Page 32 of Beneath the Stars (Sugarlake 1)

We’re back at the apartment, and Lindsay’s leaving. Finally. Chase walks her to the door, speaking low, close to her ear. I analyze every single moment between them, unable to tear my eyes away. Her earlier words have soaked into my skin. They’ve mixed into my bloodstream and reached my heart, causing fissures with every beat.

I feel the couch dip beside me. Jax’s arm settles around my shoulders. “Sweetheart, you stare any harder, and you’ll burn a hole straight through her.”

The sting of my eyes makes me blink, but I don’t turn away.

“Just talk to him, Alina. Don’t drive yourself crazy with the ‘what-ifs.’” He pulls me closer, dropping a kiss on the side of my head.

The front door closes. Chase walks back over, stopping short when he sees Jax and me on the couch. “You two look cozy.”

My breath whooshes out at his audacity.

Jax laughs. “Yeah, well… someone had to make sure your girl was taken care of while you were busy with the local trash.”

I stifle a smile, my mood warming at Jax’s show of loyalty.

Chase’s jaw tics, like it always does when he’s holding back what he wants to say. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Jax levels him with his stare. “Which part?”

The silence is deafening.

“Anyway, I’m beat, bro. I’ll see you two in the morning.” Jax stands up and stretches, walking down the hallway, leaving Chase and me alone.

Chase sidles up to me on the couch, his arms winding around me. I don’t return the embrace.

“Baby,” he whispers. “Come on, Goldi, don’t be like this.”

I bristle. “Were you ever gonna tell me, Chase?”

“Tell you what?”

I run my hand through my hair, my foot tapping. “Oh, I don’t know. How about we start with the fact you’ve been tellin’ me you’re workin’ when you’re really spendin’ your nights in another girl’s apartment.”

He releases me, sitting back. He sighs, looking down at his hands. “I did work that weekend.”

“That’s not the point!”

“Goldi, you have to know Lindsay’s just a friend. You do know that, don’t you?” He scoots closer, reaching for my hand.

I jerk it out of the way. “She does

n’t want to just be your friend.”

“She’s in a fucked-up place right now and needs someone to lean on. That’s all.”

“Oh, really? What’s wrong with her?” The mocking in my tone doesn’t go unnoticed.

He tugs his hair as he stands, pacing the floor. “She asked me not to say.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Predictable.”

He walks toward me. “Goldi, listen to me. I don’t fucking want her. I want you. I love you.”

The dam bursts on my emotions. His words stab my insecurities, making them gape open and bleed. Tears trickle down, and I don’t bother to wipe them away. “You have a real funny way of showin’ it lately, Chase.”

He sinks to his knees, pushing his body between my legs. “Don’t cry,” he whispers, brushing the tears from my face.

I turn my head into his palm, squeezing my eyes shut. “I need you to choose me, Chase.”

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