Page 145 of Forbidden Harmony

Yeah, yeah, Nix is a good guy. Let’sget back to that you and Addison being together bullshit. You’re not dating,asshole, and don’t start thinking you are. This isn’t gonna work out between thetwo of you. Besides, you think she’s over her ex yet? He still had a fuckingkey to her place.

“You seriously not gonna tell me?” Nolansaid.

Preacher just shrugged. “I’m not withanyone and even if I was, it wouldn’t be any of your fucking business. Don’tyou have some floors to mop?”

Nolan laughed. “There’s the assholePreacher I know and love. I’ll mop the floors after lunch. Nix, you want to runto Nan’s and grab a bite to eat?”

“Sure,” Nix said. “You locking up the shopand coming with, Preacher?”

Preacher shook his head. Addison had senthim home with leftovers from the dinner she made them last night. “Nah, I’mgood. I got some food upstairs.”

“See you in an hour,” Nolan said.

He and Nix left the shop. Preacher checkedFacebook before typing in Addison’s name. He had less than thirty friends onFacebook. Hell, he only had an account because he’d needed one to attach the CrimsonDoor business page to, and he rarely posted anything other than tattoos he’ddone.

He hovered over the add friend requestbutton, staring at the cute picture of Addison with Grace, Harper, and Kirathat she had as her profile picture. After a few seconds, he snorted andclosed the app. Jesus, he was acting like an idiot.

The bell over the door jingled and withoutlooking up, he said, “Shop is closed for lunch but will open at one-thirty.”

“This won’t take long.”

He glanced up, anger and irritationflooding through him when he saw that prick Harrison standing in his shop. “Whatthe fuck do you want?”

“Is that really anyway to treat a potentialclient?” Harrison said.

“Fuck off. I’m not tattooing you,” Preachersaid.

He stood and felt a twinge of satisfactionwhen Harrison took a step back. “No need to be rude. I’m only here to have aquick chat.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” Preachersaid.

“I bet you thought I didn’t notice the wayyou looked at her at the barbeques,” Harrison said. “I bet you think I’m toostupid to know when some asshole is after my girl.”

Heat prickled along the back of Preacher’sneck. “She’s not your girl anymore.”

“I saw the way you looked at her, but I foundit amusing. As if a man like you would ever have a chance with a woman likeAddison.”

“Guess it must have fucking stung when yourealized you were wrong,” Preacher said.

Harrison laughed. “You mean the othermorning? Just because you slept with Addison doesn’t mean she’s in love withyou. She still loves me. We’ve been together since she was fifteen years old.We were meant to be together.”

“If you believe that, then you shouldn’thave fucking cheated on her,” Preacher said.

“I’ll admit it was a mistake, but it’s overnow. I’m ready to be with Addison for the rest of my life and she’s ready tobe with me.”

“Oh yeah? Then what’s she doing with me?”

Harrison leaned against the door. His onceperfect nose was slightly crooked now. The smug look on Harrison’s face madePreacher want to slam his fist into that nose and finish the job of ruining it.

“She’s with you because I gave herpermission.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”Preacher said. Christ, could the little asshole see how badly he’d just rattledhim?

“When Addie and I decided to take a break,I told her to find a random guy and fuck him. A freebie if you will before shesettles down and marries me. She’d only been with me and I thought it was onlyfair that she has a,” Harrison paused, “new experience. Especially since shewas so willing to overlook what happened with me and Crystal. She agreed.”

He looked Preacher up and down. “I’lladmit that I’m surprised she chose you to be her free pass, but maybe she knewyou wanted her, and she felt sorry for you?”

He studied Preacher’s face. “You okay,Preacher? You look kind of nauseous. I imagine it’s a bit of a shock to knowthat I was aware Addison would sleep with someone else and that she had mypermission.”

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