Wicked Ties (Steele Security Series)

by Justice, A. D.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Bull watched as Chaise walked away from him and back toward the house. He’d hurt her with words he didn’t mean and didn’t really feel. When he woke and she wasn’t in the bed, his first thoughts were that she was cooking breakfast for him again. She’d spoiled him over the last few days and made him feel loved and cared for more than he’d felt in a very long time.

  When he reached the kitchen, she was nowhere to be found. Breakfast hadn’t even been started. There was nothing to even indicate she had been in there, and he felt a rush of adrenaline from thinking that someone had gotten to her.

  He rushed outside and immediately froze in his tracks. She was in ankle deep water and she was searching for seashells with another man. They were talking and smiling. They were obviously enjoying each other’s company and he didn’t even warrant a second thought from her.

  The man walked off before Bull was close enough to speak but the damage had been done. Chaise continued to search for shells until Bull spoke. His tone of voice shocked even him but he just kept plowing through the situation like he normally did. When the last words escaped his mouth, he only wanted to retaliate—first, for making him feel jealous, and secondly, calling him out on it.

  But he took it too far. He made her think that he didn’t care about anything but the job. He basically told her she meant nothing more to him than a menial task. He called her name as she walked away from him but she ignored him, walking briskly into the house instead.

  Bull gave her a few minutes to calm down and then walked into the back door.

  “Chaise?” he called out as he walked into the kitchen. He heard sniffles coming from down the hall. He walked silently toward the sounds until he found her. His heart pounded in his chest when he saw her—packing her suitcase.

  “Are we going somewhere?” he asked softly.

  “I am,” she answered. “You are free to do whatever you want with whoever you want. I’ll be gone in fifteen minutes.”

  He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He bent his head so that his mouth was at her ear. His lips brushed against her as he spoke.

  “I don’t want you to go anywhere, baby,” he said earnestly.

  She stopped folding her clothes as she replied with a watery, strained voice, “Don’t call me that. I’m just a job to you.”

  “No, you’re not. I was worried when I couldn’t find you. Then I was mad when I saw you outside with another man,” he said as he tightened his grip on her a little more.

  “Why would you be mad about that?” she asked.

  “You were right—I was jealous. But, I didn’t mean what I said. I could never share you with anyone else, Chaise.”

  “Tell me something, then,” she started and waited for his head to nod in agreement. When he did, she continued, “Why can’t I touch you when we make love?”

  She felt his entire body go completely rigid. His hands stilled their gentle movements on her body. His breaths hitched in his chest. She had a fleeting thought that she shouldn’t have asked, but right then was as good a time as any to find out the whole truth.

  His arms slipped away from her and she felt the immediate loss of his comforting body heat. He was pulling away again. She dropped her head forward, shook it in disbelief, and started folding her clothes yet again. No matter how badly she wanted to stay, she would never stay with him under those pretenses.

  “You remember I told you I thought I was in love once?” he asked. His voice didn’t hold the normal self-confidence and she knew she was about to hear something she wouldn’t like.

  “Yes,” she said softly, without turning.

  “I told you she cheated on me, right?” There was so much dread in his voice that she could feel herself cringe for him. “Well, one night when we were making…fucking…she called me by his name. Ever since that night, I just couldn’t allow anyone to touch me like that again.”

  “Anyone? Will that always include me?” This time, she turned and faced him. She had to know if it was something they couldn’t work past. She had to know if he would always keep her—literally—at arms’ length.

  They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Chaise could see the wheels turning in Bull’s brain, trying to determine how to best answer her question while being truthful at the same time. She knew he was struggling with what to say. Bull’s difficulty with giving an answer told her everything she needed to know.

  Chaise couldn’t hide the sadness and disappointment from her expressive eyes. Her proud shoulders dropped and her head dropped forward. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears that threatened to overtake her again. She turned her back to him while she finished packing her suitcase.

  In an instant, his muscular arms whirled her around to face him. They enveloped her as he lifted her from the floor and deposited her in the center of the bed. His body covered hers as his mouth claimed hers. His kiss was fervent and needful. She let him take everything from her. Everything he needed, everything she had, everything she could give—it was all his.

  His hands wandered across her body, removing her clothing and his, until their naked bodies lay pressed together. Her hands were in his hair and then moved slowly down his back until her nails scraped across the perfect globes of his ass. He moaned into her mouth with anticipation and desire. His knee separated her legs, giving him perfect access to her soft, wet channel.

  Bull halted his movements and peered into her eyes before he spoke. “I want to feel you, Chaise. I don’t want any barriers between us. But I only want it if that’s what you want, too. I’ve never—ever—not used a condom. I’m clean and I get tested regularly for work.”

  “I want that, too, Colton. I haven’t been with anyone else in a long time but I still get tested yearly. I’ve also been taking birth control for a while. I trust you,” she answered sincerely.

  Bull nodded in agreement before he slowly thrust his hips forward and watched her face as he entered her. His eyes spoke volumes to her without him ever saying a single word. He asked her not to betray his trust. He told her he was giving her a piece of him that he’d only given away one other time. He said he trusted her with his guard down.

  Tears of joy and love slipped from her eyes and ran down her temples. She made love to every inch of his head, neck, shoulders, and his back with her fingers. She memorized the sinewy muscles, the striations they made, and how they contracted and relaxed with his every movement. She poured every last drop of her heart and soul into making love to him with her entire body.

  His mouth reclaimed hers in a sweet, gentle kiss and his hips slowed to match pace. Each unhurried plunge into her brought them one step closer to bliss. One step closer to love. One step closer to becoming totally and completely lost in each other.

  With his last powerful thrust, they peaked together. Bull’s hands were cupped around Chaise’s face as he peered lovingly into her eyes. Her fingers dug into his back, her fingernails scratching him in response to the intensity of her orgasm. His name escaped on her breath as she rode out the last wave of pleasure while feeling him still pulsing inside her.

  The words were not spoken aloud. The newly formed bond was still fragile but there was no doubt they both felt it. Bull stayed fully seated inside Chaise, relishing in the feeling that was uniquely hers. His back bore the scratches from her as a badge of honor. He had allowed her inside his sacred space. He’d afforded her the privileges that others were denied. He was starting to feel whole again.

  He bowed his head and kissed her lips, cheek and neck before moving off of her. She groaned her disapproval and he lightly chuckled. “I know I was crushing you, Chaise.”

  “No, you weren’t. I love the feel of your body covering mine,” she admitted.

  “Come on, baby. I will cook breakfast for you today,” he offered.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m going to shower first. I’ll be quick,” she promised, adding a kiss before sashaying off to the bathroom.
/>   “Damn, I love that view,” Bull called after her and gave his best catcall whistle.

  Fifteen minutes later, Chaise exited the shower and towel dried her hair. When she walked into the bedroom, she realized all her clothes were in the suitcase that she had just finished packing. Rather than waste time unpacking again, she grabbed one of Bull’s extra-large t-shirts from his drawer and slipped it over her head.

  Bull heard her bare feet padding down the hallway. “It’s about time you finished in there! I thought I would have to eat all this food myself,” he teased.

  Chaise turned the corner and came to a sudden halt. She blanched white as all the blood drained from her face. All the air was sucked from the room and she could not breathe when she saw that they were not alone. Her towel was slung around her shoulders, she wore nothing but Bull’s t-shirt, and she stood there facing all the main operators of Steele Security.

  Including Noah.

  Chaise knew that Bull was at the stove intently watching her every move. She also knew that Rebel and Shadow sat at the table, though their eyes followed the others like a tennis match in progress. Another woman sat close to Noah, and from her protruding stomach, she could only guess the woman was Noah’s wife, Brianna.

  The anxiety welled up inside her and threatened to overtake her. She hadn’t told Bull yet and there she was face to face with Noah. After the advancements they had made that morning, she could see everything crumbling before her eyes.

  And she had no one to blame but herself.

  “Sierra? What the hell are you doing here? Did Dad send you to spy on me? So you can run back home and give him all the ammo he needs to cut me down again? And. Why. The. Fuck. Are you wearing Bull’s shirt?” Noah suddenly stood, knocking the chair backward until it fell over. Brianna looked up at Noah like he’d lost his mind. She clearly felt that he had a lot of explaining to do to her—not the other way around.

  “What in the fucking hell is going on, Bull?” Noah demanded as he turned to Bull.

  Chaise’s mouth gaped open and she grabbed the hem of Bull’s shirt to hold it down in modesty. She unconsciously took a couple of steps backward out of the hostile room. She could feel daggers flying at her from both Bull and Noah. The others stared in open confusion.

  “Sierra?” Bull asked in his accusatory tone, his eyes darting back and forth between her and Noah.

  “Yes! Sierra! What the fuck have you been doing with my little sister, Bull?” Noah yelled as he advanced on Bull.

  Bull’s head snapped to Chaise. “Sierra? Your name is really Sierra?” He walked toward her pointing. “You fucking lied to me about that?”

  “No, Colton, please—just give me a minute…”

  “You’re Sierra Steele? Noah’s sister? You’re his little sister?” Bull wasn’t even looking at her anymore as he yelled. His hands were in his hair, pulling and raking through it.

  Her anxiety attack was only being held at bay by the thought of what she would lose if she couldn’t keep herself together at that very second. “Colton, please just let me explain. I can explain everything,” she begged him.

  Bull’s face became hard. His eyes became cold. His voice was low and unemotional. “No. No explaining this away, Sierra. This,” he motioned between them, “is finished. You should have told me.”

  Tears slid down her cheeks as her hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to hold in the sobs. Noah stood stock still, his face displaying his disgust and disapproval. Bull wouldn’t even look at her. The only camaraderie she felt in the room came from Brianna’s eyes. There was depth and understanding in them but Chaise couldn’t focus on that yet.

  She turned and ran down the hall to their bedroom. To Bull’s bedroom. She quickly unpacked the clothes in which she needed to change. Once she’d dressed, she opened the door and heard shouts coming from the kitchen.

  Noah conveyed how mad he was that Bull had slept with a client while on the job, but even more so that he didn’t even know who the client really was, and doubly so that she happened to be Noah’s little sister. Bull responded with his oath that it would never happen again and that he would swear an oath of death on that.

  Chaise heard Brianna try to speak in her defense, but the men wouldn’t hear it. Rebel and Shadow remained quiet, opting to choose their battles on another day. Chaise was completely heartbroken and drained. The anxiety attack was bubbling just under the surface, like a volcano about to erupt. She heard the resolute tone of Bull’s voice. She heard the anger in Noah’s voice.

  There was no turning back now. She gathered her things, picked up her cell phone, and made a couple of phone calls. After she finished with her hair and makeup, she re-emerged from the bedroom with her possessions in tow. The conversation had returned to normal volumes but it was obvious that they were still talking about her when she entered the room.

  Bull watched as Chaise positioned her suitcase by the door and removed something small from her purse. She walked over to stand directly in front of Bull but he wouldn’t meet her gaze. She sat down on the coffee table in front of him and took a deep breath.

  “You’re right, Colton. I should’ve told you before, and I tried to; I wanted to. My name is Sierra Chaise Steele. I haven’t gone by Sierra for many, many years now.” She cut her eyes at Noah as she stated the last part.

  She handed Bull the business card that she had pulled from her purse. He glanced down at it long enough to verify that it did, indeed, say Chaise Steele.

  “When I graduated college and started doing contract HR work, I changed my professional name to Chaise Steele. Too many people knew me as Sierra-Steve-Steele’s- daughter. I told you how overbearing he was and that bled over into my professional life. I have gone by Chaise ever since then.

  “As far as being Noah’s sister, it’s true, I am. I wanted to tell you—and I tried to tell you—but I take the full blame for that.”

  Turning to Noah, she said, “Noah, he didn’t know you were my brother. I gave him a fake last name so he couldn’t have known. Don’t blame Colton for this—blame me.”

  Chaise hated having the conversation in front of everyone, but there was no time and no other way to handle it. “Colton, this doesn’t have to change anything between us. It doesn’t change anything for me. I didn’t lie about my name—it is Chaise. Please talk to me.”

  She was met with a painful, stoic silence.

  “This is exactly what I thought would happen. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I’m not sorry for anything that happened between us, Colton. I don’t regret one minute of it,” she said through her tears that were freely flowing down her cheeks.

  She swallowed hard and stood on shaky legs to move away from Bull. She knew he would react in that way. She knew she didn’t matter enough to him for him to actually hear her out. What they had between them wasn’t enough for him to look past his pride. She’d known all along, deep down, that he would pull away from her as soon as she told him she was Noah’s little sister. Noah had just beaten her to the punch.

  An eternity passed as she made her way across the floor with all eyes burning a hole in her.

  “And just where the hell do you think you’re going?” Noah brazenly demanded.

  “Noah!” Brianna chastised him.

  Chaise gave Brianna a small smile of appreciation before moving her eyes to meet Noah’s. “I’m leaving.”

  “Like hell you are!” Noah’s voiced boomed through the house. “The Cordova family is a major international drug and human trafficking organization. If they are really after you, as you claim they are, and if you leave here now, you may as well go turn yourself in to them. Besides, you don’t even have a car here.”

  Chaise kept her voice calm and professional, as if she was addressing a group of executives. “Before I came in here, I made two phone calls. The first one was to Steele Security headquarters. I’ve paid your retainer fee. Any additional expenses I’ve incurred can be billed to me.”

  Bull still refused to look at h
er but she could see how hard he had clenched his jaws. She couldn’t even venture a guess about what he was thinking, but at that point it really didn’t seem to matter.

  “The second call was for a cab. It will be here any minute now. I had no doubt everything would turn out this way, so I’ve already made arrangements. I had hoped it would be different, though,” she finished wistfully.

  “At any rate, since I’m the customer and I’ve paid for the protection I’ve received, I am now relieving you of your duties. I no longer require your services.”

  The room erupted in arguments—regarding her ability to make decisions, of her ability to protect herself, and of her sanity. Noah’s voice boomed and cut through the fog of dissension

  “If you leave now, then I have no choice but to believe this whole thing has been a ruse and you were never really in any danger. How dare you try to play me and my brothers like that?” Noah accused.

  Chaise’s back was to him and her hand was on the doorknob. The shock from his words hit first, then the pain, then the anger—the full-fledged, red-hot anger that that been building deep inside her. She whirled around, fire flashing in her eyes, and marched up to face Noah head-on.

  “Let me fucking remind you of something, Noah. You. Were. My. Brother. First. You want to live by the military code of never leaving a man behind? You want to talk about honor and loyalty?”

  Her entire body was shaking but there was no stopping her. The entire room watched with baited breath as she tore into Noah.

  “YOU fucking left ME behind. Without a second thought. Without a backward glance. You fucking left me behind when I fucking needed you the most! You were my big brother! You were supposed to look out for me! But—YOU. LEFT. ME.

  “So, you just fucking stay here with ‘your brothers’ and pretend you’re the one who has been wronged here. Keep telling yourself that and, maybe one day, even YOU will believe your own bullshit.