Bounty (46 page)

B
y the time
I pull my clothes on and get down to the lobby, I'm not sure if I'll even be able to find Chase or Denise. I don't want them to see me, so I can't simply stomp through the lobby looking for them. Part of me doesn't even want to find them, though. In the back of my mind I've been waiting for something to ruin this relationship. It's been too good, Chase seems almost too perfect. I've almost expected something like this to happen, and now that it has I almost don't want to find out any more. As if not knowing will keep it from being real.

But if he is fooling around with Denise still, it's better to know now before I get even more invested. It's been less than a week, after all. Despite spending almost every moment together since we met, I still feel like I can get away from this relationship relatively unscathed. I mean, it will still hurt. Especially because it's Denise. What does he see in that bitch anyway?

As the elevator doors slide open, my heart begins trying to pound its way out of my chest. I have to steady myself along the wall of the hallway that leads to the lobby for fear my anxiety will bring me to my knees. It's foolish to be this agitated. It's only been a week.
Get a grip!

I make it right to the end of the hallway that opens up into the lobby when I see them. Chase and Denise are standing by the front door, talking and smiling at each other. She's carrying her purse as well as a bigger satchel type bag, and is dressed and made up as immaculately as the other night, looking just as sexy meeting in the middle of the day as when she's at a club. Whether she always dresses like that or is just doing it because she's meeting with Chase I haven't a clue. I feel an immediate urge to march up to them and demand to know what's going on, but I squelch it. I'll just end up looking like a fool, especially if the meeting is innocent. Besides, barging up to them isn't going to force them to tell me the truth. They'll never admit it if something is going on. My best bet is to watch them.

I keep my eye on them as they talk. So far, although they're smiling a lot, there are no overt signs of anything physical between them. No little touches or accidental brushes of their hands against each other. I'm watching for it all, at the same time being painfully aware how much like a stalker I'm acting. Especially given Chase's level of fame. How many times has a fan of his acted like this? Did any of them ever spy on us as we spent time in public, hoping and wishing that Chase would spend time with them instead?

I shake my head. This is different. Chase and I are in a relationship, aren't we? We've never actually defined it, although he did call me his girlfriend the other day when those two women were flirting with him at the photo shoot. But then we never talked about it again. Did he mean it, or did he only say that because I interrupted them and he thought I was pissed? Did he just mean to mollify me?

The two of them now start to walk out of the lobby, so I continue to follow and watch from a safe distance. I totally feel like a stalker now, and I'm just glad that we aren't in the actual casino with all of the cameras everywhere. I'd probably be picked up as a security threat.

They make their way to a little cafe near the food court and go in. There's no way I can follow without being seen, it's too small. The best I can do is position myself near the open door and pretend to be waiting for someone. Once they're seated I can only make out the sides of their heads over the booth next to them. I do see Denise reach down and take something out of her satchel but I can't tell what it is. A folder, a magazine, or maybe just some papers. She's too far away and the view is too obscured for me to tell.

So far they haven't acted like they're secret lovers, but then what are they meeting about? Chase's words from the night at the club when I first met Denise ring through my head, bouncing around mockingly.

...it's not like we hang out with each other socially.

What the hell is this, then?

Maybe they're just talking about her trip to LA. But again, why the secrecy? Besides, she was just supposed to visit some of her friends, why would he be interested in that?

Another couple sits down in the booth next to them, and now I can barely see them at all. I'm frustrated, and become more so the longer I wait. They're in there for almost thirty minutes before I finally see Chase stand up, with Denise quickly following. She pulls him in for a hug and he hugs her back, but nothing more. I duck into a little store so that he doesn't spot me as he exits the cafe, but he's carrying a heavy plastic bag and walking quickly, not looking around at all. He certainly doesn't look like he feels guilty, but Chase rarely shows any emotion other than when we're having sex.

I have absolutely no idea what the hell just happened in there, but I'm going to find out.

I wait until he's completely out of sight and then I walk in and approach Denise who is sitting down again, just finishing a cup of coffee.

"Are you really having so much trouble finding a new man that you have to try and flirt with one that's already dumped you?" I ask, unable to hold back on my anger. I have some for Chase as well, but right now Denise is my target.

She looks stunned to see me, but then I can see the wheels turning in her head and a smug look comes over her face as she looks back the way that I came. "Wow," she says. "Aren't you turning into the little stalker? You must be feeling pretty insecure about this little thing you think you have going on with Chase."

I don't even have a response to that, because I do feel like a stalker, so I ignore the taunt completely. "Chase isn't getting back together with you, so why don't you just leave him alone already. Trying to convince him to ditch me so that you can meet with him in secret isn't going to win him back."

Denise tilts her head back to let one of her annoying, shrill little laughs loose. "Oh darling, you think I'm after him? You need to get your facts straight, honey. Chase called me the other day. He was the one that wanted to meet privately." She looks at me and tilts her head in mock sorrow. "Oh honey, if he's already keeping secrets from you, then I guess you two have even less time in your future than I thought."

I'm not sure if she's full of shit or not, but the satisfied look in her eyes makes me believe her. "What did he want to meet with you about?"'

"Really, Lila, I don't see how that's any of your business. If you really want to know, maybe you should ask Chase? I'm
sure
he'll tell you the truth. Aren't you?"

The sarcasm in Denise's voice makes me want to punch her in the face, but I resist. I have nothing more to say to her. I turn on my heel and head back to the main lobby elevators.

She's right about one thing. It's Chase I need to be talking to about all of this. And if I don't like his answers then it might be finally time I was leaving Las Vegas.

I
n the elevator
ride up to the penthouse I'm fuming, but unsure whether I even have a right to be. I don't even know if anything is going on between Chase and Denise. The fact that I'm going to come off like a crazy, psycho if I start throwing around baseless accusations is not lost on me. I can totally see Denise setting me up for coming off like that by acting all cagey about why they got together. It truly could have just been something as simple as getting coffee with a friend.

But that still doesn't make sense to me. Based on the texts and phone call Chase had before he left, I was obviously not supposed to know about this meeting. True, Chase knows I don't like Denise and maybe that's why he didn't tell me he was meeting her. And the text from Denise about ditching me could have just been her being the bitch that she is. And I didn't see any funny business between the two of them, although most of their meeting was obscured from my view. Yet I still can't shake the feeling that there is something else going on. The best I can do is try not to act like a lunatic that has missed a few doses of medication.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Chase asks as soon as I open the door.

"That's funny," I say with a clenched jaw. "I had the same question for you." I feel guilty for already setting a trap but if he just tells the truth it will set my mind at ease immediately.

"I just went down to get us some dinner. I thought it might be nice to have something different than what's on the room service menu." His eyes motion over to the plastic bag I saw him carrying a few minutes ago, which is sitting on the table.

My eyes close and I let out a slow breath before I say anything. When I open them, he's looking at me with a quizzical frown.

"You okay?"

"I know you met Denise." My voice is as flat and emotionless as I can manage. I'm disappointed and angry, but still unsure how much is justified.

Chase's shoulders wilt slightly. "You were following me?"

My anger is bubbling up now. "Don't try to turn this around. I happened to see her text the other day when your phone was in my purse. When I woke up earlier, I heard you talking to her. What the hell is going on? Are you two still fucking?"

"What?" he looks genuinely shocked, but I know how well he can manipulate his emotions. "God no!"

"Then why were you sneaking down to see her? Why did you just lie about it when I asked you where you were?"

"Because you hate her, and you already think she's still pining after me. I didn't want to give you any reason to worry. I would think you would understand that, given your conversation today with Harrison."

So he had heard some of that.

"That's different," I say, shaking my head.

"Really? Because from what I heard, it sounded like you still have some feelings for him."

I shake my head again. He's trying to deflect. Change the subject away from Denise.

"He's not the man you think he is, Lila. You really need to be careful with him."

"What the hell do you know about Harry?" I snap.

Chase looks like he's about to say something, then stops himself. He's quiet for a moment. "Just don't forget how we met. How easy it was for him to risk losing his girlfriend in a poker game."

"Oh I won't forget that," I say, my anger still boiling. "Just like I won't forget the equally sleazy move of the asshole who tried to win a girlfriend in a poker game!"

This time it's Chase who shakes his head. "Lila, you don't understand..." He takes a step toward me and touches my arm, but I shake it off.

"What the hell is going on with you and Denise," I demand again. I refuse to let him try to maneuver the conversation away from the real subject.

"There's absolutely nothing going on between Denise and me, Lila, I promise you."

I want to believe him, but things still don't add up. Yet his sincerity softens my anger a little bit.

"So why did you want to meet with her? She said it was your idea." I wince as I admit to actually talking to her.

"You spoke to her? Lila, what did you say?"

"I asked her why she was still after you. She said you called her for a private get together. Is that true? You told me that you guys don't see each other socially. What the hell, Chase? What am I supposed to think here?"

Chase sighs, and then takes a step back to lean against the couch, rubbing his head with his hands. "Shit, Lila, it's not what you think."

"I told you, I don't know what to think. I need you to tell me what's going on."

"Denise is just fucking with you. You're right, she is a bitch. But she has good taste, and I guess I trusted her to help me with something when clearly that was a bad idea."

"What? What was a bad idea?" My mind is racing through all sorts of bad ideas, each one worse than the next.

"It was supposed to be a surprise." He says with another heavy sigh.

I'm totally confused now. I don't even have any more words, I just stare at him, waiting.

"I wasn't completely honest with you last week," he says. Here it comes. He's going to admit to still having feelings for Denise. They're still fucking. Or maybe they're in love. Shit, they don't have a child together do they? I reach out to put my arm onto the wall to steady myself, waiting for the knockout blow.

"You know that dress that I brought up to the room last week, the one that I said I had to stop and buy for you since I thought you would look stunning in it?"

What?
What the hell does that dress have to do with his secret love child?

"That's not how it happened," he continues. "I wanted to take you out, and I wanted to get you a dress, but I honestly don't have a clue what would look good on someone without actually seeing them in it. I went into a shop downstairs and had one of the sales women recommend something based on a picture I took of you and had on my phone."

I know I'm staring at him dumbly now, but I can't stop myself. I'm completely confused. Who the fuck cares about the stupid dress?

"Anyway, my point is that I don't really have great taste in buying really nice things for someone like you. So I needed help with that dress. And then the other day I decided I wanted to get you something else. That's why I met with Denise. She has great taste in jewelry, far better than mine. I asked her to meet with me to go over what I wanted to get for you, and she was going to pick something out. I'm sorry, it was supposed to be a surprise."

I collapse back against the wall, closing my eyes as the realization hits me. The only asshole in this room right now is me.

E
ven with Chase
trying to reassure me that it's no big deal, I can't help feeling like a complete fool for the rest of the night, and the feeling hasn't been shaken by the next day, either. Each time I apologize for being a lunatic and a stalker, he just laughs and changes the subject. I know he's being kind, but I still feel terrible about ruining his surprise and not trusting him. Besides, as he pointed out, I have my own ex-boyfriend baggage that I'm still carrying around, so I shouldn't have been so quick to judge.

"What should we do today?" he asks. We're sitting on his couch, both dressed but without a plan for the day. Chase is fiddling on his phone, and has been most of the morning while I've moped around the room feeling guilty. I can tell he's anxious to do something.

"I'd like to just take it easy today." Yesterday was more excitement than I usually see in a week. Between the motorcycle, the skydiving and then our argument, I'm drained.

"How about we just sit by the pool?"

I shrug. "I don't really want to spend the day in the shade as fans hover over us asking you for autographs. Can we go use the pool at your place again?"

Chase takes a deep breath and gives me a look before smiling. "I thought you might suggest that. Go get your stuff together."

Less than half an hour later his driver drops us off and we head into the kitchen where Chase throws a few drinks into the empty fridge. "I don't want to stay all day, though," he says. "I was thinking maybe we could go and catch a movie later? It's been forever since I've been to a theater. I thought it would be fun, and still relaxing."

I make a noncommittal sound as I head out back to the pool. I really just want to be alone with him. After all of my accusations last night I feel like our relationship could use some us time. I was even considering talking to him about where this whole thing is going. I think part of my insecurity is just that this relationship is still undefined, for the most part. I want to know whether or not he really meant that girlfriend comment he made the other day.

We get into our bathing suits and I stretch out on the lounge chair as I watch the tattoos on Chase's back stretch vibrantly in the sun as he dives into the pool before disappearing under the blue water. He does laps for about ten minutes before climbing out and laying down in the lounger next to me.

"Refreshing," he says. "You going in?"

"Maybe in a little bit." I don't get as much chance to work on my tan back in Toronto. Especially not in October.

"So what do you think about that movie idea?"

"Chase, we just got here!"

"I know, I'm not saying we go now. In a little bit."

"I just want to relax for a while. Don't you ever sit still?"

"I seem to recall a couple of days you and I spent in my hotel room without leaving the room once. Doesn't that count?"

"No, because I wouldn't call what we were doing during that time sitting still," I giggle.

"I dunno," I can hear the grin on his face even with my eyes closed against the Vegas sun. "I did feel pretty relaxed each time we were done."

"Well give me some time to soak in some rays and you might get to feel relaxed again."

"Deal."

To his credit, Chase kept himself quiet for at least long enough for me to fall asleep.

"Shit, Lila, wake up!"

My eyes struggle to open and I have to blink a few times against the sun. "What? What?"

"We fell asleep!"

"So? What's wrong? Did I get a burn?" I look down at my skin and it is looking a little tanned, but not pink thanks to the sunscreen I applied before we left the hotel.

"No. I mean, nothing's wrong, I just didn't expect to fall asleep as well. But it's been over an hour."

"Is that all? I could use another hour." I yawn and lift my arms over my head. It feels good to sleep in the sun. This is exactly how I wanted to spend the day anyway.

"We should get going if we're going to catch a movie."

"Are you kidding me?" I sit up now and look at Chase. His hair is a bit tussled from falling asleep on it while it was still wet, but he looks just as gorgeous as always. "Chase, I really don't feel like going out to a movie. I could use a drink though." I stand up and walk into the house and he follows.

"I just think we should do something else," he persists, as I hand him a bottle of water before taking one for myself.

"What is wrong with staying-" I stop as the I hear the front door lock click. Both Chase and I turn just as it opens and watch as a middle age couple walk in. The man is wearing a polo shirt and slacks, and the woman is wearing an orange blouse and long dark skirt. They look just as surprised to see us as we are to see them.

"Who the hell are you?" I blurt out immediately. Despite my accusation I step back against Chase, not that the couple look physically threatening. Both of the strangers gawk at us for a moment and I realize I'm standing here in a fairly revealing bikini. I pull my arms up against my chest, suddenly feeling even more vulnerable.

"Young lady," the man says, his facing turning red. I'm not sure if it's anger or embarrassment, but by his tone it could be a bit of both. "I believe it's my right to ask
you
that question. This is my house."

"What? No it isn't. This is Chase's house."

I turn to look at Chase, expecting to see a mirror of the same indignation I feel, but as usual his face is a stony mask of unreadability. "Chase? Tell them."

His cool blue eyes shift from the couple to me, and then back to the couple but he doesn't say anything.

"Were you swimming in our pool?" the woman asks. I turn back to see they've walked further into the house now. The woman has stormed over to the door leading outside. She turns back to her husband. "Henry, they have towels out there. They were swimming in our pool."

"What the hell is going on, Chase?" I demand. He still hasn't said anything.

"The two of you better get out of here this instant, before I have you arrested for trespassing." The man is definitely more angry than embarrassed now, but I'm still completely confused.

"Chase, what the hell is going on?" I repeat. "Is any of this true? Is this really their house?"

Our eyes lock together and I finally see a crack in his armor as he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. There's something in his gaze now that I've never seen before.

Chase slowly nods. "Yes, it's true."

I feel my heart sinking as I look at the man I've spent almost every minute with for the last week and I wonder if I really know him at all.