Page 26 of Achievement Unlocked

I hauled the sewing machines out, then plastic crates of supplies, while he finished boxing up dolls. Jeremy and Quentin had started moving things out of the bedroom, too.

“How long have you known Megan?” I asked, when Nigel joined me in transferring boxes.

“Longer than I haven’t.”

Not quite an answer, but I didn’t expect one. I was going to ask my next question anyway. “How do you go through life with a woman like thatright thereand keep your distance?” I waited to ask until we were back in the sewing room and I knew Jeremy wasn’t in earshot.

Nigel glanced at me. “What makes you think I did?”

“She looks at you like she worships the ground you walk on. But she was about to marry someone else.”

“And when I have her, when she’s in my arms, I’m never letting her go. Until then, I refuse to be the guy she calls just because she needs an extra truck.”

Ouch. “But aren’t you?”

Nigel’s laugh was tight and his fingers twitched against the side of the box he’d just hefted.

“We’re done with clothes.” Quentin joined us. “What do you need help with in here?”

Nigel pointed out which boxes were which, and our conversation was over. The four of us made quick work of gathering everything else.

I was the only one outside when a new car pulled up, and Easton Cocker climbed out. He looked at me with a scowl. “What the fuck are you doing in my house?”

“Megan gave us a key.” I didn’t want to say too much, but I did have a sudden impulse to punch him. I’d felt that most of my life, but it turned out the desire hadn’t faded in the twenty or so years since the last time I saw him.

Easton squinted and then barked a laugh. “Holy shit. Loli Landon?”

Wow, I hadn’t missed that nickname at all. Though these days it was barely worth more than an eye roll. “Sure. Why not.”

“Megandoesn’t live here. I’m calling the cops.”

10

nigel

She could’ve called anyone. Anyone at AcesPlayed would’ve helped Megan move, and then with her bucket list, and because she was Jeremy’s sister, not tried to fuck her in the process. But she’d called Landon—the man I’d watched do things to her I’d only imagined.

I realized I’d encouraged the sex, and therefore probably had no right to be jealous. I hated feeling this kind of conflicted.

Jeremy and I stepped from the house to find Easton had returned, and was facing off with Landon. Easton was threatening to call the cops.

“Megan told you we were coming over,” Jeremy called as he and I approached.

Easton looked past Landon and Jeremy, to lock gazes with me. “Of course you’re here. Did you at least wait for her pathetic reason for a break-up, before you stuck your dick in her? I never should’ve touched your sloppy seconds.”

Venom spilled through my veins, but I hid my reaction as I finished crossing the distance between us, and set the box I was carrying in the back of Landon’s truck.

“You don’t have a comeback?” Easton taunted.

In a flash, I had my knife in my hand, and Easton backed into the truck, my blade pressed to his throat. The fear in his eyes wasn’t as satisfying as I wanted, but it was pretty good.Never make the threat unless you’re willing to carry it out, my asshole stepfather’s words echoed in my head, in Easton’s voice.

“He’s not worth the jail time.” Jeremy’s voice was calm and reasonable from behind me.

Jeremy was the only person who would know what was going through my head right now. The only one who knew about that part of my past.

I grasped my anger in a tight fist and shoved it into a pot where it could seethe and cool in the back of my mind. Calm washed over me, but that didn’t stop me from nicking Easton’s neck before I backed away—no more than a cut from shaving would do, but it was enough to make me feel a little better.

Easton pressed his hand to the small wound, and pulled away to reveal the tiniest smears of blood on his palm. “Get him the fuck off my propertynow.” There was a quaver in his voice.

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