“Yes.” She swept away a tear. Her lip trembled as she tried to speak.
“Son-of-a-bitch better hope I never get my fucking hands on him. He’ll have more than a fucking scar to contend with,” Chase bit out. “I’ll fucking kill him.”
“Don’t say that, Chase, then I’d lose you too.” She squeezed in tighter.
Running his fingers up and down her arm in an infinity pattern, he watched his finger’s path on her soft skin, calmed down and smiled. “Sorry, baby. Go on.”
“We were high school sweethearts. I thought we were in love. We moved in together after graduation even though his parents protested. My mother passed away when I was small and left me a sizable inheritance so I bought a little house and started college. He couldn’t find work, and that’s when he joined the army…then he changed.”
“How did he change?” Chase asked, smoothing his hand over her hair, his touch so attentive.
“Jackson got angry at the smallest things. He’d sit and stare for hours at nothing, just stare and then he would snap out of it and want sex or to slap me around. Sex was so cold…he’d get off and leave the house for the night, then come in with flowers in the morning before he left to go to the base.”
She took a deep breath, and tears welled up in her eyes. A single tear escaped. Chase reached over and wiped it away, fixing his attention solely on her. He was so overwhelmed with the urge to strike out that he found it arduous to listen without completely losing it and ripping something apart.
“One night, he came home and told me that he wanted to turn up the heat…sexually…I didn’t understand at first, and then, when he showed me a coil of rope and a crop, I freaked out. I tried to get away but…he just hit me over and over until I passed out from the pain.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. Chase pulled away the cushion, crushing her to his chest.
“It’s ok, baby, I’ve got you. You don’t need to say another thing.”
“Yes I do. I’ve never told anyone other than Mik…you need to know…you deserve to know why I’m such a mess to deal with.”
“You’re not a mess, the situation is a mess.”
“I’m a fucking mess, my life’s a mess, and this nightmare is a mess!” she cried out. “Let me finish, then you can decide.” He nodded and she continued. “I can’t tell you how many times he promised he’d never hurt me again, and I was so stupid, I believed. The next time it happened, I ran away, making up my mind that I would never again let another man control me or hurt me. I came to Boston and stayed with Mik until I was picked up by the firm. I didn’t think he’d find me here. I thought he would stay in my past, but I was wrong…what the fuck am I going to do Chase?”
“I’m here.”
She trembled in his arms. She was so exhausted. “He sent me a letter and photos. I thought I saw him on the street too, but I wrote it off as a dream. He was the one that broke into my apartment.”
“How do you know it was him?”
“There was a message on the letter and the mirror in my washroom,” she said, shaking as she remembered the bright red letters. She spoke slowly, quietly, almost a whisper. “It said dollface…he called me dollface.” Her eyes stung with tears. She bit her lip trying so badly not to turn into a ball of mush again in front of Chase, but the tears flowed far beyond her control in a stream down her cheeks.
“Dollface?” Chase asked. Such a strange term of endearment for someone you caused so much pain, Chase thought, not wanting to voice his opinion and cause her more anguish.
Eden shook her head and swallowed back real fear as she stared into his eyes. “Don’t ever say that name again. Promise me, never.”
“Never, I promise.”
“Chase, I’ve never been this scared in my life. He hurt me so bad. I’m afraid he might try to kill me. He knows where I am, he’s been watching me. He probably knows my routine. I don’t know what to do next.”
“Don’t worry, baby, he’ll never hurt you again. You’ll be safe here. I have a security team I’ll meet with and see to it that this son-of-a-bitch won’t get near you.” He took his cell from his pocket and hit a button. Instantly, he was talking to someone on the other end. She felt a rush as he stepped into his hero mode.
“Mason. I have a private project for you. Come up to Pen1 right away,” he told the man, not waiting for any response.
“Wow, people just jump when you speak. Wish I had that kind of power.” Eden gave a half-laugh.
Chase held her face in his hands and kissed the tip of her nose. “Believe me, baby, you do have that kind of power, and it makes me hard just thinking about it.” He reached down to his crotch and adjusted himself. She blushed at his boldness and laughed.
“You keep blushing like that, and we’re going to end up in a most inappropriate position when Mason arrives.”
“Mason?” Eden asked but before Chase could answer, a chime from the elevator sounded, making her jump.
“Chase, man, where you at?” a deep voice boomed through the air.
Chase walked over and opened the door to roar at his company. “Movie room!”
Mason entered the room and shared a masculine shoulder hug and slap on the back with Chase. He was like a blond mirror image of Chase, buff and sexy in a tight-fitting, black wife beater and baggy, hanging green camo pants. He turned to inspect Eden with eyes water-blue and dangerous-looking. She figured he was not a man to be reckoned with.
“This is the special project?” He turned to Chase, nodding in Eden’s direction.
“Mason, this is Eden Fox, and yes, I guess you’d say she’s the special project.”
His eyes trailed from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. After taking in every inch of her, expressionless, he seemed satisfied enough with what he saw and gave her a smile.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Fox. So what’s the assignment?” he asked, as they sat on either side of her on the sofa. She felt like the filling in an Oreo cookie between these two hulks. Could she be any safer?
Chase filled in Mason with the details that he knew as Eden sat staring at her hands, thinking how she must look. Puffy eyes no doubt and a red nose. She was very aware of the fact that they were talking like she wasn’t in the room.
“Eden?” Mason directed her to look at him once she left her thoughts. “I need more info here. What’s this guy’s full name, and where did he live the last you knew of?”
“Jackson David Hartley. We lived in Texas. Lubbock, Texas. Just north of Reese Air Force Base. But that was over three years ago.” Her eyes moved in Chase’s direction. He was busy with his Blackberry, intent with what he was doing.
“Was this motherfucker military?” he asked, and Chase reached past Eden to slam his fist into Mason’s shoulder.
“Nice talk, man!” Chase chastened.
“I’m pretty sure I can handle it, Chase,” she scolded. “Yes, he was military.”
“Easy enough to find him then.” Mason reached over and smashed his fist into Chase’s arm. It was amusing how these two carried on with some kind of competitive force. Eden was glad for the hilarity of it all. It helped ease the tension, as crazy as that sounded.
“I’m already on it.” Chase squinted in pain and smiled as he punched the key pad of his Blackberry. “Shit, dishonorable discharge!” Chase slammed his fist into the sofa and stood to face them.
“What does that mean, why are you so pissed off?” Eden asked, a bit shaken at his rage. She had seen this side of him before, and she’d rather not now, it was scary.
Mason and Chase met each other’s eyes, neither one spoke.
“Tell me Chase!” she demanded.
“It just means that he was discharged from the forces for a grave offense. Since he already got away, he can easily disappear. He’s going to be harder to find,” Chase said, still scrolling through his Blackberry.
“But we know he’s here in Boston,” Eden stated, looking at Mason’s scowling eyes. “What kind of grave offence?”
“Could
be anything from espionage, sabotage, to murder.” Mason’s eyes moved from Eden to Chase.
“I’m on it man. I’ll meet with the guys and get back to you in a few hours. Sit tight,” Mason said as he stood.
He and Chase walked to the doorway, and Mason turned to Eden with a determined look. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, sweetheart, we’ll get him. You’re very safe here. You’ll be taken very good care of.” He winked and Eden nodded nervously.
“I’ll be right back,” Chase assured Eden before leaving the room.
At the elevator, Mason glanced over Chase’s shoulder, making sure they were alone before talking. “I have a military source I’ll call as soon as I get downstairs to my office. This joker won’t be walking the streets for long.”
Chase slapped him on the shoulder as he entered the elevator. “Thanks, man!”
Mason leaned forward with a grin and whispered, “She’s hot man, you doing her?”
“Fuck off!” Chase reached out, shoving him into the elevator with his hand on his head.
“Nice! Very nice!”
When Chase came back into the room, he found Eden asleep on the sofa where he left her. He scooped her into his arms, and she nestled her head into his chest with a sigh, barely stirring. He carried her to his room, placed her carefully on his bed, covered her with a throw and kissed her forehead. He watched her for a few minutes as she slept, thinking how beautiful she was and how he just wanted to keep her right there in his bed and never let her go.
“No one will ever hurt you again, baby,” he whispered softly.
***
After a day filled with quiet cuddling and many make-out sessions, Eden lay wide awake most of the night, in fear of the nightmares coming. Her cheek rested against Chase’s chest. She concentrated on his breathing and the beat of his heart.
She rose gently from the bed so that she didn’t disturb his sleep. She pulled back the sheer curtain from the window and looked out at the quiet city below them. The buildings across from the apartment told a story all their own. Some were lit brightly with the odd movement at the windows, while others were dark with no movement at all.
Eden wondered what the occupants inside were dealing with in their lives. Did they lay awake, staring into the night, wishing for a way to escape like she did? Did they have a life free of worries? Did they hurt each other with violence, saying terrible things to one another? Did they spill endless tears?
She hugged her arms together and gave in to her emotions, quietly weeping, tears dripping from her eyes, landing on her folded arms.
Why is this happening to me? Why does my life have to be so hard?
A strong arm wrapped around her, embracing her gently. The other hand held out a tissue. She took it and wiped at her face. Silently they stood together as she cried.
After they had spent what felt like hours at the window, Chase could feel her exhaustion as she leaned into him. He smoothly lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. She was so sad, and his heart ached painfully. He set her down on the bed on her side and cradled into her back, brushing her hair with his fingers until her breathing became soft and shallow, falling into a restless sleep.
When her eyes opened to the bright morning light shining into the room, she found Chase watching her with his head leaning on his hand.
“You’re beautiful when you sleep., he whispered in a breathy voice.
“Morning,” she said, reaching out a hand and stroking his cheek, feeling the roughness of his beard against her skin. “Thank you for last night,” she said, rolling onto her side to look at him closer.
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m here to take care of you. Day and night.”
Her index finger outlined the shape of his lips. He darted his tongue out and licked the tip. “You’re too much,” she whispered.
“What does that mean?” He slipped his hand under the sheet and smoothed it over her hip.
“You’re this wonderful man that’s remarkably caring, kind, and sensitive. Most men in this situation would have run screaming for the hills, but you’re still here. Why? I’m such a mess. This is all such a mess. You should have listened to me when I said it wasn’t a good idea to get together.”
“Stop.” He took her chin, demanding her full attention. “You’re here because I want you here. I don’t care about your so-called mess, we’ll deal with that. We have something great here.” He waved a finger between them. “Don’t get spooked and run off now.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “You have a shower, and I’ll make us breakfast.” He gazed into her eyes for a long while before rolling off of the bed and closing the door behind him.
Standing against the closed door, Chase took a deep breath, thankful that she didn’t recall the many dreams she had throughout the night. The dreams that woke him as she begged her captor to stop and called out for help.
He wasn’t sure exactly what this evil piece of slime had done to her, but after watching her thrash about in what should have been a peaceful sleep, he vowed to even the score on her behalf and do whatever it took to rid the planet of the asshole.
***
“I need to call work.” Eden started to stir from her comfy position resting on Chase’s lap.
“You know you can’t go to work.” Chase pulled her back.
“I have to work, Chase. I have deadlines to meet and bills to pay. Besides, what do I tell my boss? My crazy ex is following me so I’m staying with Chase Dean until he’s found, but nothing’s going on.”
“I can arrange for you to work from here,” he offered. “I’ll talk to Hawthorn. I’ll tell him I need you on site. Not a lie. I do need you, and I can keep you in my sights right here 24/7.”
Eden shook her head. “You can’t talk to Hawthorn. You can’t chance him finding out about us. I’m serious. We had a deal. You promised me no one would find out.” Panicked, she looked at him with pleading eyes. She put her hands on his chest and tried to push away, but his hold only increased.
“No one’s going to find out. I won’t say a thing…it’s just that…well how can I keep an eye on you? How do I keep you safe at work, send Mason with you?”
Squirming in his hold, she managed to straddle his hips. “No Mason. I can only imagine the questions if Mason followed me around all day.” Biting into the soft tissue of her inner cheek, she sat and contemplated her next words. “New deal, I have to go to the office. Everything I need is there, so I’ll make an excuse and at least get my stuff and bring it back here. I can buy a few days at best.” Eden wasn’t about to let go of that much control by having a man up her ass all day long, distracting her and every other woman in the building.
Work grounded her, kept her whole. It was like her glue that held it all together, and without it, she feared she’d fall to pieces. She didn’t necessarily need to be in the office to do it. Hell, she worked from home all the time. This was yet another test of just how much she was willing to submit.
“Eden, you’re not going to stop me from taking care of you, no matter where you are. Call and tell your secretary that you won’t be in today.” He squeezed her tight in a bear hug.
She giggled as she squirmed free from his hold to look closely at his face. This sweet control freak wasn’t going to win this battle. “I know you want to take care of me, and I love that, but I need my things from the office. I can’t work without them. Besides, I should get the photos for Officer Kelly.” Her excuse was feeble, but she was sure it would work in her favor.
Chase ran his hand through his raven hair, blowing out a sigh. She infuriated him with her need for independence and power. “Fine, I‘ll have Mason take us. I need talk to Hawthorn anyway, not about you, I promise. But we go straight there and back.”
Eden smiled, nodding her head, and then saluted him. “Yes sir, Mr. Dean.”
“Not funny, baby! Don’t piss me off and make me spank you!” He sneered.
“Oh my, Mr. Dean, I just might like that.�
�� She bit her lower lip jokingly.
He shifted her off of his knee and stood planting a kiss on her forehead. “Later. Just keep defying me! Keep trying to get your own way.” He took her by the hand and headed up the stairs to his office.
“You can use the phone in here. I’ll call Mason on my cell and fill him in.” He sat her in his large leather chair and whirled her around, stopping her with a jerk. She looked at him, wide-eyed from the sudden shock. He leaned into the chair inches from her face, smiled that smile, the one that made her melt into a puddle, and she felt a rush to her lower parts as he turned away, walking to the other side of the room.
Oh god, he’s good!
Eden lifted the receiver and punched in the numbers, all the time watching Chase as he paced back and forth across the room. He was so intense and commanding. She loved it, and she couldn’t wait until they had an opportunity for sex again. Licking her lips when Chase turned to catch her staring, she grinned and looked away when Amanda answered the call.
“Good afternoon, Eden Fox’s office.”
“Hi, Amanda.”
“Miss Fox, are you ok? I was getting worried when I hadn’t heard from you.” She sounded truly concerned. Eden felt guilty for the lie she was about to tell.
“I’m not feeling well today. Sorry I didn’t call sooner, but I was resting. I’ll be in later today to pick up a few things.” Eden hated to lie to her, but it was for the best, and it really wasn’t too far off. She really didn’t feel well; her stomach was one giant knot. “I’ll probably work from home for a few days.”
“Will I have your calls transferred to your home phone?” Amanda offered.
“No! I mean no thanks. Transfer them to my cell, ok?” Her nerves were on end, and she needed to get off the phone. It was making her erratic, and besides, she was terrible at lying. “You may as well head home early, Amanda. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow, ok?”
“Ok, Miss Fox. Get better,” Amanda said in that sweet, grating way of hers.
Eden's Pleasure (Pulse Book 1) Page 15