“It hurts, man,” I panted.

“It’s going to hurt worse if you string her along and she comes back to bite you in the ass along the campaign trail.”

Ugh. Ty was right. I had to end it ASAP, or it would be more than just myself facing the repercussions. Finally, I swiped the phone and brought it to my ear. “Callahan.”

“Hey you. I just wanted to see if you were going to get back into the city tonight. I was going to have my roommate leave some wine chilling for us, and I’m going through my lingerie drawer. You still like me in pasties, don’t you?”

At that moment, I didn’t give a flying fuck if my dad won the party’s nomination or became president. I didn’t care if I lost my job at The Callahan Corporation. All I—and, more importantly, the Bear—cared about was the epic case of blue balls I was starting to get. I’d spent weeks with Evangelina, and she was so fucking sexy and up for anything. God, there was nothing about the promise I’d just made that was palatable, except for giving my dad the best shot at the role he was made to fill. I’m so screwed.

Ty cleared his throat. When I glanced back at him, he gave me a get the fuck on with it look. “Uh, yeah, er, it’s not looking good on me getting back to see you tonight.” Or any other night for that matter.

There was a pause on the line. “You sound funny, babe. Is everything all right?”

“Look, Evangelina, there’s never an easy way to say this, but…it’s just not going to work out between us.”

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“Uh, well, I’m not sure you could classify what we were doing as dating, but yeah, I guess so.”

“Oh hell yes we were dating, you bastard! Has your feeble brain forgotten we were on a date a few hours ago?” she shrieked. She was getting close to hitting another one of those high Cs, and I fought the urge to take the phone away from my ear.

“We were screwing a few hours ago. Whether or not we were dating is a matter of linguistics.”

“I hope your dick rots off, you son of a bitch.” Considering I wouldn’t be having sex for a very long time, Evangelina might get what she wished for.

“I really am sorry.” That was the truth—at least it was for the Bear. After all, he was the one who was really going to end up missing her. It wasn’t like I saw some future for Evangelina and me. I never saw a future past coming once or twice with any of the chicks I banged.

“Fuck you!” Evangelina shouted before hanging up on me.

Yep. That pretty much summed it up. Fuck me, and fuck my life.

BARRETT

After my workout, I headed back upstairs to grab a quick shower. Once he saw me safely inside the suite, Ty went down the hall to his room. I stripped off my gym clothes and stepped into the shower, my aching muscles protesting under the scorching hot water.

As I stood under the showerhead, my mind desperately tried to process the implications of the day. I’d gone from single and carefree to engaged and shackled by responsibility in just a few hours. Did most men experience a choking feeling and sinking dread when they decided to get married?

Closing my eyes, I envisioned Addison as she had stood before me earlier. The way she’d used her red, pouty lips to verbally annihilate me. The way she’d crossed her arms defiantly under her round, perfect tits. Damn, she was even hotter when she was angry.

Almost on autopilot, my hand slid down my abdomen to grip my cock, and then, even under the scalding water, I shivered in revulsion. I snatched my hand back and eyed it with contempt. How could I possibly think of jerking off to Addison?

With a grunt of frustration, I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. After drying off, I threw on a clean pair of jeans and a button-down shirt I had in my luggage. Leaving my hair wet, I walked barefoot out of the bedroom and into the living room.

Although I should have been checking work emails or returning calls, I knew there was no way in hell I’d be able to concentrate. So, I flopped down on the couch and turned the television on to Sports Universe where there was a replay of an old Yankees game. Four innings later, my phone rang, interrupting a two-run homer. After throwing an apprehensive glance at the screen, fearing it might be Evangelina, I exhaled a relieved breath since it was Mary Anne.

“Can’t get enough of me, can you?” I jokingly answered.

Mary Anne laughed into the phone. “It’s always about business, I assure you.”

“What do you want to torture me with now?”

“I’m sending down a questionnaire for you and Addison to complete together as a means of getting to know each other.”

“Sounds thrilling,” I replied, sarcasm lacing my voice.

There was a pause on the line before Mary Anne sighed. “You need to get your head out of your ass on this one, Barrett.”

“You sound like my dad.”

“I’m serious.”

“Fine, fine. I can’t wait to sit down with the little woman.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I certainly try.”

“Just answer the door for the messenger.”

“Anything for you, Mary Anne.”

I’d barely hung up with her when a knock came at the door. Once again, some nameless staffer gave me a toothy smile as he handed me a large manila envelope.

“Thanks,” I replied.

After flipping open the folder and skimming the contents, I grimaced. “Oh hell,” I grumbled before tossing the file on the table. I couldn’t look at it for another minute without a beer.