How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,104

bad. Vince said he was paying you to go away. I don’t believe that. In the moment, I got lost. I’m sorry for what I did. For what I said.”

“Jackson… no… I’m the one who’s sorry. When he started talking to me, touching me and writing that check…”

“It’s done and over with.”

“You really quit? That was supposed to be yours.”

“It was never going to be mine,” Jackson said. “Vince ruined it all. I made him release the money he’s been hiding for years. I’m far from done with him. I’m going to expose him for the piece of shit he is. As far as my father’s legacy goes… or my legacy… I’m going to do what my father would have done.”

“Which is?”

“The right thing,” Jackson said. “I’m going to start my own company. Go back to what my father taught me. Vince can fly his fat ass to space. That’s fine. As far as everything else goes…” Jackson moved closer to me. “I’m going to do the right thing here. I love you, Callie.” He reached for my face and stroked my cheeks. “I think I’ve loved you for years. From the second I saw you, I loved being your friend. I loved being your frenemy. I loved arguing. I loved the way you’d walk away and look back at me with those evil eyes that are so beautiful and addicting… I just…”

“I love you, Jackson,” I said. “You asshole.”

I jumped at him.

The energy between us was wild.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I said energy… and it was real.

We kissed as his hands moved down to my sides.

He picked me up and I grabbed his arms, feeling hard muscle.

I never kissed anyone the way I kissed Jackson right then.

I fought back the urge to cry.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” he said to me.

“You didn’t hurt me,” I said. “I hurt you.”

“I hurt myself,” he said. “I fucked up and let you into my heart.”

“Wow. That’s not really romantic, Jackson.”

“Who said I was going to be romantic?” he asked with a grin. “I’m still the same man you married. I just sell lemonade now.”

“Please, whatever you do, do not sell that lemonade to anyone ever,” I said.

“Oh, look, a lemonade stand,” a woman said as she walked by.

Jackson swung his foot back and kicked the stand over. Lemonade spilled all over the sidewalk.

“Closed for repairs,” Jackson said.

“Closed for good,” I added.

He curled his lip at me. “Don’t piss me off, Callie.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I asked.

I lifted my eyebrow.

“We have an audience watching,” he whispered.

“I know. I can sense them.”

“Oh? Did you go over to the hippie dark side?”

“That’s right,” I said. “I have a voodoo doll of you. So if you mess with me, I’ll hurt you.”

“How big did you make the dick?” Jackson asked. “I want to make sure it’s accurate.”

I shook my head.

He snuck a kiss.

I snuck one back.

Then we kissed again for real.

Behind me I heard the door to the shop open.

“Hey, Sunny,” Lake said. “Can I have your boob tissue?”

“Sure,” Sunny said. “As soon as I’m done.”

Sunny blew her nose.

Lake then added, “Never mind.”

Jackson broke the kiss and stared down at me.

“Don’t ask what a boob tissue is,” I whispered.

He looked down at my chest.

He smiled.

“Will you two just leave and handle your business?” Mom called out.

I cringed and started to blush.

“You should listen to your mother, sweetie,” Jackson whispered.

I moved to my toes and kissed him one more time. “Then pick an apartment, take me there and fuck me.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Jackson

I stood outside the gym with Liam, Cole, and Lincoln. The other guys had already come and gone.

The street was busy, like always.

I had a sense of home that I couldn’t remember ever having.

“This is going to get wild,” Cole said to me.

“I know,” I replied. “That’s the point.”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do, but this will probably take the company down,” Cole said.

“That’s the point,” I said.

“You’re putting Vince behind bars,” Liam said.

“Where he belongs,” I said. “Let all the fraud come out.”

“You know, Jackson, it might touch back to your father,” Lincoln said.

“Are you suggesting my father was a fraud?” I asked.

“Not at all,” Lincoln said. “But a guy like Vince… he’ll take everyone down with him.”

“My father is dead,” I said. “That’s the brutal truth. There’s nothing Vince can do now.”

“Jackson is right,” Cole said. “My guys have an airtight case. Vince’s best bet is to walk away in cuffs, pay the fines, and do his time.