Chase (Resisting Love #1)(37)

“Kade, did you know Nikki...”

“Layla..”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

I pout. “Okay.”

That earns me a trademark grin.

When I get home, the first thing I do is look for Chase’s car, but nothing. After a hot shower and an hour of studying, I can’t take it anymore. I dial Chase’s number.

“Hello?” A female answers. I hang up. Screw this. Chase had the upper hand, but he just lost it. My phone beeps with a text.



Derek: Hey. Lunch tomorrow after your class? Friends do lunch right?



L: LOL, yes they do. Sounds good, see you tomorrow.



I can hear the boys come home during the night. I check my phone and its four am. Party animals. I can hear them stumbling over things, and laughing. They are definitely drunk. I walk out into the kitchen in my night dress, and see James pawing through the fridge, Kade in the pantry.

“Hungry?” I ask, giggling.

“Layla!!!!!!” James wails, coming up to me and hugging me.

“Where have you guys been?”

“A party.”

“And you didn’t even invite me?” I sulk.

“Yeah, we didn’t want big bro to kill us, so we left you at home.”

“I doubt that. Sit down, I’ll make you something to eat.”

I make them a quick sandwich, which they both devour.

“You are the best, Layla.” Kade talks around a mouth full of food.

James stumbles and almost drops his plate.

“I’ll clean up, you guys go to bed. Before you break something.” I see Kade taking a photo of me with his phone.

“You look hot in this photo, in your pink dress thingy.” He laughs to himself, and then hands me over his phone. He has sent the picture of me to Chase’s phone and has written: Wifey materiall. Material spelt with two L’s. If only he knew Chase is with some other woman right now, most probably, Aubrey.

I’m cleaning up the kitchen when Kade’s phone rings.

“Hello!” he answers merrily.

“Big bro! How are you? Yes, we may have had a few drinks. No Layla is fine. Such a good woman, that’s why I call her princess, you know” He frowns; I think Chase is yelling at him. “No, she didn’t come to the party. Although she’s made friends with Derek. Yeah I know he wants her. Too bad you’re not here.” He laughs. Oh boy. “Bye bro!”

He looks at me and grins. “Goodnight, princess.”

“Night, Kade.” I wonder why James has been so quiet. I look over and see he is already asleep, with his head on the table.

“James?” I shake him. He gets up and walks like a zombie into his room.

My phone rings and I answer half distracted. “Yeah?”

“What did I tell you about walking around the house practically naked?” he growls.

“Who is this?” Ha!

“Don’t f*ck around, Layla.”

“What do you want Chase? Already done with your new toy that answered this morning? Looks like I made the right choice breaking up with you.” I hang up.

The phone rings again, once, twice, thrice. I put it on silent and go back to bed.





Chapter Twenty One





I wake up when I feel someone creeping into bed next to me.

“What the..”

“Calm down, Layla, it’s me.”

“What are you doing here, Chase?”

“You wouldn’t answer your phone.”

“Yeah, because I didn’t want to talk to you, so take the hint!”

“I wasn’t with another woman, baby. You rang when I was at work, an employee answered because I left my phone in the office.”

“Where have you been?”

“Work, or at my apartment.”

“You have an apartment? See this is what I’m talking about, Chase. You keep everything hidden like it’s a huge secret, even small details like this. I was worried about you.”

“Baby..”

“Who was the ‘employee’ that answered your phone?”

No answer, but I could feel his body tighten.

“That’s what I thought, Chase. Get out.”

“No, I want to hold you.”

He pins me under him and I struggle for a while, until eventually I just give in and fall asleep.

*****

Morning arrives and Chase is already out of bed, I can hear him working out in the gym. I shower and change into tight jeans and a tank top, then start to cook a huge breakfast for everyone. Pancakes, bacon and eggs, hash browns-the whole works. Chase walks into the kitchen, freshly showered, by the time I am done cooking, and hugs me from behind as I’m at the sink washing the dishes.

“You didn’t have to cook baby, I could have taken you out to breakfast.” I ignore him and continue my washing.

“It looks delicious. You spoil us Layla.” I turn around to look at him. He’s so damn beautiful. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of faded jeans, the top button undone. His stomach is just, yeah, wow. So sculptured, it should belong in a museum.

James walks out; I think he smelt the bacon. “Hey bro. Layla, it smells so good. You are a f*cking keeper!” He kisses me on my cheek and starts to dig in.