How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,45

my arm ready to rip itself off to get some release from the pressure.

I let the weight go at the end of the rep and stood up.

I punched the cracked leather of the bench and nodded.

“That’s how you fucking do it,” I said.

“Back to acting like this?” Liam asked.

“Like what?”

“Like some tough guy,” Cole said.

I grabbed my red towel off the empty bench next to me and wiped my face.

“We’ve been here for two hours,” Liam said. “You good yet?”

“You pussies can’t hang?” I asked. “Leave then.”

“You’re the one hiding your feelings, man,” Cole said.

I looked at Lincoln. “Do you have anything to say?”

“Plenty,” Lincoln said. “I was in the middle of talking to Dax and Finn about a real estate deal when Liam called and said I had to come down here. You’re lucky I didn’t bring the rest of the guys with me.”

The rest of the guys consisted of Dax, Finn, Gage, and Hudson.

They were friends but not close friends like Liam, Cole, and Lincoln.

“What is this?” I asked, looking at Liam. “A fucking intervention?”

“I came to see the wedding ring,” Cole said.

“What about it? I got married. That a problem?” I asked.

“You got married without your friends there,” Lincoln said.

“So what?” I asked. “You’ll have Liam’s wedding. If he ever goes through with it.”

“I know it’s fake,” Cole said.

“You fucking said something?” I asked Liam.

Liam shook his head. “No, asshole. He just made you walk into that one.”

I whipped my head back to Cole.

He was grinning ear to ear. “Don’t.”

“So it’s fake?” Cole asked. “I knew it. I told Liam there was no way this was real. What happened? Someone have dirt on you? Or… shit… who did you get pregnant?”

“Nobody,” I said. “Pregnant? Fuck that.”

“You have to be careful out there,” Cole said. “Can’t afford a slip up. Ever.”

“I didn’t get anyone pregnant!” I yelled.

Half the gym looked at me.

I gritted my teeth.

“Jackson, what’s really going on?” Lincoln asked.

“Might as well just tell them,” Liam said.

“Well, what fucking choice do I have now?”

I sat on the oldest bench in the corner of the gym.

It was the darkest and quietest spot.

I took deep breaths and my body ached for me to stop lifting weights.

After giving the guys the rundown of what happened the night before, I sat up straight and looked at them, waiting for their reaction.

Of course Liam already knew everything.

He was stone faced.

“Money,” Lincoln said.

“More than that,” I said. “I told Liam it’s about my father’s legacy. I need to have control of the company. That’s what this is.”

“Tell them about her tongue fucking some guy in front of you,” Liam said.

“Oh, shit, she’s cheating already?” Cole asked with a laugh.

I stood up and stepped toward Cole.

He was more hotheaded than me.

He had no problem coming toward me.

Lincoln stepped between us. “Gentlemen. Let’s keep it civil.”

“Don’t ever say that again,” I said to Cole. “About her cheating. About anything with this. It’s my fucking life, not yours.” I looked at Liam. “And, you. What’s your fucking problem?”

“Oh, come on, Jackson,” Liam said. “We’re your best friends. You’re going to hold back on us now?”

“Look, we’re still figuring this out,” I said. “Some guy she knows kissed her. Nobody saw though so it’s not that big of a deal.”

“This is insane,” Lincoln said.

“It’s not your problem,” I said.

“Wait,” Cole said. “How does the sex thing work? Are you going to start sleeping with Callie?”

“What? No. Hell no!”

“So… what?” Cole asked.

I sat back down on the bench. “Not sure. There’s one million dollars on the line here. I can jerk it in the shower each morning and at night if I have to. Keep things drained until this blows over. You know how Vince is. He’ll get bored after a week. He expects this to explode. That’s what he wants to see.” I moved my eyes to Liam. “That’s why I got so pissed today when Callie and that guy were kissing. That’s what Vince wants.”

“Yeah, sure,” Liam said. “You were jealous, brother.”

“Jealous?” I asked. “Of what? Callie and some guy? Give me a break.”

“You sure that ring doesn’t mean a thing?” Cole asked.

“I’m sure,” I said. “Believe me, I’m sure. In fact, I had an idea I was going to throw at her.”

“I can’t wait to hear this,” Liam said.

I lifted the middle finger of my right hand at Liam but didn’t look at him.

“Give him a chance here,” Lincoln said. “Out of all the crazy shit Jackson’s done, this isn’t the worst. At least there’s