by Lisa Eugene
“Whatcha got there?” he nodded to the paper.
Holding up the front page, I unfolded the full color spread of the rally he’d held the night before, the one that had been attended by a few thousand people. Chase was at the podium, speaking to the invigorated crowd that cheered and waved colorful banners that already declared his victory.
“Looks like a success,” I said, scanning the snapshots.
He kissed my temple again, lips pressing hard on my skin. “Wish you’d have been there.”
“I’m cheering from the sidelines.” Smiling, I pointed to the large pile of articles and magazines on the table that chronicled the progress of his campaign. I read everything I could get my hands on.
“Does that mean you’ll vote for me?”
I smirked. “I haven’t decided yet.”
Playfully, he yanked on my fluffy ponytail, tilting my head to nip his teeth along my jaw. His mouth covered mine, tongue swiping deep. I moaned into his mouth, wishing we were alone.
Eyes sparkling, he whispered, “Maybe there are ways I can earn your vote. I’m not above coercion.”
“You don’t need my vote,” I added with a thick chuckle. “I saw that fan club of yours on TV, you know, the society ladies who’re supporting you. You’ll have plenty of votes.”
I could feel him grinning against my neck, his soft lips tickling my skin. The ladies in question were no ladies at all, considering the way they’d trampled the crowd at the rally to get to him.
“Now see, if you’d been there you could’ve saved me. You could’ve pulled that move you did on that pushy reporter. Laid them out flat.”
An elbow jab had him falling back on the couch.
“Like that,” he wheezed, holding his ribs. He laughed out loud when I rolled my eyes.
I couldn’t help but chuckle, the deep timbre of his laughter reeling me in. I was happy his campaign was going well. The polls had him neck and neck with Gonzalez. Wanda and I had started a local voter outreach program. It was designed not only to show how Chase’s reforms would directly aid our impoverished community, but voters could raise questions and concerns, get honest, concrete answers without the political rhetoric. The response was amazing, the program so far a huge success.
Flipping the pages, a picture of Senator Kensington drew my attention. The article spoke of a new bill in congress he was endorsing.
“There’s a piece about Kensington,” I informed. “You want to read it?”
Chase shook his head, grabbing the remote again and flipping through the channels. The senator was still a sore subject for us, but I was curious about the article.
“Maybe later. The six o’clock news is doing a piece on Flex-Steel. I don’t want to miss it and it’s about to come on.”
Nodding absently, I snuggled comfortably against his shoulder, placed the paper on my lap, and started reading.
Hearing Emmy’s light footsteps enter the room, I looked up. The look on her face squeezed a startled breath from my lungs, but when she parted her lips and started shrieking wildly, it felt like the entire world stopped spinning. The frantic noise ripped through the air, and I looked down at the article I was reading, the picture of Senator Kensington.
Did the picture upset her? Why?
Confused, I looked at my daughter, then stood from the couch, moving toward her.
“Emmy, Emmy, mommy’s here . . .” I said softly, my thoughts flying in all directions.
As I grew closer, I realized Emmy’s small frame was shaking. She was rigid, paralyzed with fear.
“He took me.”
The raspy words slammed into me. Chase, who’d sat upright on the couch, inhaled sharply behind me. He, too, had heard her speak.
“Oh my God!” I turned back to Chase, our gazes crashing, our thoughts careening out of control and then aligning.
We followed Emmy’s panicked gaze, but she wasn’t staring at the newspaper photo of Senator Kensington, she was starting at the TV, at the man who was smugly answering questions.
Robert Chapman, CEO of Flex-Steel. He was talking about the future of his company and his plan to reopen the Thailand plant.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It took some time to calm Emmy and put her to bed. Hands shaking, I lowered her small head on the pillow and folded the sheet at her feet. She’d only kick it off if I covered her. I rushed back to the living room just in time to see Chase grab his keys off the coffee table.
“How’s Emmy?” he asked, a deep groove marring his forehead. He was distracted, his feet restless. He’d probably been trying to leave before I came back out.
“She’s okay,” I responded, my gaze drifting to his balled up fists. “You’re going after him aren’t you?”
Inhaling deeply lifted his broad shoulders. “I have to take care of this. I need answers.”
“You have to take care of this? You need answers?” I asked hotly, marching toward him until we were face to face. “What happened to ‘we have a contract, we’re in this together’?”
“Robert is out of control,” he snarled. I was so startled by his rage that I backpedaled a step. “He used Emmy to manipulate me, to get that information. The pain he caused you . . . what Emmy must’ve gone through . . .” He shook his head, looking like he was about to punch in a wall. “I have to take care of this!”
“Like hell you do!” I countered, feeling his rage. “Don’t you think I want answers, too?”
Cocking my head, I studied Chase. As angry as I was at Robert, I was more concerned about the man in front of me. I’d never seen him so angry. His eyes were wild and dilated, his body coiled tight.
“You’re running for office. You can’t do anything stupid,” I warned, then shook my head in disbelief.
I couldn’t believe I was the voice of reason. I was usually the impulsive one who Chase had to talk off a ledge. He raked his fingers through his hair, shifting his weight onto one long leg. Still sensing his turbulence, I couldn’t tell if I was getting through to him. Eventually, I pulled my phone from my pocket.
“What are you doing?” he asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Calling Wanda to watch Emmy,” I replied smoothly. “Whatever you’re up to, I’m coming with you.”
The car ride to Long Island was tense, worsened by Chase’s stiff silence. He wasn’t happy I’d tagged along, but I’d given him no choice. This was about my daughter as much as it was about him and Flex-Steel, besides, the black mood he was in had worry churning a cyclone in my stomach.
As we moved through the neighborhood of tall trees and lush foliage, I couldn’t help thinking of the last time we’d made this trip. I’d been out of my mind with worry for Emmy, wondering if I’d ever see my daughter again. Little did we know we’d been seeking a solution to our despair from the very man who had inflicted it.
Chase parked the Bentley on the side of the road, tucked under a copse of trees away from the house. Before I could ask a question, he jumped from the car and started toward the open gate. Scrambling, I fell into step beside him, trying to keep up with his long strides.
“What’s that about?” I jerked my thumb back to the Bentley gaining distance.
“If he sees my car, he may not open the door.”
“Oh,” I responded, chewing on my bottom lip. “Will you please talk to me?”
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said tightly, not slowing his pace, or looking at me.
Pursing my lips, I added a skip to my step to keep up with him. No way in hell was I going anywhere. He’d been right. We were a team. He’d been there for me, and I’d be there for him.
Chase pressed a finger to his lips as we approached the front door, cautioning me to be quiet. Eyes wide, I nodded, watching him work the heavy knocker.
A minute later, the door pulled open, Robert Chapman standing in the threshold. His brows furrowed in surprised confusion, his perplexed gaze swinging from me to Chase. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words were mashed down his throat by the
blunt force of Chase’s quick fist.
My breath flew from my lungs, emerging as a startle gasp. Robert toppled back into the hallway on his ass. Chase advanced, shoulders bunched, face set with a fierce anger. Heart pounding, I hurried into the house behind him, closing the door with my hip.
“Did you think I wouldn’t figure out what you’d done?” Chase roared at the man inching away on the floor.
Robert stood unsteadily, eyes still dazed as he backed into his study and away from the approaching threat. Chase pursued, fisted his shirt, and delivered two blows to his jaw. Robert spun away, but not before I saw the bright splashes of blood on his face. Chase kept pounding.
“Chase!” I screamed, afraid he’d beat the man to death. From the look on his face, it didn’t look like he’d back off anytime soon.
He snapped his head to me, fury in his eyes, his broad chest heaving. Alarms rang in my head. As much as I’d like him to beat the life out of Robert, I was afraid of the consequences to himself. Just as I was about to speak, Robert turned back to us.
I’d expected him to cower, to see fear and shame twist his battered face. Instead, he swiped a sleeve across his busted lip and straightened, his eyes on Chase.
“Did you think I’d just walk away from Flex-Steel, that I’d let you push me out?” he spat. “I built that fucking company! While you stepped away to play at politics, I was the one keeping it afloat by whatever means necessary.”
“You were about to sink the ship with what you were doing in Thailand.”
Robert shook his head, a bitter laugh resonating in his throat. “You hypocrite! You’re not above doing whatever is necessary to suit your own needs. I knew you’d come to me for help. It was just a matter of time. With all your self-righteous bullshit about integrity, I knew when the shit hit the fan, you’d do whatever it took to get that girl back. I knew you’d need Los Lobos.”
“You put a little girl’s life in danger, aggrieved her family.”
“She was never in any real danger.”
“And Steven?” I asked.
“He served his purpose. I hadn’t planned on killing him, but it looks like Los Lobos had an additional agenda, right Chase?”
Robert sent a meaningful look to Chase, but Chase’s expression didn’t change as he met the man’s gaze. He looked ready to attack.
I gripped the back of a chair, fighting the urge to pummel him myself.
“You’re a monster. Do you have any idea what we went through? I hope you rot in hell for what you did.”
Robert trained his full gaze on me, seeming unscathed by my condemnation. “We all got what we wanted in the end, didn’t we. You got back what means most to you, and I got what means most to me. I will not allow anyone to take my company.”
I swallowed, feeling my stomach sink. Robert would get away with what he’d done. He was CEO of Flex-Steel and Chase had stepped down. Even if Chase went to the board, he no longer had proof of Robert’s cover-up. That proof had been handed over in the bargain for Los Lobos.
Robert had most likely offered Steven a lot of money to abduct Emmy. And now Steven was dead, his only witness. He’d also counted on Emmy not speaking. He like many, underestimated my daughter.
Robert’s sick plan had been orchestrated simply to obtain Chase’s information. Los Lobos had been working for him all along, leading us along a maze Robert had carefully constructed. Chase couldn’t even go to the police. He’d have to admit to the part he played in retrieving Emmy, to his knowledge of Steven’s murder.
Robert perched on the edge of his desk, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his bleeding lip. There was smug satisfaction in his eyes. “It’s over Chase. Move on. Flex-Steel is mine, and there is nothing you can do. I’ll even forgive you for this insult.” Fingering his jaw, he rocked it steadily.
“Chase, let’s go,” I whispered, the whole scene turning my stomach.
It was Chase’s turn to issue a deep, wry laugh. I startled, wondering if he’d been pushed too far, if he’d resume his assault on Robert’s face.
“You’re right,” he intoned slowly, addressing Robert. “It is over—for you. Does the name Teerapat Kraiptura ring a bell?”
Robert’s face paled as Chase continued. “The Thai official in parliament you bribed to keep the factory open. Do you think I’d be stupid enough to hand over everything I had on you? I may not be able to prove the plant was polluting the soil and water, but I can prove you handed over tens of thousands of dollars privately to a Thai official. The same one who signed off approvals for the factory. It won’t take long to connect the dots, especially given the allegations from the environmentalists. I’m sure the FBI and the SEC would take an interest in your corruption. You are about to lose more than Flex-Steel.”
Robert’s body stiffened, his face growing red with rage. “You’ll destroy the company! Flex-Steel won’t survive the scandal.”
“You destroyed it all by yourself,” Chase spat back, and I could hear the sadness in his voice. He turned to me, ignoring Robert’s impassioned pleas. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Gladly,” I answered, my mind still spinning. I’d thought he’d given everything to Robert, but now I remembered what he’d cleverly offered him. He’d only offered the documents proving the pollution, but had kept quiet about the information on the bribery.
Chase captured my elbow, ushering me from the room. We were almost at the door when Robert’s voice stopped us.
“I can’t let you destroy everything I’ve built, Chase.”
We turned back to Robert only to see the 9mm pointed directly at us. A noise came out of my throat, fear swamping me. I didn’t have time to fully register my surprise. Chase stepped in front of me, shielding me with his big body. I grabbed hold of his waist, clinging desperately to him. Seeing the gun trained at his chest only heightened my terror, the thought of losing him too much to endure.
Chase’s body was surprisingly relaxed, his breathing even. He braced his legs and faced Robert squarely.
“Dani, leave. Walk out the door,” he ordered, not taking his gaze from Robert.
The door was directly behind me, already ajar, an easy portal to slip through.
“No,” I whispered behind him. “I won’t leave you.”
“Dani, leave. Now.”
Pain fisted in my chest. My breaths whittled to nothing. Fear wrapped my voice in a tremor. “No! I love you. I won’t leave you.”
Hearing his muttered curse, I strengthened my grip on him and peeked around his torso. Robert advanced, keeping the gun level. Anger clouded his eyes, molded his rough features.
“If I go down, I’m taking you with me,” he warned.
I felt Chase’s body stiffen, anger flinging off him like a wicked flame. “Dani, for fuck’s sake. Listen to me for once! Go. Now.”
Robert was now only a few feet away, the weapon boosting his confidence. Twisting quickly, Chase shoved me through the door. I screamed, a noise that grew louder when I saw Chase lunge at Robert. They struggled wildly, Chase gripping Robert’s wrist, trying to turn the angle of the gun. Chase was a bigger man, a stronger man, but Robert wouldn’t let go of his grip on the gun, trying instead to aim it at Chase.
Heart galloping like a herd of buffalo, I looked around for a weapon. I had to do something. There was a kitchen at the end of the hall. Hoping to find something there, I hastened my steps.
That’s when I heard the shot.
My feet stopped. My entire body hushed.
Fear like I’d never known seized me. I turned back to the study, breath in my throat, and Chase’s name on my lips. At the door, I saw both men, their bodies still twisting and turning as they struggled for the gun that must’ve gone off in the tussle. Relief brought tears to my eyes, but the sight of blood on Chase’s shirt renewed my fear.
“Dani, get the hell out of here!” Chase yelled when he saw me at the door.
Robert whipped his head to me, pointing the gun in my direction. With a loud curse, Chase pull
ed his fist back and crashed it into Robert’s face. The crunch of bone could be heard from the doorway. The gun fell from Robert’s fingers as his body slumped. He staggered back a few clumsy paces before he sank to the floor. I rushed over to Chase, ignoring Robert’s bloody stump of a body.
“He’s out cold,” Chase said, toeing Robert’s limp form. Anger still molded his features and squared his jaw. His chest was heaving.Overwhelmed, tears loosened to roll down my cheek. “I . . . I . . . thought. Oh God! I was afraid —”
“Shh . . .” He kicked the gun across the room and pulled me against him. “I’m okay. This is his blood,” he said when I fingered the stain on the front of his shirt. Lips pulling tightly, he tucked a finger under my chin and glared at me. “Why don’t you ever listen to me? I ought to drag you across my lap and give you a good spanking for scaring the shit out of me.”
“Me?” I asked incredulously. “You were the fool wrestling the man with a gun! Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”
Giving me a crooked grin, he said, “I did save your life.”
I stepped further into his body and rejoiced at the steady beat of his heart against my chest.
“Thank you,” I whispered, realizing I was still shaking.
Stamping small kisses at my temple, he said, “We gotta go, love.”
He pulled me through the house to a back door, then stepped outside. Together we skirted the yard, and after a brisk walk through a row of tall trees, emerged on the road not far from Chase’s Bentley. Inside, I let out a deep breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, the events of the last hour a vivid nightmare. Chase’s palm covered mine, warm and reassuring, his gaze ahead as we drove away.
We drove in contemplative silence for some time, hitting the highway until we were weaving our way through the narrow streets of Queens. There was a strange serenity in our silence, a heightened awareness of a connection that defied words. Perhaps it was the adrenaline still coursing through our veins, the fear of what was almost lost, or the reminder of life’s fragile tapestry. He’d talked about wasting away moments, and no experience could’ve made that sentiment more poignant.