Chapter 13 #2
There was even Lita Valentine—a popular sportscaster covering everything.
She had a camera crew with footage that would be aired on the news later and was also streaming the entire thing.
She was just as bad as the moms when it came to Chase and had made so many inappropriate jokes that I was so close to telling her that as his attorney, she was highly inappropriate, and I would smack the fuck out of her if she kept playing.
“I don’t care,” I said indignantly.
“How bout you take a break?” he suggested with a raised brow.
“I’m good,” I snapped.
“Amaya,” he said as he discreetly grabbed my wrist. “It’s hot, you been on your feet all day, you’re hungry, and irritated.
We have more than enough people to cover everything.
Come sit down, eat something, and talk to me for a minute,” he pleaded, holding up a bag from a restaurant that I had grown to love since I had been spending more time in the city.
I sucked my teeth and followed him over to a secluded bench, cursing him out the whole time because who the fuck did he think he was to be worrying about my wellbeing?
We sat down on the bench and he started handing me things from the bag.
My favorite salad—made just how I liked it—a cup of sweet tea, and a bowl of mixed fruit.
I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering how he had my order down to a tee, but I remembered that Niko usually put in the orders, so he probably had it saved to his phone.
“Thank you,” I whispered defiantly because my mouth was already watering at the smell of the chicken on the salad.
“You ain’t ever gotta thank me for making sure you’re good,” he assured me, and I had to tell my pussy that we were done with that and she needed to simmer her ass down.
I stayed silent as I opened my food and started eating. He was right about my need to eat, because I could feel the attitude drifting away with each bite I took. I looked at him and scowled when I noticed him sitting there watching me eat in silence.
“What?” I asked abruptly with a mouth stuffed full of greens.
“Nothing, just eat,” he said, leaning back on the bench and getting more comfortable. He literally didn’t move until I finished the salad and half of the fruit, got full, and closed the lid.
“Amaya,” he started softly. “That shit with Chanel was not what you think.”
“I didn’t think anything. It was a bad look for the case, that’s why I’m upset. You could have been charged with witness tampering,” I said flatly before wiping my mouth with a napkin.
“She reached out to me,” he argued, defending himself.
“I don’t care, Chase,” I said, unable to sit there and listen to him tell me why he ran back to his ex after me.
“So you’re not mad at all at the fact that I linked up with her?” he asked.
“Oh, ‘linked up’? That’s what you callin’ it?” My brow shot up. “You fucked her, didn’t you?” I knew how crazy I sounded but I couldn’t help it. Memories of all the times Malcom’s bitch ass lied to my face played on repeat, which was crazy, because Chase was never even my man to be insecure about.
“What?” he snapped like I offended him. “Hell no! You really think I’m dumb enough to fuck that girl after all the shit she’s still putting me through?” Something in his voice made me believe him, but the sting of his betrayal wouldn’t let me give in that easily, so I kept my mouth shut.
“It was not like that. After the last stunt she pulled, I’d rather stick my dick in a pencil sharpener than even entertain the thought of dealing with her again.”
“Your dick could never fit in a pencil sharpener,” I scoffed without thinking. That caused him to break out into a smirk.
“I’m glad you know.”
“Whatever! Fuck you.”
“Listen, just hear me out… I thought that if I could just get through to her, she would drop this shit and we could just be together. I know it sounds insane, but I did this for you… For us.”
“Be together? Chase, there is no us.”
“Yet,” he shot back, and I had to press my lips together to keep from smiling. This was so dumb.
“Ever, nigga! I told you that was a one time thing, what part of that didn’t you understand?”
“Definitely the ‘one time’ part, Toni. Once this is over, I promise I’m making you mine.”
“What makes you so confident that I even want to be yours? Just because we fucked?” I asked, lowering the volume of my voice so I didn’t fuck around and wake up as breaking news tomorrow.
“We fucked, again and again, but then you stayed, snoring in a nigga’s ear and shit. You stayed all weekend Amaya. You can’t sit here and say it was just sex.”
“Good sex,” I whispered as a shudder went down my spine.
“You really have no control over what comes out of your mouth, huh? I see you fighting it, but you just can’t help yourself,” he said with a laugh.
“Chase, fu—.”
“Son.” A voice behind us caused us both to turn around. The tension that materialized all over him was palpable as I noticed his jaw tightening, his body growing more rigid by the second, and the gleam in his eyes dim completely.
The next thing I noticed was the resemblance. Chase had at least six inches and fifty pounds on him, but aside from the golden complexion that I knew he got from his mother, he was his fucking twin.
“William…” he said, forcing his words through tight lips. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see my boy! I can’t come check up on you, son?”
“Please be for real,” he said. “I haven’t seen you in years.”
“Yeah, I saw you on live and thought I would pull-up and see how my first born was doing. How you been, son?” This man either had the social cues of a tampon, or he really just didn’t give a fuck, because all of Chase’s unwelcoming body language would have had me back in my car and down the road in an instant.
Yet, there he stood, flapping his gums and looking proud, like he had done something.
Chase looked back at me, and for the first time, a look of embarrassment crossed his face.
I tried my hardest to convey with my eyes that it wasn’t his fault that his dad was a piece of shit, and in no way did that reflect on him.
He turned back to William with a fed up expression on his face and I knew this wouldn’t end well.
“Nah, you ca-” He was cut off when Lita and her full camera crew came over, right in the middle of everything.
“Oh my goodness! Chase, is this your father? Wow! The resemblance is insane! You’re his twin!”
“Yeah, and he was just leaving,” Chase mumbled.
“Actually, I could spare a couple minutes, especially for this gorgeous lady here.” He winked at Lita who damn near melted right then and there.
I guess since she couldn’t have the new model, she would take what she could get.
Lita immediately launched into a barrage of questions that she would have known the answers to if she was even remotely good at her job.
From day one, Chase made it clear that he was raised by his mom and grandparents, so why she was asking a complete stranger anything concerning him was beyond me.
It was more than apparent that she kept her job because the men liked seeing a young, pretty girl with tight dresses and big boobs on their screens.
Chase looked like he was about to blow a gasket as William stood there and lied through his fucking teeth.
I had only known that man for a few months and knew all the nonsense he was spouting about his upbringing and how he was as a child was complete bullshit.
By the time he finished his fake ass press conference, I was standing there ready to fight too.
“How you doin’ darlin?” I was unable to mask the look of disgust on my face, so I didn’t. I was blessed enough to grow up with a dad who loved and spoiled the hell out of me, and one thing I could never respect was a deadbeat.
“Good,” I mumbled, stepping away as he stepped closer to me. When he moved, I saw Chase move too, and I discreetly shook my head at him, praying he would relax.
“You know, you’re gorgeous, baby, but you would be so much prettier with a smile on that face.”
“Okay,” I said, unamused. My face didn’t move a millimeter because I wasn’t going for any of his shit.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that, beautiful.” He reached out to put his hand on my shoulder and that’s when all hell broke loose.
“Nigga, don’t you fucking touch her!” Chase snapped as he punched William right in his face. My eyes widened as everything seemed to slow down. One moment William was swinging back, the next, Chase had him on his back and was throwing blow after blow to his face.
“Oh my—shit! Chase, no!” My brain started working again and I immediately went into recovery mode. Luckily, things had started to die down, and the field was mostly cleared off. I turned to Lita and her camera man.
“Cameras off!” I snapped as Justin, Niko, Johnathan, and a few of his other teammates made sure no one recorded the incident while trying to pull Chase off William.
By the time they were able to peel them apart, William looked like someone just pulled his old ass out of a garbage disposal.
Chase fucked him up, and oddly enough, it looked like he might have needed that.
“Fuck,” he mumbled to himself as everything died down, and William was being carted away by the team doctor. “I’m sorry.” My breath hitched when he turned to me of all people.
“I-It’s okay, Chase,” I said softly. I wanted nothing more than to hug him, but there were way too many eyes on us. He rubbed his hand over his face before addressing everyone in the vicinity.
“It’s not okay. I’m really sorry everyone.” Those were the last words he spoke before he turned on his heels and walked away. I stared silently at his back until he disappeared from view, walking through the exit. I didn’t see him again the rest of the time we were in the stadium.