Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 116

-Chase-

Bones name of lead, I dragged myself out of bed. The culmination of my restless thoughts, lack of sleep, proper food, and dehydration resulted in the zombie-looking guy staring back at me. I was in Rafa's kitchen, standing by the sink counter, facing the glass panel overlooking the cluster of trees behind the apartment. My reflection was vague, but the dark bags encompassing my dull eyes were clear. I clenched my fist, gripping the lip counter until my knuckles turned white.

It's been three days, and I still have no clue what Samuel wants. Even Sammy had gone radio silent. Sofia still hasn't replied to my messages, and Joe has yet to report to me. The wait was excruciating, and I f*****g miss my girls. My only consolation was Joe's report every night that Sofia and Elise were home safe and sound.

Even work wasn't enough to distract me. I yelled at Regina yesterday. The girl practically fell into a wrack of sobs. My secretary understood my house situation and had been very understanding of my mood. She did her best to keep everything in the office smoothly flowing. If not for her and Rafa, I would have lost Mr. Terrell's deal. He'd be our first franchise for Elisa Hotels. Rafa saved the day by taking over the meeting and closing the deal.

I slammed my fist on the counter, cursing myself. This was all on me; that was the only thing I was certain of. Fuck my life.

I'd been nursing this anger since I left the mansion, a ticking time bomb inside my chest, about to go off in one flick. I wanted to give up and just let whatever storm was about to hit me smack me in the face. But that would also mean that Samuel won.

Last Carlota checked in, she told me Eros would visit the fucker in LaRosa Penitentiary. At least in Rio, Eros could move without looking over his shoulder. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Alice was still sniffing around my life, which left me tight on the leash. This left me with two choices: go to work or drown myself in overthinking. The answer was pretty f*****g obvious.

Fighting the fatigue from taking over, I forced my body to move. I got dressed for work with only a cup of coffee in my system. Rafa left early for California. He'll be checking the status of Elisa Hotel restructuring and be back next week.

Ready to face the day, I stepped out of Rafa's apartment, only to be pushed back with a heavy blow on my face.

"Fuck!" I groaned; my messenger bag dropped to the ground as I clutched my nose, and warm liquid lathered my palms. With teetered reflexes, my assailant drove another blow to my gut. I gasped, choking on air, my body folding forward with the force of the hit. Two more blows, and I hadn't even managed a peek at my assailant! What the f**k was wrong with me?

Gathering my bearings, I evaded his third attack. It was a blur of suede boots and dark jeans aimed at my chest. My vision was hazy, stumbling two steps back inside the apartment. It took me five fucking seconds to lift my eyes and look into my assailant's face. First there were three of him, six foot two with military-cut brown hair and blazing blue eyes.

"The f**k are you doing, Chase?" Derek snarled, walking through the door frame and seizing the collar of my dress shirt, lifting me off the ground. "Can't even dodge a fucking punch?"

Anger slithered through my entire body. I gritted my teeth, shoved his hand away. If he didn't release me willingly, I know I won't be able to get free from his hold. That's how f*****g weak I was.

Eyes narrowed to slits, I met his glare. "What do you want?"

He huffed. Blazing azure eyes swept over Rafa's place, landing back on me. "Keeping my promise. You hurt Sofia. I'm here to kill you."

He turned and closed the door, locking it.

I remained where I was, tasting blood on my lip as I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.

Derek watched me, pinning me with a sifting stare.

"Get on with it," I drawled, lowering my clenched fist.

Derek huffed, striding until he looked me straight in the eyes, his gaze searing into my soul. A slow, menacing smirk spread on his lips. "I've been waiting for this day you f****d up."

He landed a solid on my stomach. My body curled forward as I heaved. He kept a hold of my body, my face dropping on his shoulder. His hand reared back. Though I prepared for another blow, the strike still left me gasping for air.

Two more solid hits and Derek patted my back, shouldering me, and bounded straight to the kitchen. Brows furrowed, and trying to fill my lungs with air, I watched him rummaging through Rafa's kitchen. He stuck a pod into the coffee machine and faced me, pulling out a small black box from his jeans pocket. He pressed a button on the box and leaned back on the sink counter, folding his arms.

"Come clean." His tone was no bullshit. "Tell me everything before I change my mind."

I glanced at the box and back at his face. "Jammer," he explained.

My heart stuttered, eyes wide as I swooped a keek at Rafa's apartment.

"It's safe to talk," Derek said, his voice still edgy.

"You mean this place is bugged?"

"I ask, you answer."

If we were in a different situation, his commanding tone would've earned him an earful from me, but he had every right to be pissed. In fact, I should be grateful he came alone and pounced at me with his bare hands and not a brass knuckle. When Sofia was still in school, his brothers and I would threaten her suitors until they shit their pants. I wouldn't be surprised if Leo and Miles come barreling through that door, ready to tear me apart.

The coffee machine beeped. Derek filled two mugs with coffee, setting the second one on the island. That was a white flag in his vocabulary. I sat on the barstool and reached for the mug, its warmth slithering in my palms. The acid in my stomach would ratchet if I drank another cup, but in order to survive this conversation, I needed the caffeine.

Two sips. Derek patiently waited until I was ready to spill my dirt before his feet. He was an attentive listener. I told him about Sammy, who she was before, her connection to Eros, and the son she says I fathered. His shoulders tensed at the mention of Kenzo and his club, but he said nothing until I was done. I didn't leave out the part about Nikos. Though we were still unsure of his role in Samuel's scheme, I am ninety-nine percent sure he is involved. Willingly or not, that was the unanswered question.

Derek uttered nothing, not even a nod or a hum. It felt like I was speaking to a wall. When I was done, he pulled a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and slid it across the granite top. There were eight numbers in it.

"Saturday, eight pm sharp. Be in that location." He tossed the remaining content of his coffee in the sink and washed the mug.

"What?"

Once he finished washing his cup, he dried his hands and grabbed the jammer. With a final taunting smirk, he left without answering my question.