Unleashed (A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance) by Emilia Kincade Page B

great.” He thumps my chest hard. “You’ll need that. Expand those possibilities, that horizon, and you’ll have a counter for nearly everybody you fight.”
    “Alright, Coach,” I say, nodding.
    “By the way, the school is kicking us out.”
    I bunch my brow, and eye Coach. “What do you mean?”
    “The parents have been complaining, say that outside of wrestling – because it’s a national pastime – the school shouldn’t allow any other forms of fighting lessons. They say it endorses violence.”
    “What’s the difference?”
    “Wrestling is very American,” he tells me with a smile. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”
    I open my mouth to speak, but he silences me with a wave of his hand.
    “I’ve got my own place set up, the cage will be moved there, all the gear. I’ll send you the address by email, okay?”
    “You moving it yourself?”
    “Yeah, I’ll just stick it in my truck, do a couple of trips.”
    “Over the weekend?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Need any help?”
    Coach laughs. “Damn it, Chance, you’re a young man, and you’ve just graduated. Go enjoy yourself.”
    “Fighting is all I want to do.”
    “Then work on it, but I can handle the move.”
    “Sure?”
    Coach sighs angrily. “Don’t ask me again. Go on, we’re done for today. Mickey!” Coach yells. “Come here and tap fists with Chance.”
    I grin at Mickey. His temper has cooled, and he smiles back. “Fuck you, Chance,” he says.
    “Anytime you want to practice against someone better than you,” I tell him.
    We tap fists, and then Mickey disappears quickly out of the gym.
    Coach pounds me on the back with an open palm, and then grips my shoulder, turns me to him. “You ready for the fight on Monday?”
    “Yeah,” I say.
    “You studied the tape?”
    “Every move. I’ll own him.”
    “Don’t be so cocky, Rogers is a good fighter, and he’s older than you. He’s got experience. Afterward you’re up against either Chang or Marshall. Don’t underestimate them. Chang’s quicker than you, and you don’t need me to tell you about Marshall.”
    “I know,” I tell Coach. “But I’m not going to lose.”
    Coach grips the back of my head, stares into my eyes. “Don’t get overconfident.”
    “I won’t.”
    “Good, I’ll see you a couple of hours beforehand for warm-ups.”
    “Okay,” I tell him, starting to untape my wrists.
    That’s when I notice Cassie sitting in the bleachers.
    Her eyes are on my topless, sweating body.



Chapter Ten

“Come to see me topless?”
    He’s wearing this arrogant smirk like he thinks he’s just hit the nail on the head, like he thinks he’s right.
    He’s only half-right, but like I’m going to tell him that.
    “No.”
    “After the beach yesterday, you’re hooked.”
    I groan. “Oh my God, Chance. I’m here to see Coach.”
    I’m determined not to talk about yesterday, determined not to even think about it when I’m with him.
    I don’t want him sensing that I am. I don’t want him feeling like he’s got some kind of advantage over me.
    Because damned if I’ll ever let myself be at a disadvantage.
    “Why?”
    “He still owes me a reference letter, since he’s the head of physical education.”
    “Were you good at sports?”
    “I certainly wasn’t bad,” I tell him, folding my arms.
    “So that’s a no, then.”
    “Could you just… not be annoying today? Are you capable of that?”
    Despite my attempting not to, my eyes creep up and down his body. In his tiny fighting shorts he somehow toes the line of silliness, while still managing to look hot as hell.
    There’s just something about bright colored shorts on a man… maybe it’s because it reminds me of a lifeguard.
    “Like what you see?”
    I grimace. “Please.”
    “You can have it, if you want.”
    “I… don’t. ”
    He sits down next to me, and continues unraveling the tape from his hands. I’m honestly surprised to see that he has to tape up his wrists and hands three or four