Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 104

Sofia

It had been three days since the attempt on my life. So far, nothing out of the ordinary occurred, but the growing tension on the back of my head was becoming hard to ignore with each passing day. Chase, although he was handling things better than me, still put his best effort in securing our mansion. He had alarms installed, replaced every lock and added CCTV for monitoring. I appreciate that he didn't push on hiring a bodyguard for me and Elise when I turned it down. I didn't want our daughter to feel stressed by inserting a stranger into our lives.

Through the open French door, I watched as Elise and Julian kicked a football back and forth. Shooter was watching the kids like a watchdog, sitting on the wooden deck of Leo's place. Leo, Chase, and Miles were drinking beer in front of the garage, grilling the meats for our afternoon barbecue as they laughed at something Miles said.

It was nice to do something ordinary. Chase and I were trying hard to fall back into our daily routine.

I refuse to let fear rule our lives just because of some psycho out there trying to kill me.

My life had finally fallen into place. Chase and I were getting married in three weeks, Leo winning full custody over Julian, Derek and Miles staying in Pinehills. Then this happened.

I sighed.

Things won't always be this gloomy. I just have to believe in that.

"That's deep," Derek's comment brought me back into the kitchen where I was supposed to be - slicing the cucumbers into thin slices until my mind sailed into the problem I was trying to push aside.

"Hey," I smiled, heart thudding in my chest. "Any news?"

He met Chuck in the city, and I anxiously awaited his return. As promised, Derek has kept me updated on Chuck's findings. He got an address by following the car through the street cameras. "We checked the address. Found the car, but no hint or trace of the driver." He told me not to get my hopes up, but I still did. Getting a lead on that driver would've been big.

I lowered my gaze to the chopping board; the cucumber juice created a wet spot on the wood. Slowly, I slide the knife through the vegetable, careful not to cut myself. My wounds and scratches were already healing, but the shaking of my hands remained. I still wrapped it with a bandage. Elise told me my hands were like the hands of a fighter with hand wraps. That was probably this event's only upside- my daughter thought I was a badass.

"We will find that fucker, Sofia. Trust me, okay?" Derek said, going to the fridge and taking a bottle of beer. "Chuck is working on facial recognition. She knew how to hide her face on the street camera."

"Do you think I'm the only target, Derek?"

Thinking negatively won't do me any good, but I can't shake the feeling of Elise being a target, too. That scared me the most.

"In the military, we were taught to look at the facts, not the what ifs, Sofia. But I understand your concern for your family's safety." He stood beside me, eyes fixed on the two innocent kids laughing as they played with Shooter. "I won't sugarcoat things. Whoever was behind this was good. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. The house was wiped clean of any prints; no one from the neighbors could tell shit about her. All they knew was that she wasn't alone. Someone was working with her. But I promise you, I won't rest until I get to the bottom of this." Determination rolled off him like white smoke; his large hand pawed the back of my head, kissing my temple.

I leaned on my brother, eyes nailed on Elise and Julian, who were now being chased by Shooter. My daughter holds a stick. She tossed it to Julian, Shooter jumping up high to catch the stick mid- air.

"Thank you, Derek."

He looked down at me, smiling softly. "Don't let this get to you, okay? We're safe. Have fun, and stop frowning. You look ten years older than me."

I pouted, elbowing him. He clutched his side, feigning hurt, and ruffled my hair in retaliation. I swatted his hand, giggling.

Thirty minutes later, we were on the deck, a simple afternoon barbecue feast laden on the wooden table. A bowl of grilled okra, corn, and tomato salad, steak, grilled chicken and sausages, roasted potatoes, lemon

juice for the kids, and beers for us adults.

"How was house hunting?" Chase asked Derek. That was Derek's reason for leaving the house to meet Chuck. Derek was still adamant about telling Chase about Chuck and the development of their investigation. Whereas Chase told me, his private investigator was also working on finding the driver.

Derek shrugged, stuffing his mouth with a huge bite of his steak. "Something felt off about it."

Miles sighed dramatically. "You've said that about every house. Seriously, what the f**k are you looking for?" His eyes widened. He dropped the F-bomb.

The kids perched up, high-fiving each other.

"That's two dollars, Uncle Miles," Elise grinned cheekily. Stabbing a fingerling potato with her fork, chewing slowly.

"Two dollars!?" Miles exclaimed. "That's only a dollar last Sunday!"

"It went up," Julian explained. "It was an anonymous decision."

The rest of us snickered.

"Unanimous, love," I correct, pinching his cheeks.

Julian shrugged. "We are saving for Hunter."

"Who the f... udge is, Hunter?" Miles grumbled, catching himself before he could drop the F-bomb again. They made it a mission to fill the swear jar with dollars. From one dollar for the F-bomb, they raised it to two, since it's the most common they heard from the rest of the guys. They were saving up so Elise could have a dog.

"My future dog," Elise said, her feet dangling from her chair.

"This is no fair." Miles groaned, pulling out his wallet and slamming two dollars on the table. "No one said about the price hike."

We all laughed at him.

Chase leaned on his chair and tossed an arm around the back of mine, caressing the exposed skin of my shoulder. "Mom's selling the house in Rosenberg." That's the neighborhood where we grew up. Their house was only five houses down from our childhood home. "It's old and probably needs an overhaul, but if you are interested, I can tell her not to put it on the market and just sell it to you."

I didn't know that. Well, Chase and I haven't been really talking much these days. He left early for work and came home very late. But that would be ideal for Derek.

"Yeah? That's nice." Leo commented and turned to Derek. "Maybe that's what those houses lacked... familiarity."

Chase agreed. "It took me three months before I found the house that suited my idea for my family."

"I guess. Although I don't think I'll be living with anyone anytime soon." Derek shrugged.

"You can have the basement all to yourself," Chase teased.

That put a smile on my lips. They spent most of their time in the basement when they were younger. Playing video games or watching movies, or just chilling in. We had good memories of that house. "I'll talk to Clara," Derek said.

"You have her number?"

Derek nodded.

For the most part of our Saturday barbecue at Leo's, I followed Derek's advice and pushed my worries and anxieties aside, and it worked. We ate as a family, laughed, and drank like we always do every weekend. "Tired?" Chase asked on the way home. Elise had fallen asleep in the backseat, exhausted from the entire afternoon's play session with Shooter and Julian.

"A bit, but it's nice to have some downtime."

"Yeah," He reached over the console for my hand, kissing my knuckles. "I hope you're not that tired, though," he squeezed my hand and rested on his lap. "I have plans for you tonight."

My heart skipped a beat. Since the hit-and-run incident, Chase hadn't been intimate with me. He's been busy and he worries about hurting me.

What plans?" I asked coyly, biting down on my lip.

Oh, I don't know. I had a package delivered to my office yesterday. From Naughty Toys," he said meaningfully.

1 clenched my thighs together, mind reeling what awaited us when we got home. "No hints?" I detached my hand from his fingers, spreading them on his thigh, sliding up until I brushed the evident bulge on his jeans. "Sofia," Chase groaned. "I'm driving."

"What?" I asked innocently, my eyes fixed on his face, watching (**t and desire make his blue eyes darken.

"Don't distract me." He gripped my wrist and twined our fingers together again.

I giggled. That was as far as my advances would go. Elise was in the car and after my almost accident, I don't wanna risk it just because I'm horny. We are almost home anyway.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Chase grumbled. There was an SUV parked in front of the mansion. My eyebrows furrowed, but when Detective Jacobson slid out of the passenger side, I mirrored Chase's frown as I followed him out.

She wore jeans and a dress shirt; her badge glistening on her belt alongside her sidearm. This was an official visit. Whatever her business with us must be important.

Chase scooped Elise from the backseat. Detective Jacobson approached us, a foreboding smile on her face. A bulky guy slid out of the SUV's driver's side. He had aviator sunglasses on, but I could feel the sear of his stare.

Jose met us halfway down the walking path to the threshold and took Elise from Chase's arms. "Take her to

her room. Double-check all the locks before you leave."

"Sim senhor," Jose replied curtly.

"You must have some big development on my fiancee's case, huh." Chase faced the detective once Elise and Jose were inside the house.

"I'm not here about Miss Collin's case." She said pointedly. Chase crossed his arms. I stood beside him, my frown deepening. "Do you recognize this man?"

She flashed her phone to us, a picture of a guy in his early twenties. He was grinning, his bright blue eyes squinting at the camera.

"Haven't seen him before," Chase replied coolly. "What the fuck is this about?"

"He was found dead in a motel outside of town."

I don't like where this questioning was going. My mind whirled with all the possible connections of that kid on my almost hit-and-run. Was he the driver? But Derek was sure it was a woman. "What had that got to do with me?" Chase asked through gritted teeth. The movement in Ricky's house caught my attention. He was in his room, peeping through his curtains. Great. Now we'd be the hot topic in this neighborhood.

"You tell me, Mr. Montiero. That's what we are trying to figure out." I didn't miss the hitch of excitement in Detective Jacobson's voice. She pinned Chase with an accusatory glare.

Chase matched her glare with a scorching one. He stepped forward, looking at the detective through the tip of his nose. The bulky driver skated his hand on his sidearm. I pressed my hand on Chase's back, rubbing in circles. He was seething, shoulders shaking in anger. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complee chapters for free. "I don't fucking care if you go to my office and throw your mind tricks on me. Not here. My daughter is here. My home and my daughter are off limits to your games, Alice."

Amusement crossed her face, but she backed up a bit. "We found pictures of you on his phone." She glanced at me as Chase allowed me to pull him back. I curled an arm around his waist, patting his chest.

"Is this connected to my case?"

"We're still looking into that," she said. "There was no picture of you. Only Mr. Montiero." Chase was still simmering. His fist clenched on his side. She turned, ready to leave, before facing us again. "One more thing. Can you tell me where you are this morning? Around eight to nine am?"

Chase stiffened, and Detective Jacobson raised an eyebrow. She watched Chase with hawk eyes, waiting for his response

Chase said he'd be at the office this morning.

Although it was had been busy with their Miami project and the renovation of Elisa in California. But the way his molars ground, eyes throwing blades at the officer, tells me he lied to me again.

"Mr. Montiero?" Detective Jacobson asked impatiently.

Chase turned to me, his eyes wary. "Sofia, promise you'll let me explain?"

My eyes darted from him to Alice, but I knew not to question him in front of the detective. He's already on her bad side, as it is. I nodded. My throat was tight, and my heart hammered against my breastbone. "I had breakfast with Carlota Oliveira."