Military Romance Collection: Contemporary Soldier Alpha Male Romance (54 page)

Chapter 9

Chase had difficulty bantering back and forth with Elton, the pharmacist he’d come to for years to get the meds he needed. Erin’s kiss had thrown him, and while he floated away into the land of fantasy, he also worried she thought she was obligated to him in some way. He understood that, in a way. It was how he felt about a lot of people in his past who’d helped him out along the way. But he didn’t want that from Erin.

He wanted something softer, something gentler. He wanted her body, but he also wanted to just cherish her.

And still, he couldn’t justify that feeling. He didn’t know her. He’d met her in two different dire situations, and the more he thought about it, the more Chase realized that it wasn’t typically a good idea to invite a woman he’d just met to spend a couple of weeks living with him. Erin had seemed hesitant, and she’d been right to question the offer. He felt like a fool. She probably thought he was crazy.

At the same time, he didn’t regret it. Chase liked the idea of having Erin under his roof. It would help him keep an eye on her, give her a place to stay that no one else could find, and give him a chance to convince her to quit the escort business without it being confrontational.

He was glad when Elton brought the meds out, and he paid quickly, starting to worry about Erin alone in the car, even for a few minutes with the doors locked. There were still windows that could be busted out. But she didn’t seem any worse when he jumped back in the car, except that the parts of her face that weren’t swollen were drawn, telling him she was starting to feel a lot of pain.

“Okay, let’s get to my place so you can get something to drink and take one of those pills for pain. Or maybe two.”

As she put her ID back in her purse, she pulled out some cash. “How much do I owe you for the prescriptions?” she asked.

He reached over and closed a hand around hers so the cash was clenched in her fist. “You don’t owe me anything, Erin. I told you, I just want to help you.”

“What exactly is it you do for the hotel, Chase? How are you going to pay for the ambulance and the meds? Because I make good money, and I split my rent with another person. And I still can’t come up with that kind of cash.”

He didn’t answer directly. It was difficult to explain without people assuming it was illegal. He’d explain it in detail later. Right now, he was more concerned with getting her back to his place and taking care of her pain. “At the hotel, I work the reception desk, and sometimes, I fill in for the concierge or one of the floor managers in the casino. It pays pretty well. But that’s not my other source of income. The Cobras have other business, and everyone earns an income for their parts in taking care of that business.”

She didn’t say anything, just nodded, and Chase hoped she wasn’t judging. When he told her what the business was, she’d understand. He just needed a little time and a lot of healing to happen before he got into something that personal. Brock firmly enforced that club business only be shared with someone they intended to bring into the fold somehow. And if he had any say in the matter, Erin would be around for a while.

Especially after that kiss.

He pulled up right in front of his unit and shut off the engine. “I hope you’re ready for a long walk.”

She grimaced. “I just hate the idea of climbing the stairs.”

“I promise that, if you get too tired, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.” He helped her out of the SUV and took her shopping bags before leading her up the short walk to the ground floor apartment. “See? You did great. You made it the whole way, and you’re not even breathing hard!”

She laughed softly and shook her head. “I would kill for a ground floor apartment with front row parking. Well, I’d have to get a car first.”

Chase said, “I think we can make that happen much sooner than you’d believe.”

“No more charity, Chase,” she said with determination. “You’ve done enough. Actually, you’re doing too much already. So, I won’t take charity.”

“Oh, well I guess you don’t want a nice, cold pop to swallow your pills, then,” he teased, reaching into the fridge and holding up a can. She moaned and reached for it, but he pulled it away the first time. At her little pout, he held it out again, letting her take it. Then, he took out her prescriptions and doled out the appropriate doses. “Give that fifteen minutes, and you’re going to feel much better.”

“Other than the fact that it’s hard to drink, the pop makes me feel better already. My mouth was so dry.” She took another sip, but the swelling on the left side of her face caused a little to drip down her chin.

She looked so embarrassed Chase couldn’t let it happen again. He grabbed a paper towel and dabbed at it to get it off her face without hurting her, and then he reached into a draw and pulled out a package of straws. “I bet this will help.”

She pulled one eagerly out of the package, shoved it in the can, and drank, moaning again. “This is perfect.”

He was glad. She was perfect, as far as he could tell, and he wanted to be sure everything he did was perfect for her.

And at that thought, Chase’s stomach growled. He realized he hadn’t eaten in nearly twelve hours, and he was starving. He didn’t know how long it had been since Erin’s last meal, but he assumed she needed to eat, too, and with her face swollen and hurting, her options were limited. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Famished,” she told him.

“Do you think you can chew? Or get a spoon in your mouth?” he asked. “Because if the answer is no, I have an absolutely delicious solution for you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s that?”

He pulled the milk out of the fridge, reached into the freezer for the chocolate ice cream, and grabbed the blender out of the cabinet. “Milkshakes.”

Finally forgetting her pain, Erin laughed for real, and the sound reminded him of a large, chiming bell like they rang at old churches. It was soothing and inviting all at once, and Chase wanted to pull Erin into his arms, carry her to the bed, and ravage her. Of course, she was in no condition for that, and even if she was, he realized he wanted to be tender with her, slow and sensual.

While he didn’t usually rush through sex in a frenzy, the way he wanted Erin didn’t match his typical style, and it left him disconcerted. He used the preparation of the shakes while she settled in on the couch to give him enough distance to set his mind at ease. When she was too close, it was like he didn’t have control of his thoughts or his physical reaction. He turned into a slave of whatever clutched at his lungs and heart when he looked at Erin.

And as he delivered the perfect milkshake, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top, the way her face lit up tugged at the strings controlling him like a marionette. “Now, this is a treat. Do you always have the supplies to make it like an old fashioned soda shop?”

“Sure do. I am a sucker for milkshakes, and it has to be done right. It has to be thick and creamy, and it has to look like the ones I used to get as a kid.” He smiled, feeling like a little boy as he sipped through the supersized straw. Erin had her legs curled under her, and he tossed a blanket over her lap. Even with the injuries on her face, she looked like a small child, so little and vulnerable and happy.

He liked seeing that happiness on her face.

“I admit, this is delicious, and not just because I’m so hungry,” she told him. “You could probably open up a specialty shop and make bank. Vegas loves unique places like that, and I don’t think I’ve ever found one here.”

He already made bank, but he hadn’t explained that yet. Was she aiming to get him out of whatever illegal activity she thought he took part in, the same way he wanted her out of such a dangerous profession? “I’ll keep that in mind, since the Cobras are always interested in new business ventures that give us a tighter hold on the city.”

“You guys are eventually going to monopolize the Strip, if you keep going,” she said, and he knew she was only half joking.

“Erin, we don’t do anything illegal. That’s what I appreciate so much about being a Cobra. I’m not running drugs or weapons. I’m not a vigilante service or bounty hunter. We don’t take part in human trafficking or money laundering. We’re completely legit.” She didn’t seem convinced, and he smiled. “Listen, aside from the hotel and casino, our biggest source of income is loans. We offer large loans to people who can’t get them elsewhere, and we contract it, just like a bank. And yes, the loans are high interest, but they don’t touch what a loan shark would offer. They’re still within legal constrictions.”

She blinked at him several times with the one eye that wasn’t swollen. “You’re serious?” He nodded, and she let out a breath she’d apparently been holding. “And here I thought I was going to have to extract you from the folds to keep you safe.” Her smile faded. “I’m guessing you haven’t always been so clean.”

“Not even close.” Other than a few of the Cobras, no one really knew his full story, and for some reason, he felt compelled to tell Erin everything. “My mom overdosed when I was ten, and my dad let the system take me. I went to a foster home for a couple of months, but I was just a paycheck to them. They didn’t take care of me, and I ran. I’ve been on the streets since before my twelfth birthday. I stole, bought and sold drugs, conned people into buying stuff from me as a street vendor that was worth absolutely nothing. I got pretty friendly with several of the prostitutes and escorts, and a lot of them took care of me. When it got really cold, they’d take me in and let me sleep on the couch or the floor or wherever there was room. They’d feed me, buy me cigarettes, wash my clothes for me.”

She just stared at him while he spoke, and Chase felt more vulnerable than he ever had in his life. He continued, “I got stupid and started taking the drugs I was selling, and that kicked up my anger and resentment, so I started fights. I had to defend my territory, right? And I had to release my aggression, do something with the excess energy from the uppers. Breaking jaws felt good. I went to jail several times. I was lucky, never caught a felony charge.

“Then, I made a huge mistake. I went to see one of my friends, and her pimp had messed her up really bad. She nearly died, and I took care of her. But I went after the guy, nearly killed him before the cops showed up. I ran, and he obviously didn’t turn me in. Instead, he came after me, and if Dalton, Charlie, and Doug hadn’t showed up, I’d be dead. It was four on one, completely unfair, but the guy was a scared piece of shit who knew he couldn’t take me on his own. Anyway, the guys rescued me. They took care of me, and Brock offered me a job and a temporary place to live if I sobered up and stayed straight. I latched onto that like the lifeline it was.”

He remembered what it was like the first couple of months and smiled ruefully. “I hated working a legit job at first, but it got easier. The detox was the hardest part, really. I lived in one of the hotel suites for the first two months, and then I got this place. I started working with the Cobras, and I eventually got patched. I got promoted from bellhop to front desk, and I’m headed toward supervisor in the next couple of months. It’s really sad when getting beaten to within an inch of your life is the best thing that ever happens to you.”

Erin reached out and put a hand on his knee, making it tingle and drawing his eyes up to meet hers. The open eye was glossy as she told him, “No, I know what you mean.”

Chase’s heart thudded hard and fast, and he grabbed the hand on his knee, pulling her gently toward him. Erin didn’t resist, and he kept drawing her forward until her face was inches away. He leaned in, closing the distance, and brushed his lips to hers, the sensation sending a bolt of electricity through his body.

Chapter 10

The gentle question in Chase’s kiss thrilled Erin, and she answered by applying more pressure than his whisper of lips in passing. Whether he was questioning if it would hurt too much to kiss or if it was alright in general to make the move, she didn’t know and didn’t care. She had wanted to kiss him again since she’d made what she thought was a stupid move in the SUV.

He probed tenderly with his tongue, and she opened to him, sighing as she tasted the chocolate on him, as well as a deep, delicious masculinity that ignited a fire in her stomach. For the first time in days, she felt truly warm as the flames spread to her limbs. He was gentle but demanding, and Erin lost herself in the kiss, imagining he would make love to her the same way he kissed. She’d been with so many men in her line of work, but with every one of them, she’d had to fake it. Certainly some of the things they did were physically pleasant, but Erin needed a connection with someone, however small, to truly take pleasure in sex.

Chase made her feel things she’d never felt, and he hadn’t even laid a hand on her. It was just a kiss. Still, when he drew away, letting his lips linger just a moment longer than necessary, she felt the yearning for more. She didn’t want the kiss to end, and she realized she didn’t want it to stop with a kiss. She met his gaze, and his eyes searched her face, looking for a reaction.

Erin almost fell into the act, licking her lips and rolling her eyes to show her interest. But that wasn’t who she really was. That was the act, the escort she’d become somewhere along the way. She pushed down what had become instinctive and reached into her soul for her own personal reaction, something real. She bit her lip against the huge smile that threatened to break across her face and dimple her cheeks.

Chase smiled back and reached for her, pulling her carefully across his lap. He let her rest on the couch, leaning against the arm, with her legs thrown over him, and she couldn’t remember ever being this comfortable with anyone. She’d never had a real boyfriend, and for some reason, she wanted Chase to be her first. To tell him that, though, she had to be as honest about herself as he’d been with her about his past. After all, if she wanted to make a sincere play for him, Chase deserved to know just how long she’d been in the business.

Just the fact that she was an escort was enough to turn most men away when it came to a serious relationship. She had a little hope, with his history and knowledge of the lifestyle, but having lived with women in her line of work didn’t mean he was willing to get involved with one of them. She wasn’t going to count on a sympathy vote to get her the chance she wanted.

“I never meant to get wrapped up in the escort business,” she said quietly, the pain meds finally kicking in so she felt like she could move her face without being in agony. “I ran away from home before I finished high school because my mother remarried and forgot about me. I was eighteen when I got to Vegas, and I had these aspirations of being a singer or dancer. A star. But it’s expensive to live here, and waitressing wasn’t going to pay the bills. I met Laura through an ad for a roommate, and she told me to try stripping. It wasn’t such a big deal. I worked in a nice club, made some money. But it wasn’t enough to stay afloat, and I was struggling. So, she introduced me to the escort business. I figured it would be a temporary solution. I was nineteen and still pretty naïve.”

She looked away, feeling tears prickling at her eyes. How could she even cry out of an eye that was swollen shut? Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she continued, “That was almost seven years ago. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to get out. I don’t have any skills. I don’t know how to work a nine to five. I don’t even have my GED right now. I’m smart. I had excellent grades. But that doesn’t get you anywhere. You need a college degree to prove you have a brain and work ethic these days. I wouldn’t even know where to start. And starting over, building up again, scares me.”

Chase brushed his hand over her hair, and she chanced a glance at him. In a raspy voice filled with emotion, he asked, “You haven’t ever been attacked before, have you?”

She shook her head. She’d heard the stories, knew she’d been lucky so far. “I guess my luck finally ran out,” she said, trying to make a joke out of it and failing miserably. “I don’t know any other life, and I’m stuck in a loop. But I’m terrified of coming across more men like James, and getting a pimp isn’t an option.”

He continued stroking her head, and Erin closed her eyes, letting herself bask in the sweetness and beauty of the gesture. “You can get out, Erin,” he said quietly. “I can help you, if you’ll let me.”

She didn’t attack him. She was too tired. Instead, she sighed heavily, despondent and resigned to her fate. “I told you, no more charity. Besides, you have enough responsibility without taking care of an escort wallowing in self-pity.” Which was exactly what she was doing. Plenty of the escorts she knew had bad experiences. It was a pretty common occurrence for them to end up with a black eye here or a split lip there. But they kept going. They didn’t bow out. They took a few days off to heal and went right back out there to make money.

“It’s not charity, Erin. I can get you a job, give you a place to stay until you can get back on your feet. I have the means to do that now, and I want to do for you what the Cobras did for me.” His tone was light but insistent, and Erin opened her eyes to look at him. His expression was full of concern, and his eyes pleaded with her.

“I told you, I don’t have any skills. I don’t even have a diploma. I don’t qualify for anything.”

“That’s not true. Besides, we can get your GED quick and easy. I know because I stopped going to school when I ran away, and I still passed the test right after Brock took me in. You’re smart, and it’ll be a breeze. And if you want, we’ll get you in school so you can get a degree. But I have the contacts and the opportunity to get you into a job, where you can rack up experience and training, without one.” He was dead serious, and Erin wasn’t sure what to think.

“No one has ever given me anything, Chase. I’ve worked for everything in my life. Before my mother met my stepfather, she didn’t ignore me. But she resented being a single mother and took it out on me. She yelled all the time, forced me to eat things that made me sick to my stomach because she said we couldn’t afford to waste food, and refused to let me participate in any extracurricular activities in school because she said if she was tied to me and couldn’t go out, neither could I. So, when I got to high school, I told her to go out all she wanted, and I would take care of myself. I also offered to do the cooking and cleaning, if she would just provide the food and cleaning supplies.”

Erin felt the hatred she had for her home life welling up out of the pit in which she’d buried it years ago. “She jumped at the chance, and that’s how she met my stepfather. After that, I practically lived alone. I’d call her from time to time and remind her to pay a bill and leave some cash so I could shop for food. She didn’t answer, so I left voicemails. And I’d come home from school a day or two later to find an envelope with cash or food in the fridge and pantry. But then, she didn’t pay the electric bill, and that got shut off. The water went two days later. So, I packed my bags, took the cash I’d managed to save, and got on a bus to com e here.”

She laughed sarcastically. “And I’ve still worked for everything.” Shaking her head, she told him honestly, “I don’t know how to ask for help, and I don’t know how to accept it.”

He gave her the crooked smile she’d fallen for the first time she’d seen it. “Then don’t think of it like that. Think of it as doing me a favor.” She eyed him curiously, not quite sure what he meant. His grin faded, and his eyes were serious now. “I haven’t been able to eat or sleep or focus on anything because I’ve been so worried about you, Erin. I would risk everything to keep you safe, and I’ve been going out of my mind to the point of feeling violent without knowing where you were or who might be hurting you. Tonight, I felt guilty for not being there for you, for not protecting you. If you let me do this for you, you’re doing me a favor. You’re helping me keep my sanity and my livelihood.”

It was twisted and manipulative, but it was all because Chase truly wanted to help her. Erin believed every word he said, and it made her stop and think. He looked like a biker, hard and dangerous, but inside, he was a soft, caring man. Erin realized she could have been rescued by anyone, and the odds were that it would be a selfish person who wanted something in return. But Chase truly wanted nothing more than to keep saving her from a future that scared her and ran into a dead end.

She wanted to ask why. She wanted to hear him say he thought she was special, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, like some fairy tale. But she didn’t ask. She doubted she’d get the fantasy response. But she felt something between them, something she knew he felt, too. And whether he could voice it – or chose to – didn’t matter.

Erin lifted her arm, resting her hand on his shoulder. Then, she slid it up and around the back of his neck, drawing him down to her, dying for another taste of him. She was more insistent this time, instantly open and delving into his mouth, using every bit of her power of seduction she could muster. He groaned and shifted so he could lean in closer to her, and she moved her legs, practically forcing him to lie on top of her. His weight felt good, and she thrust her fingers into his hair, luxurious and thick and soft.

She could feel his growing excitement against her thigh, and Erin probably should have stopped there. She considered it, thought about the circumstances and the injuries she’d suffered. But none of that affected her body, which buzzed with need.

She raised her hips, rubbing against his erection to entice him further, and she was rewarded with another groan as he pressed down on her. His cock dug into her thigh, and unlike any other circumstance under which she’d felt the same, it excited her. Erin pushed his vest from his shoulders and then reached for the hem of his hoodie, yanking it upward to let him know she wanted it off. He sat up on his knees and pulled it over his head, and Erin’s breath came in short pants as she looked at the hard, smooth muscles on his chest and stomach. They rippled as he moved, not an ounce of fat marring their beauty, and she couldn’t remember ever feeling so aroused.

She trailed her fingers over him, and Chase shivered, goosebumps popping up all over him. With a mischievous smile, Erin kept going until her fingers landed on the waist of his jeans, and she popped the button open. He gave her a warning look. “Erin, you’re hurt. If you start something, I can’t promise I’ll be able to stop myself if you change your mind. Think hard.”

His voice was strained, and that only made her want him more. And the way he looked at her, even though she was monstrous with her wounds, heated her. He was hot for her, and not just for her body. His gaze was worshipful, and Erin preened under it. “I promise, I won’t change my mind.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. Chase dove in, his kiss desperate and full of passion, even as he remained mindful not to hurt her. He kissed down the unhurt side of her neck and over her shoulder, and then he traced down the neckline of her shirt. Erin reveled in the way his lips burned her skin and left a tingling trail behind, and she could barely breathe as he lifted the hem of her shirt and traced warm fingers along the top of her low cut jeans. His hands were so warm, and her back arched of its own volition, begging for more contact.

She wanted skin on skin.

But Chase sat up on his haunches, and then he stood. Erin looked at him in disbelief, feeling rejected. He ran a hand through his hair, looking at something behind her, and at first, she thought it was the front door. But then he reached down for her, cradling her in his arms. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Showing you a little respect,” he told her. He started walking and turned sideways as he went through a doorway.

Into his bedroom.

He turned on the light, and she panicked. “Chase, I…”

“Shh,” he told her. “I want to look at you, Erin. You’re beautiful, and I want to see all of you.”

She shook her head. “But my face…”

“Is also beautiful. Erin, a couple of bruises and stitches don’t change that. You’re gorgeous, and the fact that you’re a beautiful person inside only makes you irresistible.” He kissed the very tip of her nose. “Relax, and let me make you feel good.”

Erin shivered in his arms. The offer of mutual pleasure was also unique, and while she honestly didn’t know what to expect, she was anxious to find out. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and nodded, and Chase carried her to the bed, laying her back with infinite care. She looked at him curiously. “I don’t know who taught you to be so tender, but I’d like to thank her.”

He smiled and told her, “That’s one thing I can take all the credit for. No one taught me. It just feels right with you.” As if to punctuate the statement, he kissed her, first a short peck on the lips, and then with a sensual probing, as if he was trying to draw her out of a cocoon. She gladly spread her wings and opened up to him, mind, body and soul.

This time, he did remove her shirt, though he didn’t just draw it off over her head in a hurry. He released one arm at a time and then carefully stretched the neck so it wouldn’t touch her face at all as he took it off. He was precise with his movements as he slipped one hand behind her back and unlatched her bra with a flick of his wrist. And for the first time since she’d first sold her body, Erin felt shy and vulnerable and exposed.