Page 97 of Master of My Heart

She nodded.

“What did he do to you?” he asked in a low voice.

“I can’t.”

Chase reached out and took one of her small hands in his. It was something he’d wanted to do for so long, albeit under completely different circumstances. “Sabrina, look at me.” He waited until her green gaze was focused on his face. “I swear to you, if you tell me what happened, he will not touch so much as a single hair on any of the other dancers’ heads.” He kept his voice soft, but he hoped the slight growl would reinforce his words. And he meant every word. He would kill Aiden before he let him touch Sabrina or anyone else again.

Her eyes widened and she pressed her lips together as tears filled her eyes. Then her lower lip began to tremble. “How can you promise such a thing?”

Chase winced at her use of the word promise. Did she blame him for her capture? Was that why she didn’t want to be around him? Because he’d failed to keep the promise he’d made to her that night on the yacht? “Sabrina...” He swallowed hard. “I know I didn’t find you after you were taken. I’m so sorry.” His voice cracked. “I tried everything I could to find you. I know I failed you then, but I will not do it again.” He set his jaw and prayed she’d believe him. Never before had he felt like such a failure as he did at that moment. No wonder she didn’t trust him. He looked down at the bed and closed his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

A cool hand cupped his cheek. He looked up and saw her looking at him, her brows drawn together. She wasn’t hugging her legs to her chest anymore. “How could I possibly blame you for what happened to me?” she asked. “The memory of you kept me from going insane.” She gave him a tiny smile and his heart melted.

“Really?” he croaked.

She nodded “Really.”

He smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered, squeezing her hand.

Sabrina looked away again and his heart fell.

“Please, tell me what happened with Aiden. I will make sure it never happens again.”

She stared at her quilt for a long time before she finally began telling him what had happened since she’d met Aiden. As she spoke, his anger grew. Chase was ready to rip off Aiden’s cock and choke him with it, especially after she told him what had happened the previous night. But he used every ounce of training and discipline to remain calm. He couldn’t let her think he was angry because his gut told him she would assume his anger was directed at her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

“Do you hate me?” she whispered when she finished.

He stood and sat on the bed next to her, cupping her cheek. “Why on earth would you think I hated you?”

“Because of what I did. Because I let him use me like that.”

Chase studied her face. Her eyes were wide. She was waiting for his judgment, but he had none to give. How could he after what she went through? “Sabrina, you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever had the privilege to know.” Her mouth dropped open. He wanted to encourage her, even as he corrected her. “You are so brave to have done that for the other dancers,” he whispered. She blinked rapidly. “But I wish you would have told someone so you didn’t get hurt. No one should treat you like that.” He stroked her cheek. “And you don’t have to do it anymore.” He was going to beat Aiden within an inch of his life and threaten to torture him to death if he ever treated another woman like he had Sabrina. “Do you believe me?”

Sabrina nodded. Chase sighed in relief.

“Will you do something for me?” he asked, standing. She nodded again. “I want you to go take a long shower, then crawl into bed and sleep for as long as you need to.”

She smiled slightly, even as relief showed on her face. “I think I can do that.”

Chase beamed at her. He knew demi-Immortals needed sleep in order to heal. She would feel much better if she got a good night’s sleep. “Good girl.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

She nodded and smiled even more, making his heart swell in his chest.

“Thank you for telling me what happened.”

*****

Sabrina watched Chase walk out of her bedroom. She felt lighter. And safer than she had in a long time. Doubts about what she’d done threatened to creep in, but the relief she felt outweighed those. She stood and started gathering her things for a shower, then walked out of her room toward the bathroom. Chase, Jayson, and another man she didn’t know stood in the kitchen talking, but stopped when they saw her. Jayson beamed at her and she smiled back before disappearing into the bathroom.

She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight anymore. The shower and sleep beckoned.

Chapter Thirty-Three

As he walked back into the living room, Chase was torn between delight that Sabrina opened up to him and anger at what Aiden had done.

“That took a while,” Ethan commented. “Everything okay?”

Chase nodded. “She talked to me.” He beamed briefly, then began to tell them what he’d learned, only pausing when Sabrina peeked into the room on her way to the bathroom. By the end of the story, both men were riled up. Jayson looked furious. Ethan’s fists were clenched, which told Chase he was ready to fight.

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