Ryley's Revenge (Gloves Off #2)(6)

Once Gabriella left, I stormed inside and ignored everyone as I made my way to the one thing I wanted, to the one thing that could take my mind off of everything. Ripping off my shirt, I threw it on the floor, my heart pumping wildly in my chest. “It’s just you and me tonight. It’s time to bring on the pain.”

I swung hard, landing a hard right hook. Blood smeared on the leather punching bag, but I kept on going until all I could see was red.





By the time I made it home, it was one o’clock in the morning and my hands burned like fire. They looked like raw meat and it felt f*cking amazing.

“You are one sadistic son of a bitch,” my brother pointed out, looking at my wide smile and then down at my hands. He was seated on the couch, head cocked to the side so he could see me.

When I turned the corner into the living room, I didn’t expect to see a woman on her knees, slobbing his knob. She was naked and rubbing her clit as she sucked him off.

“Don’t you have a bedroom for that shit?” I grumbled, throwing my bag down. Turning away from them, I marched into the kitchen and poured a tumbler of whiskey.

“Yes,” Camden called, “but I have two other guests in there getting warmed up for me. Why don’t you go say hello? I’m sure they’d love to . . . ease your tension.”

Walking past him toward the stairs, I didn’t even give him a second look. “I’m not exactly in the mood for that shit, bro.”

“What’s gotten up your ass lately?” he hollered.

“I’ll give you one guess. And you of all people should understand how this one can get up your ass.”

Everything grew quiet and if my brother figured it out, he sure didn’t say anything about it. I shouldn’t have made that quip, but I was pissed and I wanted him and everyone else to leave me alone. I still vividly remembered the night when Ashleigh called and told me to drive to Malibu to get my brother; that she had tied him up to the bed and left him. He had been a complete dick to her and she paid him back by making him come all over himself by fingering his ass and jacking him off. Camden deserved it.

My brother and I used to pass women to each other left and right. It was a game I’d rather enjoyed playing, until Ashleigh came along. Even after she left, I still couldn’t play the game. But, I’d gotten pretty good at giving the illusion I was back to my old tricks. I couldn’t let Ashleigh know how bad she f*cked my shit up.





AFTER GETTING HOME from the airport, I fell asleep on the couch the second I sat down. I’d heard voices, but they’d muted to nothing before I was picked up and taken down the hall to my room. Once I was tucked in bed, underneath my sheets, I felt at home—and it was wonderful.

“Are you going to sleep all day?” A finger poked me in the shoulder. “Hey, I’m talking to you, lazy ass. It’s ten o’clock in the morning.”

The sound of Gabriella’s voice brought a smile to my face. “It’s good to see you too,” I chuckled. “I see you finally made it home.”

Opening up my eyes, I had to blink them a few times to see Gabriella’s face clearly. She was dressed in a black sports bra and black shorts with her hair pulled high in a ponytail, sitting on the edge of my bed. It must be training time.

“Yes, I made it home and if you weren’t passed out, I was going to jack your ass up. However, since Colin told me you weren’t feeling so hot, I left you alone. He headed out shortly after you fell asleep.” Jaw firm, her serious green gaze bore into mine; something was wrong.

Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and looked on cautiously. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fact that you and Ryley are going to be the death of me. I swear I don’t know what the hell to do with you two.”

“What are you talking about?”

She held up her hands, halting me. “Hold on a sec. I’ll admit, part of this whole thing is my fault since I didn’t get your text message. If I did, then I’m sure you wouldn’t have called Colin to pick you up.”

“Trust me, I didn’t want to call him.” Throwing off my covers, I slid off the bed and took off my T-shirt and shorts so I could get ready for a shower. I felt disgusting. “I didn’t know who else to call, Gabby. What’s so bad about him bringing me home? We’re friends.” Grabbing a towel, I headed into my bathroom and turned on the shower.

Gabriella joined me in the bathroom, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know that, but Ryley sure as hell doesn’t. He was under the impression you and Colin called it quits.”

Eyes wide, I shut the shower door and turned to her. “How did he find out? Did you tell him?”

Sighing, she shook her head. “No, I didn’t, but Tyler did, and what’s worse is that Ryley saw you at the airport with him.”

You have got to be f*cking kidding me. “What were you two doing at the airport?”

“Oh, you’re going to love this. We were going to Aspen.”

The moment Aspen fell out of her mouth, my heart stopped in my chest and I felt sick. He was coming for me.

“Yeah,” she continued, “and I guess, you and Colin happened to look like more than just friends. Or as Ryley put it ‘arms draped all over each other’ or some shit.”