Knot so Lucky (The holidates series Book 2)

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The sound of weights clanking around me fills my ears as I swipe my towel from the bench, wiping my sweaty forehead. It’s a miracle Claire let me take it easy today and only focus on weight training. She’s made it her mission to try to kill me since her failed-ass advice.

Jesus, I still shake my head thinking about Eleanor’s face when I was fucking out there in the living room like an asshole doing the quad stretches.

She’s not even the type to fall for some bullshit. I know because I’ve been working overtime to get her to scream my name, and all I have to show for it is a seven-thousand-dollar loss.

TJ’s voice bellows from behind, making my head snap over my shoulder to see him and Nate walk in. The grin on his face gives away he’s about to say something stupid. And he does.

“I’ll be goddamned. You’re alive. We thought that sweet little thang killed you and buried you in the mattress. Where the fuck you been, man?”

I chuckle as Nate zeros in on me, throwing out his two cents.

“Come on, TJ. We know exactly where he’s been.”

Here we go.

I chuck my towel at Nate, but TJ catches it with lightning speed.

Best hands in the business…so said Eleanor last night, making me want to prove her wrong, leading to a lot of fun. I’d thank him, but that’d just be rubbing it in.

I smirk, aiming to give it back as good as they give it.

“I’ve been busy, you fucking assholes. I don’t know if you heard, but I’m stuck in Vegas, about to miss training camp for the team I traded to because I married a horny little disaster. So, I need to keep myself fresh, or a Super Bowl isn’t in our future.”

Bullshit…that’s the definition of their expressions as they stare back. So I shrug and add, “I’ve also been fucking my future ex-wife to death.”

They both laugh, shoving my shoulders before Nate bends down to add more weights, doubling what I was doing for squats.

“I told you he was bogarting her,” TJ tosses to Nate, but I laugh.

Of course I am. I fully admit that I’m being selfish. But screw them—I’m the one paying the consequence, so I get all the reward.

“You like her?” Nate groans, always a man of few words, squatting with four hundred pounds across his back as TJ and I spot him.

I nod. “Yeah…” TJ looks up, surprised, but I clarify. “Not like that. Yes, I like her. She’s fucking likable. The girl is funny and easy to be around. But I’m not developing feelings. Trust me, she and I are completely on the same page. In fact, I’ve been holding debauchery with you two over her head to try to win a bet.”

Nate grunts, “You’re a dickhead,” through four more reps as we focus on spotting before TJ chimes in.

“What’s the bet?”

“She screams my name…I win…she deletes her roster. Or I pay her sister and her bestie a grand a day.”

Nate cracks his neck after banking the weights in place, narrowing his eyes on me.

“A fucking grand a day?” He chuckles. “Nah, come on…you’re into her, because then why give a fuck about her roster?”

I don’t even hesitate with my answer.

“Because it’s petty, inconvenient to her, and hilarious. Plus, she started that shit. She made a bet with her friends that she could resist temptation, knowing we’d already made a deal not to fucking touch each other. I just bested her hustle and put fucking back on the table.”

TJ’s still amused as Nate crosses his arms, teetering on skeptical.

“You care if we join the party?” he throws out.

I’m already shaking my head. It was a matter of time before Eleanor got what she wanted. And I get to watch her get it. Frankly, I like that she’s down for dirty shit because I’m all in, but the way Nate and I are staring at each other makes me say something I’ve never said before.

“No. Like I said, she’s down. But it’s a team event. You get me? Dibs still applies, dick.”

How old am I? Jesus.

Nate smirks, but TJ taps my arm like he’s about to tell me a good joke.

“Look at it this way. Maybe we can help your cause…get her to scream your name, seeing as your dick is unconvincing.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I laugh. “Anyway, once I’m back at the penthouse, I’ll ask her if she wants to hang out…with all of us.”

Nate exchanges a look with TJ before he leans his shoulder against the metal weight stand and grins.

“How much longer you still got here?”

I take a drink from my sports bottle before I cock my head.

“Like three more hours…why? You can’t keep it in your pants for that long?” I’m joking, but I pause for a second, looking between them. “What kind of dumbass plan are you two Jedi mind sharing?”

Nate produces a chuckle that makes me even more nervous. But it’s TJ who props his forearm on my shoulder as he lays it on thick.

“Us? Dumbasses? Never…” Before I get a word of protest out, he adds, “You’re nuts, bro.” And his fist connects with my junk.

“Fuck,” comes out strained and empty as I suck in a vat of air and double over.

I’m going to kill him.

Between their laughter and the fact that I can’t even look up, I’m committing this to memory so law enforcement will know their deaths were premeditated.

“Deep breaths, dude.”

I can’t even tell who’s speaking because I feel sick to my stomach.

“Payback’s a bitch. You bogarted our girl—”

“And now we’re going to show her the time of her life.”

Motherfuckers.

I’d laugh if it wasn’t me that was in pain. But that’s fine because by the time I feel better, I’ll have figured out how to drown them both in the goddamn water fountain.