Knockout (Fighting For Love Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

girl.
     
    “You always say that. What exactly is your type then? It’s not like you don’t have your pick of them.” Tommy nods towards their section of the VIP area, which is filled with women, catering to all tastes. They dart looks over to Grayson, their eyes filled with longing. He knows that he wouldn’t need to make an effort to get any one of them into bed, but there was something vaguely depressing about that. He shrugs noncommittally, and Tommy shakes his head in confusion. “Yeah, it must totally suck to be Grayson Fletcher,” he jokes.
     
    There’s only a few years between them, but sometimes it feels like a lifetime. Tommy is his closest friend; his natural, youthful exuberance and sense of fun is a good antidote to Grayson’s serious, even dark, nature. There’s no doubt in Grayson’s mind that if Tommy knew what he’d done, what had happened in the ring all those years ago, and how he’d spent years after that as the pawn of a bookie—winning matches and losing them as he directed—that his friend would think less of him. It wouldn’t matter that Grayson had used the winnings to support his mom and his sister, throwing fights was still wrong. Plus, it went against everything they both loved about the sport. It was about two men meeting on equal terms and fighting as hard as they could to win. Throwing a match shouldn’t have been in his vocabulary. If Tommy knew about his past, he would cease to look up to him like he does, and the realization of that makes Grayson’s gut twist into a knot. He’s lost so much, he can’t lose his best friend, too.
     
    “Things aren’t always what they seem, Tommo,” Grayson gives his friend a conciliatory tap on the shoulder as he gets up. “I think I’ve had enough for one night, besides I’ve got a hot date with West and my running shoes in about,” he squints at his watch, “5 hours.”
     
    “You can’t leave now, G. The party’s just getting started!” Tommy nudges him hard, trying to distract him and goad him into a play fight.
     
    “G’dnight Tommy. Enjoy Tammy.” Grayson nods towards the girl who is fast approaching them with two drinks in her hand. He has no intention of sticking around for her to shoot him daggers as she tries to make him jealous with his best friend. He just wants Tommy to have a good time, you don’t turn twenty-five every day.
     
    He pushes his way through the inebriated crowd; the effect of the couple of beers he’s had already worn off. He’s being pushed in different directions by the dancing bodies, and he can feel his patience is wearing dangerously thin. Girls try to grind up against him as he passes, but he just brushes past them, heading towards the exit as fast as he can, suddenly desperate to get out of there. He hates the feeling of being trapped at the best of times, but that in combination with his anger at himself over the way he’d behaved with Tammy is proving to be a dangerous cocktail.
     
    He’s guiding a particularly drunk girl away from his crotch, as she’s trying to go all R Kelly on him, when he’s bumped from behind. He feels the telltale dampness through his t-shirt, telling him that someone has just spilled a drink on him. Grayson can feel his temper ratcheting up, his fists clench, as he tries to control his rage. He spins around, primed for action, ready to tell the asshole he should watch where he’s going or face the consequences. Then, every thought rushes out of his head, as he comes face to face with her, with the dark-haired girl who had caught his attention on the dance floor.

 
    ADRIANA
     
    Her mouth works but, for a few seconds, no sound comes out. She’s literally dumbstruck. It takes a few moments to pull herself together before she can speak the one word that she’d promised not to say out loud again. “Grayson?”
     
    Adriana can’t believe that the man in front of her is real. She’s spent so long thinking about him and then trying not to think about