Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 82

Chase

A rancid mix of emotions crossed my face the moment I recognized Sammy. F*cking Sammy. How did I forget that name? I want to punch myself for ignoring that message. It was a warning, and I disregarded it. "I can't say the same, Sammy," I groaned, not bothering to hide the displeasure of seeing her, not that my frustration would be received and appropriately grasped on her end. She was clearly drunk. Her brown eyes were wild and dilated, her footing was unsteady, and she kept biting her lower lip, rubbing her thumb over her index finger and middle finger together, a cue that she was high on something.

She stuck out her lower lip, reaching for the lapel of my suit. I swatted her hand away and spun her around, pushing her back against the door and releasing her elbow. Her squeal jounced in the empty hallway.

"Chase!" she pressed a hand on her temple, pressing her eyes shut. "Can you be more gentle?"

I glanced left and right, making sure we were alone. "What the f*ck are you doing here, Sammy?"

That message, her bumping into me in this hallway, my gut told me that this was not a f*cking coincidence. And the conclusions were anything but pleasant. This woman has been trouble from the moment our paths crossed, and seeing her looking like a f*cking street regular was nothing but bad news.

Back pressed against the door, she looked up at me. With her five foot two height, she craned her neck to glare at me. "Why do you sound so pi*sed to see me?"

The flicker of pain in her tone poked the human side of me.

She looked a lot different, too pale, too thin, and too f*cking intoxicated. Her shoulder blade, clavicle, and humerus stuck out of her skin through her off shoulder dress. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. She changed her hair color from red, and that nose lift and lip implants looked like they cost thousands of dollars. Her eyes were the only undisrupted part of her face. She appeared in pain, agitated, and the dark circles concealed beneath the layers of her makeup made me sigh and try again. "What are you doing here?" my tone was softer but still cautious.

I kept a clear three feet distance between us. She was safe from falling off with her back against the door. "Heard you're getting married," she murmured, rubbing her right arm with her left hand.

The fact that she knew how important this night was to me and still cornered me the way she did had my anger simmering. "Why the f*ck are you here, Samantha? You're not supposed to show your face in Rio."

"I need help!" Like a sharp knife, fear sliced through her tough facade.

This conversation was turning into a f*cking nightmare. The last time I helped her, I needed Eros to pull me out of the deep end. I'm not going down that road again. Not for this woman.

"I can't help you." I ground out, peeking at my wristwatch. Fifteen minutes. Sofia will be looking for me any minute now. She's probably worried sick about why the call from Regina was taking this long.

I spun on my heels, ready to leave Sammy, but she reached for my arm; her choke hold on my wrist declared the urgency of her situation. "Chase... please. Just hear me out."

"Go to the police." I worked to untangle her tentacles on my arm. "Let them handle whatever s*it you got yourself into."

"I tried." She released me, standing before me like the first time I saw her on the streets of Rio, a shell without a soul. Her eyes lift up to mine, dwindling with hope and light. This looked bad, so f*cking bad that I knew that the right thing to do was turn and leave. I had a family to take care of, but Sammy once had been my absolution, a saving from the sins I'd done in the past. It's the only reason I stood there, looking down at her with a stone-like expression.

"I know I shouldn't be here." Her tone was loaded, shoulders backing down. "You are the last person I wanted to burden with my problems, Chase," stray tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them harshly, keeping her focus leveled on me. "But I have no one else. Please... Just hear me out. If you still refuse to help me, I won't bother you again.

"Chase?" Eros' voice echoed behind me.

Sammy's shoulder went rigid, recognizing the voice of the man who warned her never to set foot in this city again. Panic blanketed her face as Eros' footsteps closed in on our location. "Ch... chase..." she whispered.

vine Only Reason

Leave Rio. Wait for my call," I said, and I had no plan on acting on it.

Relief flooded her pale face, nodding. She tripped on her four-inch stilettos as she sprinted to the other side of the hallway. If I wasn't so pi*sed at seeing her again, it would've been funny to see how she bolted like a mouse scared of the cat, but f*ck! I ran my fingers through my hair in time for Eros to clasp a hand on my shoulder.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"Lost guest," I grumbled. Telling Eros Sammy was back in town was a problem I didn't need on my tab tonight. He'd go ballistic, and I just wanted to get through this night unscathed, more than I already had.

"Yeah?" He was unconvinced..

I spun and patted his back, putting on a calm mask for the sake of my own sanity. I need to see Sofia. A kiss from her could ease this unpleasant air on my chest.

"You need to add more signage into these hallways," I said, guiding Eros back towards the lounge. "And lock these rooms under renovation."

"That advice coming from you sounds superficial, Chase, he chuckled. The knot on the back of my neck loosened a bit. At least I maneuvered his attention from Sammy. "You used to love those unlocked doors in my buildings. They're gathering dust from lack of action."

I shoved him away. He pretended to stumble on his steps, laughing. "One day, you'll meet the woman who'll put you in your place, Eros...." I paused, gripping the door handle of the lounge, facing him. "And I'll be there to give you tons of s*it." Holding the other door's handle, his toothy grin never faltered. "Keep waiting, Montiero," he patted my shoulder. "Coz, that ain't happening."