Path To Resolution (Fighter's Den, #5)

Chapter 21 - Wolfe

Jesus, kill me. This is fucking awkward. I feel the back of my neck grow warm and look down because what the hell do I say to that? Coach talks to me about boxing or computers and occasionally Gramps but never women. Christ.

I hear him sigh again and look up to find him scrubbing a hand over his face. "You fucking morons. Every single one of you with your poor broken hearts and whiny attitudes when you fuck things up with the women you love. And you idiots always let it affect your fighting, always getting distracted. It's like you're on another planet right now and this is your first professional match for fuck's sake."

I honestly have no idea if he's scolding me about my fighting or my inexperience with women but either way I grimace. When I finally meet his eyes he's watching me curiously.

"Which one is it? The girl you're losing your head over. Do I know her?"

Does he? I don't think I've ever seen Coach and Melanie interact but I'm sure he's seen her around.

Out of nowhere, Cameron's head pops between the ropes. "It's Lenny! I was reading your lips. That's what we're talking about, right?"

My head whips toward him incredulously. I could fucking strangle him. It's beyond me how he knows that or how he kept up with our conversation this entire time.

Coach startles, turning around and scowling at a gloating Cam. "You better get the fuck out of here West, or I'll have you sitting in the family room the whole match."

"That's an awfully rude way of saying thank you but fine," He goes back to his seat in the front row.

Coach pinches the bridge of his nose before turning to me again and it takes everything to hold back my smile. Most of his energy is spent babysitting Cameron than training any of us. "Is it really Lenny?"

That sobers me up and my head jerks in a reluctant nod. Coach instantly starts chuckling and...I officially have no idea what the fuck is going on.

"That look on your face suddenly makes a lot more sense, boy. That girl is a ball-buster if I've ever seen one so you better fix whatever it is you fucked up. You won't get jack shit from a girl like her until you're grovelling."

Isn't that the fucking understatement of the century? I've never really grown close to a woman before, don't know how this shit works, but even I know that Melanie requires more effort because she's nothing like these other girls.

"Lenny Parks," Coach chuckles again and I just about roll my eyes. He's having way too much fun with this. "Of all the easy bimbos that have thrown themselves at you, you went and chose the most stubborn woman on the planet. She's probably the only one who can handle your bullshit, isn't she? You're in a lot of fucking trouble."

The look on my face couldn't be more exasperated if I tried. Coach notices, coughing into his fist that suspiciously sounds more like laughter before holding his hands up in surrender. I think it's funny to him because he didn't quite expect me to fall for anyone, never mind the toughest chick there was. But he's right. Nobody can handle me or keep me in check like Melanie and after this match, I most definitely have a lot of grovelling to do. I'm on the cusp of losing her and that's not fucking happening.

"Time to get serious," He demands and everything else is instantly forgotten. I sit in the folding chair in my corner before he has the chance to ask because I know I'm about to get one of his speeches. I've heard a lot of them over the years and somehow, each time he gives one it's different. That's why I listen raptly, straining my ears against the roaring audience.

"You're different from these other fighters in a lot of ways, Emerson. While your size would be an advantage in other sports it sure as fuck ain't in this one. You cut down muscle since our training started but you're still naturally bulky. You won't have the speed your opponent has. Don't get confident in there thinking you can overpower him on muscle alone. A slippery motherfucker is worse than a weak one because you'll spend all your energy trying to catch him. Then when you have nothing left he'll strike and he'll do it faster than you can keep up with. For maybe the first time in your life, your size is not an advantage. You can't depend on it in the ring, hear me?"