Play With Me(41)

She’d done it and he’d been damned proud of her. Still was. No woman had ever tempted him like she did. Not even Cynthia. Chase sighed. When was he going to give it up and stop letting another woman’s betrayal fester in his gut? He cared far more for Eve, and he’d rejected her in a heartbeat.

Murphy had gone too far when he’d made her admit they were her masters. He might be a shit right now, but Murphy wasn’t completely blameless. He’d warned him not to try and make this a relationship for the three of them. Playtime was one thing, anything more was out of the question.

So then why did the thought of Murphy in there with her alone burn him from the inside out? He should have left and gone home hours ago. He’d been given an out and he damn sure needed to take it. Yet here he still sat. Waiting for Murphy to call him out.

“I’m keeping her for myself.”

Chase bristled at the words Murphy uttered. “Like hell you are.”

“Do you have any idea what your behavior tonight did to her? It’s going to take a hell of a lot of maneuvering on my part to even convince her to let me stay in her life. You are a f*cking prick.”

Chase winced at Murphy’s not incorrect assessment.

“I finally get it, okay? You don’t want to have a relationship that includes both of us with her. Fine. Have it your way. But I’m keeping her, so you’d better get used to it.”

Chase shoved his chair away from the table and stood. Anger fired his blood, and jealousy drove him insane. “No.”

“Fuck you, Chase. You aren’t the boss this time. You relinquished that right about six hours ago in a f*cking public park.” Murphy moved forward, fists clenched at his side.

“This isn’t about you.”

“The hell it’s not. It’s about you, it’s about me, and it’s about Eve. The woman we broke tonight deserved so much better than you gave her.”

Red-hot rage burst free in Chase’s head. He swung his fist and connected with Murphy’s jaw. Pain exploded in his hand, and Murphy’s head swung back. Chase welcomed the pain, the torn skin on his fists, and the anger he saw reflected in Murphy’s eyes.

“You son of a bitch.” Murphy charged him, grabbing him at the waist and driving him back into the wall. Dishes rattled and crashed from the counter to the floor, and still Chase saw nothing but the thick haze of jealousy. He couldn’t simply give Eve to Murphy. It would eat him alive to be left out.

“What the hell?” Eve stepped into the room. “Murphy, Chase, what the hell are you doing to my kitchen?”

Murphy froze on top of him, fist poised in midair. Eve ran toward them.

“Stop!” they yelled in unison.

She halted her progress but continued to glare.

“There’s glass, baby. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Murphy’s tone changed instantly with Eve. Protective.

“Me? Are you kidding? You don’t want me hurt, but it’s okay to pummel each other?” She backed out of the room and disappeared around the corner.

Murphy turned back to him, anger and hurt still etched in his features. Before either of them spoke, Eve sauntered back into the kitchen with a pair of slippers on her feet and a broom in her hand.

“Are you two done breaking my things?” Resignation had settled in her voice, and it tore at Chase’s gut. He’d done this to her.

He jumped from the floor and lunged for the broom. “Let me.”

She yanked it out of his grasp. “Haven’t you done enough tonight?” She swept at the glass and porcelain shards scattered across the floor.

“I f*cked up.”

Her sweeping halted, but she kept her head down and eyes averted. At least he had her attention.

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t expect—” Fuck. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t lie to her now.

“Don’t bother, Chase. You told me from the beginning this was a bad idea. It was a job. One I agreed to do and then be done. We both knew it would lead to sex. Just leave it at that.”

Chase grabbed her and hauled her against him. “Sex. You think this was just about getting laid?” He tightened his fingers around her arms like tight bands. The need to hold her still and make her listen was all that mattered. “I knew the minute you walked by me the very first time with your f*ck-me shoes and feminine swagger that you’d mean more than someone to f*ck. Your scent alone had the power to send me to my office to jack off every damn day.”


She struggled against his hold. He clamped tighter. He wasn’t letting her go. “But, baby, I see the way you look at us both and I’ve been down that road before, and you don’t want to go there. Trust me.”

“Why? Because that’s what happened to you the last time?”

Her words shocked him to his core. Of course, Murphy told her. He’d undermined this relationship from the get-go. “Yes.” He had nothing more to offer on that subject.

“So, you’re scared. Big deal.”

The fire in her eyes singed his pride. “Not scared. Realistic. There’s a difference.”

“Whatever.”

Chase roughly released her, and Eve stumbled back a few steps. “Easy for you to say, I guess. You’re not the one who spent a year wondering what had gone wrong.” Using women the way he’d been used.