The Chance of a Lifetime

by Maggie Casper

  “Nice try, baby, but I don’t think so.”

  Lacey felt like screaming but she wasn’t at all surprised. “Dammit, Chance. Don’t screw with me.”

  He arched a brow at her, but made no move to hand over the keys. Long seconds passed before he even opened his mouth to speak.

  “I’ve already called Mike and Doug, Lacey. Things will be taken care of.”

  Once again, Lacey had to wonder if all men were idiots. Was it impossible for a man to understand that a woman might possibly be able to fend for herself? That she might actually want to have a say in the way things happened?

  She moved forward until she stood nose to chest with him then took the long visual journey to meet his face. There was more there than irritation or even anger. A sparkle of something made his features seem different. Lacey didn’t want to be distracted and cursed Chance for having the ability to do so.

  “I don’t care who you’ve called. I want to know why and I want to be there when they cart his ass off.”

  The sparkle disappeared to be replaced by a fierce scowl. “I won’t let you use my truck.”

  Lacey knew by the way Chance was holding himself, by the determination and sheer stubbornness of his voice, that no amount of coercion would make him change his mind.

  Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Chance and Clay where they stood.

  “Where in the hell do you think you’re going?” Chance’s voice thundered across the small stretch of space she’d put between them.

  “To town.”

  “How?” The question was growled between what Lacey imagined to be clenched teeth.”

  Without turning, she yelled over her shoulder. “Walking, I guess. Until someone happens by and offers me a ride.”

  She couldn’t help the triumphant smile that curved her lips when she heard the door of his truck slam closed accompanied by a string of spewed curses.

  * * * *

  The damned woman was a menace. A brat of the worst kind, but that didn’t stop Chance from loving her, heart, body and soul. She was testing just a bit more than his patience. Every nerve in his body was on red-hot alert, demanding he make her listen.

  Tie her to your bed if necessary to keep her safe! The voice inside his head demanded, but Chance knew doing so would cast aside any chance he had of a real future with the stubborn as hell Lacey Winslow.

  He revved the engine of his truck, sending gravel spinning as he headed toward Lacey, who was still stalking resolutely down the road leading from the ranch. She could goad a saint and Chance wasn’t feeling very saintly at the moment. He wanted to lock Lacey in his house, go find Andy Winslow and beat the man to a bloody pulp.

  “Get in the truck,” Chance demanded, as he pulled up beside her.

  When she stood there glowering at him, it took everything in him not to get out of the truck, pick the troublesome minx up and bodily put her in the truck. Chance knew if he so much as touched Lacey he would end up either fucking her senseless or paddling her ass until she couldn’t sit and neither option would do in this case.

  He held tight to his frustrations, fighting the urge to collect Lacey and take her back to his place. Instead, he waited as patiently as possible until she finally relented. He watched as she walked around the truck; then opened the door before slowly climbing inside the cab.

  She didn’t scoot to the center of the seat where he could reach her and pull her close. The aggravating woman hugged the door, acting as if he was going to pounce on her. It was probably for the best. God only knew she could test the patience of a saint and Chance was feeling far from saintly.

  She pushed and pushed until Chance felt as though he’d reached the end of his rope and all without the benefit of a net to catch him when he fell.

  Why did he have to fall head over heels in love with a woman who refused to listen? He mulled over the thought. He knew there was going to be hell to pay before things got worked out, especially if Lacey thought he was going to sit back and do nothing while she continually put herself in danger.

  “Not going to happen.” He muttered the vow beneath his breath, ignoring Lacey when she turned to him, her blue eyes searching his face for answers.

  “When we get there, I want you to stay in the truck until I get the chance to talk to Mike and Doug.”

  Her small hands fisted in her lap at his words. She turned in the seat until she was seated sideways, facing him. Chance wanted to chastise her for not having her seatbelt on but decided against it even though the overwhelming need to keep her safe knotted his gut.

  Ready for an all out verbal war, Chance was surprised at Lacey’s calm retort.

  “I’m not waiting in the truck, Chance.” When he opened his mouth to argue, she held up her hand, a gesture meant to silence. Chance snapped his mouth shut even though what he really wanted to do was talk until his words sank in and she finally agreed with what he had to say.

  “Just listen to me for a minute. I know you’re worried, but Andy won’t hurt me, he’s just trying to scare me and for a while he accomplished it.”

  Her voice was strong, resolute. Her chin was tilted at a defiant angle and while he wanted to shake some sense into her, he also wanted to run his tongue along the pale column of her neck.

  “That man had me walking on eggshells for years. I was afraid to say or do anything that might break up our marriage, afraid to be myself or to stand up for myself, but I’m not afraid anymore, Chance.”

  He watched her chest rise as she took a deep breath. Her throat worked as if her next words were hard to get out. “I’ll never again let anyone, man or woman, take from me who I am. Not even you.” The last came out as a tortured whisper.

  “Dammit, Lacey.” There was no heat to his words. Chance was worried and torn. The possessive beast inside pushed one way while the man who loved the woman sitting beside him pulled another.

  “It’s taken me a while, Chance, but I’ve finally found myself again. I’m strong and loving you has only made me stronger, but I won’t let you fight my battles, at least not this one. This time I have to have my say.”

  Chance was reeling at her declaration of love. Did she even realize what she’d just said? His heart beat wildly against his chest at her admission. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, knowing what he had to do.

  He didn’t have to like it but in order for Lacey to continue past the hurt her bastard of an ex-husband continually tried to heap on her head, he would have to stand back and watch in silent support as Lacey worked with Mike and Doug to make sure Andy paid for his crimes.

  Maybe in the process, she would be able to relinquish the ghosts of her past and be willing to grasp hold of a future with him.

  She was staring at him. Waiting. Her blue eyes were wide, her face a bit pale, causing his protective instincts to go on high alert. Chance wasn’t sure what she wanted him to do or expected him to say. There was no time for the words he wanted to express or for the actions he hoped would follow. When he finally got her alone once again, it would take days, possibly weeks, before he let her go. She would know every emotion his heart held so protectively, just as he would reacquaint himself with every silky smooth inch of her body.

  Chance pulled the truck to a stop along the curb in front of Lacey’s house. Mike and Doug were already there. Leaning against a patrol car, the two were talking, their faces grim.

  When Lacey turned from him to open the truck door, Chance could no longer keep quiet or keep his hands to himself. With a hand on her arm, he stopped Lacey’s forward movement. A gentle tug pulled her to him and in a matter of seconds Chance covered her mouth with his. The kiss was seductive and possessive. Although hard, it was in no way punishing. Lacey moaned against his lips, taking what Chance readily offered, her hunger apparent. Although it was the last thing he wanted to do, Chance ended the kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, “I can’t promise anything, Lace, but I’ll do my best.”

  She stared at him for a minut
e before nodding her head. Her eyes seemed stark, desolate. Chance wasn’t sure what emotion she was holding back and had no time to think further on it, but something in the back of his mind warned that more was wrong than just the upcoming confrontation with her ex-husband that was bothering her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lacey wasn’t sure she could remember a time when she’d been so angry and hurt. She wanted to lash out at those around her, but doing so would hinder, not help. Mike and Doug might very well be the epitome of macho male jerks, but they meant well in their own twisted way so the very least she could do was cooperate.

  The anger blurring her view should be aimed only at the man responsible, so that was where Lacey concentrated. Andy deserved every vulgar thing coming to him for the things he’d done to her.

  It was very disconcerting to admit, even to herself, that at one point in her life she’d been in love with the weasel. Lacey pushed away all the other thoughts rolling around in her head.

  She didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that Chance hadn’t so much as uttered a word of gratitude, much less a vow of undying love in return for her emotional admission. When it was all said and done there would be plenty of time to kick herself repeatedly in the ass for blurting out her feelings the way she had, but right now there was business to be taken care of, questions to ask.

  The main thing Lacey wanted to know was why? Why would a man who had once vowed to love, honor and protect her do the things he’d done?

  Because he’s a coward.

  The little voice in Lacey’s head didn’t tell her anything she didn’t already know. Hell, she really had no reason to confront the idiot, but she was going to anyway. Something was compelling her to do so and Lacey felt deep inside that if she didn’t insist on hearing Andy’s answers firsthand, insist on retaining a small amount of control over the situation, she’d regret it.

  After taking a deep breath, Lacey walked toward where Mike and Doug stood. It wasn’t until she had nearly reached the patrol car that she realized Andy was sitting in the back seat. Her heart thundered against her ribs and her palms were damp with sweat. They’d caught the bastard.

  Lacey heard the door of Chance’s truck squeak open, but didn’t turn to see what he was doing. Her gaze was focused on her ex-husband. She briefly wished she were a man but the thought didn’t linger long when she remembered the feel of Chance’s hands as they roamed her heated flesh.

  The immense amount of anger coursing through her veins propelled Lacey forward. She stalked the rest of the way to the patrol car in single-minded determination to reach it and slap the shit out of the coward sitting in the back.

  “Dammit, Mike, would you stop her!”

  Lacey heard Chance’s bellowed words and the sound of his feet hitting the ground in quick thundering succession. He’d stayed away much longer than she thought he would. Persistent was what he was. A small smile curved her lips.

  Lacey reached for the door set on asking questions and getting answers. “Not so fast,” said a voice from behind her as a beefy arm was wrapped around her waist from behind, lifting her off the ground as if she weighed no more than a feather.

  A growl of frustration erupted from her throat, startling her and making the man behind her chuckle. “I just want to ask him why.”

  Mike Dodson lowered her to the ground near the front of the patrol car. Lacey turned to give him a narrow-eyed stare when he kept a hand clamped firmly on her arm. He kept her in place until Chance was standing beside her. Lacey vowed then and there that if he said a word to her he would live to regret it. He remained silent, although the look in his eyes reeked of frustration and anger. Barely leashed violence lingered just beneath the surface of his gaze.

  “You’ll get your chance to talk to him, just not quite the way you had planned.” Lacey sighed. With no choice, she resigned herself to following the rules.

  Mike swept an arm out, leading the way. He led her to a now open door of the patrol car where Andy sat, hands cuffed behind his back, his face stark, pale. The front of his shirt was dirty and torn as if he’d resisted arrest and lost. Lacey had no real desire to have a conversation with the man, she just wanted to have her question answered.

  “Why, Andy?” It was really a very simple question and yet, her ex-husband looked as if she’d just asked him how to bring about world peace. His blank stare fueled her anger. The fear and hurt she’d felt all came rolling back over her like a thundercloud on a dark and stormy night.

  “Dammit, Andy, why?!”

  Her anger seemed to snap Andy out of his trance. His face mottled with rage belying his anger. “Because of him. You’ve been whoring for him when you belong to me.”

  Lacey couldn’t help but stare, dumbfounded. The man couldn’t really be that big of an idiot.

  “I don’t belong to you, Andy. I don’t think I ever did, really, not when you couldn’t remain faithful to me.” She shook her head, all of a sudden weary.

  “Why did you try to break into the house before?” Not knowing for sure if he was responsible for the attempted robbery on her home bothered Lacey more than she cared to admit.

  Andy’s eyes widened at her words, then narrowed before a mask of indifference crossed the worn features of his face. “I needed money. Over and over you refused to give me a loan so I decided to take what I could, but then you woke up and I had no choice but to leave.”

  Lacey nodded her head as if she understood, although she didn’t. To know so little about the man she’d once been married to was a hard pill to swallow. With nothing more to ask, she turned and walked away. She headed toward her house; the need to cleanse her bedroom of Andy’s touch was overwhelming. Almost as compelling as the need to get away from Chance before she did something stupid like throwing herself at his feet and begging him to love her back.

  The back of her eyes stung with unshed tears, the vulnerability making her angry. Lacey stopped dead in her tracks at the familiar sound of footsteps behind her. With single-minded determination, she squared her shoulders and turned around.

  Three sets of intense eyes started back at her but it was the whiskey depths of Chance’s brown eyes that drew her.

  “We’ll need you to come down to the police station to make a statement.” His eyes shifted from her to Chance and back again before he added, “Later.” Doug was talking to her but it was as if his mind was somewhere else. There was just something about Officer Pennington that screamed danger.

  Lacey’s attention snapped back to Chance as he moved closer. “If this evening doesn’t work for you, tomorrow morning should be just fine.” A crooked smile curved Doug’s lips as he spoke to her, a glimmer of amusement once again shining in his eyes. Doug brought a finger to the brim of his hat before he turned and walked away.

  Released from the stilted conversation, Lacey turned to walk away as well, only to be brought up short by another steely arm around her middle.

  This time she recognized every bulging muscle and delicious hollow as Chance’s front came in contact with her back. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  The low purr of his voice was instantly arousing, dampening her panties and causing the slick passage of her pussy to swell and spasm in anticipation. Only this time she couldn’t just lean back into him. To allow him to hold her, to absorb his warmth as if it were her own would only make matters worse. Lacey had no doubt Chance had some sort of feelings for her. The way he watched her, touched her and held her, proved it, and yet he hadn’t returned her words of love.

  His closeness and her rioting emotions were making it impossible to think, impossible to focus enough to block out the pain of knowing once again she had fallen wholeheartedly in love with a man and his feelings in return were not as strong.

  She couldn’t seem to find the words to let Chance know she needed a bit of time alone to pull herself together. Burning tears stung her eyes, and not even rapid blinking would fix the problem.

  “I’ll call you later.” The choked wo
rds left her lips, an overabundance of emotion along with them.

  Chance must have been shocked by her words. He made no move to hold her when she tugged his hands free of her waist. Lacey didn’t look back. She couldn’t look back. The thought of not being with him left a hollow spot in her heart, one she had so recently spent much time repairing. Anger and grief warred as she stalked through the front door of her home.

  The office was neat and clean as she passed through the room and into her private living quarters. Unheeded tears stained her cheeks but Lacey didn’t notice. Overwhelming anger blinded her for a moment.

  “I can’t do this again.” The anguished whisper wafted across the stillness of the room as Lacey lifted a knickknack from its spot perched on a shelf and launched it against the wall. The shatter of glass as the figurine hit the wall did nothing to soothe the hurt.

  * * * *

  Chance watched Lacey walk away, her back poker straight, her head held high and wondered what in the hell was going through her stubborn ass head. If she thought for a minute she could tell him she was in love with him, insist he stand idly by while she confronted her psychotic ex-husband and then just walk away like nothing ever happened, she was beyond wrong.

  With no other option as far as he was concerned, Chance followed her. Although it went against everything he’d ever been taught, he entered without knocking. She was obviously not in her office, so Chance made his way through the room to the closed door leading to her living area.

  He had just reached for the knob when he heard a frustrated growl and the shatter of glass. Chance burst through the door not knowing what to expect. His heart seemed to stop, only returning to a more normal rhythm when he spotted Lacey across the room.

  The haunted look on her face as she cried silent tears tore at his heart. He crossed the room. His long legged strides carried him to her side in a matter of seconds. He cupped her cheek, running his thumb over the wetness he found there.

  “Tell me.”