Lucky: The Irish MC (38 page)

It all made me want to cry. I couldn’t focus for the rest of my shift at Dawning Center. I had a singing gig that night, but I couldn’t think about that either. Anne ignored me all day, which admittedly made things easier, but the time dragged on and on. Even though I only had three hours left in my shift when Chase had showed up, they seemed to take forever. All I could think about was Chase: his lies, his deception, his brutality…

“Ugh,” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t know what to do. Should I try to leave? I thought about it; I didn’t really have any long distance friends. Even Jackie was bound and determined to stay in Detroit forever. And if I left, there was always the possibility that someone would follow me. If these guys were as ruthless as Chase said, I’d be in danger no matter where I went. Chills ran down my spine and my gut went cold at the idea. I hated admitting it, but I was afraid of dying. And I was afraid of pain. And somehow, even though I was still furious with him, I was afraid of something bad happening to Chase.

I was sweeping up at the floor at the end of the day when Mark walked in. He walked over to me with a friendly smile and he put his hand on my shoulder. Against my will, my heart started to beat a bit faster. Suddenly, I was worried that everyone around me would be in just as much danger as I was.

“Hi, Mr. Simpson,” I said quietly. He stared at me.

“Lacey, are you getting sick? You don’t look as though you’re feeling very well.”

I blushed. “I’m fine, Mr. Simpson.”

“And please, call me Mark, Lacey. I don’t know how many times I need to remind you of that!” Mark’s tone was one of gentle admonishing, but I felt my blush deepen.
Run,
I wanted to scream at him.
They might be watching you, too!

“Okay, Mark,” I said, swallowing hard. I tried to smile at him and he gazed into my eyes. For not the first time, I noted the gentle wrinkles around his light eyes. He always looked so kind and sweet; I couldn’t help but wish him happiness someday. A long time ago, when we first met, I used to have a crush on him. Meeting Chase had helped diminish that, but now I felt like I wasn’t good enough for someone like Mark. If he ever found out about my involvement with an ex-heroin dealer, he was sure to run away. And honestly, I wouldn’t be able to blame him. If I had children, I would only want the best people around them.

“Lacey, I’m really concerned about you,” Mark said quietly. He squeezed my shoulder with his warm fingers and I had to blink back tears. “You’ve seemed so tense and upset lately. Is everything okay at home?”

My face burned with shame. “I’m fine,” I whispered so Anne wouldn’t hear us. “I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“Lacey, you can always talk to me,” Mark added. He smiled and I wanted to believe him, but I knew that I shouldn’t go running to him. If The Machetes weren’t onto him already, they would be soon. I didn’t want to lead them straight to him.
If I hadn’t already done that
, I thought grimly.

“I know,” I said quietly. “But it’s really okay, I promise.” I forced myself to flash a big grin at him. I must have been convincing because he finally relaxed and turned away to call his kids.

After Mark left, I finished sweeping and got ready to leave for the day. It was already dark out, and I was nervous about crossing the parking lot to my car. Putting on my jacket, I scanned the lot with my eyes as best I could. I didn’t see any unfamiliar cars, but then again, Chase had grabbed me that one time and no one had even noticed. That incident had made me cautious, but now I was practically hyperventilating with fear.

I crossed the parking lot with quick, rapid steps. When I was almost to my car, headlights flicked from across the lot. An engine turned over and I felt the blood pounding in my ears. Quickly, I ran to my car and tried to unlock the door with shaky hands. There were footsteps behind me and suddenly, strong hands on my shoulders. I let out a scream with all my might and started to thrash around, kicking and waving my arms in the air.

“Lacey!” Chase’s voice startled me. “Calm the fuck down!”

I stopped squirming immediately, but my heart was still pounding a million miles per minute. Angrily, I twisted back in his arms and turned my face to his.

“What do you want?” I spat out the words, glaring at him. Chase didn’t release his grip on me, and despite my anger, I felt my body reacting to his presence. There was a warm tingle in my stomach and combined with my adrenaline rush, I was suddenly feeling incredibly aroused.

“I need to talk to you,” he said urgently. Chase released me and I climbed into my car, slamming the door. Instinctively, I knew that he’d be following me to my apartment. I was still angry with him and knew that I’d kick him out if he tried to stay, but I was honestly glad for the extra tidbit of protection.

The drive home from Dawning Center seemed to take much longer than usual. I was exhausted from my nerve-wracking day, and I had no idea what else Chase could possibly have to say to me. Heroin, murder, gangs? What more to criminal life was there than that?

I clutched my steering wheel with white knuckles and tried to concentrate on the road. The beams from Chase’s headlights were practically blinding me in the rearview mirror and I squinted, already feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. When we pulled into my apartment complex, Chase squeezed his car into the miniscule space behind mine. He followed me upstairs at a discreet pace. I was dying to grab him by the jacket and scream in his face for lying to me and for getting me involved in this, but I was too tired. Right now, I just wanted it all to be over.

“So what did you have to tell me?” I flopped down on my couch and shaded my eyes with my hands, exhausted.

“You still need protection,” Chase said gruffly.

My hands fell into my lap and I stared dully at Chase. “You’re not going to stay here again,” I said in a tired voice. “I won’t let you. I’ll call the police if I have to.”

Chase gave me a long look before settling down on the carpet and splaying his legs. He took up most of the free space on the floor. As usual, whenever I was in the same room, I couldn’t stop looking at his giant, hulking frame. He was as big as a tree.

“Do you understand?” My words hung sharply in the air. “I told you, you’re not staying here again.”

Chase gave me a long look. “Lacey, I’m sorry about all of this,” he growled in a soft voice. “It wasn’t my idea to get you involved in this. But you’re going to have to listen to me, and to trust me, until this is all over.”

I felt anger boiling in my stomach. “I’m going to have to trust you?” It came out as a squeak. “What the fuck does that even mean? You’ve done nothing but lie to me this entire time! And even if you hadn’t, Chase, this is too much. I couldn’t be involved with someone who was addicted to heroin, for chrissakes! You are an ex-felon!”

Chase looked at me dully. He didn’t say anything. The anger was swirling around in my body, and I bit my lower lip.

“Come on,” I demanded. “What else is there?”

Chase glanced at the floor. “I need to go find the bad guy,” he said slowly. “Away from here, away from you.”

I nodded. “That’s the first sensible thing you’ve ever said to me,” I blurted out. “I mean ever,” I added for emphasis, nodding my head.

Chase rolled his eyes. “Still got your sense of humor, I see,” he grumbled. “So I’m going to have to hide someplace, with a friend of mine. He’s trustworthy.”

I frowned. That idea sounded even less appealing than Chase forcing his way back into my apartment. “I’m not sure,” I said slowly. “I don’t want to have to leave my home. Why can’t I stay with my friend Jackie?”

Chase snarled at me. “Because if the killer knows where you are, your friend Jackie isn’t going to be able to save you,” he growled. “Don’t you realize that, silly girl?”

I blushed. “Don’t be an ass,” I muttered. “This whole thing is freaking me out.”

Chase nodded. “As well it should,” he replied. “I’m glad you finally listened to me.”

“What the hell, Chase? How can you even say that? I bullied the truth out of you!”

Chase stood up and stretched, grazing the ceiling with his big knuckles. He seemed not to have heard me, or not to have cared. Looking around the room, he balled one hand into a fist and punched his other palm with it. His gaze settled on me, and I felt the same blend of anger and desire that I always felt when Chase stared at me for too long.

“Pack your things,” he said finally. “We’re getting you out of here.”

Chapter Twenty One

Chase responded to my weak protests by grabbing my wrist and dragging me in the bedroom. I looked at him warily; the last time we’d been this close to my bed, we’d wound up having sex. But sex seemed to be the farthest thing from Chase’s mind. I felt numb as I directed him to my closet and asked him to pull down the suitcase because it was too high for me to reach. I felt even number as it popped open on the floor, empty, but soon to be filled.

“How long should I pack for?”

Chase rolled his eyes. “You women and your clothes,” he grunted. “What, do you think this is a vacation?”

I glared at him. “You know what I mean, asshole.”

“Fine, fine, relax, Princess Lacey,” Chase said. He held up his hands as though he’d been kidding. “Pack for a couple of weeks. I hope it won’t take that long, but I don’t know.”

I felt tears well up in my eyes. “A couple of
weeks
?” I repeated dumbly. Chase nodded.

“Come on,” he said. “We don’t have all day. Hurry up.”

My legs felt like jelly but I forced myself to move as quickly as I could. I didn’t have a lot of clean clothes, so I hoped that four pairs of jeans, a couple of dresses, and a few shirts would do the job. I packed as many pairs of clean panties as I had. Touching them in front of Chase made me blush. I turned around with a pile of underwear in my hands and Chase smirked at me.

“You and your little panties,” he muttered. I blushed redder than ever and dropped them in the open case.

“Shut up,” I mumbled, still blushing. Being in my bedroom almost seemed to make Chase more uncomfortable than it made me, and I was almost enjoying seeing him squirm. Finally, I stuffed in some textbooks, a phone charger, and my bathroom stuff.

“I still have to get my laptop,” I explained. “And then I should be done.”

Chase rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, princess.”

With a deep sigh, I dragged my suitcase to the door and took a long look around my bedroom. Suddenly, my heart felt like it was going to pierce with an arrow. Even though I didn’t love my apartment, it was
mine
, and I was suddenly scared that I’d never see it again. I blinked back tears thinking of all the fun times I’d had in here with Jackie.
And with Chase
, I thought, blushing again.

Chase waited patiently as I stuffed my laptop in the suitcase pocket and grabbed an extra pair of shoes. He led me outside and tossed my suitcase in the trunk of his car with one hand. I hunkered down in the passenger seat next to him.

“Is my apartment safe?”

Chase chuckled low in his throat. “Whatever you think that means, sure,” he said casually. “I wouldn’t come back here without me or my friend, though.”