Her Escape

Chapter 15

Adjustment

"Tough times never last, but tough people do." – Robert H. Schuller

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"Do you always randomly offer up your apartment to strangers?" I asked, finally breaking the silence. Chase had opted to avoid the small side streets, and was zooming through the empty highway.

When he didn't reply, I turned my head in his direction only to find him smirking. "We both know you're not a stranger." He said, stealing a sideway glance in my direction before returning his attention to the empty highway.

"Then what am I?" I challenged.

"A literal pain in my ass." He snorted, causing my head to snap up.

"That still doesn't answer why you're doing this." I cocked an eyebrow, turning in my seat so that I was fully facing him.

"Does it take a lot of effort?"

"What?"

"Being this annoying."

"Can you for once be serious." I groaned, rolling my eyes. And I'm the annoying one, I thought.

"Can you for once not ask so many fucking questions." He retorted.

"Yes." I deadpanned. "If you would just answer my questions to begin with."

Chase chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. He opened his mouth to speak, only to quickly close it again. "Because I trust you." He said after an eternity of silence.

I blinked a couple of times at his sudden response. It was my turn to open and close my mouth like an idiot. "You shouldn't." I shifted in my seat, the leather squeaking against my thighs.

"Why not?" He asked, taking the exit off the highway.

Because I'm a liar.

Because you know nothing about me.

Because if you knew anything about who I really was, not just who I pretended to be, you wouldn't so much as think about firing me. Let alone letting me into your home.

"Because you just shouldn't." I cleared my throat, silently praying for this car ride to be over already. Being confined in such a small space with Chase was starting to make me uncomfortable. He had a knack for being able to read me like an open book, making it nearly impossible to lie to him.

"For fucks sakes Lexie," Chase sighed in frustration. "Why is it so hard for you to just accept my help."

"Because I don't need help!" My eyebrows furrowed together and I dug my nails into my palm to keep my hands from shaking. "I'm – I'm not ... I'm not a charity case."

"No one said you were!" He said incredulously, turning to fully face me when he came to a full stop at a red light. "But you're also not alone, and whatever it is you're running from, you don't have to face alone."

"You don't know what you're talking about." I swallowed the lump in my throat. His eyes narrowed slightly before he shook his head and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Just then, the light turned green and Chase directed his gaze back to the road.

The rest of the car ride was quiet, with the hum of the engine and the occasional sigh from Chase as the only sound in the otherwise silent car.

Parking in front of the gym, Chase got out and opened my car door – leading us towards the building's side door. Silently climbing the stairs behind him, we eventually reached the third floor's landing and I waited for him to open the door.