Chasing Constellations (The UGS Constellation Series) (10 page)

Chapter 15

Once again, Elisa woke in a strange bed, or rather, not the bed she went to sleep in. Slowly she stretched her body and tried not to whimper as the bruises pulled painfully. Looking about she realized she was in her bed in her rented house. The last thing she remembered was talking to Chase as they drove from the hospital. She must have fallen asleep on the poor man.

The raised voices from the living room caught her attention as she slipped from the bed and wrapped her naked… wait, she didn’t remember removing her clothing. Blushing
furiously she realized that Chase must have not only carried her in from the stretch limo, but taken the time to see to her comfort as he put her to bed.
He didn’t have to strip me naked though.

Shaking her head as she belted the robe
closed, she made her way to the door and peeked out it. While she couldn’t tell exactly what was being said, she could definitely tell that there were at least two… make that three men as the strange driver with Chase last night shouted at the others to quit yelling. Elisa shook her head as she made her way out of the bedroom and into the living room, but before she broached the room entirely she paused.

Leaning against the wall so that she could see into the room without being noticed,
she had to grin at the way Chase and David were practically going at it with their verbal fists and heated glares. She’d never had someone fight for her like that before and it only endeared her to him even more. Never mind that his voice was sending liquid heat straight to her inner core. Rubbing her bare thighs together wasn’t lessening the attraction or the effects in the slightest, instead it made it all the harder to ignore.

David, with his ever present rumpled dark suit, the
jacket as always unbuttoned over a white shirt that hung over his body; sat in her recliner but he didn’t look the least bit comfortable.

Her gaze flicked to Trac
ker in the form fitting black T-shirt and dark jeans as he sat on the couch nearest to David, his bare feet poking out of the tattered bottoms of the jeans seemed the most relaxed but she wasn’t going to fall for. It was almost as though he was trying to be a barrier between the two men.

Finally, her
gaze landed on the male perfection sitting on the other side of the Tracker. His lithe body wrapped in dark slacks and a nearly black, burgundy dress shirt, the top few buttons left undone to show a mouthwatering glimpse of tan skin. A smile fought its way to her lips as she read the tension radiating between all three men when she noticed that Chase’s bare toes peeks from beneath his slacks.

It appeared that both men had an aversion to socks and shoes, something she would file away for later
.

“What are you doing here David?
I already gave my report on the attack to the officer, and honestly, I don’t want to have to relive it yet again by telling it. I’d much rather just forget it and focus on catching and stopping the jerk that did it to me.” Elisa said after she took a steady breath and strolled into the room like she wasn’t covered with just a flimsy terry cloth robe.

To say she was self-conscious of her near naked state would be an understatement; one that anyone could see
by the way her small hand gripped the two edges of the robe together just above her chest. She knew her knuckles were white, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go against the stark contrast of the black robe.

Especially when her
gaze moved to Chase and stayed there like her very life depended on his attention, try as she might she couldn’t turn her attention to the two other men in the room. She didn’t even realize she was moving until she stood in front of him, lost as she was in the depths of his icy blue eyes. Nor did she realize her breath hitched when his hands slowly traced a path up her thighs to her waist, the fingers tightening as he gently pulled her down into his lap.

T
he soft chuckle from beside Chase drew Elisa’s gaze at last away from the man she was sitting on, turning her head, she saw the wink Tracker sent to her before his attention moved off to David. Heat infused her cheeks and she knew she was blushing when she finally turned her attention to the shocked look the detective was giving her.

“David. I didn’t know you were here.” She shrugged; what else could she do? Caught as she was within the secure arms of a man she had just met. She reasoned to herself that there was nowhere else to sit and the men hadn’t moved so she could take a seat. And she was still tired and so sore it was a wonder she could force herself to walk.

“Obviously, you only had eyes for him. I thought you said he was the one that we should investigate as a possible suspect?” David said as he raised a single brow, he obviously didn’t know what to make of her
actions, but then again Elisa was still at a loss with how easily she accepted what was going on.

“I
know, but if you look at the pictures… they’re two different men. There was Chase and yeah, he was at a few of the scenes, but the ones that looked angry were…”

“His brother, I know.  I’m just shocked that after the beating you
took, you’d be willing to let
any
man touch you.” David interrupted Elisa as he shot a confused look at Chase and his friend perched beside him on the couch. Shaking his head, he turned back to Elisa. “Look, I know you don’t want to do this and that you already filled out a report but I want to hear it from your lips. What exactly happened the other night and why are you clinging to that man… that stranger, like a barnacle?”

Elisa sighed and trie
d to extricate herself from Chase, but his arms merely slid around her waist and held tight. With a groan, she finally gave up and instead of fighting with what little energy she didn’t have, she leaned back against his chest and said, “David, I know how this must look… weird. Hell, it is for me too! I don’t know what it is about him, but Chase saved my life when he showed up and I feel safe with him. I can’t explain it to you.”

Instead of looking offended, Elisa noticed that David looked as though he was contemplating it before he nodded and said, “You’re right, it is rather concerning but for now I’ll let it be. If you feel safe then
ok, but I want you to know I don’t feel right about this. Right now though I want to hear you tell me exactly what happened, don’t leave
anything
out.”

As he reached out to touch her cloth covered knee, his eyes softened with concern. “I promise this will be the last time you have to do this. I wouldn’t
ask, but something tells me this is extremely important and I want to hear you tell it. The officer at the hospital only took a written report, he should have taken a verbal statement, but I know he’s a rookie and didn’t really know better.”

Elisa watched his hand as he gently squeezed just above her knee, she didn’t want to do this but she knew she had to. If nothing else she had to get him to
understand why she trusted Chase as much as she currently did. Taking a deep breath, she finally nodded and with her hands worrying against the cloth still clenched as they were she began retelling her tale of horror.

For several minutes none of the men moved, they barely even dared to breathe. The further along Elisa came in her story, the deeper she started going into her memories of the savage beating, the more she noticed the tension building between the three
.

U
ntil Tracker shocked Elisa into nearly bolting from Chase’s lap when he abruptly thrust himself to his feet and started pacing. It was clear to everyone by the tightening of his eyes and veritable steam rolling out of his ears that he was extremely pissed about the entire situation.

What really startled her? What made her nearly bolt from the room? It wasn’t just the man pacing in obvious anger. It was the deep throbbing growl that echoed
against her back from where Chase’s chest rested against her.

Chapter 16

Chas
e watched as his best friend lunged to his feet and started pacing back and forth as he listened to Elisa. If she weren’t perched in his lap where he could hold her tight he would probably be joining his friend. He knew what her story was doing to Tracker, it was doing the same to him and with a glance over at David it was affecting him as well. He was barely able to contain the beast within. The creature wanted to break through the walls, the ceiling, even his very skin just so it could surge out into the early dawn hours to hunt and kill the one that put that tremor of sheer terror into his Anare’s voice.

Without realizing he was doing it his arms drew Elisa tighter into his embrace, nearly suffocating her smaller frame as he pulled her back against his chest and started to curl over her shoulder in order to protect her from her very memories. It wasn’t until the sharp smack of her tiny hand hitting his forearm broke through the gruff growling that he realized she was telling him
to let her go because she couldn’t breathe. Finally he forced himself to release her, but not completely. He couldn’t bear the thought of her being out of his arms.

He felt as she watched Trac
ker pacing while she finished her story. Nuzzling his lips against the back of her neck, he attempted to calm her, needing to comfort both of them. Chase smiled when he felt the rush of goose flesh rising under his lips and knew she was unable to ignore him as she would like to pretend she could.

Keeping an eye on Tra
cker, he listened with half an ear as Elisa resumed her story. Chase breathed a soft sigh of relief when she skipped the part of Yannick healing most of her injuries and the trip to the ship, instead ending it with her short stay in their medical building.

“You didn’t tell me any of that, Chase.
You just said she was attacked and we were going to be picking her up at the hospital. Although that was obvious once we got there and the two of you came out. You let me believe she was hurt in some other manner!” Tracker was obviously seething as he glared at his Commander. His hands clenched into two fists that mirrored the locked body, the body that finally came to a stop before Chase and was fairly vibrating with rage.

Gently Chas
e lifted Elisa after giving her yet another scathing press of lips to the back of her neck before setting her down on the couch beside him. Standing slowly he faced down his friend and first officer by grabbing his upper arm and forcing Tracker to look at, and see, the sincerity in his gaze. “Not here. Not now Palee. We need to focus on Elisa’s safety and then you and I can hash it out in the training arena. I did not tell you because we never got the chance. As soon as we came back here I did what I had to and then told you where to meet us. You know I would never leave you intentionally in the dark.”

When Chas
e received a nod from Tracker, he released his friend before he turned back to the woman that was stirring all kinds of havoc inside him. Chase knew that having used his friend’s true name instead of his nickname would show the other man just how much this affected him, just as he knew his eyes were glowing brightly. Try as he might he couldn’t keep his pupils from elongating as they showed the savage feelings that grew in intensity each time he thought of her. When he saw the look of longing warring with the look of shock in Elisa’s eyes, he swooped down and attacked her lips as though his life depended on the soothing touch of her flesh. He wrapped a hand at the base of her neck and slowly drew her up until she stood with her chest pressed flush against his panting body. Her arms wrapped around Chase’s waist as he used his other arm to pull her even tighter while his lips devoured her very essence.

With great
reluctance, he pulled back and dropped his forehead against hers lightly, fighting internally for all he was worth to keep from dragging her back into the bedroom and staking his claim fully, finally. When Chase was able to once again speak, it was a deeper voice than usual. “I need to get you something to eat. You have not eaten in too long and I cannot stay here and listen to you talk about the attack again with the detective without breaking someone for the pain and fear that basteel gave you.”

Slowly he peeled his body off of Elisa
, dragging his hands down her neck and shoulders until finally he held both of her tiny hands in his larger ones. Giving them an encouraging squeeze he turned towards Tracker and nodded him out into the cooking area. When the other man refused to move, Chase wrapped his hand around the tense bicep and all but dragged Tracker out of the room behind him and into the other.

“Get yourself together Trac
ker! Neither of us can afford to lose it right now. Elisa needs us at the top of our game and losing your cool is
not
going to help matters.” Chase understood the anger coursing its way through Trackers body, as it was the same anger making his very blood boil, but he knew they had to tread carefully. They couldn’t afford to bring attention down on themselves, and if they weren’t careful that is exactly what would happen.

Growling deeply
, Tracker turned his anger onto Chase as he ripped his arm out of the other’s grip. “I know that, Commander. It doesn’t make it any easier to hear exactly what that basteel did to her!”

“Do you think I do
not know that? I am the one that found her! I am the one that held her trembling and bleeding body and prayed to the Gods and Goddesses that she was not broken in spirit and soul!” Chase’s agitation was clear as he ran shaking hands through his dark blond hair. He tightened his hands in the long locks and tugged, the only way he would allow himself to vent some of the anger. “We need to plan, to figure out a way to trap Mestrock as quickly as possible so I can take her away from this where she will be safe.”

Chas
e watched as Tracker nodded and took a deep breath, both men fought to control themselves before turning to the cupboards lining the far wall. Searching through them, and the chiller in the corner, they were able to finally return to the woman and Detective in the other room. Chase smirked to himself as he realized how his parental units would laugh to see him in a subservient mode to his woman, especially after his years of vowing that he would never be caught doing such.

He nearly dropped the plate
of what he hoped was edible food and the glass of water, he brought to Elisa when he heard the detective clear his throat and nervously begin picking at lint that wasn’t on his black slacks.

“Elise
, I have to ask this and I’m really not sure how to. Hell, I don’t even want to but I know I have to.” David said as he allowed his eyes to beseech Chase before turning back to Elisa. “Do you know who Sandy Constance is?”

“Yes. She’s my best friend. Why? Has something happened to her? David, what’s going on?” Cha
se quickly set his dishes on the table beside Elisa and swept her up into his lap once again, he could tell by the look David gave him that Elisa wasn’t going to like this. Whatever it was, Elisa was tense as a strung bow and Chase did whatever he could to calm her down.

“She’s been kidnapped. Her ex hasn’t been seen. A detective in Detroit called me since you’re her emergency contact she has listed everywhere. I’m sorry Elisa. They don’t know what happened to her.” David said as he reached out and clutched Elisa’s hand.

Chase tightened his arms around her and glared at David. He knew the man wasn’t responsible, but he had brought more bad news to the girl and he wanted to try and comfort her however he could. “What do you know Detective?”

             
“We don’t know much, just that she was taken and a call placed to her parents demanding the return of one Elisa Jones.”

             
“I see. Elisa is not leaving here Detective. She’s not safe traveling that far and definitely not alone… not as some bargaining chip to be traded callously.” Chase said as he wrapped one arm around Elisa’s waist while the other guided her head to his shoulder. The silent tears were killing him, but he didn’t know what else to do to comfort her as he’d never been in such a situation.

             
“I wouldn’t dream of using her like that. The detective in Michigan just wanted to pass it on. They’re doing everything they can to find her.” David’s eyes showed just how much it tore him up to tell them, but he needed her to know what was going on.

             
“Chase, I will go track this friend of hers. If I can get an image of what she looks like and where she was taken from I should be able to find her. You know I am this girl’s best chance; I am the best tracker we have. If there is any trace of her I will return her to Elisa.” Tracker stepped forward and reached out to rest his hand on Elisa.