Out of Bounds: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Sinful Bachelors Book 2)

by Khardine Gray

  Chapter 11

  Bree

  I munch on the pizza I ordered from last night and curl up against the biggest cushion on my sofa.

  Since I never got that burger, I ordered a large family sized pizza with hot barbeque wings and a cheesecake.

  By the time it arrived I just dived in and ate not caring about gaining weight before Lucille’s wedding so I don’t fit into my bride’s maid dress. With the sordid history Lucille and I have, I don’t even know why I’m a bride’s maid.

  It would have been far better for her to have chosen our other cousins who are just like her and some of her bitch friends than ask me. But she said she wanted all the cousins to join her on her big day.

  I no longer care—about anything. Today I’m not caring. I’m taking a break from the world and I’m hiding away in my apartment.

  The only thing I did when I woke up earlier was message one of my stylists to let them know I wouldn’t be at work today. Then I switched off my phone.

  I already had messages from Quinn from last night and there were a few this morning asking how I was.

  All the other girls messaged too but I haven’t responded because I don’t know what the hell to say to them.

  I roll over and switch the channel to a rerun of American’s Next Top Model. Since that show was one that managed to distract me in the past, I leave the tv on that and eat more pizza.

  But I’m not as distracted as I hoped I would be.

  I keep thinking about what Bryce said. All of it. Everything. But mostly the last things he said.

  I’d be a fool if I didn’t think about those revelations.

  All those guys he listed off including Bryce himself were a bunch of jerks who wanted to take advantage of me. When they either stopped dating me or never showed up for a date or something like that I was so hurt. It made me feel like something was wrong with me, but then I’d see someone else they hurt too, except that girl was one they dumped. I’d thank my lucky stars I didn’t end up like that. Little did I know I was only saved because my bully made it so.

  Ethan Carson stopped me from the bed experience of all being ditched and treated like I was nothing.

  That’s the thing I’m having a problem with because I don’t understand why he was so mean to me.

  Everything I think of makes no sense, because if he cared that much or at all and possibly liked me, then how did he end up with Amelia?

  I shake my head at myself. I can’t think about this, or her, or even how I admitted years ago that I was jealous when they got together.

  The admission of the latter made me feel like I had gone crazy. It wasn’t like I hadn’t grown up seeing Ethan with one girl after another. All beautiful model like creatures who were eager and willing to fall down at his feet and worship him.

  What struck me senseless with her was, she was like me. I’ll admit she was prettier. A little like the model like plastics, but her personality was like mine. The few times we spoke she was super nice and one time I even ended up talking to her for three hours about natural skincare. I gave her recipes she used.

  All the time we spoke I didn’t understand how she came to be interested in Ethan. They also started seeing each other just after that Muffin, and fish in my car incident so I thoroughly hated him by then.

  I hated him for years after and when Quinn left there was no need to associate with Logan anymore.

  Now I don’t know what to do. it’s weird when someone shocks you and you find out they weren’t as bad as you thought them to be.

  What’s stranger is I’m thinking about the past more than I am the present.

  That whole arrest thing really freaked me out, but in the same breath, I can’t deny I didn’t learn some hard truths.

  A knock sounds at my door and I wince.

  I don’t want to open that.

  Please go away. Please. I’m not in the world today.

  The knock echoes again then I hear Shelby calling me. It’s only because it’s her I get up. Anybody else and I’d leave them, even if it was the courier with one of my many packages from my shopping indulgences.

  I muddle across the floor in my nightshirt and open the door.

  She frowns when she sees me and shakes her head.

  “My God you look terrible,” she huffs. “What the hell happened to you?”

  “Long story I don’t want to talk about it.” And not when she looks like she’s getting ready for a Photoshoot for the cover of Vogue.

  Shelby walks in and sets her Oakley’s higher on her head. She’s got her leather blazer settled on her shoulders so it’s just hanging there oozing style.

  I close the door and follow her into the living room where she grimaces when she sees the pizza box and all the other food boxes I got.

  “Bree, please tell me this is not you wallowing in sorrow.”

  “It’s exactly what it looks like.”

  “Oh honey. It’s not Liev is it?”

  “No, it’s not him. I wish it was though. It would be easier.”

  “I wish you would tell me what’s up with you. You always do.”

  “Can I do it Monday, or just… not today. I don’t want to talk about it today.”

  She nods. “Okay. I won’t push. I’m sorry for whatever it is. And I’m sorry I have more bad news. It’s about the house.”

  Oh God no. What about the house?

  My body became as straight as an arrow and I push past the fog in my mind.

  “What’s happened to the house Shelby? Please don’t tell me it’s been sold because that was really quick. We just saw it last night.”

  “I know, and there’s a chance it probably will go by tomorrow.”

  “No, no, no. That means my offer wouldn’t even have gone through to the owner.” The realtor said it would be given to him on Monday.

  “No it wouldn’t and it’s not. I’m so sorry sweetie. She was trying to call you, but your phone is off. When she couldn’t reach you, she contacted me. One of the previous applicants have raised their offer to the million dollars the property is worth, and they want to close out the contract tomorrow.”

  “Oh my gosh, why the hell is everything going to hell for me?” I got such a boost when I went to the house yesterday and talking about my plans.

  Not being with Liev pushed me to think about that. Now this had to happen.

  “I’m so disappointed.”

  “Me too, for you and me. But I had a thought.” She gives me a mischievous smile and I can’t begin to think of what sort of thought she could have had to make her smile like that.

  “What? There’s no way I can top one million dollars.”

  “Maybe not, but I have a feeling there might be another way we can get the owner to consider your offer. Especially since you know him.”

  I suck in a breath. I don’t know anyone who owns a property like that house. The closest is Quinn and Logan’s lake house.

  “Who? Who do I know?”

  “Ethan.”

  My eyes turn to saucers, and I bring my hand to my heart.

  “What? No way.”

  “Yes, darlin. He sure does.” She’s nods and smiles like she just won one of her beauty pageants.

  Suddenly I remember the conversation Ethan and I had in the stationary shop. He said he had a lot of houses.

  Never in my wildest dreams did I believe he would own Pine Valley Lodge.

  “I think he might be willing to hear you out,” she adds.

  “Ethan’s not going to turn away a million dollars for my meagre offer of three hundred thousand.”

  “Girl please, if you can stand there and say that to me it means I taught you nothing about men. Now that man was looking at you in the stationary shop like you were prized turkey served up to him on a platter.”

  “Aunt Shelby,” I muse biting back a smile.

  “Don’t you Aunt Shelby me. This is serious and I’m trying to stop you from doing what you always do when you want to go after something you really
want.”

  I blow out a ragged breath. “What do I do?”

  “Give up. You give up before you’ve even begun. Your face lit up when you saw that house and it was like you became the Bree I see when I look at you. The strong successful woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. So please, do yourself a favor and speak to the man. Please listen to me and at least try.”

  Listen?

  I am listening because she’s right and I don’t want her to be. I do give up when I’m backed into a corner and try for the easy way out.

  This is one time I don’t want to do that.

  So, I have to speak to Ethan.

  There’s just one small problem and glancing at the clock on the wall confirms my thoughts.

  Today is Friday and it’s now two in the afternoon.

  Ethan is already on his way to Vegas.

  But wait… why is that a problem?

  I want that house, and if I want it and I’m listening to Shelby I need to find my ass in Vegas too.

  “Bree, what are you going to do?”

  I smile. “I’m going to Vegas to see him.”

  Chapter 12

  Ethan

  I do not want to be here.

  I never thought I of all people would say such a thing about Vegas. Me, the poster party boy who couldn’t wait to arrive to hit the strip club and casinos.

  We arrived—we: Bryce, Denver and yours truly—a few hours ago.

  While the others were as crazy excited as ever just for being here, I wanted to leave as soon as the plane touched down.

  We hit the casinos first and had lunch. Now we’re back for dinner which we’ll have here before we head out to the clubs.

  God knows how I’m even talking to Bryce. He claims he can’t remember shit from last night, but I’m not sure I believe him.

  I can’t be bothered to make room in my mind for him because I’m wondering how I’m supposed to survive the weekend. There’s nothing worse than being somewhere you don’t want to be.

  Granted I don’t want to be back in Wilmington either. Being there would remind me of the million apologies I owe Bree.

  Apologies I don’t want to give—except of course for the whole Liev and arrest thing. I should and will apologize for that because that was really bad, and I did take everything too far. It’s like I became the teenage boy again looking for some bizarre opportunity to get the girl’s attention, when all he needed to do was something different to what he did.

  I don’t think I could forget the way Bree looked at me last night. Fuck knows I deserved the slap. It was a long time coming. She had every single right to be mad as fuck, but what got me was how she looked when Bryce spoke about the past.

  That’s the part I can’t apologize for because I can’t explain it, and part of me doesn’t want to.

  Maybe if Logan was here things would be different.

  In fact, I know they would be. There’s a reason I tend to be closer to him and it’s not because I’ve known him the longest. It’s because we’re the most similar and when I’m with the others I realize just how different I am to them.

  Like now.

  While Bryce is looking through the wine selection, Denver is ordering the strippers.

  Bryce is planning to get drunk off his ass again, which is happening a bit too often like it has in previous years as it approaches the anniversary of his sister’s death. He’ll use nights like tonight as an excuse to get wasted and like he said last night, take me down with him.

  Of the two of them, though, Denver is the one irritating me the most.

  I’ve been sitting over here by the floor to ceiling glass windows listening to him talking to the stripper service and I’m wondering why he’s bothering to get married.

  He wants six girls to get to us for dinner time tomorrow night and he wants the service to send the girls who will do anything. That means he’s planning on having sex. Him, the fucking groom to be.

  The women are also only being booked for tomorrow because if we’re going out tonight—to a strip club—and we’re in this fucking big suite that’s way too big for us, he’s planning on bringing back women here tonight. Lots of them.

  The woman he’s marrying is an elementary school teacher. She’s not even a groupie. She’s a decent woman who has no idea what her husband to be is going to be getting up to over this fateful weekend.

  I shouldn’t be worked up. It’s not me who’s getting married, but I am getting all stirred up because it reminds me of my father. This is what he would have done, and he had the money to do it.

  I used to hate the thought of being anything like him because people always told me I was like a clone of him. An exact duplicate except for my eyes. His were brown while I got Mom’s. The one thing that reminds me when I look at myself in the mirror that I don’t have to be like my father, and I should try to be better than him.

  So unlike Denver, I give Logan respect for first of all not coming with us, and second, when he was getting married, we went scuba diving in the Caribbean.

  That’s what we did. We were away for the week, and had a blast having one adventure after another. And there were no women involved.

  It didn’t even occur to me at the time, and I might be weird for thinking that, but even I think it’s cheating to fuck the strippers on your bachelor weekend.

  Listen to me like I don’t have my own God damn problems. I’m sitting here mulling over shit that doesn’t concern me when I still haven’t figured out what I’m going to do about the business.

  Bryce comes up to me with a beer and sets it down in front of me.

  I straighten up and flick my gaze from him to the drink.

  “Peace offering. I can get wine though if that’s better,” he states and plants himself down in the seat opposite me. “We have an excellent selection.”

  “The beer’s fine thanks.” I take the bottle and a swig allowing the liquid to cool my dry throat.

  “Are you ever going to forgive me for last night?”

  “Have you remembered what you did last night?” I counter.

  “No, I’m going off the back of what you told me. I’m sorry man. I’m especially sorry about telling her the arrest.”

  Yes, he fucking should be because I swear if Logan didn’t know me he would have hit me.

  “Bryce I just can’t with you right now.”

  “Come on man, please don’t let whatever I did last night ruin the weekend. We’ve been looking forward to coming here for months. Besides, it’s Bree, you don’t care that much if she’s upset, do you?”

  If he can ask me that, then he really is completely clueless. It makes me wonder how it is he became a lawyer or graduated from Harvard Law if he doesn’t have the basic attention to detail skills.

  I push to my feet and reach for my jacket.

  “Where are you going?” he asks.

  “I have some business to take care off.” I was going to do it in the morning, but I need to get out of here before I hit him or the other one. “If I’m not back in time I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

  I don’t even bother to look at Denver as I march out of the suite because he’s still on the phone talking to the stripper service.

  I get in the elevator and make my way downstairs to reception. Business first, then I’m going to call my grandfather.

  I need to arrange for a fax to be sent to me while I’m here. I’m closing out a deal on one of the houses up for sale in Pine Valley. One of the applicants surprised the hell out of me by offering up a million dollars.

  With the shit my grandfather just sent my way the million will be perfect for me to do everything I planned in Cape Cod but that still leaves me with the worry of after. A million dollars is life changing money, but it will only last for so long until it runs out. A business on the other hand that’s already making a billion-dollar fortune is forever.

  You make it be forever and that’s what I wanted to do.

  I’m about to head over to the conci
erge desk when I stop in my tracks as my gaze lands on Bree Dawson standing across the foyer looking at me.

  She’s all dressed up in a little black skater dress that shows off her golden legs. Her long velvet hair is pulled back in a ponytail accenting her high cheekbones and her red lips stretch into a smile that could make a man forget everything.

  Everything except her.

  As I look at her, there’s only one thing that enters my mind. Her served up to me on a platter with those Marylin Monroe curves and me taking my own sweet time taking that dress off her. I would take it off and taste every inch of her body until I knew every part of her by heart.

  The thought hardens my cock and I have to force my mind out of the gutter and back to my good old friend, logic.

  Logic that is asking me what Bree is doing in Vegas?

  I walk up to her, stopping a few inches away and I look her up from head to toe loving the soft rose color stain on her cheeks against the shimmering makeup she’s wearing.

  “Bree Dawson, did you fly across the country just to slap me again.” Dressed up like that, I just might let her.

  “No, I did not.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Please God tell me she’s here to see me and don’t screw me over with some craziness like she might be here to see Bryce.

  “I’m here to see you detective.”

  Thank you, God. This is going great so far.

  “Me? How come, you flew across the country to see me at a bachelor weekend in Vegas.”

  “You have something I want, and you owe me big time.”

  I tilt my head to the side studying her. This is the part of her personality I like. It’s an extension of the firecracker.

  “Now what could I have that you want so bad darlin?”

  “A house.”

  Chapter 13

  Bree

  I’m trying to shove aside how enraged I still am with him to focus on the task at hand. The mission.

  It would be so much easier if he wasn’t so ridiculously gorgeous. Surely it must be sinful to look that good right?