Free Lady Killer (Tangled Desires Book 2) by Misti Murphy

why she won’t stand up and fight, though, when she has the power to take down a man so easily. Not to mention my offer to protect her. Even if I didn’t find her fascinating, even if she didn’t have this way of putting me in my place, I’d still want to help her.
    Like it does periodically, my mind wanders back to the night it all ended for me. I remember how the car came out of nowhere. Or maybe I’d been too distracted by the girl in front of me to notice it. At the beginning, when I’d been frustrated during physical therapy sessions, I’d given her more than her fair share of the blame for what happened to me, but the truth was, it hadn’t been her fault I’d been too focused on her. She’d stood in front of me and asked for help, completely unafraid of me, despite the fact that she’d been utterly terrified of someone . That much had been painfully obvious. Another boxer? Most likely.
    She’d come out of the club, so she must have been there with someone from my world. Not my crew, though. I would have recognized her. But a boxer who forgot to leave his violence in the ring, or the gym? There were a few of them like that. The guy I fought that night–Santiago. He’d definitely been a raging asshole inside the ring, and from a few snippets I’d heard from other boxers, outside it, too.
    But she knew me. She’d wanted my help. I wish I’d asked her name. I could get Mace or Razer to check on her and make sure she was safe, if I had. Instead, all I can do is push her to the back of my mind, and think about Gem. She reminds me a lot of that girl; clearly terrified. I hate that someone could make her feel like that. It makes me want to do anything I can to help her.
    I shouldn’t even be thinking about Gem. Shouldn’t be interested in her. Sure as hell shouldn’t have kissed her. I’ve got too many of my own problems to deal with to take on somebody else’s.
    As I pass the drug store, I spot Chelsea and change direction. Sliding up beside her, I dig her in the ribs with my elbow. “What’s going on?”
    “Oh. I ate something, and it didn’t like me. I’m feeling a bit acidy.” She covers her mouth with her fist, and burps. “Yuck.”
    “Such a lady.” I smirk.
    She chuckles and rubs at her breast bone while picking up a packet of Tums. “I hang around with you too much to be a lady.”
    “Whatever.” We walk toward the register. “So you want to come over and hang out?”
    “Is Mace home?” She hands the packet to the girl behind the register who quickly rings it up. “I don’t know if I’m up to putting up with his bullshit tonight.”
    “I don’t understand you two. One minute you’re friends, the next you want to kill each other. You’re both weird.” I hand over cash before she can and offer her a grin. “You’ve been helping me out so much, the least I can do is pay for your antacids.”
    “Fine.” She packs them away in her handbag. “So is he home or not?”
    “Nah, he’s working.”
    “Okay then.” She jingles her keys. “My car’s across the road.”
    We get Chinese on the way home. Enough that Claire and Razer join us for dinner. Not that Chelsea eats much, complaining still about heartburn. After dinner, she and I chill out on the bed to watch a movie.
    Chelsea falls asleep on me before the end, and I toss a blanket over her before settling on top. We weren’t always this close, but after my eldest brother, Rush, took off, she was miserable. He broke her heart, and I don’t think she ever truly got over it. Sometimes I catch myself thinking he’s an asshole. Where Razer’s all talk, and Mace is gruff, Rush was too thoroughly focused on himself. I guess it came from his passion for show business and oldest child syndrome. He’s still the same, still touring, still sucking up the love of his fans. Sometimes when he calls, I think I hear weariness in his voice, like he might finally be getting tired of it all.
    Like I am.
    “Great fight tonight,