Page 84 of Crazy In Love

“What more?” He ducks and runs, escaping my roundhouse kick by the skin of his teeth. “Dude! What more? I didn’t do anything!”

“You’re interested in her?” My lungs long ago stopped working properly, and my brain… well, shit, I think I left that at Tommy and Alana’s kitchen table. But muscle memory, at least, is something I can count on. I rush Cliff against the ropes and throw him to the ground, the floor rumbling under the weight of our combined four hundred pounds, and because I can, I scramble over his back and wrap my arm around his neck.

“This is a stand-up fight!” Tommy growls. “Chris! We’re not grappling.”

“Fuck we aren’t.” I crush Cliff’s larynx and murmur by his ear. “You like Fox Tatum?”

“I mean…” He taps my arm—whichshouldbe the end of the fight. But alas… “Yeah. She’s cute, right? And she’s nice as hell. What’s not to like?”

I slam my free fist against the side of his face.I’m a bastard, I know.“Wrong answer, son. You like Fox Tatum?”

“Christian!” Tommy rattles the ropes. “He tapped!”

“IthoughtI liked her!” Cliff’s voice crackles under the pressure of my arm. “Guess not?”

“You guess?” I hit him again. “You sure about that?”

“I know!” He tries to slide his fingers between my arm and his neck. Anything to break my hold. “Dude!” Panicking, he kicks his legs out. “I know! She’s a monster. She’s horrible. Didn’t you hear?”

“Chris!” Tommy climbs into the ring and presses the bottom of his foot to the side of my face, pinning me to the canvas. “Let him go.”

“Let me go!” Cliff snarls. “Fuck!”

“You’renotinterested.” I release him and flop to my back, dropping my arms wide and splaying my legs open. All so I can lay here and rot in my own sweat. “Not interested.”

“Fuckin’ hell, Coach.” Cliff rolls to the other side of the ring, heaving for air and massaging the front of his neck. “Was that attempted murder?” He swings desperate eyes up to Tommy. “That was attempted murder!”

“Nah,” Tommy growls, “just an idiot, completely incapable of regulating his emotions or speaking like a fucking adult.” He stands over me, his lips peeled back in a sneer. “You could catch charges for that shit, you know that?”

“It was a fair fight.” I drag my hands through my hair and use the heels of my palms to crush my eyes. “We were sparring.”

“It’s not a fair fight if your opponent hasn’t consented to ground and pound, dickhead. You were supposed to be boxing. Legs are for standing, not for kicking.”

“I’m not actually gonna snitch.” Cliff spits again, so the splash hitting the canvas becomes my punishment. My brain, attaching itself to that one, filthy noise. “Physically, I’m fine. Kinda got my feelings hurt, though.”

I lower my hands and glance across to find him sitting in the corner, his back pressed to the post and his elbow perched on one raised knee.

“You have a problem with me, Coach? I expect you to be man enough to say so to my face. You wanna kill me and call it sport? That’s cool, too. But give me a head’s up, so I can pull out the razor blades and hurt you, too.”

“You’ve been stewing on this for a fuckin’ week.” Tommy lowers into a crouch, shaking his head from side to side. “You and Fox are nothing. You say you aren’t interested. You act like she’s your mortal fucking enemy every time you’re in the same room. But at the merementionof Alana setting Cliff and Fox up on a date, you’re out here ready to sit behind prison bars?”

“That’s what this is about?” Cliff exclaims. “Alana said she was gonna set me and Fox up? Wait.” His eyes brighten, and his lips curl into a smug smile. “Fox is interested in me?”

“You mother?—”

“Dude!” Tommy grips my shoulder and pins me to the floor. Then he shoots a dangerous glare in Cliff’s direction. “Use your brain! I’m trying to save your life here.”

“That was my bad. My bad.” Laughing, he climbs to his feet, stumblingand swaying, and when he has no other choice, he grabs the ropes and waits for the world to stop spinning. “I’ve been outta town, Coach, so forgive me for taking a fuckin’ second to realize you and Fox are an item.”

“We’re not an item!”

Tommy drops to his ass. “They’re not an item. Allegedly.”

“Oh…” Cliff frowns. Then, “Ohhhh! Alright. This is one of those opposite-day things. You and Fox arenotan item, but when you hear about Fox and me maybe becoming an item, suddenly your brain snaps and homicide becomes your fun new hobby.”

“Pretty sure they’re together in secret,” Tommy scowls. “And they’re taking advantage of Alana’s exhaustion to hide it from her. But I see it.” He brings his glaring stare down to me. “I see you.”

“You said it would be a good idea for Alana to set them up!”