Page 59 of The Two Halves of My Heart

Now I could relax, soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the night and what it meant. As fights went, it was fucking lame. This guy was easier than my last, and I needed to have someone to challenge me rather than win in under two minutes.

“Put me down.” I hadn’t realised I was still carrying Grace. I set her on her feet but didn’t let go of her hand. If it were up to me, she’d never let go of my hand.

She looked up at me as if she was waiting for me to say something. I could say plenty, but what I wanted to hear was why she’d come.

“Thank you for coming. I wasn’t expecting you to.”

“Well, what you said got to me. It was the truth. I know you’d never leave me, and I also know that you think you need me here.”

“Not think. Know.”

“Well, excuse me, but you just knocked that guy out in no time at all. You didn’t need to make me watch.”

She was pissed.

“Give me ten minutes, and then we’re out of here. We can go home.”

I looked around and found Leo standing off to the side of the ring, talking to some of the guys. Zuri seemed to want to speak but fuck him. I’d just made him a fat payday, so he could cut me some slack.

“Leo, watch Grace for me. I’ll go and grab my stuff.” We clasped hands, and he congratulated me with a slap on the shoulder that would have sent that lightweight still on the floor down.

I pushed through the people starting to crowd around and back to the area where we get ready. I grabbed my kit bag, shoved a clean t-shirt on, and returned to pick up Grace. We were leaving through the back. She’d made the effort to come, so I’d get her out as fast as I could.

She was pissed the entire ride home. I was surprised I didn’t see steam rising from her, she was so mad. Her arms were crossed defensively over her chest, lips pursed, and her eyes were locked forward on the road ahead.

“Are you planning on talking to me ever again?” I asked as I opened the front door and let her in.

“When you’ve decided to grow up.” She dumped her bag on the table and paced the front room. I could see she was wearing her good jeans—her words, not mine—but they sure as hell make her legs look fine.

“Careful what you wish for, you know you love me just the way I am.” I tried to lighten the mood, but that was the wrong decision based on the scowl she shot back.

“Are we going to go through this every time you fight? Because I’m guessing you’re not going to just stop now?”

“Nope. Sorry. But I had made peace with the idea you wouldn’t show. So, it depends on if you can cope with it or not.” I moved in towards her, crowding her, forcing her to face me.

“I don’t want to argue.”

“Neither do I.” I tilted her chin a little higher so she had to look right at me. It was my go-to move. Her eyes were fucking beautiful, and I knew making her look at me dropped her defences. I’d seen it.

I gave her a moment, hoping she’d just let go—for once—and give in. But the tension between us was too charged, and I wasn’t that much of a gentleman. Fuck it.

My lips smashed against hers, fast and hard, not allowing any room for her to back out. And to my shock, she finally played along.

At that moment, as she willingly opened up to me, and I tasted her passion, right then, I knew I would never give this up.

Grace was my new drug, and I was already addicted.

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