Free A Debt Repaid (1) by N. Isabelle Blanco, Nyddi Page B

more than angry. Chase’s body was vibrating with some intense energy that she couldn’t define. He stared at her from beneath a tensed brow, his eyes boring into hers through the reflection.
    “I worry about you.” The soft way he said those words were so at odds with the look he gave her. Then, his hold on her neck became tighter. Chase pulled her until she almost stumbled back into his chest. Voice gone rough, he leaned down enough to murmur in her ear, “All the damn time. Every day. I can’t stop it… I wonder if you’re okay. If you need anything.” Chase closed his eyes and exhaled.
    Aria held back her gasp as her skin responded to the feel of that exhale.
    “I… I don’t,” Chase paused. The way his jaw tensed, the hardening of his brow—that pained expression and the way he squeezed his eyes shut.
    She hadn’t known him for very long, but she’d already realized how flat… how monotone he could be at times.
    Not right then. Aria was fascinated by what she saw. His entire face transformed as unknown emotions took him over.
    He was beautiful. It didn’t matter that he was pained by whatever he fought. It captivated her to see his facial expressions change like that, as much as his touch did her body.
    Chase opened his eyes. When he spoke, he did so slowly, as if he were trying to remain calm. “I don’t like this feeling, Aria. Not this one. The constant worrying about you, wondering if you’re alright. I’m not used to this.”
    Oh, God. This time, it was Aria’s turn to close her eyes. No matter what she did, she couldn’t escape the images replaying in her mind. It didn’t take a genius to realize that he’d been damaged by whatever had happened to his mom when he’d been a child.
    She’d seen it happen to a lot of people. They either self-destructed in chaotic explosions of fury that ruined their lives one event at a time—or they shut down in order to stop feeling whatever pain was still eating at them.
    There was a big chance that she was wrong, but it made sense. Thinking back on how flat he could be, it was either one or the other. He was either an expert at hiding his humanity, or he he’d shut down his emotions to survive.
    A terrifying conclusion came next, the kind that had her eyes shooting wide open and her heart accelerating.
    He was feeling. Not only was it obvious, but he had just told her so.
    She was the reason.
    Her logic and fear screeched at that, refusing to accept that she was the cause.
    Her gut laughed at her with almost maniacal glee.
    She felt Chase’s hold on her neck shift—he turned her around, fast. It took her a second to register the feel of his arms around her, the heat of his chest against her face.
    He palmed the back of her head softly, pressing her further into him.
    His heart was beating even harder than her own, a loud, incessant pounding in her ear that heated her blood until it felt like her skin was burning.
    “I need you to make me a promise,” Chase said, squeezing her tight. “If, for whatever reason, you can’t… if anything happens and you need any sort of help, anything at all Aria, you’ll come find me. Promise me.”
    Waves of emotion caught her unaware, starting at her feet before rushing through the rest of her. Her heart sputtered. Aria’s mind seemed to split in four separate directions, clueless on how to handle the million different things she was feeling.
    Unable to stop herself, Aria raised her hands. She worked her arms through his tight hold so she could clutch his blazer. Eyes squeezed shut, she hung on for dear life, wondering how she was going to be able to walk out that door considering she didn’t feel her legs.
    She was so aroused. For him. Since the day they met, always for him. She wanted that man, someone she’d just met, more than anyone and now he was hitting her with that request of his.
    Either he was a brilliant actor, one adept as all hell at hiding his emotions, or he didn’t feel at times. And, oh