Chapter 170

“Nick.”

A new voice—deeper, lower and familiar— intruded, dousing Nick with a brutal, icy dose of reality. Forcing a casual smile, he untangled his fingers from her hair, but kept his arm around her waist as he turned them to face his brother.

“Hey, man,” Stoner said.

He pounded Nick on the shoulder in greeting. His curious and, goddammit, admiring gaze slid to Michelle and lingered on her. Roamed over her face, pausing on her lush mouth before dipping lower to her equally lush body. Anger, pain, jealousy—they all roared inside Nick, pounded against his bones, rattling him from the inside out. But he kept his mask in place. This time, it was one that showed him as the carefree, “rejection rolls right off my back” younger brother.

Fortunately, he was well versed in maintaining this facade.

“Hey, what's up,” Nick said with a wide grin, clapping his brother on the shoulder in return. “Michelle came along.”

“I’m glad she did.” Stoner turned to Mi