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Fuck him for what he did all those years ago and fuck him for thinking he can fix it by sending me a check for twenty thousand dollars.

If I took it, I’d be no better than my mother.

Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes again and close the card, ripping it in half without even a glance at the note inside. I don’t need to hear what he has to say and I’m sure as hell not going to assuage his guilt. I do the same to the check before dumping it all in the trash. Briefly, I consider setting it on fire but that gives it more power than I’m willing to part with. Going back to the island and sinking onto the stool, I take a couple of calming breaths before grabbing my phone to call Dottie. I scroll through my contacts but before I can find her name, the doorbell rings. I glance up and hop off the barstool as I set the phone on the counter, secretly relieved I have a little more time before I have to call her. I’m so lost in my thoughts I don’t even stop to check the peephole before I pull the door open.

“Chance,” I breathe out, my heart skipping a beat and butterflies flapping around in my belly before I remember I’m supposed to be avoiding him. I stand up a little straighter in an attempt to compose myself and grip the edge of the door. “What are you doing here?”

“Taking matters into my own hands,” he says, a smirk on his face.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He motions to the apartment behind me. “Why don’t you let me in and I’ll tell you?”

“Or you could just tell me right here.”

His smile grows and I lose the battle to keep my eyes on his face as they drop down the front of his body, appreciating the way his leather vest shows off his broad shoulders and strong arms. God, I’ve always had a weak spot for guys with great shoulders.

“Come on, sweetheart. I drove all the way over here just to spend a little time with you, the least you could do is invite me inside.”

I shake my head and he shrugs.

“That’s fine. We can have our date like this with me in the hallway, but you’ll need to grab a wine glass,” he says, holding up a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer I somehow missed.

“And if I just close the door?”

His smile never fades as he watches me, rubbing his hand over the stubble on his jaw like he’s deep in thought. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to sit out here and very loudly tell you my life story. Although, I’m not sure your neighbors would appreciate it.”

Damn him for being right. Ms. Cheryl down the hall is nice enough but she would throw a fit if we interrupted her Monday night shows.

“You’re trouble,” I say, rolling my eyes as I step back and hold the door open wider for him.

“Who me?” he asks, glancing down at himself like he doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing and I resist the urge to roll my eyes again. He steps into my apartment and the entire mood shifts, my spacious living room suddenly feeling much too small. I close the door and move to step around him, but he moves into my path at the same time and we both stop, a breath away from each other as he swallows me up with his enchanting green eyes. My skin tingles and my heart races. The only sound in the entire apartment is our breaths meeting in the narrow space between us and no matter how much I tell myself to look away, I can’t force my gaze from his.

“Where would I find those wine glasses?” he whispers and I continue staring at him for a moment with a blank look on my face as his words sink in. Blinking once, I look over his shoulder to the kitchen.

“The cabinet to the right of the sink.” My voice sounds frail and I hate that he can hear exactly what he’s doing to me but it’s like he pulls me in and holds me hostage. A part of me is screaming to run away from this but the fire in his eyes is too beautiful, too intriguing to look away. Even with the certainty I’ll get burned.

When he finally turns toward the kitchen to retrieve the glasses, I suck in a breath and press the back of my fingers to my cheek to cool down before walking over to the island and sinking onto the barstool. Turning back, he sets a wine glass on the counter and pours a generous amount for me before popping the top off a beer.

“Trying to get me drunk?” I ask, arching a brow and he grins.

“It couldn’t hurt.”

I snort out a laugh as he slides the glass over and I grab it, taking a sip.

“Nice place,” he murmurs, his gaze drifting over to the living room before coming back to me and my lip curls in disgust as I glance over at my ostentatious living room.

“I guess.”

He scoffs and arches a brow. “What? Not good enough for you, Princess?”

“Princess?” I spit back at him, standing from my barstool so I can throw his ass out of my house. He doesn’t know anything about me and I will not sit here and listen to him make fun of me for an apartment I don’t even like.

His eyes widen and he holds his hands up. “Whoa. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear.”

The sincere look on his face convinces me and I sit back down, taking a long sip of my wine.

“I’m sorry. The apartment is a touchy subject for me.”