CHAPTER TEN
Deciding to face the music, Chaise drove straight back to Bull’s house rather than going to the condo that had always given her the creeps anyway. When she first got in her car, she wasn’t sure which way she would go. She hadn’t heard from Bull all day and she hadn’t called him, either. It stung a little that he acted so concerned about her going to work but then he never even called to see if she was safe.
As she pulled into his drive, she had a moment of panic as she pictured him turning her away for not following his orders to not go to work in the first place. She parked and placed her forehead on the steering wheel, conflicted and generally unsure of her next move. Her logical mind said she needed to be there with Bull but she wasn’t sure of the reception she would receive.
Her car door opened and Bull’s big hand gingerly wrapped around hers. She looked up at him, his cobalt blue eyes boring into hers, as he gently tugged on her to pull her out of the car. He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed each of her knuckles with his soft, plump lips. Chaise’s heart both broke and melted at the gesture. He was trying to be nice but there was still a huge chasm between them that she wasn’t confident they would ever be able to bridge.
“I’m glad you came back here. I was beginning to wonder if you would,” Bull finally spoke.
“I debated it—several times,” Chaise answered truthfully.
Bull nodded in understanding, “I’m sorry for what I said, or rather, how I said it. I do believe that she is missing.”
Bull reached in the car, turned the ignition off, and gathered Chaise’s belongings. He carried them in the house with one hand and led her with his hand on the small of her back with the other hand. His words kept reverberating through her mind—both from that morning and from a few moments before. Once inside the house, Chaise decided to address the big, pink polka-dotted elephant that stood between them.
“You believe that she is missing because of the information Shadow and Rebel found. Not because of anything I’ve said. There’s obviously a big problem between us, Colton. It was ridiculous of me to think last night would’ve changed anything—or that it meant anything to you. I know that, but I still wanted it to, honestly. I don’t think my staying here is a good idea anymore. I won’t go back to the condo, but I think I should go somewhere else.”
Bull admired how Chaise stood tall even though she was afraid. She faced her fears and didn’t back down, although vulnerability showed in her mint-green eyes. Her long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders and her tan skin glowed with sun-kissed radiance. She was stunning at normal times, but when she was on a mission, she was absolutely spectacular.
And she was talking about leaving.
“I don’t want you to leave,” Bull stated plainly.
“You don’t owe me anything, Colton. You’ve done what you said you’d do—you kept your word. This is my way of taking responsibility for my actions. I allowed…this…to happen between us and it was just way too soon. I don’t regret it, but we don’t really even know each other. I just don’t want us to end up enemies,” she said, exasperated. She was running out of steam.
All the events of the past few weeks were beginning to catch up with her and take a toll on her emotions. Discovering the missing girls, Aura’s disappearance, seeking Noah after all this time, the complicated and untrusting relationship with Colton, and now going back to work where she felt eyes watching her at all times. It just all felt like too much and everything was closing in on her. The feeling of claustrophobia was returning with a vengeance and she wasn’t even in a small space.
She was about to have a full-blown panic attack. That’s what was behind that feeling of everything closing in on her. The realization of that suddenly hit her—it was the same feeling as when she was in the Steele Security building and everything was so overwhelming. It was coming on again—just thinking about all the things she’d been through and all the things she still had to face. Alone. Again.
“Chaise? Chaise!”
She could hear his voice but it sounded muffled and distant. Her legs felt like wet spaghetti noodles—completely unable to hold her weight or move of their own accord. She felt strong arms wrap around her and gently place her on the couch. Then the strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a big, thick chest and shielding her from the outside world. A low, murmuring voice chanted soothing messages in her ear and plump, kissable lips placed chaste kisses on her hair, forehead, and temple.
“Just breathe. Focus on just breathing right now. You’re safe here with me. I won’t let anything happen to you. Breathe, baby. That’s it,” the reassuring voice repeated over and over until the words sunk in and took root in Chaise’s subconscious, eventually bleeding over into her conscious mind.
And then the dam broke. Everything she’d held back, bottled up, and pushed down just broke free and the tears started freely flowing. Bull felt the wetness, knew what was to come next, and just pulled her securely into his lap, cradling her in his arms like a baby. Chaise welcomed it—she relished in the contact, the reassurance, and the support she felt flowing from him. She felt safe and secure in his presence and even though she would normally be embarrassed to have anyone see her cry, when her first sob broke through, she was relieved.
She felt relief that she could be herself and let the weakness show without being berated or chastised for it. She was relieved that even through her weak moments, Colton would keep his word and keep her safe. The anxiety she felt was in knowing that the troubles were not over and there were still things she needed to share with Colton. Maybe just not at that moment since she was a blubbering mess and couldn’t seem to catch her breath between sobs. His hands rubbed her back and he still muttered comforting words instead of telling her to suck it up and carry on.
The sobs subsided and she was completely wiped out. She had no fight left in her, no energy to pretend she was alright and that she didn’t need help. All she could do was close her eyes, inhale the masculine musk of the man holding her close, and sink farther into his protective embrace. Within minutes, her breathing returned to normal and she fell asleep in his arms.
Bull looked down at her and marveled at how protective he’d become of her in such a short time. This type of thing never happened to him—he never allowed it. But he couldn’t lie to himself and say he wasn’t becoming attached to her. When he told her he didn’t want her to leave, he meant it. When he said he would protect her, he meant with his life. Comforting her and calming her was new to him and he knew he’d fuck up again and cause her pain. Somehow he had to make her understand why that was and figure out how he could make it up to her when he did.
Rubbing his nose and lips along her skin, he softly called her name until she stirred again.
“How long was I asleep?” Chaise asked, a little confused and her cheeks slightly pink with embarrassment.
“Not long. I actually hated to wake you, but I need to feed you,” Bull answered, keeping his voice low and calm.
Chaise made no effort to move from her spot in his arms. She looked up at him for several long seconds without speaking before she raised her hand and stroked along his jaw. The afternoon stubble pricked her fingers and she liked the sounds it made as her nails scraped across it.
“I can’t do this alone, Colton,” she finally whispered her confession. Admitting to needing someone’s help was tough for Chaise. She’d been on her own for so long and had always been the resilient one.
“I know, Chaise. You don’t have to,” the sincerity of his tone warmed her heart. “You don’t have to leave—I want you to stay here. We can take it slower; get to know each other better.”
“I’d like that,” Chaise replied with a smile that Bull returned. She knew full well there was no going back for her. Taking it slow or not, there was something about the man that had captured her and refused to let her go.
After cooking supper and cleaning the dishes, Bull and Chaise settled back on the couch together. The atm
osphere had lightened considerably since her emotional breakdown and she was just glad they were able to spend time together—talking, laughing, and sharing.
“How was work today?” Bull asked with an unmistakable smirk.
“It was okay. I swear I felt eyes on me all day, though. Made my skin crawl to think that they were watching me!” Chaise animatedly replied while gauging his reaction.
“They weren’t the only ones,” Bull responded.
“What do you mean?” Chaise asked while sitting up then leaning toward him in a challenging posture.
Bull smiled his full on, mega-watt smile before answering. “Brad, our techie genius, hacked into their security system and we were able to keep tabs on you all day. Why else do you think I let you leave this morning?”
Chaise was stunned beyond speech. Her mouth was agape, her eyes wide, and she sat motionless for a moment.
“Let me? You let me leave?” she asked incredulously.
Bull chuckled, “Okay, now, don’t take that the wrong way. I just meant that otherwise I would’ve had to go with you. We would’ve had to do things very differently if Brad hadn’t been able to get into their surveillance system.”
“Damn, no wonder I felt like I was being watched all day!” Chaise swatted at his arm playfully. She laughed harder when he pretended to be hurt.
“Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?”
“No, nothing. And I looked around my office. There was nothing disturbed. Nothing out of place from where I’d left it Friday. I didn’t really push my luck too much today and get into anything I’m not supposed to be in. Now that I know you’re watching, I will try harder tomorrow.”
Chaise noticed the change in Bull’s face at that statement. He didn’t like it one bit and he was biting his tongue to keep from saying anything.
“Go ahead and say it before you bite your tongue in two,” Chaise deadpanned.
Bull smirked, “It’s just that if they caught you, we may not be able to get to you in time to stop them from taking you somewhere. If you’re dead set on doing this, we’ll have to outfit you with some of our Inspector Gadget toys first.”
“No Bond toys?” Chaise asked teasingly.
“No, you haven’t graduated to spy yet. Baby steps,” Bull joked.
****************
Shadow, Rebel, and Brad came by Bull’s house to bring their gadgets and show Chaise how everything worked. They explained they would be able to hear and see everything that occurred but she wouldn’t be able to hear them. Bull assured her that if it got too dangerous he would storm the building and clear a path to her by any means necessary.
The other guys exchanged shocked glances but none of them were stupid enough to question Bull in front of her. Chaise’s look of gratitude told them everything they needed to know. Whatever feelings Bull harbored for her were definitely reciprocated. When Chaise announced she would get drinks for everyone, the guys took the opportunity to pounce on Bull.
“Want to tell us what the hell is going on here, man?” Shadow asked, giving Bull a pointed look and inclining his head toward the kitchen where Chaise was.
“Uh—we are getting her ready to go in wired. Have you not been paying attention?” Bull snapped.
Rebel laughed, “You know what he’s asking, man. Don’t play fucking dumb with us. We know you better than that shit.”
Brad was so enthralled with how the conversation was unfolding, he didn’t notice at first that Bull was staring him down. Quickly lowering his eyes back to the electronics in front of him, Bull looked at his long-time friends and huffed out a disgusted sigh.
“Fine. Yes. Chaise. Me. Happy now?”
Rebel and Shadow both had huge, shit-eating grins on their face at their friend’s admission. Brad was even smiling but he didn’t look up from his work to invoke the wrath of Bull for intruding on his private life. Rebel and Shadow slapped him on the back and clapped him on the shoulder. Bull, uneasy with the sudden intrusion of his privacy, told them to knock it off and walked off with them laughing heartily behind him.
Several minutes later, he reappeared with Chaise and both had their hands full of drinks for everyone. Brad took a drink of his and turned the conversation back to business.
“Alright, Chaise. You’re all set—just remember what we’ve gone over tonight. Don’t get the device wet. Try to keep your hands away from it. The rustling noises make it hard to hear. And you’ll need to decide your code word that tells us you’re in trouble. If we hear that word, we will rush in, so don’t use it lightly,” Brad explained.
Inhaling deeply, Chaise looked at each of the four men and saw a myriad of silent reactions on their faces. Rebel cocked his head to the side, crinkled his eyes, and studied her with a somewhat concerned look. Shadow stood tall, hands on his hips and a troubled look on his face. Brad was confident in his equipment and its ability to help keep her safe. Bull was a different matter all together. A mixture of feelings moved across his face—concern, awe, and agitation—almost simultaneously.
“I’ll be fine. I have the best security team in the nation on my six. Nothing will go wrong,” she tried to sound confident but it fell flat, even to her own ears.
Brad stood and placed his hand on her shoulder, “It will be fine. We will take good care of you, Chaise.”
After the men had left and they were alone again, Bull turned from the door and walked directly up to Chaise.
“You don’t have to do this. We can work with the local authorities. We have enough to arouse suspicion and Shadow has some significant contacts. There are other ways—better ways—to do this,” Bull reasoned.
“You’re right, Colton. I don’t have the expertise to pull this off alone. But I’m already inside and I am in a position to snoop in anything because it’s my job. It would take too much time to get someone else in there now. We may never find Aura or the other girls if I quit now.”
Bull didn’t respond. He knew she was right but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
“I don’t think I can do this without you, Colton. Don’t abandon me now,” Chaise asked him. Her eyes beseeched him and she held her breath waiting for his reply.
“Not a chance in hell, Chaise,” came Bull’s promise.
Chaise tentatively lifted her hand and stretched it out to capture Bull’s hand. Once she had it, she squeezed it and gave him a small smile of appreciation.
“Well, it’s late and I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow, so I guess I should get some sleep,” Chaise said but she couldn’t hide the anxiety in her voice. Not only did she plan to dive headfirst into shark infested waters, so to speak, she had much more pressing problems before her.
Where should I sleep tonight?
Bull’s knowing smile did nothing for her discomfort. He knew what she was thinking and there was no point in even trying to lie out of it. They agreed to take it slower and to get to know each other better first. But in his arms, she just felt so safe, secure, and protected that she never wanted to leave them.
“Come on, I’ll take you to the guest room,” Bull said with no hint of hesitation or the disappointment that she felt to her very soul. Chaise simply nodded and followed him down the hall.
At some point during the day, Bull had moved her belongings to one of the guest bedrooms. He reminded her where the towels and other toiletries were stored and made sure she didn’t need anything else before he left her alone.
After getting ready for bed, Chaise lay in the big, comfortable bed and stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the bed or the bedroom. It was perfect and comfortable. Knowing that he was so close but so far away was driving her crazy and keeping her awake. When she was still wide-awake just after midnight, she made a decision that Bull would just have to accept.
Tiptoeing through the house with only her tank top and panties on, she reached Bull’s bedside. He was lying on one side, on his back, and appeared to be sleeping perfectly well without her
. She knew better than to assume he was asleep after the last time she made that mistake. Not waiting, or asking for an invitation, she carefully pulled the covers back and slipped into bed beside him.
She snuggled up as close to him as she could get and instantly felt better. The tiny bubble of anxiety that had started building in her chest instantly dissipated. Just as she was thinking that it might not be a good thing, relying on him to rid her of the anxiety, he spoke and disrupted her thoughts
“Did you lose your bed?” he asked as he wrapped his arm around and pulled her closer to him. His teasing and humor laced his words, telling her that he didn’t mind sharing his bed with her.
“Actually, I was momentarily kicked out of my bed but I found my way back on my own,” she said in mock defense.
“Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you’d really stay in there,” Bull laughingly replied.
Chaise replied with an elbow to the ribs. “You knew I didn’t want to sleep in there, didn’t you.” It was intentionally more of a statement than a question.
“I knew,” Bull replied earnestly, placing a kiss to her cheek. “And I’m glad. I wanted you in here, too.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Chaise went to work every day that week, gathered additional information as the Steele Security team instructed, and went back to Bull’s house every night. Every day she felt a little more anxious, felt more eyes watching her every move, and knew that time was not on her side. Aura had been missing too long at that point and Brad had found nothing on the other missing girls.
Bull had driven Chaise to work every day and picked her up. She had argued against it at first, feeling like her freedoms were slowly being taken from her. Bull explained that he didn’t trust anyone to not tamper with her car while it was in the Viboro Distributing parking lot. If it were to break down and leave her stranded, she would be too vulnerable.
Wicked Ties (Steele Security Series) Page 9