Just Let Me Love You (Judge Me Not #3)(30)

But from the look on her face, I see my stubborn girl’s not having any of my good, logical reasoning.

“Chase,” she says, her voice tired but firm. “Please don’t fight me on this. I’m going with you. We already decided that that is the plan.”

I put up my hands. “Okay, okay. If that’s what you really want.”

“It is what I want.” She sighs. “You’re not doing this alone.”

“Fine,” I say, acquiescing. “There is a condition, though.”

I eye her intently, until she says, “What?”

“You are absolutely not coming up to that trailer with me. I’ll park down the road, before we reach the place. I want you to wait in the car while I check things out, okay?”

On this, I am not budging, so it’s good when Kay replies, “Yes, yes, okay. Wait in the car. I got it.”

I pray she does, in fact, ‘get it,’ because the last thing I need is for Kay to accidentally get shot by my misguided, gun-toting brother.





Kay



I don’t like this plan. I don’t like it at all.

As Chase and I make a turn onto the disturbingly named Vulture Mine Road, full darkness descends, turning the mountains to shadowy silhouettes.

The night has an ominous vibe, prompting me to say to Chase? “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Bad feeling or not,” he replies, “I have to help my brother.”

“I know,” I whisper, accepting his decision.

Still, when Chase slows to an almost stop, I place my hand on his arm. “I’m not suggesting you not help Will. I just want you to promise to be extra careful.”

Chase is so big and strong and capable, but he is just a man. He’s not a superhero like the lead character in Will’s comic book, the one I know in my heart Will modeled after his older brother.

Chase pulls off the road and the rental car dips down into a gravel turn-out. After turning off the ignition, he turns to me.

I lean over to him so he can enfold me in his strong arms. “I’ll be careful,” he assures me.

I’m strong for Chase. I don’t let him see any of the tears building in my eyes, even though all I feel like doing is crying in his arms.

After a hug—which lasts a while, but not long enough—Chase pulls away. Slowly, he opens the driver’s-side door, allowing the dome light to bathe him in an orangey kind of glow.

His light-brown hair looks slightly coppery, and I reach over and run my fingers through the soft locks. “You have two sides to you, Chase, and I love them both,” I softly proclaim.

His eyes go to mine, his blues questioning. “Two sides?” he asks.

“Yes,” I reply as I tug gently on the ends of his hair. “Soft,” I say, combing through the silky strands. “And hard.” My hand moves to the rough stubble on Chase’s jaw. “Like this.”

I touch his lips, mouthing the word, “Soft.”

He smiles.

I laugh.

Lowering my hand, I grasp his solid bicep. “And hard,” I nod and raise my eyebrows. “Actually very hard,” I add. “Impressive.”

This time, Chase is the one to laugh. But he quiets when I skim my hand across his chest and stop at his heart.

“Soft” I whisper, “so very soft.”

Chase grabs my hand. “Kay…”

His eyes say everything he doesn’t—or cannot—say.

“Go,” I tell him, turning away. “Go, before I try and stop you.”

I hear him sigh.

I hear him close the door.

And then he’s gone.

The outcome of the night now lies in fate’s hands.





Will



Am I making a mistake? Is this the right thing to do?

Truth is, I don’t know.

Why does it seem I always have questions, but never any answers?

I know what Chase would say to me. He’d tell me I’m throwing my life away. He’s big nowadays on keeping on task. But in the same breath, Chase is always urging me to be courageous.

He says shit like, “Follow your heart, Will. But always try to be a good man.”

Well, saving Cassie from Paul seems like something a “good” man would take care of. Right?

In any case, I have no choice. I have to try. See, Cassie doesn’t have a father to do things like protect her from crazy perverts. Her dad died several years ago, same as mine. My deal—though rotten—was still better than hers. Better because I have an older brother who’d lay his life down for me.

Cassie has no one but me. That’s why I’m manning up. Someone has to take care of this f*cked-up situation.

And we need a solution that is permanent.

I drive out to the deep desert, not far from where Chase and I were earlier in the day.

Shit, now that I think on it, this whole week has been great. Riding Dad’s old Indian, what a trip that has been. Mom’s had that thing in the garage for ages. Greg usually ignores it, but I sometimes catch my mom out there, staring at that bike like it holds some answer she’s been looking for. She gets that faraway look in her eyes, the same look she gets anytime she’s lost in her memories of my dad.

Dad. I shake my head.