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Liv
IwalknexttoMarktowardsthegymfromtheparkinglotformysessionwithBrandoafewweeksafterthebarbequeatJohn’s.Aswegetclosetotheentrance,atallfigureapproachesfromtheshadows.MarkstiffensasIrecognizeScotty.
“Hey, Little Peach.” He blocks our path and Mark puts his arm out in front of me, nudging me behind him.
Scotty glances at Mark but otherwise ignores him. “Have you had time to consider my offer?”
“She’s not interested,” Mark growls.
Scotty meets my eyes, and that cold tingle travels up my spine again. “Do you always let men speak for you?” He scans my body. “You look like you can take care of yourself.”
I glare at him, and he sighs and drops the bravado.
“It’s Olivia, right?”
I don’t respond, so he continues. “I’ve been dealing with Luke for years. He’s a manipulator. I’ve seen it dozens of times with dozens of different women just like you. Who was the last one, Mark? Mary or Maria or something?”
“Move aside, or be moved,” Mark says, his voice hard.
Scotty ignores him. “She didn’t believe me either. You want to know where she is now?”
I don’t want to believe what he says, but the images of Luke with all those women hanging on his arm flash through my brain. Scotty smiles when he sees my hesitance and I attempt to school my features.
“He pays them all off to keep them quiet. It’s a game for him.”
I shake my head. Luke isn’t like that at all.
“Why do you care?” I ask.
He scowls. “Because he did it to my sister. Ask him about Anna.”
There’s movement behind Scotty. “There a problem here?” Brando says. Scotty’s shoulders tense and his arrogance drops a bit. He turns to face Brando, and Mark pulls me around them and into the gym.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Little Peach,” Scotty says as we pass, but I don’t look at him.
“Get the fuck off my property before I call the cops,” Brando snarls.
I hear Jackson shouting out the door to the training yard. Then Luke appears. His eyes lock on mine and he sprints to me, scanning me in a quick once over. He looks towards the entrance. Scotty must have a death wish because he still hasn’t left.
Luke’s face hardens. “Take her to the office,” he says to Jackson. He and Mark run to Brando, a few gym regulars following them.
Jackson squeezes my shoulder to get my attention. “Come on.”
He walks behind me, keeping his hand on my shoulder with a gentle squeeze as he glances behind him. I sink into Luke’s desk chair and stare at the blank computer screen, then meet Jackson’s worried gaze. “Did Luke date Scotty’s sister, Anna?”
Jackson winces, and my stomach drops. He puts his hands up. “Whatever Scotty said, it’s not the full truth. Anna is Scotty’s step sister. She and Luke dated for a few months leading up to Vegas. It’s how Scotty knew we were there.”
“How did they break up?”
He clamps his mouth shut and the walls cave in. “Tell me, Jackson,” I say as nausea takes hold. It can’t be true.
“I cheated on her in Vegas. Scotty told her everything, but left out the part about him drugging me and setting me up. She believed her brother over me,” Luke says from the doorway and both our heads whip in his direction. He closes the distance and kneels in front of me, taking my shaking hands in his steady ones. Brando and Mark walk in behind him.
“Liv. Please don’t let him get to you. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” He meets my gaze with sincerity and the walls separate.
“Why would he lie to his sister?”
Luke sighs and rubs my thumb with his. “Scotty was obsessed with her. He was jealous of our relationship. He used the opportunity to get his pay day and break us up.”
