42. Karma

CHAPTER 42

KARMA

TAYLOR SWIFT

My head, side, and arm all hurt, but it’s nothing compared to how Luis left me so many times before. When I open my eyes, I’m greeted by Mama and Dani, who tell me that my older brothers are downstairs getting coffee. Mama cries, Dani cracks jokes, and we all try to pretend we’re not in a hospital room.

“Hey, you’re awake!” Chase says as he comes in. He walks over and kisses my head before he sets a cup in front of me..

“If I never see ice again, I won’t be mad.”

“You would, because that’s how you drink your coffee,” Chase whispers as he nuzzles my hair, taking a deep breath in even though I’m sure it smells like a hospital, just like everything else. “And Devin would be really bummed if you never came to one of his games.”

“My brothers want tickets.”

“Already gave them some. They’ll be in our suite, which I’ll have stocked with beer and food. They’ve got hotel rooms and a driver, too, so they won’t have to drive home after.” He flashes me that dorky smile. “Least I could do after they cleaned up the mess at your house.”

“Baby, tickets in the nose-bleeds would have been enough for them.”

“But not enough for you.”

“You two are fucking disgusting. Like, worse than Jamie!” Dani complains as she shoves a burrito in her mouth.

“And you’re not supposed to be eating in here! Not until your sister can eat proper food again.” Chase flips her off and Dani sticks her tongue out at him before Mama smacks her arm.

I reach up with my working arm and stroke Chase’s stubble. Remembering what that feels like between my thighs sends a warmth through my body. If I weren’t on all these meds, and we were alone in here, I just might make a move on this beautiful man looking down at me. He’s staring at me like I’m the only person in the universe. It’s the same look my father used to give my mother. The one I’d hoped someone would give me one day, but gave up on after I met Luis. It’s passion and promises in a sparkling blue bow. It tells me what I knew the day I first met him, but tried so damn hard to fight.

“Ask me again.”

“No.”

I wrinkle my nose and pout. I didn’t expect that answer from a man who rarely ever uses that word on me.

“I want more time, Ren.”

My heart cracks, but I’m confused. “Oh, I?—”

“Not what I mean, Renate.” He presses his forehead to mine and in that moment, we’re alone in the room, even if Mama and Dani haven’t left. “I’m not doing it wrong twice in a row, beautiful. I don’t need more time to think about us. I want more time. I want memories, adventures, and travels. I want them all with you. I want to take my time taking you apart on the balcony of a hotel in Paris. I want you to taste fresh pasta in a hotel in Italy after we’ve fucked on every surface in the room. I want you to dance with me at a club in Germany before we slip off to a back room and you scream my name.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We had time taken away from us, and I want it back. I want every minute back and I’m going to fucking get it. You’ll say yes to me when you least expect it. When we’re ready, we’ll come home, plan a wedding, and start our family. You and me,” he whispers the words, splaying his hand over my belly. “And as many as you want.”

“Wait, did he just?—”

I turn just in time to see Mama smack Dani’s arm again, almost making her drop her food. “Leave them alone, ni?a tonta. You’re too nosey.”

“Geez, wonder where I get that from?” Dani says under her breath as I turn back to Chase.

“So, what do you say? We heal up, and we leave. Cyn has us set for three months, but I can extend it. Six months. A year. Whatever you want.”

“I can’t leave Mama in that house the way it is. My brothers may have cleaned it, but it needed more than cleaning, Chase.”

“She can sleep at her boyfriend’s place, dumbass. OUCH!”

“Daniella, stop making Mama mad. It’s making me laugh and that hurts.”

“We’ll hire an architect and contractors.” He turns to Mama. “We’ll change anything you want, and while that’s in the works, you can stay with Devin if you’d like.”

“Okay. I’ll go.” I turn his head and rub my nose against his. “It’s not like I have a job.”

“Oh!” Chase’s eyes shoot open as he pulls away and starts looking through his pockets, still struggling with the sling. He pulls out a thumb drive and lays it on the tray next to me. “Mills got that back from the cops. He said there’s no charge for impersonating a teacher, so you could have this back?”

I pick it up like it’s made of the finest glass, holding it in front of me and feeling my lips pull into a wicked grin.

“Renate?” Chase asks when I smirk at him. “You’ve got that look in your eye, and neither of us is in any shape for anything that usually follows that look.”

“Chase, my love?” I swear he melts when I call him that. It’s better than Puppy. “I need a computer.”

* * *

Marta tries hard to bite back her smile when she comes by the hospital to check on me. Which means my plan worked. She greets everyone, blushing a little when she gets to Chase. When she gets to me, she drops a newspaper in my lap.

Once Beloved Principal Fired for Pornography, Harassment, Indiscretions

I can’t hold back the snort in my laughter, even though it hurts like hell. “Beloved? Who in their right mind would ever call him that?”

“Did you do it?”

“I sure as hell didn’t call him that!” She cocks an eyebrow at me, and I feign innocence. “Did I do what, Marta?”

Leaning in closer, she whispers like she’s in a spy movie, “They say in the article that someone emailed a video of him to numerous outlets. The same outlets that he and Luis sent those images of you.” She points to the picture on the front page. “That’s his office, Renate.”

“Would it matter if I did it? I don’t work there anymore, and whoever sent in these images and videos probably just wanted to protect the teachers and students from a man like him. He’s wicked and cruel—he had it coming.”

“What am I going to do without you, Renate?” Her shoulders slump as she smiles through a pout. “You were my best friend in that school!”

“You’ll have to come visit me sometime, or maybe I’ll get you a new job. I have an offer waiting for me at a private school. Why don’t you take it?”

“A private school? Why don’t you want it?”

“Because Chase is taking me on an adventure. We’re going to take some time. Together. When I’m back, we’ll see about teaching.”

“Oh, those private schools are so?—”

“Not always. This one had a different approach.” Chase says as he moves to sit on the edge of the bed. He pulls out a business card and hands it to her. “No snotty rich kids and trust funds there.”

“Not yet, anyhow. And they won’t be a problem, because I’ll give every one of them an earful once they get home.”

Marta stares at me, and I watch the gears spinning. “Oh my sweet baby Jesus, are you saying?”

“Not yet, but I’m pretty sure we’ve decided on it.”

“Pretty sure?” Chase teases, squeezing my leg and giving me a mischievous wink. “Oh, it’s my mission now. Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

“I haven’t, Puppy. Don’t worry.”

Marta giggles and tucks the card into her purse. “You know, Mr. Cooper, I tried to tell her to talk to you that night you came to the school. She told me you wouldn’t know what to do with a woman like her. I’m glad someone has finally proved her wrong.” Chase blushes as he laughs so hard his shoulders shake. “You are a good man, so stay that way. Treat this woman like the princess she is.”

“Oh, she’s not a princess, Marta. She’s my queen.”

Marta cackles so loud, I expect a nurse to come in and hush her. “Ren, you better treat this man here like a king. You two are cute together. I’m going to go talk to your mother.”

As soon as Marta sits beside my mother, the pair gossip in Spanish. Sometimes they forget that, while I don’t speak it often, I understand them. Chase asks me what they’re talking about, but I just smile and pat the space next to me on the bed. He doesn’t need to know that every woman in this room thinks he has a cute butt.

His arm wraps around me as I nuzzle against his chest, feeling drowsy. He’s changed since that night and the visit to the police station. He hasn’t told me what happened yet, but he’s not fidgeting and nervous. Like he let go of something that had a chokehold on him. When I ask, he tells me it’s something for another day.

“Do I want to know what you did with that thumb drive and the computer?”

“No. You do not.”

“Something we’ll need to tell Cynthia about?”

“Chase, we might need to keep a few parts of our lives just to us.”

“I tell her everything, Ren.”

I tilt my head up to his ear while I squeeze his thigh. “Did you tell her how loud I made you scream my name while I choke you and peg your perfect, tight ass?”

“Keep talking like that, Sunshine, and I’m kicking everyone out and locking the door.”

“Let me take a nap first. Then kick them all out.”

He swallows hard and closes his eyes. I’m interested to know how many European sights I’ll be seeing only from the window of a hotel room. He presses his lips against my hair and hums the song we danced to that night all those months ago on our first date as I drift off to sleep. Warm, safe, and, most importantly, loved.