Kyle's Return (Gloves Off #5)
L.P. Dover
THIS THANK YOU goes out to all of you who have supported me and given my writing a chance. Without you, there would be no fighters for me. Which would be a shame because I love Ryley. :) Now that my series has come to a close, I would like to mention some people who I wouldn’t have been able to do it without.
My husband, for one, has been one of my top supporters. He hates it when I work all the time, but he knows I love doing it. Even though he wants me to kill off some of my favorite characters, I still love him.
My best friend in the whole world, Kim Walker, gets the Medal of Honor. She’s always there when I need her and goes through great lengths to help me out. Her worth can seriously not be measured.
The Dream Team—Victoria and Regina. One edits my books and makes them shine while the other beautifies the outside and brings them to life. The perfect combination.
I also want to thank my formatter, Julie Titus with JT Formatting, for making the inside of my books unique. I love the creative twist she puts in them.
Lastly, I want to mention someone who was a dear friend of mine and my husband’s. He was a fighter. Not literally an MMA fighter, but a fighter in heart and spirit. He fought against cancer and chose to be strong for those he loved. Sadly, the battle could only be fought for so long, but he made sure to live out every day to the fullest. Kerry Rushing was a good man and a loyal friend. He will always be loved and missed.
***
A CAR DOOR slammed in my driveway. Rushing down the stairs, I opened the door wide with a smile on my face. Unfortunately, it wasn’t who I was expecting. It was my ex-boyfriend, Alex.
He must have been released from prison today. And at that very moment, I regretted living in a house where my neighbors were over a half a mile away. He looked different from the last time I’d seen him. His light brown hair was shaggy and unkempt and his face wasn’t smooth like he’d always kept it. He looked rough and angry.
“You’re not supposed to be here. I have a restraining order.”
He held his arms out wide. “Does it look like I give a f*ck?”
“Maybe you should,” I said, slamming the door. Heart racing, I locked the door before he barreled his body into it. I choked down my fear and rose above it. Ryley and Gabby had taught me self-defense . . . I wasn’t weak anymore. Repeating that over and over in my mind, I raced up the stairs to my room and grabbed my cell phone.
“Open the door you stupid cunt. Did you honestly think I’d leave you alone?” He beat against the door a couple more times, threatening to kill me, but then all too sudden everything was quiet. The silence was deafening.
I quickly dialed 911 and gave them the information they needed.
“Can you stay on the phone with me, Miss West?” the dispatcher asked. As soon as she asked it, a loud boom along with shattering glass made me yelp.
“I can’t. I’ll be dead if I do.” I hung up the phone and threw it onto my bed. More glass shattered down below and since I was upstairs, I had nowhere else to go.
“Where are you hiding this time?” he taunted. “You know I love the chase.”
The sound of his voice made me infuriatingly sick. To give me more time, I quietly shut my bedroom door and locked it. It wouldn’t keep him out, but it’d give me the seconds I needed. His footsteps thundered up the stairs and before he could get to my door, I already had the window open. It was a long drop, but I had no choice. I wasn’t afraid of a little pain. I’d felt enough of it over the last year.
Alex kicked the door open and when his eyes met mine, he was in for a surprise. The weak girl he once f*cked over wasn’t there anymore.
“You want to chase me, f*ckface? Come and get me.”
He lunged, but then I kicked my leg over the side and fell to the ground, rolling to take the pressure off my legs. I didn’t think he’d do the same thing, but he jumped out of the window, cutting off my escape. Instead of running away, I picked up a large branch that was lying on the ground and swung it at his face.
His head snapped to the side and blood spewed from his mouth. I tried to swing again, but he blocked it. “You wanna see blood, cunt? I’ll be happy to show you yours.”
Yanking the branch out of my hands, he tossed it across the yard. I already knew he was faster than me, so running wasn’t an option. I just had to survive until the police got there which was why I got into the crouching position Ryley taught me, ready for anything.
Alex chuckled darkly. “What the hell is this shit? You don’t think you’re actually going to fight me do you?”
“I’ll do what I have to do.”
He lunged and I jumped out of his way, slamming a punch to the right side of his face. He growled and backhanded me across the cheek, throwing me off balance. The blow stung and my eyes watered; he was quicker than I thought. The breath whooshed out of my lungs as he tackled me to the ground and punched me. I could feel the blood oozing out of my nose.
“Ah, now that’s what I like to see.” He swiped the blood with his thumb. “But unfortunately, it’s not where I want you to bleed.”
I gave in and let him touch me, making him think I was backing down. If I ever got the chance, I’d make sure to cut off his hands so he couldn’t hit anyone else ever again. The grass felt like razors against my skin and his grip was rough as he squeezed my breast. My face throbbed and my left eye was swollen, but my anger fed off of that pain. I hated him with every fiber of my being.