What He Bargains (What He Wants, Book Nineteen) (105 page)

“I don’t know what you’re chattering about, Winters. Tell Monique to come out. I’m through talking to you.”

“I already told you. She’s not coming.”

“Fine, then. Guess I’m coming in, bitch.”

Velcro tried to rush through the doorway, like he was trying to run for a touchdown. Chase grabbed him and attempted to halt his progress.

They began struggling ferociously, and Faith screamed for them to stop. She ran down the stairs and tried to stop them, but everything was happening so fast.

Velcro was trying to push through the door and Chase had grabbed him in a headlock and was pulling him back outside.

They were two very strong men, and Velcro, although smaller—was incredibly athletic and fast.

He pulled out of the headlock and faked a punch. As Chase went to block the fake punch, Velcro scooted inside the door, bumping past Chase as if he was executing a passing route on the football field.

“Where’s Monique?” he said, staring angrily at Faith. “Monique!” he shouted.

Suddenly, Monique appeared at the landing atop the second floor and looked down. “Steve,” she said sadly.

Faith put out her hands and tried to push him away from the stairs, but his chest was like a rock wall and he didn’t budge. “You need to leave or we’ll call the police,” Faith said.

“Do you really want me gone?” Velcro asked Monique, locking eyes with her.

The woman didn’t respond.

“She’s terrified of you,” Faith said.

Velcro made a face of disgust. “You don’t know shit about her or me, bitch.” He pushed Faith casually out of the way and she fell on hard on the edge of the stair tread.

Chase ran up the stairs, and when Velcro turned to face him, Chase pulled a pistol from the waistband of his pants and put the muzzle of the gun tightly to Velcro’s temple.

Monique shrieked.

“You ever touch Faith again and I’ll make sure whatever brains you have left, get picked up off the floor by the cops. Got it?” Chase growled.

Velcro raised his hands as his face turned purple.

“I’ll fucking end you. I’m not playing,” Chase said.

“Don’t do it,” Faith said. “Please, Chase—put the gun away.” She sat on the stairs, looking up at them, her heart pounding hard in her chest. “Stop,” she said.

His eyes were cold and hard as Chase continued pressing the gun to Velcro’s temple.

“Please…don’t…don’t shoot,” Velcro whispered. His lips were pulling back from his teeth in a fearful grimace. White flecks of spit had spattered the corners of his mouth.

Finally, Chase released him. “Now get the fuck out of my house, you sorry son of a bitch.”

Velcro practically fell, as he was let go. He stumbled blindly towards the open door.

Chase kicked him hard in the ass and sent the smaller man forward, but Velcro kept his balance as he ran outside.

Finally, Chase walked calmly to the door and slammed it shut, then locked it. He turned, putting the gun back in his waistband.

Faith stared at him, stunned by what he’d done. “You just pulled a gun and threatened to kill him,” she said. “If he calls the police—“

“He won’t,” Chase told her.

“How do you know?”

“Because he’s a coward, and he won’t want any investigation into this. He’s a woman beater.” Chase glanced up the stairs at Monique, who looked positively shell-shocked.

Chase helped Faith to her feet. “Are you okay?” he asked her softly.

She nodded slowly. “I—I think so.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Her hands were numb and tingly.

When Faith looked upstairs again, she saw that Monique wasn’t standing on the second floor landing anymore.

“Should I check on her?” Faith asked.

Chase went to the window and quickly glanced outside, seemingly satisfied with what he saw out there. “Yeah. Tell her everything’s going to be okay. Tell her she’s safe with us.”

Faith wanted to ask him just how safe the woman could feel knowing that Chase was carrying a loaded gun in the waistband of his pants, but she kept quiet about it. “I guess I’ll go talk to her.”

“Remind her that we’re going to get her home to be with her family tomorrow.”

Faith sighed, then climbed the stairs, went to the guestroom and knocked softly, three times. “Monique, are you in there?” she asked.

There was some rustling from behind the door. “I’m fine,” Monique said, her voice muffled. “I just need some time alone.”

“Are you sure?” Faith asked. “I know what happened a few minutes ago was pretty scary. Want to talk about it?”

“Not particularly,” Monique said.

Faith wasn’t sure. She stood by the door for a long moment, waiting. “Everything’s going to be okay,” she said. “I promise.”

Now all was quiet. Faith pressed her ear to the door and listened, but there was no sound from inside. Maybe Monique had crawled into bed. That’s probably what Faith would’ve done had their situations been reversed.

Except I could never be in her situation, because Chase would never hurt me or threaten me in any way.

She wanted to say more, to try and make things better, but her mouth opened and closed again without uttering a word.

Finally, she walked away and went back downstairs.

Chase was on the phone, pacing the living room. “Yeah,” he said. “If you could do this for me it would be a huge favor. Let me know.” He hung up and tossed his cell phone onto the couch.

“Who was that?” Faith asked.

Chase glanced at her. “I just called my agent. I’m having him book Monique on a private jet first thing tomorrow morning. It’ll take her straight to Atlanta.”

“You didn’t have to do that. She said she would book her own flight.”

He stared evenly at Faith. “And you really think she’s booking flights up there right now?” Chase chuckled humorlessly. “She’s completely freaked out. I just pulled a gun and held it to her fiancé’s head. For all we know, she’s calling the cops on me.”

“Do you think?” Faith asked, her stomach churning. “I didn’t hear her talking to anyone. But maybe I should go and check on her again.”

He shrugged. “If I get arrested, I get arrested. He forced his way into my home and I acted in self-defense,” Chase told her. “I’m not worried about me. I just want to make sure we get her the hell out of here as soon as possible.”

“This is a mess.” Faith hugged herself again, shivering.

Chase strode quickly to her, wrapping his muscular arms around her protectively. “You were very brave,” he whispered softly, kissing the top of her head.

“Are you kidding me? I panicked. I was in shock the entire time.”

“You tried to stand up to a big, crazy football player barreling down on you at full speed,” Chase said, grinning. “Given your size and height, I think that qualifies as an act of extreme bravery.”

“Or maybe extreme stupidity,” she said, looking into his dark eyes.

“You’re the furthest thing from stupid,” he said, caressing her cheek. “In fact, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met.”

She looked away, blushing, and buried her face in his chest. Inhaling his scent, feeling his warm body, she instantly relaxed. “Oh, Chase,” she sighed. “I’m so lucky I have you.”

“No, I’m the lucky one,” he told her, stroking her hair now as he held her tightly against him. “I’m the lucky one.”

I
t had been
a few hours since the altercation with Velcro, and Chase and Faith were watching television together on the couch.

He picked up the remote and hit pause. “Let’s get some takeout for dinner.”

Faith shrugged. “I’m good with that. Like Chinese or something?”

“Sure,” he said. “I could eat a pound of spare ribs right about now.”

“What about…you know…” Faith whispered, nodding up towards the room where Monique had been cloistered ever since the altercation between Velcro and Chase.

“You want to ask her if she’s hungry?” he said.

“Not particularly,” Faith replied, grinning. “But I will.”

They’d been sitting on the couch together, Faith curled up against Chase, his arm around her as Game of Thrones played on the TV. It was nice to forget about the reality of their lives for a few minutes and just be together, watching a silly show that had nothing to do with football.

But life wouldn’t be denied.

Faith got off the couch with a deep sigh, and made her way up the stairs, dreading having to talk to Monique again. She knew the other woman didn’t want to be bothered, didn’t want to discuss what had happened.

As she went upstairs, she glanced one last time at Chase, and he gave her a confident thumb’s up sign.

Easy for him to be optimistic
, she thought.
I’m the one who has to actually talk to this woman.

Finally, she reached the guest room and knocked a few times.

“Please go away,” came the petulant, almost childlike voice from inside the room.

“Honey, I can’t just go away. You’ve been in here for hours. We need to talk.”

“I don’t want to talk, Faith. I just want to be alone.”

“I know. Let me in for a minute and then I promise I’ll leave you alone.”

There was a long silence and Faith thought she might have to just force her way into the room, but finally Monique opened the door.

She looked as though she’d aged in the few hours since her abusive fiancé had tried to storm his way into the house. Her hair was messy and sticking up in various places, her makeup smudged under her eyes, and her lips looked chapped and raw.

“What do you want to talk about?” Monique said, blocking the doorway, her gaze hostile.

“I want to talk about how you’re feeling. What’s going through your mind?” Faith said.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“Well, you came here to get help—“

“Yes, and instead I got to watch your boyfriend put a gun to Steve’s head and threaten to blow his brains out. That sure was helpful.”

Faith grimaced. “I know that was scary—“

“You don’t know shit,” Monique said.

“I know you’re angry. But Chase booked you a private flight to Atlanta that leaves early tomorrow morning, and we’re going to be getting some food now. I needed to see if you’re hungry and to tell you about the flight and all.”

Monique just glared at her. One eyebrow arched dramatically. “I suppose you think I’m being ungrateful, what with all the help Chase is giving me.”

“I don’t think you’re being anything of the sort,” Faith said, which was a bit of a lie. She did feel like Monique was taking her anger out on the wrong person.

Why be mad at the man who stood up on her behalf, rather than the one who’d beaten her within an inch of her life not forty-eight hours ago?

Chase had been protecting Monique when he’d drawn that gun on Velcro earlier. And Faith couldn’t say she blamed him for doing it, either.

Monique’s gaze was furious, but controlled. “What Chase did to Steve was just as bad as what Steve did to me.”

Faith tried not to let this ridiculous assertion bother her. She shook her head. “Except that Steve was trying to unlawfully enter Chase’s home and force his way into seeing a woman whom he’s been abusing. All Chase was did was defend himself, you and me from an attacker.”

The other woman was unmoved. Her expression didn’t change as she replied. “Using a gun is just as bad as hitting someone, and you’re making excuses for it.”

Faith felt more defensive. “He was trying to protect us. And I think you know it.”

“Whatever. I’m not hungry. I’ll see you in the morning.” Monique shut the door hard, right in Faith’s face.

Faith stood there for a second, unable to believe what had occurred.

Did she really just slam the door in my face?

She blinked, then turned on her heel and went downstairs. Chase was back to watching Game of Thrones. “Should I rewind it?” he asked, holding the controller up.

Faith shook her head slowly. “I can’t focus on the show anymore, Chase.”

“Uh-oh,” he said, putting the remote down and turning towards her. “That doesn’t sound good. I suppose she wasn’t in the mood for takeout.”

“No, definitely not,” Faith said, lowering her voice as she walked closer to him.

“What did she say?” he asked, his expression concerned.

“She was pretty angry with you for doing what you did to Velcro.”

He sat back and scratched his jaw. “Shit. Well, can’t say I blame her. She watched me jack her man up pretty hard.”

“Yeah, but you had no choice.”

“If I’d beat the shit out of him, it would’ve been even worse. I used the gun instead of putting his head through the wall.”

Faith rolled her eyes as she sat down close to him and whispered. “She’s busy being pissed at you and me instead of focusing on how to deal with this maniac she’s got in her life.”

“It’s not rational,” Chase said. “We just need to be patient for a few hours. Tomorrow she’ll be on a plane and then safely back with her family. Maybe that distance will help her to start thinking clearly.”

Faith nodded, but she wasn’t sure. “Yeah. I probably just need to stop worrying.”

Chase sighed. “What I’m worried about right now is my grumbling stomach. Let’s order some takeout and we’ll get extra, just in case she changes her mind about being hungry.”

As he took out his cell to call the restaurant, Faith stopped him briefly. She put a hand on his chest, leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You’re the kindest man I’ve ever met, Chase.”

He laughed. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m serious. You have a great heart and you can’t make me forget that.”

“There’s a lot of things about me that you shouldn’t forget,” Chase said. “And they’re not all good things.”

He grabbed the phone and called the restaurant. Chase watched him talking and wondered how one man could contain so many contradictions. But somehow, he did.

T
hey went
to bed early and Faith woke up early, too.

It was in that weird time when you didn’t know whether to say it was late night or technically morning—somewhere in that gray period before the sun had even begun to peek above the horizon.