by Simone Elise
My eyes were glued on Chloe and she had noticed.
Oliver opened the front door, and everyone started to flow out to the waiting taxis. Chloe brushed past me, dragged along by Sammie.
Tonight was going to kill me. How was I meant to not touch her? More importantly, how was I going to keep everyone else from touching her?
"You coming, Chase?" Jess asked, holding the door open.
"Yeah, I'm coming." To my own personal hell.
Chapter 9
Chloe's Point of View
I was always the type of girl to pick a book over a party. I had never been to a nightclub. Sure, I had seen what they were like in movies and TV shows, but I had never been in one until now.
I was giggling, and I didn't know if it was the fact Sammie kept shoving these shots in front of me or hearing Oliver rap very badly to Bliss n Eso causing it. The club was packed. We didn't have to wait at the gate, like I expected. The McKenzies were ushered through. We even had our own VIP section.
One look at them and you would think they were famous actors and actresses. They looked like they should be on the cover of magazines. Then there was Chase.
I glanced up. He was looking even more good-looking, if that was possible. His t-shirt clung to his upper body and his leather vest, with all the patches just standing out. My eyes hovered over the President patch. I was beginning to understand that with that patch came a lot of responsibility. He also smelled amazing, and I would do anything to be clinging to his side tonight.
Instead, I was wedged between Jess and Sammie and doing shots. I knew I would have to stop soon. I wasn't a drinker, so it was going to hit me twice as hard.
Chase caught me staring at him again, so I quickly looked in the other direction. This gave me a chance to see what the other McKenzie brothers were doing.
Marc was making out with a girl against the wall. His hands were all over her. Declan was chatting with a girl just outside our booth. Dan was on the dance floor with a girl he met on the way in. Oliver was taking shots with us. Archie was standing next to Chase drinking beer, and they seemed to be in a conversation with each other, but I knew Chase had his ears on me.
I didn't know how I knew that - I just did. Maybe it's because I'm doing the same thing to him.
"Okay, okay!" Sammie said, slamming down her empty shot glass. "I have to ask." She looked at me, then Chase. "When did you two become a couple?"
I choked on my drink, causing Oliver to hit me on the back and me spilling the rest of the shot on the table.
"Sammie," Chase said her name in a way of a warning than anything else.
"Come on, you're sleeping together! We aren't dumb." Sammie scoffed.
"How did you know we slept together?" I couldn't see Chase mentioning that.
"Jess." She shrugged. "SO, who asked who?" Sammie pressed.
"Like he would want to be in a relationship with me." I blurted out. Then feeling immediately embarrassed, I added. "We aren't a couple."
"So, you sleep together and haven't had sex?"
"SAMMIE!" Chase yelled at her.
"What? It's just a question. Come on Chase, you usually aren't shy," she taunted him.
My cheeks were bright red and I was glad the club was dimly lit.
"So, you two aren't together?" Sammie looked between the two of us.
Chase wasn't saying anything, so I guess I'd have to say something. "I guess not," I muttered.
"Well then, if you two aren't together, there is nothing stopping you from picking up guys." Sammie clapped her hands together then grabbed me by the shoulders, pointing me towards the bar. "That blond guy is pretty cute."
My eyes were wide. No way in hell was I going over there. "I'll pass, Sammie."
"Oh come on. If you aren't with Chase, what is stopping you?"
Maybe the fact I hate men. Maybe the fact I was terrified of being touched. Maybe because I was feeling like I was in a relationship with Chase. I looked at Chase and he had his eyes on me, I guess waiting for my decision. Sammie nudged me. If I didn't do it, Sammie wasn't going to stop about Chase and I.
I picked up my last shot, threw it back, and turned around. This couldn't be that difficult, could it?
Sammie was clapping when I walked off.
My eyes were on the guy that Sammie had pointed out. He seemed well-dressed, tall, and some would say handsome but I was used to staring at Chase, and nothing and no one compared to him.
The guy’s eyes were on me and he watched me walk towards him. When I was close enough, he said, "Hi."
"Hi." I forced a smile, and then glanced over my shoulder. Sammie was still clapping. Chase looked rather tense, but not nearly as tense as me. What if this guy touched me? Worse, what if he kissed me? My eyes widened. I was so in over my head.
"Wanna dance?" He put his drink down.
No, I didn't, but I knew Sammie was watching. This was what you called peer pressure. Sighing, I nodded my head.
He reached out for my hand, but I didn't let him take it. We were in the middle of the dance floor now, and we had been pressed together by all the people. The music was pumping and everyone else was enjoying themselves.
His hand went on my hip and I automatically panicked. He. Was. Touching. Me. My palms went sweaty and my heart rate was sky-rocketing. I swiped his hand off me and was about to turn and run when I turned into a hard chest.
"Fuck off." Chase's voice was hard and stern that the guy just put his hands up and said nothing happened, which was true apart from the touching part. Chase's arm wrapped around my waist and calmed me immediately as he guided us through the crowd.
He bent down and whispered in my ear. "Next time someone questions us about being a couple, you say yes."
I nodded my head, but remained silent. When we got back to the table, Sammie was talking to Jess. Chase sat down and pulled me onto his lap. He picked up his beer with his free hand and went back to talking to Archie, who was the only other McKenzie brother who wasn't dancing or making out with a strange girl.
Chase's fingers were drawing a small circle on my thigh, and I curled into him. This felt right and right now, I wasn't scared or terrified or about to run.
I took a calming breath in, inhaling his scent. Why did he smell so amazing? Everything about him just pulled you in. I had to wonder, how many other women had felt this safe in his arms?
I knew I couldn't be the only one.
Chase's Point of View
The taxi had gone to each house and did the drop off. Sammie and Jess couldn't walk in a straight line; Marc didn't come back with us and instead headed to a hotel with his latest girl. All the others were either too drunk to walk or were spending the night with a stranger apart from Archie - he never drank too much to impair his judgment as he always had his head on his shoulders. I should be taking notes.
I gently woke up Chloe, who was asleep wrapped under my arm.
"Chloe."
"Umm."
"We’re back at the house."
"Umm."
I paid the taxi driver and slid out of the taxi, holding on to Chloe. Slipping my other arm under her legs, I carried her to the front door. Balancing her and unlocking the front door was a mission, but I did it.
She threaded her arms around my neck and curled into me. I admit I liked having her this close, being able to feel her every breath. She had drunk a lot tonight and something told me she wasn't used to it.
I opened her bedroom door and walked to her bed. I laid her on top, taking her high heels off first. She sighed and curled up. I should leave her like this, but she didn't look comfortable in that dress.
"Chloe?" I attempted to wake her.
"Umm?"
"Dress on or off?"
She rolled over, giving me clear access to the zip. "Off."
I had wanted to do this all night, ever since I saw her in that dress but I wasn't doing this for my own lust. I was doing this for her. I slowly unzip
ped her and the zipper went straight to the bottom. She moved as I pulled it off and dropped it on the floor.
God, she looked amazing. I took a sharp breath in as I held the blankets back for her. She slipped in and opened her eyes. I smiled. She looked like an angel and, if anything, I was the devil. "Night, Chloe."
"Where are you going?"
I turned at the bedroom door. "To bed."
She propped herself up on her elbows. "Stay with me?"
She shouldn't be wanting me to stay with her. She should be scared of me, or at least not encouraging whatever was between us. I stopped and sighed. I knew I wanted to sleep with her. I wasn't used to that with women.
I had never just 'slept' with a woman. I slid my leather vest off and put it on the chair. She was still watching me get undressed, as if she was scared I was going to leave or change my mind.
She didn't close her eyes until I was between the sheets with her, flicking off the light. She moved back until she was pressed against my chest, my arm underneath her, then went back to sleep.
Chapter 10
Chloe's Point of View
I woke up to the buzzing of my phone. Opening my eyes, the sun was coming through the windows and my head was throbbing. I patted the side of the bedside table and found the buzzing phone.
"Hello?" My voice was dry and my throat hurt. God, I didn't think I had that much to drink last night.
"Hey Chloe, it's Max."
Max. Right.
I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes with the hand. "Hey. How's work?"
"Great. You still in town?"
"Out of town but yes, I'm still around."
"Joe knows where you are."
"I know you said."
"He is also saying you're with a killer."
My throat went dry and my blood ran cold. "Chase isn't what everyone thinks he is."
"So, the boyfriend of his sister just happens to end up dead."
How the hell did he know about that? "Is Joe feeding you information or something?" My voice hardened. "Because you should know better than to trust him."
"I want you to come to me. I'll look after you," Max said with determination. "Please, Chloe."
I opened my mouth to answer when the bedroom door opened. Chase looked frustrated and annoyed, but it didn't seem it was directed at me. He noticed I was on the phone.
"I have to go, Max."
"Chloe. Please."
"Bye." I hung up, sighing and dropping the phone. "Morning, Chase." I put on a fake smile and acted like the fact that Max calling Chase a killer didn't bother me when really it got under my skin. The 'biker image' was just a front. Chase had a gentle side, like the side that looked after me last night.
Chase gave me a dry expression. "That your boyfriend is trying to steal you away from me again? Or just giving you bad news." He was in a mood.
"He's not my boyfriend." I found the fact that Chase even thought that disturbing. "But something along those lines, yes."
Chase crossed his arms. "Could he protect you from your stepfather?"
Where was that coming from? Why was it as if he was saying something else? "What do you mean by that?" I challenged him.
"Just telling you, I'm not your only option." Chase's voice was hardened. "Your doctor friend could look after you. You would be out of harm's way and wouldn't be on the run with me."
I shook my head. "What's with you this morning?" I couldn't stop myself from asking it. Last night he was looking after me, telling me to tell Sammie we were a couple. I fell asleep in his arms, and this morning he was doing everything possible to ditch me. "Do you not want me to come along, is that it?"
Chase held my stare. While I was trying to figure him out, he was just looking at me as if I was a complete and utter mystery.
"Breakfast is on the table." He turned around and walked away.
My mouth dropped open. Seriously? I threw the blankets back and got up. I went to my suitcase and pulled out a pair of jeans and a top. I should have known better. I shouldn't have trusted him. For God’s sake, I let him sleep with me! What the hell was I thinking?
Frustrated, I put my clothes on. I knew this would happen. If you let people get close to you, they would hurt you and then leave. I knew this. Still, I let Chase get close. If he didn't want me to go along with him, then fine, I wouldn't.
Chapter 11
I heard the toot of a horn. I picked up my suitcases and walked down the hallway. Chase was standing in the lounge room, looking at the taxi.
Chase's eyes were on me as soon as I entered the room. He looked at the suitcases then back at me.
"So, you're leaving?" He crossed his arms, and something flashed across his face that I couldn't understand.
"You don't want me to come. You made that clear." I clenched the suitcase handle tighter. "I would hate to get in your way, and I was clearly doing that. You're right. I have Max."
Just because I was going to Max's didn't mean I was staying. I was just going to stay there until I figured out where to go next.
It was bittersweet saying goodbye to Chase because a part of me, a very large part, told me we had a journey to go on together, but something had changed in him and his mind had changed also.
I waited for him to stop me. To tell me something - anything! But he just stood there quietly.
"Well, I better go." I walked past him and the couch, heading for the foyer. I had reached the door when I found him behind me.
"Let me carry your bags." He went to take it off me and I pulled back.
"It's okay Chase, you have already done enough. Thank your sisters and brothers for me. They all seem lovely." I opened the front door and walked down the porch steps. My heart was telling me to turn back, but my head was telling me to keep moving.
This man was dangerous. This man had pushed me away. Still, all I wanted was him.
The taxi driver took my suitcase and bags off me and put them in the trunk.
I turned to see Chase standing at the front door, a thoughtful look on his face. I waved and then got in the taxi. My heart was drumming loudly and I was positive everyone could hear it.
As the taxi pulled away, I glanced out the back window to see Chase down the porch steps, bare feet on the cold dirt. Was he going to stop me? I kept looking at him until we went around a bend. I guess it didn't matter now because he didn't, he let me go and something was telling me he was relieved about it.
***
Chase's Point of View
I did the right thing.
I kept telling myself during the day. I kept telling myself that when I couldn't sleep that night and I was telling myself that now as I waited for the kettle to boil.
Chloe deserved better than what I could give her. She deserved a home. I didn't have a home; I just went from club to club, sorting out shit from one place to the next. She was young, fresh and bright, and she deserved to have someone like herself. She didn't deserve to be left with me.
"Hey, Chase." The front door opened but I heard Sammie talking before she even entered. She was noisy like that. "God, it’s after 1pm, is Chloe still not up?"
My head whipped around. Right. I hadn't told anyone.
"Chloe's not here."
"Did she go into town? Because I could have taken her."
"No, she's gone." The kettle boiled and I poured myself a coffee.
"What do you mean gone?" Sammie had her arms crossed and was giving me a hardened look. "What did you do?"
So what if it was my fault she was gone? She was better off gone. "Told her the facts."
"You pushed her away."
"Sammie, not now." I sighed. I really wasn't in the mood to hear one of her lectures.
"Why did you do that?" She whacked my arm causing me to spill my coffee. "She was LOVELY! And she really liked you! God, you're a jerk. So come on, tell me how you are going to fix it."
"Not fixing anything. She is better off far, far awa
y from me."
"So, you're playing that card." She gave me a pointed look while standing with authority. "The ‘I'm too bad, no one could love me’ card. Well guess what, buddy, this chick did love you or at least liked you and now you have fucked that up, so start thinking of ways to get her back."
"I'm not getting her back, Sammie. She deserves a bloke who can put her first or, at the very least, isn't as old as me."
"You aren't old."
"Old enough."
"Really? You are going to stand there and say you can't have the chick you like because she’s too young?"
"Just drop it, Sammie."
"No, I won't just drop it. Not until you get off your ass and go and fix this."
I put my coffee down on the bench. "I couldn't even if I wanted to."
"Because you don't know where she's gone?"
I scoffed at that. "No, I gave her the idea to go there."
"So what's the reason?"
"She wouldn't want me to."
"So I guess she just hated spending all that time with you and when you slept with her, she hated that too. I guess when you think about it, you had her here by force. Wake up to yourself, Chase. You should have stopped her from leaving in the first place." Sammie whacked me again. "Now, go do something about it."
With those famous last words, she took my coffee, spun around, and walked off, closing the door behind her.
I sat down on the couch. Was Sammie right? Did Chloe expect me to stop her? I wanted to stop her, but I also wanted her to be free from me and this life. What would she think if I showed up now?
Chapter 12
Chase's Point of View
I shouldn't be here. Yet, here I was. I brought my fist up to the white glass door and knocked. My nerves were high and my heart was pounding. I had never been this nervous over a girl before. It was fucking stupid, but still, my stomach rattled with nerves.
The porch lights flicked on and I took a step back as the door opened.
Max.
"I remember you from the hospital." Max wasn't friendly. "Chase, right?"
You would think for a doctor he would be smart. I was double his size and carrying two guns. He could at least be polite.
