Fighting for Love by L.P. Dover Read Free Book Online Page B

each step.
    “Matt, I’m so sorry,” I cried. “I left because I loved you … and I still do.”
    Leaning over on the window sill, he hung his head and blew out a shaky breath, lifting his arms defiantly. “I just don’t understand. I feel like I’m missing something here. You don’t leave the people you love, Shelby. That’s not how it works. You, of all people, knew the hell I went through after my father left.”
    I nodded and bit my lip hard, trying desperately to keep it together. “I know, and if there was a way to make it up to you or turn back time I would. It’s the only regret I’ve lived with for the past ten years.”
    Lifting his head, he sighed and turned to face me, his gaze weary. “I have too many regrets to count, too many bad choices.”
    My gut clenched, and there it was below the surface, the jealousy that always arose when the thought of Matt with someone else plagued my mind.
    “Yes, I know,” I said dryly. “I’ve seen a lot of those bad choices over the years.”
    Grabbing the stack of files off my desk, I moved over to my filing cabinet and started putting them away, maybe a little harder than necessary. He didn’t just make too many bad choices; he made a shit ton multiplied by a thousand. I had no right to get angry over all the women he’d been with, but dammit if it didn’t make me sick to my stomach.
    “Shelby,” he murmured reluctantly. “I—”
    “You know, I went to several of your fights,” I interrupted him as if he didn’t speak, glancing back at him for only a second. “Yeah, so needless to say, I know what kinds of things went down after them. The one time I built up the nerve to confront you in your room after the fight with Jacob Whittaker was the first and last attempt I ever made. Not only did I hear what went down in that room, I also watched you walk out with not just one but two women.”
    Slamming the cabinet door shut, I turned around and stayed where I stood, my chin defiantly in the air. Matt’s face had grown pale, but being the fighter that he was he wasn’t backing down. He stalked across the office until he stood right before me, his body only a breath away.
    “Okay, so I’ve made mistakes, but so have you,” he pointed out. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t stay innocent over the years, either. Right now I’d say we’re both fifty shades of fucked up. The question is … what are we going to do about it?”
    I have no clue.
    I shrugged. “I don’t know. What can we do about it? The damage has been done.”
    Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, he lingered there for a second before trailing his finger down my cheek. “That may be so, but I’m pretty sure the damage can be fixed,” he murmured gently, moving his body closer.
    I’m not so sure of that , I wanted to say, but there was nothing wrong with letting him try.
    A quick knock on the door jolted us out of the moment. Once I stepped away, in walked my boss, Bryan Winters, with his head down. He strolled in with a handful of files in his arms, looking through the papers completely oblivious to what just went down.
    “Shelby, please tell me you have Cooper Davis’ file in here. I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I want to do another piece on him since he’s back in California playing for Oakland,” he grumbled, sounding frustrated. Matt stepped out to the side and turned around so he could face my boss, which got Bryan’s attention. When he glanced up, his eyes went wide.
    “Oh my goodness,” Bryan gasped. “Please forgive me for the intrusion, Mr. Reynolds. I promise I have better manners than this, but I didn’t realize you would be coming to the office today. I’m Bryan Winters,” he said, introducing himself and extending his hand.
    Matt smiled and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Winters. I was letting Shelby here know that I have a promotional photo shoot tomorrow before the fight in Sacramento, and I thought she might be interested in