The Anti-Hero (The Goode Brothers, #1)(7)

Worry and regret land hard in my gut like a stone, weighing heavily on my conscience. Is that the kind of guy I

should be trying to settle down with? Gladys was right. By the looks of him, he’s got a lot more going for him than Brett. If I’m being honest with myself, I know Brett is never going to marry me. We’ve been dating for three years and we haven’t even moved in with each other. Or talked about it. I’m twenty-seven years old. Not to say I’m in a rush to settle down, but the longer I wait, the smaller that dating pool is going to get.

What would my life even look like with a guy like that, though? My nightlife would be traded for what…the suburbs?

Regimented and routine monotony. Every day in bed by ten, sex once a week, if we’re lucky, a few drinks on the weekends, and our only friends would be some boring married couples that live the same dull lives we do.

Well, when you put it that way…

No, thank you.

Roscoe yips at a passing man at the end of the alley, who instantly gives me the creeps, so I scoop the dog up and hurry back up the fire escape, locking my window behind me. Then, I fill Roscoe’s dishes with kibble and water, patting him on the head before unlacing my boots and kicking them into the corner. While I walk into the living room, I unbutton my denim shorts and shimmy them down my legs, plopping down on my cozy sofa in nothing but my panties and loose-fitting crop top.

The moment my head hits the pillow, my body feels like lead. A heavy duvet is draped over the back of the couch and I pull it over me, snuggling up in the cool covers against my warm skin.

I own a bed—I just haven’t slept in it in months. Or maybe it’s been a year already. I’m not sure why, but there’s something about dozing on my couch that feels more natural.

Maybe it’s my erratic sleep schedule or the fact that going to bed feels like such a proper, mature thing to do, whereas I generally crash where I land instead.

When I go to Brett’s for the night, I sleep in his bed, but that’s not often anymore. We see each other at the club all the time, which means that’s usually where we have sex. So at the

end of most nights, we go to our separate apartments, and that’s that. I have Roscoe to take care of anyway, and I feel bad when I leave him with Gladys.

My phone buzzes on the coffee table, so I pick it up and see Brett’s name on the screen.

We did over twenty grand in liquor last night.

I roll my eyes as I read the message, my fingers flying to respond.

Because Penny isn’t limiting the patrons like she’s supposed to.

The text bubbles pop up as he responds.

Why would we limit them if this is our biggest moneymaker?

So much for sleep, I can practically feel my blood boiling.

Because it’s a sex club, Brett. Letting our patrons get drunk is a liability.

I already know his argument before his text pops up.

They’re adults, Sage. What they do is up to them. We have security so no one gets hurt.

You need to lighten up.

I resist the urge to throw my phone through the window and down to the dirty alleyway below. All of Brett’s decisions are motivated by money and profits. He doesn’t do the research like I do. He doesn’t care about safety or liabilities. He doesn’t network with other club owners like I do.

It should be me running that club, but that’s a fight for another day.

To him, it’s just a club where people fuck and occasionally get kinky, but he has no respect for the safety or lifestyle of our patrons. It’s for this reason that most of our patrons are disrespectful, horny assholes who think it’s a brothel, not a sex club.

The only reason he forbids them from bringing their cell phones into the club is to keep them from posting incriminating evidence that would get us shut down. Every day, I battle with the impending doom that I’ll be stuck going down with this ship, but I refuse.

It’s a good thing my name is nowhere on the business, even though I care about Pink a hell of a lot more than he does.

I’m going to sleep. It’s your club. Do what you want.

Guilt assaults me as I toss the phone down with a huff. I hate fighting with him, especially about the club. I’m not an owner.

I have no real influence. Technically, I’m an employee and not even one with authority.

But I want to be.

Same sob story, different day. I love Brett, but the dream I’ve been carrying of us running that club together is getting hazier by the day. I can either fight for our relationship, or I can fight for the club, but I can’t have both.

What’s sad is I’m not really sure which one I would choose.

My phone buzzes again, so I lift it to see the screen.

Baby, don’t be like that.

You gotta trust me. I know what I’m doing.

My jaw clenches tight as I swallow down my resentment. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t hear just how condescending that sounds.

I’m going to sleep.

I almost put the phone on the table before adding in a quick, I love you.

He responds quickly.

Love you, baby.

He does. I believe he does.

And maybe that’s why I’ve stayed as long as I have. It’s hard to leave someone who loves you, even though you know

realistically it’s not working. Love is stupid like that. It’s like drinking poison because it tastes good.