Page 93 of Rivals Next Door

My shoulders drooped. I tortured myself with regret about that every goddamn day.

Liam’s gaze narrowed on me. “So you love Alex? Present tense?”

I embraced the heat scalding my face. “Well… yeah… we sort of…”

“I knew it.” My brother smirked. “Alex skirts around the question every time I ask if you two are messing around again.”

I glowered at him. “We’re not messing around.” Anymore…

“Right,” Liam drawled.

I gave him the look an older sister would give an annoying little brother. When he smirked harder, I felt like we’d be okay. We would reconnect and regain that sibling relationship I missed.

Finally, something was going well for me. However, misery swept right back in to hamper my relief as thoughts about everything else that wasn’t going well surfaced. I wouldn’t even tell Liam about the dire state of BioTech right now or that it was his beloved friend who was out to take us… I mean, me down.

34

ALEX

I did what I always did when I was in emotional turmoil. I overworked myself and then hit the town to maybe get myself into stupid shit. Perhaps tonight I’d pick up multiple women and get my picture taken by some nosey fucker who recognized me. I’d go back to being labeled “Boston’s most prolific playboy,” and my world would return to how it was before I reunited with Olivia… void of deeper connections and emotions but sexually active at least.

Unfortunately, the longer I sat at the bar, eyeing the semi-naked dancers, the more disgusted I felt with myself. I had no desire to be here. Throwing back my shot, I slammed the glass on the bar and signaled the bartender for another. This was my nightly routine for a week straight since I reached out to Olivia and heard the disdain in her voice. While I pathetically entertained thoughts about us even after that debacle in my apartment in Manhattan, she didn’t even want to talk to me. I felt so stupid and weak.

So, I decided to go back to who I was before getting involved with her again. The man who worked until his eyes damn near bled, hit the bar, got shitfaced, and picked up women. However, I never actually picked up any women. The thought of someone else in my bed made me want to hurl… or was that the excessive alcohol…? I released a long, agonizing groan as I massaged my forehead.

“Here’s a face I haven’t seen in a while.”

I looked up at the sound of the familiar drawl. “Candy…”

“Alex.” She smiled, and I returned it.

I took her in properly, noticing her buttoned-up blouse and loose slacks. “You’re dressed,” I blurted.

Her laughter swirled around us, and I couldn’t help chuckling along with her. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I mean, this is the first time you’ve seen me in clothes. I guess it’s surprising.”

“How the hell are you, Candy?”

“Good.” She studied me. “Better than you it seems. You look like you’ve been through the wringer.”

I grunted an affirmative response.

“Where have you been, Alex? The girls miss you around here.”

I snorted my amusement. “I was busy sleeping with my ex and falling back in love with her.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Olivia?”

“You remembered.”

Candy canted her head. “You two are back together then?”

“If we were, do you think I’d still be sitting in a club like this?” I nodded to the women wiggling around on poles just ahead. “I’m an asshole, Candy, but I’m a faithful asshole.”

She laughed. “No doubt. I was just leaving. Do you want to get out of here?”

I lifted an eyebrow.

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