by Simone Elise
Her eyes widened. Yeah, that's right bitch, I know where you live.
"Like I said, it might happen and the guys are so passionate about their work. Always listening, always so keen to get involved." I sighed, dropping my cigarette near her head and stepping on it. "You might be obsessed with him. Hell, I don't blame you, but he is taken."
"He said he had a girlfriend." She got up, her nose still bleeding. It gave me pleasure to look at it. "I didn't realize she was fucking insane!"
"What did you think the women were like to be with men like him? Welcome to the real world, bitch. Chase might have had a fling with you, but, at the end of the day, that's all you would be."
"He is kind, loving, and deserves better than what you can give him." She stomped her foot in front of me. "Women like you just use men like him."
"That's where you are wrong. Men like him use women like you and then they end up with women like me. You really should get going; I hear the traffic on this highway can be a bitch especially for someone who has an appointment with an investment banker in half an hour."
"You know my schedule?"
"You pissed off the wrong biker's woman but if you stay clear of Chase, I won't have to take you down." I took a step closer to her, smiling. "I'll take you down publicly, personally and professionally then when I'm done, you will wish you never even laid eyes on him so don't mistake this smile as friendly."
"You're crazy!"
"Keys please." I put my hand out.
She dropped them in my hand. "You punch like a man."
"Thank you!" I said to her back as she bolted for her sedan. I threw the keys up in the air, catching them. Not bad for a rookie.
***
"So I want all the cabinets replaced. Kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, all of it. The bath, toilet and shower can stay, but I want them cleaned. If they don't come up any good, then I want them replaced as well. How long should all this take?" I walked with Andrew, the contractor and project manager I had hired this morning. He was the first one to answer his phone and was ready to work right away.
"Each room?" he asked.
"Yep."
"If we push it, I know the furniture can be done by the end of the week and installed. The plumbing can be done by the end of the day with the crew you hired. As for the installation of beds, bedside tables and drawers, they're doing that now so I say by tomorrow for that but you should look at it being up and running by Monday."
"You're really good at your job," I complimented him. "Do you usually do motels?"
"No, normally commercial. Never done a job this big before."
"Well, you should do them more often, because you are great at them." I was so happy with how on track we were, and it had only been a couple of hours. I bought everything online in the middle of the night, added installation required, and the men with trucks were here by nine. They were working through the rooms.
"You were lucky you didn't have to tile or re-carpet," Andrew said, and I nodded my head.
"I expected it to be in worse condition."
We had done a loop of the complex and were back at my car. I could hear the buzzing of my phone on the passenger’s seat. I looked in through the window and was not surprised to see Chase's name.
"And Andrew, can you organize for that pool to be filled? In this heat, it will get used." I opened the door and bent over, ignoring the whistles I heard as I answered the phone.
"Hey," I answered on what I swore was the last ring.
"Why haven't you been answering? And you turned off my alarm." Chase sounded irritated.
"You made me sleep in yesterday. I thought it was only fair." I pulled my sunglasses down. The sun was burning my skin. God, it was hot.
"You needed to sleep. I didn't."
"Whatever you say, Sleeping Beauty." I enjoyed teasing him.
"Where are you?"
"Working on something, and then I have a lecture at one, after that, classes until six, and then work." My morning had been busy but, come one, my game face would be on for school.
He groaned. "What do you mean working on something? I don't want you out. I want you here."
"Yes, caveman."
"When are you quitting this job?"
"You don't even know what I do."
"I don't like it."
I laughed. So typical. "It's actually a good gig. Only nights and mornings-"
"Nights AND mornings!"
"Let me finish!" I said, frustrated.
"Fine, go on."
"And not all the time. So you can rein in your craziness."
"I want you with me. Not running around doing God knows what."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm working on me quitting that job." I watched Andrew walk back towards me. "I have to go. I'd say see you tonight, but I'll be late so don't wait up."
"Chloe."
"Don't Chloe me."
"Where are you working?"
"At a gym, as a personal trainer. Now I really have to go." Andrew was standing patiently at my side.
"I'll be seeing you tonight."
"Chase, don't wait up again."
"I'll be seeing you before you come home," he said with determination.
What is he going to do, crash my lectures? "Whatever you say, babe. I'll see you when I see you." I hung up. "What's up, Andrew?"
"I can get the pool filled today, but there is a lock on the gate."
"Yeah, about that fence, can we take it down? Any biker with common sense will keep his ass out of the pool if he can't swim."
Andrew nodded his head, and I followed him with the keys to unlock it.
Day one of being an old lady, and I'd say I've been productive. Maybe I could handle being with Chase and what came with it?
Chapter 60
Chloe's Point of View
The day had gone quickly. University was uneventful, and I hadn't heard another word from Chase all day. I assumed he had accepted the fact I was busy today. As much as I wanted to go home and see him, I still had personal training sessions to do.
"I wish I could do that." Ash straightened up and reached for her water bottle. We had just finished doing mat work.
"What?"
"That." She nodded her head at the ring. "I can't take a punch or give one."
I looked over my shoulder at Scott in the ring with a client. How many hours had I spent in a ring, taking punches from Jenkins and then giving them back?
"Come on. I'll teach you." I put a hand out for her to take and helped her off the ground.
"You serious?"
"Yep." I smiled at her. "Don't look so nervous."
I walked over to the ring, jumping in and holding the ropes open for Ash. As soon as she was in, I picked up a set of pads and gloves, throwing the gloves at Ash.
"What are you doing in here?" Scott eyed me down.
"Teaching Ash how to throw a punch."
"You're not telling me you think you can throw a punch, are you?" Scott looked at me with disbelief. He was bigger than me and was typical alpha male and clearly he thought females couldn't look after themselves, or maybe he was just thinking I couldn't.
"What do you think I can't?" I met his eyes. "I could take you."
Scott laughed. “Okay, but if I win, you do late nights for the rest of the week with me."
"And if I win?"
"I'll finish the rest of tonight's clients."
"Deal."
Scott shook his head at me. "I don't know if I can hit you."
"Trust me, I don't hit like a girl." I grinned.
He went and picked up the gloves, and I shook my head. "No gloves. I don't do protective wear." I watched the smirk drop from his face.
"I won't hit you without gear on."
"Who said you would land a punch?" I arched my eyebrows at him. "Come on, Scott. What, are you afraid I'll ruin your reputation?"
He shook his head. "Bring it on, Chloe."<
br />
Chase's Point of View
"You sure this is the place?" Marc grumbled behind me. "How do you know it's this gym and not another one?"
Marc was in a dirty mood because I had pulled him away from the bottle. I don't know what had him drinking so hard. Something must be on his mind. I was going to question him on it, but then I saw the look he gave me as soon as I approached him.
The clear McKenzie ‘fuck off’ stare so I decided to drag him to help me hunt Chloe down instead.
"Oliver said her phone is here. That means she is here." I went down the stairs and looked around the gym.
"Does she even know you're coming?" he gritted out. Why was he in such a foul mood? I glanced at him. One would think he was doing everything possible to avoid Chloe.
I scanned the gym and then spotted her. In the ring. She was on a man's back and had his arm pulled back and was applying all her force on him.
"Tap out, Scott, before I break it." Chloe laughed.
"I'm not tapping out for a girl," the man grunted and sounded to be in a lot of pain.
"Fine, I'll break it." I watched Chloe apply more pressure and, just like that, the man's other hand slapped the mat.
"Fine, I tap out!"
Chloe laughed and dropped to the side. "So, you still want to keep saying I can't handle myself?"
"Who the hell taught you to fight like that?" The guy got up off the floor and extended a hand down to Chloe. She took it and he pulled her up with ease. How the hell had Chloe just beaten that man in a fight?
"A pro." She smiled and, as if on cue, she looked around him at reception and spotted us.
Right now I was realizing how much I was in the wrong; just showing up at her workplace because I simply couldn't go any longer without seeing her. That; and I was going to make sure she was leaving with me now. Only now, as her eyes locked with mine, did I realize that she might not want to do that.
But her face lit up and I was welcomed with the biggest smile. She quickly got out of the ring and jogged towards me.
"What are you guys doing here?" She didn't look like she had broken a sweat after fighting that guy. She also wasn't wearing protective wear. Did I have to give her a lecture?
"I got dragged here?" Marc grunted. "This is where you work?"
Marc couldn't be less friendly if he tried. What was with him tonight?
"Yep." Chloe smiled at him, like he hadn't just basically barked at her. "Still doesn't explain why you two are here though?" She arched her eyebrows, looking between the two of us for answers.
"I um, thought you might, you know, um…want to come home?" I choked out, rubbing the back of my neck. Okay, that could have come out worse, right?
By the expression on her face, I realized it couldn't have come out worse. I was being an overprotective and controlling boyfriend. Fuck. I was new to this whole boyfriend thing, but clearly, I had crossed a line here.
"So you thought you could just show up here," she took a step closer to me, keeping her expression serious, "And make me leave?"
What should I say? That had been my plan. Marc shot me a ‘told you so’ look. Maybe if I reword what my actions were, that would work?
"I thought I could convince you that you've had a long day and wanted to come home?"
I didn't know what she had been up to this morning. All I knew was she was gone all fucking day. I woke up to her gone, and I had been planning on spending the day with her before the members started rolling in.
Her serious expression broke and she laughed, shaking her head. "You, Chase, are unbelievable."
Relief flooded me. Okay, she wasn't that pissed off.
The guy she was in the ring with before appeared at her side.
"So Scott, can I still clear out of here?" Chloe turned and asked.
Was that her boss?
His eyes went from her to me, and then they stayed on me.
"Who's this?" he asked Chloe.
"Chase, my boyfriend, and his brother Marc." Chloe said like it wasn't a big deal, but her admitting to this bloke she had a boyfriend and I was it, well, it was a big deal to me.
"Scott." He extended a hand and I shook it. "Chloe's boss. When she isn't beating me in the ring."
"I'll just get my stuff." Chloe slowly backed away from us. "Behave, Chase." She gave me a pointed look and then jogged off to the locker rooms.
"Didn't know Chloe had a boyfriend," Scott said and didn't hide his disappointment. "She didn't strike me as the type of girl to settle for one guy."
"What can I say? I'm lucky." Yeah, that's right. She's my girlfriend. I suddenly wanted Chloe to quit this job sooner than she was planning on.
This guy had a thing for her. I could tell by just being with him for a few minutes.
"Very lucky. So did you teach her to fight like that?" He looked genuinely interested.
"No, that's all her." And Jenkins’s work. He had really taught her well from what I had got a glimpse of.
"Well, I guess that means she can handle herself. She doesn't need you." He was joking, but I caught on to the way he said she doesn't need you.
I took a step closer to him, ready to give him the challenge he was asking for. It was Marc who shot his arm out, blocking me from him, that made me stop.
"Chloe's coming," Marc grumbled at me. "Can you at least attempt to keep a lid on your anger for a minute," he whispered/yelled at me.
Why was he pissed off? He didn't have a man trying to make a move on his girl. Then I saw his eyes dart to Chloe. Or maybe I was wrong.
“Okay. I'm good to go." Chloe frowned at me. "Is everything okay?"
"Perfect," I lied and reached out for her, taking her hand. "Let's go." She said goodbye to him, but I dragged her away too quickly to even hear his goodbye.
"Can I have the keys to my car, Chloe?" Marc asked as soon as we were outside. "I'm guessing you want to go home with Chase."
"Yeah, here." Chloe dug them out of her gym bag. "Sorry I've had it all day, Marc. You are a legend letting me borrow it."
He smiled dimly at her and then walked off.
Marc and I were going to have to have a chat. About Chloe. I think she was the reason he was drinking so hard tonight and what had him in such a foul mood.
I got into the car after Chloe. I was pulling out onto the highway when I noticed her biting her bottom lip and looking all sorts of worried.
"What's wrong?" I reached for her hand.
She linked her fingers with mine and turned to look at me. "Do your brothers normally share everything with you?"
"Because I'm the eldest yes, normally, I'm told useless shit as well as important shit. Also because I'm their President, they normally always come to me. Why?"
"Because I think...no, you are going to think I'm paranoid." She shook her head, not wanting to tell me.
"Chloe, just tell me?"
She sighed. "I think Marc is mad at me, but I don't know why, maybe because I put him in the middle of us again the other night. He must be over the drama."
Marc.
Just don't snap.
I knew exactly what was wrong with Marc, and he wasn't mad with her, he was the opposite.
"Like today, he said the weirdest thing to me," she added.
I took my eyes off the road. "Wait, you've spoken to Marc today?"
"Yeah, at breakfast. I did borrow his car." She frowned at me while also reminding me.
"Right. What did he say?"
"You'll laugh."
"Try me."
"He told me, no, he asked me if I could wear more clothes around him." She looked at me blankly. "And he acted like he was telling me a secret. I really don't understand men, so I have no idea where he is coming from with this."
I knew. I knew too bloody well. She had no idea what she did to men and what she was doing to my brother. I needed those club girls to hurry the fuck up and get here but would that be enough for Marc? He had taken an in
terest in Chloe and had told me over and over again he wouldn't let me treat her like shit.
Was that his way of saying if I fucked up, he was going for her?
"I'll talk to him," I gritted out, and my hand on the steering wheel tightened.
"I don't want you getting into another fight with him."
I glanced at her. "How did you know about the first fight?" I sure as hell didn't tell her.
"Marc doesn't lie to me or avoid questions." She gave me a pointed look. "I wish I could say you did the same."
"I don't lie to you."
"You kept your mouth shut tightly when I asked who had hit Oliver."
"That was different."
"No, it wasn't as you decided you would rather not tell me the truth and make your brother lie to me."
"Guessing Marc told you about that one too?"
"I like Marc."
What the hell did she just say? I took my eyes off the road to look at her, and my expression must have told her what I was thinking.
"Not like that." She rolled her eyes. "Like if I had a brother. I would wish he was exactly like Marc. You are lucky to have him."
One day she would have Marc as a brother, but I wasn't about to propose to her now. I was going to make sure as hell that Marc knew the boundaries. I would do my hardest not to get my fist involved.
"Actually, you are lucky to have your whole family." Chloe smiled. "How are Sammie and Jess?"
I recalled the conversation I had with Sammie earlier today. Her and Jess were threatening to show up for my birthday. Usually, for any of our birthdays, we would all be together for it, but this year was different. I didn't have time for our normal birthday celebrations.
"Sammie's good. She is addicted to the gym at the moment and Jess is dating someone new. Again."
"Why is it that Jess always has a new boyfriend and Sammie never has one?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Sammie just doesn't like relationships. She uses men and then spits them out."
