Chapter 59

Chloe's Point of View

"Now, that's a nice ass."

I rolled my eyes, having my back to him. "Morning, McKenzie." I looked over my shoulder at Oliver. "You hungry?" I started plating the bacon.

Oliver nodded and pulled a bar stool up at the kitchen island.

"It's the only thing that got me out of bed." Archie said, running down the stairs with no shirt on. "I swear the smell of bacon woke me up."

"Good, because I cooked plenty." I picked up the bacon, turning off the heat plates. I hadn't even placed the plate down before Archie started grabbing handfuls, cursing as it burnt his hands.

Dan and Declan came down the stairs talking, but their conversation stopped when they saw the amount of food I cooked.

"Thank God. Breakfast." Declan grabbed a stool next to Oliver. "You're a great cook, Chloe."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." I winked at him. "Oh, hi Marc." I grinned, seeing him walking into the kitchen, and then I reached out for him, grabbing the side of his face. "Who hit you?"

"Chase." He shrugged and reached around me, grabbing a plate.

"It was because of me, wasn't it?" I sighed and let go of his face. "You really need to let me fight my own battles."

"He was being a dick." Marc moved from me and went and sat at the table. I followed him.

The guys were talking about the chance of girls showing up today. I was more interested in Marc. I pulled a seat out next to him.

"Sorry." I was honestly so sorry. I never wanted to get him in trouble.

"Wasn't your fault." He stabbed his egg, cutting it up. "I chose to stand up to him."

"Is this why I spent like an hour cleaning up broken glass?" I frowned. "Did he put you through it?"

"Maybe I put him through it." He smiled at me and winked.

"Sorry."

"Stop saying sorry."

I chewed my bottom lip and watched him stuff his face. "Did Chase hit Oliver?" I asked, knowing I was more likely to get answers from Marc than I was Chase.

"What do you think?" Marc said between bites and rolled his eyes.

"So, that's a yes." I rolled up the sleeves of one of Chase's dress shirts I was wearing. All the buttons were done up, and now the sleeves were rolled up my elbows. "Thanks for telling me the truth."

"Always." Marc looked at me with a look he shouldn't be giving me. "What's on for your day?"

Change of subject. Good. I reached across the table and grabbed my phone, which was on the other side of the table. I heard Marc inhale sharply, but I didn't understand why until I looked at his face.

I knew that look.

I had seen it on Chase's face.

"Um, I have a meeting in like," I lit up my phone. "Half an hour. Can I borrow your car? I don't expect you to drive me around all day."

"You have a meeting this early?" Marc frowned at me. "With who?"

"Getting a delivery at the motel. I have to be there to collect it."

"Stepping into the old lady's role, hey?"

"Something like that." I got up and noticed his eyes run down me. "Marc, if there is anything I can do to say sorry for what happened with Chase, let me know, okay?"

I turned to leave, but his hand went over mine on the table. Frowning, I looked back at him.

"Wear more clothes around me," he staggered out, and I had never not heard Marc in control. "Please."

I blinked. What a weird request. "Okay?" I smiled at him, as he looked like he had just given me insight into something, but I was more confused than ever. "I'll wear more clothes." If that made him happy. "I guess I should actually get dressed now." I felt awkward, knowing he was well aware of my bare legs and the fact I wasn't wearing a bra.

He let go of my hand and then turned it over, placing his car keys in my hand. "Drive safely."

"Always."

I gripped my phone and the keys and left Marc at the table and the boys in the kitchen.

***

I was never good at confrontations. I would always back down. Jenkins had given me enough confidence to be able to throw a punch and take one, but I had never thrown a verbal punch before but if there was one thing I could count on, it was that I never backed down from a fight. Even with Joe, I gave back just as good as I got.

I cracked open the car door and stepped out of the car in my knee-high boots and tight-fitting black dress. I had my sunglasses on and beads around my neck. I lit up a cigarette as I walked towards her.

Just be confident, Chloe. So, how was I going to stand up to a professional woman? A nineteen-year-old going up against a woman in her late twenties. She had class and time on her side. Yeah, it wasn't a fair match, but I had some things this woman would never have – Chase, and a good right hook.

"Massie, right?" I took her extended slim hand, shaking it.

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name." She said it so professionally that even I could ignore the fact I had told her my name not even an hour ago.

"Chloe."

"I expected to see Chase." She didn't hide the fact that she was disappointed.

"Yeah, about that," I put the cigarette in my mouth and didn't even think about it as I struck. My closed fist connected so perfectly with her nose, and she fell. I enjoyed the cracking sound that followed, getting more pleasure out of seeing the blood from her nose as her hands flung to it.

So much better than hitting striking pads or a punching bag.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" She yelled out in pain. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

I took the cigarette from my mouth. "That was for touching him." I took a step over her as she crawled on the dirt ground. "I should have done that yesterday." Darn, that was what satisfaction felt like. "So I'm going to tell you just once. Are you listening?"

She nodded her head.

"Thank you for bringing me the keys and for letting us take over two days early, but I want to be crystal fucking clear," I bent over her. "Stay the fuck away from him. I promise you that my right hook can only get meaner and I don't tap out when things get bloody." I straightened up. "Now, if I hear that you have contacted him again," I pushed my sunglasses up so she could see how deadly serious I was. "I might just so happen to get the address of the next drive-by shooting mixed up with say, 10 Birdwood Ave."

Her eyes widened. Yeah, that's right bitch, I know where you live.

"Like I said, it might happen and the guys are so passionate about their work. Always listening, always so keen to get involved." I sighed, dropping my cigarette near her head and stepping on it. "You might be obsessed with him. Hell, I don't blame you, but he is taken."

"He said he had a girlfriend." She got up, her nose still bleeding. It gave me pleasure to look at it. "I didn't realize she was fucking insane!"

"What did you think the women were like to be with men like him? Welcome to the real world, bitch. Chase might have had a fling with you, but, at the end of the day, that's all you would be."

"He is kind, loving, and deserves better than what you can give him." She stomped her foot in front of me. "Women like you just use men like him."

"That's where you are wrong. Men like him use women like you and then they end up with women like me. You really should get going; I hear the traffic on this highway can be a bitch especially for someone who has an appointment with an investment banker in half an hour."

"You know my schedule?"

"You pissed off the wrong biker's woman but if you stay clear of Chase, I won't have to take you down." I took a step closer to her, smiling. "I'll take you down publicly, personally and professionally then when I'm done, you will wish you never even laid eyes on him so don't mistake this smile as friendly."

"You're crazy!"

"Keys please." I put my hand out.

She dropped them in my hand. "You punch like a man."

"Thank you!" I said to her back as she bolted for her sedan. I threw the keys up in the air, catching them. Not bad for a rookie.

***

"So I want all the cabinets replaced. Kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, all of it. The bath, toilet and shower can stay, but I want them cleaned. If they don't come up any good, then I want them replaced as well. How long should all this take?" I walked with Andrew, the contractor and project manager I had hired this morning. He was the first one to answer his phone and was ready to work right away.

"Each room?" he asked.

"Yep."

"If we push it, I know the furniture can be done by the end of the week and installed. The plumbing can be done by the end of the day with the crew you hired. As for the installation of beds, bedside tables and drawers, they're doing that now so I say by tomorrow for that but you should look at it being up and running by Monday."

"You're really good at your job," I complimented him. "Do you usually do motels?"

"No, normally commercial. Never done a job this big before."

"Well, you should do them more often, because you are great at them." I was so happy with how on track we were, and it had only been a couple of hours. I bought everything online in the middle of the night, added installation required, and the men with trucks were here by nine. They were working through the rooms.

"You were lucky you didn't have to tile or re-carpet," Andrew said, and I nodded my head.

"I expected it to be in worse condition."

We had done a loop of the complex and were back at my car. I could hear the buzzing of my phone on the passenger’s seat. I looked in through the window and was not surprised to see Chase's name.

"And Andrew, can you organize for that pool to be filled? In this heat, it will get used." I opened the door and bent over, ignoring the whistles I heard as I answered the phone.

"Hey," I answered on what I swore was the last ring.

"Why haven't you been answering? And you turned off my alarm." Chase sounded irritated.

"You made me sleep in yesterday. I thought it was only fair." I pulled my sunglasses down. The sun was burning my skin. God, it was hot.

"You needed to sleep. I didn't."

"Whatever you say, Sleeping Beauty." I enjoyed teasing him.

"Where are you?"

"Working on something, and then I have a lecture at one, after that, classes until six, and then work." My morning had been busy but, come one, my game face would be on for school.

He groaned. "What do you mean working on something? I don't want you out. I want you here."

"Yes, caveman."

"When are you quitting this job?"

"You don't even know what I do."

"I don't like it."

I laughed. So typical. "It's actually a good gig. Only nights and mornings-"

"Nights AND mornings!"

"Let me finish!" I said, frustrated.

"Fine, go on."

"And not all the time. So you can rein in your craziness."

"I want you with me. Not running around doing God knows what."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm working on me quitting that job." I watched Andrew walk back towards me. "I have to go. I'd say see you tonight, but I'll be late so don't wait up."

"Chloe."

"Don't Chloe me."

"Where are you working?"

"At a gym, as a personal trainer. Now I really have to go." Andrew was standing patiently at my side.

"I'll be seeing you tonight."

"Chase, don't wait up again."

"I'll be seeing you before you come home," he said with determination.

What is he going to do, crash my lectures? "Whatever you say, babe. I'll see you when I see you." I hung up. "What's up, Andrew?"

"I can get the pool filled today, but there is a lock on the gate."

"Yeah, about that fence, can we take it down? Any biker with common sense will keep his ass out of the pool if he can't swim."

Andrew nodded his head, and I followed him with the keys to unlock it.

Day one of being an old lady, and I'd say I've been productive. Maybe I could handle being with Chase and what came with it?