Read Never Say Never, Part One (Second Chance Romance, Book 1) Online

Authors: Melissa Shaw

Tags: #romance, #Contemporary Romance

Never Say Never, Part One (Second Chance Romance, Book 1) (4 page)

BOOK: Never Say Never, Part One (Second Chance Romance, Book 1)
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Chastity glanced over her perfectly pale shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “Follow.”
 

Embarrassment colored Emily’s cheeks, but she did as she was told. Why had this woman invited her to such a swanky place? Why not a quick meet and greet in the park or a meet and greet with less pressure.

They swept through into the lounge area and were seated at a table with a pristine white tablecloth. The snooty waiter layered their menus in front of them, then disappeared. There were green vases of flowers everywhere, and the atmosphere was hushed at best. The soft clinks of cutlery on plates overrode laughter or conversation. It hadn’t changed much in the years since she’d been there.
 

“Look, Chastity, this is a really nice place, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I can give you the phone right now and get out of your hair.”
 

“Don’t be ridiculous. Consider this my treat. A repayment for saving my brother’s life.” She waved a sommelier over.
 

“So he’s fine then?” Hope struck up residence inside her chest.
 

“A bottle of Riesling, I should think,” she turned to sommelier instead of answering the question.
 

“Which would be your pleasure, Madame?” A heavy French accent spilled from between thin lips.
 

“The Charm will be satisfactory for this occasion.”
 

“Very well.” He disintegrated into thin air as well. What was with these people? Efficiency was one thing, but she’d begun to suspect magic here.
 

“He’s fine then?” Emily sipped her water and wiped the condensation off in her lap.
 

“Who now?”
 

“Your brother, Chase.”
 

“Oh, yes, he’s fine. A concussion and swelling on the brain, but he should be out of hospital in a week or two.”
 

Emily let out a long, low sigh and straightened her back. A weight lifted off her shoulders. A man hadn’t died because of her. That was always good news.
 

A waiter appeared with their wine and poured for Chastity to taste. She made a big deal out of swilling and sniffing, then wriggled her nose and nodded for the black clad man to pour.
 

It was chilled and fresh, and Emily had to stop herself from smacking her lips.
 

“Are you ready to order the Appetizers?” The waiter leveraged disapproval down his hooked nose at them.
 

“Oui,” Chastity stepped in, “deux Ormeau.”
 

The waiter nodded and collected their menus. Emily hadn’t even opened hers yet.
 

“I, this is great, really, but perhaps I’d better leave.” She wasn’t part of this world anymore, and her French was past rusty.
 

“No, no, do stay,” her host answered, none too enthused, “you’ll love the Ormeau. It’s slow-baked Jade Tiger Abalone, Endive, Fingerling Potato and White Sturgeon Caviar.”
 

Emily kept the ‘gross’ off her face. She hated French food. Tons of rich butter and no real spice – kill her now.
 

“All right.” She took another reluctant sip of her wine. “So, Chase is fine.”
 

“Indeed. He woke up this morning actually, bright as a penny but with a headache.”
 

“I can imagine.” That bump had been nasty.

“You found him on the sidewalk, correct?”
 

“Yes,” Emily admitted and glugged more of the ‘Charm’. Ironic, much?
 

Chastity took a measured sip from her glass. “What were you doing out on the street that late at night?”
 

This felt a little too close to an interrogation, but she itched to find out more about the gropey drunk. Meeting his sister had exposed another side to him, and she wanted to peel back the layers even more.
 

Mystery was her kryptonite.
 

“I work in the area.”

“Oh.” Chastity’s wrinkled brow belied her thoughts on the matter. “Where do you work?”
 

Here went nothing.
 

“The Tease. It’s a local strip club.”
 

Chastity’s eyebrows climbed her forehead, but she restored them to their normal positions quickly. The creases in her brow disappeared and she broke into a genuine smile for the first time since they’d met. “Thank you for stopping to help him.”
 

The appetizers arrived and were as intimidating as Chastity’s company, though they were actually delicious.

They ate in silence as the other guests had.
 

Chastity ordered Pan-seared Black Sea Bass for mains and Emily didn’t dare lodge a complaint or suggestion. She hit more of the wine. They’d need to place a nipple on her glass at this rate.
 

Emily whipped out the smartphone before she forgot and slid it across the table. Chastity collected it and scrolled through the contents without glancing up to judge her reaction.
 

Did she think she’d deleted texts or contacts? What the hell.
 

“I’m really glad your brother’s recovering. He was in a bad way.”
 

“You don’t say.” Chastity still hadn’t looked up.
 

“I’d like to go see him tomorrow. You said he’s awake?”
 

The elegant woman dropped the phone onto the table with a clunk and met her gaze. “Yes, he’s awake. Though I’m not sure he should have visitors at the moment.”
 

“Please, I’d really like to meet him and apologize for swiping his phone.” She grinned sheepishly.
 

“Yeah, how did that happen?”
 

“I didn’t have my phone with, so I used his to dial 911. I slipped it in my handbag without thinking afterwards.” Emily didn’t like this woman much. There was an ‘off’ quality about her. She was ruthless, coated in a veneer of nouveau riche elegance and snobbery.
 

“Oh.” Chastity returned to fiddling with the phone.
 

“Which hospital is he at?”
 

“Hmm,” she stopped again and looked Emily up and down carefully. Quiet expanded between them until it filled the space as actively as conversation would have.
 

“He’s at Mount Sinai. Visiting hours are between 2 and 8 pm.” Chastity said it, finally, and nerves erupted inside Emily again.
 

She had to speak to this man. She had to know that he wasn’t the creep he’d been in the club, that she hadn’t been attracted to a man who was nothing more than a dog with a hard on for nipple tweaking.
 

The main course arrived on the arms of another snooty waiter, but she didn’t care about the disdain anymore.
 

Tomorrow, she’d meet Chase Newman, and discover if she was doomed to be attracted to assholes for the rest of her life.
 

Emily downed the last of the wine in her glass.

CHAPTER SIX

Chase was awake. He sat up in the bed, surrounded by vases of flowers and cards, staring out of the window at the bottom of the private ward.
 

He had a jawline to match Thor and dark wavy hair which begged to have fingers run through it.
 

A jerk. He was a jerk! She had to remember that.
 

Emily clenched the pencil skirt she’d chosen for the occasion and straightened it. This was it. Either he’d prove her fears were founded or she’d find out that men weren’t as bad as she’d discovered thus far.
 

“Chase?” He started and turned in the bed, pulling the sheets around his waist.
 

“Do I know you?” He had a deep voice and it sounded better now that his sentences weren’t slurred with liquor.
 

“Kinda.” How the hell would she explain this one?
 

‘Hi, I’m the stripper you fondled who also got you beaten senseless outside the club. How’s your head?’
 

She settled for stepping further into the ward, and a tiny self-conscious grimace.
 

“I don’t get it.” Chase reached up and ruffled his hair.
 

“Yeah, I’m not being clear, am I?” She blushed and walked up to his bedside table. The cards read ‘Get Well Soon’; some were signed with hugs and kisses. She turned to him and a flash of recognition passed over his expression like a cloud.
 

Maybe this was a bad idea.
 

“I shouldn’t have come, I suppose, but I wanted to check you were recovering.”
 

“Who are you?” He was arrogant, but in that self-assured, business-like way. It wasn’t as revolting to her as it should’ve been.
 

“I’m Emily.”
 

Chase raised an eyebrow at her and grabbed a glass of water off the table, then drank from it. “All right, Emily, do I know you?”
 

She was drawn to him. She wanted to reach out and touch him and it set alarm bells off in her head.
 

“If you call flicking nipples knowing someone, then yeah I guess so.”
 

Chase went pale – paler since he was already white from being ill. “You can’t be serious.”
 

“Yeah, I’m Candy Lane.” She despised that stage name. “The last time you saw me I was twirling around a pole.”
 

An awkward silence filled the hospital ward. She’d been idiotic to come here. She’d expected him to be kind, or different, and of course he wouldn’t be. He was the same arrogant ass who’d groped her, he just wasn’t as drunk at the moment.
 

“Kay, so I wanted to check in and I’ve done that now. I’ll be on my way.” She walked backwards toward the hallway and raised a hand. “Bye.”
 

“No, wait,” he tried to hobble out of the bed, and tilted forward slightly. She rushed forward and caught him before he could fall, then helped him back in between the white sheets. Touching him made her breathless. Sparks skittered across her skin and into her chest.
 

“Easy does it,” she managed to breathe it out.
 

“Thanks.” Chase rearranged himself then slumped back amongst the pillows and gripped his forehead. “I’m ashamed.”
 

“What?”
 

“I’m sorry about how I acted the other night. It’s no excuse, but I’d just found out something shitty and I decided to bury myself in alcohol. I wound up in the strip club at the end of the night. Sort of to dull my thoughts even more.”
 

“Gee thanks.” Stripping wasn’t exactly an art form, but she’d expected a little appreciation for her dance. He hadn’t been ‘dulled’ when he accosted her.
 

“Oh come on, you know what I mean.”
 

“How could I possibly know what you mean when you’ve shrouded yourself in gift cards, flowers and mystery?”
 

“You don’t talk like a stripper.”
 

“You don’t act like a jerk.”
 

“I’m sorry about that. I said I’m sorry about that, what more can I say?”
 

“Ha,” she spat out the mirthless laughter before continuing, “nothing I guess.”
 

The bang of a door in the hallway snapped them out of the argument.
 

“I’m going to go. I shouldn’t have come.”
 

“Why did you come?”
 

Emily hesitated and brought out the tiny card she’d bought at a gas station on the long walk over. It was a joke in comparison to the ones he already had.
 

“Because a tiny part of me wanted to prove that you weren’t a jerk. That not every man in this city is a total loser or user.”
 

“You’re jaded,” he observed and glanced at the card.
 

She tucked it against her breasts and chuckled. “No, I’m experienced.”
 

“I bet.” Chase’s tone dripped with scorn.
 

“Fuck you.”

They glared at each other across the ward, and the heat between them trebled. She wanted to cross the room and slap him, then kiss him hard. That was wrong. It shouldn’t be like this.
 

He couldn’t be trusted.
 

“I’m going to try this one last time, Emily.” Their eyes met and she was sucked in by the intensity unveiled within them. “I’m sorry.”
 

It was a genuine apology and there was shame behind it too.
 

“It’s fine. I’m sorry too.”
 

“For what?” The corner of his mouth quirked up and he scratched his stubbly chin.
 

“I got you kicked out of the club, and I’m sure it was the bouncer who put you in hospital.” It was the first time she’d admitted it out loud and it was a complete liberation. She’d laid it bare and he could do with it what he wished.
 

BOOK: Never Say Never, Part One (Second Chance Romance, Book 1)
9.23Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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