Lost in the Chase, page 20
Then it pops up.
Password protected.
Of course.
I grit my teeth and start typing. Fast. I open a menu and run a basic bypass command. Lines of code flash across the screen. Wrong password. I try again, this time using a shortcut I learned in college. The screen glitches for a second. Then… click.
It unlocks.
The desktop loads with a dozen folders staring back at me.
I’m in.
RATTLE.
The doorknob jiggles behind me.
I freeze.
Another rattle.
Then silence.
My body shakes.
She knows. Should I get on my knees and beg for forgiveness? Shit, what am I going to do?
I look around to find somewhere to hide, but nothing. My spine snaps straight.
“Why is this door locked?” The voice was raspy, older, female, like she’s smoked a pack a day since birth.
I jam the thumb drive into the port. Another voice joins. Younger. Maybe Hispanic.
“I don’t know. Maybe she doesn’t want us to clean it?”
Housekeepers. This is my luck.
The file starts downloading.
15%.
A clock ticks somewhere behind me. Each second bangs against my skull like a drum.
16%.
20%.
Come on, come on.
“No, we are not skipping this room again. Last time I did, she threatened to send me to Russia. I’ll grab the master key,” the older voice snaps.
My throat closes. The clock ticks louder. Too loud. Like it’s echoing inside my eardrum.
29%
40%
51%
Breathe. Just breathe.
Sweat beads at my temples and slides down my back, soaking into the waistband of my skirt. My palms are slick, fingers slipping on the keyboard as I try to type faster. The computer blinks. Slow. Too slow. Like it’s mocking me.
68%
76%
The keys rattle outside the door. The clock ticks faster. Or maybe it’s just my pulse. I wipe my hands on my skirt, desperate to dry them, but it barely helps.
89%
93%
The metallic scrape of the key sliding into the lock rattles through the door.
No. No. No.
98%
I fling open the French doors, barely believing what I’m about to do. The sheer curtains whip around me, cold air slapping my cheeks and tangling in my hair. Inside, the doorknob turns.
100%
I rip the flash drive free, fling my black heels aside, and hurl myself over the balcony, grabbing onto the thick, vine-wrapped lattice clinging to the stone wall. The clock inside strikes. One brutal, hollow clang letting me know I’m out of time.
A sharp sting slices across my neck. “Ouch!” I slap a hand over the spot, feeling the hot trickle of blood. A rose thorn caught me. A clean slice across the skin, and the blood beads fast.
Triple pay, huh? I’m going to need more than that.
But then it hits me. I said it out loud.
Oh God.
Please tell me they didn’t hear me.
I scramble the rest of the way down, my feet slamming onto the ground. And freeze because I see them.
Kage.
Her.
She’s straddling his lap, her emerald dress bunched high around her hips. His hands grip her waist. He’s not pushing her away. He’s leaning in. And seeing it hurts worse than a thousand rose thorns tearing through my skin.
Of course, he would want her. Who wouldn’t? I’m an idiot to think I was even half as attractive as her.
And thinking about him with another woman was torture enough. But seeing it? That’s a fucking tragedy.
Turns out, jumping off a balcony wasn’t the thing that hurt the most.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LILA
How could I be so stupid? To think I had a chance with him… To try and seduce him.
Disappointment and anger churn beneath my skin, eating me alive.
I wish I could say I still had the Red Mask.
But I think that’s over. And the Phantom? He wasn’t real.
Maybe I really do need to be admitted somewhere, to take a break from whatever the hell this past month has been.
My bare feet sink into the damp ground, each blade of grass poking at my shredded ego. I stand at the window, watching, forcing myself to take in every excruciating second.
He’s nothing to me. So why does this feel like heartbreak? As if I’m losing something I never had.
Natasha leans in and kisses him. Full and seductive as she straddles his lap like she belongs there… and honestly? She probably does. This doesn’t look like her first time being on top of him.
Push her away, Kage. Tell her to get off. Tell her you don’t want her… that you want me.
At first, he stares at her with an unreadable expression.
Please don’t do it.
But then he kisses her back. Kage twists the dagger deeper, confirming what I already know. He wants women like her. Not me.
The kiss grows more aggressive, as if this isn’t the first time. Like they’ve done this before. Like they’re reuniting after being apart, craving each other in a way that makes my stomach twist.
My chest rises and falls, like I’ve been punched in the lungs and forgot how to breathe.
God, what I would give to be her right now. To be the one kissing him.
I watch her rock her hips against him, against what’s likely a very eager erection, and nausea claws up my throat. I can’t take it. I turn to leave, desperate to get back to the car and escape this hell I’ve walked into. Blood still drips from the cut on my neck, warm against my skin. And that’s when I catch it.
His lips leave hers. Slowly. Dragging across her skin, down to her neck.
I hate how much I want him. How easily the knife in my heart dulls the second his eyes find mine.
His green, granite eyes open. And I freeze because it’s like he read my thoughts, because now his eyes are locked on me. Feral. Possessive. Telling me not to leave. Burning straight through the glass.
Not again. This feels like déjà vu.
And despite every broken, bleeding part of me, a heat builds between my legs. A need for more. I’m frozen in place. I should move, I need to move. But he’s staring at me like he wants to devour her. Or maybe me.
No, no, no, Lila, this will not be a rerun of the Phantom mishap.
His eyes grow darker, like he’s speaking to me without a single word. His kiss turns aggressive. He grips her hips harder and harder, rocking her on his lap with a rough, desperate rhythm. His eyes never leave mine. Wetness pools between my thighs. My mouth goes bone dry. And the way he’s responding by watching me… does he want me too?
I cross my legs, squeezing them tight, trying and failing to calm the throbbing pulse between them. Even with his mouth on her neck, I catch it. That tiny dimple on his cheek. He’s smiling.
What the hell? Is this sick entertainment for him? Fine, Kage. Let’s play.
I bite my bottom lip, my fingertips tracing a slow path down my mouth, over my chin, and along my neck until they pause at the swell of my breast. I hook a finger beneath my shirt and tug it lower, flaunting curves I barely have with the kind of confidence that says otherwise. My lips part. A soft breath slipping out, as if even my own touch might make me moan.
That got your attention.
I see him gulp, his Adam’s apple bobbing, even as he sinks his teeth into her neck like there’s no tomorrow.
And then I do the unexpected.
I press the back of my hand to the window and flip him the bird. Big and bold. Then I mouth, “I’m going to the car,” and point in that direction. I add extra emphasis to the last word, mouthing, “asshole,” like I’m spitting it at him.
Before I can see his reaction, I spin on my heel, cross my arms over my chest, and march away. Every step is screaming screw you. I sway my hips as I walk to the car, hoping he can see everything he’s missing.
BUZZ.
My phone buzzes with a new message. I roll my eyes, knowing exactly who the text is from.
UNKNOWN: Did you like what you saw?
LILA: Just admiring how good you two look together.
LILA: And how tragically bad you are at kissing. Seriously, were you drinking from a water bowl or trying to kiss her? Hard to tell.
UNKNOWN: You sure you weren’t imagining it was you on my lap, princess?
Really? He’s trying to piss me off.
LILA: Don’t call me that. Only Clint and Beck can call me Princess.
UNKNOWN: That’s fine. I’ve got better names for you. None of them is appropriate for texting.
Shit. I know he doesn’t mean it. He’s just mad that I flicked him off, and now he’s trying to tease me. But damn. That is so freaking sexy. And I can’t help it… this man makes me weak.
I slam the phone face down in the passenger seat and drag my hands through my hair in pure frustration.
Then it buzzes again.
What now? Isn’t he busy getting jerked off?
I snatch it up and freeze. It’s not him. It’s Leon.
This is what I need. Someone good. Respectful. Kind. Someone who actually wants me.
LEON: Will I see you at the club this weekend?
LILA: Depends. Will I get to kiss you again?
LEON: Only if you’re a good girl.
Yep. This is exactly what I need.
LILA: Don’t tempt me, Leon. How about Saturday? Aster and I will be there around ten.
LEON: Perfect. I will be waiting for an angel to walk through the door.
Butterflies swirl in my stomach. He called me an angel. That’s adorable. Soft. Genuine. He’s safe like Beck. And maybe, just maybe, that’s what I need. The Red Mask and Kage are toxic. They make me feel vulnerable in a way I’ve never felt before. And that’s the real danger.
I just need to get home. Clean up this damn scratch before it gets infected.
I lean down to hit the push-to-start button. And that’s when I see him. The front door opens. He steps out. Natasha is standing there, waving like a damn homecoming queen.
“I can’t wait to see you next time,” she says, blowing him a kiss.
Ewww.
Kage glances at her with a polite smile before turning to me. His eyes pinning me in place. This gorgeous, arrogant bastard drives me insane, and the way he is prowling toward me now makes every step feel like he’s savoring my heartbreak.
His smirk spreads across his face, knowing damn well what he's doing to me. Oh, and now his one dimple. That damn dimple flashes just enough to know it’s there, just enough to drive me insane. And then, like it’s nothing, he wipes his lips with the back of his hand.
His eyebrow lifts, waiting for my move, daring me to react.
Sir, you are asking for a game of chess you can’t win.
He slides into the driver’s seat effortlessly, red lipstick smeared across his neck. I can still smell her perfume clinging to his suit.
Man whore.
“So,” I say, voice dripping with sass, “did you get the information you needed, or just your dick wet?”
He throws me a side-eye as he whips the car around, peeling out of the driveway. “I can multitask,” he says smoothly. “Want me to show you?”
I roll my eyes so hard I’m pretty sure I see my own brain. “Oh, please. While you were busy getting laid, I was busy downloading everything onto this.” I wave the flash drive in the air like a trophy. “But,” I snap, my voice sharp and rising, “Because of the little situation you threw me into, I almost got caught. I could’ve killed myself jumping off the balcony. I could have broken my neck while you were busy playing tonsil hockey with your girlfriend!”
I pause, chest heaving, trying to catch my breath before I scream. “Oh, and a thorn slashed my neck. I’m bleeding everywhere with nothing to clean it up with, and I couldn’t go back inside, or she would have known something was up.”
I yank my collar down and show him the dried blood on my skin. “See? Hope your little make-out session was worth it. And to top it all off?” I add sweetly. “I had to watch you get nasty with Little Miss Russian Heiress.” I smile brightly. “Which means you owe me five times more.”
The car jerks to the side of the road before shuddering to a stop. Kage’s grin spreads slow and wicked as his thumb drags over his bottom lip. He turns toward me, eyes animalistic.
“Okay, Princess,” his voice drops, low and dangerous. “I’ll meet that request. But are you sure there isn’t something else you want… from me?”
His gaze lingers on my mouth.
I can’t stop staring at his mouth. Plush lips I ache to taste, the freckle above them taunts me like it knows exactly how badly I want him.
Stay strong, Lila.
It’s just a game. A way to toy with me. Or maybe I should do the unexpected. I stare at him, contemplating what to do.
What is my heart telling me to do?
Oops, too late. My body is in control.
I lean in close to his face and bite my lip.
It makes the Red Mask crazy, so why not try it on him?
“You know, Kage, I’ve been thinking about it.” I lean even closer, and he stills. “I think
you’re right… There is something that I want from you.” I pause just long enough to make sure he’s hanging onto every word, sliding my hands up his suit jacket to tease him a little, but I still can’t read his reaction.
I lean in so close I could kiss him. Instead, I whisper low and seductive. “I want… your best friend,” I smirk. Even though I really don’t want him. I’m just trying to piss him off, but he doesn’t need to know that.
The air in the car shifts. His body stiffens. I can feel the rage ripple off him, hot and wild and barely contained.
Good. I want him to feel what I felt.
RING.
RING.
RING.
Oh, that’s not his phone ringing… It’s mine.
Kage doesn’t move. He glares at me, pure malice burning in his stare.
I clear my throat and answer. “Hello?”
“What’s up, slut?” Aster’s voice rings through the speaker, teasing. “You done cleaning Beck’s palace?”
Kage cranks the AC to full blast, like he is trying to put out the flames rolling off him, and whips the car back onto the road toward New York.
“We’ll talk later,” I whisper into the phone, keeping my voice low. “I can’t talk right now.”
“Okay, okay, but listen. The guys called and wanted to know if we’re hitting the club this weekend?”
Perfect. The timing is perfect. Just in time to piss him off even more. I want to rub salt on the wound.
“Actually,” I say, flicking a glance at him, “Leon texted me earlier. Said he couldn’t wait to see me this weekend, and I told him he could, but only if I get to kiss him again.”
I watch Kage out of the corner of my eye. He’s not just gripping the wheel. He’s murdering it.
“No, you didn’t!” Aster shrieks. “Oh my God, Lila, you little flirt! What did he say?” I smile sweetly and lean back in my seat, as if I’m not setting this car ablaze with both of us inside it. “He said only if I’m good. Aster, I can’t wait to fuck him tomorrow. It’s going to be amazing—”
I’m cut off mid-sentence. Kage yanks the phone out of my hand and throws it straight out the window.
“Hey! What the hell!” I shout, whipping around to watch my phone bounce down the road.
He says nothing. Eyes locked on the road, jaw clenched so tight I’m surprised he doesn’t break his perfect teeth. His chest rises and falls, heavy and furious.
So, he can put me through literal hell, but I can’t talk about hanging out with a guy?
I glare at him, seething. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to save up for that, you rich prick? Unlike you, I don’t have millions sitting around!” I shout, the emotion cracking in my voice.
“I scrape by each month. I can barely pay my bills. Most nights, dinner is ramen noodles, but you wouldn’t understand, would you!” His jaw clenches harder. But I can’t hold it in. The tears blur my vision before I can stop them.
It’s downright humiliating, breaking down like this in front of him. But he doesn’t get it. It’s a game to him. And yes, I was playing back. But this? I can’t afford to buy a new one. He can throw money out the window, but I can’t. That phone was everything. My connection to Mom. My check-ins with Dad. My emergency contact line in case anything goes wrong, especially where I live. And now? If I buy a new one, I won’t be able to pay rent. I could get kicked out.
I hate myself for this.
I turn my face toward the window, biting my lip hard enough to taste blood, willing myself not to sob. Trying not to let him see how fragile I really am. How something so small could split me wide open.
CHAPTER THIRTY
LILA
I watch as my world stands still while New York City buzzes with life beyond my window. The nightlife glows, electric and endless, as I lie in bed where I’ve been since Kage dropped me off five hours ago. The rest of the ride was dead silent. Neither of us said a single word. All I could do was let silent tears slide down my cheeks as the trees blurred past the window. He shattered me with a single, thoughtless move. And I showed him exactly how brittle I really am.
Wow, Lila. You really are fragile. Nothing like Aster. Nothing like Jasmine. Nothing like Natasha.
I thought I was having fun playing his game. But maybe he took it too far. Or perhaps I did.
Either way, he doesn’t have to think about money. Or consequences. Or people like me.
I flip over, facing the wall where the vent with the hidden camera sits. "If you’re wondering why I’m rotting in bed," I say, my voice hollow, "it’s because I’ve had a terrible day." My voice dips as I feel the tears threaten to break free. "But it’s not like you care."
I feel insane talking to the vent. He’s probably not even watching me. Why would he? He left his mask behind. That was his way of saying goodbye. And I know deep down… that was the last moment I’ll ever see him. "Also… if you texted me, I don’t have a phone anymore."
