Chase (14 page)

I wake up when I feel someone creeping into bed next to me.

“What the..”

“Calm down, Layla, it’s me.”

“What are you doing here, Chase?”

“You wouldn’t answer your phone.”

“Yeah, because I didn’t want to talk to you, so take the hint!”

“I wasn’t with another woman, baby. You rang when I was at work, an employee answered because I left my phone in the office.”

“Where have you been?”

“Work, or at my apartment.”

“You have an apartment? See this is what I’m talking about, Chase. You keep everything hidden like it’s a huge secret, even small details like this. I was worried about you.”

“Baby..”

“Who was the ‘employee’ that answered your phone?”

No answer, but I could feel his body tighten.

“That’s what I thought, Chase. Get out.”

“No, I want to hold you.”

He pins me under him and I struggle for a while, until eventually I just give in and fall asleep.

*****

Morning arrives and Chase is already out of bed, I can hear him working out in the gym. I shower and change into tight jeans and a tank top, then start to cook a huge breakfast for everyone. Pancakes, bacon and eggs, hash browns- the whole works. Chase walks into the kitchen, freshly showered, by the time I am done cooking, and hugs me from behind as I’m at the sink washing the dishes.

“You didn’t have to cook baby, I could have taken you out to breakfast.” I ignore him and continue my washing.

“It looks delicious. You spoil us Layla.” I turn around to look at him. He’s so damn beautiful. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of faded jeans, the top button undone. His stomach is just, yeah, wow. So sculptured, it should belong in a museum.

James walks out; I think he smelt the bacon. “Hey bro. Layla, it smells so good. You are a fucking keeper!” He kisses me on my cheek and starts to dig in.

Kade soon follows, giving me a huge grin. “You are the best, Layla, I’m so hungry.”

Chase sits there quietly eating, staring daggers at everyone at the table. I have no idea why, nor am I going to ask. I head into my bedroom and pack my bag for class. When I walk out, Chase and his brothers are arguing, but when I walk in they all stop. This house is so much drama. I walk out and head for my car without saying a word.

******

It’s been a week and Chase and I are still over. Well, at least I consider us over. Chase has convinced himself I’m just angry at him and holding a grudge. He hurt me, bad. Tonight I’m going out for dinner with Kade, he said he wants to have a talk with me. We go to this Mexican restaurant I love called ‘Salsas’. It has the best food.

“So what do you want to talk about Kade?” I ask after we are seated.

“You need to forgive Chase already, princess,” he demands, voice stern.

My eyebrows hit my hairline. “And why is that, Kade?” I ask.

“He’s fucking in love with you, Layla. He’s miserable without you. Damn, I never thought I would ever see him like this. He’s wanted you since he first saw you three years ago. That has to mean something to you?”

“He hurt me, Kade,” I say in a tiny voice. I see Kade’s eyes soften.

“I know he fucked up, princess. He is just a man, one who has never felt like this towards a woman before. I know it sounds like a shitload of excuses, but give him a break Layla. He is gone for you. It’s kind of pathetic really.”

I can’t stop a small smile. “I wish it were that easy, Kade, I really do. I need some time to think. Okay?”

“Okay,” he nods, seemingly satisfied.

“You and Nikki?” I ask, with a raised eyebrow.

“You digress, princess,” he says with a grin.

“Is that not allowed?” I retort.

“You are cheeky, you know that?”

“You love it,” I assure him.

“What are you ordering?” he asks.

“The nachos. You?”

“I was thinking of getting some tacos. But nachos sounds good too,” he says thoughtfully.

“Wanna get both of them and go halves?” I offer.

“Done,” he says with a grin.

“I’m paying, by the way,” I tell him.

He laughs. “You keep telling yourself that darling.”

He paid. I sulked. Then we went home.

******

The next day, I’m getting ready to head out to class. As I’m opening the car door, Chase runs out, pulls me to him and kisses me. It takes me by surprise and for the first few seconds I simply let him taste my lips. When I’m about to push him away, he beats me to it, already pulling back.

“I fucking miss you Layla. Stop being mad!”

“You can’t order me to stop being mad!”

“Anyone with eyes can see I’m fucking crazy about you!”

I roll my eyes at him. “We will talk after class, okay? Are you going to be home?”

“I’ll be here, baby. Any problems call me, okay.” He kisses my temple, and then walks back into the house, leaving me to admire his muscled back and ass in those jeans. That man! Too fine for his own good.

A couple of hours later, my classes for the day are done, and I’m on my way to have a quick lunch with Derek. I walk into the restaurant and see Derek sitting there, chatting with the waitress. I jump into the seat opposite him, just as the waitress gives him her number written on a napkin. She gives me a dirty look when she walks off.

“Thanks Derek, now my food is probably going to get spit on!” I roll my eyes at him.

“Aw come on, I’m sure..” He glances at the napkin, “Katie, isn’t that mean.” He grins as he says it. I’m pretty sure he knows exactly how catty some women can be.

“Ha! Come on let’s order, I’m starving.” I check the menu, and order the chicken, like I always do. Derek orders a steak. “How was class?” I ask him.

“Same old. Accounting is boring as hell, but it’s going to pay my bills. You?”

“Alright, just a lot of human biology stuff. I need to remember so many things; I think my brain is going to explode”

We make small talk. He’s a really nice guy, and seems to genuinely like my friendship. He didn’t hit on me once, and didn’t stare below my eyes.

“So who is this guy you are complicatedly not seeing?” he questions.

I laugh. “Chase.”

He frowns. “Chase who?”

I bite my lip.. “Jackson?” I make it sound like a question.

“Very funny, Layla. Who are you seeing?” he tries to laugh if off like a made a joke. My feelings are hurt. Why wouldn’t I be seeing Chase?

He must see the look on my face because he reaches over and pats my hand.

“Hey, I’m sorry. It’s just that. Chase, doesn’t date. He fucks. He is a legend on campus. Why I heard this one story when..”

“Okay Derek! I get it. Well, we were seeing each other. Now we aren’t, but it’s still complicated.”

Derek groans. “I can imagine. No wonder James said he was staying at their house more often. He only usually stays there now and again. He’s got several other houses and he usually moves around.”

Interesting. I was learning more from this conversation with Derek, then all the prying in the world from those three brothers.

“Why did they even want a roommate? They certainly don’t need the money.” I’m trying to dig for information.

“Kade and James go away a lot, travelling. During summer holidays they go to Europe. So they wanted someone in the house. Chase isn’t hardly there, he just comes and goes. They don’t need to share a house; they just like each other’s company.” Hmm. That makes sense.

“So what about you, I heard you’re a bit of a playboy yourself. Shame on you for trying to make me your target!”

He chuckles. “I’m playing the field. I’m young. Don’t worry Layla, you have officially been put in the friend zone.”

I raise my eyebrow at that. “I’m pretty sure I friend zoned you first, Derek.” We both laugh.

The food is delicious, and I offer Derek a bite. I cut a piece of the chicken, and slather it in sauce, then lean over the table and shove it in his mouth. There was nothing sexual about it. But it probably did look bad when Chase stormed in at that very moment.

He walks over and takes the seat right next to me. His eyes on Derek, he doesn’t even glance my way.

“Layla, you didn’t tell me you had a lunch date.” The words lunch date are sneered. His eyes are still on Derek’s. “Derek, I thought you had more common sense than to fuck with me, but I guess not.” Derek looks calm, but I can see his throat move as he swallows nervously.

“I’m not on a date, Chase, I’m just having lunch with my friend.”

He finally looks my way. “Friend? Are you honestly that naive to think he wants friendship? For fuck sake Layla..”

I cut off his rant mid-sentence. “I enjoyed lunch Derek, I’ll text you later.”

“The fuck you will,” Chase mutters as he stares daggers at Derek. Chase pulls out his wallet and leaves enough money for both our meals and a heavy tip. His eyes dare Derek to object. This is his way of taking control of this situation, of making a claim, in his own Neanderthal way. No other man is going to take care of me, his gesture says. Which is stupid, because I was going to actually pay for my own damn meal.

“Drive home with me; I’ll get someone to drop off your car.” He demands.

“Seriously what is the point in that? I’ll just follow you home, no need to inconvenience your minions.”

“I pay them to inconvenience them, now get in my car, Layla.”

“No I’m not going to be..”

“Layla, please.”

That one word spoken from him, and I feel myself soften. I get into his car without any more tantrums.

“Did you track my phone?”

He ignores me. “I suggest you never see Derek again, or he’s going to regret it.”

“Are you seriously threatening one of the very few friends I have? What the hell Chase!”

“He doesn’t want to be your fucking friend, Layla. He wants what’s mine. But he’s not gonna get it.” He slams his hand down on his steering wheel.

“We are just friends.”

“Men and women can’t be just friends, Layla, especially with a woman like you.”

“What about you and Aubrey? You two are supposedly ‘just friends.’

Chase glances at me and then his eyes open wide in realisation. “That is what this is about.” He looks like he had an epiphany.

“No, it’s not! Yes, I am pointing out the double standard, but I like Derek, as a friend. He’s a nice guy Chase.”

“He’s a fucking man whore!”

“Coming from you, that’s rich! It sounded like he looks up to you, because you’re the biggest womanizer of all!”

“What did that little shit say to you? I think I’m gonna pay him a visit, teach his ass a lesson!” he growls every word.

“You will not. He didn’t say anything. He just didn’t believe when I said I was seeing you.”

“Yeah, well. I don’t really date.”

“You dated Aubrey for a year!” I exclaim.

“Aubrey and I had a different sort of relationship. We were nothing like how I and you are, and stop bringing her up in every conversation. She doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“You mean, nothing like how we were.” He makes a grunted noise, and I look over and his knuckles have turned white. “What does that even mean? A different sort of relationship? I’d like a real answer for once, Chase! I’m getting so tired of your cryptic answers and evasive tactics!”

Chase sighs and runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

“No running, right?” he asks me in a solemn voice.

I nod, “No running.”

“Fuck, Layla, the reason I keep shit from you is because I know you are looking for any damn excuse not to be with me. And I have the kind of past where you will find a lot of reasons. I hate looking into your gorgeous brown eyes and seeing the hurt and disappointment, it fucking kills me Layla.”

“I just want the truth, Chase.” He makes a small groaning noise. “We aren’t together right now anyway, you may as well just tell me,” I say, scoring a direct hit. I look at him, and notice a muscle ticking in his jaw, and I can feel the air in the room turning deadly. Maybe I should just shut up now.

“Aubrey and I, had an open relationship. Yes, officially I was with her, but I still slept with other women. Our entire relationship.”

My mouth hung open. I’m sure I looked like a gold fish.

“See, Layla! Fuck. That is not you and I. I have not even looked at another woman since I met you, and I will never cheat on you. I’m not sharing you. So don’t start with that bullshit right now, because baby, you and I are not and will never be anything like Aubrey and I. You mean so much more to me, Layla. I understand I’m a little bit rusty with this relationship stuff, but I’m trying here, baby. I’ve never had to chase a woman before, it’s frustrating as hell. But I know you are worth it, so I’m never going to give you up. I’m never going to stop wanting you.”

I had no idea what to say. So I just looked out the window in silence.

“Say something, Layla” he begs.

“Let’s just go home, Chase.”

He sighs unhappily. “Okay, baby.”

He reaches over and puts his hand on my thigh, not in a sexual way, but to comfort me. Still, I don’t want his comfort right now. I push his hand off and he mutters an angry “fuck!” He thumps his hand on the steering wheel.

We are silent for the rest of the drive.

As we pull up into the driveway, there is a car parked there that I remember seeing at the party. Some fancy, expensive Mercedes. Chase sees it, and his eyes widen.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” He is suddenly livid.

“What? Whose car is that?”

He’s puts the car in reverse and is about to pull out when the door opens and Aubrey steps out. I remember that hair. Long, white blond, although not thick like mine. I’m pretty sure its extensions. I take my first good look at her, she has a nice figure, although less curvy than me. Her face however looks pinched, and bitter.

“What the hell is she doing here? And what, you were going to drive off and dump me somewhere, then come back to deal with her?” He puts the car into park and closes his eyes. He opens them, then turns to look at me.