page30 (1/2)

“Abbi, don’t go” His voice was stern and authoritative

She paused at the door but didn’t want to look into his captivating and sexy eyes She was afraid she’d

“I’, Chase Belmont Please leave me alone”

With those words, she walked out the door and out of Chase’s life She would have to close that chapter for good Maybe love and Abbi was not a good corier with herself than with him

Either way, it was over between them Forever

Chapter 19

“It’s over,” Chase said to his brother Brandon the next day, bringing his glass to his lips, sipping on the water and tasting only the bitterness and emptiness he felt inside The men sat at the bar by the poolside at the ranch resort “She’s leaving We’re done”

“What do youforward “What happened between you two?”

“The truth”

“The truth?”

“Yeah She found out I’m a Belmont The charade is over”

“I don’t get it Weren’t you going to tell her anyway?”

Chase sighed heavily, his gaze intense on the oceanic view before him “Yes But not yet”

“How did she find out?”

“She didn’t say exactly,” Chase offered He turned to his brother and noticed Brandon pulled out his cell phone and keyed in some information

“What are you doing?” Chase asked, curious

“I’et on this chick”

“Oh, no” Chase dropped his glass on the bar counter “You’re doing no such thing”

“And why not? Don’t you want to find out what her real story is?”

“I know her real story or at least enough to know she’s a decent and honest girl”

“I know, but-”

“What I want you to do is find out everything you can about this crazy ass ex of hers Eduardo Ihe’s up to no good Even if we don’t end up together, I want him to stay clear away from her He really messed her up emotionally”

“Well, we knoho’s been up to no good around here”

“Eduardo?” Chase’s lips curled up in disgust

Brandon nodded “You got it” Brandon’s face was stony “Rehter?”

“Yeah, the nice lady over in cabin seventy-five”

“Well, I thought I’d pay her a visit when you told hter’s…final days”

“You what? Why did you do that?”

“Relax, bro You know I’m very sensitive about stuff like that I wouldn’t drea that could disrupt her peace”

“So what came of it?”

“Well, I just figured that she’d probably have so it”

Chase’s stomach knotted He had a hunch about what Brandon was about to say

“As we’d suspected, that piece of scuood I was about to fill you in on the details this afternoon Just waiting on a fax to come in from the south”

“Up to no good? Like what? Sabotage?”

Brandon nodded dangerously slowly Chase could tell his brother was seething as much as he was inside Then hisaround the ranch resort “You know, I reates was left open a while back and tons of other stuff that could have been catastrophic Yeah, that would have been real great for the hotel guide publications—not to etting aith it”

“The guy’s been very sneaky out there knoe don’t have cameras outside each of the cabins, which by the way, is soe real soon I already ran it past Dad The old owners ht it orth it, but in these ti in, better safe than sorry”

“I agree,” Chase said firmly “We need to make sure everyone is safe at all times and at least have surveillance in the wooded areas around the cottages I understand lovers come out here to be private and all but…”

“I know That’s the slippery slope or the fine line we have to cross Anyhat are you going to do about Abbi?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not just going to let her go that easily, are you? You really like her, don’t you? You’ve been so different lately since she came into your life The past couple months have been crazy for you Like you’re a whole new man”

“I know,” Chase said quietly, his chest heaving The e to her was all too great for hiht he’d ever feel this way about a wo he’d wanted to do was to ever hurt her She meant the world to hi he’d wanted was for her to find out through somebody else about his true identity

What irony Chase wanted to irl who liked him for who he was and not for what he had Now that he’dto do with him because of what he had and who he was

He shook his head at the thought