Ties

Chapter Forty-Five

"Can I ask you a question?" My eyes remain on Chaz's freshly fucked green irises as he nods, lips sweeping across my knuckles. "Why did you assume Blaze was your father's child? I mean, I get it, the stuff you said, but... why?" Shrugging my shoulder a bit, I hold his gaze. "It seems like maybe there's something else?" I frown, my fingernails tracing up and down the side of his naked torso.

He inhales a deep breath, looking down, releasing it slowly. "Honestly, I guess it's ingrained in my head that he's got something to do with every bad—" His eyes widen with a flash of alarm, mouth gaping. "I... I don't mean that Blaze is bad, fuck," he mutters, pressing a hand to his face.

"Relax." Looping my arm around his waist, I inch myself closer to him, sliding over the bedsheet, my chest smashing against his, causing his eyes to fling open. "I realize you mean nothing by it, just talk to me." We're almost nose to nose, sharing one pillow.

"I've always thought of him as this... I don't know, this vindictive guy. My mom, she painted that picture for me, made me believe he was a certain way. But thinking about it, and knowing the things he did for you... and Blaze told me he was always nice, and damn, I don't know what the hell to believe, anymore. I need to move past it. That fucking Fife asshole has gotten in my head."

"Fife?" Scrunching my nose, I place a hand on Chaz's chest, pushing back a smidge, studying his face. "What do you mean, he got in your head? I thought you said that was all taken care of? That he didn't have anything on you?" I lift up, fist propping beneath my jaw, elbow digging into the pillow.

"Shit," Chaz mutters, scrubbing a palm over his face. "I didn't get a chance... I didn't want to... fuck!" He groans again, leaning up on his elbow, frowning at my completely confused face. "Yesterday, before Blaze's appointment, I ran into him."

I nod, lips parting. "Okay, but what's he got to do with anything?"

Chaz rolls his eyes. "No clue, but apparently he had something to do with the money, you know, the papers?"

"What?" I barely croak out the word.

"Forget him." His fingers grip over my free hand, eyes set on mine. "Whatever deal they had is over, but he's got something out for you, or me, or I don't fucking know what. He's convinced there's some secret that he knows and I don't. I think that combined with the shit my mom told me years ago and being worried about Blaze... my imagination just got the best of me."

Sitting up, I wrap the bedsheet around my body, trying to digest this additional information. Chaz sighs, scooting up, back resting against the headboard.

"I'm really sorry for second-guessing, I shouldn't keep doing that, it's just I'm on edge, but I have nothing to hide."

Shit, I don't either—at least not anymore.

"I don't have anything to hide," I say. Turning my head, I catch Chaz's eyes, swimming with stress as he shakes his head, large hand sliding over his face.