Renee was in the equipment room when Liam found her.

She stood at the metal shelf with a clipboard, checking serial numbers on a row of spare radios. The door was half-open. She didn’t turn immediately when he stepped inside.

"You’re off rotation," she said.

"I know." Renee marked something on the clipboard, then looked over her shoulder. Her eyes moved across his face the same way they had near the service path steady, measuring.

"Something wrong with the inventory?"

"No." He closed the door behind him. The click was soft. Renee noticed. She set the clipboard down and turned fully, back against the shelf.

The fitted jacket she wore was zipped only halfway. The movement of turning pushed her chest forward slightly, and the heavy curve of her breasts strained against the fabric for a second before settling. Liam’s eyes dropped. He didn’t bother hiding it.

Renee saw where he looked. She didn’t cover up. She also didn’t comment. She simply waited, one eyebrow lifted.

Liam took a step closer. The room was small enough that the single step put him near enough to catch the warmth coming off her skin.

His eyes flicked down again the soft weight of her breasts under the jacket, the way the zipper sat between them then returned to her face.

She reached for the clipboard again and held it against her side instead of her chest.

Renee exhaled through her nose. Outside the room, footsteps moved past in the hallway and faded. She glanced at the door once, then back at him.

Liam’s eyes dropped to her chest again, slower this time, before climbing back up. She caught it. Something tight and aware settled in her expression.

Renee’s fingers flexed on the clipboard. For a moment she looked like she might push past him and leave. Instead she stayed where she was.

Her shoulders had pulled back slightly without her seeming to notice, which only made the shape of her breasts clearer under the half-zipped jacket.

Liam let the silence stretch. He looked at her mouth, then lower again, then back to her eyes. Renee’s throat moved as she swallowed.

"You’re going to create problems," she said quietly. "For who?"

She didn’t answer. Another set of footsteps passed the door and disappeared. Renee’s jaw tightened. Whatever calculation she was running finished behind her eyes.

"I need to finish the inventory," she said. She stepped past him toward the far shelf. Her shoulder brushed his chest as she went firm, slow enough to feel deliberate. The side of her breast pressed lightly against his arm for half a second before she moved clear.

She didn’t apologize. Liam watched the heavy shift of her ass under the dark pants as she walked away, then left the room without another word.

Jack saw them come out. He was at the end of the hallway with a water bottle, pretending to check the wrap on his left hand. Liam exited first. Renee followed a few seconds later with the clipboard, expression professional again, and turned in the opposite direction.

Jack saw them come out.

He stood at the end of the hallway with a water bottle in one hand, slowly wrapping his left knuckles with the other.

Liam stepped out of the equipment room first. Renee followed a few seconds later, clipboard tucked against her side.

Her expression had already returned to its usual professional calm. She gave Liam a brief nod, then headed down the opposite corridor without another word.

Jack’s eyes followed her for half a second. Then they shifted to Liam. His jaw tightened.

He didn’t call after them. He simply waited until Liam disappeared upstairs before turning toward the side door. The door shut hard behind him.

A moment later, the heavy bag began to move.

Bang.A hook followed. Then another. The combinations were sharp and a little messy. Sweat ran down his chest.

After a while he stopped, caught the bag, and rested his forehead against the leather. "This is stupid," he muttered.

He hit it again. "I don’t care about any of them. I care about not looking like a dumbass while he walks through the house taking his pick."

"I just don’t like losing."Another combination.

"That’s all."The bag snapped sideways. Jack followed it, cutting off the angle before it could swing away."I lost to Liam once."

His fist landed."That’s enough."Another."I don’t need to lose at everything else too."

He stopped. A grin slowly appeared on his face. Not jealousy. Not embarrassment. Something much closer to a challenge.

"Fine."Jack wiped the sweat from his jaw with his forearm."If there’s a competition now..."

His grin widened."...then I’ll compete."

He caught the bag with one hand and pulled it toward him.

That part mattered. Jack had never been the kind of man who begged for attention. If Liam wanted to play, Jack would play.

If Liam wanted to compete, Jack would compete. And if Liam wanted to see who could get ahead first Jack intended to make the race interesting.

He shoved the bag away. It swung. Jack waited. The moment it came back, his body moved. The next combination was completely different. Cleaner. Tighter.

Every punch returned to guard. Every step had purpose. The irritation had burned itself out. What remained was something Jack understood far better.

Competition.

From the study window, Liam watched for several seconds. Jack wasn’t throwing wild punches anymore. He had corrected his stance. His breathing had settled. His eyes were focused. Liam’s mouth curved slightly.

Jack noticed movement in the window. He looked up. Their eyes met across the courtyard. Jack stopped the bag with his palm. For a moment, neither man moved. Then Jack raised one fist. Not a threat. A promise.

Liam gave him a small nod.Jack grinned. Then he turned back to the bag. The next punch sounded even louder.

That night, the villa was quiet.

Most of the lights had been turned off, leaving only the soft illumination along the hallways and the faint glow from the security monitors. Liam stood in the kitchen drinking water when footsteps approached.

Jack walked in. His hair was damp from a shower, and a fresh wrap covered one hand.

He looked completely relaxed now, as though the earlier irritation had never existed. He opened a cabinet, took out a glass, and filled it.

For several seconds, neither man spoke. Then Jack leaned against the counter.

"You’re moving faster than I thought."Liam lowered his glass.

"Am I?" Jack gave him a sideways look. "You know you are." Liam said nothing. Jack took a drink.

Liam’s expression didn’t change. Jack chuckled."Don’t look at me like that. I’m observant."

That earned the faintest movement from Liam’s eyebrow. Jack noticed.

"Yeah. I learned something." He tapped his temple. "Apparently, this thing is useful too."

Liam almost smiled. Jack set the glass down.

"But don’t misunderstand me." His voice lost the teasing edge. "I’m not interested in following you around the villa and fighting over women."

Liam looked at him. Jack’s expression was calm. Almost serious.

"I’m interested in winning." That was more like him. Liam leaned against the counter.

"And what exactly are you competing in?"

Jack shrugged. "Whatever you think you’re good at." A beat passed. Then the corner of Jack’s mouth lifted.

"Just don’t expect me to make it easy." Liam studied him for a moment.

"I wouldn’t." Jack nodded.

"Good."He picked up his glass, then stopped at the doorway. "You beat me once." He looked back. "Don’t get used to it."

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly."Planning another fight?" Jack laughed.

"Eventually." He stepped into the hallway. "But not yet." He glanced down at his wrapped hand. "I’d rather make sure the next time we fight, I don’t give you the same version of me twice."

Then he walked away.

Liam stood alone in the kitchen, listening. Jack wasn’t angry anymore. That was the interesting part.

He had turned the irritation into motivation. Renee had caught Liam’s attention. Jack had noticed. And instead of sulking over it, he’d done what Jack always did when something challenged him.

He decided to get stronger.Liam finished his water and set the glass down. His eyes drifted toward the open door leading to the courtyard.

The night air moved through the house. Renee had left a door open. Jack had noticed the opening. And now, whether he admitted it or not, he’d stepped onto the board.

Liam smiled faintly.The villa was getting more interesting.

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