GRAYSON

 

He can feel the anger burning a hole inside of him. He had been whisked from one interview to another by Josie who kept promising it was the last one. At some point Cassie had appeared and kept trying to drape herself all over him, no matter how many times he batted her away.

 

He had wanted to spend the evening with Adriana, the only person who he had any interest in talking to in the entire place. But now she was talking to Dexter, ‘The Destroyer.’ He is the fighter that he’s up against next for the state title. Grayson had never had any beef with Dexter; they’d even trained together a couple of times as Grayson was making his way up the ranks. But seeing him talking, laughing, and whispering with Adriana is enough to make him want to kill him.

 

He clenches and unclenches his fists, trying to control the rage that’s flooding through his body like a drug. He can see the two of them out of the corner of his eye, and it’s the moment when Dex lays a hand on Adriana’s bare shoulder that propels him onto action.

 

“Grayson? We’re not done.” Josie’s voice reaches him, and he realizes that his body is ten steps ahead of his brain. He’s left the interview, Cassie and everyone else behind, as he crosses the room, zeroing in on Adriana.

 

Dex’s sense of danger alerts him to Grayson’s menacing figure approaching, and he seems to look a little more uncertain than he had before. “Grayson, nice job with Kong the other night.” Dex raises his glass in salute, but Grayson isn’t even listening.

 

“Adriana, you ready to go?” He rests his hand possessively on her shoulder, pulling her closer against him.

 

“You’ve finished all your stuff, then?” Adriana waves vaguely back to where he’d just spent the past hour and sidles out of his hold, taking a step away from him.

 

Dex looks between the two of them, as if he’s trying to figure something out.

 

Grayson blows out a breath in frustration. “Yes, I’ve finished, so are you ready to go or what?” He sounds angry. He knows that, but he can’t seem to do anything to temper it down. Seeing her with Dex has done something to him, made him feel out of control. He doesn’t like it, not one bit.

 

“Hey, Fletcher, there’s no need to get all worked up over me talking to Adriana here. I thought you two were just friends.” Dex looks at him innocently, and Grayson has to resist the urge to wipe the smile off of his face.

 

“We are just friends.” Adriana looks like she’s actually buying this shtick of his. She had no idea that Dex never slept with the same woman twice; he sees every possible lay as a challenge to be overcome. He would say anything to get these women into bed. That had never bothered Grayson before, what Dex did as his own business. But not now, not when he was trying to do it to Adriana.

 

“There you are. What are you doing over here, baby? They wanted some photos to go with the interview.” The whining edge in Cassie’s voice grates on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. But he’s not focused on her, all he can see is the expression of hurt on Adriana’s face.

 

“Don’t worry, man. If you’re…busy…”—Dex gestures between Grayson and Cassie, making the suggestion of exactly what they’re going to be busy with drop—“I can take Adriana home.” He flashes her with that stupid, charming smile of his.

 

“Yeah, like hell you will.” Grayson squares up to Dex, ignoring his better judgment telling him not to make a scene, not now, not here.

 

“Grayson, stop it.” Adriana’s voice is urgent, and her hand on his arm is probably the only thing that’s stops him from swinging a punch.

 

“You want to fight me, Grayson? Right here, right now.” Dex levels him with a cold, hard stare and then drops his voice so that only Grayson can hear him. “Her pussy must be real sweet to get you this bent out of shape. I guess I’ll find out sooner or later.” He shrugs like Adriana is a foregone conclusion, and Grayson takes another step towards him.

 

“Easy, G.” Suddenly Tommy is in-between them, pushing them back from each other. “It’s not the time or the place.”

 

“Grayson.” Adriana’s voice brings him back to his senses. He realizes that they’re the center of attention. There were strict rules about fighting outside of the ring, and Dex was just trying to goad him into throwing the first punch.

 

“Let’s get out of here.” Grayson grabs hold of Adriana’s wrist and pulls her behind him.

 

“Nice to meet you, Adriana. Call me!” Dex’s laugh rings in Grayson’s ears, and he has to fight the urge not to turn around and give the guy the pounding of his life. He’ll get the chance to do that in the ring.

 

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Adriana finally wrenches herself free from his grip outside the limo. She’s breathing hard, and her eyes are flashing like fire.

 

“What’s the matter with me? What the hell’s the matter with you?” He’s so jacked he feels like he wants to tear his hair out. “What are you doing talking to Dexter?”

 

She folds her arms and raises her chin, an expression of determination that Grayson is becoming more and more familiar with. “The last time I checked I could talk to whomever I wanted to, Grayson!”

 

“He’s not a good guy, Adrie. He’s not someone you want to get involved with.” Grayson rubs his temples, trying to get Dex’s mocking words out of his head. He should have punched his teeth out for talking about Adriana like that.

 

“What? And you are? Is that what you’re saying, Grayson? That you’re a good guy? That you’re someone I should get involved with? Because the last time I checked, good guys didn’t sneak out of bed without a word, good guys didn’t disappear into thin air with no kind of explanation.” Adriana’s face is flushed, and she’s swaying a little as she talks.

 

“You’re drunk.” Grayson reaches out to steady her.

 

“Don’t touch me.” She pulls away from him so violently she looks like she’s in danger of toppling over. “And yeah, I’ve had a couple of drinks. Something you might have known if you had spent any time with me tonight.” Her bottom lip trembles, and she bites on it, a gesture that breaks Grayson’s heart.

 

“So that’s why you were talking to Dexter? Because you didn’t think that I was paying you any attention?” Grayson looks searchingly at her, frustrated that he can’t seem to get anything right.

 

“I was talking to Dex because he was nice and charming and funny and he was interested in me. Is that so hard to believe, Grayson? It wasn’t about you! It was about me!” Adriana shakes her head like she can’t believe how self-absorbed he’s being. “Goodbye Grayson.” She turns around and takes a step before he grabs her hand and spins her around.

 

“Where are you going?” How was it possible for one woman to be so goddam confusing, he wonders to himself?

 

“To get a taxi. I want to go home.” She goes to leave again, but Grayson hasn’t let go of her hand.

 

“Get in the car, Adrie. I’ll take you home.” He opens the passenger door and looks at her expectantly, but her face is creased into a frown.

 

“Don’t you get it? I’ve had enough! I’ve had enough, Grayson. So no, I’m not going to get in a car with you just so you can confuse me all over again.” She crosses her arms, and Grayson is surprised to see her eyes look like they’re filling with tears.

 

“Adrie.” His voice is filled with tenderness, as he pulls her towards him. He wraps his arms around her, wondering how it’s possible for someone to feel so good against him, like she belongs there. He holds her tighter as he feels her shaking. “Get in the car, Adrie. We need to talk.”