Page 66 of Playing with Forever
Brandon hit the ground hard on his stomach, arm bent behind him, Chase’s knee planted firmly in the middle of his back, keeping him pinned.
“If you ever come near her again,” Chase snarled at him, “I’ll make damn sure you regret it. I will fuckingdestroyyou for even looking in her direction then bury your fucking body somewhere in the desert where nobody will find you.”
Brandon thrashed, trying to buck him off, but Chase didn’t budge. His entire body radiated fury—controlled, focused, deadly.
Chase dug his phone out of his pocket with his free hand and dialed. “Hello? Yes, I need police immediately…”
My entire body shook with delayed shock. Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I was still standing. Still breathing. Because of Chase.
Chase kept Brandon subdued until the police arrived, and once they took him into custody, Chase walked toward me like I was the only thing left that mattered in the world. When he reached me, he gently cupped my face in his hands, his intense eyes searching my expression.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was rough with emotion, like he was scared the answer might undo him.
I shook my head. “You got here just in time.”
The words felt inadequate. Nothing could capture the pure relief flooding through me. Nothing could express the way my knees nearly buckled from the weight of whatcouldhave happened, had Chase not arrived.
“You’re okay,” Chase promised, his voice calming me as he enveloped me in his strong arms, anchoring me. “You’re okay.”
“I know,” I whispered, burrowing my face against his chest. “You’re here.”
As long as Chase was here, I was safe.
CHAPTER27
Chase
The police arrived and I was able to hand Brandon off and finally,finallytake Andrea into my arms. She trembled like a leaf, but didn’t cry. My girl was strong and resilient, holding herself together like the badass she was.
I held her all through the interview process with the police, glaring when some of the cops tried to get me to step back. Andrea wanted me there, and I wasn’t all that inclined to let go of my girlfriend after she’d nearly been assaulted and God knew what else by that man.
Finally, things wrapped up, and I was allowed to take Andrea home. Brandon was being charged with a whole list of offenses, starting with aggravated assault, and even if the district attorney’s office only found a couple of infractions, I’d find a lot more. Our company had fantastic lawyers.
“C’mon,” I murmured, kissing the top of Andrea’s head. “Let’s get you home.”
She gave me a tremulous smile. “I like the sound of that. Home.”
Once we arrived back at my place, I insisted that Andrea sit on a stool at the kitchen island while I started making dinner—baked chicken, seasoned potatoes, and broccoli.
She watched me prep the fresh ingredients, decompressing after everything that had happened. “No take out?”
I glanced over my shoulder at her and grinned. “You deserve better than take out.”
“Look at you, being all domestic,” she teased.
“Speaking of domestic,” I said, retrieving the pots and pans I needed. “You deserve a home that’s not just white walls and boring furniture I bought from a catalogue. What do you say we take this weekend and go shopping? Pick out some paint colors, stop by some furniture stores?”
Andrea looked at me with wide, searching eyes. “Are you asking me to…properlymove in with you?”
“Yes,” I said, meeting her questioning gaze. “If you’ll have me.”
Her lips parted, like the words stunned her. Then she softened, the shock melting into relief. “Of course I’ll have you,always.”
She stood up and walked around the island to kiss me, slow and sweet, like she wasn’t just saying yes to the idea of moving in. She was saying yes to me.Allof me.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight, as if I could somehow absorb the fear and trauma she’d just been through. “I’m sorry it took me so long to figure out it was him.”
She leaned back just enough to look up at me, fingertips brushing my jaw. “You have nothing to be sorry for. How did you figure it out?”
