Page 46 of A Fighter’s Love

“Or a jerk. Or an arsehole.”

Like you.

Still she didn’t respond.

“So is he here?” Billy stepped past her, nudging her with his left shoulder.

She frowned. “No, he’s not. Now wait here while I get that sweater.”

Billy stared around the living room with his nose in the air as though trying to sniff out the new man.

Wishing she’d taken the time to pull on clothes, Jenny headed to the cupboard.

“Is it one of those posh twats from your office?” Billy called after her. “What’s their names? Andre and Tristan.”

“No it isn’t, and they’re not twats. They’re good, decent men.” Billy had always referred to her bosses with scorn. She had no idea why. He’d never even met them.

“Yeah, yeah. You’d deny it even if it was one of them.”

She found the sweater and gripped it in a way she’d quite happily grip Billy’s neck—tight and throttling.

“Here,” she said, stomping back into the living room and thrusting it at him. “I’ll drop the CD’s at the gym sometime. I’m not sure where they are.”

He held the sweater in his fist and let it hang at his side. “So how long you been seeing jacket man?”

“Not long.”

“So it started before you ended it between us?”

She stared up at him. “Would you just leave?”

“No.”

“Billy.”

“I want you back, Jenny. Can’t you see that?” He reached for her.

Quickly, she retreated then scooted around the sofa using it as a barrier between them.

“Sweetpea, we’re good together.” Now his voice had a whining quality to it.

“No we weren’t. We were stuck in a rut. It was just easier to be together than go through the hassle of breaking it off. But I couldn’t live like that anymore. I don’t want to be with you, Billy.”

“But it’s always been us.”

“Yes, and for a while it worked, we supported each other through some crap times. But these last few years it’s been all about me helping at the gym and not much else.”

“We need you at the gym.”

“No you don’t, you need an assistant. One you pay to work several hours a week.”

He moved around the side of the sofa.

“It’s time for you to go.” She edged away, eyeing up the bathroom and wondering if she should make a dash for it and lock the door.

His expression changed from a whiny downturn of his lips to sharp, teeth-gritting irritation.

Her belly clenched and a spurt of adrenaline entered her veins.

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