Read Last Second Chance for Free Online Page B

clawed into his chest as she reached out and grabbed at him.
    Stopping to glare at her, he grabbed her wrists and held them tight. “Get the fuck out of my room. And if you ever come back in here for any reason, I will have your ass fired before you hit the door.”
    The hurt that filled her eyes when he released her didn’t affect him at all. He practically sprinted out of the room, stopping only to pick up the folder Stella had dropped. But the hallway was empty. No sign of her anywhere.
    He knew she’d probably just gotten off work and would most likely head down to her house. Before he could think rationally, his body propelled him in the direction as if he were being pulled.
    After arguing with some pain in the ass at the door, he scribbled his name on the sign-out sheet and barreled past the pool toward the staff residences. He caught sight of her just as she was entering her place.
    Before he even realized what was happening, he was running. He hadn’t run in years. Not since he was on the track team in high school. Slowing as he neared her door so he wouldn’t be panting like a psycho, he gripped the folder he planned to return to her.
    He had no idea what he was going to say. But he had to explain. He couldn’t leave her thinking he would just let some slut blow him like that.
    Well, a week ago he would’ve. If he was on something. Which he mostly likely would’ve been. But now, after the way she’d looked at him, he couldn’t go back to that. Couldn’t settle for the cheap substitute when he’d caught a glimpse of the real thing. Damn, he wanted a taste of the real thing, too. Badly. And despite all of his flaws and vices—and there were a lot them—the one thing he was really good at was getting what he wanted.
    And what he wanted was her.

S tella didn’t know why seeing the blond chick from lunch on her knees for Van pissed her off so much. It just did.
    She’d gone to his room to tell him that she appreciated the thought behind what he did at lunch, but Dr. Ramirez had told her of Van’s unique situation. His whole career depended on this stint in rehab being successful. Surprisingly, the director hadn’t wanted to fire her when he’d called her into his office after orientation. He’d just wanted to know if she’d mind helping out with the horses from time to time. Which of course she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she’d been looking forward to it.
    When questioned about the incident at lunch, which was already circulating, she’d explained that it was all a simple misunderstanding. Dr. Ramirez had explained that this was Van’s last shot. If he screwed up in any way that prevented him from completing the program, his band, his manager, and his recording label were dumping him out on his ass. Well, not in so many words, but she got the idea.
    She’d been touched that he’d risk all that to protect her from some cocky physician. But she wanted to tell him that it wasn’t necessary. She was a big girl and could handle herself. No need to put his whole career in jeopardy.
    And then she’d seen the sheer panic on his face when she caught him. He probably thought she was going to rat him out or something. Apparently he risked his whole career for whatever he felt like doing at the moment. She wasn’t anything special, just an idiot for letting herself think otherwise. She cussed her stupid self all the way across the property from the main facility to her place.
    But if she was being honest? That voice in her head, the one she always tried so hard to ignore, said that she was upset because it hadn’t been her down on her knees in front of him. Making him come and making him hers.
    An unfamiliar pressure built in her stomach and she shoved it aside. She’d promised to feed and check on the horses after each shift since her little bungalow, as she’d taken to calling it, was closest to the stables.
    After kicking her heels off hard enough to send them crashing against the wall, she