Protect & Serve(124)

“Kaitlyn slow down. One question at a time.” She was a whirling dervish spinning out of control.

“Oh my God, okay, okay, I’m calm,” she said.

“He’s actually a lot of fun to be around. I thought he was gonna be a real prick, and he does have those tendencies sometimes, but overall… I think I like him.”

“How big was it?” she asked.

“How big was wh- … wait, I tell you to slow down and ask me one question at a time and the first one you come at me with is ‘how big is his dick?’”

“C’mon, don’t go back to being ‘stick-in-the-mud Bria,’ you were doing so good for a minute,” she whined.

“Wow, well, first of all I’m not being a stick-in-the-mud. I just so happen to be sitting in an airport terminal full of people so excuse me if I don’t want to get in a loud conversation about how big he is. And second… it’s none of your business.”

“Oh, you better believe it’s my business,” she countered. “I’ll let you off the hook because you’re in a crowded place -not that anyone would care- but you can count on giving me all the details as soon as you get home because you’re my best friend, understood?”

She was on a mission.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said.

“And I’m gonna want to know a lot more than that, too. What was his house like? When can I meet him? Does he have any cute friends?”

“Okay, Kaitlyn, I said okay. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know when I get back. Just take it easy on me. I’m a little overwhelmed with all this myself.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s exciting that’s all. I won’t say another word about it until you’re ready.”

I knew that was a lie but it was good enough for the time being.

“Oh, by the way,” she continued. “Guess who showed up at the bar looking for you last night?”

“Who,” I asked, suspiciously.

“Your asshole of an ex-boyfriend, that’s who.”

“Ugh, I don’t even care anymore.”

“Good, because I told him to fuck off.”

“What was he doing?” I asked.

“He kept bothering me, asking what you were up to… He asked if you were okay… He was relentless!”

“Oh God, you didn’t tell him anything, did you?”

“Of course I didn’t tell him! I said you were doing great and he needed to leave you alone.”

“Thank you.” I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“Well, don’t thank me yet… He didn’t believe me. Word must have gotten back to him about the other night, because he kept asking if anything bad had happened and he just wouldn’t let it go!”

“Oh God…” I whispered, shaking my head. The last thing I needed was Kevin finding out about the assholes in the alley… Or Luke… We were done, and he had no business being nosy.

“And then guess what he did?” Kaitlyn said, breaking my train of thought.

“Do I even want to know?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter because you don’t care about him anymore, but he spent the rest of the night getting drunk and chatting up that mega-slut who works at the Starbucks down the street.”

“Kaitlyn! You shouldn’t talk about people like that, even if it’s true.”

“It is true,” she continued. “He even left with her, so if you ever think about taking him back just remember who he’s been with and what he probably has now.”

“Alright, I get it. Don’t be gross.”

“Just sayin’.”

I fumbled to find the charger for my phone

“I get it. But hey, my plane’s gonna board pretty soon so I have to go.”

“Okay beautiful, have a safe flight and make sure to text me when you get it. Don’t forget this time either. You almost gave me a heart attack last week,” she said.

“I will, bye.”

I ended the call and stared out at the tarmac. The wind picked up and blew a shipping container on to its side. I said a silent prayer asking that our flight not get delayed. I needed to get home. I need to go see Luke.





15





Luke





Less than thirty days until the fight and I’m feeling like a beast. I’m leaving sparring partners battered and bruised all over the gym. No one can match my power or my skill. Simmons is fucked.

But something was wrong.

I rub my aching jaw, feeling the deep bruise that would bloom there. That was a little penalty for letting my focus drop even for a second. Bria had crossed my mind just long enough to miss a block on a wicked right hook and I paid the price.