I’d lost my fucking mind.

Was it really that I hadn’t had sex in a while? Or was it the stress of my mom’s illness coupled with Monica screwing me over?

Six fucking years I wasted with her. I should’ve ended it, seen the writing on the wall long before finding out she’d been cheating on me. Instead, I was too busy looking at expanding our company and taking care of my mom.

“Oh, J, your lawyer called for you earlier.”

I stopped in my tracks to stare back at my little sister. “And you’re just telling me now as I’m walking out the door?”

She shrugged and ran a hand over her baby bump. “I’ll say it was pregnant brain.”

That got me to smile and shake my head. “What time did he call?”

“Right before you got home.” She pulled on her ponytail of jet-black hair that matched mine and tilted her head in that curious way she’d done her whole life. “What’s going on?”

“Exploring options to get away from Monica.”

She nodded. “Good. That bitch needs to go down.”

“I thought you liked her.” I peeked over to look at Mom’s snoozing silhouette.

“I did, but then she fucked with my brother. Honestly, she turned into someone else over the last few years. I couldn’t relate to her anymore.”

“You and me both.”

It was true. Cassie and Monica had been close in the beginning. Back then, they were a lot alike. When Cassie opened up her gourmet pet store, I thought she was crazy. Three years later, she had a booming business, married one of her customers, and happier than I’d ever seen her.

I pulled open the door, but didn’t get my foot over the threshold before she called me back. She padded into the entryway. “Give me a call if you need a lift, okay?”

I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Will do.”

A short drive later, I parked my truck in back of the restaurant right next to Dex’s.

As soon as I entered through the back door, eyes landed on me. Granted, if I’d walked into some place in Carmel, it would’ve been worse, but at Union Jack’s, in the heart of Broad Ripple, only my muscles made me stand out.

Not that I normally minded the attention. After all, I covered my skin with art and had a hot body. My full sleeves were highly visible with the short-sleeved shirt I had on.

My problem today was how fucked up I’d been lately. I didn’t want to deal with curious eyes and stupid chicks looking to hook up with a bad boy.

I found Dex at the bar and hopped onto the stool next to him. He cocked his head and pushed a bottle my way.

“Gonna be a few for a table.”

“Always is.”

Union Jack Pub had the best Chicago-style pizza in town. The downside? It took about an hour to cook. Then again, that left us lots of time for drinking, which I desperately needed.

The Reds were on one of the TVs and we sat in silence, watching the game and letting the alcohol work its magic. One or two minutes later, the pager went off, and we headed to the hostess stand. She led us to our seats, which were back in the bar area.

Fine by me—closer to the drinks.

My skin vibrated as we reentered the section, a shudder rolling down my back and through my legs before pulsing into my cock.

“Fuck me.”

It was the same feeling. The one that hit me the moment she walked in the church and never left me. The one that haunted me. She was there. She had to be.

I scanned the room, my eyes transfixed on a curvy figure a few feet away as I slid into the booth seat, and everything slowed down. I began to wonder if I’d really lost it. My torturer from the church pews was parading around in barely-cover-her-ass shorts and a vest that pushed her tits up and out, begging for me to bite them.

I prayed for her to be our waitress. At the same time, I was scared—uncertain if I could control myself with her so close.

Dex waved his hand in front of me. “Yo, Jared, what the fuck? See something you like?” He followed my gaze.

“That’s her.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the curve of her tits and ass.

“Her who?”

“The girl from the church.”

“The waitress? That’s the girl?” He glanced back at her. “Girl’s got curves. Definitely different from Monica.”

I rubbed my face and shook my head. “She could be so much trouble.”

“Would it be worth it?”

“I’d probably end up in jail.”

He held his beer up, then took a swig. “Go for it. Like I said, you need to damage a pussy.”

Worst nightmare or heavenly dream, I didn’t know, but she was headed right for us.

“Hi, I’m Hope, and I’ll be your waitress.” Her voice was sweet and melodic, and I imagined it screaming my name. Her eyes scanned the table, a fake smile plastered on her face, but there was a flicker of recognition when her gaze landed on me.

Her breath hitched, pupils dilated, lips parting as I stared straight at her. The intense feelings that had taken all control at the church came surging back, and I gripped the edge of the table, jaw locked tight.

“Hello, Hope.”

Her eyes fluttered as I said her name, and she no longer seemed to be able to stand still.

“Umm, our s-specials today are the turkey melt, clam chowder, and two-dollar draft beer.” Her cheeks flushed. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

My cock got so hard, begging to be closer. What was it about her?

“You.” I couldn’t help myself. It was the truth.

Her eyes widened, and she nabbed her bottom lip between her teeth just as she’d done the other day.

Dex broke in, reminding us both where we were. “We have a tab going at the bar—can you get us a bucket of Dos Equis and some limes? That’d be great.”

She blinked and looked at Dex, who was trying not to laugh. “Right, will do. Are you r-ready to order?”

“Not yet.”

She stared, stuck for a moment. “Oh, okay, I’ll just… I’ll be back with the beer.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she walked away, and I almost launched out of my seat when she looked back at me.

“Wow. What the fuck was that?”

I turned back to Dex and flexed my hands into fists, attempting to keep myself in place. “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out for days.” I glanced back over at the bar where she collected our order.

“I’m beginning to believe your talk about deadly sins. You might die if you don’t get your cock in that girl!”

My jaw clenched. “Not funny, man. I’m two dick pulses away from finding her and fucking her right now.”

He held his hands up. “Sorry, sorry. You didn’t see it from my perspective, though. Talk about intense.”

“Let’s change the subject.”

“Okay… So, Monica?”

I twisted my head in an attempt to crack my neck. Even her name couldn’t subdue the fire. It only ignited another kind—hatred.

“She’s doing shit on purpose to piss me off. That boxing class isn’t the beginning, and I don’t see it being the end.”

Even his face dropped. “Yeah. She’s moved some of my clients as well. My girl is threatening my balls if I don’t start bringing in more money.”

An idea I’d been contemplating popped out of my mouth before I even thought about actually saying it. “If I leave, you’re coming with me, right?”

My sudden topic switch stopped him mid-sip. “You thinking about opening your own place?”

The beer arrived, but I didn’t even notice when someone brought it by because she didn’t deliver it. I downed the one I was working on, then popped the top off the next. It was half gone in seconds.

Dex didn’t say anything.

“Thinking. I can’t do it now, but when my mom’s better.”

He grinned. “You’re gonna decimate Monica, aren’t you?”

I finished off the second and pulled out a third. “Yup. I get a large portion of the money from those classes. If she thinks I’m just going to let her push me out, she’s very wrong.”

“You practically built that place. Hell, I was your client when you opened.”