Page 53 of Alex
Whatin the blue hell is he talking about?
“Bringwho home?”
“Whateverguy you’ve been protecting.” The word protecting comes out with a sneer and asI realize what he’s getting at, I can’t help it. I laugh. Like really laugh myass off. He’s jealous? This is priceless. Ian’s face reddens and his lips thinto two white lines. When I catch my breath, I turn and start working the bagagain.
“Whatdifference does it make, Ian? You’ve obviously made your choice. You want tofuck random bar trash and pretend it makes you happy. What or who I do is noneof your damn business.”
“Yes,it is!” He shoves me and pins my shoulders against the wall, bringing his facean inch from mine. His heavy breath is hot on my cheek as his gaze flows overmy face, settling on my lips.
“We’reattracting attention.” My voice is calm and I force myself to relax.
“Idon’t give a fuck.” Strong hands grip my face and his lips barely touch minebefore he licks into my mouth, kissing me with a mix of passion, desperation,and pure rage. It goes on forever, tongues lashing and pulling, working us bothinto a lustful fervor.
Allthe worry, sadness, and anger I’ve felt over the past two weeks melts away athis touch. Damn him.
Hisforehead rests on mine when we break apart and his words shock me more than hisjealous tantrum. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“Forfucking someone else?”
Henods, his eyes closed. “For all of it. For cheating, for being too stubborn tocall and apologize. For not realizing what I had until it was too late. I loveyou.”
Mychest feels too full and I fight to swallow the lump in my throat. He turns hischeek into my palm when I cup his jaw. “It’s not too late. We can work throughour issues, but you have to talk to me. You can’t just detonate ourrelationship when you get scared. We have to fix things together.”
“Together,”he repeats, wrapping his arms around me. “I have to know if you slept withhim.”
Hisbody feels so good pressed to mine, his breath on my neck. “No, I’m not the onewho sleeps around, remember?”
Witha chuckle, he steps back. “Touche. I’m sorry I fucked her. I swear there hasn’tbeen anyone since you left. I don’t need a woman. I just need you.”
Thewords I’ve been dying to hear raise a lump in my throat and I swallow hard.“You’ve got me.”
Hisface goes slack with relief. “I missed you.”
“Metoo. Did I miss anything at home? Your weekend with Kyle go okay?”
“Hestayed at school. Said he had a date. Oh, by the way, I got a dog.”
“Yougot a dog,” I repeat, unsure of whether he’s screwing with me.
“Apuppy. You’ll love him.”
Myname is announced over the loudspeaker. “Want to go watch me kick some ass?”
“Absolutely.”
Thefight is over almost as soon as it starts. It’s not a fair matchup, really,since the guy doesn’t have a fraction of the fighting experience I do. It’s allin fun and for a good cause though, and we shake hands when it’s over. There isone more fight after mine, and I’ve been looking forward to it since I foundout who’s fighting.
Noneother than the homophobic Dave from Mike’s gym, the guy who will never fight ahomo. I’m doubly glad to see he’s brought his friends along to watch, the sameguys who were talking shit at the gym. They look at me like I’m insane when Ismile at Dave as he takes his place in the ring. That’s okay. I know two thingsthey don’t. I know Dave is getting ready to get the living shit beat out of himby Lenny, a fighter from a neighboring gym. And that Lenny is also gay.
Imay have dropped a few words into Lenny’s ear about Dave’s former behavior.Tall and lean, Lenny is one of those fighters whose foot can slam into yourhead without you ever seeing his leg move. He’s lightning fast and strong ashell. I can’t wait to see this.
Ianstands behind me, his arms around my waist, and rests his chin on my shoulder.“Who do you think will win?”
“Lennyhas this is in the bag.”
Andhe does. It’s almost hard to watch. Almost. Lenny could take him down in thirtyseconds, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, he plays with him, kicks him inthe jaw, blacks his eye, rings his bell just hard enough to confuse him, thenbacks off to let him recover before doing it again. Dave keeps attempting toknock him off of his feet, but Lenny won’t go down. He has the advantage whenhe’s on his feet and he won’t give that up.
Whenit’s clear the referee won’t let it go on much longer, Lenny goes in for thekill, taking him to the mat and putting him in a triangle choke hold. His legswrap around his neck, putting Dave’s head right in his crotch. Laughter burstsfrom my chest. I can’t help it. When Dave finds out Lenny plays for my team,it’ll be his worst nightmare come true.
