“I’m really sorry. I really am. You have to believe me.”

“I’m not helping you if that’s what you’re asking.” I turned away from him, needing to get out of his overpowering presence. He was sucking me in, making me forget what he’d done. That wasn’t happening. I’d been drawn in by the wrong guy before and had the scars, inside and out, to prove it. Hell, I was hiding out in Seattle to get away from the life he’d sucked me into.

“Give me a chance to prove I’m not that guy.”

I froze in my tracks, almost responded, but forced my feet to keep walking. I pushed my cart out the door and retreated to the safety of the laundry room with its huge, gyrating washers and tumbling dryers.

This wasn’t welcome territory to me. I might come across as a badass, but I knew how to pick ’em when it came to men. Every relationship I’d had ended badly, the last one worse than all the others. I had hit a new low to realize my life needed an overhaul. Now I was here, being a good girl and doing an honest day’s work.

Since I’d been thirteen, I’d been attracted to bad boys, guys way badder than that pretty-boy hockey player would ever hope to be. Regardless, I wasn’t in the market for a one-night stand with my brother’s betrayer, let alone a relationship.

The door opened, and I knew who it was before he spoke. Something in the air changed, became supercharged and sexual. Even the chug-chug of the dryers laboring with their loads of uniforms and towels reminded me of sex.

I heaved an annoyed sigh and turned around. I wasn’t surprised. A fully dressed, yet no less hot, Axel stood in the doorway. He came inside and shut it behind him.

“Let’s try this again.” He held out his hand. “I’m Axel.”

I stared at his hand and shoved mine in the pockets of my pants.

“And you are?”

“Geneva. Geneva Bouchard.”

“Bouchard?” He backed up a step toward the door, as if snapped with a wet towel. “Fuck, don’t tell me you’re married?”

I shook my head. “Not married. Don’t believe in marriage. It’s bullshit. I’m Jock’s half sister. Same worthless mother.”

“I see.”

“You don’t see. If you saw, you’d leave me alone, other than dealing with me on a professional level. I’m not helping you get in my brother’s good graces. Got it? That’s your mess to clean up.”

He studied me for several seconds and nodded. “You’re a hard-ass.”

“When I have to be. Better than being a dumb ass.” I stared pointedly at him. He wasn’t stupid; he got the message.

Instead of being insulted, he threw back his head and laughed. My eyes were immediately drawn to his neck with its cords of muscles. Even his neck was sexy. I shook my head and turned back to folding towels, welcoming the monotony for once.

“I’m going to show you I’m worth the time.” For a moment, our eyes met. His were dark brown, while mine were gray.