Bad Influence (Seven Deadly Sins #2) ✅ Completed

Chapter Eleven: Chase Breaks it Down

Chase Breaks it Down

I cracked open one eye then the other. I was flat on my back and could only stare at the ceiling, amazed at the effort it took for such a simple, everyday action. I felt like I’d been caught under the wheels of a tanker truck, going ninety-five over a cactus field.

Or maybe it was more like a garbage truck backing up into what was left of my skull after someone used it as a soccer ball.

Groaning I sat up in my bed just as I felt a cool hand touch my face. I started and slapped the hand away, scooting as far back as my headboard would allow. My throat was still too sore to yell for help, but I was ready to kick whatever was in my room to death if I had to.

The lamp on my night stand clicked on, illuminating a tired looking Chase in a wrinkled grey t-shirt and jeans. He held out his hands in the universal gesture of ‘chill-the-heck-out-crazy-girl’ and started to speak in an irritatingly calm manner, “Hey…it’s ok, Eliza. It’s just me.”

“Chase?” I asked stupidly. What was he doing in my room at…I looked over at my digital clock: 2:37 AM.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said in the same even tone of voice.

“Why are you in my room at 2:37 in the morning talking to me like I’m about to throw myself off the roof, Chase?” I asked, unsurprised that I sounded like I’d been gargling with a fifth of whiskey and a bucket of nails. I was pretty sure I would’ve managed to sound much more shrewish if Asher hadn’t been trying his best to show me my own vocal chords from the inside out.

“I wanted to make sure you were ok,” Chase replied, this time in a much more normal voice, though he kept it on the soft side. It was 2:37 in the morning, after all. His eyes moved over me in concern as he continued, “Dante wasn’t sure how bad you were hurt so we’ve been taking turns watching you.”

Taking turns? Something in my stomach dropped as I realized something was very wrong with that sentence. “How many turns? How long have I been out?” I asked. Every time I had a little ‘chat’ with Asher, I ended up unconscious for days.  

“Two full days…closer to three if you count the night of your attack,” he replied. 

“Dammit!” I threw my legs over the side of the bed but Chase was right there waiting for just that sort of move on my part.

“Whoa there, tiger. Just relax. You’ve suffered some pretty nasty internal bleeding and a wicked concussion. It’s best if you take it slow.” He leaned over me and gently pressed my shoulders back onto the bed.

I glared up at him in what I hoped was a sufficiently ticked off sort of way. “If that were true, Chase, I’d be in a hospital right now instead of this bed,” I pushed out through gritted teeth. I didn’t like anyone telling me what to do, especially not someone who’s soul I was trying to save.   

His eyes met mine but there was no wavering in them. “It is true, Eliza. Dante said no hospital would be able to heal you. We had to wait for Lust to knock out so he could heal your wounds. It took almost a full night to get her to pass out.”

Why was he talking about Lust like he was on a first name basis with her all of a sudden? And how the heck did he know she was a she for that matter?

I looked around the room looking for an out. My body was almost humming with the need to get out of my bed and find Dante. I was going to get some real answers for once even if I had to beat it out of him.