Page 27 of Mayhem

“That must have been hard. The things you must’ve had to do to make it this far.”

He shrugs. “You do what you have to in order to survive. Are you telling me that if it were down to the wire and you had a choice to be murdered or murder someone else that you wouldn’t do whatever you had to, to survive?”

“I honestly don’t know what I would do. I might hesitate and have the choice taken from me. I mean really, what do I have to live for?” I ask, drumming my fingers on his chest. “I have a druggie mother who would rather be railed by strange men than get an actual job. She would trade me to any one of them for her next hit without skipping a beat. Is my life worth saving?”

“Of course it is. You would live because you aren’t alone in this world. Hailee looks up to you. Nate cares for you. Neither one of them deserve to lose another person they care about,” he says gruffly.

“And you? Would you care?” I ask, biting my bottom lip.

I’m not sure why I asked, but now that it’s out there, I’m dying to know. My stomach flutters in the silence.

He hesitates. “I’ve kept you around this long. What do you think?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “I think you feel obligated to keep me safe because I was hurt trying to defend you. If I had never done that, you would have never given me a second look. Then you did, and you saw what every other red-blooded male sees. A nice rack with an ass. Now you’re in it for the chase. Once you finally catch me, you’ll have your fun before you run off after the next piece of tail.”

“If that’s the case, then why are you letting me catch you?”

“Who said the chase was only thrilling for the predator? Maybe the prey finds it exhilarating as well,” I say lightly.

“So you like a bit of danger?”

I sit up, moving from his chest. “You’ll have to wait and see.” I slide off the couch and walk away.

I make it to the arch of the hallway before he calls out to me, “Where are you going?”

I give him a smirk over my shoulder. “Back to my room. Or your room, I suppose. Good night, Chase.”

I hear his chuckle as I make my way back down the hall to his room. I wasn’t lying to him. Something about the way he looks at me makes my heart beat fast. It makes my skin tingle, aching for the briefest touch.

Even now, laying in his bed. Smelling his scent on everything surrounding me. Hearing his voice play in my head.

Just thinking about him makes my blood hum. Taking a deep breath, I blow it out slowly, trying to calm down. My libido has never come to life the way it does when Chase Rockford is anywhere near me. I have never felt needy for a man. Never once considered losing my virginity.

Not until Chase.

I want him. My body craves him.

If that was the end, I would have already had him, age be damned.

The problem isn’t desire.

My problem is the way my heart beats faster around him. The way my head dreams of a future when there isn’t one. The way his presence comforts me.

I’m getting used to being here. With him. With Nate. I feel safe. Like I have a place to belong. People who would miss me if I was suddenly gone.

That’s the real danger.

Not the thought of death. Or some mysterious stalker lurking in the shadows.

It’s the fact that I could easily lose myself to Chase. I could give myself over in a way I have never given myself to another human being. That I could grow attached to Nate and enjoy his company instead of viewing him as a nuisance.

The real danger is the way they make me want to stay with them.

All I have in this life is my independence.

So what will happen if I give it up freely for him?

Will I still be me?

---