Fracture Read Online Free Page B

doing?”
    Not that she showed anyone. He knew it had.
He’d held her while she cried. “Very well,” he said with pride.
“She loves her life with the Marine Corps.”
    Vicki kissed his chest. “Good. And you?”
    He stiffened. “You ran me; I’m sure you know it
all.”
    “Never mind,” she snapped, rolling away.
    He stared unabashedly as she went to her bedroom
door, uncaring of her nudity. “Want me to leave now?”
    “Do what you want; you will, anyway.” Her tone held
no warmth in it as it had earlier. The click of the bathroom door
preceded the shower kicking on.
    He dressed and left, confused by what emotions she
created in him. The way his gut churned when she settled those
blue-green eyes on him. On the bike, he became more alert when two
black cars pulled onto the road after him. In the side mirror, he
recognized the haughty look of a hired driver.
    May as well get this over with. He slowed and
stopped. Waiting, he leaned against the bike as it sat. Hooking his
glasses on the front of his shirt, he sighed. He spit on the ground
as he crossed his arms.
    Out of the second car stepped two men he pegged as
the muscle. He didn’t move, the two goons unimpressive in his
estimation. At first glance, he pegged them for ex-alphabet company
members.
    The first car’s driver stepped out, walked around,
and opened the back door. Another ex-alphabet. One leg, clad
in a dark suit came out, followed by the rest of the man. Victor
Boshay. The man had lost some weight, and his thin body had a few
more wrinkles.
    Funny, he used to, if not scare me, impress me.
Now, nothing. Chase waited, eyes tracking all four people.
    Victor tugged down the sleeves of his suit coat as
he strode toward him. “Mr. Ellery.” His name was spoken with a cold
disdain.
    “Victor.”
    A slight pinching of his lips was the only sign he
gave. “Mr. Boshay.”
    “Victor works fine for me. Why were you following
me?”
    “Stay away from my daughter. You weren’t good enough
for her back then, and you sure aren’t now.”
    He spit again, landing it on the top of Victor’s
shiny black shoe. “Showing concern for the daughter you disowned?
Tell me, does she know you’re doing this?”
    “My relationship with my daughter doesn’t concern
you. I won’t tell you again to stay away from her.”
    “Good, I don’t want to hear it again.”
    “Things won’t go well for you if you don’t heed my
warning.”
    He sat up slightly. “Are you threatening me?”
    The calculation in the man’s gaze, frost. “I’m
warning you. There are a lot of places around here where accidents
can happen.”
    Chase pushed away from the bike and strode toward
Victor. The three men stepped closer, only to stop when he held up
a hand.
    “I’m not a little boy, Victor, who is going to be
scared off. If you want to send your goons here after me, do it. If
you want to send your sons, go for it. Nothing you have impresses
me. Vicki does, and from what I hear, you don’t have her anymore,
by your own choice. Anything happens to me, and I’m coming after
you.” He bent his head, voice dropping to a low whisper. “You’re
going to need a lot more than three for a protection detail
if that happens.”
    The man gulped but didn’t back down. He sneered and
said, “What about your neighbor?”
    Cold fire lanced his veins. “You touch her, and I’ll
rip your heart out while it’s still beating in your chest. So much
as her power flickers, and I’ll be all over you. No matter where
you hide, I’ll find you.”
    “Stay away from my daughter.”
    “According to your own words, you no longer have
one.” He pivoted and walked back to the bike before he did
something like punch the man in the throat.
    “I’m not done talking to you,” Victor called
out.
    “Such a shame I’m done listening.” He swung his leg
over the bike, started the engine, and rode off as he put on his
glasses. He went to his house and parked. Then, he strode to the
house next door and