Cutter: A Fight or Flight Novel Read Online Free Page A

a girl last night?”
    “Cut to the chase.” The annoyance in his voice is unmistakable, but I dismiss it to get to the point.
    “Well, I told her I worked at the gym and when she asked if I was a fighter, I kind of told her yes. I’m gonna need you to cover for me, please?”
    “Cutter,” Garrett huffs out in a single breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is she coming up here or something? Do I have to make you look cool? You’re really putting a damper on my day. This is what I get for thinking I could come to work and have a good day. I got doofus over there puking his guts out and you asking me to pretend you’re Rambo. What’s she look like, kid? I’ll do it, but just this one time.”
    “Well, see…” I begin, and then Josette comes out of the office, looking around. When she finds my face, she smiles and starts walking in our direction. “The roommate is your new bookkeeper. I kinda like her and don’t want her to think I’m a liar.”
    “You are a liar,” he points out matter-of-factly. “You gonna start fucking my employees now? Is that what’s happening?”
    “No. Well, maybe. Hell, I don’t know. I just want to get to know her and if she thinks I was lying, she’ll think I was just trying to get in her pants, and while that wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen, I really like her. I could really be friends with her. Will you please do this for me? James can’t spar today. I’ll get in there with Colt. Win-win for everyone, right?”
    “You’re fucking lucky I like you, kid. Not a word to Rian—she’ll have my balls if she knew I threw you in the ring untrained. If you make my life at home hell, I’ll make your every moment hell.”
    “Yes, sir,” I say with a beaming smile. “And Josette’s right behind you.”
    “Mr. Rhodes?” Not a second later, Josette taps Garrett on the shoulder. “I have a message for you from some person named Colt. He said he’s running a few minutes late.”
    “Thanks, Josette,” he responds to her and then turns to me. “Start warming up now,” he says and then, under his breath, whispers, “You’re gonna need all the help you can get.”
    Garrett marches off, muttering something about nothing going right and that he needs a vacation. I’m trying to make out exactly what he’s saying when Josette inches closer to me.
    “This is weird, right?” she asks in a hushed tone. “When you said you worked at the gym, I had no idea it was this one. I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together. It was Randy who got me this job, too. God, I’m such an idiot sometimes.”
    “Well, you were a few drinks in when we got there. No harm, no foul.” I hope she doesn’t get embarrassed again.
    “At least I’ve got a friend already. Here I was freaking out I’d only know the dummy twins and would be stuck talking to them all day. Now I have you.”
    “You should come over to celebrate when you get off. I’ve gotta spar with Colt whenever he decides to show up, but I’m usually out of here by six.”
    “Sure, give me your address,” she says, pulling out her phone.
    “I live upstairs.” I point up and she shakes her head.
    “No wonder you were worried about being late. Kinda hard to not be on time when you live where you work.”
    “I’ll pay for it later.” No doubt Colt’s going to give me a run for my money, but hell if it’s not worth it to not be proven a lying douchebag like the other guys I’m sure she meets.

Chapter 3

Cutter
    “All right, you ready, Colt?” I ask, climbing into the ring, resting against the ropes.
    “I’m not a pro or anything, but shouldn’t my sparring partner be more my size?” Now, I take offense to that. I’m not as bulky as Colt, but we’re the same height and he might have twenty pounds on me. That’s not
that
much. I guarantee I’m quicker on my feet, which is what his slow ass needs to work on.
    “I’m all you got, dude. So, you can start training or keep whining like