Her eyes bored into his, and he was reminded he always loved the little flecks of gold in her eyes. From afar, one would think they were just a shiny blue. But up close, they were mesmerizing, such a unique color. He had never seen eyes like hers. Not that he cared. Just saying, they were pretty and all. Rolling said gorgeous eyes, she said, “This isn’t ‘your’ building.”

“I was the first Assassin to move in here. I told Elli about the building when it was up for sale, and she bought it because of me. Because I’m her favorite.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?”

“No, I know that by the bed of money I roll around in every night with a bucket of fried chicken and biscuits she made me.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“And you’re a brat.”

Dropping the box, she stepped around it to go nose-to-chest with him. What? She was fucking short. Looking down at her, he held her gaze as she yelled, “I’m a brat? You are the king of crybaby brats! You cry if you don’t get your way.”

He balked. “I’ve never cried in front of you!”

She laughed, her little chin tipped up, and if he didn’t hate her, he’d find her incredibly sexy at the moment. There was something about her ballbusting ways that he found intriguing and really made him wonder why she was like that. But before he could give in to his curiosity, she was running her mouth. “I didn’t score a goal, wah, wah, wah. My team didn’t pass me the puck, wah, wah, wah. We didn’t win, wah, wah, wah. I haven’t been laid because I’m a fucking prick, wah, wah, wah.”

His eyes darkened as they went to slits. “Is that your awful impression of me?”

“Yes,” she said simply, and Vaughn ignored the snickering of his best friend beside him. Reaching out, he punched Jensen in the chest.

Okay, maybe he didn’t ignore him very well.

As his best friend wheezed, Vaughn said, “At least I wah, wah, wah about important things.” Bending down to taunt her, he saw her eyes go wide before they darkened in fury as he said, “I’m Brie Soledad, and the big ol’ mean hockey player ruined my interview because my questions are bullshit and he made me look bad. So I’m gonna run to the owner and cry to her so she’ll fine him. Oh, I’ll show him, wah, wah, wah.”

She gasped, her face turning red as she hollered, “You’re damn right, and you deserved that fine. You’re an asshole.”

“And you’re a poor excuse for a reporter. Do your own reporting. Don’t let people do it for you so you can just be the pretty face.”

“Oh, that’s real from the team’s ‘Mr. Sexy,’ who auctions himself off for the greater good of the foundation. We all know you do it for the attention because you think you’re so hot.”

“I am hot.”

“You’re nauseating.”

“Well, I guess one could get nauseated with my cock so far down their throat.”

He’d wanted to stun her, but her eyes never left his. “You mean at the sight, right?”

“No, sweetheart, they gasp at the size of me.”

“Because you’re so small?”

“Oh, baby, there is nothing small about me. The only small thing in this hall is you.”

She was unaffected as she said, very calmly, “I mean, with your ego in the room, how can anything compare?”

He had no retort. Nothing. Which was very unusual for Vaughn Johansson. He always had a comeback, but Brie Soledad had stunned him. Silence stretched between them as their eyes stayed locked, their breathing erratic and time standing still. Something flashed in her eyes—heat, fury, need, maybe a mixture of all three, he wasn’t sure—but he couldn’t decide if she wanted to kiss him or knock his teeth out.

Or, again, both. It was really a toss-up at that moment. That was, until Jensen stepped between them, putting his hand on Vaughn’s chest before looking back at Brie. “Well, this has been fun, kids. But it’s obvious you two can’t play nice, and it’s time for a time-out. Let’s go, JoJo. I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, JoHo, why don’t you go on?”

“Oh, so clever.”

“Well, being smart has its advantages.”

“You’re smart because you switched a letter in my nickname? Do you call yourself smart when you read the card that has the whack-ass questions on it for me?”

“Oh, fuck you.”

“You wish.”

“Nope. Actually, I’d rather take it up the ass from an elephant than ever be near you.”

Again, she’d stunned him as she reached for the box and stood up. When her breasts moved with the sweater, he knew she had no bra on, and man, he wanted to say something about it, but he refrained. Which he was very proud of himself for. When he noticed she struggled with the box, he knew his mother was looking down and cursing him at that moment. But he wouldn’t dare lift a finger for this woman. Plus, why didn’t she have help? Or hire a company. Why was she doing it all herself?

Why did he care?

“Don’t hurt yourself, sweetheart.”

Man, he was an asshole.

Looking up at him, she glared. “A gentleman would offer help.”

With a devilish smile covering his lips, he said, “I’m no gentleman.”

She scoffed. “Well, duh, but I would have thought Jensen would help, at least. Guess dogs lie with dogs, huh?”

Jensen’s mouth dropped before he said, “Hey. I was actually gonna help.”

She rolled her eyes as she turned on her heel and headed inside the apartment across from his. “Sure. See ya around, neighbors.”

They watched as she kicked the door shut and still didn’t move when they heard the lock.

Man, she was something.

“I really was about to help.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s a brat anyway.”

“Well, yeah. Because you’re a douche to her. Shit,” Jensen complained as Vaughn walked past him. “Maybe we should bring in the rest of the boxes for her.”

“Shit, you can, but I’m hungry and I gotta look for a new place to live ’cause I’m not living by that chick.”

There was no way, because Vaughn still wasn’t sure what had just happened with his new neighbor. Though, he had a feeling he’d just been had by Brie Soledad. And he didn’t like that at all.