6. Chase

Chase stepped out onto the large terrace and gazed out at the luscious gardens below. There were fountains and ponds spread out through the massive grounds that seemed to go on for miles. The flowers were in full bloom, adding a gorgeous splash of reds, purples, and blues to the perfectly manicured lawn below. The chateau really was a testament to French opulence.

Pulling out his cell phone, he selected Marc's number and brought the phone to his ear. He looked around, double-checking that he was alone on the terrace.

After the second ring, Marc answered.

"Hey, it's me."

"Everything going okay so far?" Marc asked.

Chase adjusted his suit jacket and leaned against the concrete railing. He still couldn't believe that Marc had forced him to wear a suit on this undercover assignment.

You need to look the part, he told him. No one is going to believe that you are someone of importance sitting around in ripped jeans and a Creed T-shirt.

"Yeah, everything's going smoothly. Met one of the entertainers who gave me a tour of this place. It's friggin' amazing here, like, European rich royalty, man. Spoke with a few of the workers and even made friends with a few of the guests. If I play my cards right, I might be vacationing in Dubai next winter," Chase joked, glancing around once again to make sure that he was still alone.

"Need I remind you why you're really there? Focus, or you'll blow the whole operation," Marc growled into the phone.

He didn't seem like the joking-around type of boss.

Chase rolled his eyes. "Sure thing, boss."

"I'll touch base with you again before bed," Marc said before hanging up without so much as a goodbye.

Well, that was rude.

"Everything alright?" a man's voice asked, startling Chase.

Chase spun around to see a handsome man dressed in a stylish blue and green checkered suit staring at him from just outside the terrace doors.

Trying his best to swallow the lump in his throat, he held up his phone. "Just updating the boss on some outstanding files, is all."

The man stepped forward and extended his hand. "I'm Matteo Sabarino, owner of this establishment."

"Oh!" Chase lurched forward and grabbed the man's hand quickly. "I'm Chase Harwick. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Yes, it is. And how are you enjoying yourself so far? Are you finding everything to your liking?"

"Yes, everything is amazing here," he responded, wondering just how much of his conversation Matteo had overheard.

Matteo passed Chase a glass of champagne, and the two of them cheered.

"So, tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from, and what do you do for a living?"

Marc had provided him with a fake background and employment, just in case anyone did a background search on him. They still weren't sure who could be trusted and who were the true enemies in this place.

"I'm Chase Harwick, from Texas, where I own a cattle ranch."

"Really? You look rather young to own a ranch. Have you owned it for long?" Matteo asked, pulling an old pocket watch from his suit pocket and glancing at the time.

Chase had never seen a man actually use a pocket watch before in real life. There was a flare of elegance to the move like he was watching one of those old black and white films where the handsome stranger with the square jaw rushes off to save the damsel just in the nick of time.

The move was very classy gentleman.

"Well, I only took it over recently," Chase responded. "My parents owned the ranch originally; then, when they retired, they passed it on to me."

Matteo nodded.

Chase was having difficulty getting a read on the man. His face was expressionless, yet he seemed skeptical of Chase's answers. The man had one hell of a poker face.

"Do you have a few minutes to spare? I'd love to show you one of our most exotic attractions. I promise you'll love it."

There was something about the grin that Matteo gave that made Chase's stomach knot. But his assignment was to gather information. And spending time with the owner of the establishment was a huge bonus, so he agreed.

"Perfect," the man said, placing his right hand around the back of Chase's neck and guiding him through the vast gardens.

Eventually, they came to a large, enclosed area nestled deep within the gardens.

Chase glanced over his shoulder and back at the mansion. They were definitely far enough away that no one would hear him scream if the man decided to murder him.

"After you," Matteo said, holding open the door to the enclosure. Chase nodded, then stepped inside.

There was a weird smell in the air. It kind of reminded Chase of the class field trips they took to the zoo when he was just a boy.

Part of him wanted to hold his breath to stop the smell from entering his nose, but another part of him wanted to continue to breathe so that he could identify the source of the scent.

See? Masochistic behavior. Men like smelling bad odors.

The room was dark, with barely enough light to see two steps in front.

Yup, definitely a bad idea to go with eccentric, crazy boss-man into his dark box of death. Not how he wanted his life to end.

"Wait right here, and I'll get the lights," Matteo whispered, disappearing into the darkness.

Great, this is the part where he gets his ass murdered.

Just as the lights came to life, a loud growl and a monstrous beast came jumping at Chase. Chase let out a scream and stumbled backward.

Matteo let out a boisterous laugh.

A large tiger stalked toward Matteo and circled around his legs. The creature sat down next to Matteo and stared suspiciously at Chase.

The low, throaty growl let Chase know that the beast did not enjoy his company.

"What the fuck is that?" Chase exclaimed, heart still pounding in his chest. His eyes quickly scanned the room for any other unwelcome guests.

"This here is Raj. He's my protector and kitty to the whole Maison family."

"Th–that's a fuckin' tiger, man. Not some pet you can keep locked up in your backyard!"

Matteo's smile disappeared. He reached down and began petting his baby on the head. The tiger let out a loud purr as it closed its eyes and enjoyed its master's touch.

"Did someone take the time to explain to you the house rules?" Matteo asked, eyes focused on his large friend.

Chase nodded.

"And did they explain what would happen if you were found in breach of those rules?"

"We'd be banned from the club and never welcomed back again."

"Correct. And did someone also tell you what would happen if you were found lying or providing false information?" Matteo asked, scratching the chin of the tiger and listening to the beast purr.

Chase swallowed hard. "Umm, no, sir."

"The relationship between you and I would be terminated, and, well…" he let the sentence hang as the tiger in front of him began to growl.

He got the message. Those who crossed Matteo ended up as kitty food for the house cat.

"I've got one other question for you."

Chase held his breath, trying not to let panic set in.

"You stated on your questionnaire that you were referred to us by Ares." Matteo stopped petting the human man-eater and stood. He turned to face Chase once again. "Tell me, what does a Texas ranch owner have in common with a European arms dealer?"

Chase felt his heart stop in his chest. Marc hadn't mentioned his connection to Ares or the fact that his connection was with the Prince of Darkness. Fuck! He needed to think fast.

"Well, let"s just say that cattle is not the only thing that I trade in." Thank God for all that undercover work he'd done over the years. He'd gotten good at thinking on his feet.

Matteo gave Chase a crooked smile. "Hmm, perhaps. I find it interesting that a man who has owned a cattle ranch for so long, still has such soft and gentle hands."

Chase's cheeks flushed.

"Guess only time will tell if you are going to be a problem."

Matteo snapped his fingers and pointed at the play area behind him. The tiger licked the back of Matteo's hand and went back to playing behind him.

The two exited Raj's enclosure and made their way back toward the mansion.

"Levi told me that you stepped in and rescued him from that insolent beast earlier today," Matteo started.

"Umm, yeah. It was nothing."

Caring blue eyes glanced over at Chase. "No. It was everything. I promised my guys that they would always work in a safe and protected environment, and when that safety is compromised, I take that violation very seriously."

"Yeah, Levi said that he was going to be banned from the club."

A troubling grin spread across Matteo's face. "Yes, he's been banned for life. I sent some guys over to his house to personally deliver the message."

There was something unsettling about the way Matteo spoke. It seemed that La Maison rule violations came with a much stricter enforcement of punishment than initially described.

"And as a show of good faith and hoping that we can build a long and trusting relationship, I'd like to invite you to stay at the chateau as my guest for the weekend—free of charge, of course."

Chase turned and was about to argue that such a generous gift was not necessary but was cut off by Matteo's raised hand.

"There will be no discussion. I will have a private suite set up for you, and I'll have fresh clothing brought to your room later this evening." Matteo placed his muscular arm around Chase's shoulders. The man was a few inches shorter than Chase, but that didn't seem to bother Matteo.

"Thank you, sir. That's very generous of you."

"Good. Then it's settled." Matteo turned and marched back to the mansion, where laughter and music could be heard spilling into the gardens.