Consumed: A MMA Sports Romance (74 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Kya

I
was relieved when I dropped into the cab's backseat. My head was still spinning
from Fenton's kiss. The driver told me there was traffic and it would be longer
than expected. I nodded and leaned back, fully expecting to enjoy the peace and
quiet. I needed to think; I needed to get my balance back.

"In town for
business or pleasure?" the cab driver asked.

"Business," I
said. His casual question started my mind racing around the real problem I was
having separating the two things.

"Really? That's too
bad. Unless you like your work. I love my work," he said.

"Do you like living
in Vegas?" I asked.

He nodded into the
rearview mirror but did not accept my change of subject. "What do you do
for a living?"

"I'm a sports agent.
I help athletes get endorsement deals and connect brands with sports
representation," I said.

"Well, we got all
kinds of athletes here," the cab driver said. "Just this morning I've
had two basketball players, a boxer, and a Kung Fu master. Can you believe
that? Bet this town is good for your business."

"Yes, my thoughts
exactly," I said. "I'm thinking of moving here. Or at least, staying
for a while." It still felt crazy to say it out loud and I always braced
myself for other people to laugh.

"You'll love
it," he said. "Who are you here to sign?"

"Fenton Morris, the
martial arts fighter. Do you know him?" I asked.

"Do I know
him?" The cab driver gestured to one of Fenton's billboards. "Though,
he sounds like a rough customer. Got a real reputation, that one. A nice girl
like you would do better with the tennis players or the golfers. Or how about
the video gamers? Everyone says it’s like an up and coming sport."

I shook my head. Fenton's
reputation seemed like its own entity.
Would
I have to date it, too?
I held my breath.
Was I dating Fenton Morris?
We had never really talked about it.
His jealousy made us seem exclusive, but he did have a reputation to maintain.
What would people say if they knew he was dating someone like me?

"So you like those
martial arts fights? All the blood? You don't strike me as that kind of
girl," the cab driver said.

"Then, I guess I'd
surprise you," I said. Maybe my reputation was the greater hindrance. I
always thought it helped me with work, but I was sick of it. It was time for a
change. I promised myself that Jackson McRay would be the first client I landed
as myself, not some prim and proper projection of what the other person wanted.

With that thought
bolstering my courage, I sprang from the cab and stopped in shock. Jackson
McRay had beaten me to the restaurant, and he was arm in arm with Dana Maria.
More than arm in arm, his hand trailed along her neck and dipped down the front
of her revealing sea-foam dress. I could not read her expression, but Jackson's
smile was predatory.

"Sorry if I'm
late," I said. "There was a lot of traffic on the Strip."

Jackson stepped in front
of Dana Maria, giving her his back and not looking around again. "There's
my beautiful date. I have been waiting, but it was worth it."

I sidestepped his
charming smile and greeted Fenton's sister. "Nice to see you again, Dana
Maria."

"I'm not checking up
on you if that's what you think," she said. "I have a private gig in
the adjoining hotel and your friend here snagged me as I walked past."

"Private gig?"
I asked.

"Yes," Dana
Maria tossed her hair, "I dance for private parties, bachelor nights, and
whatever. There's good money in it and I stick to the high-end hotels where
everything is on the up and up."

"Alone? Does Fenton
know?" I asked.

"Look, hun, I'm a
professional and, despite you turning your nose up at me, I love what I do.
Fenton knows and he's proud of me for making my own way in the world,"
Dana Maria said.

"No, I just meant, I
wanted to make sure it was safe for you. Fenton would not like you going into a
bachelor party alone," I said.

She sniffed at me.
"I got a bodyguard, but I can take care of myself. Better hope you can say
the same thing," she said. She gave Jackson's back a sharp look and then
turned on her platform heels. A burly man appeared from the hallway and followed
her to the elevators.

"Don't worry,"
Jackson said. "I'll look out for you."

I took his arm. The
maitre d' escorted us directly to our table, where Jackson held out my chair
for me. I thanked him, but could not get Dana Maria's look out of my mind.

"I ordered a bottle
of wine while I was waiting. I hope that's alright," Jackson said.
"You just relax and start on your glass while I order us dinner."

I nodded, but wondered
what he would say if I disagreed. Jackson seemed gracious and well-mannered,
but he liked to have things a certain way. I had a feeling that everything in
his world fit the way he wanted it to or it did not stick around for long.

Still, he made delicious
choices and I was not discontent.

He smiled as I enjoyed my
first long sip of the wine. "It is so nice to meet someone with the same
tastes, isn't it?" he asked.

"Well, I can't
complain about the wine," I said.

"You would have
chosen a different entree?" Jackson asked. "I chose the salmon
because it consistently gets the highest reviews. I just thought it was best to
go with the best."

"Of course. I would
have done the same," I agreed. I was just being silly. Jackson was
courteous not controlling. I was just thrown by the vast differences between
him and Fenton.

"See," he
smiled. "Great minds think alike. That's why I believe we can finish our
business before the first course."

"Well, I already put
out calls to a few of our clients, but the one I think is the best fit for you
is Precision Tools. It’s another long-term, brand-loyalty contract like the
vitamin supplements. I liked the idea of you choosing the right club and
incorporating that into choosing the right tool for the job," I said.

"See? Perfect,"
he said. "Let's do that. You're really good at your job, Kya. Do you see
yourself at it for a long time to come?"

I sipped my wine and
tried to come up with a succinct answer. Until twenty-four hours ago, I would
have been able to tell him my entire life plan. Now, it was all up in the air.
I smiled. "I'm going to get off the road, find a base, and see where it
goes from there."

He nodded. "I can
see you settled down. I imagine you'll do well. Then, you'll join a good
country club and some lucky man will snap you up right away."

"Is that what you
see for yourself?" I asked. "Retiring to hold court at your favorite
country club and find yourself a lovely queen?"

"Then, a big white
house with a yard, a vacation home, and a few good years of enjoying it all
before the kids come along," Jackson said. "Sounds perfect, doesn't
it? I told you that great minds think alike."

He plucked my hand from
the white linen tablecloth and brushed his thumb gently across the back of my
knuckles. I had to admit that Jackson McRay was very attractive. A few women
around the restaurant were watching us with barely contained jealousy. I did
feel a thrill at the easy and comfortable life he had outlined.

The only problem was he
was not Fenton. I pulled my hand back. "It's a bit expected," I said.
"I wouldn't want you to think I was boring."

Jackson's lips curled in
an appreciative smile. "You're right. I do like a girl who needs to be
chased. So tell me, Kya, what kind of wild future do you see for
yourself?"

I sipped my wine.
"I'm going to try Las Vegas for a while. It makes the most sense for my
business. So, there goes my country club plans. I might have to take up
gambling," I said.

"Or martial
arts?" he asked. His smile disappeared and he reached for his wine.

"Who knows," I
said. "There are lots of hobbies I haven't tried yet. I think it’s kind of
fun to takes things as they come. I mean, don't get me wrong. I had outlined
the exact life you described, but now I think I should see what happens instead
of trying to make it happen. Does that make sense?"

"No," he said.
He took my hand again. "It makes sense that you want to cut loose and try
on the world for size. But only for a little while, Kya. You're smart, you're
practical, and you know the best course for your life to take. Once you're on
that course and your momentum really gets going, it can feel a little scary.
That's why you should find someone with your same tastes to guide you back when
the time comes."

"You don't think I
can take care of myself?" I asked. The words echoed what Dana Maria had
said earlier.

"It’s not that. I
just don't want you to wake up one morning lost. Having a goal keeps you on
track."

I had to agree. Having
solid goals was the only thing that kept me from falling apart when my parents
passed away. "I know. I agree. I'm just not sure my end goal is a big
white house. Lots of people work towards the goal of being happy and securing
their future without mapping out every step."

"Like your
fighter?"

"You can't possibly
think of Fenton Morris as unfocused," I said.

"Then how about
impetus?" Jackson asked. "He can certainly be all over the map with
what he does and what he wants."

"I don't know if I
agree," I said. "Both he and his sister are very driven. They might
not have the house picked out, but I bet they are both working towards the same
kind of security that you are describing."

Jackson snorted.
"What I'm describing is worlds away from what a stripper saves her money
for. You think she's going to earn enough to appear in polite society?"

"I don't think Dana
Maria is interested in polite society. She knows exactly who she is and doesn't
care what other people say."

"But you do,"
he said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be testing out this idea of staying in
Vegas on every person you meet."

"I might not have
Dana Maria's confidence, but I'm getting there," I said. "That's why
I'm not narrowing my options down to the safe path."

"That's not
confidence," he disagreed. "That's the long term affect of being
stared at by men. She thinks she's in control, she thinks she confident, but
she's really just begging for attention."

"You were paying
attention to her when I arrived," I said. I swallowed and wished I had the
words back.

Jackson laughed and
poured himself more wine. "Like I pay attention to the label on a wine
bottle. Then, I drink what I want and toss it away. And, trust me, there are
better vintages than her."

He smiled and I knew it
was supposed to be a compliment. I smiled back and sipped my wine while my skin
crawled. Jackson was perfect on the outside– a handsome gentleman, a
professional golfer known for his grace under pressure, and a widely coveted
and charming date.

He just was not the man
for me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Fenton

As
soon as we stepped out of the elevator, I noticed people looking at my sister.
The looks on their faces said they had the exact same thoughts as Jackson just
had up in the suite.

"You could have
changed clothes up in the suite, Dee," I said. "I didn't mean to rush
you out of there."

"I'm perfectly
comfortable," Dana Maria said. "Plus, it’s gotta be good for your
reputation. Fenton Morris seen in broad daylight with an exotic dancer. Fits
right into the image of the party boy fighter, doesn't it?"

"Except for the part
where you're my sister," I said.

"Since when do you
care what people think?" she asked. "Besides your buttoned-up
roommate."

"Her name is
Kya." I grabbed Dana Maria's arm and steered her through the gathering sea
of interested faces. "Why can't you call her by her name?"

"For the same reason
I'm not going to put on a conservative dress to have lunch with you. That's not
me. This is what I like to wear and I don't call people by their given names
unless they are actually my friends," Dana Maria said.

I yanked open the door of
the waiting cab and tucked my sister inside. "You're telling me you
wouldn't be more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt? Or a dress with less lace
and tight straps?"

My sister shrugged.
"Maybe, but I've got a gig right after lunch."

My shoulders tensed.
"You need a chaperone?" I asked.

Dana Maria laughed.
"No thanks, baby bro. I've got my own muscle. There's nothing for you to
worry about."

She changed the subject,
and I ended up telling her all about the fight and the after party. I stopped
before I confessed anything about Kya, but somehow my sister guessed it.

"You know she'll
just drop you as soon as she finds someone better," Dana Maria said. She
twisted the wrapper to her straw around her finger and pretended it was an engagement
ring. "Oh, you shouldn't have gotten such a big diamond! No, I don't mind
that you're a balding lawyer because you are so rich and your family is so well
known. We'll get married on the 13
th
 
green,
and our lives will be just like a cardigan catalog."

I wadded up a paper
napkin and threw it at her. "Very funny. But you don't know the first
thing about Kya. She's different than she looks."

"I'm sure she
is," Dana Maria said. "The only problem is that in the end, she's
going to think she should marry someone that looks just as catalog perfect as
her. And, when she realizes his surface doesn't match what he's really like
underneath, she’ll find out she was dead wrong."

Her dire warning chilled
me for a minute before I dismissed it. Kya was different and my sister was
right, I shouldn't care what other people think. "You're only saying that
because of Mom and Dad."

"What do they have
to do with you and your girl from the good side of town?" Dana Maria
asked.

"Dad was handsome,
charming even, and Mom loved him until she realized all he cared about was
himself," I said. "You think she was stupid for falling for him in
the first place. Like she could have known he would just walk out on us one
day."

"Exactly. Mom
thought she had found someone who liked the same things, came from the same
background, and wanted the same things in the future. He made her think that,
but it was all just a lie. He just wanted to use her for a while, and when he
got bored, he left."

My sister stopped as the
waiter brought our burgers. I took my time adding mustard and just the right
amount of pickle relish, not willing to say anything. No one had been hurt more
by our father leaving or our mother's death than my sister. On top of the pain,
she had me to worry about.

"I'm sorry, Fen.
This is supposed to be a celebration. You kicked ass last night and you're on
your way up. Here's to you, baby brother!" Dana Maria raised her glass of
beer and toasted me.

"Thank you," I
said.

"Can you believe how
far you've come? I remember when your fists were the size of walnuts. You
couldn't knock out anything bigger than a squirrel."

"Until grade
school," I reminded her.

"Flying Fists
Fenton," she laughed. "I wonder what all your grade school teachers
think now that you're on your way to the title fight."

"They'd probably
still lecture me on staying focused."

"That's all I'm
saying. I know you've got your eye on the hot agent, but you've got a title to
win. You can't be getting distracted now," Dana Maria said. She punctuated
her words with a French fry.

I snapped the fry out of
her fingers and popped it in my mouth. "I promise I will stay focused on
the title fight, Ms. Morris."

"Good. Now, I hate
to cut this short, but I've got that private gig to get to." She had the
waitress wrap up her mostly untouched burger so I could take it with me for a
snack.

"Still starving to
feed me?" I asked.

"I'm not about to
dance on a double cheeseburger," Dana Maria said.

"Your last
dance?" I asked. "You could retire and let me take care of you for a
while, you know."

"Come on, Fen, you
know I like my independence. Don't be like everyone else and make the mistake
of thinking I'm only dancing because I can't do anything else. I like it and it
pays very well. I'm not afraid of liking the attention, I'm not embarrassed at
showing off my body, and I'm not about to find something boring to do just
because other people think it’s more respectable."

"Yeah, I thought you
would say that." I kissed my sister on the forehead. "And, I love you
for it."

I was still chewing over
everything my sister said when I got to the gym. Kev seemed to appear out of
nowhere. He was lucky I didn't knock his teeth out. Even crazy fans knew better
than to surprise me by now.

"Whoa, you've gotta
be hungover if I'm able to get the drop on you," Kev said. "I mean, I
know I'm hungover from last night's festivities, but I'm not the one that has
to get back in the ring."

"I'm not hungover,
I'll be fine," I said.

"Yeah, I wondered if
you were just playing it up for the cameras last night," Kev said.
"Gotta say I was jealous of you and that Sienna. God, she is hot, and she
was all over you."

I headed to the locker
room, but Kev followed me. "It was all for the cameras. None of it was
real."

"Real, fake, I
wouldn't care if she was made entirely of plastic," Kev said. "She's
hot, you're hot, and the publicity from her reality show is red hot. You should
invite her to be your date to the fight promotion party. Think of all the free
publicity that would buy you. Plus, her sexy friends."

"I didn't really
think she was that hot," I said.

"Seriously? But she
was still there when I left." Kev waggled his eyebrows at me.

"I sent her home.
Nothing happened."

Kev jumped in front of me
again. "Nothing happened with her, but something did happen, didn't it?
Oh, I knew it! That's great, man, that is so great."

I wiped his hands off the
front of my shirt. "What is great? What are you talking about?"

"You can't lie to
me, man, I know you. You were with Kya last night. I love it! I love you two
together. I mean, you and Sienna made for a hot reality show couple, but you
and Kya, that's for real. I saw you two looking at each other from across the
party."

"You have no idea
what you're talking about. You were wasted last night," I said.

"Wasted or not, I
recognize a connection when I see it," he said. "And you two
connected that first night in the club."

"You were wasted
then, too," I reminded him.

"Come on, now. You
were matching me drink for drink until you met Kya," he said.

"Can you please let
me get ready? Aldous is not going to let me slack off, even the day after a
win. I've got to stay focused if I want to win the title fight, and the last
thing I need is you thinking you're a better matchmaker than a manager."

"I agree,"
Aldous said. He held open the locker room door. "Especially about the not
letting you slack off part. You've got thirty seconds to change and get to
work."

It was a relief to work
my sore muscles, stretch them out again, and get out of my own head. The harder
I worked out, the more the world retreated and I did not need to worry about
focusing. There was nothing else. Just me doing what I was born to do.

"Looking good there,
Morris," a voice interrupted.

I spun around and came
face to face with Mario Peretti again. He was dressed for the sparring ring
with a towel around his neck and a smirk on his face.

"Congratulations on
last night," my rival said.

"Thanks. I hear I'll
be seeing you in the ring for the title fight."

Mario nodded.
"Speaking of seeing people; I met a woman named Kya Allen the other night.
If you see her would you let her know I'd love to take her out for dinner?
She's just the kind of trophy I'd like to take home on top of the title."

Both Aldous and Kev had
to hold me back. Mario threw his head back and laughed as he left.

"Don't let him get
to you," Kev said. "Remember the part about staying focused?"

"Sure, yeah, I'm
fine," I said. I blinked back the red haze. I could not wait to face
Peretti in the ring again. I would show him who I was. And, I'd make sure he
knew Kya belonged to me.

After the work out and
the run-in with Peretti, Kya was all I could think about. I headed back to the
Tropicana and punched the elevator button. If she wasn't back from her dinner
with the golfer, it would be hard not to go after her. What was one more scene
in a restaurant besides extra publicity?

"Oooh, there you
are, honey bunny!" a woman shrieked.

I stepped back as Sienna
and her onslaught of bright lights and cameras cornered me at the elevator
bank.

"Just the man, the
sexy, sexy man I was looking for," Sienna said. She kissed my cheek and
tried to plant one on my lips.

I pulled my head back.
"Heading over to the Tropicana's new night club?" I asked.

"Not unless you're
coming," Sienna purred. "I bet you've got killer moves."

I shook my head and hit
the elevator button again.

"No, silly, I came
to find you. I hear the big party promoting your fight is tomorrow night,"
Sienna said. She leaned against me and toyed with the collar of my shirt.
"It is tomorrow night, isn't it?"

I knew she was fishing
for an invitation. She was already on the list, but she wanted to be my date. I
just nodded and got into the elevator. "Yeah, maybe I'll see you
there."

"Maybe? He's so
superstitious," Sienna said to her nearest friend. "Can't get
involved before a big fight, otherwise he'll get distracted."

I was glad when the doors
closed and I was alone. Sienna was just trying to explain away my disinterest.
But she was right. It was not necessarily bad luck to get involved right before
a big fight, but it was definitely distraction.

Still, all I could think
about was Kya.