Tijuana Nights (The Nights Series Book 1) (22 page)

And then he lifted my chin so that I looked him straight in the eyes, and kissed me again, his lips crushing mine. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind what he wanted. I pulled away from him and shook my head. "I'm sorry. I better go."

I started walking towards the gate.

"Ciara," he called out.

I turned to look at him standing there, bathed in moonlight. "Yeah?"

"Please take care of yourself."

I nodded. "Of course." I laughed lightly, and gave him a little wave. "I'll call you."

I pressed the gate release button, and closed it behind me. I walked down the road to the parked Dodge Charger, unlocked it with the set of keys Chase had given me, and climbed behind the driver's wheel. I knew that Alvarez would probably have his cameras trained on the car, so I started the engine with a press of the button, did a U-turn, and started driving down the road. Five hundred yards down the road, a shadow leapt down from a wall, and ran out across the road in front of me.

I recognised Chase, and slowed the car down while unlocking the doors. He hopped into the passenger seat beside me.

“Alicio Mendoza,” I said as soon as he closed the door. “He was there. In Alvarez’s house.”

“Yeah, I know. I saw him. That was why I couldn’t take Alvarez out. There were a heck of a lot more people from the cartel on that property as well. Seems that Alvarez has a few people living there with him.”

I shook my head. “But I didn’t see anyone else. Are you sure?”

“Positive, Mack. I was up a tree. You fell asleep. People came and went while you were out to it.  Alicio came from the other house on the property. Obviously, this is where he has been hiding out since he got here, which explains why we couldn’t find him.”

“He scared me… there was just… I dunno. Something about him. He’s not like Alvarez who is charming. He’s dark.” My voice was quiet. I looked over at him, and groaned. Chase looked exhausted. "Oh god, Chase, I'm sorry. You must have been stuck up that tree for ages."

"It doesn't matter." He brushed my comment off. "You're fine, I'm fine, everyone's fine."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Everyone's fine." I leant over, rifling around for my purse. All I succeeded in doing though was grabbing at Chase's leg.

"Settle down, Tiger." He laughed. "If you want me that bad, you should have started a little higher up."

I blushed in the darkness of the car. "I was trying to find my purse," I responded through gritted teeth. "Stop being so bloody presumptuous."

"No harm in trying." He chuckled as he handed me a cigarette and the lighter from my purse.

I lit it, and wound the window down. "Don't you mind me smoking in your car?"

He shrugged. "There are times when I have to smoke while on the job. So, no, not really."

"And here I was thinking it was because you liked me," I joked.

Silence met me from the passenger seat, and I looked over at him. His expression was unreadable.

"Pull over," he said quietly.

I pulled the car over, thinking that he wanted to drive or something. I undid my seatbelt, but he grabbed my arm.

"Mack." He switched the light on overhead, and turned my chin so that I was facing him. His eyes searched mine. "I do like you." His voice was a whisper. "Very much."

I pulled back from him, and took a puff from the cigarette in my hand. I blew the smoke out slowly, but my heart raced.

"Shit," he muttered. Then he reached for my brooch, and fiddled with the back of it for a second. "There," he muttered. "It's off. Jesus." He sighed, shaking his head. "There's never any bloody privacy in this line of work."

I pointed at the brooch, and then looked at Chase. "They were listening?"

He shrugged. "Who knows. Possibly." He licked his lips, and turned back towards me. "So… have you got anything to say?"

I shook my head slowly. "Not really." I was too sober for this conversation. I was better having chats like this once I’d had a few glasses of wine. "No..."

"Well, let me tell you something then. I haven't had a relationship... not a real one anyway," he corrected, "not for six years. But when you came along I started to see a different sort of future."

I looked at him in surprise. "What?"

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I told you, Mack, I saw something unique in you. You may not see it, but you are genuine, kind-hearted, determined, bold, and yet you've just been fucked over by your Ex so your confidence is shot to hell."

I pursed my lips, refused to look at him, and stared dead ahead. He was right. My confidence
was
shot to hell. I didn’t know if it had ever really been there. It all seemed like a façade while I was with Luke.

He linked his fingers through those of my free hand.

"But you were such an arse when we first met... and then when we got out here, you were an even bigger arsehole. What the hell was that about?" I asked.

He sighed. "I'm always like that. I'm sorry… I treat people…” He paused. “I don’t know. I guess I throw up barriers with people until I get to know them."

I shook my head, and threw my cigarette out the window. Then I turned to him. Something inside me flip-flopped when his gaze met mine. "You were so cold and arrogant… it was such a change when you finally started talking to me normally.” I shrugged. “I just don't know what to make of you, Chase."

"Why?"

I shrugged and let go of his hand. "I think we have a connection, but I don't know if that's enough. Besides, I could be dead in a week. We just don't know."

He shook his head. "No you won't. You know how I know?"

I just looked at him.

"Because," he continued, "You have one of the best assassination teams in the world behind you, and we won't let you get hurt."

I shook my head. "You can't guarantee that."

He took a deep breath and paused. "I don't have a problem tracking her down and killing her now if you like. But River thinks you should do it yourself." He reached for my hand again, and I let him take it. "And you know what? I think he's right. You’ll never have inner peace unless you do it yourself."

I exhaled the breath I was holding.

"In the meantime ... let me love you."

My resolve crumbled, and I reached for him.

I woke up tangled in my sheets, smiling.  I never woke up smiling … but today I did. I had put the stern word on Chase in the car, and told him that if we were going to head towards a relationship, then we needed to take it slowly. He’d been out of the relationship game a long time, and I hadn’t been out long enough.

I knew it was my head talking, not my heart ... but after a speech like the one he gave me, I just couldn't help it. I don't know many people who could have resisted that.

I untangled myself from the sheet, and shot through the shower.

Dressed in my training clothes, I felt energised. It was because of him. I, for one, couldn't help but smile. I was even smiling at my reflection as I brushed my teeth. I took extra care applying minimal make up before I even left my room, which was something I never would have done in the past. And I smelled great, perfumed in my favourite Ralph Lauren scent. Another thing I wouldn't ever have done unless I was attending some sort of party. I actually felt more alive and ready to take on the world than ever before.

I bounced out to the kitchen and poured myself coffee from the freshly brewed pot. I could hear the others in the training room working out and doing whatever it was that they were so inclined to do at this early hour of the morning.

I took my coffee outside in the morning air, lit a cigarette, and sat down on the lounger. The sun wasn't quite up yet, but it was lovely and warm. It was going to be another stunning Mexican day.

Nothing could dampen my mood. Even the thought of Carmen hunting me down wasn't worrying me. It was amazing.

I opened emails on my phone, and started deleting the junk. Then I saw another email from Luke's lawyers.

"Bugger," I muttered as I opened it.

Dear Miss Carmichael,

              On the 25 October, we wrote to you in regard to our concerns surrounding the debt you owe our client, Luke Sommers. In that correspondence, we asked that you get in touch with us by close of business, October 30th.

              It has since been one working day from that date, and we have yet to hear from you.

              As previously advised, this matter will be going to the courts. We will give you till the 1st November to respond to this notification, or this matter will go before a judge.

              I look forward to hearing from you.

             
Yours sincerely,

              Theodore Olsen

              Solicitor

"Shit," I swore darkly. "Shit, shit, shit." I exited out of my email, and looked at the date on my phone. 1st November. I put my hands in my hair, and closed my eyes. This was a nightmare. I had
meant
to email him back, but suddenly everything had snowballed out of control. I should have just done it then and there, but I needed time to try and gather my thoughts. “Idiot,” I muttered, slapping my head. How could I have been so stupid as to not respond? Just when life seemed on top of the world with Chase, that asshole Luke and his legal team had to bring it crashing back down.

I threw my cigarette into the ashtray beside the door, and stomped inside. I didn't have a choice now. I had to ask Chase, River, and Gabe for help.

What a way to put a damper on my new relationship with Chase. "God," I whispered. The sooner Luke was out of my fucking life, the better. He was an asshole, and I so didn't need his shit right now.

It was so bloody ballsy of him to involve lawyers, especially when it came down to the fact that my aunt had signed her house over to me - not both of us. He knew I was going to fold. Luke was using what I held most precious to me - a stable home - against me. All for the sake of fucking money. Luke still had power over me. And that made me angry. I made myself angry with the fact that I was reacting this way. I should have just dealt with it straight away. How could I forget?

If he was here right now, I would shoot him myself.

But he wasn't ... and when I thought about it, I doubted I could shoot him, either. As much as I hated Luke at the moment, I didn't actually want him to die. Maybe I just wanted to hit him.

Chase walked into the kitchen, soaked in perspiration, as I was rinsing and scrubbing the shit out of my cup while I thought about Luke and what the hell I was going to do. This was my fault as well.

He sidled up to me, and kissed me on my neck. I felt myself go weak at the knees, and I turned to him, a smile creeping back onto my features. "Good morning," I said as my lips met his.

He eyed up the cup curiously as he kissed me back. "What did it do to you?"

I looked down at it, and put it on the bench. "Um." I bit my lip. "Actually … I have a bit of a favour to ask. Not a bit of one, I guess it's a big one."

"Anything." He grinned as he leaned in to kiss me again. "Anything you like."

I rolled my eyes. "Well..." I gently pushed him away, and stepped back slightly. I ran my hands through my hair again. "It's just that I have been receiving some correspondence from Luke. Actually, not him, per se... His lawyer." I swallowed. I didn't want to ask Chase for help, but I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Chase's mouth was set in a hard line. "What do you need, Mack?"

I couldn't look at him. I blew out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. "I need to pay him, or else this is going to court. And if it goes to court..." I leaned down on the counter with my head in my hands. "If it goes to court, they are probably going to question why I'm 'holidaying' in Mexico while I owe him a shitload of money."

"How much?"

"Almost six hundred thousand," I muttered. "Half my house, and living expenses incurred from the care of my Aunt and me, apparently."

Chase crossed his arms, and looked at me thoughtfully. "How much have you already got?"