Tyler's Undoing (Gloves Off #1)(71)

“Darren, it’s okay,” I said, stepping in his path. “Tyler and I are on the same side here.” Turning to Tyler, I picked up my phone and checked to see if Kacey had called . . . nothing. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve tried calling and texting her, but she’s not responding. Kyle said she was sick and told him she wasn’t coming. You and I both know that’s a load of horse shit.”

“Goddammit,” Tyler hissed, angrily fisting his hands in his hair. “Where do you think she is?”

“Pax, man, we need to get going. Your fight starts in five minutes. You need to get into position, or you forfeit,” Darren warned regretfully.

As dread settled in the pit of my stomach, I could see the anguish in Tyler’s eyes. “I don’t think the problem is where she’s at, more so than who she’s with.”

Tyler’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”

“Did you notice Liam and Jordan weren’t with Kyle just a few minutes ago?”

“Holy f*ck,” he growled as realization set in. Turning on his heel, he started for the door and angrily slammed it open. “I’m going to find her.”

“I’m going too,” I announced. “If those cocksuckers are with her, you’re going to need my help.”

Impatiently, Tyler slammed the door and turned around. “No, you have to stay here. If you forfeit your fight, Kyle will know something’s wrong. Kacey wouldn’t want you missing this chance to win a title.”

“What about you? She would say the same thing to you. If you go and don’t get back in time, you’ll basically be letting Kyle win,” I exclaimed. “You can’t let that happen.”

“It doesn’t matter. Making sure Kacey is safe is the only thing on my mind right now. She’s worth more than any f*cking title.” With those last words, he disappeared out the door.

For the first time in my life, I felt helpless. I was worried about Kacey and I didn’t know what to do.

Darren stopped at my side and put his hand on my shoulder. “I know you want to help, but he’s right, you need to go out there and fight. You going out there will help Tyler more than you think.”

“How is that?” I asked blandly.

He turned and looked me in the eyes. “By you going out there, you will give him the time he needs to find Kacey and get back. Stretch the fight out for as long as possible, to the third round if you can. I know you can do this.”

Sighing, I nodded my head and opened the door. “Let’s do this.”

I’ll do it for Kacey.





“SON, WHAT ARE you doing?” my father shouted as I stormed past him into my room. He had everything ready on the table for me to tape up my hands, and he even had on his black and green T-shirt with Coach printed on the back.

“I’m going to get Kacey. She’s in trouble.” I grabbed my keys and started for the door, but my father stepped in my way.

“You can’t leave, Tyler. What about the fight . . . your title?”

Breathing hard, I closed my eyes and tried not to picture Kacey screaming for help with Liam’s hands all over her. I could feel the anger boiling in my veins.

“If I don’t get her, I’ll lose more than just the title, dad. She needs me right now.”

I expected my father to argue with me, but I was surprised when he nodded his head and opened the door. “Then I’m coming with you. You’re not going to do this alone. Now come on, let’s go. There’s still time.”

We started down the hall, pretending everything was okay, but as soon as we got outside of the arena, we both ran as fast as we could. I hadn’t seen my father run like that in years.

“Let’s take my truck. If anyone sees yours, it’ll blow our cover. Are Kyle’s goons with her?” he asked.

“I think his agent is. You know who Liam is, right?”

My father snarled, “How could I forget?”

“And I think the guy I beat up at the club is with her too. He’s one of Kyle’s friends.”

“Well, doesn’t this just keep getting better? Whatever happens, I want you to concentrate on getting Kacey. Let me handle the dirty work. You need to conserve your energy for the fight.”

Speeding down the road, I didn’t care if I got pulled over or not, I wasn’t going to stop until I got to Kacey’s. As far as conserving my energy, if anyone hurt her in any way, I wasn’t going to hold back. I wouldn’t be able to stop, even if I tried.





There was indeed another car in front of her house. The light was on in her bedroom, as well as in the living room and kitchen, but I couldn’t see in her windows because the blinds were closed.

“I’m going to park down the street and we can walk up.”

My father nodded and pulled out a small black bag from his glove compartment.

“What’s that?” I asked.

Smiling, he opened it up and inside were various lock picks of different sizes. “Do you know how many times I’ve left the keys to the gym at home? Your mother bought me these so I’d always have a way in.”

Quickly, we both got out of the truck and ran down the sidewalk, crouching behind a set of bushes at the edge of her yard.