Watch Me (Dark Obsession #1)(15)
Author: Cynthia Eden

A light flush stained her cheeks. “Well, yes, I mean, since you have your own bodyguard business and—”

“You’re not paying me to keep you safe. No one is paying me.” He wasn’t going to take money from her father and he sure as hell wasn’t taking her money. He was protecting her because he needed to know Gwen was safe. If he didn’t, Chance would go mad. “I’m doing it because you matter to me.”

She seemed to absorb that a moment and then Gwen said, “Just promise, that no matter what happens, you won’t get hurt.”

He’d been hurt plenty before and he would be again. Lex had even called him an adrenaline junkie once. But then, Lex was the one truly addicted to the high. Chance had already found something he enjoyed more than the rush of danger.

“Chance? Please, I don’t want you taking risks for me.”

“If not for you, then who?” He smiled at her. “Baby, my life is all about risk. Just ask Lex or Dev. They’ve got stories that scare even me.”

She marched toward him. Caught his hand. Stared up at him with determination stamped on her face. “I’m not talking about stories. I’m talking about the here and now. You say you want me safe? Fine. I want you safe, too. So let’s make that happen. Let’s both stay safe, let’s stay out of any fires…and let’s just see what came happen for us. I want a chance to be with you.”

And he needed one with her. Needed it, more than he needed anything else.

But he didn’t promise her that he wouldn’t get hurt. There were already enough lies between them.

Chapter Five

At night, Wicked was a hotspot teeming with people. The line to gain entrance to the club usually stretched around the block. Music would blare. Laughter would fill the air.

But during the day…especially so early in the day, Wicked was totally different. Deserted. All of the lights were off and no bouncers guarded the doors.

Lex marched toward the doors. He lifted his fist and pounded.

Gwen kept her position near Chance’s side. She hadn’t seen Ethan in months, not since she’d woken and found him in her bedroom. Chance had come in like a wild fury, and she’d had to pull Chance off the guy. She’d been afraid that Chance would get hauled to jail with Ethan but…

That hadn’t happened.

Ethan hadn’t been charged with any crime. He’d said that she’d left a key for him.

Total lie.

But she had managed to get a restraining order issued against him. She hadn’t seen him since that night, but it seemed as if he’d still been seeing her. Videoing her movements.

The door opened. A tall, broad-shouldered guy with dark red hair glared at them. She recognized the man as Ethan’s driver and sometimes bodyguard, Daniel Duvato.

But Daniel’s attention wasn’t on her. His glare was all for Chance and Lex. “The club is closed, dumb-ass. Come back at midnight.” He tried to shove the door closed again.

Lex threw up his hand and stopped the movement. “I’m here to see your boss.”

The red-haired guy’s eyebrows shot up. “Too bad for you because my boss isn’t looking to see anyone right now.”

Chance stepped forward. He shoved open that door, sending the redhead stumbling back. “He’ll see us,” Chance said, his voice strong and commanding. “Go find Ethan and tell him that Chance Valentine is here to see his sorry ass.”

Daniel laughed. “You are making one big mistake, asshole. But if you want Ethan as your enemy…” He waved his hand to indicate the empty bar. “Come inside. It’ll be your funeral.”

“I doubt that,” Chance muttered.

Gwen caught sight of Lex’s smirk. The guys didn’t look intimidated, but her stomach was in knots. Chance’s home had been torched. This wasn’t some alpha guy social call. This was life or death shit. This was scary.

So, yes, maybe she did inch a little closer to Chance. And she did wish that she had a can of pepper spray with her. Or maybe a stun gun or…

“That way,” Daniel said, pointing toward the bar. Then his gaze shifted and he finally locked his stare on her. Daniel gave a low whistle. “Oh, but he’s gonna want to see you, pretty lady.”

Chance growled.

Daniel smiled. “He said you’d come back,” he told Gwen. “Sooner or later.”

Chance took Gwen’s hand and shouldered past the guy. Daniel’s mocking laughter followed them.

The bar was familiar to her, unfortunately. When she’d stumbled into Wicked with her friends, she hadn’t rushed for the dance floor. She’d gone to the bar, wanting to drink up a little dancing courage. She’d met Ethan at that bar. She’d thought he was just a bartender at first. Later, she’d learned he owned the whole place—and a few other bars in town. He’d had that tall, dark and dangerous vibe and after her rejection from Chance, Ethan had seemed like a temptation she shouldn’t pass up.

Too late, she’d learned that the tall, dark, and dangerous label was all too true for him.

Chance strode toward the bar now, and she could see a man standing behind the gleaming, wooden counter top. A man with dark brown hair and broad shoulders. She knew by the cut of his hair, those faint curls, that she was looking at Ethan even before the guy turned around.

But he did turn around right then. He had what looked like a glass of whiskey in one hand, and when he saw them heading toward him, Ethan’s face tightened with fury. “What. The. Fuck,” he snarled. Ethan slammed the glass down on the bar. “The place is closed. Get the hell out!”

She froze, an instinctive reaction, but Chance and Lex just strode forward.

Ethan’s eyes glinted with fury. “Didn’t you hear me, Valentine?”

Ah, right, like he was going to forget Chance.

“I said get out!” Then Ethan’s gold eyes—tiger eyes—locked on Gwen. For an instant, the fury on his face lessened and something else—something that looked a lot like fear—flashed across his face. But in the next instant, all emotion was gone and he was gazing coldly at her. “Gwen.”

She shivered.

“Violating your own restraining order, are you, Gwen? I guess some women just can’t stay away…”

Chance’s hands slammed down on the bar top. “I know what you’ve done. Did you think no one would find the cameras you set up at Gwen’s place?”

Ethan’s eyelids flickered. “Cameras?”