Free Never Say Never, Part Two (Second Chance Romance, Book 2) by Melissa Shaw Page B

guy at the front to continue, and left the glass box.  
    “My office. Now.” He led her to it, opened the door and strode in without waiting for her to go through first. That was anti-gentleman and definitely not his style.  
    “What are you doing here, Emily? Didn’t I tell you not to contact me again?”  
    She didn’t let the hostility faze her. “I had to come. I heard you’re getting married to Janet.”  
    Chase sat down in his chair and rested his elbows on the desk, back straight and seeming regal. “And so? Even if I was engaged, what business is it of yours?”
    “Chase, I’m sorry for the way things went down between us, but I had to come. I can’t let you do something you’ll end up regretting.”  
    “Read my lips, woman. It’s none of your business. I don’t want you in my life anymore.”  
    Emily squashed frustration down and tried again. “I’m not the person you think I am. I’m not a killer or a criminal. I’m just a woman who ended up in a bad situation and paid for it. If you let me explain, you’ll understand what I mean. You have to give me a chance, Chase.” This was too close to begging for comfort, but she didn’t have any other means of getting the pig-headed fool to sit up and take damn notice.  
    “It doesn’t matter what you are or what you did.”  
    “It does. It’s the entire reason you stopped talking to me. You don’t even want to try anymore.” That was what hurt her the most. He’d given up.  
    “Yeah, well now you know how it feels.”  
    “Chase –”
    “It’s not about your past. It’s about everything. You didn’t want to try, you only came to see me to prove something to yourself.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “That first day in the hospital, after that gorilla beat the crap out of me. You came to see me because you wanted to prove that ‘men weren’t jerks’. You didn’t care about me, you cared about yourself.”  
    “That’s bullshit. I was worried about you, I wanted to help you.” Emily rushed to the desk and planted her hands on it. “Chase, I wanted to know you because I was drawn to you, not because I wanted to prove anything. I was lying to myself about that.”  
    “Whatever. It’s too late for this.” But there was pain in him and that meant she still had a chance to plead her case.
    “I –” she cut herself off this time, and he raised an eyebrow.
    She had come to help him, but had ended up wanting to be with him again. It was selfish.  
    “Fine. I understand you don’t want anything to do with me. But that’s not the reason I came here today. I can accept you don’t see a future for us, but I can’t accept –”
    There was a volley of knocking on the office door. “Mr. Newman?” A deep male voice inquired. “Mr. Newman, we’ve been informed there’s been a security breech. Are you all right?”
    Chase’s jaw dropped and he looked at the wood door and then at her. “What did you do?” he whispered.  
    “I may have thrown your receptionist’s nail polish at the wall.” Emily was sheepish, and tucked her hands behind her back. “But it was only because she was being unnecessarily bitchy.”  
    “Unnecessarily…” he mouthed it, but the corners of his mouth twitched with amusement.  
    “Mr. Newman? Sir, if you don’t answer we’ll be force to break the door down.”  
    If they got in, she was out, that much was clear. “Please,” she said quietly. “Chase, please. It’s important.”  
    “Mr. Newman?” The door rattled in the frame.  
    “Please.”
    He stared at her, hard, then opened his mouth to condemn or save her.
    “I’m fine,” he called out and the shaking stopped. “Everything’s under control in here, thank you. Please return to your usual positions.”  
    “Sir, are you sure? We received reports of a potentially dangerous woman on the loose.” The man’s voice was filled with concern and guilt crept up on her.  
    “That bitch is crazy!” A woman