Page 36 of Chase

My hackles rise with the query—this woman grates on me more each day with her jibes and prods for information, while she remains guarded and aloof.

Violet stands and encourages me to follow. She walks forward, closer to Connor, and passes my hand over. He takes it and then pulls me beside him, wrapping an arm around my waist. The terror I’d felt that he may want to end things subsides slightly as our bodies connect. His close proximity is calming; the smell of him fills my nostrils, and the anxiousness which had risen in my chest moments ago softens.

“Samantha is my brother’s fiancée,” Violet announces firmly, and Connor’s eyes shoot in my direction.

“We’re all extremely excited regarding the upcoming wedding,” she continues, smiling wide at the doctor. “I’m going to be Sam’s bridesmaid. We haven’t decided on a color scheme yet.” Connor clears his throat, attempting to stop his sister from veering into a story about our fictional upcoming nuptials. I stand quietly beside him, holding his hand and unsure what the status between us is. Violet ignores him. “I was thinking sky-blue, maybe with a hint of mint-green. What do you think?” She turns to me and beams.

“It sounds lovely,” I say, trying to appear confident but failing miserably.

“What a curious situation,” the doctor muses, looking at Connor. He stares back at her and straightens his shoulders.

“Please explain that comment.” His grip tightens on my waist.

“It’s nothing of importance. Go see your brother,” she says, waving in the direction of Russell’s room.

“With all due respect, Doctor, I would appreciate clarity on what was just said. Why would my being engaged to Samantha be curious?”

Dr. Rivera looks from him to me, then back to Connor. Violet shuffles impatiently from foot to foot. I hold my breath, willing her not to say what I’m terrified will pass through her vile lips.

“Well, I’m perplexed as Samantha never mentioned knowing the Chase family, never mind being engaged to one of you.” She pauses, and a horrid smile appears, the one her staff know means our days are about to become more complex. “But it does explain why our education fees have been covered.”

“That was a bursary,” Connor says, confused.

“No, Mr. Chase. Samantha’s full fees were paid by your brother.”

No one speaks, but silent inquiries fill the air with each moment that passes.

“Excuse me,” Connor stutters eventually, letting go of my waist. His face screws up as if in pain, and those beautiful eyes normally full of fun wither before me. My heart aches knowing I’ve done this. My inability to tell him what has been going on has made the impact so much worse than it needed to be. This fact will hurt him more than any other revealed tonight. My sense tells me that my time with Connor Chase ends here.

“Your brother, Russell, paid Miss Coleman’s course in full and provided living expenses toward her bursary. There was no bursary for a trainee nursing associate position from a previous application. Samantha obtained a placement here purely on his request,” the doctor confirms brusquely in her most professional tone.

“Did you know about this?” Connor spits, turning to face me. “What the fuck has been going on behind my back, Sam?”

“I only found out recently myself,” I whisper. So many facts have been blown out into the open in a matter of hours. All the silent issues of these past months that I’ve been trying to bury are facing me and need to be dealt with.

“Go home,” he tells me, turning away. I reach for him, but he shrugs my hand away. The doctor watches on, obvious amusement flickering in her eyes.

“I want to support you,” I tell him. Connor walks toward Russell’s door, while Violet stands motionless between us, unsure what to say or do. The other men stand, then Hunter comes to my side and takes my elbow. Harrison collects his wife and leads her nearer her brother’s room, encouraging her away from the altercation. “Connor…” I call to his back.

“Go home,” he repeats, not sparing a glance.

“Brother,” Violet says softly. The lilt of her voice is calmer than I’ve ever heard. The siblings face one another, and he shakes his head.

“No, Violet. I can’t deal with this.” Their conversation is only half-spoken but I know much unsaid dialogue is passing between them. “It’s too much. All of it is too much. More complications that I don’t need in my life.”

“Don’t do something you’ll regret in a few days. Samantha wasn’t the one obsessed,” she reminds him. My beautiful friend glances over, her expression sad. She had been so excited when Connor and I became official. My relationship with him has been one of the most real experiences of my life, and I ruined it. Guilt rears its head, stabbing deep in my chest because of my untruths to both of them.

“Please go home, Samantha. I don’t need your support. I’ll call you later,” Connor says quietly, still not looking in my direction. He sighs softly, his desolation clear. “We can…actually, I don’t know what we can do. But I do know I don’t want you here right now.”

Damon appears on my other side and mimics Hunter's hold. “It’s time to go home,” Damon says firmly. “I’ll drive you.” I shrug them off, but both tighten their grip. “It’s not a choice. Connor has asked that you leave.”

“And I can do so under my own power,” I snap, furious at multiple men trying to tell me what to do.

“He may have asked you to go,” Hunter continues the conversation, “but that doesn’t mean he wants you to roam around London on your own. We’ll ensure you get home safe.”

“She’s a big girl,” Dr. Rivera interrupts. “With what’s transpired tonight, it’s clear Samantha is perfectly capable of looking after herself.” She giggles, then covers ruby-red lips with a hand, feigning embarrassment. “Engaged to one brother while rinsing the other for money. That’s quite the talent you have. The thing is, bad behavior tends to bite you on the ass after a while, and tonight you have been well and truly ravaged.”

“What is your problem?” I hiss, losing the little control I was maintaining. “Since I arrived in this department, you’ve made it quite clear you hate me. Do tell me, Doctor, what exactly did I do to offend you?”

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