Free On the Ropes (Fighting For Love Book 2) by Evelyn Glass Page A

whom she had shared a bed with only a few nights before and even the man whom she had been with in the limo only an hour ago. He had been gentle and vulnerable and kind, and he had looked at her as if she were important. The man that’s the toast of the party hasn’t even spared her a glance. Grayson is all mixed messages, mixed feelings and emotions. It felt like a guessing game, trying to figure out what was going on in his head, and she never seems to win. It is exhausting. Yet, here was a good looking guy, paying her attention, being nice to her, and making her laugh.
     
    Adriana takes a deep breath and smiles up at him. “No, it’s not a problem.”

 
    GRAYSON
     
    He can feel the anger burning a hole inside of him. He had been whisked from one interview to another by Josie who kept promising it was the last one. At some point Cassie had appeared and kept trying to drape herself all over him, no matter how many times he batted her away.
     
    He had wanted to spend the evening with Adriana, the only person who he had any interest in talking to in the entire place. But now she was talking to Dexter, ‘The Destroyer.’ He is the fighter that he’s up against next for the state title. Grayson had never had any beef with Dexter; they’d even trained together a couple of times as Grayson was making his way up the ranks. But seeing him talking, laughing, and whispering with Adriana is enough to make him want to kill him.
     
    He clenches and unclenches his fists, trying to control the rage that’s flooding through his body like a drug. He can see the two of them out of the corner of his eye, and it’s the moment when Dex lays a hand on Adriana’s bare shoulder that propels him onto action.
     
    “Grayson? We’re not done.” Josie’s voice reaches him, and he realizes that his body is ten steps ahead of his brain. He’s left the interview, Cassie and everyone else behind, as he crosses the room, zeroing in on Adriana.
     
    Dex’s sense of danger alerts him to Grayson’s menacing figure approaching, and he seems to look a little more uncertain than he had before. “Grayson, nice job with Kong the other night.” Dex raises his glass in salute, but Grayson isn’t even listening.
     
    “Adriana, you ready to go?” He rests his hand possessively on her shoulder, pulling her closer against him.
     
    “You’ve finished all your stuff, then?” Adriana waves vaguely back to where he’d just spent the past hour and sidles out of his hold, taking a step away from him.
     
    Dex looks between the two of them, as if he’s trying to figure something out.
     
    Grayson blows out a breath in frustration. “Yes, I’ve finished, so are you ready to go or what?” He sounds angry. He knows that, but he can’t seem to do anything to temper it down. Seeing her with Dex has done something to him, made him feel out of control. He doesn’t like it, not one bit.
     
    “Hey, Fletcher, there’s no need to get all worked up over me talking to Adriana here. I thought you two were just friends.” Dex looks at him innocently, and Grayson has to resist the urge to wipe the smile off of his face.
     
    “We are just friends.” Adriana looks like she’s actually buying this shtick of his. She had no idea that Dex never slept with the same woman twice; he sees every possible lay as a challenge to be overcome. He would say anything to get these women into bed. That had never bothered Grayson before, what Dex did as his own business. But not now, not when he was trying to do it to Adriana.
     
    “There you are. What are you doing over here, baby? They wanted some photos to go with the interview.” The whining edge in Cassie’s voice grates on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. But he’s not focused on her, all he can see is the expression of hurt on Adriana’s face.
     
    “Don’t worry, man. If you’re…busy…”—Dex gestures between Grayson and Cassie, making the suggestion of exactly what they’re going to be