Recourse 2 (The Arrangement) (5 page)

In my dulled awareness, I felt the leg tucked underneath me turn numb. I closed the yearbook and pushed it away from me, crooking my body to the side and pulling my leg out. The thousands of needles rushed through it, immediately causing me to rub the skin in response. I got up from the bed only to feel the needles pulsate harder with each step. Deciding to walk it off, I walked up to the window and looked outside.

The clouds covered the sky, hiding the moon somewhere deep within. The perfectly trimmed backyard was pitch black. The white modern design exterior of the main building sat solemnly against the backdrop of dark sky. The big panels of glass and metal, a modern take on lavish life. I turned around to climb back into bed when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a tiny flash of lighting might have reflected off the windows. I turned my head and looked at the mansion. It remained covered in darkness. I looked up at the sky, but didn’t see any more flashes. Deciding that not every lighting deserved a thunderclap, I shrugged and started to turn back. Just then I saw it again. A quick flash in the second floor window. Then another. My heart beat accelerated when I realized the light came from the inside the house. I quickly sidestepped to the TV and turned it off. Mentally picturing the layout I was certain these windows belonged to Chase’s office. My thumping heartbeat rang through my ears as I searched for my phone. I swore under my breath not finding it by my purse, as I could have sworn I brought it in with me. I dropped low and crawled to the window, my eyes wide as I searched the dark backdrop of the bushes in the yard for movement. A couple of rapid flashes pierced the night. Whoever it was, they must have found what they were looking for. I bit my lip as I tried hard to remember when I used my phone last. My eyes darted around the room. I eyebrows shot up as I remembered setting the alarm for the morning just in case I slept through the night. I pulled down the covers and heard a muffled thump somewhere close to my foot. I dropped down and felt the area. I felt something under the cloth and jerked the cover towards me, revealing the yearbook. I swore for the second time as I searched nearby. Something glossy was lying against the wall. I reached out and bowed my head in relief.

I quickly jumped back to the window and glued myself against the wall, peering just barely over the window frame. I felt my stomach churn as I imagined the intruders making their way through the house. They didn’t know I was staying here, but what if they ran across something that gave it away? How far were they ready to go? I forced a hard gulp down my throat and used my trembling hands to find the power button on the phone. The black screen didn’t respond to me forcing the switch. I shook the phone in my hands and prayed for it to respond. Clasping the finger on top of the power button again, my eyes welled up as the screen only showed the red outline of a battery with a line across it. The light panic turned into full fledged terror as my raspy breath accelerated into the suddenly very claustrophobic room. MY body responded by sending tremors, jerking my spine up from the wall. I grabbed the bottle on the table and propped myself up against the door, my nostrils flaring for a good hour before I found the courage to look outside again. I stayed glued to the window jumping at every imaginary movement in the black backdrop until I’d force my mind to settle, and then finally found the courage to run over to the neighbors and phone Chase once the first dawn appeared across the sky.

CHAPTER 9

The house didn’t show any signs of a break in. Chase was livid, and wanted blood. The fact that we had no idea of who was behind the intrusion made it that much worse. Amy was adamant that the whole situation started to get out of control.

Amy an I decided to fly down to Mazatlan and stay with her friends until things calmed down a bit more. It would allow Chase to concentrate on the battles in front of him. Driving to the airstrip the car was shrouded in silence for most of the way as the tension hung in the air.

“I just can’t put my finger on it.” Chase broke the silence. “Who would be so bold?”

He rubbed his ear. “Even Loushen wouldn’t go this far. I think.”

Amy had her hands in her lap, and was staring somewhere off in the distance. Her face was not giving anything away. I pressed my lips tighter together and shook my head. It had started to occur to me that Chase needed to hear the full story. Lighting reflected in my eyes as I glared at her. Whatever reasons she had for keeping quiet she was going to tell me during our flight. The car passed through the private security gate and drove right onto the airfield. A small pearl white jet stood on a runway. It was a small private plane with a propeller, fit for only a few people.

“I want you two to be very safe.” He pulled the luggage from the car into the plane’s cockpit.

“Don’t worry, we will be.” I assured him. “We both know how to use guns now.”

“I brought a few along, they are in the back of the plane.” Amy said as he mouth stretched into a playful smile, “Along with some other ‘equipment.’

Chase raised his eyebrows, “Now I wish I was going with.”

“How long do you think we should stay put?” Asked Amy.

“The first big hearing is in two weeks. I’ll know more after.” He looked over at the plane, and then gazed straight into my eyes. “I am sorry to have you do this.”

“Focus on Matrox.” I said. “That is much more important right now than our little vacation.”

“You got it.” Chase gave he a quick nod and smiled. “They won’t know what hit them.”

“Where is our pilot?” I looked over at the empty cabin.

“Present.” Amy lifted up her hand.

“You fly planes too? Is there anything you can’t do?” I raised my eyebrows.

“I can’t cook very well.” She shrugged. “But I am terrific at making popcorn.”

“I am not really scared of heights, but I am a little scared of this small plane.” I swallowed hard, pushing the rising anticipation back down.

“This baby is pretty stable in good hands.” Chase tapped the plane’s body. “Worst case, there are parachutes in the back.” He grinned as he saw my eyes widen. “Laura, you might feel more confident if you put it on before taking off.” I playfully hit his arm.

“I am going to do a test run.” Amy inspected the wheels.

“Do you think it’s necessary?” Chase looked at her.

“Yes, I haven’t taken it out in a while.” She paused. “I want to make sure everything works before a long trip.”

“Suit yourself.” Chase shrugged. “Do you want me to come with?”

She shook her head and smiled, “You two say your good byes.”

Her leather covered back disappeared into the cockpit. Chase closed down the door as the engines came to life.

The roar of the propeller cut through the air, speeding it by us. I turned and hid my face in Chase’s chest. He lifted his hand and gave a thumbs up as Amy crept the plane forward and positioned it down the stretch of the runway. Squinting through the blasting air I saw Amy return his OK signal and hit the throttle. The roaring plane’s wings fluttered in the wind as it jerked and accelerated ahead. I felt the butterflies in the my stomach rise as the plane grew smaller in the distance. I started to wish we didn’t have to hide so hard, and could fly first class instead.

The plane turned into a small white dot as it sped ahead and lifted off the ground.

“What a shitty vacation this turned out to be for you. I am sorry Laura” I lifted up my chin and looked up at him. A bitter smile relaxed from his lips and changed into a softer one.

“Don’t blame yourself. I am much warmer here than in New York, and I’ve never been to Mexico. Who knew this whole thing would blow up like it had?”

He shook his head. “Yeah. Really not what I expected.” I furrowed my eyebrows and felt my face tense up as I looked at the man I felt I had began to fall for over again. He felt my focused stare and met my eyes with his beautiful blues.

“What’s up?”

I averted my eyes as I tightened my lips. “Just a little freaked out over flying in that tiny thing.”

“Come on, I know you better than that.” He lowered his head as he lifted my chin up with his finger. “Are you not comfortable going alone with Amy?”

“No,” I shook my head. “I am fine with that.”

“Aha.” He snickered. “So there is something else.”

I bit my lips trying to find the right way to tell him. What was there to tell? Did I have any proof? Why would I get in between two people who seemed to trust each other just fine. Somehow I felt like I would be a bad guy whether I said anything or not. The cat scratched at my insides and didn’t want to go away no matter how hard I gulped down the air.

“Laura?” His voice startled me back into reality.

I glanced up at him and then slid my eyes back down as I bit the inside of my cheek.

“Chase…” I cleared my throat. The roar of the airplane drew closer as it made it’s way towards us.

“Here she comes.” Chase turned his head towards the sound.

The breeze brushed his hair, his handsome face was turned towards the wind as it played with his hair. He made my heart flutter by just looking at him.

I turned to the plane, and watched it come down.

“She’s going a little fast for the landing. I wonder if she’ll be able to pull it off.” He raised his voice against the growl of the plane.

“Chase, she…” My words drowned in the roar.

The plane thundered a dozen feet above us as it flew by.

“Guess not.” He turned and let out a smile. “I promise she has done it before.”

I lowered my eyes down towards my feet. I figured this was my last chance to tell him the truth.

I opened my mouth and looked up as he stood with this head turned after the plane. As I opened my mouth his eyes suddenly widened and bulged.

“Amy!” He jerked his hands as he tightened the grip around my arms.

I followed his eyes, and my mouth dropped as I could only utter a barely audible ‘No!’ In the distance, a trail of smoke coiled down into the the horizon. A few seconds later the airport sirens wound up slowly to ring in the alarm.

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Kate Simms, a fashion planner, is ready to make smart choices in a new city. Finally over her ex, she is ready for the hot Chicago summer. The olive-eyed, hot as fire Jace Roland storms into her life at her most vulnerable moment. Strong, wildly successful, he is six foot three of pure walking sex and the most wanted man in town. He sweeps you off your feet and doesn’t care what you think. Kate can sense the wild inferno within him while he tries to keep his protective shell up just the way he likes it. He can have any woman he wants yet it is Kate who get close enough to uncover what’s hidden deep inside. When old feelings clash with the newly found love, Jace is dared to make a choice that can expose him. Kate and Jace get caught in the whirlwind of fiery passion, unaware that Kate must also choose as she is pursued by a powerful man who isn’t about to let her go.

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Uncovered Chapter 1

Thick fog was making it hard to see anything up ahead. I measured every step, carefully making sure the footing was solid before taking the next. The forest was dense, and it was getting harder to navigate as I moved forward. My only hope was to stay on the road that kept on curving like a snake. Many times the thorned bushes caught my flesh, drawing tiny drops of blood. Eventually the trees began to thin out and I found myself on a small strip of a lake bank.

Feeling the sudden pang of thirst I rushed to the lake. It had a strange bright yellow hue, tinting the heavy fog that rose from the water. I reached in with a cupped hand and was taken back by how warm the water was. It was undrinkable. I sat down on the grassy shore desperate to calm the thirst building up inside.

A shadow pierced the fog ahead of me. Something was moving across the lake.

A moment later I could make the outline of a small wooden boat. It grew in size as it headed towards me.

Upon it was a man. He stood tall and confident as he held onto the mast.

I noticed that I wasn’t feeling any fear, but a strange curiosity as to who this man could be.

The boat drew closer and the man jumped into the lake. For a few moments he was submerged under water and then appeared right in front of me. My eyes widened. He was very tall with a big muscular body, but I couldn’t make out his face.

Instead I was immediately was drawn to his bright eyes. Their strange olive glow was blurred by the thick fog.

He stepped closer and stood over me, looking down with curiosity.

He studied me, and as he focused on one part of my body, it started glowing with a yellow color. Intrigued by this I touched my skin, noticing it had become slightly warmer where the stranger brushed it with his gaze.

His bright olive eyes slowly made their way from my face down to my exposed neck leaving a warm tingling in their wake. That feeling spread lower to my naked shoulders. The heat slowly crept down to my arms and wrists, and slowly back up. The warmth resonated through my nervous system, signaling for my body to release endorphins. Enjoying this, I chose to let go and let myself accept his intrusion. His controlled gaze moved down from my collar bone to my bare chest and the exposed breasts. He encircled my wanting knobs, as I edged my body a bit closer. I felt my pulse increase as the eager warmth pleasured my heated buds. It was like a hundred mouths caressed them all at once. I let out a soft moan and arched my back, ready for more. His olive eyes flashed brighter as his gaze traveled down my sides. Reaching my abdomen the light split in two. My heart began to race as I felt the warmth travel down my thighs, slowly circling to my ankles and covering my skin with goose bumps as it moved back up. As the two beams drew closer together I felt the heat intensifying. I bit my lip as he moved them inch by inch toward my wet loins.