They didn’t want him. Elli wasn’t kidding, and because of that, he was fighting an uphill battle.

But what they didn’t know was he was ready to win.

When he didn’t hear anything in the large, contemporary-style home, he considered the fact that maybe he should have called. But he never called, he always just showed up.

Just then, Baylor looked around the corner, a grin on her face as she started for him. “You’re here! I thought you would go to Autumn’s first since Jace is there.”

Markus scoffed as they wrapped their arms around each other. The last time he had hugged his best friend, she was swollen and still recovering from the tough birth of her son. But now, only a couple months later, she was back to her normal shape and glowing with excitement. “And not see my best girl and my new godson? No way!”

She pulled back to look up at him, and his grin was unstoppable as she held his gaze with knowing eyes. “Or, you know there is no room at Mom’s house, so you came here?”

He nodded. “That too.”

Grinning, they embraced once more before letting go of each other just in time to see Jayden coming toward them with his new son. “Bro! Didn’t know you were coming so soon. Thought you were going to Mom’s,” he said, but then he paused. “There was no room for you there.”

Markus grinned. “This is true, but you guys act like I didn’t want to come here. I always come here.”

“But Jace is in town,” he added, coming up beside Baylor before she took their son. “He’s all changed.” Smiling brightly, she kissed the little baby’s head as Jayden looked back at Markus. “Figured you’d want to stay there with your best friend.”

“No room, for one.” He paused to take Dawson from his momma, cuddling the little baby against him. “Plus, I might need somewhere long term.”

Jayden’s brows pulled together as Baylor looked up from Dawson to him. “What? Why? Didn’t they find you housing?”

“You mean the hotel?” he asked, running his finger along Dawson’s nose. Cute little thing, but to him, he was just a baby. All babies looked the same. “Yeah, not gonna happen.”

“Hotel?” Baylor asked. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“Exactly,” he said simply, sitting down, and they followed suit. The living room was full of new pictures from their wedding that Jayden had thrown a couple months ago, along with pictures of their new family. Great pictures, lots of beautiful black-and-white shots of baby Dawson. So beautiful that he had to look away because he knew who’d taken them. He knew her work, her style. He had been stalking the studio she worked for over the last year.

They were Mekena’s.

“Great shots,” he said, nodding to the wall.

Baylor smiled as Jayden nodded. “Yeah, it’s the same girl who did Ashlyn’s pictures. Jace and Avery said I had no choice but to go with her. I flew her up here, she took them, and then I flew her back. She’s from here, actually.”

“He knows,” Baylor said slyly before giving Markus an uneasy smile.

Looking at his wife, confused, Jayden asked, “Huh?” And then it was like a lightbulb went off. “Ah, yeah, my bad.”

“Anyway,” Baylor demanded. “What in the world is going on? With the Assassins, I mean. They need you.”

Thankful for the subject change, though he’d much rather talk about baby poop, Markus shrugged. “At least someone thinks that because they already have one of my feet out the door. I just have to prove them wrong.”

“Yeah, they aren’t happy with your performance down in Florida. I had to fight for you, bro, so don’t fuck me over,” Jayden said sternly, and Markus nodded.

He already knew that.

“You know, I don’t understand. You don’t suck,” Baylor said, leaning into Jayden. “I don’t get it. You’re a great, smart player.”

“I’ve been struggling,” he admitted as Dawson yawned, his little face wrinkling up in a sweet way. Little babies were like old men in his opinion. Looking up, he met his friends’ gazes. “I’ve been sucking because I hate it there. I want to be where you guys are.”

Jayden rolled his eyes. “So you let that affect your game? Why did I go to bat for you?”

“Wow, thanks, dude,” Markus threw back, but even Baylor shook her head.

“He’s right, Markus. You’ve given up because you don’t have what you want? That’s what children do. You are an adult, wanting your place. Act like it.”

Letting his shoulders fall, he looked back down to Dawson. “I hear you guys. I fully own up to my sucking, but that’s going to change.”

But when he looked up again, Jayden didn’t seem to agree. “So because you’re getting your way, you’re going to fight for it? What will happen if you get traded? Or don’t get called up? You gonna give up? That’s insane, and I didn’t take you for that kind of person. That kind of player. I wouldn’t have fought for you if I had known.”

Taken aback by that, Markus’s face scrunched up. “Whoa, what the hell? Is it Attack Markus Day?”

“Dude, you just sat here and told me you have been sucking because you don’t like it there. Do you know how pathetic that sounds?”

“Yes, I do! But that doesn’t mean to throw it in my face.”

“Someone needs to. Someone needs to wake your ass up. Since we’re the closest thing you’ve got to family, to brothers, I’m gonna do it. Because you have to work for what you want. It can’t just be handed to you,” Jayden said, shaking his head, and Markus agreed completely. He had worked for everything he had, and Jayden knew that. They might not be as close as he and Baylor, but Jayden knew Markus’s story, knew how hard he worked and how much he wanted this. He was the brother Markus didn’t have but always wanted. Jayden was the one he looked up to. He was strong, smart, and he didn’t play around. This was classic Jayden.

“You know what, I don’t believe your excuse,” Baylor said then, shaking her head and bringing his attention to her. “My dad coached you too, just like us, and he didn’t coach some entitled asshole. He wouldn’t have fought for someone like that. He wouldn’t have written those recommendation letters if he had known this was who you were. This isn’t you. I know you. So what the hell is going on? Because I know you’re lying.”