Page 42 of Brutal Boxer

Understanding crossed his face. “Shit, I’m sorry. You’re a very beautiful woman.” He ran his fingers through his hair like he had another question. “Do you still have feelings for him?”

“God, no. I never loved Casso.” A shiver speared down my spine. Early in our relationship, we’d been good together. I might have eventually fallen in love with him. Giving my heart to another man hadn’t been easy for me. I didn’t want to let another person have the power to break me. Casso knew this. I didn’t hide it from him. Perhaps it was why he’d been so determined to own me in every way.

“No, I meant Boxer.”

Our eyes connected.

“Oh, um…” I fidgeted with the hem of my sweatshirt. “We’ve been over for a long time.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t care for him or still love him.”

Lynx was right. When it came to matters of the heart, time didn’t mean anything. I hated Zach for hurting me, but I’d always love him. He’d been my first everything. I thought he would be my last everything.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this.” I grimaced, dropping my gaze to my hands.

A loud knock at the door made me jump.

“I got it.” Lynx went to answer the door. “Box, what do you need?”

Zach looked past Lynx. When he saw me, he exhaled. “Can I come in?”

I nodded. “Sure.”

Lynx stepped back, waving Zach inside.

I stood, feeling panicked. “Is something wrong? Did Storm find out Casso was coming?”

He stared at my freshly wrapped wrist. The remorse in his ice-blue eyes when he lifted them made me inhale a breath. “It occurred to me that we might not have access to a grocery store. The kitchen upstairs is well stocked. Grab anything you want to take with us to the safe house.”

My heart seized. “Us?”

“Lynx will stay, and I’ll go if we need to leave.”

“Why?” My voice cracked.

Lynx crossed his arms over his chest. “I see.”

“See, what? I don’t understand.” My heart palpitated. Being alone with Zach in a small shack wasn’t my idea of fun. Not one fucking bit. Was his old lady coming too? Oh God, I needed to just leave on my own.

“Don’t need to understand.” Zach gritted his teeth, leveling his gaze at me.

“I really think this isn’t necessary. If you’d just help me leave the country—”

“Fuck, Aspen. Enough about leaving the country,” he growled.

Lynx sighed, shaking his head.

“But then the rest of you will be safe. Think of your women.” Somehow I needed to get him to help me. I stepped forward, bracing for the brutal bear to bite. “I should’ve never come here. I made a mistake.”

Zach’s face turned red. “Yeah, it was a stupid mistake, Aspen. Endangering everyone’s life. But now you’re here, so we all just have to fucking deal with it!”

Lynx put his arm around me. “You son of a bitch. Don’t be an asshole.”

“What? Is this the first time you’ve experienced the asshole side of Zach?” I laughed mockingly. “Lucky you. He’s the king of the assholes.”

“And you’re the queen of the bitches!” the bear bit back, as I knew he would.

“Exactly! So let me fucking leave so we can be done with each other!”

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