Page 130 of A Bond Beyond Blood

I had years on Vinny Ricci.Decades.

I couldn’t lose.

Chapter Forty-Two

Vinny

Gannon swung and missed, and I rolled my eyes.“Again,” I instructed.“And hit like you mean it.”

He roared as he charged forward, missing again.

Since he apparently wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon and had made himself quite at home in both my apartmentandwith my girl, I’d begun sparring with the kid to let off steam a few weeks ago.I couldn’t pretend that slamming my fists into the little fucker who was trying to steal my girl didn’t feel fucking amazing.

I could allow her to figure out where her heart belonged, but I didn’t enjoy it.How could I?I was completely in love with Jacqueline Fiorino; wanting her for myself was only natural.

But I wasn’t the only one.I knew that.And as much as I hated it, Gannon loved her first.He’d had every first that mattered with that girl—including her first broken heart.I hated that he’d held her heart in his hands and thrown it away, but now he wanted it back.Wanted her back.

And she hadn’t been able to resist his return.

Fine.

I could be patient.

My fist slammed into his cheek and spittle flew from his mouth as his head whipped to the side.

“Hands up,” I growled.“Protect your face.”Smirking, I said, “Or don’t.Fuck if I care.”Maybe if his face wasn’t so goddamned pretty, my girl would lose interest.

Gannon stumbled backwards, then righted himself and brought his hands up, coming toward me once more.We danced around the ring, his eyes swollen but healing quickly, and the blood dripping from his mouth came from a wound that would quickly stitch itself back together.

So I swung again, slamming my fist into the same spot, grinning when a fresh spray of blood spewed from the wound.

“Fuck,” he roared, draping his arm over the ropes.“Time.”

“There are no time outs, kid.”I danced from foot to foot in front of him, taunting him with a wide smile.“Fight me, you little fuck.”

“I can’t,” he said, breathing heavily.“You’re a freaking champion!”

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