Chase & Chloe

by Simone Elise

  Sammy looked at me in the mirror while Jess just got off the treadmill.

  "Of your figure!" Sammy said. "Clearly you work for it but come on Chloe, you are smoking hot."

  I laughed and lowered the bar and its weights to the ground. "You're the one with the killer body."

  She scoffed. "I hate my arms." She put her arms out. "I really hate them."

  I looked at her arms, "There is nothing wrong with your arms."

  "Well, I hate my thighs," Jess said, joining Sammie's pity party. "I swear I can't get rid of the fat."

  I shook my head. "You two are stunning. Seriously, you shouldn't be putting yourselves down." I didn't get why women put themselves down. Why did girls compare themselves to magazine pictures? They are edited and cropped and nowhere near believable.

  Every human body has faults. I just didn't see the point in pointing them out. My body was nowhere near in great condition. I could be fitter, more toned, healthier, and a hell of a lot stronger but I just wasn't that strict with my diet. Hell, I enjoyed chocolate.

  "I have never met two more stunning females, your DNA just screams perfection," I said, gulping down my water.

  "The boys got the good DNA." Sammie frowned and pointed to Jess and herself. "And we got the insecurities."

  "You both should be more like your brothers. Just don't give a damn what others think of you." I shrugged. That was what the boys’ attitude was like. Sure, they were all drop-dead gorgeous and handsome, but they didn't care what others thought of them. It worked for them.

  "Yeah, the boys are incredibly good-looking." Sammie said and started to stretch. "One look and women will follow them anywhere."

  "You two have the same pull over males." I looked between them. "I've seen it first-hand." That night we went out, men were following them.

  Sammie shrugged, looking deflated about it. I wanted to reassure her, but I wasn't sure on what to say. I had never had a female friend before. Boys I got. Girls not so much. Like why would they want to tear themselves apart to look like a model? To look like those girls that filled the magazine pages.

  I didn't get it.

  Right now, as I looked at how stunning Sammie was, her deep dark hair, her naturally tanned skin and those eyes, it was hard for me not to make her look in the mirror and acknowledge the fact she was worrying over nothing.

  Then I looked at Jess, and she was just as insecure as her sister.

  Chase really needed to give them a pep talk about body image. He was their older brother, wasn't that something he should do? Then again, brothers and men were known for not caring about what a woman thought about themselves.

  But brothers were meant to pull their sisters up. Especially big brothers.

  “Okay, I'm done." Sammie said, finishing stretching. "I wonder if Chase has bought me a car yet." Her face lit up. "You coming, Chloe?"

  "Um no. I haven't done nearly enough cardio yet. You guys go. I'm going to run on the treadmill for a while." And think of a way to bring up their problems with Chase.

  "You are insane." Sammie shook her head. "I need to be more like you. In fact, I'm going to try now." She sounded determined and went to one of the treadmills. "I never run, but I'm going to give it a go."

  I nodded my head. "Okay, but you have to start slow if you aren't used to running."

  "I can keep up," Sammie said, starting the treadmill.

  I nodded my head again. “Okay." She was going to be burned out within five minutes.

  Chase's Point of View

  Marc followed me into the kitchen. He was suffering nearly as much as me. Chloe was making it her mission to tempt me from my plan on us going slow. I swear every outfit she picked out was to torture me.

  And who else was suffering watching her? Marc.

  "That girlfriend of yours attempted to kill me!" Sammie yelled at me as soon as I entered the kitchen.

  "Chloe is insanely fit, did you know that, Chase?" Jess added.

  Well, that made sense. Sammie was talking about exercise. She had me thinking Chloe had gone rogue again.

  "Yeah, I did." I looked between the two of them, panting and gulping down water. "You two didn't try and keep up with her, did you?" Surely they weren't that stupid. Chloe was basically a trained athlete.

  I read their expressions. They had.

  "Well, I didn't know she was so bloody fit!" Sammie snapped at me, like I was the idiot. "She lifts more than you, I reckon!"

  "Yeah, she would put Chase to shame," Marc added and smirked.

  I rolled my eyes. Chloe was strong, but she wasn't at my level yet, when it came to weights that was. I was sure when it came to cardio, she would give me a run for my money.

  I prided myself on my strength. I had to be strong to be the head of this family. To not only intimidate people that were a threat, but also to make sure I had the power to take someone out if needed.

  Being a President also meant I needed to have strength. I never let my physical health get neglected, but I wasn't nearly as dedicated to it as Chloe.

  I really needed to get some tips off her.

  "Where is she?" I asked, having left her early this morning. I was itching to see her. Also, as bad as it was, I wanted to know what she had planned to torture me with today.

  "Still running," Sammie said and collapsed in a chair. "I don't think my legs will ever stop burning."

  "You shouldn't have tried to keep up with her," I said over my shoulder as I headed for the gym.

  Chloe had a habit of pushing herself to the limit. Jenkins would normally make sure she took breaks, but I had a feeling she wouldn't be doing that now. When I walked through the doorway, I had my answer.

  She was pushing herself.

  She was panting and sweating and running flat out. How long had she been doing that for? I picked up my pace and headed for her.

  Looks like I'll have to monitor her workouts.

  I looked at the time - over an hour, and she was still going. She spotted me just as I was decreasing the speed on the treadmill.

  She slowed down because I was forcing her to.

  She pulled her earbuds out.

  "Hey," she managed to get out in between sharp breaths.

  She was going to be banned from working out without me. "Have you been lifting weights?" I didn't want to tell her off, but she was asking for it.

  She frowned. "Do you want me to lie to you?"

  "No. So you have been lifting weights then."

  "How did you know I wasn't meant to be lifting weights?" she said, getting off the treadmill.

  It was instinct to wrap my arms around her and lift her off. She was quick to push away from me as soon as she was away from the machine.

  Another thing she was doing, not letting me touch her. I groaned. "Come on, you’re still not letting me touch you?"

  She smirked. "I told you I'm off limits. And you didn't answer my question. How did you know I wasn't meant to be lifting?"

  I rolled my eyes. How was I going to get her to come around?

  "You've basically had your arm slit open, Chloe. It makes sense you shouldn't be lifting anything. So you knew you shouldn't be lifting, but you did it anyway?" Just keep a lid on the temper.

  She picked up her towel and ignored me.

  "Chloe."

  She turned around, sighing. "I don't need a lecture."

  "Well, you will be getting one."

  She groaned. "I thought you were busy today?" She went to take off, but I gripped her upper arm, stopping her from bolting.

  Right, the busy day I thought I had until I got to the motel. My anger for her and her exercise disappeared. I'd ensure that her workouts were supervised from now on.

  She turned, looking annoyed I had stopped her from bolting from me.

  "I did have a busy day, until I got to the motel." I said.

  Her angered expression soon changed to one of panic. "So you know. Explains while you're so mad."
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  I couldn't help but smile, letting go of her arm. "I'm pissed off because you are intent on pushing your body to the limits so, from now on; you aren't allowed to exercise without me."

  She groaned. "WHY?"

  "Cause I said so."

  "Your word isn't law."

  "It is when it comes to you." I arched my eyebrows, challenging her. Would she defy me?

  She pouted for a few seconds and then nodded her head. "Fine, you have me there."

  Now back to why I wanted to see her in the first place. "You've been busy." I smiled and cupped her face. "Doing my work."

  She rolled her eyes. "I made a few calls. Hardly doing your work."

  "You saved me days, no, screw that, weeks. I have a clubhouse ready to open which means members, which means women and which means I get my brothers out of this house and I get to be alone with you." I dipped my head, ready to kiss her, but she pulled away.

  "Well, I'm glad I helped you. But I'm still off limits."

  I groaned. "Come on! At least let me kiss you. You've saved me so much work." God, I was dying to kiss her. If I had known she was going to pull this stunt with the no touching, I would have made sure to get a good dose of her.

  She shook her head, smirking. "I'm off limits. But I'm happy to help."

  "When will you give this up? This off-limits shit." I narrowed my eyes at her. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to kiss her. Hell, it was taking all my willpower just not to give in and do what she wanted.

  "It's your birthday tomorrow, yeah?"

  "Unfortunately, yes." I normally didn't care about birthdays. Didn't give a fuck if I was turning a year older. Usually it just meant a night I wouldn't remember but this year, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of turning a year older because it meant I was one more year older than Chloe.

  She laughed. "Don't sound so happy about it."

  "Well, I don't see getting a year older than you as something to celebrate. There are already enough reasons for you not to date me, I don't want my age to be another one."

  She laughed again, so sweet and captivating. "Your age isn't going to scare me off. Trust me."

  "Well, if my criminal record doesn't and my age doesn't, what would?"

  Her laughter dried up, and I knew immediately there was something about me that scared her off.

  "Well," she inhaled sharply and shook her head, like she was so close to telling me but decided not to. "Nothing."

  "Nah, don't lie, baby girl, and tell me what it is so I can work on it." I wrapped an arm around her and she gave me a pointed look, so, with some regret, I let go of her.

  She took a step away from me. "You're an alpha male, Chase. I wouldn't change anything, and nothing scares me off, apart from…" she chewed her bottom lip.

  I nodded for her to keep going.

  "Well, apart from how I feel about you. That scares me." She started backing away from me, her serious expression disappearing. "Now I'm going to have a shower. I'd say you are welcome to join, but that doesn't go with your going slow approach, does it?" She smirked and then spun around and left.

  The minx sent from hell to torture me.

  "At least put something on that doesn't show off your every asset," I said to her back.

  She was laughing as she disappeared.

  How important was going slow? I was so tempted to just join her in the shower but then she would be kicking herself later. She didn't realize it, but I was doing this for her own good. She needed to slowly enter this so she realized how serious I was.

  She wasn't just a fling.

  She was the real deal, and if that meant I had to pull on all the self-control I had not to give in to her, then I would.

  Chapter 63

  Chase's Point of View

  Yep. She was doing it on purpose. I tore my eyes off her as she came laughing down the porch steps with Sammie, wearing yet another outfit to tease me. Did she pick that skirt knowing I wouldn't be able to stop imagining running my hands under it? For some reason, I thought she did.

  My eyes were back on my bike. I had missed my bike. I had missed the road but right now I was glaring at it, frustrated and I was frustrated because Chloe was wearing my willpower down. Marc was slowly easing my bike down from the truck.

  All our bikes had been stored at mom’s house for months. The boys were just happy to get their bikes back. Well, that's how I was explaining their excitement. And Oliver. Well…I sighed. Was there a word to describe him?

  Oliver had always driven the van, but now we were settling into a charter, I let him finally get a bike to ride with us.

  "So Chloe, you going to be the first lady to be on the back of my bike?" Oliver grinned. It wasn't his first bike, but he was acting like it was.

  "NO FUCKING WAY!" I snapped. Did he really think I would allow that?

  "Why not?" Oliver looked offended and mounted his bike, still grinning.

  "Yeah Chase, don't be so protective," Chloe said, walking towards him.

  "Don't encourage him." I pointed a finger at her. "And it's not happening."

  "Again, I say why?" Oliver snapped at me.

  "Chloe is only getting on the back of my bike and Marc's."

  "That's not fair! Why is she allowed on Marc's and not mine?"

  "Because we are the only ones with a clean riding history," Marc said, parking my bike in a row with the others.

  "You guys don't have a clean record! Hell, you only got your license back last month! And you didn't stop driving or riding while suspended." Oliver pointed a finger at Marc. Marc losing his license hadn't stopped him from riding or driving, Oliver was right. When it came to the law, we didn't follow it.

  "What he means is we are the only ones who haven't been in an accident," I clarified what Marc had said. At least Marc knew where I was coming from.

  All of my brothers apart from Marc had ridden off bikes, whether it be road bikes or dirt bikes and even cars and, in Oliver's case, vans.

  "Oh come on, that was in the van! I'll be more careful on the bike," Oliver said, now understanding what angle we were coming from.

  "I trust Oliver," Chloe said and dared to put her hands on his shoulders, as if she was getting on with him.

  I moved so fast, I was slightly dizzy when I lifted her off the back of the bike.

  "Like I said, not happening." I kept my hands on her and, for the first time this week, she didn't bolt straight away as I touched her.

  She brushed my hands off her.

  Thought too soon.

  "So where's my car?" Sammie appeared at my side. "And I thought Chloe was getting one as well?"

  I didn't get to answer in time as Sammie started squealing as soon as the truck moved.

  "It's BLACK! I wanted black." Sammie ran toward her new car. "AND IT'S A V8!"

  "I still don't know how I feel about you having a V8." I watched my over-excited sister with her new car.

  "Have I told you how much of a great big brother you are and how much I love you?" Sammie grinned, not believing her luck.

  "That's not fair. She gets a new car, what do I get?" Jess appeared at my side.

  I looked at her like she couldn't be serious. "Last time I checked, I killed someone for you, Jess." I gave her a look she couldn't argue with and also a fact she couldn't argue with.

  She rolled her eyes. "I would have preferred a car, especially one that costs the price of a house."

  "A house? Please tell me those cars aren't that expensive?" Chloe looked between us with wide eyes and a pleading look.

  Of course Jess would mention price. Would it really kill Chloe if I spent money on her? I had enough of it. I wanted her looked after. God, when it came down to it, I did the whole house for her and she was freaking out about a car?

  I wonder what her reaction would be if she found out how much I had spent on the house for her.

  "It's just a car, Chloe," I said and went to reach for her, but she brush
ed my hands off.

  "I told you to get one that wasn't expensive!"

  Did she know how frustrating it was to argue over money? Something I had a lot of. "And I told you I wouldn't tell you how much I spent." I glanced at Jess and, if she hadn't compared it to a house, Chloe wouldn't be freaking out. "It's just a car, Chloe." I looked back at her, seeing her frowning. "Now is the part where you say thank you."

  She looked torn immediately. I knew half of her wanted to yell at me some more, while the other half of her knew she was being rude. Her lips parted and she sighed.

  "Thank you."

  I put the keys in her hand and she turned them around, still frowning. She might have said thank you, but she wasn't really thankful. Something else was playing on her mind, and I was going to find out what it was.

  "Jess, go away. I need to talk to Chloe." I turned all my attention on to Chloe, who was rocking on her feet. Jess grumbled, but left. The boys were focused on their bikes. Sammie was drooling over her new car, and now Jess was telling Sammie all about how unfair it was.

  I knew Chloe didn't want me touching her but, like always, I couldn't stop myself. And right now I think I had to touch her for her to understand what I was about to say.

  I gripped her hips, standing in front of her. "You do realize what is mine is yours, right?" When she wouldn't look me in the eye, I took one hand off her and lifted her head up. "It's just a car, Chloe."

  "No, it's not. It's you looking after me again." She blew out a breath and her eyes locked with mine. "You're always taking care of me."

  "What's wrong with that?" I didn't see anything wrong with that. I wanted to look after her. How could me looking after her be the problem? I didn't want her to want for anything. God, it was only a car! When it came down to it, the house was just a house. I still couldn't give her what she was giving me - a purpose.

  "I can never give you anything back! Don't you get that? I can't give you anything. I don't have money. I don't have a family. I…don't have anything to offer you." She looked really upset about this. "Like nothing. At all."

  She was really selling herself short.

  She shook her head. "You pay for everything, you are giving me this amazing house to live in and your family, which is amazing. And on top of all that, you saved my life." She looked at me like I was a crazy person. "I can't begin to pay you back." The worry in her eyes didn't belong there. She was worrying over nothing. She didn't owe me a thing.