Page 58 of A Legal Affair

“You could say that,” Caleb muttered under his breath, slamming his mailbox shut. As he passed the front desk, he said, “Take it easy, Mr. Hammond.”

“You too, son.” As Caleb neared the elevators, the older man added with a hint of sly insinuation in his voice, “Stay out of trouble.”

Too fucking late, Caleb thought darkly.

The gym hummed with a symphony of grunts, clanking weights and the rhythmic thump of fists on heavy bags. Sweat dripped from Caleb’s body as he rotated his head from side to side and bounced on the balls of his feet. A few feet away, Evander’s dark eyes narrowed to slits of focused intent as he prepared to square off with Caleb in the boxing ring.

“You’re off tonight, man,” he said above the noisy din. “Your energy’s all messed up.”

Caleb smacked his gloves together and advanced. “Round two. Let’s go.”

Evander dipped, a blur of motion, and Caleb instinctively blocked the jab that snapped toward his chin, the impact juddering up his arm.

“Nice,” Evander muttered.

“Just warming up.” Caleb feinted left, then unleashed a quick right cross. Evander swayed, ducking under the punch with an ease honed by years of training—in the gym and on the streets of West Philly where he grew up.

“You got that look in your eyes.” Evander’s counter-jab sliced through the air, the punch connecting solidly with Caleb’s jaw. “Like you’re fighting demons.”

Caleb straightened and rolled his shoulders, smirking at Evander. “You’re hella chatty today.”

“Nah, this is my regular vibe. You’re just in a foul mood.”

Caleb’s jaw tightened before he pivoted, a sudden, explosive pivot that brought his hip into a punch aimed at Evander’s ribs.

His best friend absorbed the blow with a soft grunt, his stance unbroken as Caleb came at him again. “What’s really good with you, bruh?”

“Why the hell are you still yapping?” Caleb growled, each word punctuated by the sharp thwack of his gloved fist connecting with Evander’s padded chest. He wasn’t just sparring today; he was purging. Every punch thrown was a desperate attempt to drive out the lingering memories of last night, to exorcise the crushing weight of his guilt.

Evander smirked tauntingly as they separated and circled each other. “Only two things in the world that can drive a man crazy: good pussy and a lack of money. You, my friend, are heir to a fortune and have more money in the bank than you’ll ever spend. So that leaves only one other possibility: a woman.”

Caleb’s gut twisted as Daniela’s image flashed in his mind. He saw her above him, head thrown back, riding him with slow, deep plunges on his cock.

His concentration slipped, and Evander took swift advantage, delivering a hard uppercut to his jaw that dazed him for a few seconds.

He shook the sweat out of his eyes and threw an aggressive left hook that knocked Evander backward into the ropes. Caleb didn’t let up, following the attack with another left and a right cross.

“See? That’s what I’m talking about,” Evander wheezed, pointing his glove at him. “You’re fighting yourself, bro, and I’m just a convenient punching bag.”

Caleb snorted. “Still yapping. C’mon, man, make this worth my time. I got other shit to do.”

“Yeah?” A new edge of challenge sharpened Evander’s eyes before he lunged forward, throwing a punch at Caleb’s chin. Caleb ducked and countered with a brutal shot to Evander’s abdomen that doubled him over, gasping for air.

Caleb circled him, grinning sinisterly around his mouthguard. “Had enough?”

“Not even close.” Evander spat out a mouthful of blood and straightened, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Let’s go.”

Evander gave as good as he got, but Caleb kept him on the ropes with a relentless flurry of jabs and hooks that Evander took like a champ before finally waving the white flag.

“Alright, man. Call it,” he panted, bumping gloves with Caleb. “Nice work, demon.”

“You, too.” Caleb’s chest was heaving, adrenaline pumping through his veins like wildfire as he peeled off his headgear and wiped the sweat from his brow. His muscles screamed with fatigue, but he welcomed the punishing burn as he stepped through the ropes and hopped down to the floor.

Evander followed him out of the ring and started unlacing his gloves, eyeing Caleb speculatively. “So who is she?”

Caleb feigned ignorance. “Who?”

Evander barked a gruff laugh and wagged his head. “Seriously though, man. If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”