Page 56 of Craving the Player

Chapter Twenty-Five

BRADEN

Dad leans back against the wall with adeep scowl, his arms crossed hard enough for the skin to bulge angrily. "You ready?"

Islip the smooth black and gold robe over my shoulders and give acocky grin to my reflection in one of the wall-length mirrors hung along the locker room wall.

"Always."

Boxing matches are amore common event in Rampage now that we spent the money updating and expanding the building to accommodate aseparate fighting ring and more people. The renovations wouldn’thave even been apossibility without my brother loaning us the money, but we’ve more than paid it back over the past year by hosting these matches. They bring in more cash-flow than we expected. Especially once the high-rollers get interested.

Everything went as planned today while Iwas getting the usual last minute jobs done, but Ifelt the pressure harder than most days. It was easy to recognize why.

Tonight is special. Not because Iget to show up countless fighters with my well-worked-for skills, but because for the first time ever, Ihave someone out in the crowd that I'mactually trying to impress. Idon’twant Sierra’sfirst experience watching me fight to be adisappointment. My pride couldn’ttake it.

Usually, I'mtoo concentrated on the guy in front of me to care about the pussy I'mgoing to be getting once Istep out of the ring awinner. But this isn'tjust any ordinary pussy out there tonight. This is Sierra we’re talking about. Just the thought of demeaning her to the word pussy has my throat burning with the threat of throwing up.

"Iran into Clayton earlier. He introduced me to acouple of his friends,” Dad says, accusation flickering in his voice. My brow raises, pushing him to elaborate. "I'massuming that they're also your friends?"

"Happy you picked up on that, old man." Isnort. "Yeah, Sierra'smine."

His eyes widen slightly and he chokes on alaugh. Idon’tknow why, but the reaction has my face hardening to stone."She's yours?"

My eyes narrow into slits. "If she was?"

His hands come up in front of his chest, held out in surrender. There’sacuriosity behind his calm composure that has me sliding an invisible guard up.

"Ididn'tknow you were dating anyone. That'sall."

"Dating?" Ichoke on the word. "Iwouldn’tgo that far. We both know that Iwouldn’teven know what to do with that sort of label."

Dropping his arms, he moves towards my locker and grabs my gloves before offering them to me. Itake them with abit more force than necessary and stretch out my wrapped hands, feeling the black material stretch around the knuckles.

"Relax, buddy. Honest mistake.” He laughs. "So, you're just friends, then?"

Just friends? Somehow that label is even worse. "Ah, slow down there. Inever said that.”

Shaking his head, he sits down on the bench in front of me and clasps his hands in his lap. He looks like he feels out of place with his twiddling thumbs and clouded eyes floating around the room. Dad hasn’tfought in along time, not after he tore his rotator cuff one too many times. He misses it. Ihate that he has to sit back and watch me, unable to feel the liberation and freedom the way that Ido.

"Just don'tget distracted out there. You don'tget days off for any of the injuries you're going to get trying to impress one of the girls you're banging."

"The only girl I'mbanging," Icorrect him, feeling the need to clarify it for him. For aguy deciding to get hitched to someone half his age, he'simmensely judgmental of everyone else'srelationships. Although, does what he thinks really even matter?

"Do you really think so low of me?"

"Yes," he replies without hesitation. Iinhale sharply, my mouth dropping into afrown. "Sorry. Of course not, Braden. My perfect child. The poster child for monogamous relationships. Imust be thinking of my other son who was sneaking girls into my house in the middle of the night since he was fifteen. Oh wait, my other son is happily married."

Ignoring the hurt spearing my stomach from his low opinion of me, Islip my gloves on and strap them like always.

"Okay, okay. Iget it. Point taken."

"Just stay focused on the fight. If Sierra really is the only girl you're seeing, maybe she should come around the house sometime. I'msure Lana would love to cook for her," he offers, and Idon’tmiss the bait he lays out for me.

"Sure. If that'll get you to lay off, then consider it set in stone," Ireply, although Ihave afeeling that Sierra would rather eat rocks than what Lana calls cooking. The surprise in his eyes is evident as he watches me, intent on making me squirm and admit that Iwould rather spoon out my own eyes than go for another awkward dinner with Lana. But when Ikeep my mouth shut like agood little boy, he gives my shoulder asqueeze.

"Jesse lacks stamina. Strike first and the win is yours. Good luck."

"Thanks, Dad." Igrin and his hand falls from my shoulder. As he makes his way to the entrance, Istart to bounce in place, shaking off the nerves. The cheers reach my ears and Iknow that it'stime.

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