Page 16 of Fury

“We weren’t actually fooling around until we were fifteen, so maybe nine months at a push,” I argue. “And again, we were just kids.”

“You had sex,” says Jorja. “You were together.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” I say dismissively. “He’s not how I remember him.”

“Was he always so fit?” asks Julianna.

I watch the way Fury moves around the ring with grace, despite him being over six-foot and well-built. “He always loved to fight,” I say wistfully, remembering how he’d train hard in the local gym with some old guy who’d boxed for years. “It was the only time he was happy.”

“But I bet he didn’t always look like that,” says Jorja, grinning.

I take in the tattoos crawling over his thick muscles, loving the way his skin glistens under the lights. He always had a good body, but nothing compared to how he is now. “Donnie has a good body too,” I point out.

“Hey, we’re not comparing,” says Jorja innocently.

“All I’m saying is if there was a dark room and I was stuck between those two, I know I’d climb that huge fucker first,” adds Julianna, and both girls burst into laughter.

I roll my eyes, shaking my head with amusement.

There’re huge cheers from the crowd as Fury hits his opponent hard in the face, causing him to fall against the ropes. The referee gets between them, waving his arms, and Fury grins, holding both arms in the air. “What’s happening?” I ask.

“Your man just won,” says Jorja.

“He’s not my man,” I hiss.

“Good, cos if there’s an after-party, I fully intend to talk to him.”

Donnie slipshis hand into mine while I’m patiently waiting at the bar. “Are you enjoying the evening?” he asks.

“Very much,” I say with a smile. “Thank you.”

“Your friends wasted no time introducing themselves to my boxer,” he says, nodding to where Fury has just stepped into the room freshly showered and is now chatting with Jorja and Julianna.

“They have no decorum,” I joke, forcing a smile, but inside, I feel a pang of jealousy.

“Let me introduce you properly,” he adds, leading me towards them before I can refuse.

“I met him already,” I say, pulling back a little.

“Not officially,” says Donnie. “Well done,” he says to Fury and holds his hand out. Fury eyes it with contempt before taking it. “You did well. I see you’ve met Xanthe’s friends, so I thought I’d introduce you to Xanthe officially,” he says, smiling back at me. “Xanthe, this is Fury. Fury, this is Xanthe.”

Fury holds out his hand, and I take it, ignoring the spark of electricity shooting up my arm at our contact. “Nice to meet you properly,” I mutter. “Well done.”

“You should get your eye checked again,” says Donnie, and I glance up to see the old cut above Fury’s eye has split open again, leaking blood down his face.

“Oh, leave it. It adds to the effect,” says Jorja with a flirtatious smile.

“I can seal it,” I offer, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

Donnie glances back, frowning. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

“I’m fine,” says Fury. “It’s just a scratch.”

“That is bleeding down your face,” says Donnie stiffly. “Xanthe will look at it for you.”

I don’t miss the way Fury rolls his eyes in irritation before turning back towards the door he just came from. I follow, struggling to keep up as he marches ahead and into another room.

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