Read Online Harvest Moon by Lisa Kessler - Free Book Online Page B

Pack greeting before he pulled me into a tight hug. He stepped back and took the other chair on the porch.
    “Bring me up to speed.”
    I stared at my hands. The ache in my joints did nothing to deaden the hunger in my heart. I’d hurt her tonight. I hurt her to save her. Didn’t make it any easier, or me any less of an asshole. It was fucking unfair, and I needed to lash out before the club closed.
    “The nurse who helped me with Dad is here. Locked in my bedroom.”
    Jared raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curving into a crooked smile. “Pretty kinky, bro.”
    I shook my head with a disgusted chuckle. “I wish.” I met his eyes. “She’s my mate.”
    His grin spread, but I put my hand up to silence him before he could congratulate me. “She also hates my guts and thinks I’m a liar.”
    “So my brother finally believes in mates and she isn’t interested?”
    “Fate is fucking hilarious, right?”
    He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, man. Anything I can do?”
    “Yeah. Stay here and make sure she’s safe. I need to go take care of something.” I closed my fist, rubbing my knuckles with my other hand. “It won’t take long.”
    “You know beating the shit out of someone isn’t going to change anything.”
    “Can’t make it any worse,” I growled, my tone a little louder than I intended. I sucked in a slow breath through my teeth and met his eyes. “I need to blow off some steam. Can you stay or not?”
    He stood up, arms crossed over his chest. “I guess I’m wasting my time reminding you that you haven’t healed up from your last stress relief .”
    “Just be sure she stays here. Nero is looking for her. I won’t be gone long.”
    “Yoga hardly ever punches back.”
    “That’s why it won’t help.” I went to my car and turned back. “Thanks, Jared.”
    He shook his head. “Don’t thank me for letting you get your ass beat.”
    T he fight club was inside an old furniture warehouse, long forgotten by most. Outside there was no new signage, just a faded, half-broken F OR L EASE sign. Three silent partners had purchased the building, and Todd recruited and managed the fight boards.
    They’d be closed in an hour. If I was lucky, I could grab the final spot. Since I still held the club champion title, the other fighters would want to challenge me, but no one would be expecting me back tonight, not after last night’s match.
    Marv’s eyes widened when I came in the door with my gym bag. “Wolf. You come in to watch?”
    “No.” I narrowed my eyes at the brackets on the far wall. “I’m here to fight.”
    “B-but you just beat Shark last night.” He pointed a timid finger at my eye. “You ain’t healed yet.”
    I shrugged, walking toward the ring. “I’ll survive.”
    Marv tailed after me, but no amount of talking could stop me. I came here for something real. Pain, focus, and maybe a taste of being in control of my own destiny for a little while.
    “Wolf!” Todd called from the makeshift grandstand. It was probably an old set of risers from a high school choir, but it served its purpose either way. “Just in time for the final bracket. Want in on it?”
    “Who’s still standing?”
    He checked his clipboard before scanning the club. He poked his thumb toward a big guy working the medicine ball in the corner. “Bruiser.”
    Bruiser turned, his lips pulling back into an eager sneer. His partially toothless smile reminded me of a hockey player who forgot to wear a mouthpiece. We were similar in height, but he had to outweigh me by at least fifty pounds.
    This wasn’t going to be pretty.
    “I’m in.”
    “Final bout…” Todd shouted. “Bruiser against our club champion, Wolf!”
    I headed for the locker room. Five minutes to the bell. Already adrenaline laced my blood stream, feeding on my festering rage. Yeah, this was going to get ugly.
    I stood in the center of the ring, toe to toe with Bruiser while Bob rattled off the fight club rules. Bob had refereed