I was in love. Not with an idea. Not with a dream. With a good man who had demons but treated my parents with respect, young boys he barely knew with kindness and generosity and me like I was the most precious thing on earth.
Knowing he was at my house making twice baked potatoes to go with steaks he’d broil, I didn’t bother with the key. I turned the knob and walked into my apartment, grinning to myself, looking forward to a just us evening and not having that first fraking clue I was walking into a very different Chace.
I closed the door, saw him standing by my computer, hands to his hips, looking hot.
I started to smile but the smile died and confusion reigned when he spoke.
“I’ve got a girlfriend?”
My head dipped to the side. “What?”
“I’ve got a girlfriend,” he stated and something about the way he stated it, something in his tone, the look on his face, the line of his body, made me brace.
“Uh…” I hesitated when he said no more, “I think so. Her being me.”
He jerked his head to my computer and what he said next made me realize when I braced, I didn’t brace enough.
“Your friends Benji and Serenity think somethin’ else.”
Oh no.
Oh frak!
I totally forgot. Things had been so busy, I’d been spending so much time with Chace, at Mom and Dad’s, it had been weeks since I had a full on conversation with either of them.
I had sent a few emails, just cursory updates and reminding them I hoped they’d backed down from their sleuthing.
But I hadn’t shared about Chace partly because I didn’t have time for big explanations. But also partly because I wanted to keep him to myself and I wanted to make sure it would last, that it was real before I told them. I did this because I’d have to admit I’d lied to them about Chace having a girlfriend. I also did this because when they heard, they’d be angry I lied to them but over the moon that Chace was with me. And I didn’t want them to get excited about something that wasn’t all I’d dreamed it would be, dreams I’d shared with them for years.
There it was yet again. Lying always, always got you into trouble.
“H… how –?” I started and Chace cut me off.
“Got on to check the game time, barely got that fucker booted up when screens popped up. They’re pissed, baby. Seriously. You haven’t been available to them but you haven’t been forthcoming why. And they got things to share,” he leaned toward me and the way he did made me lean slightly back even though he was ten feet away, “about The Elite.”
Uh-oh.
“Chace –” I whispered but said no more because he lost it.
I knew he lost it because he roared… yes… actually… roared, “Have you lost your fucking mind?”
My heart started thumping in my chest.
“Chace –”
“Take your goddamned coat off and get away from the door,” he growled and my head jerked.
“Wh… what?”
“Take,” he took a step toward me and I stepped back, “your,” he took another step and so did I, “goddamned,” another step for him and me, “coat off.”
“Why?” I whispered and kept retreating as he made it to the door and stopped.
I then watched in fascinated horror as he flipped the deadbolt and set the chain then turned to me.
“Do it, Faye.”
“You’re kind of scaring me,” I said softly.
“Yeah?” he asked, tipping his head sharply to the side. “Good,” he bit off to finish.
“It’s not good,” I whispered.
“Oh yeah, it is, honey,” he whispered back. “You should be scared of me right now. You should be scared of me because I am extremely pissed off. And I’m extremely pissed off because you and your band of misfits have been doin’ something so fuckin’ stupid I can’t even explain to you how stupid it is. And the reason it’s stupid is because it’s dangerous.”
“Chace, it –”
He interrupted me to rap out, “It what?”
“We –” I tried again but he cut me off again before I could say two words.
“You what?”
“Please let me speak.”
He didn’t.
He leaned forward and thundered, “Misty got dead because of those assholes.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“So, she got dead, you and your two buddies thought it was smart to play with that kinda fire? Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Faye, how could you be so goddamned stupid?”
“I told them to back off,” I said softly.
“Well, they didn’t,” he fired back. “They got names, Faye, they got a lot, and all of it they should not have. They should not know. I do not know those two but I know you.” He lifted a hand and jabbed a finger at me. “And I like you. I didn’t fuckin’ like my wife but I still didn’t want her on her knees, terrified, a cock forced in her mouth, her face raped before she got holes blown into her. So if that shit happens to you,” he jabbed his finger at me again, taking a step toward me before rocking to a wooden halt, “I… will… lose… my… goddamned mind!”