Chapter 40

Chloe's Point of View

My heart was pumping hard and fast, to the point my pulse was racing and my palms were sweaty. My mind consumed with one thought - would he answer? As I listened to the phone ringing, my heart pulsed that bit quicker.

Would he or wouldn't he?

Was I even remembering his number, right?

Just as I was about to give up, he answered. At least I thought it was him. There was a chance it was a random stranger, and that was what I was thinking until I opened my mouth, making sure I had the right number because if he knew it was me, I doubted he would answer.

"Chase?"

There was a silent pause.

Okay, maybe I did have the wrong number. That would be my luck as I had memorized this number and all this time it was wrong. I was going to hang up and forget I even attempted to call him out of desperation.

"Yeah sweetheart, it's me."

Okay, I thought my heart was racing a minute ago but now, hearing his rough, yet velvet voice, washed through my veins, caused my body to be completely full of nerves and excitement at the same time. How was that possible? Months without hearing a word from him, and now it was as if just hearing his voice completed me, settling all my fears, making me forget my shitty life.

"Hey." I forced out. Emotion coated my one word. So much emotion.

"Are you okay?" The concern in his voice got me right in the chest. Was I okay?

"Yes," I blew out, "And totally no at the same time." I was raw and honest. Wasn't that why I was calling him? Because I was so far away from okay that I felt like I was drowning. I had a hole in my chest and only he could fill it. So what was I wanting? What could I get from this and why the hell did I call him?

"Sweetheart, tell me what's wrong." He spoke like he cared. He spoke like he had all the time in the world just to hear my problems like he had been waiting to hear them his whole life, as if him listening would solve them, as if he really cared about my problems.

I didn't answer. I was so gripped with emotion and liquor I found myself tearing up. I looked up the alley, noticing the two men standing on either side. At least no one would see me cry.

"Come on, sweetheart, talk to me." His voice sent tingles through my body and just hearing it helped calm my crazy mind.

"Where are you?" I found myself asking the one question I had been asking myself over and over, guessing the answer. Joe had said he was in Brisbane but that was a month ago. Chase moved around, I knew that. There was a chance he could be anywhere. I gripped the phone that bit tighter, hoping I would hear the answer I wanted.

"Up north. In a pub with Dan."

Shattered. My heart shattered. There was no chance at all I'd see him tonight. No chance of feeling his touch and no chance of my Chase-shaped hole being filled.

Now that I listened closer, I could hear the voice of a pub, although it was muffled.

"Right." My voice came out dry. "How are your brothers?" Just the mention of Dan reminded me of his whole family; the loud and loving bunch of men I had the chance of knowing for a few brief moments of time.

He was silent.

Usually when it came to his family, he also spoke with affection. Hearing silence was not normal.

"Chase, is there something wrong? Is someone hurt?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. His family meant everything to him. I knew he would always put them first, so I wondered what could have possibly got in the way of that.

"They're fine. Dan's beating me at pool but apart from that, nothing is wrong." He was saying it, but I knew he was lying. Something was off. "Now you, sweetheart, why are you calling me so late?"

Right back to me. I swallowed sharply. Could I be honest? "I just…I just needed to talk to you." I knew there was no way he had the same feelings about me as I did him. I doubted he had been wondering what I was doing every second of every day. I doubted he cared that my life was completely awful and what I really doubted was that he needed to talk to me. I was stupid, drunk, and now drunk-dialing was added to the list.

My phone vibrated and I checked it. It was Jenkins asking me where I was. I knew I should go back inside. Keep throwing back the shots and try and pretend I won't end up in Jenkins’s bed tonight, which was where he was planning on having me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I heard something that made me stop.

"Chase, it's your turn, or are we finally going to get out of here?" Hearing a female’s voice caused my blood to boil. What did I expect? The words ‘are we finally going to get out of here’ rang loudly in my head.

"I should go," I said and put my hand on the wall, feeling my way up.

"Why, have you someone to meet?" Chase's voice had an edge to it, as if he knew what I was doing. Like that was even possible.

"No, but you clearly have people to be with and, when I say people, I mean a girl to get back to." Why did I let my rage creep into my voice? I wanted to slap myself for showing him it hurt me.

"Chloe, that isn't wha…"

"Save it, Chase. I get it. I'm just some stupid girl who actually thought you cared about me. I've been acting like I've lost something. No, someone. You. And you moved on. Hell, I shouldn't be surprised. I expected it."

"Chloe, listen to me when I say…"

"Why the hell would I listen to anything you have to say? I'm done, okay. I'm done crying over you. I'm done missing you and this Chase-shaped hole in my heart is going to be filled by someone else. Consider this me saying goodbye. I might be drunk, but I'm not stupid and only a stupid girl would expect you to care or wait."

"CHLOE, I HAVEN'T MOVED ON!"

I scoffed. "Right, so you are just at a pub with your brothers and don't have a girl under your arm. I'M NOT STUPID! I have seen you IN ACTION!"

"HONEST TO GOD CHLOE, I JUST MET HER, AND SHE'S WITH DAN!" The noise of the pub disappeared, and the muffled talking and laughing was gone. Maybe he went outside. I rolled my eyes. As if he cared that much about this conversation. "Chloe, I need you to promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"I've been doing something stupid for months. Crying over you. Now I'm done." My phone vibrated again. Jenkins. Looking for me. "I have to go."

"Why, got a boyfriend to get back to? You have been giving me shit about moving on, but you're the one with another man."

I took a steady breath in. Time to cut the cord. "You know what, Chase? I didn't have a boyfriend because I was still clinging to the hope I'd end up with you but consider me done. FINISHED."

"You're drunk."

"Says the man at the pub."

"Says the girl too drunk to stand in an alleyway.

How did he know that? Screw that. He was throwing me off. "Bye, Chase."

"Chloe Marshall, don't you bloody dare hang up on me!"

Was I being stubborn? Was I too drunk to be making a decision? Before my next thought, I heard.

"Chase, what are you doing out here? I told you I was coming with you when you were ready to leave. Talk about leaving a girl hanging. Anyway, I just won the game so looks like you will be stripping for me."

I bit my tongue. "I should let you go. To strip. Bye Chase."

"Chloe, that isn't what it sounded like!"

"Sounded like you and a girl and no clothes involved. I guess I've been that girl once. You were right, I do have a man waiting for me and he has been wanting to get me out of this dress all night and now, I might actually let him. Thanks for easing my guilt."

"CHLOE…"

I hung up. I knew he would never know if I went back inside or not. He didn't know I was at a club with a man. For all he knew, I was lying, but I wasn't, and I was more determined than ever to get over him. That Chase-shaped hole in my heart? I was going to stuff it full with anything and everything possible… starting with Jenkins.

I pulled open the back door, walking straight into a hard back. God, I didn't realize these doors were guarded.

"Sorry," I yelled over the music, but I was already moving through the club back to my table and then I spotted him.. his broad back ..the tattoo running down his arm. It felt wrong, it felt so wrong as I approached him.

But screw it.

I was over Chase.

No, I wasn't.

I was going to be.

Starting right now.

My hand slid on his shoulder and he turned around. "Chloe, I was getting worried. Are you okay?"

My heels helped give me extra height, but I needed more so I went up on my tippy toes, linking my hands around his neck, and answered his question by kissing him. At first, he was in shock, but then he realized what was happening. He kissed me back - hard. His hands gripping my hips, pulling me into his chest.

Marc's Point of View

"What the hell did you say to her? She did call you, right?" I yelled into the phone, never feeling this frustrated in my life.

"Yes she did, and bloody Charlotte decided it was a perfect bloody time to talk." Chase sounded as frustrated as I was. "What's she doing?"

"Who the hell is Charlotte?"

"Just some friend of Dan's."

"Well you screwed up, brother."

"Tell me she isn't doing what I think she is doing." Chase's voice was raw, and even I could hear the hurt in it.

I looked over heads to see Chloe, pinned against a wall, and Jenkins was all over her. The only thing stopping them from having sex here was clothes. He was doing everything to her that every guy with eyes in this room wanted to do, and boy was he getting dirty looks for doing it. Even I was jealous.

"She's past that. She’s acting like she has something to prove. Whatever you said lit a fire under her."

"Stop her."

"Stop her from what?"

"Having sex with him. SHE'S MINE. I don't care if you have to blankly knock the bastard out. Just stop her!"

"You're drunk."

"So is she!"

He had a point. "If we do this. If she sees my face. It's over. All this work we have done will be for nothing; and that happy ending you want won't happen." I was deadly serious to him. Even though he was drunk and angry, we couldn't knock Jenkins out.

"Marc, I can't have her having sex with him, not like this, not just to piss me off." Chase's raw heart was on the line. I knew Chase had a heart. He showed it every time he got one of us out of trouble or when my sisters got into shit but this was the first time he put his heart out there for someone who wasn't blood. He cared about Chloe a hell of a lot.

And Chloe wasn't stupid. There was a reason she had been a nineteen-year-old virgin. She was smart and only trusted a few people. In fact, she hadn't trusted anyone not until Chase came along and she had given him her heart. She might be thinking Chase was rejecting it, but he wasn't. He was going to extreme lengths to get her back.

“Okay, I'll sort it out." I hung up. Somehow, someway, I would sort it. I would make sure Chase got his woman and I was going to stop Chloe from doing something stupid. She would regret it in the morning. Hell, she would be regretting it right now if I knew her well enough. She might be drunk, but her brain hadn't gone to complete mush. I'd make sure her and Chase got their happy ending.

I dialed Oliver's number and slowly moved closer to Chloe and Jenkins.

"Dude, are you seeing this? Chase is going to go mental!" Oliver answered.

"We have to do something about it."

"Like what?"

"Chloe will hate herself in the morning if she goes through with it," And, with my next breath, I added, "And Chase will come down and kill this bloke, then kill us for letting it happen."

"You have a point. So what do we do?"

"You still got that anesthesia on you?"

"That's for an emergency."

"I think this can be classified as one." I gestured for Declan and Archie to come close. I hung up on Oliver when he was beside me.

"You sure about this?" he asked.

"Jenkins has seen your face before, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good, cause he isn't going to let her go with someone he doesn't know," I said just before Archie and Declan were at our side.

"So, what's the plan?" Archie yelled.

Oliver got out the needle, taking the cap off it. "Knocking her ass out."

"Is Jenkins really going to let her go?" Declan frowned, challenging our idea, looking between me and the needle.

"With us backing Oliver up, he isn't going to have a choice. Plus." I lifted my t-shirt up, showing my gun. "That can always work as well. You all carrying?"

They all nodded.

“Okay, now is our chance, she has her back to us." I said it just as Oliver took the opportunity, moving quickly through the crowd. We followed.

I watched the needle go smoothly in her arm. Jenkins was too busy making out with her and feeling every inch of her to notice the needle.

Oliver was standing right behind her. She took a stumbling step back and slowly went limp. Oliver's hands replaced Jenkins and he turned her in his arms, holding up her body weight.

One problem solved.

The next one might not be as easy as I watched Jenkins’ eyes darken.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you again." Jenkins pushed himself off the wall and clenched his fists. "The guy responsible for the cut lips, black eyes, and bruised ribs."

"I'm taking Chloe home. If you have a problem with that, take it up with these guys." Oliver nodded his head over his shoulder and, as if on cue, we lifted our shirts, showing we were loaded.

I watched his lip curl up, and he pointed a finger at Oliver. "One day when your buddies aren't around, I'll make you pay for what you are doing to her." He took a step closer to Oliver. "I promise you that."

"Maybe you should remember she isn't single." Oliver put his arm under Chloe's knees and carried her, as she was completely limp by now.

I pushed him back away from Oliver. "She's taken. Find someone else."

Jenkins gave me a look that would shake most men. "Funny, she was kissing me like she was single."

"She's not, and she was drunk. Back off or otherwise, we will get involved." I was threatening him, and I meant it. Hell, he was lucky Chase wasn't here and I was the one keeping a level head.

"Why isn't she moving?" Jenkins’s eyes narrowed on Chloe. "Why the hell is she KNOCKED OUT!"

"She's passed out. Don't worry, I'll look after her." Oliver had the nerve to give him a cocky grin. For Christ’s sake Oliver, the man thinks you abuse Chloe. Jenkins was drunk, angry, and horny, and Oliver wanted to test his limits?

Like I expected, Jenkins attempted to go around me for Chloe, and I pushed him back roughly.

"BACK OFF!" I yelled. "Now we're leaving. With Chloe. Next time you see her, keep in mind we are watching."

"If I can't hit you, I'll make sure she can," Jenkins threatened Oliver.

Oliver just gave him a charming smile, as if challenging him to. Typical Oliver, always testing the boundaries.

We moved through the club. People just parted ways for us to walk through. I didn't know if it was the fact we were carrying the hottest girl in the club or the fact we were such big men we just scared people away.

"I'll bring the car around," Archie said as soon as we were outside, taking the car keys off me.

"So, what are we going to do with her?" Oliver said. "Should we let Chase know she is safe?"

Should I put Chase out of his misery? I would, once I decided what to do with Chloe. She was more important at the moment. Somehow, I had to make sure she woke up before six to get back to her place to get her ankle monitor back on. It was already past three. I ran a hand through my hair. The dose Oliver gave her would knock her out for at least an hour.

"Come on, let's head back to the hotel." I said when Archie pulled up with the car.

"What, with Chloe?" Oliver looked at me as if I was mad.

"Well, we can't leave her here, can we? And we can't take her home so the hotel it is." I settled it. Chloe was going back to the hotel. Somehow, I had managed to save Chloe from herself and Chase from going insane thinking she was with another man.

However, tomorrow when she was sober and if she still chose to move on from Chase, there was nothing I could do about it.