Chapter 134: Pain in the Ass
Jack had been in the villa for over a week, and the place had settled around him.
He trained in the mornings, ate whatever was in the fridge, and treated the heavy bag like it owed him money.
The women Rowena brought in stayed professional and mostly stayed out of his way. That arrangement worked for everyone.
Or it did until the afternoon he walked into the kitchen and stopped dead.Jessica was at the counter pouring coffee, back turned to him.
She was wearing the same dark fitted pants as always. She shifted her weight to reach for a second cup, and the movement pulled the fabric tight across a heavy, rounded ass.
Jack stared.
He didn’t mean to. His brain simply stopped sending signals to the rest of his body for a full three seconds.
By the time he recovered, Jessica had already nodded once in his direction and left with both cups. Jack blinked, frowned at the empty doorway, and muttered under his breath.
"The hell."
He shook his head hard,and told himself it was nothing. Just a shape. People had shapes.and for him shapes didn’t matter.
Liam noticed the same day.
He was crossing the main hall when he saw Jack standing near the rear windows, protein shake forgotten in his hand, eyes fixed on the courtyard.
Outside, Jessica and Mara were walking the tree line together. Jessica was slightly ahead. The afternoon light made the fit of her pants very clear.
Liam stopped beside him and followed his gaze."You good?"Jack didn’t look away. "What?" You’ve been staring at that window for a while.
"I’m watching the patrol pattern."
Liam nodded slowly. "The patrol pattern."
Jack finally turned his head. "I’m expanding my interests." To patrol patterns.
"Yes."
Liam looked back out the window. Jessica chose that moment to bend down and check something near the base of a light. The pants did what pants that tight usually did.
Jack’s jaw tightened. He looked away first.
Liam said nothing. He just made a small sound in his throat that might have been agreement and walked off.
Jack stared after him, It happened again the next morning.Jack was coming back from the bag, shirt over his shoulder, when he passed the open doorway to the east wing.
One of the other women the quieter one with the scar was carrying a case of equipment down the hall. She stopped to adjust her grip, turned slightly, and gave him a clear view of the same problem Jessica had.
Jack’s feet slowed on their own.
He forced them to keep moving, but not before a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Patrol pattern?"
Jack closed his eyes for a second, then turned.Liam stood there with coffee, expression completely neutral.
"I was making sure the hallway was clear," Jack said.
"Of course."
"It’s called awareness."I’ve heard of it."Jack pointed at him with the shirt. "Don’t start."
Liam took a sip of coffee. "I didn’t say anything."
"You’re saying it with your face."
"My face is just like this."Jack made a disgusted sound and kept walking.
By the third time it happened, Jack had started talking to himself.He was in the kitchen alone, staring into the open fridge like it had answers.
"It’s just an ass," he muttered. "People have them. I’ve seen hundreds. I’ve seen thousands. This is not new information."
He closed the fridge harder than necessary.
That’s the worst part. He knows and he’s enjoying it. Pain in the ass. Actual pain in the ass." Footsteps approached. Jack straightened and tried to look normal.
Liam walked in, glanced at him, then glanced at the closed fridge."Hungry?"
"No." You’ve been standing there a while.
"I’m deciding." Between what?
Jack opened his mouth, closed it, then opened the fridge again just for something to do.Liam leaned against the counter, clearly in no hurry.
"You know," he said after a moment, "it’s okay to admit you noticed."
Jack stared into the cold air of the fridge. "I notice everything. That’s called not being blind."
"Sure."
"I’m serious."
"I believe you."Jack grabbed a bottle of water he didn’t want, closed the fridge, and pointed it at Liam.
"You’re doing this on purpose."
Liam’s expression stayed flat. "Doing what?"
"This. The comments. The timing. Showing up every time my eyes stop moving for half a second."
"Maybe you just look at a lot of patrol patterns."Jack’s eye twitched.
Liam pushed off the counter and headed out of the kitchen. As he passed, he added, almost casually.
"Jessica’s is still better."The door swung shut behind him.Jack stood alone in the kitchen, water bottle in hand, and stared at the space Liam had just left.
"Pain in the ass," he said quietly. "Complete pain in the ass."Then, after a long second, he added under his breath:
"...but she does have a ridiculous one."
He looked annoyed that the words had come out of his mouth at all.That evening they ended up on the back steps without planning it.
Jack sat with his elbows on his knees, still damp from a late session on the bag. Liam sat a few feet away with the same glass of water he always seemed to have.
The lights along the tree line were on. Somewhere on the grounds one of the women was finishing a final loop, footsteps faint in the distance.
Jack spoke first.
"You’re enjoying this."
"A little."
"I knew it."Liam looked out toward the trees. "You’re the one who keeps getting caught."
"I’m not getting caught. You’re hunting me."
"That’s dramatic."
"You’re dramatic." Jack rubbed a hand over his face. "A week ago my biggest problem was whether I could drop you in a fight. Now I’m arguing about ass quality in a kitchen."
Liam’s mouth twitched. "You started the quality ranking."
"I did not."
"You said Jessica’s was better."
Jack opened his mouth, then closed it again.
"...Shut up."
They sat in silence for a while. It wasn’t uncomfortable. It had the same easy weight their silences always carried after the fight two men who had already tried to beat each other unconscious and somehow ended up on the same steps afterward.
Jack eventually let out a long breath.
"They’re really just here to work?"
Liam glanced at him. "That’s what I hired them for."Jack studied his face for a second, then snorted.
"You’re full of shit. But fine. Keep your secrets." He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and looked down at Liam. "Just so we’re clear, if I catch you staring again, I’m not saying anything. I’m just going to look at you until you feel ashamed."
"You’ve been doing that already."
"Yeah. And it’s not working. Which pisses me off."Jack headed inside. At the door he paused without looking back.
"Her pants are too small," he said. "That’s the real problem. Poor design."The door closed behind him.
Liam sat on the steps a while longer, the faintest edge of a smile on his face.
Jack could pretend all he wanted.
He had still ranked them.