Page 42 of Jensen

Jensen nods. “Thought I might.”

“Go on then. They’re taking names,” Jack says.

“You hold my shit,” Jensen says, taking a swigof beer before handing it back. He steps back and pulls his shirt off. There’s a pleasant jerk in my lower belly, like I went over a bump in the road. He’s so pretty, in a way Leland never could hold a candle to. Just raw and real.

My eyes trace the pattern of his tattoos again.

Ribcage cross.

Chest bullseye.

Ruger beneath his zipper.

Somewhere in that father-son-and-holy-ghost of ink lies the secret to Jensen Childress.

I can feel it even if it doesn’t make sense right now. He passes his shirt over the counter. Jack hands him a couple strips of black cloth. My face is hot as I bolt the rum, trying to calmmyfluttering heart.

God, he’s got me tied up in knots.

Spellbound, I watch as he wraps his hands. Then, he leans in and gives me a kiss that pulls the breath from my lungs. I follow him as he moves through the crowd to the pit. Then, I stand with my jaw slack, watching closely as he talks with the referee. His name goes up in chalk. First fight of the night.

He looks at me through the crowd. Pale blue eyeswashed out by firelight. Tanned skin glittering gold.

My heart won’t stop trying to jump right out of my ribcage.

I want to fight for this chance. Some people get everything they want.

Why can’t I?

CHAPTER TEN

JENSEN

I don’t know if it’s because she’s watching me, standing there in that tight little fringe dress, but I clean house tonight.

The first guy taps out in ten minutes. The second takes a few longer, but he goes down and stays down. I bow out of the next fight because I’m getting tired. If I’m being honest, I’m worn out from staying up all night with Della. Even for me, six rounds, start to finish, is a lot.

I take her hand in my filthy one and lead her back to the table. Jack arches a brow as he tosses me a bottle of water.

“Peacocking pretty hard out there, bud,” he says.

I flip him off. Della is already flushed, but she goes darker pink. I towel off and slide my arm around her waist, sinking down on a stool. She leans into me, but there’s a faint tension in her body that wasn’t there before.

“What did you say your name was?” Jack says, leaning on the counter.

“Della,” she says, voice soft.

He doesn’t speak, but I see his eyes narrow. It’s bothering me that he’s being such a buzzkill. For the first time in years, I’m on cloud nine. There’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen with my armaround her waist. Tonight, I’m going back home with her, riding the high of winning in the ring. Nothing can bring me down.

“You want to get out of here?” I say.

She nods. “Yeah, I’ll go wherever you like.”

Jack gives me a look, but I drop a twenty on the bar, take my winnings, and stand. He’s not fucking this up for me. She puts her hand in mine, and I lead her back through the crowd. Jack’s eyes follow us, like he’s trying to figure something out. Then, he disappears as we leave the building.

“That was something else,” she says.

I glance back at her, and my stomach jerks. She’s so damn pretty, hair a glowing halo inthe firelight. We get to the truck,and I can’t stand it anymore. I pull her in and kiss her like I mean it, not like I’mjusthorny.