***
Two days later
Asa was pissed. Physically he felt better, but not well enough to go track down Chelsie. Pain aside, he had to. She wasn’t answering his calls or texts. To make matters worse, he couldn’t call the nurses’ station for information anymore. Christian had removed the call button from his room, because he claimed the nurses had all threatened to quit if he didn’t stop ringing it every five minutes to ask them if they’d seen or heard from Chelsie.
He’d screwed up. Asa knew that now. He must have hurt her far more than he’d realized, because after their squabble, she’d never returned, and no one seemed to know where she was—not even Tiffany, who usually always had a pulse on her sister’s whereabouts. More than likely she did but wasn’t telling him. As much as he hated to admit it, he probably deserved the cold shoulder after the way he’d treated her.
One way or another, he needed answers. They weren’t coming to him, so it was time to go hunting them. He removed his IV, then started peeling the heart monitor strips off his chest, which caused the machine to go off. He reached down and yanked the plug. He was leaving this place now, wearing a hospital gown with his ass flapping in the breeze. He didn’t care. He’d just made it to the door, seriously winded and miserable, when Christian strode in, wearing an aggravated scowl.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’ve had enough of this bullshit. I’m AMA’ing it, and don’t even think about stopping me.”
Christian relaxed, then shrugged and gave him a cavalier look. “Suit yourself. I won’t stop you from leaving against your doctor’s advice, but I doubt she’ll see you.”
That caught his attention. “What do you know?”
He sighed. “She’s been talking to Brice Thornton, one of the doctors you hired for the Denver office. She’s asked him to trade with her. She wants to take over his practice in Denver and have him move here and take over hers. She’s also asked Tiffany to be her donor for her turning. Bottom line, she’s not coming back to you, Asa, at least with the way things stand right now. Tiffany and I are sick about this, but it appears she’s stuck a fork in your relationship. Chelsie’s not a quitter, but she’s not a pushover either. Unfortunately, it appears you’ve pushed her too far.”
“When did you find this out?”
Christian pursed his lips. “This morning. Tiffany called her and tried to get her to come in here to see you, talk things out, but apparently, she’s not interested in trying to work things out. In her mind, based on the things you said the other day, it’s over.”
Asa scratched his head, unable to believe she’d do this. Their fight hadn’t been that god-awful for those kinds of measures. “What the hell is she thinking? She knows I love her. Sure, I said some harsh things, but my point was correct. She can’t even give me a chance to apologize and explain?”
Christian hunched a shoulder. “I don’t know. I’m just relaying info here. Sorry it sucks.”
It did immensely. Asa recounted his words about them being a mistake in a roundabout way and knew now the gravity of those words: the biggest one a vampire could make with his or her life mate. He’d essentially told her he could live without her, which was by no means true. If he lost her over this…well he couldn’t. “I need to find her. Is she at home? Her folks? You and Tiffany have to know where she is.”
Christian gave him a once over and a sympathetic frown. “She’s been staying at her mom and Nathan’s place here in the city.”
“Fine,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. “I’ll go over there and talk some sense into her.”
“Asa, pause and think like a doctor. You’re not ready to drive. Try calling Chelsie again first, but if you haven’t yielded on your position, don’t bother. If she’d yielded on hers, she’d be here. She’s not going to. You messed with the most fundamental part of her: her faith.”
“I know that. I’m still having trouble backing down, because I can’t fathom how she could feel anything but hate for that miserable son-of-a-bitch. And why is she so dead-set on me getting my pound of flesh? She flew the bastard all the way to Missouri to stick it to him.”
“That was different, Asa. She did that to protect you and all of us. Chad outright threatened to kill Tiffany and whomever else he felt stood in his way of controlling Chelsie. Sure, she probably thought she’d get a bump of satisfaction out of the deal, but when all was said and done, she didn’t. Don’t you see? Chelsie doesn’t have it in her to hate anyone.”
Asa glared at him, despising the fact he was right. He scrubbed a hand across his unshaven cheek. What the hell had he been thinking, pressing her with such ultimatums?
Her gentle spirit was one of the things he loved most about her. Yet in his desire for revenge, he would have seen her shed her soft soul and become as calloused-hearted as he. And he was. Even now, he still wanted to rip out Chad’s throat, but not as much as he wanted Chelsie. He glanced at his cell lying on his bedside table and sighed. Calling her again would be futile. “Will you ask Tiffany to call her?”
“Sure. What do you want me to have her say?”
The worst words any man could say to a woman. “I was wrong.”
Chapter 18
“Just raise the pan off the fire and give it a quick lift and jerk in one fluid movement, Chelsie. Like this. Don’t worry about spilling the contents. It takes some practice.” Her mother smiled and stepped back from the stove to give her room.
Chelsie grabbed the handle of the small skillet and tried to execute the action her mother had shown her, but it resulted in a major mess. The majority of the garlic, mushrooms, and herbs in the pan splattered all over the gas-top range and across the front of her apron. “Crud!” Her mother let out a light laugh, then took the pan from her hand. “No worries. You’ll get it eventually, but if we’re going to finish this veggie lasagna in time for you to get home and ready for your show tonight, you’d better let me take over. You could break up the romaine for the Caesar salad, if you want.”
“Sure.” Chelsie went to the refrigerator and pulled a head of romaine out of the crisper, less than enthusiastic about any culinary-related task at the moment, but it kept her busy. Not busy enough to take her mind off Asa though. Like anything could. He owned her heart outright. Chelsie knew she would think of him every day for the rest of her life no matter the outcome of their relationship.
Asa was right about one thing though. If she couldn’t see his side of things, then they probably were not meant to be. She’d made the most critical relationship mistake any Christian could make. She’d fallen in love with a non-believer. She deserved her misery, she supposed. She’d had ample opportunity to discuss faith-based issues with Asa, yet she’d let her hormones exceed sense. Long ago, she’d done the same thing with Chad. She’d watched him stray from his Christian roots, yet stood by and loved him anyway until she simply couldn’t anymore. She loved Asa far more than she’d ever loved Chad, which was why she couldn’t repeat that same painful mistake with him.
The hate he harbored in his heart for Chad was like a cancer eating away at his soul. Left untended, she’d lose Asa—and not by any decision she made. If his choice was to let bitterness rule his life, he simply wouldn’t be Asa anymore, because the Asa she’d fallen in love with was kind, gentle, compassionate. He was a very loving man, and it scalded her to think that Chad’s actions were stealing the heart of the man she adored.
She took the head of romaine to the sink, rinsed it off, then started breaking off pieces of it into a large salad bowl. She was just about finished when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway separating the kitchen and dining room.
Tiffany walked through the door and sniffed. “What’s for dinner?”
“Lasagna,” their mother replied. “But it’s a ways off. Would you like to help?”
“Not unless you’re sending me out to pick it up. You know the extent of my kitchen expertise. Coffee and ramen noodles.” She quirked a brow and grinned.
&
nbsp; Her mother shook her head and sighed. “Poor Christian.”
Chelsie laughed. The only time the man got a home-cooked meal was when he came to dinner at one of their parents’ homes. Chelsie was no chef by any stretch of the imagination, but she had no problem executing a recipe.
“So, Chels, you playing again tonight at Cajuns?”
“Yes. Will you and Christian be there?”
“I don’t know. It depends.”
“On what?”
“On you. Gonna call Asa any time this century?”
Chelsie turned from the counter and stared at her. Blackmail. She wasn’t surprised. Her sister could be very snarky when she wanted to be. “I wasn’t planning on it. You know where I stand. Why? Is he still all right?”
She crossed her arms. “What if I told you he wasn’t? That he’d had a relapse?” That possibility was like a knife plowing straight into the center of her chest. “Don’t mess with me, Tiffany. Is he okay?”
She hunched a shoulder. “What do you care? You ain’t seen fit to check on him in two days via phone, text, or in person. And you’re planning on running off to Colorado. What a crock of cowardice that is.”
Boy, her sister knew how to raise her hackles. “Christian’s keeping me updated on Asa, and you know it. Look, this isn’t a Mexican stand-off between us, Tiffany. Asa has his belief system. I have mine. They don’t mesh. And one or both of us trying to make the other change is futile.”
Tiffany curled her lip and slammed her arms across her chest. “Well, all I’ve got to say is that Nathan wasted his money sending you to Harvard, because all that education didn’t teach you nothing practical. Apparently, you’re willing to throw away the best thing that ever happened to you over principles. Actually, over an asswipe. So what if Asa wants a go at him? Hell, I do. So does Christian. I bet Mom would give him a swift slap across the face if he were here right now.”
“Tiffany Jane, button it,” their mother snapped and planted a hand on her hip. “Although, you’re right in a sense. If Chad were here right now, I would remind him of his upbringing, and if he didn’t see fit to remember it, then I would back off and pray for him, which is exactly what Chelsie is doing. As far as Asa, if he has a problem with Chelsie caring about the condition of Chad’s soul, then his thinking is wrong. Chelsie and I have spoken about this issue at length. I think Asa is a wonderful man, but he’s not where he needs to be spiritually, and your sister simply can’t accept that. I don’t blame her.”
Tiffany snorted. “Well then maybe she needs to spend less time praying for Chad and more time praying for Asa, because he’s miserable without her.” She shot Chelsie a hard glare. “I know you’re still human, but you understand the life mate bond. You made it with Asa. I’m a Christian too, and I hold to the same principles, but if you don’t give Asa a chance to hear out your side of things, you’re going to not only lose him, you’re going to shorten his life. He may recover from this gunshot wound, but he’ll never recover from losing you.”
“You’re absolutely right about me praying for him, and I have been—constantly almost. Maybe I should go see him and settle things. I don’t want him to think I’m merely angry. Or that I’m pouting or something. He needs to know that, unless or until he makes a choice to follow God, I can’t share a life with him.” She turned and headed toward the back door, intending to drive to the clinic.
“Hold up,” Tiffany said.
Chelsie turned. “What?” She did not like that guilty look her sister suddenly sported. “He’s coming here for dinner tonight. Christian and I invited him.”
“You’re kidding me! God! I’m really sick and tired of you meddling in my life, Tiffany.”
She shrugged and grinned. “It’s a vice I can’t seem to shake. Sue me.”
Chelsie clenched her fists, wanting to strangle her. Just then, the doorbell rang. “Must be them now.”
“Dang it, Tiffany!” Now she didn’t just want to strangle her. She intended to. She waved a hand at her as she headed out of the room. “No worries. I’ll get it. You go back to doing whatever you were doing with that lettuce over there.”
She clamped both hands to her cheeks and shook her head. “Seriously, Mom, were you on some new, untested medications when you got pregnant with her?”
Her mother laughed. “It would appear sometimes, but no. She loves you, Chelsie, and she can’t help herself. You do need to talk to Asa. Take a few minutes to center yourself, then…well say what you feel you must. My advice would be to find out exactly where he stands spiritually. If he has a desire to change, that may be enough. There’s no sin in marrying a man who isn’t a Christian. It’s just a very hard row to hoe for a godly woman. If you love each other enough, you’ll make it work.”
Chelsie knew that. She wanted to run to him right now, grab hold, and never let go, but if he still harbored violent notions toward Chad, deserved as they might be, she couldn’t.
When Chelsie entered the parlor and laid eyes on Asa sitting on one of the Victorian sofas, she nearly lost her nerve for this talk. He did not look good. His coloring was pale. He looked a little gaunt, and despite the hard set of his jaw and steely gaze, she could tell he was in a great deal of pain.
She scowled at Christian. “He should not be here. What the heck were you thinking, releasing him?”
“I didn’t. He AMA’d.”
“Well, that figures.” She shot her sister a hot look. “Scram. You too, Christian.” Neither offered argument. Once they were gone, she took a seat on the sofa opposite him, needing the distance in order to maintain her composure. “How do you feel?”
“Like shit. How are you?”
“I’m okay.”
He nodded. “The headaches? Are they any worse?
“They’re manageable, but as you know, they never go away completely.”
“I’m sorry. I know they’re terrible. Any more fainting spells?”
She let out an aggravated sigh. “Let’s quit beating around the bush, Asa. I love you. I always will, but if vengeance is more important to you than me, savor your vengeance because I have no intentions of being around to watch what it does to your heart.”
He nodded slowly and crossed his arms over his chest. “Fair enough.”
“Alright then.” She stood. “I guess we have nothing more to say. Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Of course, you’re welcome to stay.”
“Wasn’t planning on leaving. Ever.”
Her brows knit. “What does that mean?”
“Sit down, Chelsie.”
She obliged, curious.
“I’m realizing we really don’t know each other that well. We fell in love so fast, which is normal, at least with my kind. So let me educate you on a couple things about me. When I make a decision, I stick by it. I might waver, but I never welsh. Nothing has changed in my mind regarding us since that night I discovered you were my life mate. So here’s the bottom line. Chad gets to keep his throat intact. God says vengeance is His, so I’m handing it over to Him. My life too. Happy?”
She pressed her fingers against her lips and nodded. She was speechless, but so relieved, not because Asa had given in to her, but because he’d given in to God.
“Okay, then. Get your butt over here and kiss me.” She grinned and did so without hesitation, but cautiously. Chelsie placed her hands on his shoulders, then leaned in and meshed their lips. It wasn’t the steamiest kiss they’d ever shared but maybe the most wonderful one yet. He pulled back and chuckled. “I won’t break, you know.”
She rubbed his stubbly cheek. “Probably not, but I’m taking no chances. However, after dinner, I think you need to go back to the clinic.”
He snorted. “I’m going home to sleep in my own bed. But if you think I shouldn’t be alone, you can join me.” He shot her a wicked grin.
“Actually, I may. You still need to be under a doctor’s care. I play tonight at Cajun’s. Will you let Christian take you to my place after dinner? I’d love for you to stay wit
h me for a while so I can take care of you. Of course, it will be late by the time I get home. You promise not to do anything stupidly strenuous while I’m gone?”
“Oh, brother.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re going to be worse than Christian, aren’t you?” “A hundred times worse. You’ll be wishing for him and his vampire restraints.”
“Hmmm. Restraints. That might prove interesting.”
Chelsie shook her head and gave him a chiding look. “You’re definitely feeling better if you’re having those kinds of thoughts.”
“It’s your fault for being so damned…smoking hot.” His gaze skimmed over her with fierce want.
He reached out and cupped her breast. She gasped when he teased the nipple with his thumb. It shot desire straight through her like a bolt of lightning. “You’re being very bad.”
“Humm. I’d like to be badder, but probably not a good idea at the moment.” He sighed and dropped his hand.
Nathan wandered in at that exact moment and smiled at them. “Hope I’m not interrupting, but Christian told me the two of you were here. I’d like to speak with you alone if I could, Asa. Whenever the two of you are finished.”
Curious, Chelsie thought then stood. “We are. I’m going to help Mom finish dinner. I’ll come get you both when it’s ready.”
***
After she left, Nathan took a seat opposite him on a matching velvet Victorian sofa. Nathan’s demeanor was generally stoic, in Asa’s experience, and he put off the air now lending him no clues to the nature of his thoughts. “So what did you want to speak to me about?”
“This is about Chad. I felt you’d want to know where things stand presently.”
Asa harrumphed. “I hope you’re not going to tell me he made bail again.”
Deadly Secrets (Forever and a Night Book 3) Page 22