Page 41 of Last Round

“You’re too young.”

She raises a challenging eyebrow. Okay, maybe her age isn’t all that relevant.What?If they can drink, what’s the issue?

“I’m no good for you.” A fact she can’t dispute and one her brother would back up with his dying breath.

“I don’t think that’s for you to decide.”

“It’s not a decision. It’s the truth. I’m not the guy you used to know.”

“And I’m not the girl you knew either. We’ve both changed.”

“Damn it, Molly.” I slam my fists against the wall. A picture drops from its hook. “This game is over.” I grip her wrist and shove her hands off me. “You and me, never happening.” Then I turn around and storm off. The sooner I can get out of here, the faster I can jump into the most arctic shower known to man.

“Don’t you walk away from me.” Her delicate hand grips mine and tugs me backwards. Her emerald gaze is fierce as she stares up at me. “Do you know what I think, Killian? I think all your excuses are bullshit.”

“Bullshit?” I laugh. “It’s the reality of the situation.”

“Oh, you want reality?”

“Sure.” I throw my arms in the air. “Enlighten me.”

“You’re not afraid of this happening because of some stupid bro code, or age difference, or any of that other bullshit you’ve been trying to use to convince yourself.” She stabs me in the chest with the tip of her finger as she lists everything off. “What terrifies you is that I knowyou.Not the big hotshot Killian ‘the K.O.’ Murphy who uses a stupid accent to incinerate the panties off every woman who walks through that door. No, I know Cillian with a C, before he changed it to match the ridiculous persona he created. The guy who, despite all his fame and fortune, never batted an eye at helping his friends and family. The successful fighter who could have lived in some fancy penthouse with a new ring bunny in his bed every night. But chose to live in some craptastic house in the West End because his best friend couldn’t be away from his little sister, andhecouldn’t leave his best friend behind. A man who, instead of wasting his fortune on all the frivolous bullshit, made sure everyone he cared about wanted for nothing.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m good for you.” My statement lacks the fire from earlier.

“Why? Because you drink too much? Fucked more women than you can count? I don’t care about any of that.”

She says that now, but it will eventually bother her.

“I’m a mess. You’re young, have your whole life to live.” I channel my inner Sean, seeking his words of wisdom. If this were my little sister, the last person I’d want her hooking up with would be an asshole like me.

“And you’re one foot in the grave?” She lets out a cruel laugh. “You’re not even forty, Killian.”

My fingers twitch, desperate to touch her. But I clench my fist and fight the urge. “This can’t happen. You deserve better than me.”

“Look at me, Killian.”

I obey. I’m weak, and the voice of common sense is growing faint.

“Do you want me?”

“Molly, it isn’t—”Fuck,my argument is cut off as she grips my massive hard-on.

“Clearly, you find me attractive, so that isn’t the issue.” She squeezes her hand to prove her point.

“He has a mind of his own,” I say through clenched teeth. “I can’t be held responsible for his reaction.”

She scoffs as she releases me. “Killian, there is only one valid reason we shouldn’t be together, and that’s because you don’t want me.” She swallows hard. “Tell me, tell meyoudon’t want me and I’ll stop, leave you alone. Because while I can argue until I’m blue in the face, and wear you down on all those ridiculous excuses you keep pulling out of your ass, the one thing I can’t change, or fix, or argue over is the fact you don’t want me.” Eyes wide, she continues to stare up at me, holding her breath as she waits for my response.

“It’s not about what I want, Molly. You need to understand—”

“Fuck you.” She punches at my chest, forcing me back a step. “Save it, Killian. You know what? You’re right. You’re not the man I used to know. He wasn’t afraid of anything, and if he wanted something, he fought for it.” She unties the apron around her waist and slams it on the table. “I quit.” With that, she storms off. Gone into the night like something I imagined.

My chest squeezes at the realization that we’ve come full circle. Again, she handed my ass to me and I let her slip through my fingers.

No, last time, she snuck away. This time, you opened the door and shoved her through it.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I hit myself in the forehead. “I can’t do this.”

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