Never Say Never, Part Four (Second Chance Contemporary Romance, Book 4) by Melissa Shaw

to be in there – she’d checked the office and they’d told her he wasn’t in. No way would Chase run away from the media storm, it wasn’t his style.  
    “Chase!” Emily yelled it, then bashed on his front door some more. The cleaning man at the end of the hall jumped and stared at her. He made a move in her direction, but she shot him distilled anger in her gaze.  
    He scurried off down the hall.  
    “Open the door, I have to talk to you.”  
    The lock scraped back and he appeared in the crack, he opened it wider and growled in his throat. “Get away from me.”  
    “You need to know how this happened.”  
    “I know already. I don’t have time for your shit, Emily, now get the fuck out of my building. These surprise visits of yours are a pain in the ass.”  
    She slammed her palm onto his door and pushed hard. “I have never chased after a man in my life, but I have for you Chase Newman. That counts for something.”  
    “Get lost.”  
    “I didn’t kill your parents.” It came out of nowhere and she couldn’t hold it in any longer.  
    There was a long silence and he drew in a shuddering breath. “What the fuck are you talking about?”  
    “I didn’t kill them. Brian Ross did.”  
    Chase stepped back a few steps and she took it as her chance. Emily swept into the apartment and shut the door with her heel.  
    “How many lies am I going to deal with this week?” Chase walked to the kitchen and took out a bottle of brandy. The clock on the wall said it was barely past noon.  
    “Chase,” Emily whispered, “I didn’t know until recently, otherwise I would’ve –”
    “What?” He sloshed the alcohol into the glass then stared into its depths. “Told me sooner? I don’t know if I even believe you, so don’t worry about that.”  
    She should’ve expect this kind of resistance. “Where’s Janet?”  
    “Where the fuck do you think she is?” He motioned towards her. “She’s gone, not that it’s any of your business. Chastity’s gone too and let’s throw my business into the mix with that too.”  
    “I didn’t do this to you. It was Joseph.”  
    “Christ, who the fuck’s Joseph?”  
    “He was the lawyer Chastity worked with. He wanted to help me expose Brian’s crime, but I feared it would expose your dealings with him too, so I told him to hold off.”  
    Chase didn’t sip the booze, but placed the glass on the kitchen counter. It shattered, spilling the fluid everywhere. “I see.” He didn’t make to clean it up, and neither did she.  
    “What do you see?” He pushed those anger buttons hard. He knew just how and it got her right in the gut each time.  
    “Why would he wanna expose me, Emily?”  
    She stuttered for a second, the cleared her throat. “I don’t know.”  
    “Don’t lie to me. Did you fuck this guy?”  
    “No!” The shout was a knee-jerk reaction, but he gave a wry nod in response – like she’d confirmed his suspicion rather than allayed it. “I did not sleep with him.”  
    “Then why was this cat out to get me?”  
    “Because I refused to sleep with him. I only want you, okay? I only want you!” She couldn’t keep that truth in any longer. “I eat, sleep and dream Chase Newman.”  
    “Don’t bullshit me.” His reply was choked and he rushed towards her, then gripped her upper arms. This was the most physical contact they’d had in months. The heat flowed off his body, and she slid he arms around his neck.  
    God she needed him. She needed this man like she’d never needed before. This overwhelming sensation, this corrupted love, would be the end of her.  
    “Don’t lie to me,” he said again, then jangled her around a little.  
    “I don’t lie! I’ve never lied to you about anything and I never will. I cannot move on from you. I can’t sleep properly, I don’t even enjoy dance as much as I used to. I’m going crazy without you, Chase.”  
    He backed off, breathing heavy. “This is too