Tessa's Temptation (23 page)

“No, I’m not.” She stepped toward Tess. “I’ve just realized something.”

“What’s that?”

“A leech like you isn’t going to just leave on your own. Now you’re moving your family in. You’re going to stay as long as Chase allows you.” She shook her head and pursed her lips. “The poor fool thinks he’s in love. You tricked him.”

“You need to leave and take this up with Chase.” Something was off in her eyes. Chase had mentioned she had flipped before and needed time away. Tess needed her out of there so she could call and warn him.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Yes, you are.”

When Tess turned to open the front door, she heard Audra move behind her. Suddenly there was a loud thud followed by a sharp pain that exploded across the back of Tess’s head. She managed to turn and see Audra holding the huge, silver candlestick that had been on the foyer table. Before she could get her bearings, she staggered forward, bumping into the table and knocking over the crystal vase. She heard it shatter just as she hit the floor. The sound of glass popping was the last thing she remembered before opening her eyes.

***

Her head ached and her feet were raw. She glanced down. No shoes. A chill spread through her like when she would wake up from a bad dream. She hadn’t had any bad dreams since she started sleeping with Chase
.
This isn’t a drea
m
, she thought as she looked around at the old, run down cabin.

What am I doing here? And how did I get here?

It had been years but Tess recognized the place. It was their old cabin. Chase said it was still here. He promised her he wouldn’t knock it down when he developed the land and built her a vacation home. She thought if they renovated the cabin, her dad would get many more years of joy out of it.

She swung her legs to the edge of the couch, her head still spinning from the blow she took. Her eyes burned and her feet pinched, probably from the shards of glass in the foyer.

“Oh, good, you’re up,” Audra said from the corner of the room. “I didn’t think you would ever wake up. You’re so lazy.”

Tess saw the outline of her face in the dimly lit room. The only light came from the burning glow of the fireplace.

“Why are we here?” Tess’s voice was low and shaky.

“You remember this old dump?”

“It’s my father’s cabin.” The place where she had first met the man of her dreams, only she didn’t know it back then. She’d shared this space with Chase as a child. The cabin held many memories for her. Most of them good. That’s why Chase had bought the land. He wanted to give her back those memories and make new ones with her.

“It
was
your father’s cabin.” Audra walked across the room and sat on the couch beside Tess. “Before he lost it to the bank. I researched the property when I found out Chase bought it.” She patted Tess’s thigh. “This land is prime real estate. Do you know how much all of this is worth?”

Tess nodded, trying to process Audra’s words.

“Of course you do because you’re not stupid. You probably know Chase’s net worth too. You hit the jackpot when your father handed you over to a complete stranger, didn’t you?”

“That’s not what happened.”

“Don’t kid yourself. I’ve seen your father’s financial status, or lack thereof. He needed Chase to get him out of debt.”

“What?”

“That’s right. Not only did Chase rescue you from being homeless, but when he moved dear old dad into that top notch rehab facility, he paid off all his debts, and there were many. I’m sure your dad had no problem with Chase enjoying certain perks when it came to his daughter. After all, that was the least Pat could do. Use you as a trade for his financial rescue.”

“Screw you.”

“It all makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe in your crazy mind.”

“That’s why Chase didn’t tell you about our relationship. He knew eventually he’d grow tired of you and we would get back together. He just took you as payment for everything he’d done for your dad.”

“Then why would he offer to move my dad into his home? Why is he building us a house out here? That doesn’t sound like a man who is looking to dump me.”

“That makes sense too.” Audra laughed. “You’re awfully slow on the uptake. Chase would never throw your dad out on the street. He’s building this place so you and he will have a place to live when he comes back to me. Chase is a gentleman. He’ll feel bad when he ends things with you. He doesn’t like to hurt people. I won’t argue with him either. If taking care of you and your dad helps him feel better about leaving you then I’ll be happy to indulge him.”

“Wow.” Tess couldn’t believe the way Audra’s mind worked. “You have it all figured out.”

“It took me a while but I worked it out on the ride here. It all came together. Chase is a good man. He helped me when I needed it. That’s what he does. You don’t need to worry. He’ll take care of you too.”

“You’re the one who needs help.” Tess tried to get up but Audra pushed her back down.

“I’m the one with the advantage here,” she said. “You just need to rethink your position and you’ll see I’m right. You’re not good for him. He needs me. He’ll see that when you get out of my way.”

“What do you think Chase will do when he finds out you kidnapped me?”

“You’re not going to tell him.” She propped her feet up on the unsteady, old coffee table. “You’re just going to tell him you’ve thought things through and you can’t forgive him for keeping his relationship with me a secret.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Then you’re not leaving here.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s going to be a cold, lonely way to spend Christmas. I’ll leave you right here, out in the middle of nowhere. Eventually you’ll starve to death or freeze. I don’t really care which one. I’ll be warm and safe in Chase’s bed, comforting him.”

She’s lost it
.
“Fine,” Tess said. “I’ll leave Chase.”

“Oh, like I’m going to believe you. I’ll let you go and then you’ll run right to him.”

She may have been nuts but she was smart. Audra had already proven that she was dangerous. Tess couldn’t take another blow to the head so fighting with her was out of the question. She’d have to outwit her.

“You’re going to call him and tell him it’s over and that you need some time alone.”

“He’s not going to buy that.” Tess shrugged. “He knows me better than that.”

“Then you’re going to have to be real convincing. Not only will I lock you in here but I’ll make sure your father’s insurance gets messed up enough that he’s stuck in some low rent rehab place for months.”

“Chase would never let that happen.”

“If you’re here withering away, he’ll think you left him. What reason would he have to take care of your disabled father if you’re not in his life?”

“Why would you want a man who doesn’t want you? A man who has been sleeping with me for months?”

“You gave him no choice. Flaunting yourself in front of him every chance you got. Look what you did to poor Tanner. That shameless display with the strawberries. Poor Chase was so in lust with you that he couldn’t help himself. Once you’re out of the way, he’ll see what a stupid mistake he made. He’ll come back to me.”

“What if he can’t get over me? He’s relentless. He won’t walk away from me easily.”

“You do think highly of yourself, don’t you?” Audra cackled. “You’re not that special. I’ve been in his bed too. I know what works.”

When Audra got up and walked around the room, going on about her sex life with Chase, Tess scanned the room looking for something that would help her get out of there. The cabin had sat abandoned for quite a few years so there wasn’t much she could use to her advantage.

She stood, feeling lightheaded and woozy but she had to get out of there.

“Chase is always at his best after a stressful week at the office. Don’t you find that too?” She turned her back and fiddled with the dusty trinkets on the mantle.

He’s always at his best with me.

“He’s absolutely animalistic then,” Audra continued.

She had to make a run for it. Audra was so caught up in her memories of Chase that she didn’t even hear Tess come up behind her and shove
d her as hard as she could. She went crashing into the fireplace, losing her balance and tumbling hard into the hearth. Tess turned and ran for the door.

Dead bolted!
She pulled on the knob as she jiggled with the bolt. Her heart pounded with adrenaline. She had no idea what she was going to do once she got the door open. They were in the middle of nowhere and the nearest house was a good three miles away. She’d worry about that once she was outside and away from that delusional woman.

Come on!
She pressed her hand flat against the door panel and forced the lock free but as she opened the door, Audra slammed her into it causing it to shut. The crazed woman grabbed her by her hair and spun her around, wielding a large piece of glass in her face. When Tess had pushed her into the fireplace, it shattered the doors in the hearth. Audra had picked up a piece of the broken glass.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked as she threw her onto the floor. “You couldn’t just leave him alone. You had to go after him. Take him away from me.”

“That’s not what happened.” Tess tried to reason with Audra but it was a losing battle. “I didn’t even know you were seeing one another.”

“If you had, would you have backed off?”

“Yes.” Tess would say anything to get this woman to leave her alone.

“Liar.” She lunged at Tess, gripping her hair and holding the glass to her cheek. “Why couldn’t you leave him alone?”

Tess closed her eyes as Audra pressed the edge of the glass against her face. But before Audra could cut her, Chase burst through the cabin door with Tanner close behind.

“Audra!” He shouted. “Don’t.”

Chase...

Chapter Twenty-six

Tess sucked in a breath and waited for the cruel slash on her face. The pounding in her head intensified but fear dominated every emotion. She wanted to be happy to see Chase, but now she worried that Audra would not only kill her but hurt him too.

He moved closer to them, but Audra pressed the glass to Tess’s throat. “Chase, I can get rid of her.”

“No.” He shifted his gaze from Audra to Tess. The terror evident in his eyes. “There’s no need to do that.”

“She won’t leave us alone. She’s trying to steal you from me.” Her hand trembled but Tess tried to stay still. One wrong move and she’d be bleeding out all over the cabin floor. “There can’t be an us as long as she’s here.”

“You’re wrong.” Chase dropped to his knees. “I’m here because of you.”

“What?” She tightened her grip on Tess’s hair, tugging her head back. “Not her?”

“I asked Tanner to bring me to you because I wanted to apologize for treating you the way I did this morning.” Chase held out his hand. “All you have to do is let me help you. Like I did before.”

“No!” Audra tensed against Tess’s back, clearly agitated by what he’d just said. “It’s not like before. I don’t need to go away. I don’t want to leave you again. I have everything under control.”

“Of course you do, counselor.” Chase smiled, softening his stance. “In order for us to work, you have to let Tessa go. You know that.”

“Counselor,” she whispered. “You haven’t called me that in so long.”

“I’ve been stupid,” Chase said. “But I’ve seen my mistakes. I won’t make them again.”

“Her mistakes.” She pulled Tess’s hair harder than before. “She’s the reason we’re not together. Let me fix this.” Tess stared into Chase’s eyes, letting him know whatever he had to do to get them out of this mess would be more than fine with her.

“It’s my job to fix things.” He inched closer to them. “I’ll take care of you but you have to let me.”

“How?”

“First you have to let Tessa go. That’s why I brought Tanner. He’ll take her away and I’ll stay with you.” He reached out, but when he tried to take the glass, Audra moved it to Tessa’s throat.

“No,” Tess whispered, trying to break free but Audra held her still.

“Audra,” Chase continued. “You have to listen to me. We can’t be together if you don’t let her go.”

“She’ll always be there bothering us.” She pushed the edge of the glass to the big artery in Tess’s neck. Tess took a deep breath, trying to gain the upper hand in her mind, but there was no viable solution with that sharp object just a shiver away from ending it all. “She won’t leave you alone, Chase. You’re weak. She’ll tempt you every chance she gets. You need me to get her out of our lives.”

“I won’t bother him,” Tess said in a raspy voice. “I can see how much he wants to be with you. I can’t compete with that.”

“Let me take Tess,” Tanner said. “Then you can be alone with Chase. Isn’t that what you want? Why you needed my help?”

“If you had done a better job I’d alread
y
b
e
with him.” Audra glared at him. “But it wasn’t all your fault. I thought she would cooperate and make my life easier.”

“She’ll cooperate now,” Chase said as he held Tessa’s gaze. “She’ll leave us alone.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?” Audra snapped. “I can see how you're looking at her. Even now.”

Because he loves me, you stupid bitch.

“I tried to get her away from you. I even sent her mother to talk some sense into her. I told her you were just using Tessa for sex. I should have known that low life woman would take your offer over mine.”

Audra was the reason her mother came to see her? Of course, that’s why her mom wanted Tess to leave with her. Audra offered her a payoff but Chase won the bid. Her mother had always been smart and she could see that Audra had nowhere near the money Chase had.

Audra looked up at Tanner. “And you! You were the biggest disappointment. All you had to do was make Tessa sleep with you. Chase could never forgive that betrayal.”

“Why don’t we rethink this?” Tanner moved closer. “Let Tess go and we’ll figure this all out.”

“There is nothing to figure out!” Audra yelled. “Once this little twit is out of the picture Chase will realize he made a really big mistake. It’s not your fault. She’s evil,” she said. “She has a power over you. She’s tricked you. Didn’t you?” She tugged on Tess’s hair. “Tell him.”

“I tricked you,”
she managed to whimper out. The bump on the back of her head made her lightheaded and all of the hair pulling wasn’t helping. She thought she might vomit.

“See, Chase.”

He nodded.

“Now you tell her you don’t want her and then I’ll let her leave with Tanner.”

Chase stared into Audra’s eyes and gritted out the words. “I don’t want her.”

“I said tell her,” she said. “Make her understand how you used her for sex. Make her see you only kept her for your needs.”

“Audra, that’s not what I did with you.” His voice was sincere. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“We’re not talking about us!” she yelled. “Just tell her.”

“Chase,” Tess said. “It’s okay.” She needed him to do whatever he had to. She intended to spend the rest of her life with him and she wasn’t going to let this lunatic ruin it.

He looked at her, focusing on her eyes. She saw the guilt and remorse in his. “Tessa, I...”

***

Chase’s only priority was getting Tessa out of there and keeping her safe. He’d gotten her into this mess and he was going to get her out of it. He had promised her he would do whatever he had to do to protect her.

Even now she was so strong. Her feet were cut up and bloody. Shivering from the cold, she still did her best to hold it together. One slip and Audra would cut her throat. He had to get her out of the situation he had put her in.

“Chase,” Audra prodded him. “Tell her so we can be together.”

“I made a mistake when I led you to believe I wanted to be with you.” The words weren’t true but they made his stomach churn all the same. “I want you to go with Tanner now. I need to stay here with Audra.”

A single tear slid down Tessa’s face but she continued to hold his stare.

“No!” Audra jerked Tessa’s head back, causing her to flinch. “Tell her how you used her. Tell her she’s worthless. This whore who never deserved you.”

“That won’t be necessary.” He held out his hand for the glass again. “I’m staying here with you. That’s what you want. You have to let Tessa go now.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

“Of course.”

“You won’t cheat on me with her anymore?”

“No, but you have to let her leave now.”

Audra nodded, dropping the glass and releasing Tessa. Chase let out a relieved breath as she scrambled over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her for a moment but never took his gaze away from Audra as he reached for the piece of broken glass.

“You need to go outside with Tanner,” he whispered into her hair.

“No.” She tightened her grip on his neck. “I’m not leaving you in here with her. She’s dangerous.”

“Tanner.” Chase stood, bringing Tessa to her feet. “Take Tessa with you.” He handed Tanner his keys. “Get her out of here.”

“Chase,” she pleaded. “I’m not leaving without you.”

Audra sat on the floor, watching the three of them but there was no fight left in her.

Chase was worried she might snap again and he didn’t want Tessa in the room when she did. “Tanner?” Chase nudged her in his direction. She tried to resist but once Tanner took her arm she gave in. “Call the police,” he spoke low. “Tell them we have a kidnapping situation and the suspect is unstable. We’ll need paramedics as well.” If Audra heard any of it she didn’t react. “Get in touch with Seth too. Tell him to meet me here.”

“Come outside with us.” Tessa reached for his hand. “Don’t stay in here.”

“I need to be in here when the authorities arrive. Otherwise she’ll freak.”

“Chase, what are you doing?” When Audra stood from the floor, he shielded Tessa with his body. “I’ve waited long enough. Make them leave.”

“They’re going right now.” He gave Tessa a reassuring smile.
Don’t worry, sweet girl.

“Let’s sit down.” Audra took Chase’s hand as Tanner led Tessa out of the cabin. “I had to do it,” she said. “It was the only way to make you see me. You’ve been ignoring me.”

“I know.” He led her over to the sofa. “I screwed up with you. I should have done better for you.”

“It’s okay.” She rested her head on his shoulder once they were seated. “You made a mistake but I can forgive you and we can go back to the way things were. We can get married and I can give you babies. You’ll forget all about her. I promise I’ll make you forget.”

He pulled an old blanket from the back of the sofa and covered her with it. “You’re cold.”

“I’m tired,” she said. “You’ll take care of me.”

“I will.”

“There are so many thoughts running through my mind. I can’t keep anything straight. Were we engaged?”

“No, that was someone else.” Just before they had broken up, she’d often confuse him with her ex-boyfriend. “Your therapist worked with you on that. I’m going to call him for you. He’ll help you figure everything out.”

“You didn’t cheat on me, did you?” Her voice cracked. “I made a mistake. I didn’t mean to hurt Tessa.”

“Shh,” he held her. “I know you didn’t mean it. I should have made sure you were taken care of. I should have paid better attention.”

“When I hit her with the candlestick, she fell and I panicked. I didn’t want her to have you so I thought if I brought her here you would forget about her. That doesn’t make any sense now. Why did I do it?”

“Because you need help.”

“I don’t want to go away again,” she cried. “How can we get married and have a family if I’m away? I have to be your attorney. You need me.” She sobbed into his chest. “I need you. Please don’t make me go.”

“Audra.” He stroked her hair. “You need more than I can give. You feel it in your heart. You know we weren’t right together. We talked about it when you came back.”

“You love her.” She exhaled as she wiped her tears. “You don’t look at me the way you do her. You never did. I saw it the night of the charity function. I watched when you danced with her. We never danced.”

“I’m sorry.” He heard the sirens in the distance. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

“You’re going to let them take me, aren’t you?”

“It’s the best the thing for you.” He helped her up. “I’ll call your sister and have her meet you at the hospital. I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”

“I don’t want to leave you.” She held on to him as they walked to the door. “Don’t make me.”

The red flashes of light streamed through the windows as the police and paramedics pulled up to the property. Chase watched Tanner explaining what was going on, as they came up onto the porch.

“It will be easier if we go outside,” Chase said. “I’ll stay with you for as long as they allow.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re going to have to trust me.” He took her hand. “I helped you last time, remember?”

She nodded.

“I’ll get you into the best place there is. I’ll work with your therapist and your family. I won’t abandon you.”

“You’re a good man.” She leaned into him and kissed his cheek. “I hope she knows how good you are.”

“You’re going to be fine.” He opened the door. “I promise.”

Chase caught a glimpse of Tessa standing at the opposite end of the porch as she spoke to the officers. Tanner was a few feet away giving his statement.

“Mr. Carlisle?” a detective flashed his badge. “I’m Detective Spellman. Is this Ms. Sinclair?”

“Yes,” he said. “She’s not in any condition to answer your questions. I can contact her therapist, but I think it’s best if she be taken for evaluation immediately.”

“I’m cold and I feel sick,” Audra said. “My head. I’m dizzy and confused.”

Detective Spellman asked one of the other officers to take Audra over to the ambulance. She went with him without even looking back at Chase. She was too out of it to know what was going on.

“Does she have a history of mental illness?” the detective asked.

“She does,” Chase answered. “My attorney is just pulling up now.” He pointed to Seth’s dark grey sedan. “I’d be willing to answer any questions tomorrow but right now I need to get to Tessa. She’s had a traumatizing night and she was injured. I want to take her to the hospital.”

“I understand,” Spellman said. “But I’d like to get everyone’s statement so we can process this. We need a better understanding of what happened here so we can proceed.”

“Arrange it with my attorney.” Chase went to where Tessa stood. He took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulders. “Ms. Burke won’t be answering any more questions at this time. Please refer your inquires to my attorney.” He wrapped his arms around her trembling form to comfort her.