Excerpt from Just…Breathe Book 1 The Broken Series
I was standing outside the restaurant with tears filling my eyes and my hand was throbbing. I have never hit a man so hard but he had touched a nerve. I am not a gold digger. That was my mom and sister, not me.
‘I have got to get out of here, but how?’ I wondered. I arrived with Lori and I cannot walk home dressed like this, I will surly get raped. Yet, I do not have the money for a cab. Maybe Lori will come out and give me a ride home, seeing as I was not going to go back in there and face that, that man! ‘Such a terrible ending to an already fucked up day,’ I thought once more. How wrong I was as it was not over yet.
“Jaden?” My body stiffened. I knew that voice. It was Steven, my ex-boyfriend.
“Steven, just leave me alone,” I demanded. Steven reached out and placed his hand on my shoulder and I shook him off.
“Come on babe,” he said. “You can’t still be pissed at me.” Steven took a step towards me.
“I believe the lady asked you to leave,” Chase said as he approached them, and then he turned to me. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting sweetheart.” I looked up stunned at him and saw the evidence of my anger on his left cheek.
Steven looked at him in disgust. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded to know. "Lord knows Jaden could never snag anyone like you."
I saw an idea form in Chase's eyes and he put his arm around me. I stiffened. "As a matter of fact, she has," Chase admitted with a sly smile. Steven’s eyes grew wide.
He smiled. "Well good luck buddy,” he chuckled. "You obviously haven’t had her between the sheets yet or you wouldn't be standing here. She's clumsy and a cold fish." Chase's eyes flashed red.
"Although our sex life is none of your business," Chase growled, "Perhaps all she needed was a real man as a partner." I chuckled then as anger flashed across Steven’s face, Chase squeezed my shoulder as he looked down at me. "Are you ready to leave sweetheart?" I nodded, as I was lost for words.
"Well, whatever man," Steven said. "I have a rich babe waiting for me." Then he walked away.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He’s gone,” I whispered. “You can stop pretending and let me go.”
Chase dropped his arm to his side. “I was only trying to help,” he said. “I’m sorry about before.”
I looked up into his eyes not able to gauge if he was being truthful with me. I could see that his eye was swelling and there was a nasty bruise forming on his face along with a cut from the ring I wore. My heart skipped a beat.
“Thank you for helping,” I said. “As for what happened inside, I’ll get back to you on that. Have a seat on the bench. I need to take a look at your face.”
A confused look appeared on his face, but he did as instructed. Once sitting he asked, “That bad is it?” I studied his eye and cheek without answering.
Reaching up, I lightly touched his skin, Chase closed his eyes, flinching and I jumped. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His eyes opened and something flashes in them, but I quickly looked away as I rummaged for the wipes and bandage I kept in my purse.
I saw him eyeing my right hand as it had also started to swell. I pulled out a towelett packet and a small bottle of ointment. I proceeded to wipe his cheek and he closed his eyes again. I could see by his face that it hurt like hell to be touched, but he did not stop me.
I searched his face as I wiped it clean and a burning fire started deep in my bones. I have never had this kind of reaction to a guy and it scared me.
He opened his eyes and I saw they reflected what I was feeling. ‘This is crazy,’ I thought as I placed that ointment over the cut my ring had made. He watched as I put the items away and placed a bandage on the cut.
He reached for my hand. “You’re hurt too,” he said with a husky tone and turned my hand to inspect it.
“It’s, it’s nothing,” I stammered. “I’ll be fine.” I tried to pull my hand away but he was too strong.
Chase looked into my eyes. “Don’t be silly,” he whispered. “It’s my turn to take care of you.” My eyes grew wide as he brought my hand to his lips and he kissed across my knuckles around to my palm, as his eyes never left mine.
I gasped for air. ‘I should stop this,’ I thought. ‘I should stop this now.’ But it felt so good and it had been so long since a man had shown me any real attention. He continued to kiss along my palm and placed one last kiss on the inside of my wrist. ‘This stuff doesn’t just happen. True love, affection, and romance were just a fairy tale.’ The thought brought me back to my senses and when I pulled my hand, he let me go.
“I’ve got to go,” I said breathlessly and rushed off.
“Shit!” I heard him say. “Jaden, wait.” I pretended that I had not heard him as I continued to run off.
I felt him grab my arm bringing me to a dead stop. I spun around on him.
“Why in the hell can’t you leave me alone?” I screamed at him. “You have insulted me and humiliated me all in the span of a day. Go away, Mr. Daniels.”
“Where did you park the company car?” he asked ignoring what I said.
“First of all, this is pleasure not business so it would have been wrong of me to use it,” I spat out. “Second, if you must know, it is back at the office.”
“Why didn’t you take it when you left today?” he questioned.
I could feel my blood boil more. “Again, if you must know, I don’t have a license and I don’t know how to drive,” I fumed.
I watched as shock replaced the anger on his face. “But you’re 26 and you can’t drive?” he asked in confusion.
Now feeling ashamed, I felt the blush creep across my skin. I looked down at the sidewalk and whispered, “My mom never taught me and my dad…well he wasn’t there.” Then I shrugged.
He lifted my face to his. “With the way you look in that dress you will get yourself rapped if you try walking. Let’s go.” He took my hand, but I refused to move. “You will either walk back to my car or I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you back.” I shook his hand off and crossed my arms over my chest in defiance. I heard him blow out a breath. “Ok, you asked for it.” Before I was able to react, he lifted me. He flung me over his shoulder, and was walking back to the car park.
I started beating his back with my fists. “Put me down,” I demanded as the anger built inside me again. “Stop man handling me, Chase.” He chuckled, but ignored my protests and continued to his car. I finally gave up, as I was defenseless against this man’s strength.
Once we were standing next to his car he asked, “If I put you down are you going to run away?” I refused to answer this infuriating man. “Jaden?”
“Fine,” I finally answered. “No, I will not run away.” Chase chuckled again and placed me on the ground. I swayed as I attempted to gain my footing. True to my word I did not run. He held the car door open and I slid in. He shut it, then made his way to the driver’s side and got in.
He started the engine and pulled out into traffic. We drove for a while before it dawned on me that he hadn’t asked for my address. “Are we going to drive around all night or are you going to ask where I live?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Don’t need to,” he said. “I already know.”
I gasped. “How,” I whispered. “Have you checked up on me?”
He shrugged again. “After you left my office today I pulled your background,” he admitted. “It’s standard procedure when I hire. Besides, what can I say, I needed to know,” he said quietly. I turned back to stare out the windshield.
“Well, after tonight, you can forget I ever existed,” I said.
“That may be harder than you think,” he mumbled. I felt the same way.
We drove through the seedy neighborhood and pulled up in front of my apartment. He got out of the car, walked around to my side and opened the door. I stepped out and Larry, my neighbor, walked up.
“Hey babe, how you doing tonight?” Larry asked in his drunken voice.
“Larry, I’m not in the mood for your shit tonight, go home,” I pleaded. As Larry went to reach for me, Chase stepped forward.
“I believe she said to back off, Larry,” he spat out. Larry jumped back.
“Sorry man,” he stuttered. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.” Then he stumbled away.
“You can leave,” I said. “Keep your word, Chase. You said once I was home you would be out of my life.” Being out of his life filled me with dread. ‘I really need to get a hold of myself.’ I thought.
“Yes, that is what I said,” he said. “But you are still standing on the sidewalk and not safe in your apartment. What about the job?”
I let my breath out. I had forgotten the job. “Fine,” I said and stalked off towards the building. I stopped, sensing he was not with me, and turned back. “Well, are you coming or not?” Chase jumped and started to follow me.
“Well, we’re here,” I said stopping outside my door.
“What about work?” he asked again. “You can’t walk out on me.”
I snapped my face up to his. The words he spoke held a heavy meaning and what Sandy had said came back to haunt me.
“Jaden, you have to understand that Chase has had some heartbreak in his life. He doesn’t trust too many people, especially women,” she had said.
I searched his eyes for any indication to what he is feeling and saw a glimpse of a shadow; doubt, uncertainty, in himself, or in me? I was not sure. Whatever it was, it was tugging at my heart.
“Yes, I still plan to work for you,” I reassured him in a small weak voice.
I wasn’t prepared when Chase moved so I didn’t react immediately. He leaned down and placed a soft quick kiss on my lips. “Goodnight, Jaden,” he whispered. “Thank you.”
I nodded and let myself through the door and closed it. I leaned back, closing my eyes.
Why did this man affect me so much? He was arrogant, yes, but I saw a tender side of him tonight. The way he had kissed and taken care of my hand, no man had ever shown me that kind of…of what? Love? I just cannot put her finger on it.
That kiss, however brief it was, lit a fire inside me. I opened my eyes, pushed myself away from the door. “No, I will not think about him again. Not until I have to deal with him at work. Then I will be too busy learning the job,” I said aloud as I walked to my bedroom to change and went to bed.
I rolled over and wiped the tears away. I prayed that my heart will come away from this unscratched.
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