Undefeated - A New Adult Romance Novel by Scott Hildreth Read Free Book Online Page A

can’t leave the house. Let’s see,” she paused , looked out the window and bobbed her head up and down playfully to the music playing.
    “He monitors my text messages, phone calls, spending, and tells me I’m a dirty slut and a whore,” she turned and looked back in my direction.
    Her eyes were welled with tears, but none fell.
    I gritted my teeth and tried n ot to show my anger. People like Kace’s husband make me develop an anger that is only fed by changing or fixing the situation. When I box, I often tell myself that my opponent is abusing a woman. It’s a way that allows me to become at peace with fighting someone that hasn’t really done anything to deserve the beating that they receive.
    “Have you cheated on him?” I asked.
    “Oh heck no,” she said.
    “You’re not married?” I asked.
    “No, thank God,” she shook her head and wiped her eyes.
    “Do you believe in fate?” I asked.
    “I suppose so, what do you mean?” she asked.
    “Well, I moved here two years ago from Compton, California. I bump ed into you at the drug store. Then I saw you again at the office across the street. I can’t get you off of my mind. It’s as if you’re pumping through my veins, like you have infected me. Meeting you once might have been an accident, maybe happenstance. But meeting you twice, it’s fate. I don’t know what the end will bring, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to find out,” I reached into my hood and rubbed my hair with my hands.
    “Yeah, Austin is a huge city. I suppose running into me twice would be almost impossible . So, you came here from Compton? Isn’t that like the ghetto?” she asked.
    “My father was an active duty Marine, so I lived with my grandfather. He had lived there for decades and refused to move. But yeah, it’s the ghetto. It kind of made me who I am, I suppose,” I pushed the hood off of my head and rubbed my hair with my fingertips.
    “Here’s your lunch,” the waitress said as she sat the plates down.
    “Thank you, ma’am,” I said as she stepped back from the booth.
    The waitress looked at me and smiled. She was tall, thin, and probably in her mid-fifties. Her skin was very tan, probably from countless after work hours relaxing in the sun. More than likely she was the single victim of a relationship that was once like Kace’s. Most of the older waitresses in diners were. As I returned the smile she turned and walked away. 
    “So is your fath er out of the military now?” Kace asked.
    “No , he was killed in Afghanistan doing what he loved - fighting,” I said.
    “I’m so sorry,” she said, her hands cupped over her mouth.
    I looked out the window.
    “Don’t be. He begged to go back, each time. He knew nothing else. He couldn’t make sense of being here in the United States after his first tour. I think it was the only way he could make the war seem like it was right or just . Anyway, he died doing what he loved,” I turned from the window and focused on her face.
    “So, can you leave him and go live with your parents?” I asked.
    “No. He hasn’t let me see either of my parents for years. My relationship with them has deteriorated. He hates both of my parents. I think they hate him,” she said as she picked up her sandwich.
    She was so matter of fact about everything - like it really didn’t matter. This piece of shit of a human being had manipulated and controlled her to a point that she really didn’t realize everything that he had done to her.
    “He doesn’t let you see your parents?” I asked, shocked at this statement.
    “ No,” she responded, shaking her head.
    “He doesn’t let you. Interesting . What’s his name?” I asked.
    “Josh,” she responded after finishing her bite of sandwich.
    I shook my head and unzipped my hoodie. The more I thought about this guy, the hotter it seemed to be.
    “What are you, Kace?” I asked.
    She looked at me with a confused look on her face, and then appeared that she had a