Tracked by Trouble (Bad Boys Need Love, Too #3) by Calinda B Read Free Book Online Page A

I’m sorry about that. I was taking out my rage against Kate on you. If it helps, some of the women asked about you.”
    “While you were fucking them or after?”
    “I don’t know, I didn’t take a tally sheet to bed or anything,” Jace grumbled. “I think some of them wished I hadn’t gotten to them first. They wanted you. They probably thought I was the leftovers.”
    Zed let out a quick, sharp laugh. “Right.”
    Jace bowed his head to study the schedule. “You were always the nice one, Zed. You’re a truly decent guy. I’m the hot head, you know that.”
    “Yeah. You know what they say about nice guys. Women love the bad boys.”
    “Come on, stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
    “It’s true. My sister even told me she reads smut where the heroes are all bad boys with snarly attitudes. Dickheads with hidden charm. That’s not me.”
    “Doesn’t mean you don’t get the prize in the end. We’ll turn you into an athlete, work on your charm and you’ll be right back in bed with Beck. Or with whomever you want.”
    “Does the offer come with a money back guarantee?” Zed asked with a scoff.
    “No, but it does come with the assurance I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
    “Thanks, that’s something.” He swallowed, eager to move the conversation along. “So, you coming to the big party this weekend?”
    “Yeah, we’ll swing by. Afterwards, Zoé’s heading over to a client’s for a consultation, so it will be you, me, Marni and the gym. Get your membership rolling at the Y. You’ll have to guest pass me in. Hopefully, they won’t mind a child in a backpack. Hopefully, Marni won’t mind being in the pack.” He chewed on his lip. “Maybe they’ll have some sort of kid care.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, we’ll start with the outdoor stuff. Hell. I’m still not used to this dad stuff.”
    “Yeah, I’ve watched it change my sister’s entire focus,” Zed said. “She went from this prom girl party queen into Madame Diapers and Daycare.”
    Jace sighed. “We’ll head over there at about, what do you say, two? Does that give you enough time to satisfy your social obligations?”
    “More than enough. I’d be done around one thirty or even one. Or how about eleven and we skip the party altogether?” He smiled, hopefully.
    “And miss meeting your brother? Not on your life. I’m curious now.”
    “Maybe you and he will be besties.” Zed smirked. His phone buzzed again.
    “You going to check that?” Jace asked.
    “No,” Zed said with a scowl.
    Jace cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Who do you think it is? Your bro?”
    “Nope,” Zed said, squatting to lift a couple bags of soil leaning against the table. “Make yourself useful and stop prying.”
    “It’s Beck, isn’t it?” Jace said. He hefted three of the heavy bags with ease. “Where do you want these?”
    “Follow me, and yeah, probably. My phone’s been blowing up.”
    “And let me guess, you haven’t responded.”
    “Right again. Leave it alone, would you? I’m done being second place.”
    “All right, all right, I’ll leave it. But you could at least hear her out. Exes can be dickheads. You know the grief Kate gave me.”
    “Yeah, good point. But I’m not ready to experiment. I’d rather…” Zed searched for the right phrase.
    “Play with yourself? Wank off in the shower?”
    “That’s not what I was going to say,” Zed said with a scowl, increasing his pace. “Leave it. It’s my business.”
    “What were you going to say?”
    “Come on, Savage.”
    “Say it. Then I’ll let it go.”
    “I’d rather be sure she’s done with the guy. I deserve that much. You should have seen her anger flare. She said he’s still trying to get a rise out of her. I told her it seems to be working.”
    “Well, there’s your answer. When Kate showed up at my place of work with her last bit of messed up news, I went ballistic. It had been over between us for months but she kept wanting to poke