Tennessee Heat

by Cami York

  “I don’t have anything to say to them.” Chase was sure they wanted to talk him out of pressing charges. Like hell!

  “They’re already trying to push the story that she’s sick in the head.”

  “I bet! So what’s their suggestion?” Their idea of taking care of this situation was most likely a few months in some cushy rehab where afterward she’d be free to walk the streets like nothing happened. His dad shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of coffee.

  It didn’t really matter though, Chase had decided on a course of action sometime during the night, but he didn’t let on. He just listened to his parents who were doing their best to talk him out of taking the law into his own hands. His one and only concession is that he’d let her live.

  He took a tray up to Belle for when she awakened since his dad kept stressing the point that she needed to eat. His mom had everything ready as far as the wedding was concerned so now it was up to him to talk Belle into going through with it if she had other ideas.

  She was just waking up when he walked into the room. “Good morning beautiful.” Her hand went to her face and she started to cry. Chase was across the room laying the tray on the bed in a flash.

  “Hey, what’s all this?” He wrapped his arms around her.

  “My face, we’re getting married in a few days, is it going to be better?”

  “Dad already assured me that the bruises should start fading soon, there’re things we can use to help that along, and mom said makeup can hide anything.” That seemed to calm her down a little until she got another burr up her butt.

  She turned wide frightful eyes his way. “Do you still want to marry me?”

  “Don’t be an ass.” He kissed her nose that was wrapped in some kind of gauze. “Here, eat some of this.”

  He sat next to her and fed her the soft scrambled eggs and juice he’d brought up until she said she was full and just wanted to go back to sleep. Since rest was the best medicine he didn’t argue, but sat up with her until she dozed off after taking her to the bathroom to empty her bladder.

  Kimmy came up a few minutes later and Chase left her to sit with Belle while he left the house. He had to make a quick run back to their place to pick up some clothes and stuff, at least that’s the excuse he gave his mom, but there was somewhere else he needed to go.

  He made the call on his way to their condo and though he never thought to be in this position ever, would use whatever he could get. “Thanks for your help.” He hung up the phone and shook his head. Life sure is strange.

  As he drove back to that neighborhood he was regretting not doing more than knocking Lisa on her ass. He sat in his car at the end of the street just watching. As soon as he saw what he was looking for he picked up his phone and made a call.

  It took the cops, way too long to show up but he’d gotten what he was after. Phase one of his plan was now on the way. While he’d been plotting his enemies’ demise, he’d come to the conclusion that though pounding his fists into someone’s face was gratifying, the effects weren’t nearly as long lasting as he’d like.

  Plus it was going to take a heck of a long time for him to get over his anger. And more importantly, he needed retribution for his woman and child, something tangible.

  He’d decided not to use the girl who’d given him the video after listening to the call from Tim. Plus he could make better use of him since he was already acquainted with Ms. Scacci. Toxic bitch.

  He wanted to get the ball rolling on phase two and three, but since it was the day before the holiday and a Sunday at that, decided he’d have to wait. No problem, it would give him more time to plan.

  He listened to the fight as he drove back to her, but didn’t watch. He was more interested in what the crowd had to say. The CC he’d used the night before was sure to have left some things out.

  People really are stupid in this day and age of technology, to record themselves while breaking the law, or taking part in something as disturbing as what happened there last night.

  He was sure that the drug dealing human waste thought that because they’d cowed the rest of the neighborhood and like one of them said, owned the cops, that they were above the law in some way.

  If anyone had seen the smile that flitted across Chase’s face right at that moment, they would’ve ran for cover.

  36

  “Where were you? I woke up and you weren’t here.” Well, if she’s pouting and sulking at me sexily she can’t be hurting that much anymore, Chase thought as he walked over to the bed. He held up the overnight bag that he’d packed for both of them. “Had to get us come clothes to change into.”

  “Where’s Kimmy? I left her to watch over you.”

  “She had to run an errand for your mom.” She patted the bed beside her, feeling ten times better than she had before she went to sleep.

  Either Dr. Worthington had a miracle drug, or it’s what Kimmy had told her that had her in such high spirits. When Annabelle awoke about an hour or so earlier to find her friend sitting next to the bed reading, she’d felt the loss of Chase.

  She’d lain there just watching her friend and thinking about how much they’d both grown in just a few short months. Her mind had gone over their lives together since meeting at school and she got lost in her head.

  “Hey, you’re awake, do you need anything?”

  “Where’s your brother?” Kimmy put her book down and gave the answer she’d been practicing with the look she’d worked on. She knew her brother better than anyone, in fact both of them.

  So when he asked her to sit with his Belle while he ran an errand she knew he was up to something. No way in hell was Chase going to leave Annabelle’s side for something as trivial as an errand.

  The night before she’d been all for letting the law handle it, but after seeing just a few seconds of that abhorrent video, she too was out for blood. She just hoped that he’d ask her for help. A lost hope she knew, but a girl can always wish.

  She was there when Lisa’s family showed up the night before with their shit. Unlucky for them it was right after she’d seen that fight in living color. Her blood was at boiling point and she needed a way to vent.

  So when Lisa’s mom started in with her southern belle bullshit, simpering and fluttering her lashes, every word from her mouth a damn lie Kimmy piped up and said, “You’re looking for sympathy for your crotch goblin? After what she did? We’re the Worthingtons we don’t take that kind of crap laying down.”

  Her parents didn’t even try to reproach her. “But we were made to understand that the girl is not married to your son, and that she came from less than stellar beginnings. Can it be that she started this whole thing? I mean my Lisa would never be caught dead in that sort of place unless someone…”

  “You can stop right there. Annabelle would never call that hag, and just in case you think you can sell that one, remember, there are ways of knowing whether or not that is true. And furthermore, there’s a ton of people who know that that bitch tormented Annabelle for the last two years of high school. Need I go on?”

  So it was then when she wanted to put her fist through two walls that it hit her. If she was this pissed off and wanting to kill, what must Chase be feeling? And so that seed was planted, but seeing his eyes this morning as he left was all the confirmation she needed.

  Chase is one of those wait and see types. He can be laid back and sweet to a fault, but her brother has a dark side that he keeps very well hidden. It’s not like he’s a serial killer or anything, but she knows well, maybe more than anyone else, just how Chase reacts to a loved one being hurt.

  So it was then she looked at her dearest friend and lied through her teeth. “Chase went to take care of some stuff for tomorrow. It’s Christmas remember? By the way, I’ve got something to tell you.”

  Annabelle just quirked her eye as Kimberly grinned. Then she retold the tale that Colin had told her, about Chase knocking Lisa on her ass before beating the stuffing out of some guy named Dirk. It did in
deed make Annabelle feel better even if the feeling was superficial, what with the throbbing pain she still felt in parts of her body.

  Seeing this, Kimmy became more emboldened and embellished the story to her heart’s content, as long as it kept that look on her girl’s face. She still wanted to cry when she remembered what she’d seen while looking at the evidence on her best friend’s face.

  But she’d pulled herself together since Annabelle wasn’t even dwelling on it and in fact seemed to be trying to put the whole thing behind her.

  Then she’d spent the next two hours keeping her friend company and talking about her upcoming wedding and the fact that she, Kimberly had been engaged first, so how was it that Annabelle was beating her to the altar.

  Chase didn’t even bat a lash when he told her that lie. “How do you feel? Any better?” He felt her forehead for fever but she was cool to the touch. “I want to go outside, I’m tried of laying down.”

  “Does your head still hurt?” She poked around her temple gently but though there was still a slight discomfort it was nowhere near the excruciating beast it had been earlier. “Just a little.”

  “How about we wait until there’s no pain at all then. I’m going to go get you some more soup, be back in a minute.”

  Annabelle just quirked her brow at his tone. I guess he’s still mad, she thought as she laid back on the bed. Her eyes were drawn to the window where she noticed for the first time that she could see the wreath his mom had put on the outside. And that quickly she remembered that it was Christmas.

  Kimmy’s little reveal had gone a long way to making her feel better. Just knowing that Chase had stood up for her and beaten the snot out of Dirk, and that they had pressed charges against Lisa on her behalf was more than enough to put a smile back on her face. And there’s the added bonus that her child was safe.

  Chase didn’t let her leave the bed until the next day and only then because it was Christmas morning. Annabelle was glad she didn’t miss it, it was the most exciting holiday she could remember and it wasn’t just because of all the gifts she got from Chase and his family.

  Chase had bought everyone gifts and stuck her name on them as well, since as he’d told her, they were a unit now and that’s the way it should be. Annabelle had argued at the time but now she was glad that he’d won that argument, because his gifts were way better than hers would’ve been.

  She played with the gold and diamond locket around her neck, one of her many gifts from Chase and he looked at her lovingly as he tugged at the handmade sweater she’d knitted for him.

  “I still can’t believe you made this, when did you have the time? And where was I?” She just grinned, pleased that he liked it. Even though it had taken her forever, because she had to sneak around to get it done in time, it was well worth the effort.

  So, though Christmas was a bit low key because of her injuries, the general atmosphere was one of joy and excitement. No one mentioned the fight or Lisa or anything to do with that whole ugly business, and so both Annabelle and Chase were able to put it behind them for at least one day.

  The rest of the week was pretty much the same as they prepared for the wedding. Annabelle’s bruises had faded a lot thanks to all the creams and old fashion remedies Mrs. Worthington had used to get the girl ready for her big day.

  And so it was that at three o’clock that Sunday afternoon, the day before New Years she found herself on her father in law’s arm, being walked down to the gazebo overlooking the backyard lake, that had been made up to look like a winter wonderland.

  She was crying even before Chase put the wedding band on her finger with her diamond engagement ring. She’d used up almost all her savings to buy him one, refusing to take his money to do it when he offered.

  She wanted at least this one thing to come from her. Plus, with him taking care of her as well as he did she never even touched her savings for anything else. The words ‘you may kiss the bride’ had never sounded so good.

  Afterwards they had the reception in the ballroom which true to her word Mrs. Worthington had-had done up like any five star wedding hall. There were hundreds of flowers, Annabelle’s favorite gardenia’s which she had no idea where her mother in law had found this time of year.

  Most of the people there were friends of the Worthingtons and Chase’s kids from the center were there too, which as far as Annabelle was concerned just made the party better.

  There was no one there on her side, and Chase, very aware of this, went out of his way to make it a nonissue. In fact, her mother and father in law were fawning over her so much in front of their friends and family that she didn’t have time to notice.

  They headed to the hotel in Memphis that they’d booked for their wedding night. The Romeo and Juliet suite at the Peabody hotel. They’d both decided to wait until after the baby came to go on their honeymoon.

  Only because Chase didn’t know how well she’d do flying since this would be her first time, and she was terrified of cruises, so they had to put it off for now.

  “You sure you’re not too sore for this?” Chase had carried her over the threshold after the bellboy had left after bringing up their bags. He’d helped her out of her dress first, a beautiful lace over satin and silk ivory gown that looked like it stepped right out of eighteenth century France.

  It had cost a pretty penny, but his mom insisted on buying it as soon as she saw it listed somewhere. She just knew that it would be perfect for Annabelle who she saw as a romantic dreamer at heart. And she was right, his wife didn’t hardly want to get out of the thing, until he’d whispered in her ear what he planned to do to her once he got her out of it.

  That had done the trick and she was now lazing back on the bed with garters and tiny miniscule panties that should be outlawed. Even the bra she wore had been designed to make him nuts he was sure. That’s because her tits flowed over the half tops of the thing and were on full display.

  “I can’t believe you were wearing this under that virginal dress of yours.” Chase said as he tore off his clothes. Now he stood at the foot of the bed, stroking his cock as he looked her up and down.

  Annabelle who was feeling no pain crooked her finger at him in a come hither gesture. Chase placed his knee on the bed and stretched towards her for a taste of her lips. It’s when the kiss became more that he pulled back to ask that question.

  Annabelle who had been missing him in the worst way assured him that she was more than well enough to do what he’d whispered in her ear. That was all the reassurance he needed.

  He started at her feet, removing the lace over satin heels that she’d worn, but leaving the silk stockings in place, ran his hands up between her legs.

  When he reached her panties he didn’t try taking them off, not yet. Instead he ran his fingers along the legs on both sides, inching ever closer to the prize. Annabelle was already about to die from his sweet torture, but she bit into her lip and held on, because she was knew the reward would be all the better if she behaved.

  Chase teased her unmercifully, getting close to her wet center and easing back. There was a wet stain forming in the crotch of her panties and her sweet honeysuckle scent rose up to intoxicate him.

  He took his time unsnapping the clasps of the garter belt from her stockings before rolling her panties slowly down her thighs, kissing each one as he went.

  By the time he made his way back up her body to that paradise between her thighs, she was ready to combust.

  37

  Chase knew he was driving her mad, but hey, he was in pretty much the same predicament. Hadn’t he been the one to put off having sex until she was all better? Hadn’t he lain next to her every night, longing for the taste of her? Fighting his own need until he was damn near out of his mind?

  But now she was here, beneath him, almost nude and his rings on her finger were like a beacon as they caught the light. Just seeing them there made his cock grow harder. “My wife!” As he said the words, the enormity of what they meant hit him
in the gut and his heart took off racing.

  It’s true that as the son of a privileged family he’s always gotten what he wanted, had never failed at anything he put his mind to. But he could honestly say, that marrying the girl of his heart was his greatest gift hands down.

  It’s one of those times when a man says, ‘if I never gain another thing in this life, I can die a happy man, because I have you.’ He’d never given those words much merit before, until now. Because his heart had never been so full.

  He lifted her to his mouth and made love to her with his tongue, feeling the sweet taste of ambrosia course through him, igniting his senses and making him thirst for more.

  Annabelle arched into his mouth when he licked her again and again, and couldn’t hold back the purring sound that escaped her lips. Chase had missed her taste, but having it now after going without, she tasted even better to his senses.

  He didn’t stop licking until he’d sipped her juices from her, and the thought of what her silk encased thighs was going to feel like as they wrapped around his heated flesh had him moving up her body with his dick on hard.

  When he slipped into her, remembering only at the last second to go slow because of his child, it was like coming home after a long time away. Her pussy was wet and soft when he buried his cock balls deep inside her. And he closed his eyes at the intense pleasure he felt when their hips met.

  Looking down at her breasts, which were now obscenely displayed by the bra that was made to tease, to tantalize; his mouth watered and he fell on them like a hummingbird finding the nectar of the sweetest flower.

  It only made her wetter, his chewing on her nipples and she moved her hips wilder as she took him in deep. Annabelle wrapped her arms and legs around him as he moved in and out of her, slowly, oh so slow, that she wanted to scream.