Never Say Never, Part Two (Second Chance Romance, Book 2) (11 page)

Their gazes scrutinized her and she dusted her jeans again. Of course she’d chosen today to wear the stained ones.
 

Chase frowned heavily, then said something to the room of men. He stood, made a motion for the guy at the front to continue, and left the glass box.
 

“My office. Now.”
He led her to it, opened the door and strode in without waiting for her to go through first. That was anti-gentleman and definitely not his style.
 

“What are you doing here, Emily? Didn’t I tell you not to contact me again?”
 

She didn’t let the hostility faze her. “I had to come. I heard you’re getting married to Janet.”
 

Chase sat down in his chair and rested his elbows on the desk, back straight and seeming regal. “And so? Even if I was engaged, what business is it of yours?”

“Chase, I’m sorry for the way things went down between us, but I had to come. I can’t let you do something you’ll end up regretting.”
 

“Read my lips, woman. It’s none of your business. I don’t want you in my life anymore.”
 

Emily squashed frustration down and tried again. “I’m not the person you think I am. I’m not a killer or a criminal. I’m just a woman who ended up in a bad situation and paid for it. If you let me explain, you’ll understand what I mean. You have to give me a chance, Chase.”
This was too close to begging for comfort, but she didn’t have any other means of getting the pig-headed fool to sit up and take damn notice.
 

“It doesn’t matter what you are or what you did.”
 

“It does. It’s the entire reason you stopped talking to me. You don’t even want to try anymore.”
That was what hurt her the most. He’d given up.
 

“Yeah, well now you know how it feels.”
 

“Chase –”

“It’s not about your past. It’s about everything. You didn’t want to try, you only came to see me to prove something to yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That first day in the hospital, after that gorilla beat the crap out of me. You came to see me because you wanted to prove that ‘men weren’t jerks’. You didn’t care about me, you cared about yourself.”
 

“That’s bullshit. I was worried about you, I wanted to help you.”
Emily rushed to the desk and planted her hands on it. “Chase, I wanted to know you because I was drawn to you, not because I wanted to prove anything. I was lying to myself about that.”
 

“Whatever. It’s too late for this.”
But there was pain in him and that meant she still had a chance to plead her case.

“I –”
she cut herself off this time, and he raised an eyebrow.

She had come to help him, but had ended up wanting to be with him again. It was selfish.
 

“Fine. I understand you don’t want anything to do with me. But that’s not the reason I came here today. I can accept you don’t see a future for us, but I can’t accept –”

There was a volley of knocking on the office door. “Mr. Newman?”
A deep male voice inquired. “Mr. Newman, we’ve been informed there’s been a security breech. Are you all right?”

Chase’s jaw dropped and he looked at the wood door and then at her. “What did you do?”
he whispered.
 

“I may have thrown your receptionist’s nail polish at the wall.”
Emily was sheepish, and tucked her hands behind her back. “But it was only because she was being unnecessarily bitchy.”
 

“Unnecessarily…”
he mouthed it, but the corners of his mouth twitched with amusement.
 

“Mr. Newman? Sir, if you don’t answer we’ll be force to break the door down.”
 

If they got in, she was out, that much was clear. “Please,”
she said quietly. “Chase, please. It’s important.”
 

“Mr. Newman?”
The door rattled in the frame.
 

“Please.”

He stared at her, hard, then opened his mouth to condemn or save her.

“I’m fine,” he called out and the shaking stopped. “Everything’s under control in here, thank you. Please return to your usual positions.”
 

“Sir, are you sure? We received reports of a potentially dangerous woman on the loose.”
The man’s voice was filled with concern and guilt crept up on her.
 

“That bitch is crazy!”
A woman shrieked in the background. “That was a hundred dollar bottle of polish.”
 

Chase gave a low chuckle and Emily pursed her lips at him.
 

“Really, everything’s fine. Thank you. I’d like to be left alone for the afternoon.”
 

“As you wish sir.”
The heavy thump of receding footsteps relieved the pressure in Emily’s chest.
 

“Thank you,”
she said, fanning herself. Was it hot in here all of a sudden?
 

He picked up a remote and switched on the air con in the corner of his ceiling. “Yeah, it’s okay. Just don’t make me regret doing that.”
 

Emily lowered herself into the chair opposite his desk, took out her smartphone and placed it between them. She didn’t open the images up yet, but it helped having the evidence there in front of her. It was inspiration for bravery.
 

“Before I tell you what I’m about to tell you, there are a few things you should know.”

“If this is going to be a list of excuses and apologies, please save it. I’m not interested.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he spoke, grating against the tight white collar above a cream tie.
 

“Can the arrogance for a second and focus, Newman.”
She breathed to calm herself. “I’m not here to apologize, because I’m not entirely convinced I need to. We both did idiotic things in the past few months. I’m here to prevent you from making another stupid mistake.”
 

Footsteps and chatter burst into life outside, and he licked his lips. The meeting had ended without him. If she didn’t get to the point soon, he’d kick her out and go after them for sure.

“First off,”
she began, and he snapped his focus to her again, the talk fading into the background as the men receded, “don’t judge me on my past when you don’t have the full story. One day, if we’re still talking, I’ll tell you what happened.”
Her pulse quickened. Even saying that she’d talk about it freaked her out. She hadn’t come to terms with what had happened, but talking might help.
 

That’s what the shrink had said.
 

“Fine. I won’t judge you.”
Chase opened his desk drawer and brought out two glass tumblers, then followed them with a small silver hip flask. He poured two stiff drinks –
whiskey –
and slid her one.
 

She swallowed it in one, working up the courage for the next bit.
 

“Secondly,”
she said, and rose, she walked around the desk, bent down in front of him and met his gaze. She reached out, grabbed the back of his head and brought her lips to his. There was a moment where she was afraid he wouldn’t return the kiss.
 

But he did and they melted for a moment.
 

She pulled away and he frowned at her, but she placed a finger to his lips. “Even if this was the last kiss and it’s all we’ll ever be, I want you to know that I do.”
 

“You do?”
 

“I love you.”
 

She got up and walked to the other side of the desk again. She practically collapsed into the chair and he poured her another drink. Emily had never asked a guy on date, kissed a guy first or made the first move in her life.

“Was there a ‘thirdly’?”

She tossed back the second tumbler of burning liquid and coughed behind her hand.
 

“Yes.”
This was the hard part. If he loved Janet, and chances were he did have feelings for her if she was his fiancée, then what she had to say might hurt him. A lot. She didn’t want to be responsible for that pain, but there was nothing for it.

“Let me in on it, then.”
Chase sipped from his glass and used it to motion her into speech.
 

“I don’t know if you’re really going to marry Janet, but there’s something you need to know before you do.”
 

“Something. What something.”
 

“I –
I, look I’m not telling you this because I want to break you up, okay? But because I want you to be happy and I don’t see that happening if you don’t have all the facts.”
She’d never considered how petty this would seem coming from her.
 

“Right,”
he said, drawing it out in sarcasm.
 

“Chase, I’m serious. Do you want to know?”
 

“I have no idea. How can I possibly answer you without context?”
 

She faltered, searching the room for some way to help him without hurting him with the news and the pictures. She stared at her phone. He had to believe her, she had the pictures.
 

“Janet’s cheating on you, Chase.”
 

He went quiet and placed the glass on his desk. Beads of condensation travelled down its side, even in the cool office. It was the heat of his touch, no doubt.
 

“She cheated on me before, but I don’t think she’s stupid enough to do it again.”
 

“Apparently, she is,”
Emily answered, picking her phone up and scrolling through the menu to her images. She’d opened the email at home and downloaded the incriminating snaps before she’d left for the office.
 

“Emily, no offence, but it does sound like you’re making this up.”
 

“I thought you’d say that. But do you really think I’d come to you without proof?”
 

She lifted the phone, selected the first gross picture (Brian’s face contorted with pleasure and Janet’s eyes glaring up at him, mid-blowjob).
 

“I’m not sure I want to see this.”
 

“I’m sorry.”
She readied herself to show him.
 

The office door opened and Chase glanced up, brow furrowed. “I thought I said I didn’t want to be interrupted.”

“Mr. Newman, I’m in the habit of scheduling appointments and keeping them. I was under the impression that you operated under the same faculty.”

That voice. Good God, it couldn’t be. Familiar dread melted into her soul, infusing her with foreboding which was too close to the sensation of coming home. It couldn’t be.
 

“Mr. Ross, my apologies.”
But Chase didn’t seem apologetic at all. His shoulders had gone tense and his lips were drawn in a thin line. “Do come in.”

“This is a private meeting. Are you going to conclude your other
business
any time soon?”
It was Brian Ross. Her ex-husband. She didn’t have to turn. That attitude and tone was unmistakable. Why was he here?

How did he know Chase? She dropped the phone in her lap, face down, pictures staring at nothing but her worn, stained jeans.
 

“Sorry, do you mind if we continue this another time?”
Chase spoke to her and she was mute. There were no words in the sea of terror. “Emily?”
 

“What?”
Brian said sharply, then strode into view. He glared at her and she wilted a little, then bounded out of the chair. Brian looked from her to Chase and back again.
 

“What the hell are you doing here, Emily?”

TO BE CONTINUED

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Part Three of the Never Say Never series is available on Amazon:

US:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VPGSKDC

UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VPGSKDC