Page 36 of Boxer Next Door

Work had been piling up. It was a bit surprising, how much I still needed to put into the business, even with someone else helping out. Most of the administrative work fell on my shoulders, and more often than not I stayed late to lock up, though the trainer I’d hired had told me he wouldn’t mind locking up since he stuck around until the last customers left anyway.

I was too much of a coward to admit to myself I hadn't taken him up on the offer because it was convenient for me.

I sighed to myself once home was in sight. I planned to go right to bed, maybe even catch something to eat before I went to sleep.

That idea went down the drain immediately when I glanced at Lydia’s house on reflex and saw a man standing on her doorstep.

Who was that…?

My first response was to overreact. I could have hit myself in the next second for even considering Lydia could have anything in common with my ex. I probably had the wrong idea, and I needed to talk to her before just jumping to conclusions. I parked my car and got out, still staring at them in curiosity.

That was when I noticed how stressed Lydia looked because I was paying attention now. She had one hand on the door, the other on the doorjamb like she was blocking the man from entering. She had a tightly worn expression, one I’d never seen on her face before. Then she slammed the door in the man’s face.

What the fuck?

I’d never seen Lydia act like that. Not that I got to see her interact with many people, since a lot of our time together was spent in her bedroom, but still. The reaction was too unexpected, all directed at this particular man who was still standing on her doorstep as if expecting her to open up for him again?

She didn’t, which was consoling, but I realized I was angry that this man was even here.

This fuckwad… who is he, and what did he do to upset my Lydia?

The possessive thought jumped in my mind suddenly, and though I’d been avoiding her before and at times too busy to find a moment for us to share, I didn’t bother lying to myself. I’d missed her over the past few weeks because it was hard to get even a glimpse of her. I’d known before, if I saw her, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself going to her right away, that was how deep I was already. That was the main reason I hadn’t allowed my new employee to lock up. The delay kept me from seeing her.

And now here was this guy, upsetting her, and I couldn’t just look away. I’d had plans of going home and resting, but decided to head over to her place instead, stalking up her driveway. At around the same time, the man turned around and walked towards me. His brow was furrowed in a frown, and he was looking down. He probably didn’t even see me.

I could see long before it happened that he was going to walk right into me. I hadn't meant to do anything to him, just go straight to Lydia and ask for answers directly from her. I didn’t want to get into a fist fight in her front yard. I already knew she didn’t like fighting.

But because I was pissed, I didn’t bother making room for him.

When our shoulders bumped, we both stumbled back from the impact. I hid a wince. Fuck, this guy was a little buff under the baggy black jacket he was wearing. I could see though, when he looked up, that he was way older than me, near to or in his forties.

“Watch where you’re walking, you fucking asshole,” he growled, glaring at me.

Heh. So he’s got attitude?

I was looking for whatever excuse I could get to kick this guy’s ass, and he just handed it to me on a platter.

“What did you just call me?” I asked, my voice low and threatening, taking a step forward.

He wasn’t a coward, straightening his back and taking a step closer, his glare intensifying. If I hadn't gotten into a ring with guys bigger and with worse looks than he had, I might have reconsidered. I might have done boxing as a competition before, but it was still basically two guys beating each other up with one of them trying to win.

I didn’t lose easily.

“You heard me just fine,” he growled back. He glanced over at the house, and back to me. “What are you doing here, anyway? Don’t tell me you’re something to do with Lydia?” He scoffed, eyeing me up and down with hard blue eyes.

That had me seeing red. “So what if I am? You got a problem with that?”

“Yeah, I have a problem with it. I suggest you turn your ass around, little boy, and go back home. I think it’s past your bedtime, yeah? Lydia can do way better than you, anyway.”

“I think you want to watch what you say,” I growled low, the threat in my voice unmistakable.

He smirked. “Oh, don’t tell me she’s your type. She’s too old for you, don’t you think? Leave her the fuck alone.”

My body moved on its own, muscle memory working overtime. All I could think was who was this bastard to tell me what to do? Who the fuck did he think he was? And what right did he have to say what he did about Lydia? My arm pulled back, hand clenched into a tight fist. I let it fly at his jaw in a roundhouse punch.

I’ve still got it, I thought to myself with a smirk when just one punch had him knocked flat on the ground. He looked up at me, his expression molded to one of surprise, and I could have laughed.

“You’ll be the one leaving Lydia alone, you hear me?” I told him.