Fighting Lust: A Deadly Sins Novel (10 page)

“Oh god,” I gasp through the pain, tears streaming down my face. “That hurts like a son of a bitch.”

“What the hell is going on? That’s not even funny, man.” I’m still gasping for breath and can’t respond to Tyson.

“He’s trying to get hurt on purpose,” Cole answers.

Turning my gaze to him, I try to peer up at Cole and give him a death glare that screams ‘shut up’, but he avoids me.

“Why would he want to do that?” Tyson asks incredulously.

“Because he thinks that chick that pulled one over on him at the hospital is hot. He wants to go see her again.” Cole replies.

“Are you out of your mind?” Zane asks angrily. “You’re lucky Jax isn’t over here. He’d kick your ass out of here for this shit.”

“Hot chick?” Levi raises his brows, then nods, “I accept that.”

Getting to my feet, albeit a bit unsteadily, I hobble over to Cole and throw a half-hearted punch at him. He easily blocks it and points at me, “You’re a dumb ass.” I simply grin at him making him shake his head.

Tyson and Levi are now sparring together since Tyson gave up on me. “I’m fine, Cole. It doesn’t hurt that bad, and so what? How else am I going to have an excuse to go see her?”

“You’re kidding right?” I look at him stupidly. “Oh my god, man. I may not be as experienced as you, but even I know bringing her flowers, dinner, or hell, just going to her work to say hi is better than this shit. Getting hurt on purpose is asinine.”

Before I can respond, a loud curse rings out of Levi’s mouth and our heads swivel toward him and Tyson in the center of the octagon. Levi’s holding his wrapped hand over his cheek, when he removes it, blood gushes down his face. “Fuck!” Levi yells. He lifts his shirt up and begins to cover it, but Zane brings him a towel. I can’t help but feel a bit of jubilation at the sight. Yeah, something is fucking wrong with me.

Laughing, I call out, “Looks like you need to go to the hospital. I’ll take you!”

The guys all give me a hard time initially, but when the cut on Levi’s cheek doesn’t stop bleeding and it’s clear it will also need stitches, they stop. Truth is, he doesn’t need anyone to take him, but I don’t give a shit.

I’m practically bouncing as we walk into the hospital. I help Levi fill out the paperwork so he can tend to his cheek, and it isn’t long before we are checked into a room. By the look of things, it seems to be another relatively slow night. Our shoes make squeaking noises as we walk down the hall. When we pass a cute nurse, she blushes when she sees us. She wears her scrubs well and I can’t help but give her a thorough look. Normally, I’d be all over that. I’d ditch Levi and go chat her up while I waited for him to get stitched up, but I’m looking for someone else. Finally, unable to take it any longer I ask the nurse taking Levi’s vitals, “Is Tessa working tonight?”

She looks surprised at my question and when I smile wide at her, she turns red in the face. “Yes, she’s here. Whether or not she’s actively working the floor I’m not sure. She oversees all of the nursing staff and has a key role with the residents, as assistant head nurse, so she could be with one of them. She’s not usually assigned to patient care, though she likes it a lot and gets more involved than any assistant head nurse I’ve ever known.”

Glad to have a Chatty Cathy nurse sharing the details, but flustered after having heard that I may not even get a chance to see her, I feel my face immediately fall into a frown I avoid Levi’s stupid looking grin and smile at the cute nurse again. “I’d appreciate it if you could somehow get her for us. She’s a great nurse and took great care of us when we needed stitched up before,” I tell her gesturing to my own young scar. “She’s got great technique.” I laugh and smile again for good measure.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she promises as she makes some entries on a piece of paper she’s carrying and walks out of the room. I can’t sit still. I begin fiddling; walking around the room, picking things up and putting them back down. All the while I can feel Levi staring at me. I avoid his gaze initially, until I finally just give in, “What?” I snap.

“Oh nothing. I’m just thinking I should get my phone out and video this shit because I’ve never in my life seen you actually pursuing a girl. Even after what they just saw at the gym, they wouldn’t believe this even if I told them. I’m going to need video evidence.”

“You do. You die.” I tell him sternly.

“You’re no fun.”

It seems like we’ve been waiting for ages. Levi is using the tongue depressors to build what looks like a teepee, but it keeps falling because he’s clumsy with one hand. I’m trying to ignore him by catching up on social media through my phone. Finally, just when I’m about to give up hope, Tessa walks into the room. Her eyes fall on Levi first and when he gets a good look at her red hair pulled high on her head, her blue eyes, adorable freckles, full lips, and her body language that screams an amazing combination of sexy and sass, his jaw falls to the floor.

She looks confused at first until I release a chuckle at Levis reaction. When her eyes finally turn to me and hold, my breath catches and my body immediately reacts to her beauty.

“Dude, I’m sorry,” Levi says, reluctantly drawing my attention away from her.

“What?” I ask absently.

“I said, sorry.” He gestures to Tessa, then smiles, “I totally get it now. I should have volunteered to break your nose.”

When I was told someone was asking for me, I was certainly not expecting that he would be waiting. Seeing him again makes my belly feel like it’s on fire. To mask it, I make sure I have a look of slight annoyance on my face. Crossing my arms over my chest, I look away from the guy with the bloody towel lying beside him and a temporary bandage on his wound, and face Ryder.

He’s staring at me with those eyes of his. The ones that make me want to take off all my clothes and lay bare before him without a word. The ones that show me he’s thinking about me doing exactly that. Pools of the brightest blue I’ve ever seen. I thought my blue eyes were pretty? They don’t hold a candle to his.

He runs his hand through his very short dark hair and looks down with a smile, the earring in his ear flashing in the light. He’s wearing a sleeveless shirt and athletic pants. His biceps are covered in tattoos and bulging with muscles. I remember the feel of them under my hands all too well. When he looks up and catches me staring, his smile widens and I look away.

Angry at myself for being affected by him, I look at the man whose name is on the chart in the hallway. “Levi, I presume?”

“Yes, ma’am.” It takes all I have not to smile at him. Another looker, he’s got blonde hair and green eyes that are currently watery, likely due to his wound. He’s ridiculously built as well and I’m thinking whatever the hell this fighting is that these guys do, I want to go check it out. Or at least the other guys.

“What happened?” I gesture at his cheek.

“Just a little mishap while sparring with another fighter.”

“A little mishap, huh?” After washing my hands and putting on gloves, I go to him and lower the ice pack he’s holding firmly against the area and gingerly pull the bandage from his swollen face. The bleeding has nearly stopped; it’s oozing only slightly. He’s clearly sustained a blunt force trauma giving rise to notable discoloration around the eye above the point of injury, and which resulted in a significant avulsion, deep enough that I can see down through his epidermis. . For an accidental blow, it was precisely placed such that it’s unlikely he sustained any bone fracture or broken teeth. A little bit higher or lower and the injury might have required more than a few sutures. “A little mishap that’s going to require some stitches from the look of it. Seems like you guys should consider getting a doctor on site.”

They chuckle and I put the bandage back up to his cheek and raise his hand that is still holding the icepack towards his face. “I’ll be back with something to numb the area and supplies. Keep the ice pack pressed to your cheek until I return.”

“Thanks,” he nods with a smile and I find myself returning it. I spare a glance towards Ryder as I walk out only to find he’s already looking at me.

Heading to the supply room, I gather what I need to stitch up Levi’s wound and notify Dr. Handy, the assigned physician that we’ll be ready for him soon. My stomach still feels tingly from Ryder’s presence and I’m doing my best to ignore it. Just as I’m about to turn down the hall back to Levi’s room, my name is called.

Turning, I see a nurse I’ve worked with for a few years now. Smiling, I greet him, “Hey Bryan, how’s it going?”

“Not too bad, it’s kind of quiet tonight, huh?”

I put my finger over my lips, “Shh, don’t jinx it”

We laugh and he shrugs his shoulders with a regretful look on his face, ‘True. I should know better than to say that.”

“If we get slammed, I’m blaming you.”

“Fair enough,” he nods. “I’ve been looking for you because I was wondering if you’re still needing some volunteers for the weekend.”

“Yes,” I answer immediately. “Last I heard, Helping Homes hardly had anyone sign up and they have a massive list of things to do at the home. Flooring, interior and exterior painting and yard work. If you or anyone you know can come out and help, that would be so awesome.” Helping Homes is one of my favorite charities. It’s an organization that provides housing for individuals or families that are victims of abuse. Women or men that are escaping abusive relationships oftentimes don’t have a place to go. Helping Homes has apartments and shelters and a staff that helps them get back on their feet. Then, when they are in a position to buy a new home, they either build needed homes, flip houses such that they fit the individual’s needs, or collaborate with Habitat for Humanity. Regardless, they are a wonderful housing source for many. It’s an amazing organization and I’ve been involved ever since I learned about it.

“Sounds good, Sharon and I will be there,” he says referring to his long time girlfriend. “I know you posted a flyer a while back, but can you shoot me the address when you have a chance?”

“Yeah, I’ll text it over in a bit, but if I forget, it’s on their website calendar too.”

“Great. See you then.”

“See you,” I smile and turn the corner and almost slam into someone.

Placing my hands in front of me instinctually I touch a large chest. One hand is full of supplies, the other, touches muscle. Looking up, I see it belongs to Ryder. “Just the woman I was looking for,” he drawls and I’m caught up in the smile on his face and the look in his eyes.

“What?” I ask stupidly.

“I was looking for you.”

“I’m on my way back to Levi right now. Is something wrong with him?”

“No he’s fine.”

“Oh.”

“I was looking for you for another reason.” I raise my brows in question. “I wanted you alone for a minute so I can ask you to go to dinner with me.”

“Was that a question?”

“Go to dinner with me?” he asks with a sexy smile that’s hard to turn down. Almost.

“Why would I want to do that?”

His smile falls for a minute and he looks confused. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry, Ryder.” His face falls and I shrug, “I’m just not interested.”

For a moment he looks stunned. But then it fades and a slow smile begins spreading on his face and he laughs as if we’ve just shared a private joke.

“What?” I ask him confused. He looks down and I see that my hand is not only still on his chest, but it’s in fact clutching at his shirt. Like I want to rip it off his chest. Oh god. I feel myself flush, which is also embarrassing, and I remove my hand quickly. Clearing my throat, I add, “I don’t date.”