Read Online Shades of Step Billionaire by Jenna Harlow - Free Book Online Page A

Fuck. He had never been in this situation before. Infatuated. He felt like a fucking school boy with a crush. The frustration had been building all week, and his patience was wearing thin. He was done letting her have the upper hand. He looked down at his shoe and realized he had still not tied the laces. Just then the locker room door opened.
    “Yo Jeremy, let’s go!” a man’s voice yelled.
    He stood up and pulled on his head gear, hastily fastening the strap.  He was late, again getting caught up in thoughts of her.  It happened a lot this week. His focus had been completely compromised. He couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t refrain from imagining, visualizing, fantasizing about her. He saw her face while giving presentations, her body while on the phone, her mouth open and craving while he wrote purchase agreements. She was everywhere, but nowhere. He stood up and slammed his locker shut, hard. Once out on the gym floor, he caught up with his sparring partner, Will.
    “Hey man,” he said.
    “Hey,” Will replied. Jeremy appreciated the minimal conversation. Will was a good trainer and sparring partner. He didn’t take it easy on him, he worked him, hard .  He had learned a lot from Will. Jeremy preferred to go to a public gym in the city instead of a privileged member’s only club that catered to spoiled rich men. Those clubs only pretended to teach you how to fight, but how could you really know how to spar if no one has the guts to clock you? He had lost respect for a lot of the guys who took the easy way at the pricy club. They showed up with a lot of bravado and tough talk but at the end of the day, they couldn’t fight, not really. Jeremy had searched out someone with experience, someone who could teach him, and someone who didn’t give a shit how much money he had. He found Will at a public gym in the city.  A former light weight and MMA fighter, he had the experience and toughness Jeremy was looking for.  Jeremy asked if Will would train him right away and they’ve worked together ever since.
    Once in the ring, Jeremy danced and bobbed, avoiding jabs and throwing out a few punches of his own, but he was off his game.  Will’s glove came toward him causing him to duck, but not fast enough. He took a right hook to the head, followed by an upper cut. He stumbled and fell backward, landing on the rough canvass.
    “Hey man, what’s going on with you tonight? I’ve never been able to kick your ass like this. Your head’s not in the game. Jeremy shook his head and stood up.
    “I’m fine,” he lied.
    “Bullshit,” he said.  Jeremy started to shuffle his feet again. Will danced up to him, eyeing him with a glint of knowing on his face. 
    “I see how it is, women trouble,” Will smiled, tauntingly. Jeremy swung wildly at that. Will ducked, easily missing the punch. “See? You are totally off your game, dude,” he paused, dancing in front of Jeremy, ducking several jabs. “So what happened, did a female actually turn you down for once?  Turn tables on the playboy billionaire?” Will never brought up Jeremy’s wealth.  He was taunting him, baiting him to lose control.  It was a teaching moment, and even though Jeremy recognized it for what it was, he still fell for it. He swung again, wildly. Will side stepped his throw and got in a hook into Jeremy’s side.
    “You’re just gonna wear yourself out with swings like that.  The least you could do is channel that frustration into your fight.  Make it work for you!” Jeremy focused on what Will was saying, trying to clear his head and focus his energy. Will cut left and Jeremy caught him with a hook, followed by a swift upper cut and a jab straight to the chest, causing Will to stumble backwards into the ropes. Will burst out laughing. “You’re a fast learner, that’s for sure.”
    Jeremy hit the showers after their sparing session.  As he stood under the stream of warm water, he thought about what Will had said, to channel and