by J. C. Reed
His words caught me off guard, and my heart gave another almighty thud.
He was playing with me. He had to be because Chase Wright couldn’t possibly have feelings for me.
And yet, for a moment, I wished I could believe him.
“I can’t say I’m sorry for what I did,” he whispered. “I can’t even say I’m sorry for being attracted to you or for fucking you. I know you have many questions, and I’ll be more than happy to explain.”
I closed my eyes. My head was spinning with the same thought.
He had married me for my inheritance.
“I can’t,” I whispered.
“I’m still the same man, Laurie.”
I let out a sarcastic laugh. “No, you’re not. You’re someone I don’t know.”
“Meet me in an hour, and I’ll show you who I really am. I’ll explain everything.”
“Even if I let you explain, you really think I’d believe you?”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “You trusted me with your virginity, and now I ask that you trust me once more.”
“You compare my virginity to your deception?” I laughed. “Nice try.”
“Please, Laurie.” He looked at me. “We still have a contract. I know you have feelings for me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You should really have been an actor, Chase, or should I call you Kade?”
He gave an exasperated sigh and stood. “I already told you my name’s Chase.”
“No, it isn’t.”
He cocked his head, his tone low and dangerous. “How would you know?”
“Because I do. I’d rather trust my instincts than you.”
“Well, you have your information wrong,” Chase said coolly.
My mouth clamped shut. I eyed him cagily, my thoughts racing.
If Chase was his real name, then that could mean that things might still be the same between us. He was still my husband. We were legally married.
“Look, Laurie. I owe you an explanation,” Chase said, interrupting my disturbing trail of thoughts. “It’s one of the reasons I came here to see you.”
I shook my head as I remembered my resolve. “I’m not interested in your reasons. What matters to me is that you lied to get close to me. That was all I needed to know.”
He frowned and something flashed across his handsome face. “Aren’t you the slightest bit interested?”
“I am. In fact, I’m very curious,” I said. There was no point in denying the obvious. “I’m just not interested in hearing more of your lies. Seeing that you lied once, how can I possibly trust your words again?”
“You have no guarantees. You’ll just have to believe me.”
Nodding, I smiled grimly. “That’s true, but I’m not willing to do that. So stop asking me to meet with you. Because I won’t.” My voice broke and I cleared my throat to get rid of the lump lodged inside. “I won’t get involved with you again.”
“I don’t believe you.”
I laughed, the bitterness creeping into my tone even though I didn’t want him to see just how affected I was. Somewhere at the back of my mind, countless alarm bells went off, and bitterness settled in my chest.
I got up, my thoughts racing, my heart breaking as I spoke the words I had prepared.
“It was just sex, Chase,” I whispered. “We fucked. We had a good time. And then I left. People do it all the time. Get over it. Maybe last night I was ready to repeat the experience with someone else, and the guy just wasn’t that into me.” I shrugged as I stared him down.
His blue eyes turned into icicles. If looks could kill, he’d have me pinned to the ground fighting for my life.
“I know you. You might be a lot of things, but you’re not that.” His voice came low, definite. I had never seen him so angry. Then again, his anger was no match for mine.
What the fuck was ‘a lot of things’ supposed to mean? And why not ‘that?’
How could I fight against his overconfidence when it became a lost battle the moment I let him be my first?
How could I fight with myself when my feelings pushed me to do things my mind didn’t want to?
“You don’t know me at all, Chase,” I reminded him.
“I believe I know you better than anyone else,” he said coldly. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but when we were stuck in that elevator, you told me secrets you’ve never told anyone else.”
My jaw dropped, and then closed again.
My whole being was on fire, twisting, shaking, as I watched him stand.
“Get dressed, Laurie. I’ll pick you up for lunch in an hour.”
An order. Cool. Composed.
Fuck it. He was hot as hell.
I stared at him. “Why do you think I’d ever do what you say?”
“Because you want to get rid of me.” That rendered me silent. “I’ll only leave after telling you why I did what I did. Beside bailing your pretty little ass out of jail, it’s the least I can do for you.”
“I didn’t need your pity. I’d have—”
“Stop being difficult,” he cut me off and wrapped his arms around me, pressing me against him, so close I could barely breathe. “I owe you an explanation, okay? So you’ll get one. And then, only then, I’m going to leave because that’s what you want. Deal?”
I drew a sharp breath, ready for another snarky reply, but no words came out.
His words had affected me in more ways than I cared to admit.
No, scratch that.
His presence pulled at all my strings. Everything about him did. His gaze. His breath on my skin. The way his eyes seemed to brush over my lips, leaving them tingly and in dire want of his kiss.
Cradled in his arms, with my head leaned back to glance all the way up into his eyes, I could feel the heat eradicating from his body. I could feel the layers of my anger melting and my resolve slowly fading.
His gentle touch on my arm was a direct opposite to the cold stare he gave me.
“So, I gather I have no choice?” I asked.
“No.”
I sighed, my chest strangely heavy, my voice choked. “Just answer me this: Who are you? Is Chase really your real name?”
Hesitating, he let go of me, his blue eyes shimmering like an ocean in the morning sun focused on me. He was fighting with himself, probably wondering whether to disclose the truth or how much to tell me.
“Not here, Laurie,” he whispered. “I’ll pick you up at twelve. And wear the red dress.” The tone of his voice was strangely soothing and built an unnerving contradiction to the grip he still had on my upper arm. And then he let go of me and walked out, closing the door behind him.
As if I was the one intruding on him.
For a long time, I stood frozen to the spot, my mind processing.
The truth was, I wanted to know. I wanted more. And yes, my pride and ego were standing in my way, as well as my fear that giving in could mean I might lose myself again—that I might get lost in Chase’s eyes, in his being, in everything he had to offer.
I felt a strong need to call Jude even though she wouldn’t know what to tell me because no one could possibly understand just how torn I was. She sure wasn’t the one fighting the arrays of emotions inside me; she didn’t have to cope with the fear of being lied to again in the future, or face the risk of believing him in the knowledge that truth isn’t easily distinguished from a lie.
And most importantly, the fear of the known.
Once he explained his motives, would I be strong enough to walk away?
Did I even want to leave him behind?
Somehow I sensed that I would have to very soon, but whether I wanted to, whether I was strong enough to, whether I could do it—that was a different matter.
Chapter 10
The moment Chase was gone, I called Jude with the update.
“I’m so stupid.” I groaned into the phone. “I’m going to see him again.”
I still couldn’t believe it.
Less than thirty-six hours ago, I
’d watched the world through pink-colored glasses in the hope for a great future. Now that they had been ripped off my eyes, I was still pining for Chase.
Mystery guy.
Bad boy.
Mr. fucking liar.
Those were all the names that came to my mind when thinking of him.
Those and Mr. Tall, Handsome and Mysterious, even though, if we were absolutely honest, his tongue deserved a mention, too. The way it could bring me straight to pleasure heaven, it had been nothing short of a miracle.
Fuck.
Just thinking about it made me wet.
It was a god’s gift—and not the good kind—sent into the world to torture and remind me that I was a weak, gullible woman. And not a woman with a soft spot for bad boys, but a woman with raging hormones and all that wasn’t holy. Yes, it was most certainly my frigging hormones that had made me so wildly in lust for Chase that I switched off all rational thoughts and just let him fuck me.
“I should call him and tell him our meeting is off,” I continued to rant. “After all he’s done, it looks like I’m still dating him, or maybe not dating—” I tapped a finger against my lips in thought. “Anyway, seeing him is the last thing I should do. I swear it’s a mistake.”
“No doubt about it,” Jude agreed on the other end of the line. “But maybe just listen to him. You know, get his side of the story. Maybe it isn’t as bad as you think it is. Maybe you’re making a big deal out of nothing. Who knows? For all we know, he wanted to marry you because he’s a collector, and you had an old painting in your family heritage that he desperately needed to acquire.”
“Which would be exactly the same thing as marrying me for my money.” I gave a short, loud snort. “If that had been the case, he’d only have had to ask me, and I would have gladly given it to him because you know how much I hate old stuff.” I looked at the watch again.
Five more minutes.
I could feel the onset of a panic.
“Just give him a chance,” Jude insisted. “Promise me, Laurie. The last thing I want you to feel is regret. Nothing good ever comes out of it. Trust me on that. I know you said you don’t have feelings for him, but honestly, I don’t believe you.”
“Is that why you called him to bail me out? And don’t tell me you didn’t, because I know you were behind it.”
“I…” She sighed. “I felt bad for going behind your back. Plus, it was your mom’s necklace and it was all my fault and—”
“Keep it short, Jude,” I said impatiently.
“Fine,” she replied. “I called him.”
“Oh, Jude,” I exclaimed. “Why can’t you ever listen to me and stay out of my crappy life?”
“I know. I know. And of course you’re right,” she said, her tone slightly irritated. “But in my defense I’ll have to stress that it was already out of my hands.”
“How so?” I asked.
“When I called him, he already knew you were in jail, and he was on his drive to the airport.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“How would he know that?” I asked, agog.
“That’s what I wanted to know, too,” she said thoughtfully. “He said they called him because he was listed as your husband. Even if I wanted to, he was the only person allowed to bail you out. Their words. Not mine. I even called to check up the fact. So, even if I wanted to, I would not have been able to help you.”
That sounded like utter bullshit.
I blinked several times.
“Now I really do owe him, don’t I?” I said flatly, feeling weak at the thought of having to repay Chase. It was the last thing I needed when all I wanted was a clean breakup.
“No,” Jude added quickly. “Definitely not. I’d say he still owes you for the crap he pulled on you.”
“You really mean that?” I asked.
“Of course, I’m your friend, aren’t I?”
Which was why her reasoning was biased and couldn’t be applied in real life.
“Thank you.” I smiled. “That was exactly what I needed to hear.” I glanced at my watch again.
I only had four minutes left.
“I’ve got to go,” I said. “I’ll call you as soon as I’m back. Wish me luck.”
“Laurie?”
“Yeah?”
The line remained silent for a few moments as I waited for the kind of words I knew would try to change my mind about him.
“I don’t expect you to forgive him,” Jude said softly. “Just hear his side of the story, okay? And don’t run off again and end up God knows where. You scared the hell out of me. Don’t do that ever again. Yes, it was my idea, but I didn’t think you’d go for it.”
I let out a laugh and got off the phone, then leaned back.
Was this a mistake?
No doubt about it. But the truth was, Jude was right.
Chase harbored more secrets than the ancient Druids.
I didn’t want to be wrong and judge him without hearing his side of the story. And then, there was my curiosity, my annoying and desperate desire to know what was going on.
Was it possibly some harmless misunderstanding?
Were his parents pushing him for a marriage for a reason unknown to me and he had no other choice than to wed a stranger?
Even if Chase wouldn’t explain everything, at least there was the slight chance that I’d get a few morsels of information. Then I’d do what was necessary—research, take apart the pieces of information I had, and decide what to do with them. Leave and forget. Or work with them, and create something better.
Slipping into a light blue halter neck dress, definitely not the red one Chase required, I checked my reflection in the mirror. My hair, which was usually twisted into a practical, loose side bun, cascaded down my shoulders. Even though I barely had seen the sun, my skin had a light bronze glow to it. My cheeks were flushed. If one didn’t dig too deep, but judged from my fake smile, I could have easily passed as the happy, recently married bride.
Bride.
The word stung.
I was a bride, just not a traditional one. Not even a happy one. Even with all the fluttering in my stomach at the prospect of soon seeing Chase, the situation was what it was.
“Stupid,” I muttered and applied another layer of lip gloss, then stood back to inspect the result.
What was I doing? Making an effort for a fake husband?
“Just stupid.” I wiped my thumb over my red lips in an effort to wipe off the color.
A rap at the door.
My head snapped toward the hallway.
Someone was banging at my door. I glanced at the watch.
Chase was here, though a minute late.
“Coming,” I called out and retrieved my handbag from a nearby chair.
I reached the door in a few, hasty strides. My heart was racing but not from the effort. My stomach twisted slightly at the thought of spending more time with him.
Truth be told, I was more looking forward to it than I should have been.
Taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, I swept my hair sideways and grabbed the doorknob. When I opened the door, my breath caught in my throat.
Standing in front of me wasn’t Chase. It was the guy I had asked out on a date the night before. Dressed in a suit, he looked like he was headed to an important meeting. He looked serious, completely different. The change threw me off. It was safe to say I wouldn’t have recognized him if it weren’t for the stupid black sunglasses he was wearing.
“Oh…Hi?” I cocked my head in surprise, unsure what else to say.
What do you say to someone who didn’t turn up to a date?
He nodded approvingly as he checked me out, or at least that’s what I believe he was doing.
“You look nice.” He pushed the glasses to the top of his head, and his warm brown eyes met mine.
“Thank you?” I shifted uncomfortably, my hands fiddling with the doorknob. “Did we arrange something for today?”
“No, that’s why I’m here.” He smiled. “I wanted to apologize for standing you up.”
“It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “I understand you forgot, or whatever.”
He shook his head, his eyes penetrating. “No, I didn’t forget. An emergency came up.”
An emergency during his vacation?
Seriously?
That was the crappiest excuse I had ever heard.
What the hell was wrong with my stars? Why did they keep sending me guys who found it so easy to lie to me, stood me up or deceived me? And most importantly, what the hell had I been thinking going out on a date with some random guy whose name I didn’t know?
“It’s fine.” I said, forcing another smile to my lips. “It can happen to anyone.”
“I would have called you if I had your number,” he continued.
He even looked sincere as he said it.
“Honestly, it’s fine,” I repeated. “I had plans anyway.”
Yeah, getting locked up.
“I want to repay you with dinner. What about tonight?” His smile morphed into a grin. “Or now. Special treat. Best place in town?”
“Um…” My hand tightened on the doorknob. Obviously, I couldn’t meet him now, even if I wanted to. Not when Chase could be here any minute, and my trip so far had been anything but fun. I wet my lips nervously, deciding to stick to the truth.
“Now isn’t a good time. Maybe another day.”
He got the hint.
I could tell from the way his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but his smile didn’t vanish.
“You know what? Let me give you my number and you can call me anytime if you have a change of heart.”
“Um, sure.” I held up my phone and swiped my thumb over the screen to unlock it.
“What the fuck!” a male voice boomed behind us. My hand froze. In fact, my whole body did. I turned my head and saw Chase striding toward us, his face a mask of fury. Come to think of it, he looked like a raging bull. I frowned.
Whoa!
Was he jealous? It couldn’t be, and yet, the moment he reached me, his hand went possessively around my waist, almost cutting off my air supply.