Surge: (#7 The Beat and The Pulse) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the smartest prick I know, but then for three hundred and sixty-four days of the year you let your brain rot.”
    “Don’t you have a fight to prepare for?” I asked sullenly.
    Lincoln laughed and shook his head. “Nope. That’s you. We can’t do the switch out anymore, you tattooed stud. I’ll be at the weigh-in on Friday, so no funny business.”
    “You’re such a loving brother,” I drawled.
    Even if I was a dumb bastard like everyone seemed to claim, at least I had my better half. My identical twin was my constant in this crazy life, and even though he was all loved up, it didn’t mean a single thing had changed. The thing about Linc was he was usually right like a goddamned Buddha.
    As he left me to sulk in peace, I couldn’t shake the feeling he was probably right about Josie, too. Smartass.
    Maybe I wasn’t seeing everything.

5
    Josie
    S taring at the backstage scrum at the latest AUFC weigh-in, I sighed.
    Fiddling with my lanyard that granted me behind-the-scenes access, I ran the edge of the laminated card underneath my thumbnail, trying to deal with the fact I had to put on a smiling face when I was still angry.
    “Hey, Jo.”
    I scowled at the sight of Dean behind me, pushing away the stupid feeling of jealousy and annoyance that had done nothing but grow since the wedding last weekend.
    “You’ve been avoiding the gym,” he said when I didn’t answer.
    “Yep,” I said, crossing my arms.
    “Was I that much of a douche?” he asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.
    I snorted. “When did you start growing a brain?”
    He smirked and leaned closer. “Linc loaned me some of his sense. Am I putting it to good use?”
    “Sometimes, I wish you thought before you did shit, Dean.”
    “I needed to go there,” he replied, looking sheepish. “I needed to put some things to rest.”
    I began to soften toward him and wondered if he’d actually put Monica behind him. If he had…
    “And did you?” I asked.
    He shrugged, bursting my tiny bubble of hope.
    “No more crossing brands for the time being,” he said with a smirk.
    “ Shoosh ,” I scolded him as event staff gave everyone a five-minute warning. “It’s about to start.”
    He frowned and moved off to stand beside Coach Miller, who’d returned the day before from Melbourne. Lincoln offered me a reassuring smile, and I knew they’d been talking about Monday’s argument at great length. As far as I knew, no one—including Dean—had an inkling that I had a crush on the twin who was currently waiting to weigh in. At least it was one thing working to my advantage.
    Glancing out into the arena, I took in the small crowd of fans that had turned out for tonight’s proceedings. Dean wasn’t the only fighter up tonight. There were multiple bouts being announced for lightweight, featherweight, and heavyweight with those fights also happening right here tomorrow night. The hard-core fans always turned up to these things to cheer on their favorite fighters, and afterward, they usually hung around for the chance of getting autographs and selfies. Needless to say, Dean Hayes lapped up the attention like it was going out of fashion.
    Spotting Violet and Lincoln just outside in the VIP area, I shimmied my way through the wall of security and joined them to watch the show.
    Up on stage, the announcer tapped the microphone in his hand and began the event, introducing himself and the fights they were calling for this week. “Welcome to AUFC Fight Night 35! To get things started, we’d like to welcome our octagon girls, Kylie and Fiona, and the AUFC director, Charlie Freeman!”
    I rolled my eyes as the skimpily clad girls filed past me, closely followed by the head honcho of the entire Australian arm of the league. Kylie and Fiona, or whatever their names were, wore tiny pleated skirts that rode up around their flaps and crop tops emblazoned with the AUFC logo that barely covered their tiny boobs. It was a male-dominated sport, and