Page 53 of Tempt Me

“And I know you better than you think.” Logan grins. “Take a look, it’s pretty juicy. Your girl’s been through a lot.”

“She’s not my girl,” I say automatically. He laughs.

“Keep telling yourself that, buddy. But I’ve got ten bucks on you beating the shit out of some guy just to prove you couldn’t care less.”

He picks up his stuff and saunters away before I can argue again.

The memory stick sits in the palm of my hand. It barely weighs a thing, but right now it feels like an anvil.

What is Chloe hiding—and do I really need to know?

I shove it in the pocket of my gym shorts and climb up into the ring.

“What have you got for me today, Bruiser?”

Yeah, that’s his name. Six foot five of solid muscle, with a mean streak to match. We’ve done our share of sparring, and usually I come out on top, but today I’m off my game. Right away he suckers me with a hard left hook that sends me staggering back against the ropes.

“Easy there, Banner.” Bruiser smirks, fists up. “Might break something like that.”

I find my feet again. Dance like a butterfly, sting like a motherfucking bee, that’s how you do it. You’ve got to be laser-focused to stay in the fight. Totally in control—

I move in with a one-two quick jab, dancing back out of range before Bruiser can swing for me. That’s more like it. Now we’re in the game. We circle, landing a few jabs, but nothing major. All I need to do is keep my head in the ring and not out there, with Chloe and that pesky memory stick.

There’s no reason for me to read it. Like I said, her case is closed. I don’t need to know what secrets she’s been running from—

Bruiser pummels me with a hard jab I don’t see coming. Fuck. I get my fists up and fight back, but I’m off balance and he’s got me on the run.

“What the fuck, dude?” he demands, landing a sharp punch to my ribs that sends me spinning. “You’re not even trying.”

I growl, annoyed, but he’s right. This is all Chloe’s fault.

I shouldn’t even care like this. There are a hundred other women out there waiting for my call—and my cock. But for some reason, I want this one. I want to know everything about her: what’s going on behind those soulful eyes. Every last thing that makes her tick. And not just the dirty, filthy things that will make her pussy wet and her mouth beg for mercy.

I want more than that. I want everything.

Bruiser hits me hard again, and I stumble to the ground. I brace myself for the killer series, but he just lets out a snort of disdain and drops his fists. “I’m calling it. Fuck. This isn’t even close.”

“Come on, hit me!” I’m panting hard, but I refuse to quit.

“Yeah right. Crushing you’s no fun like this.” Bruiser peels off his gloves. “When you pull your head out of your ass, let me know.”

He leaves me there in the ring, just as frustrated and angry as before. I want to break something. Boxing is my release. My escape. My way to prove I’m on top. But he’s just taken me apart in two minutes flat because I’m so strung out on some girl that I can’t see straight.

Goddammit.

My anger crystalizes in a sharp flash. Didn’t I just say I refuse to quit?

So don’t.

Fuck Max Mainwaring and his twisted plans. I’ll come clean to her all on my own before that asshole has a chance. I don’t let anyone stand in the way of what I want, and I’m not about to start now. I want Chloe, and I’m sure as hell going to take her—naked and begging, the way God and nature intended.

Not just for tonight, either.

I want this girl for good.

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