I already knew the idea of Lacey with another man would drive me insane, but once I was face to face with a jerk she’s obviously been with, an anger I’m not used to feeling surged through my body. I wanted to smash the dude’s face in, and I had absolutely no right to feel that way. He’s someone from her past, and once upon a time, he had her, but for whatever reason, he let her go. Right now, that makes her mine, even if that’s not exactly how she sees it.

But he still holds something over her, and he’s the fuckwad who sent her that package—the one that caused her to run out of the room the other night. Therefore, he feels like a threat, and if that’s truly the case, then I’m more than willing to take him on.

“It was nice to meet you, Girard.” Andy shakes my hand a little tighter than necessary when he goes to say his goodbye, but then again, I can’t blame him. I’m fucking his daughter, and I’m sure he’s more than aware of that fact.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“Good luck with that contract. I’m sure the owners know what they’ll be losing if they don’t re-sign you.” A sudden sense of pride hits me. My mom compliments me all the time, but to hear Andy do it, like a father would, hits me harder than I would’ve expected, especially from a man I just met.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Goodbye, Dad.” Lacey wraps her arms around her dad’s waist.

“Make sure you call more often. I get worried about you in that big city, and now that Mo is living there, I’m going to worry twice as much.”

“Dad, Morgan is fine. She actually lives in a nice neighborhood.”

Andy shakes his head in disgust. “I told you’d I help out with your rent until you could afford something in a better part of town.”

“Dad, let’s not do this again.”

Shit, if she’s not willing to take money from her own father, then I can sure as hell rule out her taking it from me.

“I’ve been watching the news. The next mugging in your area and we’re going to sit down and have a long talk.”

Lacey rolls her eyes, then glances at me. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yep.”

Once we’re back in the car I rented, Lacey exhales a long, frustrated breath of air. “And that is exactly why I don’t go home often.”

“Because of your ex?”

“No,” she groans. “Because of my parents. They’re…suffocating.”

I don’t see Mom or Bridgett as often as I’d like; meanwhile, Lacey lives a short two hours from her parents. “They didn’t seem too bad.”

“They were on their best behavior tonight. Believe me.” The sun has already set, and she has her head turned toward the window, making it almost impossible to figure out what she’s thinking. “They mean well, and I’ve given them many reasons to worry, but every time I see them, they nag me to death about where I live.”

“You said you have student loans?”

Her parents live in a very nice home; it’s hard to imagine they couldn’t have afforded her tuition. Apparently, she knew exactly where I was going with my question.

“My parents had four kids in five years. My dad owns a small construction business, and my mother owns a little bakery in town. Then you have to add in that Lori is an orthodontist, Morgan went to business school, Jena is a doctor, and I’m a lawyer. My parents taught us to set our goals high, and unless they were going to win the Power-Ball, they were never going to have that kind of money.”

“I went to LSU on a full scholarship. My mom didn’t have the money to pay for college, either. I had actually decided if I didn’t get an offer to play, I would enlist in the military.”

“Military, huh? I can’t picture that.”

“That’s because you are dead set on making me the arrogant ballplayer who’s no good for you.”

She actually laughs. “You are an arrogant ballplayer, Jake. Don’t pretend you’re not, but maybe I’m willing to admit you’re not as bad as I originally thought.”

“I knew you’d see it my way eventually.”

“See? Arrogant.”

“That’s not arrogant, that’s confidence, sweetheart, and I have that in spades.” I glance over at Lacey when she doesn’t say anything and find her dark eyes watching me closely.

“Are confidence and arrogance really that different?”

“Absolutely. Someone who is arrogant rarely has what it takes to back up their claim or promise, but someone with confidence, not only do they believe in themselves, but they’re determined to prove they have what it takes to back it up.”

She blinks. “Too bad I didn’t know the difference when I was younger.”

“Are you referring to the fuckwad?”

“Fuckwad?” She chuckles.

“Yeah, the douchebag from earlier?” The man I still have the urge to punch for no reason other than being her ex.

“Bryan was definitely arrogant, but he came off as confident. I guess the truth is, until you really know someone, know if they can back up their claims as you put it, then the two appear to be the same.”

And that’s the bottom line as to why I scare her.

“I don’t say things I don’t mean, Lacey. If you give me time, I’ll prove that to you.”

She gives me a tight smile, but she remains quiet the rest of the drive back into the city. I told Lacey I was going to keep the rental overnight and return it in the morning, but she laughed and told me I wouldn’t have anything to return if I left it in her neighborhood. That was my green light…she’s expecting me to crash at her place, and really, who am I to let her down. Therefore, I spent another hour jacking around getting the fucking thing returned before we took a cab back to her place.

Lacey yawns. “Caleb texted and asked if we wanted to go out, but I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah, staying in sounds like a good idea.” I follow on her heels until we get to her room.

She turns the lamp on next to the bed before pulling her shirt over her head and moves on to her bra. She glances over her shoulder until her eyes lock on mine.

“I hope you’re not too tired,” I tease.

She licks her lips and slips her pants and underwear down her legs.

My breathing picks up as a soft glow from the light illuminates her smooth skin. I continue to stand here mesmerized by her body, a body I’ve seen countless times.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be too tired for what you have in mind.”

I swallow and nod, not breaking eye contact as I close the distance between us.

I grip her hair, tilting her head back as the anger I felt earlier leaves me determined to mark her as mine. My mouth drops down to hers and my tongue possessively takes control. All the desire I feel for her bleeds through my touch. My hand moves down her arms, until I find her breast. I twist her nipples as she moans into my mouth. My dick painfully rubs against my jeans, hoping to find some relief. I pull my mouth away from hers, leaving her breathless as her eyes darken with desire.

“I want you to fuck me, Girard.”

I nod and grab a condom before I strip out of my clothing. “Jake. When we’re fucking, I’m Jake.”

She tilts her head to the side, considering my demand. “Okay, Jake. I want you to fuck me now, please.”

She squirms with need as I begin to stroke my cock. “Is this what you want?” I tease, but when her hand slides down her stomach and starts toying with her clit, it’s me who growls with hunger.

I rip open the foil wrapper and roll the condom on before I settle between her legs. We both moan as I run my finger over her sex, and then I ease one inside. I circle another over her clit, the same way she did moments ago.

“Oh, yes…don’t stop.” She arches her back off the bed. When I remove my finger, she whines, “No. Please.”

Before she has the chance to say anything else, I slam my heavy cock inside her.

“Oh shit,” she cries out.

I still my movements. “Are you okay?”

“Hell yes, keep moving.”

I smile to myself as I slowly ease in and out of her.

“Faster,” she begs and digs her fingers into my arm, spurring me on.

I start moving faster until I find a rhythm she apparently approves of. Her dark blue eyes lock with mine. I feel helpless under whatever spell she’s placed on me. “Yes, Jake,” she mumbles as she clings to me before she surrenders to the release that rakes through her. My dick throbs as she tightens around me.

My lips nip at her neck while I continue to thrust my hips. Lacey feels incredible; she always does. When I’m with her, nothing else exists. I do everything I can to prolong my climax, but several minutes later, my body finally caves, delivering the high I desperately needed.

“That was amazing,” I mumble as I collapse next to her, ready for sleep to consume me.

“Jake, maybe you should take care of the condom?”

I smile with my eyes closed. “Yeah, I probably should.” Regretfully, I push myself up and walk to the bathroom. I clean up and quickly return to find Lacey pulling back the bedspread. I silently stand and wait to see if she’s about to kick me out or invite me in.

“Will you get the light? You just officially wore me out.”

Inwardly, I high-five myself as I switch the lamp off and climb into her lumpy bed.

I’m done fighting, most of all with myself about what I’m doing with Lacey. Therefore, I wrap my arm around her waist, pull her into me, and hold her tightly against my chest.

She tenses at first, but then she slowly starts to relax in my arms.

I learned so much about Lacey today, but I’m at a bigger loss about who she really is. I know in my heart that prick I met today holds all the answers. From the sounds of it, he royally fucked her up.

Alicia messed with my head, but I didn’t turn cold—I just did everything I could to avoid finding myself in the same situation. The same doesn’t hold true for Lacey. She not only avoids relationships, but she also avoids her family. And when faced with her past, she looked as though she saw a ghost, and that tells me her story isn’t the same as mine. Her story affected her in a way Alicia doesn’t hold a candle to. I’m worried when I finally uncover her pain, she’ll do the only thing that’s worked for her—she’ll avoid me right along with her family.