Blitz: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy (Blast Brothers Book 3)

by Sabrina Stark

  "Oh yeah?" I pulled back. "So what else are you swiping?"

  "You."

  And with that, he reached out and grabbed my hand. As I laughed, he made a show of tugging me out of the stands and leading me toward the midway.

  When we reached it, he bought a whole bunch of tickets and took me on every ride in the festival.

  It wasn't just me either.

  As we walked, he handed out tickets at random, usually to teenagers or families lucky enough to cross our path. I loved seeing their surprise and excitement – not just for the free tickets, but also for the chance to meet Chase in person.

  This wasn't the first night he'd done such a thing. But it was the first night I realized something. I was doing a terrible job of shielding my heart.

  If I wasn't careful, he'd break it into a million pieces.

  From now on, I decided, I would need to do better.

  But only two nights later, my resolve was seriously tested when Chase dropped a bombshell that I hadn't seen coming.

  Chapter 61

  Mina

  I stared from the passenger's seat. "Sorry, could you repeat that?"

  It was near midnight on Sunday, and Chase was driving along the familiar country road that led to my parents' place.

  With his face cast in shadows, I couldn’t tell for sure if he'd been only joking.

  But to my surprise, he said it again. "Move in with me."

  I paused. "You mean…at your condo?"

  Sounding vaguely amused, he said, "That is where I live."

  Yes. It was. I knew this, because I'd already spent several nights there, never multiple nights in a row, mostly because I didn't want him to think that I was pulling an Angelique, trying to move in without him noticing.

  As far as my parents, in spite of what Chase might believe, they did realize I was an adult. They never hassled me about where I slept, as long as they knew not to expect me home.

  When I made no reply, Chase asked, "So, what do you think?"

  Boy, if that wasn't a loaded question. I felt so conflicted, I hardly knew what to say. It was incredibly nice to be asked, but not so nice that I'd ever take him up on it.

  Chase was a heart-breaker, plain and simple. And although I loved spending time with him, I knew trouble when I saw it.

  Carefully, I said, "Well, it's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it's a good one."

  "Why not?" He didn't sound angry, so much as curious.

  I so didn't want to say. "I don't know. It just isn't."

  This weekend, he was driving not the orange sports car, but instead, a big, luxurious SUV, probably because we'd hit four festivals in three days, and the SUV was roomier than any of his other vehicles.

  By now, I'd ridden in at least four.

  From the driver's seat, he said, "Care to elaborate?"

  My gaze strayed to the tote bag at my feet. In the darkened car, I could just barely make it out. Still, its contents had been on my mind all weekend long.

  The brunette had given me the book on Friday night, but I still hadn't removed it from the bag, not even once. It had taken all of my willpower to resist – not just reading it, but also mentioning it to Chase.

  But I had my reasons. I wanted to read it alone, not in front of an audience, because whatever horrors it might contain, I figured they were best digested on my own.

  Still, I was burning with curiosity, which was why I'd already declined Chase's offer to spend the night at his condo.

  As his question lingered between us, I forced the book from my thoughts. "Well…yes, it would be nice if we were both staying in the same place, but it just seems a little risky, that's all."

  "Risky how?"

  "Well, the campaign ends in September, and it's almost July already."

  "Yeah, so?"

  "So that's only a couple of months away." I bit my lip. "And we don't really know what'll happen after."

  He paused for a long moment before asking, "After what?"

  "After the campaign." I hated to say it, but I plunged onward, anyway. "Let's say we go our separate ways when it's over. If I move in with you now, I'd just have to move all over again."

  This time, he paused for so long that I started to wonder if he would ever respond at all. But then, in a tight voice, he asked, "Go our separate ways, how?"

  "Well, for one thing, I might find a job in a different city."

  This was undeniably true. And yet, it wasn't the primary reason I was declining his offer.

  All too well, I recalled the vow I'd made to protect my heart. Already, I was doing a terrible job. But how much worse would it be if I were living with him when he decided to move on?

  The thought made my heart literally ache.

  In the driver's seat, he asked, "And what if you don't?"

  I was so distracted, I could hardly think. "What if I don't what?"

  "What if you don't find a job somewhere else? Are you gonna live with your parents forever?"

  "No. Of course not. I have lived on my own, you know."

  I didn't bother pointing out that my sister was now also living at my parents' place, at least for the summer. But then again, she was three years younger and still in college, so maybe Chase would see things differently in her case.

  He said, "Lemme ask you something. Let's say I walk you up to the front door, and I want to kiss you goodnight. Is your dad gonna be waiting?"

  "I don't know," I said. "Possibly. It is his house, you know."

  In reality, Chase had never walked me to the front door, but that was my doing, not his. Ever since my parents had caught us making out along the roadside, I'd decided that one embarrassing encounter was more than enough.

  And yet, after every weekend excursion, Chase still insisted on unloading my suitcases and taking them up to the front walkway – not quite to the front porch, but far enough.

  Afterward, he always made a point to wait in his car until I was actually inside the house before backing out of the driveway. It was surprisingly chivalrous, especially for someone with his reputation.

  Again, I thought of the book. Would I find any chivalry in there?

  Doubtful.

  After another long silence, he asked, "So what's the difference between my house and his?"

  His. Meaning my dad's. I asked, "Don’t you mean theirs?"

  "You know what I mean."

  Yeah, I did. But this whole conversation had me on edge, mostly because part of me was still stupidly tempted to jump on his offer. Absently, I replied, "Well, the places are completely different, obviously."

  "That's not what I meant."

  "So, what do you mean?"

  "If you're gonna be living with someone, why not me?"

  "Maybe I don't want to move," I said. "It takes a ton of time."

  "So I'll hire movers."

  "Yeah, but what about the packing?"

  "I'll pay them to pack, too."

  By now, I was irritated, mostly with myself because the temptation was proving nearly impossible to resist.

  I loved spending time with him. I loved sleeping in his arms. I loved waking up nestled against his chest, eating breakfast with him, and showering together, too. In truth, I loved just about everything.

  At the realization, something squeezed at my heart. Oh, no.

  I probably loved him, too.

  This was bad. But I refused to make it worse. I forced a laugh. "Oh come on. You can't solve every problem with a wad of cash."

  "That's what you think?" he said. "That I'm trying to buy you?"

  "Not me," I said. "The movers."

  "Yeah, well, in that case, I'd be renting them."

  I wasn't sure if he was joking, but it didn't matter. His statement was a timely reminder that the movers wouldn't be the only thing he'd be renting.

  Call me old-fashioned, but I already knew how this story ended, and it wasn't good, not for me, anyway.

  By the time we pulled into my parents' driveway, both of us were tense and
unhappy. It was really a shame, too, because we'd had such an incredible weekend, even in spite of that unpleasant encounter in the ladies room.

  And sure, our weekend would've been even more amazing if Chase and I were returning to the same place. But this particular temptation – it was the last thing I needed.

  With this in mind, I asked, "Can you do me a favor?"

  When Chase made no reply, I continued, anyway. "The living-together thing, can we just let it drop?" I hesitated. "Not just for tonight, but for good?"

  "Done."

  I blinked in surprise. "Seriously? You don't mind?"

  He shrugged in the shadows. "If you ask me, you're the smart one."

  "Really? Why do you say that?"

  "Because you're right," he said. "September's coming fast."

  Chapter 62

  Mina

  September's coming fast. Those words haunted me as I unpacked my two small suitcases and took a quick shower in the upstairs bathroom.

  My parents were already asleep, and I hadn't seen my car in the driveway, which told me that my sister was still at work. I'd been letting her drive my car any time she wanted while I was away with Chase, because her own car was even less reliable than mine.

  With Natalie gone and my parents asleep, the house was eerily quiet as I returned to my old childhood bedroom and sat in my nightclothes on the familiar twin-sized bed.

  As far as Chase's final comment, it could mean only one of two things. Either he was also thinking that our relationship might not last beyond the campaign, or he was referring to what I'd told him about moving for a new job, assuming I had to.

  This wasn't what I wanted.

  I dreaded the thought of moving away. But I also dreaded the thought of settling for a part-time service job instead of a job that actually used my degree.

  These thoughts were heavy on my mind, even as I reached down and retrieved the book from the tote-bag.

  But soon, thoughts of everything else faded into the background as I read what Angelique had to say about Chase.

  It wasn't good.

  Of course, I had never expected it to be good. Back in the beginning, Chase himself had warned me that it wasn't flattering. Still, as I read chapter after chapter, I found myself growing more and more concerned.

  By the time I finished, I had no idea what to think.

  The guy described in the book was not the guy I'd been spending so much time with. In fact, he was exactly the kind of guy I would surely avoid.

  According to Angelique, Chase was a lying, cheating scumbag – sure, a sexy and generous scumbag, but a scumbag nonetheless.

  With sleep now impossible, I returned to a chapter I'd found particularly troubling. It was the chapter describing what Chase had demanded for his most-recent birthday – a harem of warm and willing women to do his bidding.

  A harem.

  That's what Angelique had called it, except for all those times she'd called it an orgy. She didn't specify how many women were involved, but it sounded like a lot, at least half a dozen.

  And that wasn't all.

  According to the book, Chase had ended the relationship not too long afterward, telling Angelique that he was trading her in for a new model. It wasn't even a metaphor, because right after Angelique, he'd taken up with swimsuit model from the West Coast, followed by a fashion model from the East Coast a couple of weeks later.

  Now, in my quiet bedroom, I considered what he was doing now – dating a farmer's daughter from the Midwest. My stomach clenched. And who would take my place when Chase moved on?

  Would he go back to models? Or pick another type of girl entirely?

  Either prospect made me sick to my stomach.

  Lost in thought, I glanced at the nearby clock and was surprised to discover that it was nearly four o'clock in the morning, and my sister still wasn't home.

  It was a real bummer, too, because at that moment, I would've given just about anything to talk to her.

  But the way it looked, she was either spending the night at a friend's place, or more likely, working late at the downtown bar where she'd found part-time employment as a waitress.

  I was still obsessing over Chase when I heard a car pulling into the driveway. I perked up. My sister – it had to be.

  Just to be sure, I jumped out of bed and rushed to the nearest window, the one overlooking the front of the house.

  But when I moved the curtains aside, it wasn't my own car I saw pulling into the driveway.

  It was Chase's.

  I was sure of it. I'd recognize the vehicle anywhere. It was the orange sportscar – the one he'd been driving the very first time he'd brought me home.

  In the darkness, its color had faded to gray, but its sleek, exotic lines were unmistakable.

  I frowned at the sight of it.

  It was the middle of the night, and my parents were asleep. I should be sleeping, too. On top of that, Chase hadn't even called or texted to let me know he was coming.

  I had no idea why he was here, but nothing good could come of it. Was he trying to cause tension between me and my parents?

  Within two minutes, I was dressed and scrambling down the front porch. I stalked straight to the driver's side window and rapped on the glass as hard as I dared.

  But when the window slid down, I stifled a gasp. Chase's lip was swollen, and his light T-shirt was stained with blood.

  I blurted out, "Oh, my God. What happened to you?"

  "Nothing."

  "Well, something happened," I said. "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine," he said. "The blood's not mine."

  Well, that was comforting. Sort of.

  I asked, "But what about your lip?"

  "Forget me," he said, flicking his head toward the passenger's seat. "I've got your sister."

  Chapter 63

  Mina

  With my heart in my throat, I lowered my head to peer into the passenger's seat. And there she was, Natalie, looking as queasy as I'd ever seen her.

  I felt the blood drain from my face. "Oh, no. Is she sick?" Softly, I called out, "Natalie? Are you okay?"

  Her eyes opened, and with a weak laugh, she groaned, "Don't ask."

  Oh, I'd be asking.

  And judging from the sounds of footsteps behind me, I wouldn't be the only one. Sure enough, I turned to see not just my dad, but also my mom, stalking down the front porch.

  In his hand, my dad was holding a hammer of all things. As for my mom, she looked nearly as queasy as Natalie as she scrambled to keep up.

  I called out, "It's fine. He's just dropping off Natalie."

  This was a massive understatement, but really, what else could I say? I still had no idea what had happened, but I was determined to find out.

  A half-hour later, we had the whole story – or at least Natalie's version of the story, considering that Chase had stayed only long enough to help Natalie out of his car.

  And even that little episode hadn't lasted last terribly long, considering that my parents had rushed over to assist Natalie on their own. And then, almost before I knew what was happening, Chase was already backing out of the driveway without so much as a wave goodbye.

  Now, at the kitchen table, Natalie was saying, "I didn't even see her coming."

  Her. She meant the woman who'd jumped her.

  Natalie was waitressing at a popular bar located right downtown. Tonight, she'd been waiting on a trio of rough customers – one woman and two men – when their own drunkenness had caused the bartender to cut them off.

  The trio hadn't taken this lightly. Even worse, they'd blamed Natalie, because she'd been messenger of the unhappy news. When they'd gotten rude and abusive, they'd been tossed out on their asses – not by Natalie, but by a couple of bouncers.

  This was near closing time, and Natalie had figured this was the end of it.

  No such luck.

  Apparently, they'd waited near the back entrance and followed Natalie out to her car – or rather out to my car – wher
e the woman had jumped Natalie from behind.

  According to Natalie, the woman was big, bulky, and very persistent.

  Plus, she'd had the element of surprise, considering that Natalie hadn't spotted the woman – or her two male companions – as they followed after her.

  But apparently, Chase had.

  The woman had barely jumped Natalie, when Chase had emerged from the shadows to yank the woman away. For his trouble, he'd been rewarded with a two-on-one fight with the woman's male companions.

  Now, at the kitchen table, Natalie said, "I still don't know where he came from."

  I reached out and squeezed her hand. "You mean Chase?"

  "Yeah, I thought I was alone." With a shaky laugh, she added, "Well, except for the three drunks." She blinked away unshed tears. "If he hadn't come along when he did…" She let the words trail off as the rest of us exchanged worried looks.

  Finally, it was my dad who broke the silence. "It's the middle of the night. Why the hell were you walking out there alone?"

  My mom spoke up. "Bob, come on. Let's save it for the morning, alright?"

  But at the table, Natalie gave a weak laugh. "Want to hear something funny?"

  "What?" I asked.

  "Chase said almost exactly the same thing."

  I paused. "Really?"

  She nodded. "Oh, yeah. We're at your car, right? And after the three of them run off, he turns to me and asks if I'm okay. And when I tell him that I'm fine, he says, 'Well, you need to be more careful, because you won't be so lucky the next time.'"

  On the other side of the table, my dad muttered, "Got that right."

  Natalie continued, "And then he asks, 'What the hell were you thinking, walking so late by yourself?'" Natalie gave a shaky laugh. "He sounded almost exactly like Dad."

  My dad grumbled, "Well at least the guy has some sense."

  I felt my eyes grow misty. Chase had more than sense. He had guts, too. According to Natalie, he hadn't hesitated to defend her, even when he was outnumbered two to one – or three to one, considering that it was the drunken woman who gave him the fat lip.

  Still, there was something I didn't get.

  Why on Earth had Chase been out there in the first place?