him in my life. Somehow. I just didn't see our relationship being a healthy one. I knew I would be jealous every time I saw him with another woman. I knew it would kill me to watch him drag other women to his bedroom. I knew all this. Still, I wanted to be something in his life. A friend was better than nothing.
"Do friends do this?"
Before I could answer and ask what he meant, he had closed the gap between us, his mouth on mine, hungry and greedy, wanting every inch of me. I moaned in his mouth as he deepened the kiss and my body failed me, letting him know exactly how much I wanted this.
One of his arms wrapped around me, and he lifted me up, holding me flat against his chest. I heard his other arm clear the kitchen island of its dishes. Plates, bowls and cutlery went flying to the floor.
He tasted of mints and cigarettes. The perfect blend. My fingers ran over his stubble and down his neck tattoos. My hands locked tightly behind his neck as he kissed the air from my lungs, taking all my oxygen. The facts about him didn't change, but my brain had switched off and I was kissing him like I needed his air to keep me alive.
The kiss was pure passion and built-up aggression. His lips left mine, and I struggled to breathe. He kissed down my neck, right to the spot where he had marked me, and I gasped as he started sucking, marking it all over again.
I opened my eyes when he stopped and saw his eyes darken. My brain might not be working, but something told me his was, like he knew exactly what to do for me to lose my mind.
"We aren't friends, sweetheart." His words sent a thrill of ice through my veins. "You're the only woman I want and you drive me fucking insane." He smirked, like he had lost his mind. "But I'm not letting you go."
"I won't be that woman." I was standing firm. "I won't just put it down to club life." His hands ran up my thighs under my dress, slowly driving me insane. His hands on me were enough to send me over the edge, but I attempted to keep my expression impassive.
"I won't ever expect you to," Chase said simply, his eyes flashing to my lips, then back to looking me in the eye. "Next time, just make a claim if you think your territory is being taken." His willpower must have stopped because his lips were back on mine within a second of the last word coming off his lips.
Make a claim? He wasn't serious, was he? Did he not know I didn't do confrontations? But as his tongue swirled so perfectly in my mouth, I couldn't stop myself from enjoying it, or the thrill that ran down my spine as I felt him lift up my dress. Yes. Touch me right there. His hands moved up my back, slowly pushing my dress up, until it was at my breasts.
Somewhere in my mind, my brain was screaming to stop him, yet the louder voice in my head was screaming help him take it off so I lifted my arms up in the air. His lips were off mine for a second as he took the dress off me and then I was on the kitchen island in my underwear. God, what if one of his brothers came down? Have I completely lost my mind?
"God, you're beautiful." He looked at me with amazement.
I was far from beautiful. I was covered in bruises. My ivory skin, right now, was purple and yellow. I was going to point that out to him when he dragged me to the edge of the kitchen island and pushed into my core. Oh my God. Knowing how turned on he was just sent my willpower to hell and shattered it into a million tiny pieces.
"God, I need you right now," he said against my lips and I gasped as he lifted me off the kitchen island and headed for the stairs.
His lips ran over my collarbone, up my neck, behind my ear, and then started over again.
"Chase. You're. Killing. Me." My nails dug into his back as he continued to leave hot kisses all over my body. My breathing became even more wispy each time he assaulted my skin.
"Good because you've been doing it to me since the moment I met you." He nipped my neck and gasped, my nails going deeper into his skin. We were on the first floor now.
"What if one of your brothers came out right now?" My voice was shaking as I said it.
"So, you don't want me to fuck you in the hallway?" He was teasing me. Did he not see my real concern?
If he wanted to tease me, then I'd do it right back. I shrugged. "Only if you don't care if Marc sees me all hot and sweaty."
His eyes darkened, and the jealousy I knew was in him surfaced.
But I had only just begun. "Oliver wanted to undress me this morning. I'm sure he would be pleased to know you've done the hard bit."
I laughed when his expression went sinister.
"Nothing is funny." His voice was as dark as his eyes.
"You are." I kissed down his neck, tasting the salt on his skin, locking my lips at the base of his neck. I marked him. He groaned and the next think I knew, he kicked the door and it swung open and then he slammed it shut with his leg but, by the way it bounced back open, I had a strong feeling he broke it. "You didn't just break that, did you?"
"Don't give a shit about the door." His lips were on my shoulder, and he pushed my bra strap down. "I need you, baby girl. I need you right now."
I could feel just how much he needed me, and I needed him just as bad. I kissed his neck, and as he lowered me to the bed, my lips were back on his.
It wasn't a soft, gentle kiss. It was full of need, passion and raw aggression. My hands pushed his shirt up, and I wasn't happy until he threw it aside.
"God, you have one amazing body Chase." I gawked at him, not being able to stop what I was thinking from coming out. This was why women loved him. His ripped muscles and tattoos, and how he made you feel tiny.
"As long as you like it." He pressed a hot kiss on my stomach, his hands moving up my sides until they were behind my back and he unclipped my bra. "So darn beautiful," he muttered, looking amazed again. My fingers ran through the back of his hair and I brought his lips back to mine.
But he wasn't settling for that. His lips moved down my neck. He nipped his mark and then kissed the top of my breast near my cleavage. I gasped and moaned at the same time, wanting him to go lower.
But he didn't.
"Mine," he said, and then marked my breast. My hands were gripping his shoulders while my body pressed up into him, wanting him to push inside me. Needing him to do it. "Say it, Chloe. Who do you belong to?"
My mind was fuzzy, and I needed him. "Yours." The word came off my lips too easily.
"Whose?" He nipped my other breast.
"Yours," I panted, feeling his hand go over my stomach, heading for my core. God, yes.
"Again," he growled.
"Yours."
He sucked my bottom lip, and I was expecting him to rip off my underwear and finish what he started when he pulled away, panting.
"What?" I opened my eyes, not understanding where he had gone. "What are you doing?" He was standing there looking like he was struggling with his willpower, as if he was a second away from claiming me and making me scream his name.
"I promised you slow." He leaned forward, kissing my cheek. "And slow is what you are going to get."
You. Had. To. Be. Kidding. Me. "Don't you dare leave me like this, Chase."
"You mean hot and sweaty," he licked my neck, "and tasting like you are ready to burst?"
"Yes." I panted. "Don't be cruel."
"Sorry, baby girl, but I made a promise, and I'm not letting you down again." He pulled completely away from me. "Now I need a shower. A cold on
e," he muttered and headed for the bathroom.
I dropped back on to the bed, not believing he just did that. Groaning, I closed my eyes. My pulse was racing, my heart thumping, my hormones out of control and he left me like this.
I'd kill him if I wasn't so bloody in love with him.
Chapter 58
Chloe's Point of View
I can't believe he chose this moment to keep his word. Slow. He wanted to give me slow. I groaned again and moved up the bed. He wasn't the only one that needed a cold shower. Somehow I would get my way. Maybe not tonight though.
Even though I knew he was naked in the next room, I didn't make a move. I'd have to break that willpower of his. At the same time, it wouldn't kill us to go slow.
I slipped in between the sheets, my head falling down on the pillow. Darn this bed. I swear sleeping in it was like heaven.
There was a knock on the bedroom door and, considering the door was broken, it just opened. I sat up in bed, pulling the blankets to my chest.
"Hey Chloe, this was going off downstairs." Archie walked in and threw the phone on the bed.
"Thanks Archie." I smiled and attempted not to be awkward even though the top half of me was naked under this blanket. "Sorry to wake you up."
"Nah, it's alright, my stomach did that." Archie's eyes flashed to my arm. "How is the arm?"
"Aching at the moment. I did some heavy lifting, even though Jenkins told me not to," I muttered at my own stupidity. Jenkins told me not to do any weight training, but I couldn't stop myself from helping Ash with her weights or Scott's other clients.
"Let me have a look at it." Archie moved across the room.
"Can you pass me that top on the ground?" I asked as he walked past Chase's top that Chase had just taken off.
Archie picked it up and threw it at me. Within a second, I was threading my arms through it and over my head. Feeling more comfortable, I put my arm out.
His cool hands ran over it and he studied it. "Looks like you could have pulled some stitches."
"They don't look ruined." I frowned. Sure, it was red and inflamed, but the stitches looked fine.