Worth the Chase

by J. L. Beck

  “My answer is yes,” I whispered it, and I wasn’t even sure why.

  “What was that?” he questioned, as if he hadn’t heard me when the truth of the matter was he just wanted to hear me say it again.

  “I said yes. My answer is yes, Chase.” I whirled around, not realizing just how close we were until my lips skimmed against his with the motion. His eyes were hooded as they darted from my eyes, across my chest and then up to my lips.

  His dark hair was a mess, his eyes like blue flames. Before I could mutter a single word his full lips descended upon my own. He devoured me as if he hadn’t ever had a taste of me.

  “Mmmm,” Chase groaned into my mouth, right before pulling away and leaving me a flustered mess. As I stared up at him, a hazy feeling settled into my bones. We were finally going to be official and even though it scared the daylights out of me, it meant that we had made some type of headway.

  “I’ve missed the way you taste, the way you smell.” His nose skimmed against my neck, his scent just as intoxicating as his words that set my body on fire.

  “I’ve missed you too,” I replied honestly, my voice raspy.

  “To have you as my girl…” he paused momentarily, thinking over his next words I’m sure. “Is what I want. That way I can prove to you just how much I worship the ground you walk on.” His face was leaning into mine, his lips mere inches away.

  “Excuse me.” Taylor’s voice met my ears and immediately Chase pulled away, his body no longer covering mine from her view.

  “Yea− yeah?” I stumbled over my words, drunk on the presence of Chase alone.

  Taylor was wearing a skin tight black dress, her red hair was all over the place and she had a pair of black glasses on.

  “I was going to ask if you were getting ready, but I can see that you’re ready for one thing, and it’s most definitely not the party.” She smiled at me with a twinkle of mischievous in her eyes, before laughing and eyeing Chase up.

  “She’s ready,” Chase responded with that arrogant smile marred all over his face.

  “I bet she is lover boy.” Taylor rolled her eyes in mock disgust as she walked out of the room. Pulling myself from his embrace, I grabbed my stuff for the party.

  “I’m claiming you as my own tonight. I can’t wait to be inside of you again, to stroke every single part of your body. No more rules, no more boundaries. Just you and me in our rawest forms, bared open completely to one another.” His words made my belly do this crazy little flop, the deepness of his voice had me wanting to shimmy out of my panties and let him stroke me as he brought me to ecstasy over and over again. I didn’t dare make that move, though. I held on to the little bit of willpower I had left in my body and turned to face him.

  “Good. I look forward to being yours,” I said softly, my voice not even something I would recognize. My body felt flushed, my heart beating as if I had just run a triathlon. Before he could retort I was out the door, running from my room and heading straight to where I knew I could find Taylor.

  For some reason, I stopped outside of her door. Maybe to calm myself before unloading everything that had just happened to me on to her, but the next words spoken by a very familiar voice caught me completely off guard.

  “It’s nothing, Tay.” Chance’s words were soft, unsure, and vulnerable.

  “It’s something, you know it. You’re just too damn afraid to admit it.” I could sense the pain and irritation that Taylor felt and that was all it took for me to know I had to bring an end to their conversation before things were said that would hurt long after an apology.

  I pushed through her door and came face to face with a shocked Chance. The softness in his face turned to stone, his mannerism went from gentlemen like to being completely on guard. Something wasn’t right here.

  “I came to get ready,” I shot at Taylor not really wanting to look at Chance anymore. His facial expression was pained and if I couldn’t ask questions as to why, I didn’t want to see it.

  “Yea, what took you so long? I was waiting for you,” Taylor threw back at me, before looking at Chance to see if he would dismiss himself. He got the hint, barely whispering a ‘talk to you later’ as he disappeared through the same door I had just entered not even a second later.

  “Spill the beans and I do mean right MEOW!” I growled, a look of anger in my eyes. She was hiding something and because I had been so caught up in my own shit I had failed to see it. A look of sorrow crossed her face just as she slammed herself down onto the edge of her mattress.

  “I don’t even know what to say, let alone where to start.” Taylor’s sadness radiated through me. She was my best friend, we had grown up together and seeing her struggle through something this early in her college career made me want to be here for her that much more.

  “How about the beginning? How about when you and Chance started meeting up?” I asked her as I sat down beside her.

  “We haven’t been meeting up. We live in the same house. It’s not a crime to see one another, or to stop and talk.” I narrowed my eyes, something that my dad did often when he was questioning me and my brothers growing up.

  “True, but you are saying it as if you are defending him and your relationship.”

  Taylor rolled her eyes. “You’re looking at this entire situation wrong. Nothing is going on. We’re just friends. Just roommates, just normal college students.” It was in her words and the way she said them that made me aware of what was going on. I paused for a moment, then I wrapped my arms around her and brought her in for a hug.

  “If you’re looking for more from him, then you should say it,” I said faintly. I could hear her heart beating, and I swear it felt like my own. Gazing down at her, I watched as her eyes filled with tears.

  Taylor shook her head, blinking the tears back as she pulled away, “I don’t want more. I just want normal. I want love, and unfortunately sometimes life has other plans for you.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  Taylor was amazing beyond words, and she deserved the world. One day she would get her normal, her love, and regardless if she could see it now or not− her more.

  The beer in my hand was cold, reminding me of where I was and what I was doing. I hadn’t taken a drink yet, I didn’t want to be drunk or even have a buzz when she came up those stairs and I got to claim her as my own in front of everyone here tonight.

  I watched Chance in the corner as he sat on the marble counter in the kitchen, his own red solo cup in hand. I wasn’t sure what he was drinking, but I knew he needed a little pick me up, so I got up to go and get him a new drink and it was then that I heard her.

  I turned around, facing the direction of Gia’s laugh as my eyes met hers. Everything seemed to slow down for one second as I watched her take her first step across the floor. She was decked out in tight leather black pants that showed off every inch of her body. Whiskers were painted on her cheeks and pink smeared across her nose while a tail dragged behind her on the floor as she made her way towards me.

  The short sleeve, all black shirt that she was wearing molded her luscious breasts. ‘Let me see your kitties’ was written across her chest, causing a deep laugh to escape my throat.

  “That’s some outfit,” I paused, scratching the back of my head. “I mean you look hot as hell.” I pulled her into my body, her scent mixed with her warmth made me weak in the knees.

  “Well, thank you. You are looking hot as hell too, but I was wondering if you wanted to see my kitties?” she whispered, her soft lips right next to my ear. I could practically hear every single one of her desires as the question fell from her lips. Her breath fanned against me and it took everything in me not to turn around, grip her by the back of her legs and throw her over my shoulder. I resisted, though, I didn’t want to go all caveman on our first night as an official couple.

  “No question needed, I’ll definitely be seeing those kitties. Hopefully with my cock sliding between them, though.” I pulled away winking at her, only catching a
glimpse of a shy look that cast across her face as she bit into her bottom lip.

  “Dammnit!!” Taylor screeched, breaking me and Gia out of our moment as she bent down to fix her shoe. I looked over at Chance, catching his eyes glued on her as if there was no other place his eyes rather be.

  “I told you not to wear those heels,” Gia added, moving towards Taylor and bending down as well to help with the strap on the heel.

  “Well a girl has to look good, these happen to make me look good and since I wasn’t blessed with mile-long legs, I have to do what I have to do.” Taylor’s voice was full of agitation as she stood up.

  I could sense the shift between the two girls, but I could also feel something else. It was similar to how people who truly cared for one another acted and reminded me of me and Chance.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked concerned when Gia came to stand back beside me. I might want her all to myself, but I didn’t want to leave Taylor on her own if she needed someone. I knew all about feeling alone and that was a feeling I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

  “Yes, everything is fine,” Gia whispered, pulling me away from everyone and closer to the stairs.

  “There’s something going on between her and Chance,” she whispered the words into my ear when we came to a secluded spot. I had already discovered there were feelings on both sides. Now it was all on them. Taylor needed to push Chance to the point where my brother couldn’t resist, and Chance needed to give in and simply give Taylor a chance.

  “I know, let’s just hope they work it out.” Unable to stop myself any longer, I brushed a few strands of hair from her face and stared into her eyes. I could see the trust and apprehension in them. I understood why it was there, but there was no need for it any longer. I was hers, completely and utterly.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered as I swooped in, my lips skimming against hers. They were soft and succulent, making me want to sink my teeth into them.

  Gia’s unique taste and distinctive smell was everywhere, consuming me as her warm body pressed up against mine. She was my heaven. I was so wrapped up in her I hadn’t realized that this moment was actually the calm before the storm.

  “This is adorable, really and truly.” Simon’s bothersome voice boomed loud around us while his clapping echoed off the walls, drawing attention to us throughout the party. Why couldn’t he go the fuck away?

  “Adorable would be if you didn’t watch people kiss like a fucking creeper, even more so if you left my house before I had to make you.” Venom fell from my lips with each word said. I wasn’t even thinking about the packed house full of people, I was only thinking about saying whatever needed to be said to get him to shut the fuck up and leave. Every single time I saw him, it reminded me that I had failed to beat his ass the way he needed it to be beaten when he hurt Gia. I had stopped only because the pleading in her voice broke something inside of me. That something wanted to console her and not continue to hit Simon. I wasn’t so sure though if things turned left again if I would be able to stop myself. I had too much pent up anger inside of me towards him, and it wouldn’t go away until I got it out completely.

  Simon smiled, causing a frenzy of emotions to form inside my head. Did I want to risk the chance of the police being called, of Gia having to deal with all of this? Or did I want to show Gia I could change and just walk away?

  There were times in life you had to be the bigger person. This was one of those times. At least for her.

  “You’re not fucking worth it,” I stated as I turned and grabbed her hand. The warmth from her skin soothed me slowly as we started to move, leaving Simon there alone to make an ass of himself. Before we could get far enough away from him where he wasn’t threatening the last piece of my sanity, he took a cheap shot at me. My body lunged forward from the momentum of his shove, pushing me hard into Gia’s body and causing her to fall on the ground. Blood pumped through my veins fast, all I could see was red. The impact of a fist landing against my skull pulled me from my haze. My angry eyes collided with Gia’s concerned ones. She had to know that I wasn’t going to let him get away with it this time.

  “Bad motherfucking mistake.” The loud boom of my voice could be heard throughout the house I was sure, but it didn’t matter to me. If the cops were called, then they were called. Hopefully, Gia would know I did this to teach him a lesson because he wasn’t going away until he learned one.

  I didn’t give Simon time to make another smart ass remark or get another cheap shot out of me. I pulled my fist back and landed it against his nose. A loud cracking sound met my ears as blood seeped from his nose.

  He wiped it away with the side of his hand as he steadied himself. “Is that the best you got, Winchester?” He smirked, the fucker actually smirked.

  “No. This is.” I pulled back my fist again, but he blocked it. His own fist came flying at my face, landing with a hardness against my cheek. The ache radiated through my temple, but nothing could stop me from laying this guy out.

  “Someone call the cops!!” I heard someone scream off in the distance as I grabbed Simon by the neck and threw him onto the ground. My fists rained heavily on his 4.0, I’m better than everyone else fucking face. I felt every bruise that formed on my knuckles as I continued to slam my fist against his body.

  “Chase, stop!” Someone was pleading with me. Begging me to stop, but I couldn’t, I wouldn’t. He had hurt her twice now, he had disrespected me and everyone here in my home. If he didn’t learn his lesson this time, then he never would.

  My fists came to a halt as I looked at them covered in red, before dragging my eyes up to his. Simon’s face was a bruised, swollen, bloody mess that covered his flesh. Looking at him like this, I realized just how much I truly hated the fucker.

  “Get on the ground!!!” Loud, authoritative voices called out while the stomping of feet surrounded me. Students were running towards the doors fleeing for what seemed like their lives. I had just pulled myself off of Simon when a body collided with my own.

  “I said ON. THE. GROUND,” the officer bellowed in my ear.

  “Please stop. It’s okay, he was just defending me.” Gia’s voice was frantic as she spoke to another officer who was swinging his flashlight around the room, counting heads with each swing.

  “Ma’am, please take a step back. We’ll be with you in a second,” the officer stated as he looked around the room.

  “I didn’t do anything,” I huffed out, the weight of the officer on my back making it hard to breathe.

  “It didn’t look that way from the doorway,” he smarted off in my ear. It didn’t matter if I was doing the right thing or not. I might have been defending Gia, my house and the people in it, but once her parents and mine found out about what happened− shit was going to hit the fan.

  “Sir, you’re currently under arrest. We’re going to be taking you down to the station to have a talk. Matthews, come read him his rights and I’ll take the guy who was also in the altercation’s statement here and the girl’s statement down at the station. Let’s go. Everyone else, get out before we call back up for you.” The cuffs tightened around my wrist and as they pulled me up off the ground, I caught a shit eating grin on Simon’s face. I almost lost it again, until I realized that shit-eating grin was missing a front tooth.

  I paced the floor in front of the desk at the local police station. They had Chase detained in one of the interrogation rooms, and I wasn’t having any of it. He wasn’t going to go down for a crime that he didn’t commit. Even if it looked as bad as it did.

  “You need to sit down. I’ve told you three times now that the officer will be with you shortly,” the burly policewoman yelled at me over the counter. I forced myself to a chair, willing my heart to stop racing out of my chest. Chase and I were supposed to be on a new path in our lives, preferably one that didn’t involve the police.

  “Gianna King?” I raised my head in acknowledgment the moment my name was called.

  “Yes, that’s me! Can
I see him now, is everything okay?” I heaved the questions at him, my breath coming out in pants. The officer skimmed over the clipboard he had in his hands and my eyes wondered down to his badge. His name was Ryan. Maybe I could I play the ‘my dad is an FBI agent’ card if things didn’t go my way.

  “If the ‘him’ you are referring to is Chase Winchester, I cannot give you any information.” His eyes were dull and uncaring, his voice not missing a beat as he spoke.

  I narrowed my eyes in anger. When we arrived at the station, the police officer that arrested Chase had done exactly what he said he was going to do back at the house. He took my statement, and escorted me to the waiting area before disappearing. I hadn’t seen Chase since we arrived here over an hour ago, so to say I was losing my mind was an understatement. I wanted answers and I wanted them now. After all, he was only protecting me. I don’t know why they couldn’t see that.

  “If you don’t tell me what’s going on with Chase Winchester right this second I will be calling someone down here that can have you removed from your job so fast your head will spin, you sorry excuse for a−”

  “GIANNA KING!!!” The rumbly deep voice was one that I knew very well. One that when I had gotten in trouble many times, had struck fear in me straight to the core. I swirled around, unsure if he could really be standing there or not.

  “Dad?” My words hung in the air, as an astonished look crossed my face. There he was standing in the flesh, dressed in black with his FBI badge proudly displayed around his neck.

  “I’ll take it from here, Officer Ryan. Thank you.” His voice was calm, but his eyes promised death as he gestured for me to follow him. I had only ever seen that look once in my life and I was lucky to have lived through it. I firmly closed my mouth and bit my tongue. I had so many different things I wanted to say, so many things I wanted to explain to my dad, but I also had a ton of questions and knew that I would never disrespect his authority, especially in front of his peers. Instead, I followed him down one of the halls, my face cast at the ground. The only sound that could be heard was my shallow breathing and the beats of our feet across the tiled floor.