Page 18 of With This Ring

“I have to go check out St. Clair’s Construction today, see if that contract we wanted for that bar was granted.”

St. Clair’s Construction was my first acquisition when I was old enough to understand business. There will always be a need for construction, so it will always turn a profit. Greasing the right palms and paying for contracts helped get my company off the ground. Now word of mouth and good business in the past help keep my company in the black. In fact, I’m thinking about expanding.

I pause to allow him a few more punches. Nico is strong as shit. It’s all I can do to hold the bag steady. “Then I want to go to The Devil’s Den.”

Nico stops mid punch and looks at me. “You think that’s smart?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

He looks down at my wedding band, which I haven’t taken off since I got married. “Because you’re Mr. St. Clair-Whitlock now.”

“Two things. One,” I say, holding up my index finger, “no one knows who I am down at The Devil’s Den. And two,” I aim my middle finger at him this time, flipping him off, “I’m not really married.” I drop my hand. “I’m going out of my fucking mind here, man. He fucked up my last outing when I went. He won’t fuck it up this time.”

Nico shrugs and holds his hands out to me. I unlace his gloves and he tosses them in the basket by the free weights. “I’m going to use the rowing machine before I head up. Are you sticking around or are you done for the day?”

“I’m done. I’m going to shower and wait for you upstairs. We’ll be out most of the day working at the construction company.”

He nods as he pulls on the rowing machine, getting into the workout quickly.

I trot up the stairs, ready to eat one of my prepped meals so I can shower the grime of the workout away. I’m sweaty and sticky and hungry.

When I round the corner for the kitchen, I scowl. Carter is standing at the kitchen counter with a container in front of him, shoveling food into his mouth.

“What the fuck,” I growl, rushing over to him. I push him away from my food and snatch it towards me, putting the top on it. “This ismyfood.”

“I didn’t see your name on it,” he says around a mouth of chicken and rice.

“You knew you didn’t cook it, so it’s obviously not yours.” I know I’m being petty, but I prepped my meals so I didn’t have to cook after a long workout. If he wanted food, he should have made some. “Not like you use this kitchen anyway.”

“Aw come on, dear husband,” Carter says in a sarcastic tone, wrapping his arms around my waist. I push him off without hesitation. “Ain’t it your duty to make sure your husband is fed?”

“Fuck off, Carter,” I spit at him, tossing the food back at him and storming off.

He chuckles. “Someone is testy.” Then he raises his voice, sounding more serious now. “I need to see your books for your construction company to see how much money it’s bleeding every month.”

I stop in my tracks. “What did you say?”

“I said I need to see your books. I’m an accountant, so I can see where your money is going and where you’re fucking up.”

Rage singing in my veins, I march back over to him, getting in his face. “There’s nothing wrong with my company. And I don’t need you to check shit out. I know what the fuck I’m doing.”

Carter’s face reddens as he pushes me away from him. I stumble back, my feet slipping in the food I tossed at him. “You need to back the fuck up. I’m sick of your shit, Kai. I’m trying to help you from running your fucking business into the ground. Just like your dad said you were.”

Anger surges through me and on a roar, I deck Carter in the face. He holds his mouth, looking stunned for a moment. “My pop don’t know shit!” I yell, all the irritation I feel for Charlie St. Clair and how he shits on my company exploding out of me. Then I charge at him.

But Carter ducks and I fly over his back, landing on the dining room table. I curse, my back arching off the surface. He has some place settings there that he doesn’t use and my backdigs into the forks and knives and the saucers that didn’t break under my weight.

He grabs me by my shirt and drags me to the floor, pulling items off the table as he does. A swift kick lands in my gut, and I wheeze. Before he can land another, I grab his foot and pull quickly, bringing him to the ground with me. A ‘oomph’ leaves his lips when his back hits the floor.

I roll on top of him, punching him in the mouth once, twice. Before I can land a third punch, he pushes me away, my hand landing on the floor beside his head. I hiss as pain jolts up my arm. Carter bucks me off him and I tumble over, sliding on the food and other debris that litters the floor.

Carter gets on top of me and puts his hand to my throat. He brings his face to mine, snarling. “There are only so many times I’ll allow you to put your hands on me, Kai.”

Grinning at him through a bloodied mouth, I say, “Fuck you,” then headbutt him.

He curses and lets me go, holding his nose. I scramble up and pull him to his feet, twisting my hands in his shirt as I shove him against the pantry door. I bring him closer to me, until our noses are practically touching. “Don’t you ever talk about my company again. You don’t know shit.”

We stand like this for a second, trading heavy bursts of air. Then our lips are pressed together, kissing frantically. Carter’s hand threads through my loose hair and my hands slide up his back, gripping the muscles there. God, he’s strong, and so hard.

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