A Fighter's Desire (Gloves Off 0.5 & 0.6)(4)

“My boyfriend caught me in here with Ryley, sir. When he found us, he made the first move and hit Ryley. It was stupid of me, and I shouldn’t have done it. I promise, Ryley was only defending himself.”

“And you,” I added angrily, glaring at her. “I was defending you. Why would you want to be with someone who hits you like that? Has he done it before?”

Shrugging, she once again closed her eyes and sighed. “Not really. I mean, he’s only done it two times.”

The officer held up his hand, signaling for us to stop. “Okay, hold up,” he said, turning to Megan. “Did that guy hit you tonight?”

Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she wearily nodded her head. “Yes, he slapped me and pushed me into the wall. After that, Ryley started to fight him. It’s not Ryley’s fault,” she pleaded again.

“That may be true, but I still need to take him to the station until your boyfriend wakes up. They’re both coming with me.”

The officer read me my rights and we followed Andres through the back to the squad car. I was put in one and dickhead was put in the other, still passed out. Nervously, Megan came over to the car I was in and leaned down toward the window.

“I’m so sorry about this,” she cried. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“Yeah, well, next time don’t try to f*ck someone else when you have a boyfriend,” I growled.

She averted her gaze and closed her eyes. “I know. It was wrong of me. I guess it just felt like freedom to get away from him. I don’t even know how he found out I was at Cloud Nine.”

The officer finally got into the car and glared back at us. “Okay, miss, it’s time to wrap it up. Say your good-byes.”

“Look,” I said, “I don’t know you very well, and I’ll admit, I don’t treat girls the way I should, but I do know that none of them deserve to be hit. You need to get away from him.”

She nodded, tears streaming down her face when she opened her eyes. “I will. Is there anyone I need to call for you?”

Camden was still inside having the time of his life while I was bloody and confined in a police car. “Yeah, I need you to find my brother. He’s in the club somewhere. You can’t miss him because he looks just like me.”

“Oh, I know. I’ve seen you two in the ring. I’ll go find him for you and let him know what’s going on.”

Turning on her heel, she ambled off toward the back door of the club. “Megan!” I shouted.

She wiped her eyes and turned around hesitantly. “Yeah?”

As much as I should hate her for putting me in the position I was in, I couldn’t help but realize there was a larger problem at hand. “On Monday night, meet me at the gym on Sykes Street.”

“Why?” she asked skeptically, furrowing her brows.

The officer put the car in gear and slowly started moving out of the parking lot. “Because I’m going to teach you how to defend yourself.” Before he could roll up the window, I shouted, “Meet me there at seven!”

Her reply came instantly. “I’ll be there!”





AFTER SITTING AT the station for four hours twiddling my f*cking thumbs, I figured my brother would at some point come to get me. I called and texted, but nothing. At least I was free to go with no charges against me. Thank God.

“Is there anyone else you can call?” the officer asked. “Your family? A friend? Your coach?”

The officer’s name was Brigg and I was right when I thought he was ex-military. For the past couple of hours he’d told me stories of his time overseas, and it just so happened that he and my father were both at Camp Pendleton during the same time frame.

Unfortunately, I definitely couldn’t call my coach. He had already threatened to leave me and my brother behind if we got into any more trouble. My mother was out of the question; in her eyes, my brother and I never got into any trouble. It would crush her to know what we were really like, especially since it was after my father’s death when things started to change.

There was only one other person who I knew wouldn’t judge me. She wouldn’t judge me, but she sure as hell was going to be pissed at me for calling her at three in the morning.

“Actually, there is,” I said, reaching for my phone. Once I found her number, I bit my lip and dialed.

Her voice was groggy when she answered, but it didn’t stop the giggle that escaped her lips. “Let me guess, Ryley, you figured out that you’re in love with me and you couldn’t wait to tell me, so you called at,” I could hear the rustle of her sheets as she turned in bed, “three in the morning. Geez, couldn’t you wait for another few hours?”

I chuckled. If she wasn’t off limits I would’ve tried to get with her. Unfortunately, that would never be possible considering her brother was one of my friends and threatened to kick anyone’s ass that messed with her. I wasn’t about to go head to head with Matt ‘The Destroyer’ Reynolds.

“I wish that were true, babe, but I need your help. Can you come pick me up from the police station?”

“Oh my God, you got arrested?” she squealed incredulously. “What the hell did you do?”

Sighing, I looked down at my hands which were split open, but thankfully, no longer bloody. “It’s a long story, Gabby. Is there any way you can come get me?”