Only Pleasure (Bound Hearts 10)

His lips were parting to inform her of just how much trouble she was in when the door to the office slammed open.

Chase was on his feet, in front of her desk, his hand on his weapon jerked from the holster and leveled on the other man. Drew slammed to a stop and stared at the handgun with wide eyes, his face paling. Behind him, Kia's cry warned Chase of her shock, her fear. Her warning that he wasn't to go after Drew. He wanted to go after the son of a bitch right now.

Instead, he slid the gun carefully into its holster and taunted the other man. "Want something, Stanton?"

"Ms. Rutherford, he just rushed right on in," Liza was protesting. She was in shock as well, her face pale. "I told him Mr. Rutherford wanted to talk to him first, and he ignored me. "

Chase stayed in front of Kia's desk as Drew glared at him, hatred surging in his eyes as Kia moved cautiously from behind the desk.

"What are you doing here, Drew?" she asked him carefully.

"It doesn't matter why he's here, he can leave," Chase said coldly. "Get the hell out of here, Stanton. "

Drew's fists clenched at his side, his eyes moving from Chase to Kia.

"My God, Kia, how can you actually think I'd hurt you? I just spent the morning at the police department. I was being interrogated, for God's sake. Where the fuck is your mind?"

"Where the fuck is your common sense?" Chase's muscles bunched, tensed to move, when he felt Kia's hand on his arm.

He stopped and glared down at her. "Don't try it," he warned her. "Don't even try to protect this little bastard. " He turned back to Drew. "Get the hell out of here before I throw you out. "

"You don't have the right to throw me out, Falladay," he sneered, before turning back to Kia. "They accused me of attacking you. How the hell do you know you weren't attacked because of him?" His finger stabbed in Chase's direction. "The son of a bitch manages to piss off everyone he comes in contact with. And it's not as though it's a secret you're fucking him and Khalid both. That Middle Eastern bastard is a walking target himself. You don't know what he's capable of, Kia. I wouldn't doubt if he arranged it. "

Chase moved. He jerked his arm from Kia's hold and jumped for the bastard. And would have had him if she wasn't in front of him just as quickly, her hands pressed to his chest.

"Get out of here, Drew," she snapped. "Dammit, Chase, stand back. This has gone far enough. "

"Far enough is when he thinks he has the right to talk to you like that," Chase said coldly. "Get out of my way, Kia. " His hands were on her arms, firm, pushing her away.

"Damn you, you and that bastard Khalid are the reason I was dragged into interrogation," Drew snapped furiously. "Do you think I'm running from you, Falladay? Fuck you, we can finish this here. "

Chase grinned. He stared down at Kia, saw her pale face, the fear that flashed in her eyes, and bit off a curse. Dammit, she would never let him slug that pitiful little bastard while she was standing here.

"Dammit, Drew, you've lost your mind. " Kia turned, bracing her back against Chase as she faced her ex-husband.

"Have you lost yours?" Drew accused, his fists doubled up at the seams of his immaculate gray slacks, and sneered at them. "I'd never hurt you, Kia. You know that. I'd do anything to protect you. Just look what leaving me got you. If you had just stayed with me, just stayed faithful, none of this would have happened. "

"If she had just let you rape her?" Chase growled as Liza closed the door behind her, evidently deciding it was best to leave them alone in this fight. Chase agreed with her.

"Chase, that's enough," Kia argued as she pressed her back more firmly against him.

His arm moved around her, holding her to him, daring Drew to make a comment.

Drew's face drew into lines of shock. "She was my wife, Falladay. It wouldn't have been rape. "

Chase saw red.

"Chase, stop!" Kia yelled out the order as he tried to push past her.

The thing about pushing past Kia was that it was damned hard when she was wrapping herself around him like a vine and digging those sharp heels into the carpet. If he pushed too hard, there was no way he would get past without hurting her.

"Stanton, I'm going to kill you. " Chase said it coldly as the door opened and Timothy Rutherford stood in the doorway, his jowls creased with rage.

"What the hell is going on here?" Timothy boomed.

"You're about to lose a security and sales associate," Chase drawled menacingly. "As soon as your daughter stops imitating a vine. "

Timothy took in the situation quickly. Liza's call had been frantic, her voice quavering as she reported Chase's drawing his weapon on Drew. Rushing to the office, Timothy had expected to see blood until he saw his daughter holding on to Chase with a force he hadn't known she had.