Elite (Eagle Elite #1)(61)

I felt the sting of tears but I refused to let any more fall. Instead, I flipped him the bird and may or may not have dropped a really inappropriate word.

His stone face broke into a small smile. “Better, Trace. You can do better than flipping me off and telling me to go screw myself. I know this blows. Believe me, I know. But it’s the only way.”

“The only way?”

Chase nodded. “You and Nixon. You can’t happen. There’s too much history — too much drama, and with Phoenix lurking around campus, you can’t be the catalyst that brings this entire operation down. Believe me, you don’t want that and you don’t want Nixon to be tempted to do that.”

“Nixon.” I spat. “He can do whatever the hell he wants.”

“Good to know,” came the familiar voice.

My head jerked up to see Nixon in the doorway. His eyes uncertain as they flickered from me to Chase and then back to me.

Concern laced his eyes as he began walking toward me. “Are you okay?”

Rage boiled within me. Before I knew what I was doing I jumped from the couch and tackled him, banging my fists into his chest as anger and hurt coursed through me. Chase had to pull me off him and even then all I could do was crumple into Chase’s arms while the hot tears poured out of my eyes.

“I—” Nixon’s voice cracked.

“You’re making it worse, man,” Chase whispered. “Just go. She doesn’t want to see you. Hell, I don’t even know if I want to see you. I know why… I just think… This can’t be fixed by your bad ass mafia mojo.”

“But—” Nixon cleared his throat. “Trace?” It was a question.

“Just go to hell.” My voice was muffled in Chase’s shirt.

Chase swore. “Nixon, you had to choose. And I think you made it pretty clear to everyone within a fifty mile radius who you chose.”

“I just don’t know if I want to live with the consequences,” Nixon said.

“I guess we’ll see what this family really is made of.”

“Chase.” Nixon’s voice was hoarse. “Take care of her, please. Just—”

“Go!” I yelled, interrupting them.

Chase held me tighter and nodded his head once. I heard the door open and close, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

Exhausted, I didn’t protest when Chase lifted me, for the second time that day, into his arms and carried me back to the couch. I tucked my hands under my chin and closed my eyes. Within seconds the lights in the room were off. I heard a door lock and then I felt a warm body next to mine.

The couch was big enough for two people, so I scooted over while Chase lay down behind me and tucked me into his body. He pulled a blanket over the both of us and sighed.

“Chase?” I sniffled.

“Hmm?”

“Why are you helping me?”

“Because you’re hot.” He rubbed my arm and let out a laugh. “Trace, I’m kidding. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m here because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Because I hate to see chicks cry, and although popular opinion states I don’t possess a heart, I actually do. So color me weird, but when I see a friend — and don’t scowl I can hear it from here. When I see a friend, a good friend, upset, I would freaking bleed myself out before letting them go through shit alone.”

“That was a nice speech. Did you practice it?” I found myself smiling even though my heart was still breaking and thumping in my chest as if it had permanently lost its rhythm.

“Very funny.” Chase pulled me tighter.

“Chase?”

“Yeah?”

“Why can you help me but Nixon can’t?”

“Loaded question, Farm Girl.” His hand moved back to my arm and he rubbed up and down in slow strokes. “He’s the mob boss. I’m the cousin. It’s different. I’m not even next in line. I’ve always done my own thing. I mean, yeah, I work for the family. I guess you could say I’m lower on the totem pole, so I don’t really matter as much. If anything, you’re better off with me than Nixon anyways. At least with me you won’t be a target for murder.”

“How… reassuring.”

Chase’s warm chuckle relaxed me. “Hey, you asked. Now, please try to get some sleep.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

“Always.”

I tried not to let his promise affect me. After all, Nixon had promised a lot of things too. I hated that my distrust and confusion of what Nixon did, totally spoiled any relationship I had with my friends, but I was still terrified that Chase would leave me just like Nixon, and in the end I’d be stuck with nobody. Because one thing was always certain in my life… everyone left. My parents, Grandma, even me… It was only a matter of time before those I loved left me too.





Chapter Thirty


I woke up in Chase’s arms. Not exactly the way I had planned my Wednesday going.

His oven of a body was seriously overheating me, add that to the vicelike grip he had on my person, and I was feeling slightly claustrophobic. With one hard tug I fell to the floor. And Chase, of course, fell on top of me.

“What the hell, Trace?” His eyes opened as he braced his body over mine looking from the couch to me in confusion. “You could have at least told me before you tried to kill me!”