Thrill of the Chase (Dangerous Love) (23 page)

H
e should have run after her, but his legs wouldn’t budge. They seemed to be in a state of shock, like the rest of his body. Chase had hoped and prayed to all that was holy that Erin had feelings for him that rivaled his own for her. She hadn’t told him that she loved him, but it didn’t matter. She had given him her heart and soul. But they would never be enough. He had to have all of her.

As much as Chase wanted to relive the moment when Erin had admitted that her heart belonged to him, there were other matters that needed to be addressed. He withdrew his cell phone and called Paul.

“What is the relationship between your sister and Dr. Scott Morris?”

There was a pause and then Paul answered, “Do you mean Dr. Mitchell Morris?”

“No. I’m talking about Scott Morris, Dr. Mitchell Morris’s son. Scott Morris stopped to see Erin at work today and told her that his father had passed away over the weekend.”

“Erin has never mentioned a Scott Morris. It was Dr. Mitchell Morris that she used to rave about. She admired and respected him immensely.”

Chase couldn’t help but feel relieved to know that Scott Morris must not have played an important part in her life. Wouldn’t she have mentioned Scott Morris to her brother if he was of some significance?

“I suspect Erin is planning to attend his funeral on Wednesday. I was wondering if…if you would accompany her? I think it would bring her comfort if you were with her.”

“She’s still not talking to you?” Paul asked, his tone serious and every bit sincere.

“No.” Chase walked around the lab she once occupied; her perfume still lingered in the air. “She is determined to believe that we don’t belong together.”

“She can be so stubborn,” Paul said, sighing. “I would talk to her, try to get her to see reason, but it would be useless. Erin will only come around on her own terms, in her own time, never before.”

Chase was touched that Paul would consider vouching for him, though he agreed that it wouldn’t do any good if Paul pleaded his case to Erin. “I got that very impression just a few moments ago.”

“Well, regardless, I wouldn’t give up on her,” Paul said.

“Not possible.” Chase was pleasantly surprised over how easy it was to talk to Paul. It had become less awkward to discuss Erin with her brother. Maybe it was because Chase had laid every card on the table. There were no more secrets.

“Good to hear.” Paul hesitated. “Of course I’ll take Erin to the funeral. I don’t want her going through that alone. She hasn’t been to a funeral since our parents died, and I can imagine it will bring up some unpleasant memories.”

Chase hadn’t thought about that. He had been so preoccupied with Scott Morris that it hadn’t occurred to him that Wednesday would be a struggle for her on many levels. “I appreciate you going with her.”

“Sure.” But just as Chase was about to hang up, he heard Paul ask, “Why did you ask me about Scott Morris?”

Paul didn’t miss much. He was in the right line of work.

“For whatever reason, I don’t trust him. Don’t even bother to ask me why. I couldn’t tell you.”

“Well, I have a guy who could do a background check on him. It would just take a phone call,” Paul said.

“Already working on it. I put in a call to a friend. He’ll dig up everything he can on both Scott and Mitchell Morris.”

“He is discreet then?” Paul asked. There was a hint of apprehension in his question. Chase couldn’t blame him.

“I trust him.”

“I can live with that,” Paul said.

Chase was pleased that he had earned Paul’s trust. But there were still loose ends that needed to be tied, questions that he had wanted to ask before, but which had been put on the back burner due to more pressing matters, like Erin breaking up with him.

“Paul, I can’t find any delicate way to ask, but I need to know what happened the night that…piece of shit…did what he did to Erin. How did he get away with it? How is he still breathing?” Chase knew he was out of line for asking a slew of questions that had to be not just uncomfortable for Paul to answer, but unbearably painful.

It was a good fifteen seconds before Chase heard him sigh. “That conversation needs to take place over a beer. I’ll meet you at Nick’s. One hour?”

Chase was familiar with the intimate and very secluded tavern on Washington Terrace. “See you then.”

It definitely wasn’t common practice for Chase to down a beer in the middle of a work day. And he had a feeling that what he was about to hear would require something much stronger than one lonely pint.

An hour later, in that little bar down the street, Chase sat and listened to Paul describe how he literally took matters into his own hands the night Erin was raped and left a man for dead.

The problem was that the shit didn’t die. The rapist was alive and well, here in New York, still breathing, still terrorizing the woman Chase loved, the woman he couldn’t live without.

H
ow difficult would it be to just disappear?

The thought had crossed Erin’s mind a handful of times over the past few days. But as she sat in St. Mark’s Church, the once-passing thought started to morph into a viable option, and Erin felt her attention being divided between the priest and the details surrounding her plan to leave New York City.

“You alright?” Paul whispered.

Erin smiled at her brother. It was thoughtful of him to accompany her to the funeral of her old mentor. She couldn’t have imagined attending the service alone. The last time she had been to such a gathering, or even to church in general, was to bury her parents. Their sudden passing was a tragedy that still left Erin more angry than grief-stricken.

Erin reached over and gave Paul’s hand a squeeze. He was as stoic as always, his devotion to her unwavering. It was as if Paul’s life revolved around two things, work and keeping her safe from any and all threats. He never spoke of his social life or the lack of having one. It wasn’t normal for someone to be so consumed. Erin couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the man he could have been if it weren’t for two gruesome events that he had no control over.

“If I go first, please don’t plan on having a viewing or funeral for me.” Erin looked around and took in the morbid scene. Hundreds had gathered to pay their respects to a well-loved man, husband, father and doctor. Both men and women were crying into their tissues. “Funerals serve no purpose, except to remind people that, ‘Yep, this person is truly dead and never coming back.’”

“We can leave if you like,” Paul said.

It had been a while since she had attended mass, but she knew the service was almost over. Shaking her head, she whispered, “No, I can do this.” Although Paul nodded, Erin noticed that he had not released her hand.

After the priest’s closing remarks, Scott Morris stood and said a few words about his father. They were meant to be kind and heartfelt, but Erin couldn’t dismiss the feeling that Scott was going through the motions. Scott’s comments seemed almost robotic, devoid of emotion. As he spoke of a man who had never missed one of his Little League games, Erin noticed Scott scanning the congregation. His eyes seemed to lock on hers and she immediately felt uncomfortable. Erin didn’t know why Scott made her uneasy. She barely knew him.

Her brief introduction to him over a year ago in his father’s office and their coincidental encounter at the benefit, made them nothing more than acquaintances. Yet, Scott had found it necessary to come to Erin’s place of employment and inform her that his father had died unexpectedly. She was so surprised by the news that it hadn’t dawned on her until now that his personal visit seemed a bit odd. But who was she to judge? Grief can make a person do strange things. It was possible that Scott found solace in the act of telling people personally that his father had passed. Maybe it helped him cope with the loss. Maybe it served as a distraction, preventing him from locking himself in his bedroom for days and cursing at God. She remembered just how dark and unkind those days were after her parents had died, and shuddered.

Erin broke away from Scott’s gaze and bowed her head. It would appear she was being reverent, but in reality she needed to shift her focus to anything but what was happening at the current moment. It didn’t take long for her to realize what a mistake that was. With her eyes closed and her body still, her mind was bombarded by thoughts of the man she loved, the man she had left…twice.

Erin had replayed the scene in the research lab over and over in her head. There were too many “should have,” “would have,” “could haves” to count. Maybe she should have told Chase that she loved him. Maybe she should have shown him the text she had received from her rapist, the one she withheld from Paul, the one warning her to leave Chase or something unpleasant was going to happen. But she didn’t. And in the end, she was going to prove her brother and Chase right. She was going to run…luring that sick son-of-a-bitch far away from the man she truly didn’t deserve.

S
cott Morris watched his Angel genuflect and then leave the pew. He had every intention of catching her before she left the church, but she appeared despondent and anxious to make a swift exit. He had planned on thanking her for attending his father’s funeral, maybe even working in a consolatory embrace, but her fucking brother hustled her out before he had the chance.

Although it was frustrating having his beautiful Angel so close yet too far to touch, to stroke, Scott was pleased to see that she was following his directive. Chase Montclair did not accompany her, a promising sign that they were no longer seeing each other. Scott had begun to question if Erin was becoming one of those filthy girls he loathed, the kind of girl he at times took it upon himself to silence.

Scott smiled to himself. Erin was still a good girl.

“How much, Andrew?”

“I can’t tell exactly. She asked me to wait for her in the lobby.” Andrew paused and then said in a hushed tone, “But without advance notice, I doubt the bank would allow Ms. Whitley to withdraw all her money.”

Andrew’s words did not bring Chase comfort. Chase stared out the expansive window of his office, and as much as he wanted to believe Erin wasn’t capable of running away, leaving the city, leaving him behind, he had to acknowledge that she had the financial means to disappear.

“Andrew, don’t let her out of your sight.” Chase didn’t need to elaborate. Andrew knew where his mind was headed.

“Of course. I’ll take her home immediately.”

“Where is Paul?” Chase asked, turning toward the speakerphone on his desk.

“He had to go back to the office after the funeral.” Before Chase could ask, Andrew said, “I’ll stay with her as long as you need.”

Chase trusted this man, an act that didn’t come easily to him. He knew Andrew would get her home safely. “Thank you.”

Andrew ended the call, leaving Chase alone with his thoughts. He turned back around and stared at the setting sun. His feelings of rage melted into sadness and then turned into unmeasured fury once again. He had never felt so empty, as if his soul had been ripped from his body, leaving only a shell of a man behind. Right before Erin had walked out of his life, she had told him that her heart belonged to him. And he had just stood there, speechless. The words were there, bursting to come forth, but Erin had left him in the lab, wondering if he would ever get the chance to tell her how much he loved her.

Chase buzzed his secretary and asked her to report to his office. Lydia arrived within seconds. “Lydia, cancel all my appointments for the next several days. I’m taking some time off.”

Lydia raised an eyebrow, appearing perplexed. “Are you ill, sir?”

“I am useless…without her.” It was out of character for him to expose his feelings to anyone. But he didn’t care. He was tired of hiding.

Chase could hear Lydia drawing near. He bowed his head and then felt her hand on his shoulder. “Love can do that.”

Without turning around, he surrounded her hand with his. Her comfort, her simple observation, was exactly what he needed from the demure woman who had always been loyal to him and his company.

“I’ll take care of things while you’re gone.” She gave him a soft squeeze and then walked toward the door. Chase thought she had left his office but was surprised when he heard her say, “Just don’t come back here without her. She makes you happy, which makes you so much more pleasant to be around.”

E
rin had spent the first couple of months after her rape asking the air,
Why me?
It had taken double the time in therapy for her rage to simmer to a low roar. Only then was she able to let her body refuel with something other than anger and disgust. What she felt was her strength returning.

But once in a while, despite being in therapy, the darkness would creep back in, and she would find herself replaying that night in her head, fixating on what she had lost in the cemetery. Erin could still feel the warm breeze against her face. She could hear the alluring sounds of the city echo in the early summer sky as she crossed the cobblestone street. There had been a sweetness in the air that night, roses maybe; she couldn’t be sure of its source. But what she was certain of was the uneasy feeling that had crept up her spine just moments before, leaving every hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

Erin shook her head, praying for the fog to lift, for the visual she tortured herself with from time to time to evaporate with the rest of the steam her scalding shower was emitting. She pinned her hair up in a messy bun and allowed the hot water to caress her tension-filled back. But as always, her mind began to wander and her thoughts were quickly consumed by Chase. Erin knew that the longer she stayed in the shower, naked and accessible, even if it was only to herself, the more she would think of him. And that could not happen.

Although she was uncertain at the moment about how she was going to rid herself of her bodyguard, she was leaving the city tomorrow. The bank promised her that they would have her money ready by ten in the morning. Though they could only allow her to withdrawal twenty-five thousand on such short notice, in addition to the ten thousand earlier today, Erin was hopeful that the meager amount could buy her enough time—and a gun—to accomplish her goal.

Erin sighed and fought back the tears she desperately wanted to shed. She needed to stay strong and not give in to temptation to call Chase one last time, even if it was only to say good-bye. Erin quickly rinsed and turned off the water. She needed a glass of wine, and not one of those wimpy quarter-filled goblets you get at a fancy restaurant.

Erin wrapped herself up in her coveted white fluffy towel and stepped out of her master bath and into the bedroom. And gasped.

He didn’t even attempt to pretend that he wasn’t snooping through her purse. In fact, Chase had the nerve to count the money right in front of her.

“Where are you going, Erin?” Chase finally looked up at her. He set her purse on the bureau and started to walk toward her.

Erin wasn’t going to ask how he got into her apartment. It made no difference in hell that Andrew was no longer on Chase’s payroll. It was blatantly apparent that Andrew still answered to Chase.

“You can’t be here. You need to leave…now.” It killed Erin to utter those words, but his life was in danger. If her attacker discovered that Chase was still in her life, he would do his best to follow through on his threat.

Chase halted midstride, leaving a few feet between them. Erin secured the towel around her, but it only drew his attention to her breasts. His lips parted as his breathing hitched.

Erin swallowed, and she felt that familiar heat rush through her body. He looked incredible in his dark charcoal suit pants and white oxford shirt. His striped tie was slightly unraveled at the neck and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing forearms that didn’t need to be flexed to show off how muscular he was. His brown hair looked a bit disheveled, as if he had been raking his hands through those lush locks. Feeling like a complete coward, Erin turned away from him.

“Look at me, Erin,” he demanded. He moved quickly, and before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her hand and turned her into him. His beautiful, intoxicating scent filled the air between them, and she knew her defenses had sustained severe damage. Erin could feel his arousal through her cotton towel, and she wanted more than anything to forget, for him to make her forget. But she couldn’t afford that luxury. She couldn’t be selfish.

And in addition to feeling selfish, Erin felt vulnerable, exposed for the broken woman she was. She had fooled herself this past month into thinking that she could have something that resembled a relationship with someone. But with each passing week, as she and Chase grew closer, her dirty little secret, which always hovered beneath the surface, had become increasingly difficult to keep. Erin felt her breath leave her. He was too close.

Erin wriggled out of his grasp and backed away. “I need to go away for a while,” she said, keeping her eyes on the floor.

“Why?” he asked, taking one step forward.

“I…” Erin’s towel began to droop. She secured her towel, but it seemed to have a mind of its own and it again started to loosen. “He is
my
problem. Not yours.” “He…you mean, the, the…”

“You can’t even say it, can you?” Erin interjected. She wasn’t trying to be malicious, just realistic. Erin allowed her towel to drop to the floor and she stood before him, her tainted body bared to him. She felt the tears quickly take form as she finally stared into his haunted blue eyes. “My rapist.” Erin watched his fists clench and the vein in his neck throb ferociously. His eyes were focused on hers, which only confirmed her fear that he couldn’t even look at her used body. “I had never been… I was a virgin before that night. You were the first to touch me, after…”

He took another step forward. “He took you against your will. You didn’t give yourself to him. I am your first, and I will be your last, Erin.”

Erin shook her head in disbelief. “How can you say that? How could you ever want…this…after he…” she said, looking down at her naked body.

Chase cut her off and took her in his arms. His mouth sealed over hers and she melted against him. The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she kissed him with so much hunger, such determination. He groaned into her mouth and she felt his erection pressing against her stomach. She wanted him to claim her, to mark her as his. She needed it, the feeling of being possessed by someone other than the one who had the capability to haunt her nightmares and taunt her during her waking hours.

“Touch me, Chase. Make me yours,” she said.

Chase carried her to the bed. He laid her down gently and then quickly disrobed. Erin licked her lips at the sight of him. She wanted to make him moan and invite him to grab her by the hair as she licked his shaft from root to tip. But before she could satisfy her need to pleasure him, he parted her legs and speared her with his wet, hot tongue. He lapped at her with such vicious precision that Erin felt the first wave of her orgasm mounting. She spread her legs wider, allowing him to take her deep, with no obstructions.

Erin squirmed beneath him. She was so close. But she wanted more. “I…I want to…” She was having difficulty forming words. His tongue, the way his fingers stroked and massaged her clit, was sending her to the edge at record speed.

She was on the verge of orgasm when he stopped and whispered, “Tell me what you want, love. I’ll give you anything you need.”

As much as she wanted to surrender to him in this delicious way, she needed something else tonight. “Come with me,” she said, breathless.

Chase pressed his lips to her taut and sensitive nub. The gentle kiss on her clit made her shake with pleasure. He climbed up her body, sprinkling soft kisses and nips along her stomach, breasts and neck. She felt his arousal at her entrance, but he seemed to be waiting for something. He was driving her insane.

He hovered over her, his elbows resting on either side of her head. She was panting with uncontrolled desire. Erin wrapped her legs around him, but immediately felt his pelvis retreat, keeping his cock just out of reach. His own breathing, though slightly staggered, was more controlled than hers. “I am your first…and your last, Erin.”

She was overwhelmed with emotion.

“Say it, Erin.” Erin just stared at him, and though his eyes were filled with warmth, his tone suggested that he was completely serious.

“You are my first…and my last,” she said, her voice cracking.

She felt his erection at her entrance once more. “Nothing will make me stop loving you. Nothing. You are mine.” He thrust into her with one smooth motion and Erin screamed.

“I must have all of you,” he groaned.

“You have it…heart, soul…and my love. I love you, Chase.”

His lips covered hers. She sucked at his tongue, mimicking the very motion of their bodies as she welcomed his cock into her blistering heat. Erin heard him moan and she relished the sound.

“Ahh Erin, what you mean to me,” he said, sliding in and out of her in an intoxicating rhythm. “What you always seem to do to me.”

Erin lifted her hips, meeting his powerful thrusts. “Love me, Chase,” she said, breathless and panting with passionate need. She wanted this moment to last, never to let her body and mind be without the feelings only Chase could invoke. But her orgasm was so dangerously close. She needed him with her, especially this time. This time was different.

“I’ll always love you, always take care of you,” Chase said.

Erin could feel his cock swell and jerk. “I can’t hold on any longer,” she whimpered.

“Let go, baby,” he whispered.

And she did, in so many ways.

With one final thrust he emptied his seed deep within, triggering her own orgasm, one unlike she had ever experienced before. “Oh God…Chase!” She thrashed beneath him, each quake and ripple only maximizing the effects of her climax. “I love you,” she said. “Always.”