Page 106 of Body Shot

“Oh my God!”

“He’s okay. Seriously, how did you not know this? Didn’t Beck tell you he was going?”

“No.” I lower my gaze to my smoothie cup. “We, ah, basically parted ways last week.”

“What?”

The shock in Marco’s tone has my gaze flying up to meet his. “You didn’t know that?”

“Hell no.” Marco scowls. “What the fuck? He broke up with you?”

“No.” I suck briefly on my bottom lip. “I broke up withhim.”

Marco’s eyes bug out. “Why?”

I bend my head again and sigh. I’m kind of tired of telling this story. “I just don’t have time for a relationship. My work was suffering.”

“Jesus. Really?”

“Yes.”

“When did that happen?”

“Wednesday night.”

“Fuck. That was the night his dad had the heart attack. He left Thursday morning.”

“Is his dad okay?” Worry for Beck and his family makes my stomach squeeze. I press my hand there.

“Yeah. He texted us yesterday. They did an angioplasty and put a stent in. He’s doing well.”

“Oh good.” I let out a shaky breath. “And Beck? Isheokay? I know the strained relationship between him and his parents. This probably isn’t easy for him. Shit, it’s probably hard as hell.” My stomach churns.

“Hell if I know. I thought he was.” Marco narrows his eyes at me. “He didn’t say a word about you breaking up with him.”

I drop my gaze again and shuffle my feet. “I’m sure he’s fine with it.”

Marco snorts. “Yeah, right. And snakes have hips.”

I blink rapidly at that, mouth open.

“He says his parents want him to stay there and take over running the family business from his dad.”

My heart contracts painfully. “They’ve wanted that for a while.”

Marco tilts his head. “He told you that?”

“Yes. But he said he has no interest in going back to that lifestyle.”

“Yeah, well, maybe the fact that his dad is sick is changing his mind.”

I stare at Marco. “You really think he’s considering staying there?”

“He’s definitely considering it. Whether he will or not, I don’t know.” One corner of his mouth lifts in a glum smile.

Ice water runs through my veins, freezing me in place. “What would you do? With Conquistadors?”

“Fuck if I know.” He rubs his face. “I mean, we’d keep it going. But Beck financed the place. We’re paying him back from the profits, but without him . . . well, we’d figure it out.”

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