Chapter 20 Nico
TWENTY
NICO
Lucas steps into the gym just as I’m finishing up a private lesson with one of the fighters.
I nod to let him know I’ll be over in a minute, then turn toward the young guy who’s been reduced to a sweaty, panting mess in the ring.
“Clearly, we need to work on our cardio,” I tell him dryly. “You’re not running as much as I told you to, are you?”
He only thinks about lying for a half-second before shaking his head. “Sorry, Coach,” he murmurs.
I clap him on the shoulder with a focus mitt. “You’re going to run every day?”
He nods quickly.
“And twice a week you’ll do our sprinting drill?”
Another hurried nod.
“Good. You’re done for the day. Go home and rest up.”
When I turn toward Lucas, I find him looking over my shoulder, amused. I can only imagine the heap the kid just collapsed into.
“What’s up?” I ask.
He jerks his head toward the door. “Let’s go get dinner.”
Which is code for: he had a bad day dealing with rich assholes and needs to talk to someone about something that has nothing to do with his daily life.
“You good with a burger?” he asks as we step out onto the sidewalk.
“That’s fine. I can substitute the bun.”
We don’t talk during the ten-minute walk, or when we take a seat at a high top. It isn’t until Lucas orders a Citywide that I snort and ask, “Rough day?”
He blows out a heavy breath. “Rough week.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
Chuckling, I shake my head. It’s like clockwork. He does this once every three months. Alexander and I used to try to convince him to change jobs, but to no avail. Now, we just entertain the call with alcohol and a greasy burger.
But for the first time, Lucas changes the script. Lifting his beer to his lips, he sighs. “I need a vacation.”
My eyebrows lift at that. “Yeah? When was the last time you left your laptop at home and took a real vacation?”
He blows out another breath. “I can’t even remember. Too long.”
“Where would you want to go?” I ask curiously.
“Anywhere that doesn’t have service.” He seems to snap back to reality because he shifts his focus to me. “What about that brother trip? You still in for it?”
I blink, thrown off by the topic change. I haven’t even thought about our original conversation. And I definitely haven’t thought about getting away from my day-to-day lately.
Not since I met Scarlett.
“Uhh…I don’t know.”
Lucas seems more and more into the idea as he leans forward and says excitedly, “Oh, come on, you were into the idea a few weeks ago. We should do it! You, me, and Alexander should get away to some luxury resort in Turks and Caicos, spend a week shark diving and hiking and drinking ourselves into the sand every night. It’s perfect. Why not?”
“For one, that sounds expensive.”
He shrugs. “So? It’s not like you don’t have the money.”
Yeah, but now I have something—someone—I want to spend it on.
Lucas must read something on my face because he pauses the sip of his beer and frowns. “What? You having money problems?”
“Not problems, exactly…”
He tilts his head. “Then what? What’s going on?”
I’ve never been good at lying to my brother. “Do you remember that girl in the shelter dog videos?”
He nods. “The one you didn’t want to admit made you all gaga. Yeah.”
“Well, she’s kind of expensive.”
He lets out a loud laugh. “So, she’s a high maintenance girl? Weird way to word it, man. You make it sound like you’re dating a hooker.”
I wince at the word choice.
Lucas’s eyes go wide.
“You cannot be serious right now.”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” I rush to defend. “I met her through a highly reputable agency, so it’s not like I just picked her up in Kensington. And…we get along well. Really well. Half the time, I forget I’m paying her.”
I think Lucas’s eyes might just fall out. “Nico, it’s her job to make you forget that.” He shakes his head. “You can’t seriously be telling me you’re developing feelings…”
I make a sound of frustration. “Look, I know how it sounds, okay? But I’m telling you: things are different with her. I like her.”
And I’m pretty sure she likes me.
I don’t say that part out loud, because I’m entirely aware of how it would sound.
But it’d take too long to explain how my last date with Scarlett felt—how she finally opened up to me, and how we seemed to come to an agreement with the no-intimacy thing.
And even if I tried to explain, the chance of Lucas understanding is still too small to bother.
“So, you’re blowing your money on a high-end escort? As your manager and unofficial financial advisor, I really must protest, little brother.”
“Noted,” I say dryly. “It’s not going to change anything, though.
I’m still going to see her. I just don’t want to spend money on a Turks and Caicos trip this year, is all.
” Then something occurs to me, and I add hurriedly, “And besides, I’m not always paying her. Case in point: the shelter dog date.”
That seems to stun Lucas enough to cut off his brotherly scolding. He spent too much time teasing me about how smitten I sounded and how smitten she sounded to be able to use that as further proof of his point right now. Seems like he forgot the part about it being an accidental run-in.
Although, he looks like he wants to continue arguing. But after a moment, he simply sighs and says, “Just…be careful, okay? Keep seeing her, if you like her, but don’t lose sight of the facts of the matter. Which is that you’re paying her.”
I roll my eyes in answer. I know that’s as close as I’m going to get to an approval tonight.
But even as I mock him in return, there’s a tingle of worry in the back of my mind that I haven’t been able to get rid of, no matter how many ways I try to convince myself.
Because even after my last date with Scarlett, as amazing as it was, as much of a breakthrough as it was…
She still wouldn’t even consider the idea of us without payment.