CHAPTER 41 – CLAIM THEM
The man was in serious pain, and that pain bled into his voice as he exclaimed,
“My wrist is broken! Please! Please, let me go!”
His pride and over bloated ego had all evaporated in Chase’s presence. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, as he tried to loosen his inflamed wrist from Chase’s grip.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
“What was that you called her?” Chase snarled in rage, “Who the fuck are you to lay your filthy hand on her?!”
The manager dashed out of a door to see what the noise was all about, and his jaw dropped to the ground in alarm and shock when he saw Chase. He hurried over, apologizes spilling out of his mouth like a waterfall.
He had not even bothered to ask what was going on.
“Mr. Axford! I’m deeply sorry-”
Chase was barely even listening. All of his dark attention was strained on the man. He roughly flung his hand away, earning a pained howl from the man who was now clutching his hand desperately.
“Where the fuck is your business card?” Chase demanded, barely keeping his rage contained.
Mackenzie felt her breath quickening, genuinely alarmed. She had never seen Chase like this, ever. The man did not even hesitate, with his unbroken hand, he shakily yanked a card out from his pocket.
Chase dragged it out of his grip and glared down at it, “You are a fucking director at Steele Importation Company?!”
The man nodded. His friends watched on with wide eyes. The manager looked helpless. Chase grabbed his collar, leaving a tear in the fabric.
“I’ll fucking make sure you lose your job, and any other means of livelihood you might have. You’ll be on a my blacklist, for good. Next time you’re tempted to lay your hands on any woman, you’ll fucking remember me.”
Chase’s glare shifted to the manager. “What are you fucking waiting for?!” He yelled, “Call the fucking cops on this bastard!”
“Of course, sir!” Manager Ty answered.
Chase pushed the man out of the way, making him crash back into the ground. He grabbed Mackenzie’s hand and pulled her away from the scene. They headed upstairs, while Mackenzie struggled to catch up to his large strides.
By the time he pulled her into a VIP lounge and slammed the door shut, Mackenzie could barely catch her breath.
Her heart was pounding, and began pounding even faster when he turned to her, fury shining in his eyes. He was bristling so hard with anger, frustration and the urge to go back to that mother fucker downstairs and pound him into a pulp with his fists.
Breaking his wrist was not enough.
In fact it was just a stoke to a fire.
“You really want to see me fucking lose my shit before you come to me, right?” He asked in a dark tone.
She knew she had to do something to dispel his anger, bit her voice came out weak and soft when she tried to speak, “It’s not like that… and you didn’t have to break his wrist-”
He stepped right in front of her, pinning her down with his hard gaze. “I could fucking kill anyone that touches you, Mackenzie. I don’t fucking care. Once anyone looks at you the wrong way, or gathers that audacity to touch you… I am going to fucking go ballistic.”
“That bastard downstairs got off easy, because I have to check your hand.” His tone was threatening, yet his touch was gentle when he took her hand and glanced at it.
Mackenzie looked down at her hand too, heart racing. The shape of fingers had burrowed its way deep into her skin, making it swell and take on a red color.
“Fuck.” Chase cursed. He clenched his jaw hard and raised moved his gaze back to her. “I’m going to fucking deal with that guy. Does it hurt?”
His thumb softly massaged the spot. That gesture alone was enough to send Mackenzie’s hormones into overdrive.
She responded, “No..”
She knew her little response would not convince Chase, because her wrist was indeed in a dull pain.
But at this point, she felt so confused. Only Chase would be extremely enraged, and still be gentle and intimate at the same time. She tried to look elsewhere, but he held her chin and made her meet his eyes. Made her see his anger. His frustration.
His possessiveness and desperation.
“Do you fucking like working in this depraved place, Mackenzie? Where anyone can harass you, and say those fucking words to you? I can’t watch you continue being so stubborn at your own fucking detriment.
“Hundreds of people would be fucking jumping at this opportunity you have. Do you want you pay to be increased?” He did not even give her a chance to respond before he added. “Fine. Three hundred thousand dollars a year. More? Five hundred thousand dollars, then?”
Mackenzie only stared at him, in stupefaction.
She did not expect this kind of reaction from him at all. He had always been territorial over her, but now, fueled by anger and hate towards the man who harassed her, he was uncontrollably possessive.
In his beautiful blue eyes, she could see him calling her his.
Taking her silence as disagreement, he continued, “What if I give you an open check instead, Mackenzie. You know how much your skills are worth. Write whatever amount you want. You’ll get it. Just fucking accept my offer, Mackenzie.”
She was speechless, and breathless.
“Chase…” She began, but had no idea what to say to him.
But his attention had already been snagged by her delicate ears. She suddenly became so self-conscious, furrowing her eyebrows slowly.
“You aren’t wearing earrings.” He said suddenly. “Did you not put on any of the earrings I sent to you?”
She broke his dark gaze, “They are too expensive for me. I can’t wear jewelry that cost more than my yearly pay. It’ll only attract thieves.”
“If you take up my offer, thieves will be nowhere near you.” He countered. “Think about it, Mackenzie. Besides, you were so fucking dead drunk that you lost you earrings. You were complaining about it and I got you replacements. They’ll remain at your place until you choose.”
He reached behind her to pull her hair band off her ponytail. Her hair feel loose over her shoulders in bundles of thick dark curls that spilled down to her waist.
Momentarily surprised, she exclaimed, “What are you doing? I’m at work!”
“Right now, you’re with me. I hate it when you hide your hair away like that. Let those beautiful curls fall freely.” His voice was quiet now, giving the impression that his anger had dissipated.
But that conclusion could not be more wrong.
Dead, dark anger still rumbled in those eyes. But he could not stop touching her, making sure she was still here after he saw that bastard grab her and say those horrible words to her. Renewed hate filled his mind.
He held her and sat her down on the leather couch, settling down beside her and pressing the bell. It seemed like the manager and a waiter was already outside the door, because they stepped in immediately the bell rang.
Manager Ty looked like he was about to start apologizing again, but he saw the dark look on Chase’s face and quickly sealed his lips.
“Can I have the menu?” Chase asked flatly.
“Of course, sir!” The waiter held it out politely and waited for Chase to make his order. Three course meals for two people. And red wine. Without garlic for Mackenzie. Without onions for himself.
Mackenzie met Manager Ty’s suspicious look briefly, abruptly averting her gaze. The last things she needed was to answer more questions right now.
Chase noticed the exchange, and speared a glare at the manager. “Don’t fucking look at her. I’ll be needing her here.”
“Of course, sir.”
When they slinked away, the room was filled with silence. Mackenzie was uncomfortable, fidgeting nervously while stealing glances at Chase. His perfectly sculpted body seemed so calm, and he was dead quiet…
Until she realized it was the negative type of calm.
After a long moment, she had enough and decided to break the silence.
“Chase. You don’t understand why I don’t want your offer. An open check is not going to convince me.”
Chase nodded. “Yeah. That’s why I’ve being going insane trying to figure out why you’re acting this way. But I don’t fucking get it, Mackenzie. Is it Jeffrey? Is all of this because you’re just trying to avoid home? Listen to me, as long as I’m breathing, he will not be able to hurt you. You can’t put your life on hold because of that fucker.”
Mackenzie shook her head, “That’s not just it…”
Deep down, she knew he was right. She was desperately trying to avoid Jeffrey and his mother. Because there was something she realized after extensive study on child custody.
And it was that since she got pregnant while still married to Jeffery, he could claim them.