“No.”
“Why?”
“It’s my problem. I don’t want him to worry. Please don’t say anything.”
“Saying nothing gets women killed,” he said, glaring straight through me before dropping his head.
There was a story there, hiding behind his gruff tone and frustration. A story that was none of my business.
Hands to hips, he gnawed his bottom lip, then assured me, “I won’t say anything. As long as you promise to show up for those self-defense classes.”
“It’s a deal.”
He turned to leave. Stopped. Faced me again. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.”
I had no words because my heart was leaking, shame and guilt flooding my chest.
“Are we okay, you and me? We’ll be seeing a lot of each other with Lacey and Ellis.”
I nodded yes, though inside I screamed no, no, no.
“Good.” His dimples appeared. “Friends.”
Then he was gone.
Cole
“You talked to her?” Dark circles framed Martin’s eyes.
Last time he’d looked so worn out, Ellis and I had been dragging him out of a brothel in Nevada.
“You asked me to check up on your girl, so I did.”
“And?”
“And you’re good, bud.” The fib left a sour taste in my mouth and a gnarly ache in my gut. But, fuck, Martin sucked at relationships, and if one little white lie could help steer him the right direction, then my integrity could weather a hit.
Martin tracked a leggy brunette on her way to the weight room, a predatory gleam in his eyes, and my guilt for lying evaporated. I refrained from smacking him but, damn, how I wanted to shake some sense into the bastard.
“Hey, guys,” came a heavenly voice over my shoulder, her timing spot on.
Martin snapped his head toward the sound, face blazing. “There’s my girl.” He pulled Natalie into an awkward embrace, giving me a good view of her backside.
She wore baggy sweats, the drawstring pulled tight but hanging low on her hips, highlighting a round, firm ass, and a slim waist. A black tank top clung to her fit back and arms, her skin pale and delicate, too clean and pretty for the likes of my friend.
Martin went in for a kiss. Got nothing but cheek. Interesting.
“Be right back.” She gave him a friendly pat on the back. As she passed, she shot me a quick glance and raised a hand in greeting. “Hey, Cole.”
Her dismissive tone stung.
Every emotion rolling through my body was wrong. A betrayal. Fuck. I needed to ghost. With a clap to Martin’s shoulder, I retreated to my office, where I wouldn’t be tempted to watch the self-defense class or the woman I’d persuaded to attend said class.
As if God himself were trying to right my wrong, Victoria glided through the door.
“Hey, baby,” she sing-songed, swaying my way, all long legs, bare midriff, and ample bosoms on display.
She landed in my arms, stiff but pushing all her soft, sweet curves against my rigid planes, staking her claim, a sobering reminder of where my head belonged. “Take me to lunch after my workout?”
“It’s a date,” I whisper-growled in her ear, pulling her tighter. “Wasn’t expecting to see you until dinner. You hate working out here.”
“I do.” Her nose scrunched, protesting the musty smell of my yet-to-be-remodeled workspace. “But I was in the neighborhood and wanted to see my man.”
Victoria hated that my office was the loft above a dirty “fight” gym, rather than sharing space with my father, who had a million-dollar view from atop his ivory tower.
“Everything okay?” She tipped her head back, inspecting my face.
“Yeah. Just missed you. Why aren’t you at work?”
With a shrug, she said, “Wasn’t feeling it,” and wiggled free of my embrace. “No big deal.”
“You’ve skipped work three times this month.”
“I’ve got my sugar daddy to take care of me,” she teased, throwing in a wink. “Besides, soon as you knock me up, I’m going to resign. We’ve already talked about this, Cole. I want to raise my children, not hire someone for the job. Have you changed your mind? Because that’s a deal breaker. If you’re going to be one of those husbands that says he wants his wife at home, then complains to his friends that he’s the sole breadwinner in the family, we need to rethink our relationship. Because that’s just bullshit, and you know how important family is to me.”
“Jesus, Vic. I’m worried about you getting fired. How the hell did we go from you shirking your responsibilities to me being a bastard?”
“Oh, God, Cole. Sorry. I’m such a mess with all the wedding preparations.” Her pink-tinted lips dotted my cheek. “I need to hit the treadmill so I can fit into my dress. See you at lunch.”
“Vic, wait.” Christ. I couldn’t wait for the wedding to be over. The moment I’d proposed and put that ring on her finger, she’d hit the ground running, leaving me dumbfounded, choking on her dust.
My cell rang.
“Love you, babe. See you soon.” With a pat to my chest, she sauntered away to work out at a gym she hated.
Deep down, I knew lunch wasn’t her motive for showing up; otherwise, we’d have met at a Victoria-approved restaurant. Something was up. Had I not been distracted by a call from my father, I would’ve locked her in my office and made her talk. Instead, I answered my cell and followed her back downstairs.
“Hey, Dad.”
“How’s my boy?”
“Doing great.”
“And that lady of yours?”
“Perfect. How’s the knee?”
“Therapist said I’m back to working order.”
“Good to hear. You gonna come by, go a round?”
“Ha!” He barked a belly laugh. “Learned my lesson the last time. I’ll leave the fighting to you young punks.” When I was a kid, Dad loved getting in the ring with me. He wasn’t trained, but that never stopped my old man. Hands on, my dad, even if he suffered an ill-timed hit or two. Wasn’t until years later, he told me it made his heart soar to see the way my
