Chasing Redemption (Book 2 of Chasing Series)

Fourteen | Bad mistake

"You're going to throw a party after everything that is going on?"

As usual, I'm standing in the Patridge living room death staring Marco.

He's sitting nonchantly on the armchair across from me, occassionally taking a drag from his vape. The smell of strawberry hits my face every few seconds and I bite my tongue, holding my hands behind my back to stop myself from lunging at the stupid thing. I wouldn't mind ripping it out of his mouth. 

"What else is there to do? Charlie hasn't been seen for days. It's just a waiting game now. May as well pass the time."

Sof steps into the room, stretching her arms above her head as she yawns. It's half past one in the afternoon and it's clear she's only just woken up. I frown, concerned when she offers me a half hearted smile. 

Beckett had told me she'd quit working at the bar just after I'd gotten home. He's worried she feels like she doesn't have much of a purpose anymore. I remind myself to talk to her later about getting a job back with Cash. 

"What if this lures him out, though? What if you're pissed out of your mind and don't seen him coming?" I argue. 

Marco snorts, blowing a puff of smoke out towards me. I hate strawberry. 

"You think I've never fought someone completely fucked?" 

I roll my eyes, turning away from him as Sof calls to me from the kitchen. Xavier walks past me as I enter, patting my head like a child. 

"Still not sure why I have to be escorted every with you," I mumble to him. "The last person I wanted to see today, or any day, is your brother."

"You know why you have to," he says, leaning inside the fridge to grab a plate of leftovers. 

"A party sounds like a good idea, by the way," he calls to Marco. "Take our minds off things." 

"Yeah, because it's not like you throw parties every weekend anyway," I huff. "I won't be attending, by the way."

"Yes you will," Xavier says, leaning against the bench beside me as he pops the plate of food into the microwave. "As if you think you even have a choice right now. I'm literally sleeping on your couch."

"Like I actually want you there," I grumble, thanking Sof as she makes me a coffee. 

"You're the only person I actually like in this room," I whisper to her. 

"Same here," she smiles. 

The microwave dings; the waft of food filling my senses. "Maybe a party will do you some good, detective. Help you relax. You're so wound up."

"Maybe because a fucking killer is out there trying to, you know, kill us."

Xavier slides into a seat at the dining table. "Well, whether you want to or not, you're coming tonight."

Knowing I have no way out of this, I offer Xavier the only thing I can; the middle finger. It only causes a shit-eating grin to etch across his face causing my anger to grow. 

Dick. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shit. 

Whoever fed me that last tequila shot deserves to be killed. Except, I can't exactly move from my place on the floor so I'm not sure how that will work. 

Three hours into the party and my head is pounding along with the music. I'm slumped against the wall in the lounge room watching people I barely know dance like they never have before. 

Sof is furiously making out with Beckett on the kitchen counter. My view is partially obstructed by the arm chair but I can see enough to make me want to vomit. 

That's probably just the amount of alchol I've consumed though. 

"Detective."

Great. The man of the hour is standing above me as my eyes graze over him. His brown hair is mussed, flopping into his eyes. He's watching me curiously, head cocked. One hand is shoved into the front of his jeans, the other wrapped firmly around a can of beer. 

"You eyeing off my beer or just checking me out?"

I grimace, meeting his gaze. "Neither, actually."

He removes his hands from his jeans, offering to help me up from the ground. Begrudingly, I accept. 

I stumble into his chest and he steadies me with one hand. His palm lands against the bare of my waist, holding me up. "Easy there, detective."

I groan, unable to keep my head up. It lands against his shoulder as he pulls me closer. "Had one too many? Thought you weren't keen on the whole party idea." 

"Just because I'm drunk doesn't mean I want to be here." 

His hand moves slowly and I feel myself shiver. He moves his head closer to my ear so that I can hear him over the music. 

"Did you want to sleep it off in my room?"

I move back slowly from him, enough to see his eyes. I'm about to make a dig about it sounding like a line, but I see the sincerity in his eyes. He didn't mean for it to sound like he was making a move. 

I nod, causing my head to jolt slowly around. 

Leading me with a hand on the small of my back, Xavier makes sure that I don't bump into any human shaped obstacles along the way. 

The relief is instant when we make into his room, shutting the door behind him. I fall back against his bed, staring at the ceiling as it starts to spin.

 "You should have stopped me," I groan. "I feel like shit already." 

"Hey, there's not stopping you when you get your hands on the tequila bottle." 

I huff out a laugh before it slowly turns into a groan as I rub my head. 

"I know I'm funny but you need to stop laughing at my jokes. Sit up for a second," he orders.

I can barely prop myself up as he helps remove my leather jacket. "Did you want me to remove your jeans to or do I just—did you want me to leave them on?" 

I can't help but grin at his serious expression, like it's the hardest decison he's ever had made. 

"I don't have the ability to do it myself, Xavier," I whisper, beginning to unbutton them.

He's watching me closely, following the moments of my hands as I pull at the zipper. I slide my hands under the fabric around my hips, lifting them up to help remove them. 

He moves in slowly, kneeling on the bed as he begins to pull them down my thighs. His thumb grazes the inside of my leg and I can feel my breathing increase. 

He drops them to the floor but he doesn't go to move. He stays kneeling beside me, hands resting on my bare legs. 

In a second, I'm moving my arm up, looping it through his hair to pull him against me. Our lips connect instantly and it's fast. He moves against me, gasping. I can feel him against me as he moves his hand to cup my face. 

"Brax," I whisper. 

It's over before it even really begins. He stills, pulling my arm off him as he stands from the bed. 

It doesn't take me long to realise what I've said and done. 

Fuck. 

"Xavier—"

"You should rest. I'll take the couch."

Before I can reply, he slams the door, leaving me to the darkness.