Full Contact (Worth the Fight #2) - Sidney Halston Page 0,49
while Travis sprawled in the chair in front of it, eating a banana. Tony was perched on the desk, his back to Travis, close to Francesca, who seemed to be not amused but annoyed by Tony.
“First of all, you see this?” Slade said to Travis, slamming the door shut. “This is a door. When it’s closed, knock. You don’t just waltz in and out of here. Second, I thought you were going to get me food.”
Travis grinned. “Yeah, but this is so much better than food.”
“What is?” Slade asked.
“Watching Ricky Ricardo over here get turned down by Fancy. Look at him—he looks fit to be tied.”
“It’s Francesca,” she automatically corrected Travis.
“Si, mi amor. I think he’s right. You are fancy,” Tony replied. He reached forward to touch Francesca’s hair, and she slapped his hand away.
“I am not your love, so stop calling me that. One day you’re an asshole to me, the next you’re calling me cute little names. You’re such a jerk—no wonder no one else wants to train you.”
“I’m not a jerk. I just haven’t had the right teacher.” Tony cocked an eyebrow. “And I’m sorry for being an asshole the other day, I was in a bad mood and I was very drunk.”
Travis tipped his head back and roared with laughter.
“Honey, I’m no one’s teacher,” Francesca retorted. “If you need teaching, you’re barking up the wrong tree. This school is closed. Especially to someone as cantankerous as you are.” She had her hands on her hips. “Oh, and you need to stop drinking if that’s what’s making you a douche, although I wouldn’t blame solely the alcohol for that.”
“I think cantanker— whatever the fuck means that you’ve been rejected,” Travis observed.
Tony placed his hand on his heart. “I’m in love. Beauty, brains, and a dirty mouth.”
Slade was out of patience. “That’s it. Out of here, Travis.” Then he turned to Tony. “Got news for you, buddy. You’re out of shape.” He pointed to the man’s midsection. “You have a gut, and you’re goin’ to lose your next fight. Get your ass out there and train, or don’t—I don’t care anymore. It’s your damn career.”
Tony seemed to ponder it for a few moments, and then looked at Francesca. “Meet you by the speed bags,” he said to Slade.
Finally! Something that he wanted to hear. “About fucking time, brother,” Slade replied.
—
There was a knock on her door. Jessica was sure it was Slade, and she was not in the mood to see him.
She was fairly certain that, no matter what it had looked like in the office, Slade wasn’t cheating on her with Francesca. But Francesca always made Jessica feel like a dumpy disaster. Then there’d been the blonde. And instead of being apologetic, he’d called her a drama queen. She was hurt and angry. If she was honest, she was mostly angry at herself for being blindsided by jealousy when she’d known all along that the man was a womanizer.
She opened the door, ready to argue with Slade, but found herself being pushed back into the house before she had a chance to process what was happening. She looked up in confusion as the door slammed, and gasped. The man she least wanted to see was standing right in front of her, and there was nowhere for her to go.
She had to blink twice to make sure it wasn’t her mind playing tricks on her and that, in fact, Dennis was standing in front of her. Then she turned and ran to her bedroom. She tried to slam the door closed behind her, but he pushed it open.
“Didn’t take you much time, did it?”
Jessica looked around her bedroom for anything she could use as a weapon, but saw nothing. And her phone was in her car. She had purposely left it there in order to avoid talking to Slade.
“Dennis? I…uh…what are you…?”
“Surprised?” He closed the bedroom door behind him and locked it.
“You shouldn’t be here.” She heard her words quavering.
“Got sick of seeing you all over town with Martin.”
He got closer to her. Too close. She flinched, certain she knew what was about to happen. Instead, he lifted his hand and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Then he walked to her bed, sat down, and patted the spot right next to him.
“Sit. We need to talk.” His voice was firm. “Now.”
She contemplated her options. She could try to run, but he’d catch her before she’d have