Dirty Love (Fighting Dirty Series Book 1) (4 page)

I close my eyes attempting to shut out the past, and answer with a clipped “fine!” It comes out a little harsher than I had anticipated, but damn it, I still want to be mad at him. I’m entitled to be.
Damn him
. I spin on the heels of my feet, darting out the door.

One question still lingers in my mind. Why now?

When I get back to my desk, Chris is grinning ear to ear.  I point my accusing finger at her annoying smile.  “You!” I shake my head.

“Hey, I don’t know what you are talking about.” She holds up her hands, and flashes a guilty grin at me. To be in her thirties Christi looks like a teenager still. She has pixie cut blonde hair with some low lights. She’s slim, tall, with a nice tan, and blue eyes.

Casually strolling out of the locker room, Royce waves briefly before exiting the building.  I flip him the middle finger when he isn’t looking.

Chapter 3

“Come on slacker show me what you got.”  Kline dances around me hitting me with playful jabs to the gut.                                                                                    

“Kline, I’m not in the mood to spar with you today. I have a hair appointment and I am getting my nails done before auditions.  Do you want to grab lunch with me real quick?”

“Can’t I’ve got another fight this weekend, gotta stay in tip top condition.” He flexes his biceps and kisses one of them after taking a bite off of his banana.

“Suit yourself, I’m starving. What night is the fight again?” A part of me hopes he says it’s been moved so I can get out of Saturday with Royce. Wishful thinking anyway.  I would like to talk to him even though I shouldn’t. I know if I’m around him long enough, his sweet words and familiar touch will have me at his mercy.  I’m nearly squirming now thinking about his hands on me. It’s been so long since we were last intimate. I guess I should have seen the breakup coming, but I was smitten. He began cutting back on the time he was spending with me. Extended practices. Taking fights outside of Vegas. Phone calls and text messages going ignored for hours sometimes a day.

“Saturday, early in the evening— so you’ll come with right?”

“Yeah like I ever miss one, but I’ll see you there. One of us actually has to work for a living. Do you need the bathroom before I start getting ready?”

He doesn’t even bother answering as he takes off in mad dash to the bathroom. I really wish we had gotten a place with two bathrooms so we wouldn’t have to share. “Turn the fan on!”

Trust me if you had to share a bathroom with my brother you’d want to make sure the fan is on. Men are pigs, plain and simple. 

I straighten up our tiny place; it doesn’t take much to keep it livable even with my slob of a brother. Neither of us are usually home long enough to make a mess.

I get the kitchen trash taken to the dumpster and call Tiff to get her take on shit with Royce.

“Tiff I’m dying here. Royce wants me back. What do I do?”

“What do you want to do? Do you love him? Honestly, I think you’re too good for him.”

“I know buuttt… he was so genuine and he was sweet like he used to be,” I whine.

“Don’t get sucked back into his bullshit. I just don’t want to see him hurt you again.”

I mull over her words. A part of me knows she’s right. Royce had a hard time letting me all the way in. However, a deeper part of me knows that I love him. He’s in my bones and I can’t get him out. I will have to sort this on my own. No one can choose for me as much as I wish they could.

“Okay enough about me. How are you?’

I grab my keys while Tiffany chews my ear off about Kline not calling her since the other night.

“Tiff I warned you, you know what kind of guy my brother is. But here I am calling you asking if I should take Royce back when he’s more of a dick than Kline,” I grumble feeling more agitated by Royce by the second.

She laughs. “We got it bad for them bad boys with tattoos that like to throw down.” 

“I know, kill me now. I gotta get out the door or I’m going to be late for my hair appointment. I’ll talk to you later, and maybe I’ll tell my brother to get his head out of his ass, and call you. Love you, mean it.”

We always end our calls with that line. We’ve been saying it since the tenth grade when we had a horrible falling out.  I can’t even remember what we were fighting about at the time. We had gone weeks without speaking until tragedy struck our circle of friends. One of our classmates was killed in a hit and run. It made us realize to always make sure we tell the people we love most that we really love them no matter what. Nothing in this life is guaranteed.

I give up getting to use the bathroom knocking on the door I yell, “I’m leaving shithead. Don’t forget to call your girlfriend asshole!”

**

“Girl that brother of yours is one fine piece of man candy. You let him know that Roberto is single and ready to mingle.”

“If he starts looking for a fine piece of man candy I’ll let you know.” I roll my eyes on the inside.

He grins. “So what’s good girl? I see you on Insta getting comments from all them sexy ass motherfuckas. Any of them batting for my team?”

I should seek him on OZ for giggles, but I won’t.

Roberto is such a cut up. He has been doing my hair for a few years now.  He and the girls are always teasing me about Kline. Shit, I feel like I can’t go anywhere without someone wanting me to hook them up with my brother in some shape or form.

“Not that I know of but I’ll keep an eye out for you.” I wink as he takes the cape from around my neck and brushes my shoulders off.

I leave the salon with new highlights in my hair and a new French manicure.  I still haven’t had a bite to eat no thanks to Kline hogging the bathroom earlier. 

I would hate to eat something heavy before my audition. I decide to hit up Healthy Vines, my favorite. This place is always crowded, I can’t ever get a decent table, but the food is definitely worth it. Scanning the dining area for a table I spot Royce of all people. I hope he doesn’t see me. Maybe I’ll ask for my food to go instead. I’m not above eating in my car if it means avoiding a run in with him right now, when his words are still too fresh. It’s hard to tell him no.  

I have got to be one of the unluckiest people in Vegas. “Brandi,” Royce calls my name, and waves me over to the table he is sharing with a few of his asshole buddies. What makes them assholes? When Royce and I broke-up they came into the gym and made asses of themselves. They treated me like a hooker—a piece of ass they could do whatever they wanted with. Needless to say it didn’t go over well when I let it slip to Kline, fueling their rivalry further. 

Weighing my options, I decide what’s the worst that can happen? We are in public. Maybe my luck will turn around. They could be getting ready to leave, and I can have their table. I look at my tray and sigh, here goes nothing.

“Royce, assholes. What’s up?”

Asshole number one speaks first, “My dick if you’ll be around later tonight.”

Before I have time to react and let the first tear well up, Royce kicks his chair, “get lost Jake. And you don’t ever talk like that to Brandi again. I will end you if you do,” he warns with a menacing growl.

“Whatever man. It was a joke. Come on Brad.” Asshole one and two leaves the restaurant.

I want to be upset with what Jake said but the fact that Royce just stood up for me has me rendered speechless. Brad and Jake are his followers. I can’t believe he is choosing me over them. “Have a seat babe, we need to talk.”

I swoon hearing him call me babe. I can’t help it. The way he says it melts my insides.

He reaches across the table and takes my hand.  I want to deny him the right to touch me, but it’s hard. He’s the only guy who’s ever remotely cared for me other than my brother.

“Are you serious about the cage girl stuff with Lucky 7?”

“Yeah why?”

“You need to be careful around Parker Garrett. He’s not a good man.”

“But you’re under contract with him?”

“I signed before I met you. Back when I was still with Elizabeth.”

“What’s wrong with Parker?”

“I don’t have time to get into that with you right now, but promise me you’ll be careful. I’ve gotta go, but we’ll talk more Saturday.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to respond.

I don’t even feel like eating now either.

I’d probably just fuck my nails up anyway.

**

Lucky 7 Promotion’s corporate office is located in a huge building.

The receptionist directs me to the elevator and tells me to get off on the top floor. I looked for other girls auditioning but didn’t see any. My email said 3:30, so I am guessing he scheduled everyone at different times. It would have been nice to see who I’m up against.

The elevator door opens, and I am met by an elderly gentleman who reminds me of one of those old guys from a mustard commercial.

“Just this way miss.” He leads me down a long corridor. I have no idea where he is taking me. The walls are black and the floor is white. As I look for a door or a window I notice that all of the doors seem to blend right in with the paint. You wouldn’t notice they are even there in your first passing of them.

“Mr. Garrett will be with you momentarily. I will let him know of your arrival.” The older man leaves me to stand at the end of the hall, there’s not even a seating area.

Moments later, the old man comes out of a door and shows me inside an office. I figured we’d be doing this at the warehouse where they hold the fights, so he could see me in the ring or something.

“Brandi is it?” I nod in agreement. He places his arms behind his head, looking at me like he so high and mighty—the mighty king sitting on the throne of his mighty empire. I do have to admit he looks damn good doing it.
Damn
the man is even more fine close up. His hair is shaved short, practically bald, but you can tell he is a blonde. He has a nice tan and really fucking beautiful blue eyes that reminding of the water surrounding a tropical island. His slack jaw and angular nose are in perfect proportion. He looks like an underwear model. It really should be against the law for a man to be this wealthy, and so damned hot. I am surprised the sprinklers don’t set off from the fire alarms while he is here.

Seriously, he’s that good looking.

“Brandi,” he prompts snapping me out of my observing his hotness. I adjust my top making sure that I’m not flashing my tits at him when he clicks at something on his computer. Not that I think he would mind all that much –
he is known for being a ladies’ man and always getting his way.

“I’m a man of many talents.”

Did I just say that last part aloud? Oh my God! I’m mortified. This isn’t the impression I was hoping to make.

His eyes meet mine slightly amused at my slip of the tongue. “Have you ever been a cage girl before?”

“No.” We sit in a comfortable silence for a moment when his phone rings.

“Excuse me, this will only take a moment.” He leaves me sitting in his office alone giving me the perfect opportunity to check out my surroundings.

I begin to notice a pattern as I glance around. There are seven pillows on his small sofa, seven pens lying on his desk, and seven paintings on the wall. Weird.

Parker isn’t pleased with whoever is on the other end of the phone. I can’t exactly make out what he is saying, but the words ‘get rid of him’ are spoken, along with ‘it’s costing me too much to let it slide this time.’

Royce’s warning sounds in my head but is shoved to the back of my mind at the sound of the door opening.

Parker returns from his call, trying to hide the irritation on his face. “I hate being interrupted when in the company of someone so beautiful.”

I blush.

He looks amused and licks his lips. The way his tongue darts out and over his kissable lips makes my nipples hard.

“I have one of our bikinis for you. If you don’t mind changing, I’d like to see you in it.”

I nod while wondering if he’d like to see me out of it too.

Parker shows me to his private bath that is located inside his office. “I won’t be long.” I hurriedly do a once over of the room. It is the fanciest bathroom that I have ever seen in an office, not that I have visited many. He has all the necessary accommodations. A shower, commode, sink and even a small closet containing spare clothing.

I can’t help but imagine the reasons why he would need a shower.

I take the tiny scrap of black material from the Lucky 7 tote bag he handed me a moment ago.

I shimmy out of my dress, then I trade my bra and panties for what Parker thinks is a bikini. Thank goodness I shave my pussy or I would be seriously embarrassed. This suit leaves nothing to the imagination. The bottoms aren’t a thong, but they might as well be. My big tits are spilling out of the top of the small cups.

I feel so exposed, but when I peer at my reflection in the mirror, I have to admit all my hard work and dedication has paid off. I look sexy. My thighs are thick but muscular. My ass looks perky and tight. My tits have some wicked cleavage going on.

With a deep breath I exit the bathroom, trying not to appear nervous. If I want to do this professionally I have to get over my fear. This is one man, at the fights there will be hundreds.

A loud whistle pierces my ears as Parker takes me in. I swallow hard when he tells me to spin and show him the full view.

I hear a hiss leave his lips before I turn to face him. He walks around me, mentally stripping the bikini from my shapely form.

“I have to say I’m impressed. I’ve bene following you on social media. You’ve worked hard and its paid off.”

I want to be happy with his compliment, but it also means he knows I was overweight before.

“I think we could make a great team and really get Lucky 7 on the map. Your story—the media will love you. I see a bright future for us, Brandi. I’ll have my secretary set some things up.  If you are interested in joining the team.”