Page 29 of Bad Boy Next Door
Eleven
Nick
At two o’clock, Keagan’s door was ajar, so I went in without knocking. Everyone was already there except Shane. Mac was perched on the back of the sofa, feet on the cushions, watching Dillon play some kind of video game, and Keagan was piling slices of ham onto what was already an inch-high sandwich.
“Hey, Brute Squad!” Keagan called out. “Hungry?”
“Always.” I walked past Mac and Dillon, heading straight for the food. It had been less than ten hours since I’d left Jade in her apartment, and even after jerking off—twice—it had been hard to get any sleep.
That woman. Shit. There was something about her that drove me fucking crazy. And it wasn’t just because she’d fed me.
It had taken every ounce of my strength to leave her place last night. I’d never wanted a woman so badly, but the thing was, I was pretty sure I couldn’t just fuck her once. I was certain once I got a taste, I’d want to fuck her again—and again and again—and it didn’t feel right to start something with this lie between us.
The first day, I’d been able to argue that it was a simple misunderstanding, or payback for her rudeness, but at this point there was no way to claim I hadn’t misled her. I wasn’t the Nick she thought I was.
Mac and Dillon cheered as something exploded on the screen, then Mac jumped off the sofa to join me at the table, clapping me on the back. “So, I hear you’ve been holding out on us, little brother.”
“How’s that?” I slathered a thick slice of sourdough with bright yellow mustard.
“Your sex slave?” Mac grabbed a plate.
I glared at Keagan as I piled roast beef, sliced cheese, and tomatoes onto my bread. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, sure.” Mac tossed two slices of bread onto his plate. “Be like that. Keep your sex slave all to yourself.”
“She’s not— It’s not like that.”
Keagan chuckled, then took a huge bite of his sandwich.
“Then tell me. How is it?” Mac set his plate down. “Pass the mayo?” He grabbed it from me. “Whatisit like having a sex slave?”
I took a huge bite of my sandwich. I didn’t want to dignify his question with a response.
“What’s she like?” Mac kept prodding. “Seriously. What’s the deal, Brute Squad?”
I dropped my plate onto the counter and got the three of us beers from Keagan’s fridge.
“She’s the new girl in 311.” I handed out the beers. “She thinks she owes me for setting up some deal.”
“She thinks sheowesyou?” Almost choking on his sandwich, Keagan opened his beer.
“Yeah. And she thinks if she doesn’t show me gratitude, I’ll ruin both her and her family, or some shit.”
“Wow.” Mac looked up from his partially built sandwich. “What did youdofor this chick? Or are all women this grateful after a taste of your fat salami?” With a grin, he waggled a slice of meat at me before slapping it onto his sandwich.
“Fuck off!” I finished chewing another bite, already planning what I’d pile on sandwich number two. “She thought she owed me something before we even met. Or, I think it’s more like herdadowes me something?” I shook my head. “I don’t even know who her dad is, but among other things, she thinks I arranged for her to live here.”
Keagan started laughing, almost spitting out a mouthful of beer. “Wait. You didn’t tell me that part.” He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Don’t you get it?”
“Get what?” I swallowed some beer.
“Little brother, she thinks you’rethatNick. The other Nick.” He took a bite of sandwich, and Mac started chuckling too.
“What other Nick? What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know,” Mac said. “The one who decides who lives here, how much they pay, when they have to leave. You know, the woman who collects your rent? Nicola.”
Chewing another bite of sandwich, I shook my head. I had absolutely no idea what seemed so freaking obvious to my brothers. “You guys got me this place when I was released from juvie, remember? And my rent? Every month I put it through that slot near the gate. How should I fucking know who collects it from there?”
