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EXCERPT
JaseÂ
All the frustration Iâve worked off over the past two hours comes flooding back at the sight of Lenaâfurious expression, sassy walk, and all. Her cheeks are flushed with anger and her eyes may as well be shooting laser beams straight at me. Her lips move, but I donât hear the words. My blood has redirected from my big head to my generously proportioned smaller one. Fuck, sheâs hot when sheâs mad.
She thumps me in the chest, and I scarcely notice. Her fists are tiny. She could probably punch me in the nose and not even crack the bone. Her eyes narrow, and she gets up in my faceâa hard ask when sheâs several inches shorter than me.
âDo you think this is funny?â she asks, jabbing me in the chest with her free hand. I glance down and see sheâs holding a magazine. With a sinking sensation, I take it from her and hold it up so I can see the cover. Itâs a photograph from yesterday, of me standing over Erin like a brute. The headline screams at me, and I show Gabe, then shove the magazine into Lenaâs hands, sick to my stomach. I wonât read it. I already know itâs full of vitriolic bullshit, and I donât even blame the reporter for spouting it. I handed the media a gold mine by going after Erin. Iâve made her the poster child for standing up in the face of domestic abuse, with me cast in the role of monster.
Jesus. Fuck.Â
Lena was right all along. This is serious.
âThere are others,â she says, in case Iâm holding out any hope that the story has been picked up by a lone tabloid. Closing my eyes, I mutter a stream of curses, growing more creative with each one.
âHey, brother.â Gabe claps me on the shoulder, which nearly knocks me over since his forearms are covered by heavy kick pads. âYou can get past this.â He turns to Lena. âYou can fix this, right? Thatâs what he hired you for?â
Lena releases a long, slow breath. I can sense her hesitation, and it fuels a desperation deep within me. I worked fucking hard to get to where I am. Itâs not possible that a selfish girl with a taste for the spotlight could take it away so easily, is it?
âPlease.â I grab her free hand between both of mine even though she has a perfect manicure and my gloves are soaked with sweat and completely disgusting. âYouâve gotta try.â
She stares at me, some of her hostility fading, and nibbles on her lower lip. Finally, an excruciatingly long moment later, she says, âYou just made my job so much more difficult. I hope you understand that.â
âI do.â
âTrust me, Lena,â Gabe adds. âHe may come across as a douche, but heâs not a stupid one. He knows he fucked up.â He shucks his pads and stands shoulder to shoulder with me, the both of us facing her down. This doesnât seem to intimidate her as it might others. It fires her up. She flicks her sexy red hair over her shoulder and gives us a single, firm nod.
âWell, okay then. Glad we know where we stand.â Thereâs a brief moment when I think sheâs going to move on without rubbing salt in the wound. Then the moment passes. âFor the record, Iâve met mushrooms with more forethought than you.â
Should have known she wouldnât let me off so easily. I suppose if she wants to compare me to fungi, at least itâs a tasty one.
âIf weâre going to do this, you need to be a whole lot more open with me. I want no-holds-barred access to your life, Jase. I ask a question, you answer it immediately and truthfully. I make a suggestion, you do everything within your power to make it happen. If you want to climb out of this hole youâve dug, I need your complete and total commitment. Think you can manage that, fighter boy?â
âThatâs fighter man to you.â I canât resist needling her, and her face screws up the way I knew it would. âBut yeah, Iâll do what you say and Iâll accept any help I can get.â
âGood.â Her lips purse, and she seems to have run out of steam. I can see her mentally switching from bulldozer mode to thinking mode, calculating our next steps, figuring out how to get ahead of this, and for the first time, I feel like maybe sheâs on my side. Maybe sheâs actually invested in me.
The next question out of her mouth is one I donât see coming. âIs there any truth to Erinâs story?â
âNo,â Gabe and I answer at the same time.
âOkay,â she nods, accepting our reply at face value, and I can still see the information running through her mind and being processed. She has a shit poker face, but thatâs beside the point. This woman is actually listening to what I have to say and taking it on board. Is she for real?
Her belief in meâif thatâs what it isâfeels good. Like, unreasonably good. I want to grab her around the waist and twirl her in the air, or take her face between my palms and kiss her irresistible ruby lips. When another ten seconds pass without her saying anything snarky, Iâm halfway tempted to strip her clothes off and bang her on the floor, audience be damned.
Finally, she comes to a decision. âThere are some things I need to take care of. Iâll be in touch with you later.â
Her hand is still in my grasp, and I squeeze it. âThanks.â My voice is raspy with emotion, and I cough to clear it. Goddamn it, I am not a pussy.
She studies me, and Iâm not sure what she sees, but she seems to like it. âYouâre welcome, fighter man.â
My lips quirk up. âYou know what I think?â
She tugs her hand away and places it on her hip. âDo I want to know?â
Ah, thereâs my mouthy girl. âI think you like me.â She starts to scowl, but I barrel on. âI think you care what happens to me.â
âDo not,â she says, a deep blush traveling down to the neckline of her shirt. With a complexion like that, I bet her entire body blushes, and I want to tear her blouse in half to find out. âI care about keeping my career on track.â
âUh-huh.â I give her a cocky grin that I know will rile her more. âYou tell yourself that, cutie pie.â
She huffs. âYouâre insufferable.â Then she whirls around and marches away, the curve of her butt bouncing with each step.
When sheâs gone, Gabe whistles under his breath. âMan, sheâs something.â
I punch him in the gut, hard enough to sting but not hurt. âEyes to yourself. Sheâs not here for your viewing pleasure.â
He guffaws. âThat doesnât stop you.â
âI donât need you pointing out my hypocrisy.â I stretch my legs and shake them, refusing to analyze why the thought of anyone else checking Lena out makes me want to wrap my arm around the assholeâs throatâfriend or not. âLetâs get back to training.â
COMING SOON
Releasing March 18
AUTHOR BIO
A. Rivers writes romance with strong heroes and heroines who kick butt and take names. She loves MMA fighters, cops, military men, bodyguards, and the protective guy next door who isnât afraid to fight the odds for love.
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