Page 84 of Chasin’s Surrender

The woman had grit.

He loved that, too. Loved that she was strong and wouldn’t allow anyone to walk on her, including him.

Chasin’s hands moved to her hips and the pads of his fingers dug in. “You do whatever makes you happy and I will do whatever I can to help you along the way.” One hand left her waist and came up to smooth the creases on her forehead. Then he dropped his voice and quietly said, “Your dream isn’t dying, Evie, you’re just making a new one. It’s time for you to start livin’ for you.”

He saw the wetness in her eyes and her lips pinched together. But she nodded and some of the stiffness slid away.

“You’re okay with me moving here?”

Is she crazy?

“If there wasn’t a room full of people around us, I’d show you just how okay I am with you moving here,” he returned, and Genevieve jolted. “We’ll save that for later,” he promised.

“Before any calls are made, we need to talk,” Weston cut in. “Another package was delivered.”

The air grew thick again. This time, the crackle of fury came from the men, the majority from Chasin. The feel of it was so dense, it compressed his lungs. Genevieve’s hand went to his chest, and almost like magic, he calmed enough to get his thoughts in order. She was counting on him—he couldn’t screw this up and let her down.

“What was in it?” Chasin inquired.

Weston’s hesitation wasn’t a good sign.

“We should take a walk,” he rejoined.

Fucking hell.

Chasin’s gaze went back to Genevieve, her chin tipped up, and their eyes locked. “You trust me?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

He let that warmth sink in and coat his insides.

“Finish up breakfast, let me have a word with Weston, and when I get back, we’ll talk.”

He was pressing his luck and he knew it. She hadn’t been happy when she’d found out Bobby had kept things from her, and there he was, getting ready to do the same.

“Okay.” This time the word was shaky but she’d immediately agreed.

“Okay.” Chasin closed the distance and gave her a too-short brush of the lips before he let her go.

Bobby moved in, took Genevieve’s hand, and started to pull her toward the kitchen.

“Come on, I’m starving.”

With a tight smile, Silver followed the women, and Chasin followed Holden and Weston to the front door.

They were huddled five feet from the front porch when Weston started. “Went to the house this morning to check things out and there was another envelope wedged in the gate. I took it back to the office and opened it. Same as before, pictures of Genevieve, but these were old. We need to show them to her so she can tell us where they were taken. But there’s a picture of you on the sidewalk in front of the office. And another one of you gettin’ in your car on the street in front of Fountain Park. Saw you yesterday so I know what you were wearing…”

Weston let that hang and Chasin felt acid churn in his stomach.

“You’re telling me he has pictures of me from yesterday?”

“Yep.”

“What else?”

“He says you have twenty-four hours to take her back to her uncle’s or you’re dead.”