Blackmailed Into Bed (18 page)

Her words were strained and tear-thick until the very end, when they turned firm and confident. Chase sat on the edge of the bed, phone pressed to his ear, listening to the droning of the dial tone long after she’ d disconnected.

Well, he had his answer, then, didn’ t he? It was over. She would finally be well and truly out of his life… out of his bed, out of his blood, out of his head.

Which was exactly what he wanted. The sex had been great, no doubt about it, but he could get good sex elsewhere, without all the strings that came with a woman like Elena Sanchez. The last thing he needed was strings tangling up his life.

Returning the earpiece to its cradle, he stood and made his way stonily back to the bathroom. He finished drying off and pulled on a pair of boxer shorts before climbing back into bed and beneath the covers.

With Elena out of the picture, he would no longer be haunted by the past. Finally, things could get back to normal.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, ready for the peace he expected to feel to wash over him. Instead, Elena’ s scent invaded his lungs. Her hair and skin and perfume, the mix of what made her fragrance so uniquely hers, filled his nostrils and caused his gut to twist.

He could strip the bed, leave the room, but he knew it wouldn’ t help. It wouldn’ t help because the smell wasn’ t in the sheets; the sheets had been washed since she’ d last slept there. No, the smell— Elena— was in his blood and his brain. And maybe even, he suspected, his heart.

Elena couldn’ t stop crying. Not because of the way Chase had treated her the night before, but because she’ d finally admitted to herself that what they had was not going to work. And she’ d finally found the courage to call and tell him it was over.

Maybe, if they hadn’ t had the bad luck to run into Tisha at that party, things could have been different. At least they’ d have had more time to see where the relationship was going.

She hadn’ t expected forever from him, but she would be lying if she didn’ t admit she’ d been hoping for more. More time, more of a chance, just… more.

But now it was done, over, and she had to get on with her life.

Inhaling a ragged breath, she blew her nose, wiped her eyes and did her best to retouch the makeup she’ d been attempting to apply for the last half hour.

With another sniff, she realized it was about as good as it was going to get. She didn’ t even bother with mascara, knowing she would simply cry it off in a matter of minutes and be left with black streaks running down her cheeks.

Fighting to get her emotions under control, she left the house and drove to her father’ s office, glad her sister wasn’ t around to chastise her for continuing to weep over a man Alandra now considered to be the scum of the earth.

It didn’ t help, either, that because of her decision to break things off with Chase, Elena now had to sit down with her father and explain that it was entirely possible he was going to lose his business because the extra time he’ d been given to collect funds and backers was gone.

Pulling into the first parking spot she found on the street in front of the SRS building, she grabbed her purse, locked the car and headed inside.

The door of her father’ s office stood open, as usual. She tapped lightly, feeling her spirits lift when he raised his head and smiled widely at her.

“ Elena, querida,” he said, getting to his feet and moving around his desk toward her. “ You look lovely today. I’ m so happy you came to visit me.”

Only her father could make a positive comment about her appearance on a day like today, when both her eyes and nose were red and puffy from crying for the last twelve hours.

Victor Sanchez was on the short side, with a thick, stocky frame and a generous portion of gray in the otherwise black hair forming a crown around his balding head. He stood two inches shorter than Elena, but that didn’ t keep him from wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet as he hugged her close.

Elena laughed, as she always did when her father showed such affection for his girls, even as regret poured through her at the pain she was about to cause him.

“ Papa,” she said reluctantly when he pulled away, tears once again stinging her eyes, “ I need to talk to you.”

The joy on his face faded slightly as he sensed her inner turmoil. “ Of course, of course.”

He led her to a couple of chairs in front of his desk and sat down, urging her to do the same, still holding one of her hands. “ Now tell me, hija, what has stripped the sunshine from your eyes.”

“ I have some bad news, Pop.”

His salt-and-pepper brows met, his fingers tightening around her own. “ What is it, querida? You know you can tell me anything.”

She nodded, swallowing hard before continuing. “ I know I told you everything would be all right with the company, that I worked out a deal with Chase Ramsey to give you some time to get together the money and backers you need to keep SRS afloat, but— ”

She swallowed again, what she needed to say sitting in her chest like an anchor, pressing down on her heart.

“ The… agreement… fell through.” Her throat closed and the tears brimming in her eyes finally spilled over. “ I’ m so sorry, Papa. So, so sorry. I really did try.”

For a few moments, her father sat in stunned silence. Then he opened his mouth, but before he could speak, another voice cut him off.

“ Victor, there you are.”

Elena spun around in her seat, both her and her father’ s gazes whipping to the doorway, where Chase stood with his hands on either side of the jamb.

Her heart went from feeling like a stone in her chest to speeding like a racecar at the Indy 500.

What was he doing here? Especially looking like that.

She’ d never seen him so rumpled. His expensive, tailored suit was a mass of wrinkles— and if she wasn’ t mistaken, it was the same one he’ d been wearing last night at dinner, right down to the hastily knotted tie. His jaw carried a day’ s worth of dark beard stubble and his hair didn’ t seem to have been combed by anything more than his fingers.

“ Chase Ramsey,” he said by way of introduction. “ I know we haven’ t met in several years, but I’ ve been meaning to talk to you about Sanchez Restaurant Supply.”

He directed his words to Victor, but his glance strayed more toward her.

“ I’ m no longer interested in acquiring your company for the Ramsey Corporation. I know you still have a ways to go before SRS is in the black again, and if you’ d like some assistance in that area, I’ d be happy to offer my expertise, maybe even some financial backing.”

This time she and her father were both at a loss for words. She stared at Chase, wondering why he had changed his mind, even as she realized she didn’ t really care.

“ I… Gracias,” Victor managed to stammer. “ Thank you. I appreciate that, Señor Ramsey.”

Chase nodded brusquely, as though the announcement about her father’ s business was merely an afterthought, then turned his intense sapphire gaze on her. “ Elena, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone.”

Dropping his arms, he took a step back from the open doorway, inviting her into the hall. His expression was both wary and hopeful.

Curious and confused, she stood, sparing a quick glance at her father, who looked almost ready to burst with happiness at having the family business out from under the oppressive threat of a takeover. Not to mention the possible assistance of a corporate tycoon who seemed capable of turning straw into gold.

“ I’ ll be right back,” she said shakily, then smiled at her father— whether to reassure him or herself, she wasn’ t sure.

Leaving her purse on the seat of her chair, she crossed the room, her heels clicking a staccato rhythm that matched the erratic beat of her heart.

She kept her eyes averted as she slipped past Chase, who towered in the doorway, and waited while he pulled the door closed. He wrapped a hand around her elbow and guided her a little ways away, sending a shock of sensations up her arm.

It was sad, she thought, that he could still have such an effect on her when she’ d decided just yesterday to be finished with him. She should be immune to him already, shouldn’ t she? She should have cut off any feelings for him and built an impenetrable wall around her heart.

And maybe, if he hadn’ t waltzed into her father’ s office thirty seconds ago and done something so sweet, so generous, so completely out of character, she could have stayed mad at him.

Clearing her throat, she lifted her head and met his gaze. “ That was very kind of you, thank you.” And then, because she had to know, “ What made you change your mind?”

“ You did,” he said, his fingers tightening where they still held her elbow before suddenly releasing her and letting his arms fall to his sides.

“ After you left the restaurant last night, I went home, thinking everything was fine. Better than fine. I knew you were through with our agreement, through with me, and I was relieved, because ever since we started spending time together, I haven’ t felt like myself.”

Running his hands through his hair, he blew out a harsh breath. “ When you first walked into my office, I wanted to hate you, Elena. I relished the opportunity to punish you for how you made me feel twenty years ago in front of your friends.”

“ I’ m sorry about that,” she told him solemnly. “ I’ ve already tried to apologize— ”

He shook his head, waving off her words. “ I know. It doesn’ t matter. See that’ s the thing— I thought it did. For twenty years, I couldn’ t get the night of that Christmas party out of my head, and when you came to me with the request to help save your father’ s business, I reveled in the possibility of finally getting back at you.”

She opened her mouth to speak again, but he cut her off.

“ Then there was last night. I treated you with less than a hundred percent respect at dinner, pushing you, trying to put what was between us back on an even keel. What I considered an even keel, anyway,” he added with a shrug. “ You didn’ t appreciate my behavior and walked out— which is exactly what you should have done, and no less than I deserved. And after you called, told me our deal was off, I thought I’ d feel better. I expected this weight to lift from my chest and my world to right itself again. Instead, I couldn’ t sleep. I could barely breathe.”

Reaching down, he caught her hands, folding them within his own and giving her fingers a squeeze. “ I could smell you in the room, hear your voice whispering in my ear. And despite everything I’ d told myself, everything I thought I felt, thought I believed, thought I wanted, I suddenly realized what an idiot I’ ve been. Because what I really wanted was for you to be right there beside me, in my arms. That’ s what I want. Now and forever.”

Elena blinked, almost feeling the need to clean her ears and ask him to repeat what he’ d just said. Her insides were quaking. She was moved and yet extremely wary.

Last night, he’ d treated her as nothing more than his paid companion— albeit paid with a favor to her father rather than money. Now, he seemed to want more, he seemed to be saying he cared for her.

But how could she be sure? How could she know that he wouldn’ t change his mind the next time they ran into Tisha Ferguson-McDonald or someone just like her?

Her brain was telling her to be careful, to proceed with caution and maybe even make him suffer a little bit, make him earn her forgiveness.

Her heart was telling her to throw her arms around him, hug him tight and never let go.

She decided to opt for a reaction somewhere in between.

Ignoring the flutter of nerves in her belly, she steeled her voice and asked, “ What are you saying, Chase?”

His hands tightened on hers as he readjusted his hold, linking their fingers together. He yanked her a step closer, staring down at her with the most intense, sincere expression she’ d ever seen on his face.

“ I’ m saying I love you. I think I have since junior high. Even after you turned me down at your family’ s Christmas party, I don’ t think I could have been so hurt and angry for so long if you hadn’ t meant more to me than I cared to admit.”

Hearing the words I love you on his lips made her pulse pound and her whole body flush warm with affection. She loved him, too. Her feelings hadn’ t blossomed quite as early on as he claimed his had, but she’ d certainly admitted to them sooner.

“ But what about what happened the other night with Tisha Ferguson-McDonald? I didn’ t have anything to do with what she said, Chase, I swear I didn’ t. And I don’ t share her opinions or her views. She’ s an arrogant, ignorant snob.”

Her blood was running hot now with remembered fury and indignation. But instead of turning cold and shutting down the way she would have expected— the way she’ d seen him respond before— he chuckled. Lifting their locked hands, he pressed the back of his index finger to her lips to postpone the rest of her Tisha-is-the-devil tirade.

“ I told you,” he said slowly, his tone low and lulling, “ it doesn’ t matter. Yeah, it pissed me off and brought up a hornet’ s nest of ugly memories I didn’ t want to deal with and had been hoping were behind me. But it also helped me to realize— a little late in the game, I know,” he said, his cheekbones turning pink for a split second as he glanced away sheepishly, then returned his gaze to hers, “ that you’ re nothing like her. Nothing like the women who were with her. Maybe you were at one time, trying to fit in, just as you told me back in Las Vegas. But we all try to fit in when we’ re kids— even more so as teenagers— and we all do stupid, insensitive things, usually on and off throughout our lives.”