Best Friend's Brother #5 (Best Friend's Brother Romance Series - Book #5) Read Free Page B

quality.
    I tried to finish the movie, but I couldn’t sit
still. I finally ended up getting dressed and heading out to the gym. I didn’t
usually go the night before a fight. The last thing I wanted was an injury that
would prevent me from fighting. Especially this fight. It was too important. I had to get out of the apartment though. I would make
sure not to overdo it, but I had to do something to work off some of this
nervous energy or I’d never get any sleep tonight. There weren’t many people
around at the gym at this time of night, so that was good. I liked when it was
quiet and I could focus. Too many “Strongmen” and “Gym bunnies” gave it a bar
atmosphere that pissed me off when I was trying to seriously work out.
    I started out with some stretches and lunges and
then I took out a rope and jumped for about fifteen minutes. I rested for five,
got some water and then I moved over to the speed bag.
    I got under the bag and with my hands open and close
to the bag, I started hitting in small circles,
letting my hand travel in circles through the air between each strike. Right,
right, left, left….I got into a rhythm and I did that for about three minutes.
I rested for one and did it again for another three. I was about to go again
when I heard, “Ian, what the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be
home sitting on your ass eating pasta.” It was Dean, my trainer. I turned to
look at him, knowing I was caught red-gloved. He was a big one for resting the
night before a big fight.
    “Hey Dean. Sorry, I was just a little antsy tonight. I needed to clear my head and get
some of this energy out or I’ll never be able to sleep tonight. That’ll be
worse, right?”
    “I guess. Don’t over-do it though. This is your big
chance man. The scouts will be out in full-force. You don’t want to have to
cancel it because you pulled a muscle or something stupid.”
    “I know,” I told him. “I’m not going to blow this. I
just seriously couldn’t relax tonight.”
    Dean sighed and said, “How about some pad
training…light!”
    “Sounds good,” I told him. He went and got the pads while
I put on my gloves.
    “Okay, three minutes, alternate hands, go!”
    I hit the pad with a cross then a jab, a hook and
uppercut and I switched hands and did it again. I switched up and did the
one-two fashion, focusing on striking the pad dead center each time. I went in
fast and hard for the last minute, just concentrating on my jabs. When the
alarm on Dean’s watch sounded I finished up with an uppercut.
    He had me rest for a full two minutes and then we
started again. This time he moved the pads, up, down and side-to-side as I
threw the punches. We did another three minute round, a one minute rest this
time and we did it again. On the fourth one he said, “This is the last one,
then you go home and rest, okay kid?”
    “Yep,” I agreed. I didn’t know about the rest part,
but I’d go home. I’ll rest better if I hear from Alexa and I know that all is
well with her and her dad.
    I finished the work-out and thanked Dean. He
reminded me again how big tomorrow’s fight was. I tried not to get annoyed with
him. It was really his night too and if I won, it would be a win for him. He’d
been the one that took the time to teach me what I needed to know, going so far
as to scare me “straight” about the doping. He’d seen a lot of it before he
went to prison and even while he was there. He told me a lot of horror stories
about it that gave me nightmares. He was the one that taught me how to take
care of my body without putting anything artificial in it. I hoped he knew how
much I appreciated all that he’d done for me. If I ever did make it big, I was
taking him with me as far as he wanted to go.
    I took a quick shower in the locker room and after I
got dressed I let myself check the phone again. Nothing. Damn. I wanted to call her, but I forced myself to leave it alone for now. The
last thing I’d want to do