by J. C. Reed
“Don’t.” My voice sounded a little too shrill as my hand clasped around his forearm, stopping him. A frown crossed his face, and the vein in his neck began to pulse slightly. His eyes assessed me with sudden worry.
“Please don’t take me home just yet,” I whispered, and bit my lip, unsure how to put the sudden waves of fear into words. It was such an irrational reaction, and yet I couldn’t help myself. “He was there.”
“Who?”
“The same guy who just took pictures of us. Or at least I think it was him.” My voice quivered, and I cleared my throat to steady it. “A few days ago, Jude saw someone standing in front of our window. She thought she saw a flash, like that of a camera.” Chase gave me a questioning look, and I continued. “I watched him take several pictures of us, Chase.” I scanned the dark street outside the car window out of fear he might have returned, but the guy was gone. I almost expected Chase to laugh and call me silly, maybe even stupid, but he didn’t.
“I don’t like this.” Chase started the engine and hit the accelerator.
“Where are we going?” I asked. “I can’t go home.”
“You’re not going home,” he said. “I’m taking you to my place. You can stay as long as you want.”
I leaned my forehead against the cold glass. Thousands of reasons as to why someone would want to take pictures of me began to swirl in my head, but none of them sounded plausible. We remained silent throughout the drive to downtown L.A., but I could feel Chase’s worried glance on me from time to time.
Eventually, we arrived at his place, which turned out to be a penthouse in a tall building with a glass front. Chase parked the car in an underground garage, and we rode up the elevator. The flashing red lights of several security cameras should have infused a sense of safety into me, but didn’t. As he unlocked the door, I peered hastily over my shoulder, as though to ensure no one had followed us, which was ridiculous, given the fact that the building had a 24/7 security guard on duty and a concierge manned the front desk, and the cameras probably filmed every corner.
“Come in.” Chase held the door open and then closed it behind us, hiding us from prying eyes. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I shrugged out of my jacket and handed it to Chase, who stacked it away in a wardrobe compartment hidden in the wall.
In spite of my trembling fingers, the fog of fear inside my mind slowly began to lift, and I found myself itching for a chance to take in the place. Chase’s most intimate things were here, and I was standing just a few feet away.
“Can I get you some water? A drink?” Chase asked, and motioned me to enter the living room.
“Do you have any wine?” I let my gaze sweep over the spiral staircase in the middle of the room, the dramatic furnishings, and the stunning panoramic view of the city lights. I had never seen L.A. from this height, and had a hard time not gawking.
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s a good idea to—” Chase said, regarding me.
I cut him off. “Don’t tell me if or how much I can drink. It’s not your business, Chase.” Usually, I didn’t drink. But the pressure of having to get married was slowly getting to me, and I felt as though there was no other option but to stay sedated to numb my brain and the unease in the pit of my stomach.
“Okay.” He looked unconvinced. I feared he’d try to change my mind, but he didn’t. “Your choice. I’ll be back in one minute.”
I watched him leave and then turned back to the window, suddenly transported to a different time, when luxury had been a part of my life and I was too young to realize that not everyone lived in a mansion with hardwood floors, shiny candelabras, and silverware that was polished daily. Absent-mindedly, I brushed my fingers over the marble fireplace and took in the elegant living area kept in warm wooden tones. It was so different from anything I had ever seen. So like him—full of warmth and mystery.
Chase was rich.
The realization hit me like a bomb. Maybe a different, more modern kind of rich than the old-family money I had been born into, but rich, nonetheless. His lavish lifestyle was probably the result of hard work and talent, no doubt, but it didn’t make me feel more comfortable around it. I had sensed it all along, but I just didn’t realize how rich.
“Your place is beautiful,” I said when he returned with two glasses and set them down on a glass coffee table. “The view is second to none.”
“I suppose.” He motioned to the cream leather couch overlooking the fireplace and slumped down with a sigh. I followed his unspoken request and sat down, tucking my legs beneath me. The leather felt warm and soft beneath my fingers.
Expensive.
I swallowed hard as my mood plummeted to a new low.
“Will you report it?” Chase asked, oblivious to the tumult inside me.
“And tell them what?” I laughed. “I have no proof of anything, don’t know who the guy was, have no idea what he wants, or why he was taking pictures.” I brushed my hair out of my eyes. “The thing is, I don’t even know whether it wasn’t just a coincidence.”
I tend to overreact a lot.
“You’re right.” He nodded and handed me a glass of wine. “It’s probably nothing, Laurie. But if there is, if he so much as crosses your path again, I’ll kick the living shit out of him.”
“Thanks.” I smiled weakly. Even though I knew Chase didn’t mean any of it, his words infused a sense of safety and confidence into me. I took a sip or two of wine and leaned back, slowly relaxing.
“Do you have an ex who might be spying on you?” Chase asked.
“No.” I shook my head, frowning. “That guy wasn’t an ex.”
“Maybe someone who might hire a private detective rather than do the work himself.”
I shook my head again. He wasn’t getting it. The idea was absurd because there was no ex, at least not someone who had been close enough to me to call him that.
“Then we have every reason to assume it’s your stepfather,” Chase said. His grave tone sent a shiver down my spine. I peered from him to the untouched glass and then back up at him.
“Clint?” I asked, incredulously. “You think he’s capable of doing it?” Even as I asked the question, I knew the answer.
Chase shrugged. “If someone offers you money to break off his stepdaughter’s engagement, then why not add spying to the list? There’s a reason why he doesn’t want our marriage preparations to proceed.”
My gaze fell on my glass. The liquid looked as thick and dark red as blood. “Money,” I whispered as I recalled the contract.
“Money? Maybe.” He sounded doubtful. “Although I’d say he has enough of it. As far as you told me, you never tried to get your share of your family’s wealth. Money’s hardly a motivating factor.”
I took another sip and looked up, my gaze imploring him to understand.
“Chase,” I began. “I haven’t told you everything. If I marry you, not only do I get the letters, but also half of Waterfront Shore.”
“But you said your mom—”
“She left everything to Clint,” I cut him off. “However, my grandfather left only half of the house to her, who was supposed to act as my guardian until I turned twenty-three. After her death, he never had the chance to change his will, because he died four weeks later. Her last will hadn’t even been read yet. It’s a huge house worth millions, meaning I’d either have to move back home and live with Clint, or he’d be forced to sell and share the profits or”—I took a sharp breath and let it out slowly—“he’d have to pay me out of his pocket.”
I let the words linger in the air.
“That’s the reason why he and Shannon keep pushing for me to move back in,” I continued after a pause. “I agreed to pass my share on to him as long as I get the letters. But obviously, he’s scared my future husband might try to change my mind, so he offered me a quarter of the money the mansion’s worth now as long as I sign a contract that I won’t want more later. If I accept the money, I won’t ever have any future claim. But I don’t want a
nything, not now, nor later.”
“My God, Laurie. Why would you refuse what should be yours?” Chase looked perplexed. “It should all be yours. Not his.”
I should have seen the question coming. Anyone with half a brain would ask it, but even if I explained, no one would understand. Chase hadn’t seen what I had seen, hadn’t carried the burden of so much wealth on his shoulders.
“I have my reasons,” I whispered. “Just accept it.”
His expression changed from confusion to disbelief. He opened his mouth, as though to say something, then closed it again.
“It’s…complicated,” I added. “Like I told you, my mom was scared, and I trust her judgment. Long story short, I will never take that money.”
Chase remained silent, his eyes focused on me as he seemed to process my words. Strangely, I felt guilty, and I had no idea why.
“So, what are you thinking?” I asked when I could no longer stand the silence.
“That your grandfather died very soon after your mother’s death.”
I nodded. “Yeah, he died before he could change his will to leave the entire estate to me.”
“I don’t like this,” he said. “After everything you told me, I’m more convinced than ever that you’re not safe from Clint.”
Even though the thought was ridiculous, I couldn’t help the pang of fear settling like a rock in my stomach. “What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know. Call it intuition or whatever, but people don’t just try to pay others off.” His glance hardened, and filled with determination and anger. “I don’t trust him.”
I smiled weakly. “Now you sound like me. I don’t want you to get involved. I don’t know what the deal is with Clint or what his plans are, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.” His hands wrapped around mine, and something passed between us—something dark and heavy. My heart fluttered a bit faster, but not because of my blatant attraction to him. I trusted Chase, I really did, but for some reason I couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye.
“I know you do, but—”
“Laurie.” His sharp tone cut me off. “He’s trying to stop you. If marrying you is what it takes to get those letters and reveal the truth, then so be it. I’ll marry you, even if I have to drag you down that aisle myself and force that ring on your finger.”
It was a joke; I could tell that much from the amused glint in his eyes.
“You won’t let the bastard control your life,” he continued, more seriously.
Clint wasn’t. I had made sure of that a long time ago.
I leaned my face against Chase’s chest. For a while, I focused on my senses: hearing his soft, slightly ragged breath, smelling wafts of his masculine aftershave, and feeling the touch of his warm hands on my back.
“I wish there was something I could do for you, too. I don’t like owing you,” I said eventually.
“Actually, I have a thought—”
He didn’t have to say it. I knew exactly what he wanted. I cut him short by pressing my mouth against his, and our lips connected in a quick, hot kiss.
He pushed me back softly to regard me with eyes that seemed to burn. “Laurie.” His voice came hoarse, and a small laugh escaped his lips. “I wasn’t talking about a kiss, which is great, don’t get me wrong, and more than I bargained for, but—” He paused, hesitating.
“What?”
“I don’t want you to think you owe me for something I want to do for you. I don’t want to take. I want to give.”
I raised my eyebrows, an amused smile on my lips. “So what did you want from me, then?”
“Nothing that matters now.” He smiled and stood, pulling me up with him. “Come on. Let me give you a grand tour of my place.”
Chapter 19
Chase showed me around his place and told me repeatedly that I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted. Eventually, his words had the desired effect, and I began to feel safe. It was a little after midnight when I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy towel around my naked body.
“Thanks for letting me stay. I hope it’s not too much trouble for you and your girlfriend,” I said, standing in the doorway and eyeing the leather couch, which was now covered with pillows and a bedspread. Wearing clean clothes—a long T-shirt and boxer shorts Chase had lent me for the night—and with my teeth brushed with his spare brush, I felt composed and was back to my usual self again.
“Sure. And I don’t have a girlfriend, Laurie. I think I established that already, but I appreciate the thought.” Chase tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans as his eyes scanned my naked legs. “You look nice.”
“Oh, please.” I could feel the telltale signs of an oncoming blush and wished I could stop my body from giving me away every time Chase said something that got to me.
“I mean it.” He grinned and stepped in front of me to brush a wet strand of hair behind my ear. “Wearing my clothes suits you. You know what was in those shorts? Now they’re brushing your skin. It’s almost like I’m touching you…down there.”
My jaw dropped. Talk about mortifyingly frank. I should have bolted out the door. Slapped him. Anything but…smile like an idiot and think about what his fingers would feel like…down there.
His face inched closer, and his hot breath grazed my ear. “It’s such a shame you don’t see how beautiful you are.”
Whoa.
I inhaled a shaky breath and put some distance between us before he took the next step in whatever plan he was pursuing.
“Maybe I don’t want to.” I shrugged as nonchalantly as I could and settled on the sofa, covering my legs with a blanket as I changed the subject. “Most people get so superficial and materialistic, they forget what life is all about.”
“That might be true,” he said. “But sometimes people are stuck in a state of stagnation, not living or expanding their potential. They forget that both their soul and their body have needs.”
“What are you saying?” I bit my lip and regarded him intently.
“Whatever you want to make of it. My words are always open to interpretation.” He gave me a mysterious smile and then winked at me to follow. I remained seated.
“So you think I’m not reaching my full potential.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement lined with pure, sweet venom. I tried my best to be my best self. I always explored possibilities and opportunities. Having a man tell me otherwise made my blood boil.
“I said no such thing.” He drew a long breath and let it out slowly. I narrowed my eyes at him, waiting, wondering. People were criticizing me all the time and I didn’t give a monkey’s ass about it, so why was it so hard to take coming from him?
“You did.” I raised my chin defiantly. “And I very much beg to differ. Whatever you think I’m not doing with my life, it’s a choice.”
He nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the floor. For a moment, we avoided each other’s gaze, the tension palpable in the air. And then Chase reached me in two long strides and cupped my face between his hands, forcing me to look him into those impossibly strange eyes.
“You’re scared of intimacy. I get it. But that doesn’t make me want to fuck you less. That’s all I’ll say.” And with that he let go of me and turned around, calling over his shoulder, “Are you coming?”
My mouth went dry, and all the blood drained from my face.
Coming where? I felt like asking, but the words remained stuck in my throat in a blubbering mess. I followed him into his lavish bedroom with its beautiful dark damask wallpaper and crystal lamps on either side of the bed. My gaze instantly focused on the bed covered with silk sheets the color of chocolate and countless pillows. I swallowed hard, unsure whether to proceed. This felt intimate. Too intimate. Even from where I stood, I could smell that the sheets had been changed recently, as though in preparation for a female visitor.
“I made your room ready,” Chase said,
and pointed at the bed, which managed to make the entire situation even more awkward.
Your room?
When the meaning of his words finally dawned on me, I stared at him in surprise. “Where are you sleeping?”
“Outside. On the couch. Sleep tight.”
Made sense, given the pillows and blanket on the couch. “I thought I’d sleep there.”
He walked past me, clutching a pillow under his arm. “You’re my guest, Laurie.” With a last glance, he closed the door behind him, leaving me standing in the middle of the room, struck speechless.
“Good night,” I murmured too late.
My gaze remained glued to the closed door as I fought a sudden wave of disappointment.
That’s it?
No good night kiss? Nothing?
I sat down on the soft sheets and peered around me. On the left side was a walk-in closet next to a sitting chair and reading lamp. The floor-to-ceiling windows on the far right provided a beautiful view of the city. The entire atmosphere screamed luxury and comfort. Chase’s king-sized bed was so huge, I felt as though I might just be swallowed up whole and I’d be fine with it. With a delighted sigh, I leaned back, spreading my arms out in the process, when my gaze fell on my reflection in the huge sunburst mirror above the bed. My mouth dropped open.
Holy shit.
He had a mirror…above his head.
Who had something like that?
People who liked to look at themselves while doing all sorts of dirty things. I felt disgusted, and yet, at the same time, a delicious tremor worked its way through my abdomen and settled between my legs.
I was staring at my pale face in disbelief when a soft knock carried over from the door. My face flushed with heat, as though I had just been caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to do.
I rose up on my elbows and called out, “Yeah?”
“Sorry.” Chase’s head popped in. “I forgot to ask. Do you need anything? Spare pillow? A blanket? A nightcap? Or do you want me to turn on the heat?”
