Page 4 of Recklessly You
She huffs, clearly frustrated. “Love is a special thing to experience, Liam. Never hold back from falling in love.”
I know she’s thinking of my dad when she hums with a smile. Love is not something I’m looking for. I’m content with my life and my career. My goal is to become a detective, like my father. I don’t need the added weight of a relationship on my shoulders. I’m not a player, but I am a man with needs. I respect women. A powerful, devoted mother brought me up. I’m just not relationship material.
“I better get home, Mamá. I need to check on Duke and hit the gym.” I kiss her cheek as she hands me an empty butter container filled with leftovers. “Thank you for dinner. See you tomorrow.”
“Take care of yourself, Liam.” My mom waves as I slip into my Camaro.
* * *
Once I get home,I change into my gym shorts and tank top then release Duke to the backyard to take a dump, then I make my way to the gym.
I’m greeted by Dom lifting weights and watching me from the mirror as I walk in.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. He hasn’t been coming to the gym as much, ever since he and Mila revived their relationship.
“I don’t want to get a dad bod.”
“What!” I chuckle.
“A gut, you know. It happens to dads, is what I heard.”
“You just found out you were a dad a couple of months ago.”
Dominic found out about his five-year-old son Dante when he and Mila found each other again. Mila disappeared from his life five years ago. His mother was to blame for the years they lost together.
“I know, but the way Mila looks at me like she wants to rip my clothes off…I need to stay in shape.” He smirks, his ego bursting from his chest.
“I know the feeling,” I say as a couple of women stand around us, practically begging for our attention.
I stand behind him to give him a spot.
“Sophie and Ryder broke up,” he says, eyeing me with a stupid grin. I met Sophie, Mila’s best friend, at Mila’s studio months ago. “Well, I don’t think they were technically together, but just seeing each other.” He shrugs.
Sophie’s gorgeous, but I wouldn’t sleep with her. She’s part of Mila’s life, and unlike the other women I’ve been with, I would have to see her again because Dom is like a brother to me. If I had to see her after sleeping with her, we’d have a connection. I’m not interested in going that route. Once, I invited Sophie for a drink—a friendly drink. Maybe in that moment, my mind drifted to other possibilities, but the good thing is she refused me. She’s the only woman to ever deny me. It bruised my ego. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking about inviting her for a drink.
“You know I’m not looking for a relationship, bro. That has never been my thing.”
He raises his hands up. “All right, I just thought I’d let you know. Since you were eye-fucking her at Dante’s party.”
I roll my eyes. “I was not.”
He snorts. “Tell yourself that.”
I do a couple of sets of bent-over rows and bench presses. A sheen of sweat trickles down my spine. My eyes drift to Dom, and I am reminded of the agony we have both lived with since learning that Dominic’s mother was the one who started a fire at Mila’s home seven years ago. I’m still in shock. I practically lived in their home. When my mom worked long hours, I would stay at their place or with my grandmother. Rachel, Dominic’s mother, treated me and Rosa like part of her family.
“Have you told Mila yet?” I ask. I know he’s been avoiding telling Mila the truth. He’s terrified of what will happen. I understand where he’s coming from.
“No, not yet.” His shoulders deflate as he takes a heavy breath.
We continue our workout just as Dominic’s brothers, Santiago and Mark, arrive. Working out has always been my way of releasing stress and tension. But it’s not working right now. I wish fucking Dominic hadn’t mentioned Sophie. Her rejection still stings, and no amount of bench presses will let me forget the sound of her voice when she told me no.
CHAPTER 2
SOPHIE
My screen flashes twenty missed calls and a shitload of text messages. I sigh as I get dressed for my date, splashing some color on my face and curling my long blonde hair. I honestly don’t know what the hell I’m doing. This is not me. I’ve never gone on dates through a dating site. I used to be a relationship kind of gal.
Until Eric. I gave him three years of my life, and he threw it away. My faith in men was destroyed. They take what they want and then leave you alone or betray your trust. He left me high and dry, and then he dropped me like rubbish on the side of the road and fucked my friend.
