Page 44 of Keep Your Guard Up
“Borderline?” Franko asked from nearby.
“All because I left when he was asleep this morning?” I asked quietly. The guilt hit me like an explosion in my chest, followed by a strange seeping sensation as it spread across my tired, aching body.
“I warned you it would be your doom.”
Malicious, gross laughter found its way into my ears.
“I’d be pissed too if I got dumped by a frigid bitch with piss-poor pussy.”
I didn’t have time to spit back a retort before I glimpsed the thunderous expression on Chance’s face.
“Oh, shit. You’ve fucked it now,” JJ muttered.
The room went silent, and it was anything but tranquil.
The only noise being Chance’s phone bouncing across nearby mats where he’d thrown it aside. His footsteps had a calm grace to them, something I had learned was a common trait of only the deadliest of fighters.
‘Death’s Grace’ they called it.
Chance made it to Jayden’s side and single-handedlysnatchedhim up by the back of his sweaty shirt. Jayden began to sputter, clearly shocked and in fear of what was about to happen. Chance held him in front of him, facing the open roller door as he walked him outside, using onlyonehand, as if he was taking out a smelly bag of rubbish.
“Chance—” I started, getting up and going after him. JJ was instantly at my side. Distantly, the sound of people dropping from their planking positions echoed, their footsteps following ours.
“Chance! Chance … bro … please … What are you doing?” Jayden continued.
Chance stayed alarmingly silent as he walked him out into the middle of the carpark. He shoved Jayden forward, out of his grip.
Jayden turned around, confusion and panic written all across his face.
Then …THWACK!
Chance’s lead hand connected with Jayden’s jaw fast enough that I wondered if I’d imagined it, loud enough to know I hadn’t.
“Chance!” I lunged for them, but a sweaty arm wrapped around my stomach and pulled me back.
“No way in hell you’re getting in the middle of that,” JJ snarled.
“What?! JJ, you know what happens if we don’t stop this!” I panicked.
“Just … trust him. He’s got this.”
Chance landed another left hand to Jayden, this time cracking onto his cheekbone. Before he could recover, the right hand was already following through.
Jayden’s body landed with a thunk on the ground, groaning and whimpering in pain.
Chance stood over him and wrapped one of his large, calloused hands around Jayden’s bleeding throat. “In case you hadn’t realised, you’re no longer welcome in this gym.” Chance spoke with a calmness that rattled evenme. An icy, frosty tune of promised pain. Almost animalistic, the protective rage cascaded off him.
“That’s … not your call,” Jayden said between groans.
“Oh, I think you’ll find it is.” Chance yanked his hand away and turned to Jonesy, standing a few people to my left. He reached out and took the obnoxiously gold duffel bag from Jonesy before throwing it roughly against Jayden’s chest.
“You can’t kick me out!” he roared, blood spraying from his nose and over his mouth. His hazel eyes found me and darkened. Not in that heated, raw way that Chance’s had, but in true hatred. “My dad willendthis place and all of you in it.”
Chance’s brows flicked up in response. “You might want to go home, Jayden,” Chance said. “Seems like I’ve been there more than you have lately.”
Jayden’s face paled, making the crimson blood pouring over it look even darker.
Chance let out a breathy chuckle before stepping in close once again. “One more thing,” he breathed. “If you ever sayanythingabout her again, next time I won’tletyou get back up. Got it?”
