Body Lock: MMA Sports Romance (4 page)

“What kind of plan?“ Jans asks.

“The best kind,“ Vinnie replies with a deep throated chuckle. “The kind that makes me a lot of money.“

“I'm listening,“ Jans says in that same quiet voice.

“Well, good because I'm talking,“ Vinnie replies. “We’re gonna have a big event. Big enough I can call all of our friends to attend. While I've got them all gathered, I'm going to announce a special event. A celebration of your return to us. An underground fight to end all underground fights. One night, all comers, they can bring their best and you’ll fight all of them. To make it an event I’m going to put up a five million dollar purse.“

“Where's the win for you in that?“ Jans asks.

“You’ll be favored to win,“ Vinnie answers. “Everyone’s seen you fight and knows the Dragon can't be beat. All the bets will be on you. My bookies already have the odds figured at least ten to one. I'm going to use that. The thing is, I know something they don't know. I know you're gonna lose.“

“I don't lose,“ Jans answers.

Vinnie leans forward taking the cigar from his mouth and slamming his hands down on the desk. His face contorts with rage.

“You do whatever the fuck I tell you to,” he says.

Jans takes a step, pushing off the wall. His shoulders lean forward and while his hands are at his sides I can feel the danger. He's going to take Vinnie on. I know Jans can beat Vinnie but what I have to worry about is Lou and however many other bodyguards are close to hand. All of them are armed and ready to kill.

“Jans,“ I say his name and my voice trembles.

He stops in his tracks and barely glances at me but I know I've reached through. He stands there a moment before returning to his place on the wall and acting like nothing happened.

“Okay,“ Jans says.

“Are you kidding me?” Axel throws in. “Why not just bet on him to win and let him do it? You know he could take this shit!”

“Because, idiot, at ten to one odds I can be a hell of a lot richer this way,” Vinnie yells.

“Yeah, but only if you don’t tell…” Axel trails off. “You’re shitting me, you’re not going to tell the other Families?”

Vinnie puffs on his cigar clouding his head in smoke as Axel figures it out. My stomach is a roiling knot of butterflies. If the other families figure out that Vinnie knew or that Jans threw the fight… bad just went to absolute hell.

“Good, now that the slow class has caught up with the rest of us,“ Vinnie says, leaning back in his chair and putting the cigar back in his mouth. “That ain't the only thing we got to discuss.“

My mom giggles and both her hands go up to cover her mouth. Great, like the situation isn’t bad enough, she's acting like a schoolgirl. You would think by now I'd be beyond her ability to embarrass me.

“What?“ Jans asks.

“You both know how important family, our family, is. All your lives I've taught you family first. There's nothing more important than family and everything I do, I do for this family. All these nice things you have, those nice cars, those fancy clothes, and your fancy college education,“ he says looking directly at me. “Those things cost money. I don't want it ever said that Vinnie Manarchy didn't take good care his family.“

Bile rises in my throat. I don't know what's coming next but I know it's going to be bad. A wave of nausea clenches my stomach. I cover my mouth and will myself not to vomit.

“Well, the time has come for both of you to give back. You,“ he says looking at Jans “will throw this fight for us. We'll make millions. You,” he turns to me, “are going to marry Sammy Costa.“

“What!“ I yell.

“Oh, baby, isn't it so exciting?“ my mom exclaims.

“You can't,“ Jans says.

“Oh, fucking shit,” Axel blurts out.

“I can do whatever the fuck I want,“ Vinnie says. “And this is what I want. It's gonna form an alliance between our two Families. That's good for all of us, good business.“

“She's not just some piece of meat you can trade off,“ Jans says. “Why don't you get the fuck out of the fifties?”

“I don't give a fuck what they think out there,” Vinnie says pointing at the wall. “This is the way we do things here, in this family. You know that.“

“What if I don't want to?“ I squeak.

Vinnie turns towards me slowly. His eyes narrow as he takes a puff on the cigar. He removes it from his mouth, taps the ash off, then points at me with it.

“You seem to be confused. All this,“ he motions around with the cigar “has a price to it. You're going to pay that price.“

“Like hell she will,“ Jans says.

“Jans, I like you, son, but I've always tried to hide from you the fact that you're not smart. You're a damn fine fighter and that's it, so stick to what you know,” Vinnie says.

I can see Jans bristle but he doesn't say a word. I open my mouth to say something else but out of the corner of my I see Jans subtly shake his head. My mouth snaps shut and I put my faith in Jans. I have more now to think of than just the two of us. Vinnie leans back in his chair as if he's waiting for further arguments. When no more come, he smiles, a satisfied king, and leans back in his leather chair. I lock eyes with Jans and hope his plan is good. We have to get out of here, not just for us but for our unborn baby.

FOUR YEARS AGO

"Leave me alone, Danny," I say, trying to push the bully away.

I’m pinned against the lockers and his cronies gather behind him shielding his actions from view of any teachers.

"Come on, LeAnne," he says, his hand trailing along the side of my breast over my shirt. "You know you want me."

"I do not," I say, still trying to push him off.

"You know you want him," one of the boys behind him chimes in.

Danny grips my tit hard and it hurts. I'm starting to panic. Kids move up and down the high school hallways and no one is paying any attention to what's happening to me.

"I saw your mom last night," Danny says, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. "I hear for twenty bucks she’ll give you head. You can't be as experienced yet, so will you do it for ten?"

"God!" I say, pushing with all I have against his chest. "The hell is wrong with you Danny?"

"Nothing wrong with me," he says, grinding his hips against my leg and I can feel his erection.

"Get the hell off of me," I scream, struggling on the edge of panic.

"Come on, LeAnne, I know you put out just like your whore mommy," he says licking down my neck with his rough tongue.

"Gross, I will not," I push him back with everything I have then slap his face.

The boys with him gasp in surprise. I can see the imprint of my hand on Danny’s face. He touches his cheek and I see rage in his eyes. He hits me with the back of his hand so fast I don't see it coming.

"No whore talks to me that way!" Danny yells.

I hear a scuffle behind the wall of boys. Tears stream down my face as I grab my jaw. Suddenly Danny rises into the air and slams into the lockers next to me. I blink tears from my eyes trying to see what’s happening. The crowd of boys are moving away and I hear Danny gurgling. I wipe furiously at my eyes and there’s my savior.

He's tall, at least six feet, with a full head of wavy black hair, a five o'clock shadow, and the most amazing, stunningly sharp blue eyes I've ever seen. He must be a senior but he looks older than a high schooler.

He’s holding Danny off of the ground by his throat pinning him against the lockers with a bare, muscular arm. Danny's turning purple as he raises a hand back to make a fist like he's going to try to strike, but my savior tightens his grip. Danny's fist waivers then falls to his side as his eyes roll up in his head.

"Apologize," the older boy says.

His voice is surprisingly deep. I can’t take my eyes off the muscles of his arms as they bulge and he holds Danny easily off his feet. Danny's blue lips move but no sound comes out.

"What's that? I can't hear you?" my savior says.

"I'm… I'm sorry," Danny gasps.

He slowly lowers Danny back to his feet in an impressive display of strength. Tears are running down Danny's face as his color slowly returns. His knees shake as he struggles to remain standing while gasping in air. My savior stares at him showing no compassion. Danny bends over and puts his hands on his knees still struggling to get enough air. Danny looks up and then the color that had just returned drains away.

"Shit, man," Danny says. "I'm sorry, I didn't know she was with you, man."

Danny backs away and one of his friends that just moments ago had been trying to help him molest me grabs him and gives him support as they get away. The bell rings for next class hour and I'm left alone with a boy whose name I don't know but who just saved me. He looks down and maybe it's just my imagination but I think I see a flicker of warmth in his eyes.

"Thank you," I say.

"You okay?" he asks, his eyes boring into my soul.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good."

He turns and starts walking away. My heart is pounding from fear and my throat is dry. I watch him walking away as butterflies dance in my stomach. I trace the lines of the muscles in his back through his tight t-shirt. My stomach knots and it feels like there’s a tight band around my head. I don't even know his name. An impulse grips me and I act before I can squash it.

"Hey!" I cry out.

He stops and slowly turns around. My mind goes blank, I don't know what to say or do. He arches an eyebrow, those icy eyes staring, waiting for me to act. I swallow hard trying to force moisture back into my mouth.

"Thank you, I don't know your name."

"Jans," he says with a half smile that’s more of a curl of his lip at the corner.

I melt inside. His sharp eyes look me up and down and my belly tightens deep in my core as a tingle forms in my most private parts. Thoughts won’t form in my mind and become words.

“Your name?” he asks, pulling me out of my reverie.

"LeAnne," I say as my cheeks flush hot with embarrassment.

"Cool," he says then turns and walks away.

I watch, unable to take my eyes off of him. No one in all my life has ever stood up for me. I lick my lips, swallow hard, and then grab my books from my locker and head to class.

The door to the motel room where mom and I currently live is partly open. A tingle of fear runs up and down my spine. We were evicted last week from our small apartment and don't have enough money for a deposit on a new place, so we’re stuck here in this shithole. I approach the door cautiously trying to listen for any sounds inside. It's not like we have anything worth stealing but the people in this neighborhood wouldn't care.

My hand shakes as I reach for the door knob and steel my nerves. I push it open and see that the room is trashed, clothes are thrown all over and it looks like an explosion has gone off. The mattresses are tossed off the bed and new holes have been punched into the plaster of the walls. On the far side of the room is my mom, alone, digging through a pile of laundry.

"Where is it?" my mom mutters throwing more clothes across the room.

"What the hell are you looking for mom?" I ask

"My red dress," she says. "It's missing.” She looks at me with bleary eyes and suspicion. "Did you take it?"