Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 56

-Chase-

"Workout gone bad or Wrong Turn became a reality?" Rafa chuckled, not even a hint of concern in his voice. as I entered the cabin. He sat in the kitchen with a cup of coffee while scrolling through his phone.

I headed straight to the fridge and assembled an ice pack, wincing as I pressed it on my swollen cheeks. Wearing helmets annoyed me, but I wore one on the ride here to hide my beat-up face. Highway patrol pulling me over was the last thing I needed. "F**k you," I flipped him off and went to my room.

In the bathroom, my chest tightened at Derek's intricate work of art. My cheeks were unevenly swollen. A purple blotch circled my right eye while blood dripped from my left brow. My bottom lip was bloated, like it had been stung by a bee. I set the ice pack down to remove my shirt, grumbling a curse, and winced when I pursed my lips. My body looked like a map done by a toddler.

My phone vibrated. It was an email from Michelle with a detailed schedule for the coming week. Typing a reply, I instructed her to clear my schedule from today onwards until further notice. Her response was immediate, but I didn't want to explain myself to her right now. In truth, I don't know what to tell her.

No one can see me this way. Especially Sofia.

After cleaning up, I went downstairs to the minibar, needing a drink. I was in the middle of pouring my second refill when Rafa came down wearing a shirt and jeans.

"I'm gonna swing by the office before heading to my place," he said, fixing his wristwatch. "Want me to create a good story about why you'd be off the radar?"

I groaned a no.

"You sure?" Rafa pressed, his voice laced with faux concern.

I glared at him. He raised both hands, a smirk playing on his lips. If Rafa would turn pushing my buttons into a profession, he'd be a billionaire by now. He fucking excelled at it. "Just leave me alone," I gritted, downed my whiskey, and refilled my glass.

I heard him sigh. He reached for a rock glass and sat beside me.

"Derek did that to you?" He filled his glass with the golden brown liquid until it was half full.

He told me going over to Sofia's place was a bad idea. He particularly pointed out Derek could be waiting for me to show up at her place. And, as always, he was right.

He took my silence as a yes. "What are you going to do now?"

"What I should've done in the first place," I said, as if saying that aloud would make it easier.

"Did you, though... talk to Sofia?"

I huffed. That was the plan, but all my plans go south when I'm around Sofia - every f*****g time.

"What did she say?"

"She will hate me when she wakes up."

"You did more than talk, didn't you?" Rafa pinned me with a questioning gaze. "Don't tell me you talk to her, fuck her and leave without saying goodbye."Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. He meant it as a joke, but again, my silence was an affirmation. "Well, f**k. That was cruel, man." He shook his head and finished his whiskey. "I'm on your side, no matter what, but what you did was a d**k move. Sofia didn't deserve that." I kept my mouth shut, tasting bile rising from my stomach.

No. Sofia didn't deserve that. I kept telling myself it was better this way. I gave her a reason to hate me, but why does that thought make this whiskey taste like rotten eggs?

Rafa patted my back and left me to drown in my own thoughts. As soon as I heard the roar of his car, my phone vibrated on the counter. I sighed, thinking it was Michelle. I need to come up with a good story before Rafa creates a shitty one for me. My blood went cold when I saw Sofia's name on the notification bar.

I opened it and felt shittier with myself as I read through her message.

It was a picture of her holding the rose I left on her bed. She had the white covers up to her chest. Her hair

was a mess, as though she ran her fingers through it a couple of times. Laugh lines adorned her face as she smiled, and an adorable blush stained her cheeks. Thank you,' the caption said.

I closed my phone and set it screen down on the counter, rubbed a hand over my face. I lifted the glass to my lips, stopped midway, and threw it on the wall instead.

"Why can't she f*****g hate me for being a d**k?'

After throwing the glass and the bottle of whiskey on the wall, I went out back and chopped firewood. I've been doing this all morning, channeling my anger on the axing wood, hoping to ease this rage, but to no avail. The pile on the side was growing tall, but my anger remained intact.

Approaching footsteps put a stop to my rambling thoughts. On alert, I paused to see who dared to invade my property.

It was Costa, my father's right-hand man. Seeing him was like spraying gasoline on my already sour mood. "Mr. Montiero wants you in his office," he said without preamble, making his intentions clear. Setting a wood on top of the chopping block, I lifted my ax and chopped it in the middle. The blade hit the block. Picking up the two pieces of firewood, I tossed them on the growing pile.

"I'm busy," I muttered, took another piece of wood, and chopped it. Wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, I picked up each piece and threw them languidly on the side.

Costa remained standing as stiff as a pole, unphased by my obvious displeasure for his presence on my property.

'Derek, Sofia, and now my father? Can't I get a fucking break?' My mind was a jumbled mess, and talking business today will do me good.

"It's not an invitation, Chase," Costa stated firmly.

I huffed, dropping the ax on the chopping block, and faced Costa until we were standing toe to toe. The guy was shorter than me by three inches. From a third person's point of view, Costa looked like a harmless fifty-seven-year-old. Gray strands lined his perfectly brushed-back dark hair. His cool brown eyes stared back at me with the same intensity of a man ready to take me to my father, whatever it took.

"What does he want?" I groaned.

"You'll find out soon enough," Costa replied.

I sighed. Even though the old man and I don't see eye to eye, I know Costa will not leave my property without..