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“Not coming back? Is that safe?”
“You’ll be fine.” I went into the bathroom to get my toiletries.
“Are you going out of town? Is this for work?”
“I’ll be in town. I’m on bodyguard duty.”
“For a woman?”
“Does it matter? Someone is in danger and needs a bodyguard. Man or woman, it shouldn’t matter.”
“So it is a woman who needs protection. Is she hot?” He waggled his eyebrows. “Gimme the deets, bro.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Conrad knew me better than anyone. He got the real me when we were together when others only saw a shell of a man. If this was the last conversation we ever had, I wanted to be real with him. So I’d give him a few details. “Dude, this woman is hotter than hot. Classy and refined, but she’s not a bitch like some rich chicks.” I shrugged, still smiling as I thought of Simone. “But she’s a client. I can look but can’t touch.”
“Damn man, that sucks. Is she married? Maybe she needs to experience the lovin’ of a Pérezman. We give good love, bro.”
I burst out laughing, but my fucking chest hurt again. Imagining Simone gettinglovin’from someone other than me shredded my heart. “You got that right, brother. Nobody is better than a Pérez.” I hated the idea of another man getting to hold Simone and make love to her after I was gone. Damn, I hated it.
Conrad continued to talk about my client, but I hardly heard what he said. Usually, when we were together, I let him talk. It was just our way and it worked for us.
The pain grew in my chest, almost to an unbearable level. It nearly had me in tears as I watched my brother smile and laugh for what would probably be one of the few times I had left with him.
11 Simone
LILY AND I gasped for air with our hands on our thighs. Corbin kicked our asses. I didn’t have a home gym, but my trainer still had me sweating from working my core and doing some exercises with hand weights. Damn, he was the best trainer in the world.
“I won’t be able to get out of bed in the morning,” Lily muttered.
“Me either.”
“Both of you did great. If you worked out regularly, you wouldn’t feel so bad.” Corbin flicked his blue eyes at me. “What’s it been, S, two weeks?”
I groaned. “Corbin…” I drew out his name in my whiney tone. “You know I’ve been busy with all kinds of shit. I’ve been eating good, mostly.”
“Not good enough.” He put the hand weights in his gym bag. “Let’s do some two-person stretches. I don’t want you suing me tomorrow if you can’t get out of bed.” He winked, taking my hand.
“Do Lily first. I need a minute.” I grabbed my sports bottle and chugged, watching Corbin stretch Lily’s legs while she was on her back grimacing.
“Put some cooldown tunes on, babe.”
I nodded at Corbin and took my phone off the counter. It was after three in the afternoon. Axel had been gone for quite a while. I wished I knew what he was doing.
Lily had kept me distracted until Corbin arrived. The three of us chatted for a little bit. Corbin happened to be free the whole day, so he was in no rush. Ever since he and his boyfriend broke up last summer, he had more free time on his hands.
Now that I thought of it, I should have invited him over more. Corbin was more than my personal trainer. We’d become friends. When he got into an argument with Cooper or I had a date from hell, we’d cry on each other’s shoulders at the gym.
“Oh my God, that feels good.” The sound of Lily’s voice jerked me out of my thoughts.
“Gotta stretch your hammies. Ain’t that right, babe?” Corbin grinned at me. The little shit. He was probably looking forward to making me hurt a bit more.
“Will you both stay for dinner?”
Lily winced as Corbin pressed her leg toward her head. “Sorry. Can’t. I’m meeting Tessa for dinner. You can join us. We’d love to have you.”
I twisted my lips. “Can’t. I sort of need to stay here.”
“I was going to ask about the two guards at the door. What’s going on?” He lowered Lily’s leg and gestured for me to come to him.
