Jab (Fighter Romance) (Las Vegas Series #2) (6 page)

Knox

I stood on my side of the cage, but my mind was still in that parking lot, Mila’s words replaying over and over in my mind. Each time hurting more than the last. It was worse than any blow I had ever taken. Her words were like an iron fist to the face. I was foolish to think that having a tragedy in common would be the key to her soul. It was blaringly obvious that Mila didn’t have a soul.

“Where’s your head?” Coach asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face, and knocking me out of my thoughts.

“Huh?” I asked, shaking my head and glancing up at Coach, who had the look of disappointment on his face.

“Your head. Where the fuck is it? Because it sure as hell isn’t here right now.”

I took a few deep breaths and focused on my opponent across the mat. He was standing up, bouncing from one foot to the other. Full of energy, and looking as if he was all in. He wanted my title. Wanted to steal it right out from under me. He was hungry, and I couldn’t fucking care less.

“Hello?” Coach yelled.

I might not have cared, but Coach? He cared enough for the both of us. “I’m here.”

“You better fucking be. We didn’t train our asses off for you to blow it.”

“I’m not going to blow it.”

“Good because everyone’s counting on you.”

I could hear Julius’s voice in the crowd, and Marco’s hoots. I stole a glance over my shoulder and saw my three best friends on their feet, clapping, ready for me to add to their bank accounts. They put all of their faith in me, and I owed it to them to be here.

So, I pushed thoughts of Mila, and everything about that fucked up situation, out of my mind and focused on the prize.

The ref motioned for us to take our positions and I readied myself, bouncing around, trying to pump myself up. I closed my eyes for a moment and allowed the cheers from the crowd to fill me. People chanted my name, and it gave me the boast I was looking for.

The bell rang, and JoJo came in swinging. He didn’t waste any time. His fist flew at me, but I dodged it and got him with a hook to the left side. He bounced back and kept throwing jabs, but I kept blocking them.

I was bored. I was never bored in the cage, but my heart just wasn’t into it tonight. I needed to knock this guy out because, the faster I did, the faster I could call it a night.

He went for the takedown and, normally, I would have laughed in his face. Made him realize how stupid he was for thinking he could take down Knockout McArthur. His arms were on my legs, but I got out of it easily and, while he stumbled to his knees, I responded to his takedown attempt with an axe kick.

The round passed and so did another, each of us landing a few good hits. He had a cut above his eyebrow, and I had taken a good blow to my ribs. I would feel it tomorrow.

The bell rang, and we were back at it. His fist came at me, and I knocked it away, but I wasn’t expecting a left hook to the jaw. My head spun back, and I stumbled with it. I was trying to get my bearings when JoJo’s fists came at me with a vengeance, landing blow after blow until the world went black.

Mila

All anyone at the club was talking about was the fight. Knox lost. He lost his title and the “undefeated” before his name. I couldn’t help but think that it was all my fault. I knew he had a fight. I should have sucked it up, and let it go on another day, before ripping his heart out and stomping on it across the parking lot.

I placed a tray of drinks on a table by the stage, and headed back to the bar. They were short-handed on waitresses tonight and, after everything with Knox, I decided to hide behind more hours at work. Ariana was concerned. I’d barely slept. Refusing to leave and sleeping in the backroom.

I got to the bar and placed my tray on it, ready to pick up another order when I spotted Julius. He came over to me, and he wasn’t looking at me with total disgust, so maybe Knox didn’t tell him about the horrible things I said. “Did you see the fight?” he asked, taking a final gulp from his glass before placing it on the bar.

“Yeah,” I admitted. Despite everything, I still watched it. Watching Knox get the ever living shit beat out of him hurt in a way I wasn’t expecting. At one point, I covered my face because each blow was like a blow to my own face.              

“He’s pretty tore up,” Julius said, and I shrugged, trying not to care, but wishing I could see him, just so I knew he was okay.

“He took some nasty hits,” I said.

“Not from the fight. From you. I have no idea what went down between you two, but he’s all sorts of fucked up.”

“It’s for the best,” I said.

Julius arched an eyebrow. “Do you honestly believe that?”

“I have to.”

“Starr, sweetie, sorry to bother you,” Ariana said, resting a hand on my arm.

“Someone is here to see you.” I gave her a look and she mouthed,
Mackenzie
. What the hell was she doing here?

“Julius, excuse me.”

I headed to the front where Mackenzie waited with Carmine. I hated that she was in here. That she was so close to the stage. She didn’t need to see what went on behind these doors. It wasn’t a place for a child. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Are you in trouble?”

“No, it’s just…” She shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, lacking her usual confidence. “You haven’t been home. I guess you can say I was worried.”

“I’ve been busy,” I stated.

“Oh,” she said, and I could see the disappointment in her features. The slight frown of her lips, and the drooping of her eyes. She took the first step by coming here. The least I could do was be a little nicer to her. She might have been a royal pain in my ass, but she was still my baby sister.

“Sorry. It’s been a long day. I’m just trying to make some extra cash for us.” I wanted her to know that I was still doing everything for her. That, even if I hadn’t been around, I wasn’t going to abandon her.

“I get it,” Mackenzie said. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Thanks,” I said, and I could feel the gap between us slowly closing. “Why don’t you head home, and tomorrow morning I’ll make you a big breakfast? We can catch up.” It would be nice to go back to the way things were and, who knew, maybe this would be a turning point. Maybe the animosity Mackenzie was so full of would finally cease.

We could go back to being sisters who actually liked each other. Who wanted to spend time with each other. I missed those days. Longed for them. And, if I could at least get those back I could get by.

“I’d like that,” Mackenzie said with a smile, causing my own lips to curve upward.

A hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to find Julius. Even in my six inch heels, he towered over me and I had to tilt my head back to see him.

“I’m heading out. I just wanted to say good bye.” He glanced over at Mackenzie, and his brows furrowed together.

“Julius, this is my sister, Mackenzie.”

He snapped his fingers, and pointed at Mackenzie. “I know you,” he said.

“No, you don’t,” Mackenzie said, swiping a hand through her hair.

Julius stared at her for a moment, and then nodded his head. “Yeah, I do. You’re the reason Knox got locked up.”

My head snapped to attention. What the fuck was he talking about? Why did Mackenzie have anything to do with Knox getting locked up? He was at a strip club when he got arrested.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mackenzie said, avoiding eye contact.

“You’re that stripper!” Julius exclaimed.

“Excuse me?” I demanded, eyes glaring at Mackenzie as I watched the blood drain from her face. She slowly backed away and then spun, crashing into Julius and taking off.

The End

Look for the final book in the Las Vegas Series

Takedown

available January 13th, 2016

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~ Keep reading for an excerpt from Naughty (Sebastian’s story) ~

The late December sun was setting over Manhattan, and I took a moment from the contract I was reviewing to watch it. Another day was ending, and, by this time tomorrow, I would be sitting on my private beach, drinking a beer, relishing in the sun, and completely void of all things Christmas.

Unfortunately, I still had a few things to square away before I could head out. I didn’t get to where I was by sitting on my ass, and I wasn’t going to start now. I reached over to my phone and buzzed my assistant, Annabelle.

“Yes, Mr. Hamilton?” she asked in her sugary sweet tone.

“Please bring me a cup of coffee.”

“Yes, sir.” A few seconds later, there was a gentle knock on the door before she pushed it open and let herself in.

I was still focused on the setting sun, but, when she didn’t immediately retreat, I turned toward her. She always dressed professional and sexy as hell, but today her usual black stockings, tight pencil skirt and red fuck me heels were paired with a red sweater that pulled tight against her tits. A Santa Clause necklace lay just above the dip in her shirt, and, instead of her dangly earrings, bells hung from her ears.

While most of the businesses in New York decorated to the nines, I had a strict no holiday decoration policy in place. Annabelle’s ridiculous outfit made me feel like she was mocking me. I ignored the bearded guy that wouldn’t stop drawing my attention to her tits, and focused on her eyes.

There was hesitation in her gaze, and she looked almost uncomfortable. Her teeth slid over her bottom lip, and she glanced down to her fidgeting hands.

“Did you need something?” I asked, sliding into my chair, and getting ready to dive back into the contract.

She looked up at me with those bright whiskey colored eyes, and tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear. “Well, it’s just that, it’s Christmas Eve, and I was hoping that I could leave a little early. The snow is really starting to come down out there, and I have to drive to Jersey still.”

I grabbed my coffee from the edge of the desk and took a sip. She always managed to get it just right. “Sorry, Annabelle, but business doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas Eve. I need to get this contract done and out before either of us can leave.”

She mumbled something under her breath, and, for a second, she looked like she might lunge across the desk and strangle me. But, then she flashed a huge smile full of perfectly white teeth and spun toward the door. “Just thought I’d ask,” she singsonged.

I watched her ass sway as the door shut behind her. I hired her because of her resume. For someone so young, it was quite impressive, but if I knew how hard I would get every time I saw her, I might have thought differently. She was my employee and completely off limits. My number one rule: Do not, under any circumstances, mix business and pleasure.

So, I adjusted my throbbing cock and got back to work. I didn’t realize how much time had passed until I put the contract down and looked at my Rolex: seven o’clock. Shit, it was later than I wanted to stay. Oh well. The contract was done and ready to go out.

I buzzed Annabelle, but she didn’t answer me. The door flung open and she stood there, arms crossed and foot tapping. Those red fuck me heels of her caused me to go instantly hard, but I ignored the throbbing, and held the contract out to her. “Can you please send this out and then you can call it a night?”

She snatched it out of my hand and, this time when she mumbled, I heard her. “Call it a night at seven fucking o’clock. Oh, how kind of you, Scrooge McDuck.”

“Hey! What was that?” I asked.

She smiled again, all big and bright. “Nothing,” she said, and then disappeared.

I grabbed my coat and pulled it on. “Annabelle?” I said into the phone. 

“One more thing before you leave. Can you call Thomas for me, and tell him to meet me out front?”

“Of course,” she said, but there was venom in her tone.

I put a few files away and sent another email before finally heading out. The building was desolate, and the only noise I heard was the distant sound of heels clicking on the floor. Annabelle reappeared, grabbing her coat and purse from her desk.

“The document was sent. Have a nice holiday, Mr. Hamilton.”

She spun away, and I called after her. “Let me walk you out.”

There was more mumbling as I approached, but her big bright smile was in place. We got into the elevator, neither of us saying a word. I pressed the button to bring us from the top floor to the lobby.

So many times we had gone down this same elevator, and, so many times, I thought about how amazing it would be to have her pinned up against the wall as I drove my cock into her. Wondered if she would scream my name and dig her nails into my back. She was always so sweet, but, every now and again, she would flash her feistiness. I couldn’t help but think that feistiness would come to life in the bedroom. I shook the thought from my head and focused on the numbers of the passing floors.

“So, Mr. Hamilton, any Christmas plans?”

“I’m jetting off to my private island, so I don’t have to deal with Christmas.”

She didn’t say anything, just pressed her lips into a straight line. I realized then how nasty I sounded, and felt bad since she was just trying to make small talk.

“What about you, Annabelle? Having dinner with your boyfriend?” I asked, assuming she had one. A girl as pretty as her would not stay single long in such a big city full of desperate men.

She shook her head. “No boyfriend. But I have dinner plans tonight in Jersey with my family. I’m Italian, so Christmas Eve is kind of a big deal. Bigger than Christmas day. I’m just hoping I make it by the seventh course.”

“Seventh course?”

“It’s the feast of the seven fishes, so we always have seven types of fish, eggplant parmesan, pasta, stuffed artichokes, and whatever else my Mom decides to whip up.”

“Why doesn’t she just have it catered?” I asked, and Annabelle gasped in total disgust.

“The best part of Christmas Eve is not just the food, but the preparation with the family. The time you spend together is priceless. And the delicious smells that fill the house all day.” She closed her eyes as if she was imagining it. “Cooking is the best part.” She shrugged, and I could see a sadness in her eyes, almost making me feel bad for keeping her so late.

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Annabelle rushed out and right to the door. I met her just before she pushed out into the night. And, even though it was against everything I believed, I forced out, “Merry Christmas, Annabelle.”

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Hamilton. I hope you find the peace you’re looking for,” she said, and pushed out into the blistering cold night.