Chapter 24 Nate #2
She shrugs again. “I was actually thinking I would just watch a scene or two. But if I meet someone interesting, maybe I’ll do a scene of my own.
” She holds my gaze, a challenge in her eyes, and I want to throw up.
The idea of her doing a scene with anyone else has my pulse thudding in my ears so hard I feel dizzy.
“Absolutely not,” I growl. “You’re going home.”
“No, I’m not.”
I clench my fists to keep from reaching for her. “You’re in no state for this tonight, Harper.”
Her eyes flash. “Actually, Dr. Chase, that is not your decision to make.”
I’m breathing fast, well aware that people are looking in our direction. We’re making a scene and I don’t give a fuck. I just need her out of here.
“It is my decision. Because you’re here on my guest pass, and I’m about to have it revoked.”
Her mouth drops open, fire flashing in her eyes. “You asshole.”
God, I want to spank her for that. I want to spank her and then kiss the hell out of her. And the fact that I can’t do either is making it pretty damn hard to stand upright.
“Don’t worry, gorgeous,” Roth cuts in, his voice oily. “I can get you a pass.”
I turn on him, ready to start throwing punches, but Philip appears at my side right at that moment, catching my arm before my fist can fly. “Let’s all relax, shall we?”
“Get her out of here,” I tell him, never taking my glare off Roth. He glares right back.
“You think you run this place, Chase,” he sneers. “And I for one am sick of it. This girl is clearly not your sub, and I’ll talk to her if I want to. I’ll take her behind the steel door if I damn well want to.”
I’m going to kill him.
“That would be a mistake,” Philip says. His voice is easy but there’s a hint of iron behind it. “Did you know both Wyatt Chambers and Logan Harte are here tonight?”
He’s referring to two of the three proprietors of Club Wyld—the Wy and L of Wyld Inc, the international mega-corporation that owns the club.
It would appear that only Donovan Frasier is missing of the three.
And if they’re both here tonight, the guards and hosts are going to be on extra high alert for any problems. I’m surprised we haven’t been reigned in already.
Roth looks pissed, but he takes a step back from me.
“Miss Cain,” Philip continues, holding out a hand. “Why don’t you allow me to escort you home.”
I want to yell at him to keep his damn offer to himself—I’ll take her home. But it hits me in that moment that I can’t do that, and not only because my blood alcohol level is still too high to drive.
I ended this. I forfeited all of my claims to her. The fact that she’s sitting here right now is proof of that.
Harper looks from Philip, to Roth, and then to Andres, who has come up behind us, a blank-faced man in a black suit at his side—security. She doesn’t spare me a single glance, but something in her expression falls when she realizes she won’t be allowed to stay here.
“Thanks a lot,” she says to me, gathering her purse. “It wasn’t enough that you ruined everything else, you had to ruin my night as well.”
She stands from the stool, ignoring Philip’s hand, and marches straight to the door. I follow her, unable to let it go until I know she’s safe.
“Let Philip drive you,” I tell her.
“Fuck you,” she shoots back. My palm is itching to punish her for that, even though I know I deserve it, that I deserve so much worse.
“Then let me take you.”
She lets out a slightly hysterical laugh as she strides into the lobby. “You have to be kidding me.” She hands Mercedes her coat check ticket. “Could you please call me a cab?”
“Don’t do that, Mercedes,” I bark out. “You’re not getting in a cab by yourself at this time of night.”
I watch her clamp her teeth together, clearly at the edge of her temper. “Then I’ll take an Uber.”
“A ride share is even more dangerous.”
“Can you please just get my coat?” she asks Mercedes, and I hear the tremor in her voice. Maybe she isn’t close to losing her temper after all—I think she’s actually close to tears.
The realization sends every one of my protective instincts into overdrive. “Harper,” I begin, reaching for her automatically. She pulls her arm back in a violent motion.
“Don’t.”
Mercedes appears with her coat. “Would you like me to call for that cab, Miss Cain?” she asks kindly, ignoring me.
“Yes, please,” Harper whispers.
“Right away.”
“I’ll wait outside.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Mercedes assures her.
Harper manages a watery smile for the receptionist. “I could use the fresh air.”
Mercedes casts me a suspicious glance. “You can be assured the parking lot is well-guarded and there are security cameras.” She raises an eyebrow at me, even as she speaks to Harper. “Should anyone bother you.”
I roll my eyes. Like I’m the one she should be concerned with here, not the complete stranger she’s about to get in a cab with.
“Thank you,” Harper says, voice a little stronger. “For everything.”
“I hope to see you back soon.”
Not if I can fucking help it. I follow Harper out into the cool night air, wanting to wrap her up in my coat when she shivers under her own thin one. But I doubt she would let me do that, so I focus on the more important thing. “Please don’t take a cab.”
“Nate, I take cabs all the time,” she says, sounding exhausted now.
“Not on my watch,” I argue.
She spins to face me, eyes wide and burning with anger. “You don’t get to do this,” she says, her voice rising. “You don’t get to keep…rescuing me!”
I know I should keep my distance. Know that the closer I get to her, the harder it will be to let go again. But I can’t seem to help myself. I take a step closer, not missing the way her breathing picks up as I near. “I will always rescue you.”
“No!” she cries, pain dripping from the single syllable. “You won’t. Because you gave me up. You decided you didn’t want me anymore.”
My heart goes cold. “That is not what happened.”
She shrugs, looking smaller, suddenly. Small and vulnerable. “It comes down to the same thing, doesn’t it? You’re not going to be in my life anymore. You’re not going to be there to make sure I get home safely or keep me from meeting the wrong guy.”
The picture she paints makes me feel insane with panic. And still she watches me with those sad eyes. “You made that choice, Nate. So now I have to take care of myself.”
No. Everything about this is wrong. I’m supposed to take care of her. Taking care of Harper is the most primal, elemental act I can think of. Screw her brother, screw the university. Keeping this woman safe is my fucking purpose, no matter what.
Before I can tell her that, a cab pulls up to the curb. I reach out for her but she steps out of my grasp, never once looking back.
A moment ago, I had thought her vulnerable, but now I can see the truth. There’s more strength in the set of her shoulders than I’ve ever seen on any man. Even with all the pain I know she’s feeling, she’s still fucking standing tall.
And all I want to do is sink down to the pavement under the weight of letting her go.