Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 95

Chase

"You told him?" Carlota spat; her searing gaze could melt steel. Her phone ceased vibrating, only to light up again.

Bringing Stanly to a hospital was off the table. I'd rather take him to the cabin I owned at Mt. Irid. It was off the grid, and we'd be safe there from prying eyes. But Carlota insisted we bring him to the docks. Eros owned a handful of trailers in the port for emergencies like this. This was the last place I'd go, even if my life depended on it. Stanly needing CPR put an end to our argument.

"I was tempted, but I don't want him near Pinehills, Carlota," I murmured with disinterest.

She huffed, her high-heeled pumps stabbing the floor as she strutted out of the infirmary; I was surprised there were no holes in the floor in her wake. She stomped out like a petulant child having an outburst.

Alone, nostalgia punctured a perturbing sensation in my chest. Along the stash of endless trailers were three container vans we used more than a decade ago. One was the infirmary; next to it was an armory and meeting room, and the last trailer housed a getaway vehicle and three motorcycles. The three trailers were attached to one another. There were doors allowing us to walk in and out without being noticed outside.

Being here brought me back through time. The infirmary where Stanly laid - stable for the being - was the bed I woke up in after Letty's accident. The beddings were clean; furniture was covered in white sheets, the medicine cabinet was fully stacked with fresh supplies. In the meeting room, computers lined one side, monitors hung on the walls, and the fridge contained cold beer. Someone had been keeping this place up and running. We might have triggered an alarm, or someone tipped Eros on our arrival. I took a bottle of Corona from the fridge, twisted the cap, and down half of it. I welcomed the cool liquid swirling down my throat.

Stanly was unconscious but alive. He had burns and bruises, but from the looks of it, that was the extent of his damage.

Lucky son of a bitch.

I pulled one of the chairs around the meeting table, sinking into it, processing everything that had happened.

I never thought I'd be sitting back in this place. I didn't want to be here. Needing to be in a safe house meant there was danger out there waiting for me, like a criminal ready to stab me at the first chance he got. I hate this feeling, the need to look over my shoulder, the fear seeping into my bones that something might happen to my family. It ignited an uproar of fury in my chest.

'What the fuck did I do to be on the Vipers' radar?' That's what had been bothering me since the market.

Carlota slammed the door shut - pulling me out of my reverie - the walls of the container van shuddered.

Clearly pissed, she headed straight to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and sank into the chair across from mine. "Eros is on his way."

I expected that, but I hoped he wouldn't come here.

This was the reason I didn't want to bring Stanly here.

"He had guys watching this place, tipped him that we brought a body inside. This has gone out of hand." She shook her head. "Santino will recon Pinehills, and Eros will be here by tomorrow evening."

This was bad. I'd been avoiding Eros as much as possible, and this was the last thing I needed. Eros stepping in Pinehills would only trigger old flames to burn again.

"Did you tell him you got things under control?"

Carlota knifed me with a red-hot glare. "I told you to stop asking stupid questions. I don't want him here, Chase. Hell, I didn't want to be here. I hate to admit it, but with everything that happened today, Eros needs to know what's been going on."

She had a point. This was beyond Carlota and me, but it's too early to bring in the big guns. We need to know what Stanly knew and start making plans from there.

I stood and grabbed my suit jacket from the table. I was still in office attire and lost my tie somewhere in this ordeal. It was past midnight. Sleep and fatigue coping with me. I don't even have it in me to stress that if we didn't bring Stanly here, we wouldn't be dealing with Eros' rage. This was one thing he hated the most, coming in to save the day because we f****d up.

"You're leaving?" She raised her pumps on the table, leaning back on the chair.

"I need to clear my head. Do you need me here when Eros comes?"

She shook her head. "I'll deal with that brat. Go home.

Sofia's probably worried sick about you. Shit," she added, delight making her eyes sparkle. "You need a good story why you're out late tonight, huh?" she taunted, a playful smile tipping her lips.

That made me smile a bit. "Don't remind me," I groaned.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Rafa's number. He answered on the first ring. "Are you sober?"

"Yeah."

"I need a ride home. I'm at the docks."

It took him a beat to reply. "I'm on my way."

Carlota stared at the open door leading to the infirmary.

"They wanted him dead."

"We need to keep him alive."

"Sorry, I got you into this mess." She lowered her gaze to her beer bottle, picking at the edge of the label.

"With or without you, this will come knocking on my doorsteps." That was the worst part of this day, realizing I'd put Sofia and Elise in danger. Whatever the Vipers' reason was for sending Stanly to watch me, I need to find out. "We'll keep your family safe, Chase. I bet my life on it.

No one touches our family."

Those were the exact words written in Letty's letter. She sacrificed her life for my safety because I was family.

"Keep me posted."

Carlota nodded, and I stepped out of the warehouse.

I need some time for myself before Rafa comes to pick me up, gather my thoughts, and form a believable explanation to Sofia about today. I walked the long boulevard under the dimmed moonlight, my mind blank. I focused on my steps; the wind caressing my hair, disheveled from all the taxing venture we had done. Sweat and the scent of smoke clung to my shirt, the evidence that this wasn't just a nightmare. This was real. Rafa's headlights cut through my fragmented thoughts.

I slid to the passenger side and kept my gaze on the window.

We drove in silence for a while. I was the first to break it just to get my mind off things. "Have you decided on what to do with Georgia?"

He hummed, "Yep. I talked to her, and she slapped me in the face." For someone who got slapped in the face, he sounded awfully happy.

My brows raised. "You sound happy."

"Coz I kissed her, and she kissed me back. She still have feelings for me. I just have to take down that wall she put between us, and we'll be back on track." "That's promising. Good luck with that."

He glanced at me. "So, wanna tell me why you're at the warehouse?"

I told him bits and pieces of what happened today, giving him a bird's eye view of the situation with the Vipers.

"I can't say I missed the danger, Chase, because I don't." He pulled up in front of the mansion. "I kinda like my boring life as your assistant."

"You don't have to include yourself into my mess, Rafa.

Whatever this is, I have a good feeling it's someone from the past trying to ruin what I have. My money's on revenge."

"Sure is. We've been on the straight and narrow for the past ten years."

I stared at the mansion. It was dimly lit, too quiet and peaceful. Sofia must be sleeping already. "I won't let them ruin my life, Rafa. I'm in a good place, and I will protect my family at all costs."

Rafa slapped a hand over my shoulder, squeezing. "We won't let anything happen to Sofia and Elise."

"You don't have to-"

"That's right, I don't," he cut me off. "But I will. You got me on your side, Chase. Me and Eros."

We were never good at sentiments, but at that moment, his words left a lump in my throat. I patted his hand.

"Thanks, man."

Inside the mansion, I went to our room and ogled Sofia's sleeping figure. Her silky ash gray hair was like clouds of smoke against the white pillows, the covers bunched around her waist. She was wearing a black silk nightgown. I took into memory how peaceful she looked, like an angel sleeping in our bed.

'My Sofia.'

Jose kept me posted on what she did tonight. She had Jessica and Georgia over, raided our wine closet, and binged watched every rocom they came across on Netflix.

'Will she hate me for keeping this from her?' Probably.

And I deserve it.

I hated that I had to lie to her, but the less she knew, the safer she'll be.

I sighed, went to the ensuite to wash the remnants of this shitty day from my body.

I didn't wait for the water to warm up, took my clothes off, and got under the cold water spray. I lost count of how long I stayed there, thinking, mulling, cursing myself for the things I'd done in the past. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this

novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. The shower curtains' ring sliding against metal pulled me out of my trance. I didn't have to turn. I knew Sofia's touch by heart. She wrapped her arms around me from behind, getting under the spray of water with me.

I turned and stared down at her. Her eyes were wide, questioning, filled with worry.

My gaze traipsed from her face down to her body. Her silk nightgown got wet by the second.

There were tons of things I wanted to tell her, but I said nothing. Instead, I cupped her face and lowered my mouth to hers.