Page 110 of Clinch'd

I did everything to protect her, but I forgot the most important part, her soul. Now I fear she’s as rotten as Mom was on the inside.

I could spend all day lamenting what I did wrong, but it doesn’t matter, now I have to figure out what’s next.

Do I confront her? Help her? What about Cooper?

Maybe we’ve come to an uneasy truce but how can we move forward with the mountain of lies between us?

I’m quite sure he doesn’t trust me any more than I do him. Did he know from the start why I was there? Fuck.

I’m not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed when I emerge, and Cooper still isn’t here. However, I do know that I need time to regroup, and I can’t do that in this room so far from home.

So, I slip out and rush to a taxi at the curb, staring around me all paranoid like the whole time.

When I get to the airport, I confirm I have a flight waiting for me and I’m warmed to find it’s in first class. Cooper’s generosity leaves me undone but I push that shit aside.

To my surprise, I find Rafe in the first-class lounge and approach with a wan smile. He pats the seat beside him and says, “Tell Uncle Rafe.”

With a sigh, I shake my head and mumble, “I’m in over my head but I’ll figure it out.”

“Will you? Or maybe you’re too stubborn to accept help?” he says, and I raise a brow.

“Help?”

“Yes, Minnie. All you have to do is ask…”

His lip curls in an adorable smirk and I blink before shaking my head. “Does that usually work on the bitches?”

He laughs out loud and wraps his arms around my shoulder. “I like you, Minnie.”

Exhaling slowly, I lean against his shoulder. “Me too.”

Chapter 41

Cooper

Minnie’s hesitant tone as we danced around what happened with Jordan slayed me.

Is she afraid of me? I wouldn’t blame her, not after watching me beat the life out of Jordan.

I don’t regret sending him to his maker, but I should have thought about how it would impact Minnie before I finished the job.

Nope, she would barely look me in the eye when all I really wanted was to pull her into my arms and feel her curves against my skin.

This wasn’t even about fucking although I wouldn’t turn it down. I needed to feel her close to confirm she was okay, safe, fucking alive.

When she told me she didn’t want to be alone, I laid on that hard ass couch and stared at the ceiling.

What the fuck happened to my damn life?

But when she came to me vulnerable and timid, I opened my arms wholeheartedly, fucking relieved that she still wanted me.

Now as I step into the hotel room, my brain fucking fried, my pulse picks up at the thought of seeing Minnie only to drop to dread when I see she’s gone.

I just spent the last few hours going over everything with my brother and truthfully, my skin feels fucking dirty. I hoped Minnie would be here to wash it clean.

I’m not surprised to find her gone but I am disappointed. She’s running scared and I understand but we’re not done.

There are too many variables that don’t add up. As far as I know I’ve never offended Castinetti and he’s got too many other fighters in his pocket to care about me although I guess planting drugs is a good way to knock me out of the competition.

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