Page 87 of Worth the Chase

She. Fucking. Jumped.

“You’re not okay,” I said against her head as I planted a kiss there.

“Ow.”

I spun her around to face me. “Ow?” I questioned.

Her hand moved to the top of her head. “My head hurts. He pulled my hair really hard,” she said.

I wished I were back on the ice rink, where getting in fights only got me a penalty, at most. If I got my hands on the guy who hurt her, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop.

“Let me finish packing for you. Get whatever girlie bathroom stuff you need,” I said, and she nodded, still out of it.

I looked around and pulled a suitcase and a duffel bag from her closet and started stuffing them with everything I could fit inside. I’d get the rest of her things tomorrow with the help of my brothers.

“I’m ready.” She reappeared quicker than I’d thought she would, holding what looked like a beach bag stuffed to the brim.

I took the bag out of her hand and led her out of the apartment. Opening the door, I stepped outside first and looked from side to side, just to make sure. When Bells reached me, she stopped and stared at the ground. I had no idea what she was looking at.

“Let’s go, baby,” I cooed as I tucked her against one arm and carried the rest of her things with my other.

Once we were in my truck, I buckled her up and called the police station. I requested for an officer to meet us at my house. Bells was going to be mad as hell, but this was the right thing to do, and I knew that she’d agree.

“Who’d you call?” she asked as soon as I got in the driver’s seat.

“The police. They’re meeting us at the house, okay?” I didn’t want to lie or trick her. And for whatever reason, I felt like time was of the essence.

“K,” was all she said, and she looked out the window, avoiding my gaze as I drove us home.

I pulled into my garage before the police did, and I was grateful that I’d beaten them there. Bells hopped out of thetruck without any help from me, and I grabbed her things from the back and brought them into the house. She was putting her things away in the bathroom when the doorbell rang.

“Thanks for coming,” I said as soon as I opened the door and spotted Chief Marin standing there.

He’d been the chief of police in Sugar Mountain for as long as I could remember. He was probably my dad’s age and didn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

“Good to see you, Matthew. Dispatch didn’t say what this was about. What’s going on?” he asked from outside.

“Come in,” I said.

He stepped inside. “Nice place.” He grinned as he looked around.

“Thanks.” I swallowed hard. “You know Bella Sanchez, right?”

His grin only grew. “Of course.”

“Something happened to her tonight. I think she might be mad at me for calling you, but I thought it was important.”

I stuttered as I tried to explain the situation to him. Hell, I was nervous.

“Is she here?” he asked as I directed him toward the dining room table to sit.

“I’ll go get her. Do you want anything to drink?”

He waved a hand as he flipped open his notebook and reached for a pen. “I’m good.”

I found Bells still in the bathroom, staring off into space basically.

“Babe,” I said, trying not to scare her.

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