Big Nick Energy (Bringing Home Trouble)

Prologue

NICK MARSH

Two years earlier

I knew better.

I was a grown man, for god’s sake!

Forty fucking years old and a lifetime of experiences to go with it. I’d gambled big, risked my life over and over, and had somehow, time and time again, come up on top.

But she was going to be my downfall.

The innocent-looking girl who didn’t know she dripped sexuality with every step she took would be the reason I’d fall down on my sword and say fuck everything I’d worked so damn hard to achieve.

I glanced out at the living room, where the little tempting morsel sat. Jesus, she was gorgeous. So damn beautiful I had no idea how my poor stupid heart could stand it.

Too bad she was visibly uncomfortable sitting next to my dumb-ass son. Noah had no idea, no clue that women like the one at his side were once in a lifetime. Too young and too fucking dumb and stupid to see it. The idiot was on his phone, ignoring the young woman next to him.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved my kid. He was my flesh and blood. I wanted nothing but his happiness. But the kid was a moron. I knew it by the fact he couldn’t tell that Blanca was uncomfortable. Probably thirsty by the way she kept eyeing his water. I frowned, hating that my dumb-ass kid didn’t know what he had sitting right next to him. Yet, and I hated myself for it, I was also grateful. I didn’t want them to work out. Not when I knew I wanted her for myself.

I’d known that from the first moment I had laid eyes on her. As if feeling my presence, she turned, and our eyes connected for a moment.

Blanca Dominguez was beautiful. Breathtakingly so.

Wide brown eyes so deep and soulful. Long, straight dark tresses that made my hands ache to touch. And a face of an angel. A small beauty mark by her lip that tantalized. Not to mention her body. Jesus Christ, Blanca was a curvy siren made for sin that left a man with only thoughts of breeding her.

“Hello, Mr. Marsh.”

“Hey, kid.” I winked and momentarily winced at myself.

“Hungry?” I stepped closer, no longer able to keep my distance or hide in the shadows. It was like this any time she came over. My kid shot me a look that let me know he wasn’t happy with me. Too damn bad.

“Yeah, I mean…” She licked her lips, and my eyes dropped to the soft pink pillows of her mouth. I had to fight myself from getting hard. Popping a woody in front of my kid and his girlfriend like some kind of predator was not what I needed. “I was actually going to go,” she announced, sitting straighter.

“Why?” Noah asked with a whine.

“I told you I had to be back early?—"

“But we were going to go upstairs,” he argued, and her eyes widened. She blushed as she glanced at me and then back at my son.

“I told you Libby needs help studying.”

“Jesus! When is that nerdy friend of yours going to find a man so she can loosen up and then you can, too?

“Noah––

“You need new friends.” he clipped, and I watched my sweet girl stand up and cross her arms over her chest as her head tilted to the side. “Hotter friends.”

“New friends? Like Jen, maybe?” He might have rolled his eyes, but I knew my son. There had been a flash of slight guilt.

“Jen is just a friend.”

“Yeah, that’s what Biz Marky said,” she mumbled, and I coughed to cover up my laugh. Suddenly, I felt the two of them looking at me.

“Can you give us a moment here, Dad?” Noah asked, his eyes wide as he pointed between Blanca and him.

“Actually,” she started to say, “he doesn’t need to.” She looked away from Noah, and our gaze connected. Hers soft yet slightly worried. “I’m sorry, Mr. Marsh, this wasn’t how I wanted to do this.”

“Do what?” Noah asked. Both of us stared at her.

“This isn’t working out, Noah.”

“What? What do you mean? We’re good,” he argued lamely.

“No. We are not. Not even close.” She sighed, standing straight. Her eyes didn’t waver from his. “I heard about you and Jen.”

“I told you she’s just a?—"

“And about Hailey and Tara,” she added. I winced. I’d known the kid would mess it up and fumble his chances at a real one like Blanca, but I didn’t know he’d mess it up like that. What was the dumbass thinking?

“Tara and Hailey?” he repeated like he was trying to come up with an excuse. I didn’t have to ask him to know the allegations were true. I knew him. “Babe.” He stood, and she shook his hand away when he tried to hold it.

“Don’t!” she clipped. Not a tear shined in her pretty eyes. Jesus, she was incredible and so strong. I knew she cared about my son and this kind of betrayal had to hurt. Not that she was showing it. Not at all.

“Maybe if you fucking put out—" I started to step in to put myself between the gorgeous girl who had been invading my every waking and sleeping moment, but it seemed I didn’t need to interfere. Her hand shot up and slapped him.

So hard the sound echoed in the living room.

“What the fuck?!” When he stepped forward, I was done observing from the sidelines.

“Okay, enough of that.” I stepped in, putting myself between them while I faced my son. Making sure to tower over him.

“Go to your room,” I demanded.

“What the fuck, Dad?” Noah’s face was a bright red, obviously pissed, his hands in fists at his sides. “This is none of your business!”

“Go. To. Your. Room.” I enunciated every word sternly. Making sure he knew I wasn’t kidding around. The kid was big, he was mine after all, but he was also lazy and nowhere as fit as I was. “Go and cool down.”

“That’s fine. I was done with this frigid bitch anyhow,” he clipped before stomping away.

Jesus, the kid was like his mother in that way, needing to have the last words when he threw a temper tantrum. But he didn’t walk up the stairs to his room. Instead, Noah grabbed his keys and left through the front door. But not before slamming it shut. Leaving Blanca and me alone in the living room. I gave her a moment before I looked over my shoulder.

“You okay?” I asked, taking her in. I’d been around, making sure my dumbass kid didn’t do anything stupid when they were over at my house, but I had never been this close to her. Standing in front of her, so damn close,

“I’m really sorry about that, Mr. Marsh.” Her eyes dropped to the ground. “I should call an Uber––“

“No need,” I cut her off. “Come on, I’ll take you home.” I extended my hand, and the moment hers touched mine, I knew just how much I’d fucked up. It was one thing crushing on your kid’s girlfriend, now ex, but another to touch her.

Even if it was just innocent hand holding.

I glanced down at our hands, my bigger freckled one wrapped around her tiny one. Mine, a voice whispered. Our eyes connected, and I could be wrong, but fuck me, was she blushing?

Somehow, I managed to lead her to my car in the garage and get her home. All the while knowing this was just the beginning. She was eighteen. She was legal. But as I glanced at the girl that was not yet quite a woman in my passenger seat, I knew that no matter how much I wanted her, I couldn’t have her.

Not yet.