Page 57 of With A Little Luck

I suppose I could try more than once before considering it a lost cause.

Exhaling heavily, I nod. “I understand.”

By the time I’m done cleaning, I’m ready to exit Quincy’s house. I still force myself to spend close to half an hour going through her clothing and personal care items. Selecting things I think she would like to have with her at Ridge’s isn’t the easiest task, but I do my best.

Shaw heads out the back door with the intent of pulling his truck around the front. Since he can back the vehicle up close to the door, it will be easier for us to load up the suitcases and bags I packed.

While he’s handling that, I open the front door and prepare to pile everything outside.

“Who the fuck are you?” a slimy male voice asks.

My head whips up, and my eyelids flutter as Pete comes into view.

Quincy’s cheating ex seems even tackier in person than in the pictures I examined of him.

“I could ask you the same question,” I say, tossing the suitcase and duffel bag onto the concrete just past his feet.

The idiot jolts, jerking his head to look at the ground. “Seriously, where is Quincy?”

“Not here.” I turn back for another bag, fighting the instinct to bury my knife in his throat.

“I’ve stopped by twice, but she hasn’t answered the door.”

“She’s not here now either,” I say, a smile tipping at my lips.

“I’m fucking serious,” he growls, taking a step forward as I toss the next bag near the others.

Do not kill Quincy’s ex. There would be blood stains on the concrete. You don’t want to have to explain this to her.

I could always bring him to a secondary location similar to the one David is being kept in. Then, when someone pisses me off, I could simply pop over to visit Pete. No one needs information from him, so killing him wouldn’t be an issue.

“I need to speak to her. She’s not answering my calls, and she’s never home,” he says, his teeth grinding together.

“Quincy recently moved.” I stand to my full height, swiping my gloved hands off on my pants. “As to why she’s not taking your calls… That seems pretty evident. She wants no part of communicating with you. I would take that at face value and see yourself out.”

“She’s not even living here?” he hisses. “Why the fuck won’t she consider my offer then? It was a fair number for this shit hole!”

My eyes narrow.

If this is how he’s willing to speak to a stranger, I can only imagine how he spoke to and about her. The thought makes my teeth gnash together as Shaw puts the truck in park.

“Is she trying to start a bidding war? Did someone else put in an offer?” Pete asks.

I ignore him, turning and grabbing the final bag and tossing it next to the others. Perhaps I should have called to check if she needed anything while I was here, but I didn’t like the thought of ruining the surprise. If I missed anything, it’s easy enough to come back for it.

“Are you going to continue to ignore me?” the idiot with a death wish hisses. “You clearly know her. You’re packing her things. Wait, are you dating her too? You know she’s fucking Hartley Adams—the football star.”

His crass description of Quincy and Hartley’s relationship makes my stomach tighten, but killing him would delay my ability to get home and climb into bed next to my omega.

“I am aware.” I nod at the bags as Shaw jogs up the two concrete steps. “You can grab those. I’m all set.” Turning back to the door, I reach inside to lock it behind me.

“She can hide all she wants, but I see her for who she really is. If she’s fucking multiple guys while she’s pregnant, I don’t trust that she wasn’t cheating on me while we were together. Let her know I’m serious about that paternity test,” Pete says.

The man does have a death wish.

Spinning around, I cross the space between us and wrap my hand around his throat before he can blink. I twist, slamming his back against one of the brick columns that line the walk up to the front door.

The sniveling asshole lets out a satisfying oomph.

“I was about to kick him in the kidney for you,” Shaw says. “Say shitty things, and you gotta be prepared when someone sets you straight.”

My fingerless gloves allow me to feel Pete’s pulse thundering under my grip, and my nostrils flare, breathing in the scent of his fear. Normally it would give me a nice little buzz of euphoria, but my anger is too high to truly enjoy the moment.

“The baby Quincy is carrying has nothing to do with you.” I keep my tone even and stare into his beady eyes.

“She’s already told you as much. I’m telling you for the second and final time.

If you could do basic math, this wouldn’t even be a question, but I’ve met men like you before.

You’re irrelevant, and you’ll do anything necessary to remain a thorn in her side because you want something.

Let me make myself painfully clear. I would burn this house to the ground before I let you buy it from her. ”

My fingers tighten, but I don’t allow myself to go deep enough to leave bruises.

Pete struggles, clawing at my wrist and dancing around on his tiptoes.

“I believe I’ve made my point,” I say calmly.

“You get exactly one chance to live, Peter August Nolan.” I quirk an eyebrow.

Oh yes, I know every detail of his pathetic existence, which is unfortunate because I also understand he has family and coworkers who would report him missing.

“Forget all about Quincy and move on. Your assistant, what’s her name?

” A vicious grin crosses my face. “That’s right.

Leslie. She’s a much safer option for you to focus on. ”