Full Contact (Worth the Fight #2) - Sidney Halston Page 0,92

and walked over to her. “They tailed you for almost two hours, but I’m sure they’re gone now. They must’ve been convinced you were really leaving town. Now I’ll escort you back to the motel. Follow me.”

When they arrived back at the motel, Jack helped her unload the things she’d need for the week ahead. Then he parked her car behind the motel so that anyone driving by wouldn’t see it. Finally he gave her some money and a burner phone. “It can’t be traced, but even so, try not to use this unless you need it. Do not leave the room under any circumstances. I’ll be back tomorrow with some groceries.”

She nodded.

“Hey.”

She slowly looked up.

“You did good,” he told her. “I know that was hard, but you did real good. If anyone was around, you gave them quite the show.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not so sure whether it was a show or not.”

Jack seemed to understand. “You’re okay now. You’re safe. They’ll understand when this is all over and done with.”

“I hope so. Otherwise I really will have to move back home.”

“Tarpon Springs is home, sweetie.”

She sighed. Jack was quite a man. Chrissy was one lucky woman.

—

Jessica spent all night tossing and turning. Visions of Slade’s angry eyes haunted her. Coward… The word reverberated over and over again. Coward.

Even if Jack’s plan worked and Dennis went to jail, she still thought she might have to move to Charlotte. She had thought Slade would break her one day with his womanizing, but it looked like she had broken him. Broken bones could be repaired, and that was the extent of the damage Dennis had left. But a broken heart…well, that was another story altogether.

—

“Tomorrow’s the trial, Slade. You’re the only one left to testify now that Jessica’s gone. Please don’t do this. It’s not too late to walk away,” Chrissy begged her brother. It had been five days since Jessica left.

“I know what I’m doing, Chris. Leave me alone.” Slade had a blue hoodie on and looked menacing. “Get her outta here, Jack,” he said to his friend. He put on some headphones and began jumping rope. He was too in his head. He’d never gone into a fight so angry. He needed to calm down.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been jumping rope before he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Cain.

“You’re up,” Cain said.

Slade nodded. He took off his headphones.

“You sure?” Cain asked.

“Don’t do this, boss. Not worth it,” Travis said.

Slade was tired of hearing everyone’s concerns. He wasn’t made of glass. He’d fought hundreds of times before. One more wasn’t going to kill him.

“Get outta my way,” he hissed at his friends. In the last few months he’d lost two things he loved: his ability to fight and Jessica. He was going to get one of them back tonight. And since Jessica wasn’t there…well, that left only fighting.

Chrissy and Jack stood in the front next to Francesca and Tony as Slade walked in, followed by Travis and Cain. Before going into the cage, Slade unzipped his hoodie and threw it toward Travis. He walked into the cage in black shorts emblazoned with the WtF logo. He jumped up and down a few times, snapping his neck side to side. This was not like him—he usually did nothing to warm up—but tonight he had too much nervous energy. The ref said a few things, but it was all a blur.

He heard the bell and then his body moved as it was trained to do. His opponent threw the first punch, and Slade ducked. They rounded each other, and his opponent again threw a punch, an uppercut this time. Again Slade danced away, causing his opponent to miss. This happened throughout the entire first round. By the time the bell rang, the guy was winded and sweat dripped down his temples, unlike Slade, who had not even broken a sweat.

Even without training appropriately, this was Slade’s fight to lose. He was more seasoned and stronger. The second round began, and this time the man didn’t come out throwing punches. His corner was yelling at him to throw a punch. Slade’s corner was mostly quiet. No one dared say much with the mood Slade was in.

He still couldn’t believe Jessica had left. After all they’d been through. After the mind-altering sex inside the cage. After he’d told her he loved her. She’d said she didn’t love him. Had he been so blinded by his own intense