Page 121 of Beneath the Stars (Sugarlake 1)

My feet back up, my head shaking. I can’t. I won’t.

I turn. And I run.

49

Chase

The text from an unknown number telling me “I look tasty” has me snapping my head up and scanning the area.

I’m outside waiting for the private investigator to get here, and who shows up instead? My psycho ex-girlfriend, who is proving with every fucking minute that it was a good decision to end things. Where was this crazy hiding all the years we were together?

“Chase.”

Motherfucking Marissa. I hear her voice before I see her, but soon enough she’s standing right in front of me.

“Marissa, what the fuck are you doing here? How many times do I have to tell you this isn’t going to happen?” I hiss at her, trying to keep my voice low.

She smirks, stepping into me. I grip her shoulders to push her back. Before I can get a word out, she plants her glossy, sticky lips on mine. They feel wrong. I rear back, but her fingers have locked in my hair and she presses harder against me. I try again, grabbing her wrists and wrenching my head just as I hear someone yell. I break free, looking at Marissa, disgusted. I turn toward the noise.

When I lock eyes with Goldi, my heart free-falls through my body and drops on the ground at my feet. Fuck. She looks gutted.

No.

I won’t let this happen.

Marissa tries to pull me back, but I don’t spare her a second glance. All I care about is getting to Goldi. Determination invades my bloodstream, propelling me faster.

“Goldi, wait!” I yell. “Goldi!”

She starts running, stumbling through the doors to the rec hall, and I chase her. I don’t want to make a scene, but I will if I have to. If I let her get away, I’m not sure I’ll get her back. Fear prickles my neck at the thought, but I bat it away.

Goldi pushes her way through the crowd. The sea of people slows her down, allowing me to catch up just as she hits the doors on the other side of the room.

I grab her wrist. “Goldi, damn. Hold up. That was not what it looked like. If you will just listen–”

She shakes her head and pushes through the doors. I follow her. I’ll always follow her.

It’s dark. Just a deserted hallway lined with empty rooms. Goldi runs to one of the doors and pulls, but I come up behind her and slam it closed again.

“Goldi, baby. Please. Just fucking talk to me. Say what you need to say and then give me the same courtesy. I’m telling you, that was not what it looked like.” My tone is pleading—desperate for her to understand. I will do anything to be with her. I plan to spend the rest of my fucking life with her, but we both have to be in this—through the good and the bad. We won’t make it if we aren’t.

She spins around, tears making her cheeks glisten. “Talk then.”

I open my mouth, but hesitate, trying to figure out where to start.

“Go on then, Chase. Talk!” she yells, her arms curling around her stomach.

My tongue shoots out to wet my lips. “That was Marissa. My ex. I ended things for-fucking-ever ago, before I even knew there was a chance with you.”

She huffs.

“It’s true. I ended things because every time I looked at her, I wished it was you.”

“Then what’s she doin’ here? And was that her the other night? On your ph–phone?” She sniffles.

“Yes.”

She turns her head, twisting her body, but I step closer, pressing her into the door and blocking her path. “Let me explain.”

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