Grayson: A Bad Boy Romance by Amy Love Read Free Book Online Page A

world. The answer was—not all that far. That said, she loved that the place was hers and hers alone; it was her little oasis of calm. Willow hadn’t understood why she wanted a place of her own, but she’d respected Adriana’s decision, besides it wasn’t like she needed the rent money. Willow had even helped her paint the walls of her new place in bright blues and yellows, happy colors that reminded her of the photos that her father had shown her of Cuba.
     
    Adriana used to wonder if that’s why her mother had left them, because Philadelphia hadn’t lived up to her expectations of what life in the US should have been. It wasn’t colorful or vibrant like Cuba had been. Not for the first time, Adriana thinks that her mom would have loved Miami. Perhaps she’s here, part of the immense Cuban community. Adriana doesn’t think all that much of her mother anymore. She doesn’t know enough about her to wonder what she’s like, what she’s doing, or why she had left her father and her when she was so young.
     
    But tonight, it isn’t her mother who is on her mind; it is Grayson Fletcher, the man who kept her awake night after night, crying into her pillow. She’d resolved not to waste any more time thinking about him. She reasoned that since he’d left without a word, he didn’t deserve her tears. But here he was, ten years later, and the way that he made her feel hadn’t changed one bit. Just the thought of him makes her skin tingle. It’s like her whole body is more alive when she’s near him.
     
    She replays their conversation in her head over and over, and each time she watches it unfold she feels more embarrassed. First, she had been unable to speak, then she had suffered from verbal diarrhea, all the while he had been looking around, clearly wishing that he was somewhere else, wishing that she had spilled her drink on anyone but him. She’d put him out of her mind ten years ago, and she can do the same thing again now. But when she closes her eyes, all she sees is a boy with curly hair and a smile that makes her heart skip a beat.
     

 
    GRAYSON
     
    Not even four hours of sleep, and Grayson is feeling like crap as West runs him ragged on the beach.
     
    “I told you, you rock up with a hangover, you’re gonna regret it!” West shouts over his shoulder, as he cycles ahead of Grayson.
     
    “And like I told you, I don’t get a hangover from two freakin’ beers, West.” Grayson breathes hard, as he struggles to catch up with the bike, knowing that his coach is cycling hard to stay ahead of him.
     
    “If it’s not the booze, then where the hell is your head at, G? Because it’s not here, and it’s not on the damn fight, which is all you should be thinking about.” West shakes his bald head, but the anger in his voice is tinged with concern. “If you don’t win this fight, it’s more than just your rankings that are on the line. If you can’t pay him back, Grayson, then you know there’s going to be trouble.”
     
    Grayson pushes on, ignoring the burning sensation in his quads as he sprints past West’s bike, channeling everything into the physical effort. He stops abruptly, leaning down and taking deep breaths in, trying to stop himself from vomiting from the exertion.
     
    West pulls up beside him and lays a paternal hand on his shoulder. “I’m not trying to get your back up, kid. I just don’t want to see you ruin this for yourself, not when you’re so close.”
     
    Grayson looks up at the man who has been more like a father to him than his own ever had, and he nods reassuringly. “I know, West. I’m going to get it done, don’t worry. Then, after this fight, Morrison will finally be off my back, for good.”
     
    Just the thought of it was enough to make Grayson’s shoulders relax. Morrison had taken him out of the ring that fateful night and helped him make more money than he had ever seen before winning and throwing fights. But there was a price, there always was. As