KILLER: An Unfit Hero Novel

by Faiman, Hayley

  I hiss, hating that for Ford and for Laurie. It’s no fun when you think you hit it off with someone only to find out that you’re not compatible in bed together. I won’t lie, one of the reasons I like Tulip so fucking much is because of just that, in bed we’re on fucking fire.

  Her personality is an added bonus, a delightful fucking bonus that I truly adore. And as time goes by, I know without a doubt that she is a woman that I could see myself falling in love with and building a life beside.

  “There’s someone, Ford.”

  “Think I’ve fucked every woman in town that wasn’t my cousin, Louis. Unless someone new moves to town, I’m out of goddamn luck.”

  I almost ask him about Sterling LaRue, but decide against it. I’ve seen the shadowed look that crosses his face every time she’s mentioned. If he wanted to get in touch with her, he knows that either me or Beaumont could make that happen.

  He’s never asked.

  I know that there’s something unfinished when it comes to them. It makes me fucking sad for him, because other than being single, he’s got a great fucking life and I know that he wants more.

  “It’ll happen, brother,” I murmur.

  He grunts then curses. “Fuck, I just watched my horse fucking sprint off. Must be a storm comin’ that I didn’t catch on my radar. Gotta fuckin’ go.” He ends the call and I toss my phone on the seat next to me as I continue driving toward home.

  I can’t stop thinking about Tulip and Joey. About the way she looked as she stared at the empty spot where her couch used to sit. How she told me that he’d never claimed her as his woman. I want to give her the whole fucking world on a silver platter, if she’ll let me, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

  Once I get home, I go to my gym and start to work out. It dawns on me that last night I slept next to Tulip and not once did I even think about Antoni or what happened to him. It also hits me that I actually fucking slept. I haven’t done that in months.

  I push my body, though I don’t know why, I’m not sure that I want to fight again any time soon—maybe never.

  The television is on in the background and something causes me to pause. It’s a picture of Antoni on the screen. Reaching for the remote, I turn up the volume to hear what the newscaster is barking about.

  “Louis Kingston has been cleared of all wrongdoings for the death of boxer Antoni Byers. It is said that it was purely a stroke of bad luck. Also, Kingston’s publicist has issued a statement saying that he will get back in the ring to defend his title shortly. Now, that will be a fight that nobody will want to miss.”

  Reaching for my phone, I immediately find my publicist’s name.

  “Kingston, I was just about to—”

  “What the fuck were you thinking? I’m not mentally ready for the ring again, Gary, not even fucking close,” I snap, interrupting him.

  “Well—” He begins, but I don’t let him finish, again.

  “No, fucking no goddamn way, man. I killed someone. I fucking killed him. I can’t do it again.”

  There’s a moment of pause, then Gary clears his throat. “I didn’t want to go down this road, Louis, but you’re not giving me a choice.”

  “What?” I bark.

  “You have a contract to uphold. You have to do these fights coming up. You have to defend your title. What happened to Antoni, that’s part of the job. It’s why you boys get paid millions.”

  Pinching my eyes closed, I take a deep breath, trying not to scream at the top of my lungs, throw my phone, or break everything in this room. I keep my anger controlled, but just barely.

  “You’re asking too much of me,” I grind out.

  Gary clucks his tongue. “Phone conference with your agent and coordinator to schedule these fights. It’s non-negotiable, Louis.”

  “Fuck you,” I seethe.

  “You may think that I’m being an asshole, but you’re going to thank me, Kingston. If you don’t get back to work now, you never will.”

  The line goes dead and I grip my phone in my palm so tightly that I hear it creak in my grasp. Releasing it, I let it fall to the floor as I close my eyes and attempt to calm my ass down.

  I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to go back in that ring. Call me a pussy, call me a fucking coward, I don’t give a fuck. If that will keep me out, then that works just fine for me.

  TULIP

  I try to focus on work, but I fail. I end up messing up change and bagging the wrong items together. Basically, the entire first part of my day, I’m a complete mess. I sigh in relief when it’s time for my break.

  Rushing off into the breakroom, I let out a groan when I’m finally alone to breathe, to think. Though, I don’t know why I need to think any more than I already have been. I can’t get Louis out of my head. The way he makes me feel inside and out. He owns me—completely and totally.

  “It was a great show last night, Tulip,” Mark announces as he walks into the room.

  My entire body freezes. Lifting my eyes, I meet his gaze. He licks his lips as his eyes travel down to my chest then back up to my face.

  “Please don’t,” I whisper.

  “What? Don’t get shy on me now, Tulip. I saw everything last night and as always, gorgeous. You’ll be there tonight too, right?”

  The way he is watching me, leaning forward and staring in anticipation, it makes me feel uneasy, really, really uneasy. His eyes widen as he waits for my answer. I feel stuck, rooted to my spot with nowhere to go and this man is my boss, on top of all of that.

  Forcing a smile, I inhale and exhale quickly. “I’m not sure if I’ll be there tonight,” I say.

  The odd thing is that I don’t remember ever seeing Mark at Headlights. Not that I really pay attention to the faces in the crowd, but I feel like I would notice him, my boss. His would be a face that actually stuck out to me, especially when I’m forced to walk around and work the room.

  Standing, I wipe my hands on the thighs of my jeans and give him a small wave before I hurry out of the room. Looking back over my shoulder, I’m glad when he doesn’t follow me. Reaching for my phone, I debate on calling Louis, but decide against it. He’s busy and I’m probably just overreacting.

  So, instead, I go back to work and hope that Mark leaves me alone for the rest of the day. Thankfully, the afternoon is much busier than the morning and we’re both too busy for him to leer at me anymore.

  “Umm, Tulip?” my current customer whisper-shouts. Glancing up from scanning her items, I smile as I tilt my head to the side. “There’s a very tall, muscular, black man staring at you.”

  She looks a little worried, maybe even a little horrified, and I have to remind myself that not everyone has the same kind, loving, accepting heart.

  Smiling, my eyes flick over to where I see Louis standing near the carts. His eyes are definitely focused on me and I watch as he winks before tugging on a buggy handle and pulling it away from the others.

  “Him?” I ask her.

  “Yes,” she hisses.

  Smiling, I bite my bottom lip. “He’s my boyfriend,” I announce. I don’t really know what we are, but I say it so that this lady will shut the fuck up about it.

  She blinks, her eyes widening and then she surprises me. I watch as she reaches forward, her hand wrapping around my own and she squeezes. “Well, he is handsome as can be. Good for you, Tulip, girl. You know years ago, I never thought that this world would change and here we are.”

  She doesn’t explain her words. Instead, she pays for her groceries and then grabs ahold of her cart and marches on out of the store. I watch her for a moment, wondering exactly what she was talking about. Maybe I should know, or maybe it doesn’t matter.

  She’s right though. The world is changing. Some days it feels like it’s for the worse and other days, like today, it surprises the shit out of me.

  I continue checking out customers until a familiar pair of green eyes meet mine at the end of my conveyor belt. I watch for a moment as he loads the belt up with en
ough food to feed an army.

  “This is a lot,” I point out as I begin to scan his items.

  He grins, his eyes looking directly into my own. “You’re almost off, right?”

  Nodding, I keep going, punching in the numbers for all his fruits and vegetables as I weigh them. “Fifteen minutes, you’re my last customer then I’m counting out and I’m done for the day.”

  “Good, we’re taking half of this to your place, then the other half to mine. You working the club tonight?”

  I pause, my eyes lifting from my machine to meet his. “Half of this is going to my place?” I whisper.

  “Baby, if I’m there, I want to be able to make you breakfast in the morning,” he simply states. “It’s fucking selfish as shit. I’m apparently fighting in a few months and I need to start training again. I have to start back on my regimented diet.”

  He says the words, but his gaze looks blank. Frowning, I decide not to question him right here in the middle of HEB. Instead, I just continue to check him out, scanning his fruit, veggies, chicken, turkey, and eggs. So many eggs.

  “Are you workin’ tonight?” he asks again.

  My shoulder jerks and I nod once. “Yeah, I’m supposed to,” I say.

  “But?”

  I bite the corner of my lip and shrug a shoulder. “You don’t want me to quit?” I ask.

  He snorts. “Fuck yeah, I do. Am I going to make you? No. You got your reasons and I really fucking respect them. We can talk in-depth if you want to quit, but if you want to keep doin’ that, you can keep on, baby. I’ll be right there making sure you’re safe though.”

  “You will?” I breathe.

  His green eyes twinkle. “That bouncer and security is shit. Plus, seeing you up there is no fucking hardship. Hot as hell, my Tullie is.”

  I can feel my face heat, it turns bright red, I just know it. Lifting my hands to my cheeks, I feel them and sure enough, they’re warm. “Okay, Louie,” I whisper.

  He grins as I finish ringing up his items. I give him his total, he pays, and a few moments later we’re walking out of the grocery store, together, hand-in-hand as he pushes his buggy with his free hand. I feel like we’re a real couple, like I’m living in a dream state. I’m afraid to pinch myself for fear of waking up from this moment.

  Chapter Nine

  LOUIS

  I have every intention of being a gentleman this evening. The last thing I need to do is fuck Tulip senseless before sending her off to work on a pole. Though, it’s tempting as fuck, sending her to Headlights smelling like me—like us.

  Firing up my grill, I throw two chicken breasts and a ribeye on along with a basket full of squash, bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli. Inside Tulip is making some brown rice and garlic bread. The bread is for her, the rest of the food is for us.

  I suppose if I’m being forced to fight again, I may as well start getting back on track eating-wise. Using the tongs, I flip the meat with a heavy sigh.

  “You look tired, and like the weight of the world rests solely on your shoulders,” Tulip’s sweet voice calls out.

  Turning my head slightly, I look back at her over my shoulder. She’s got her makeup plastered on heavily and her normally straight hair is curled and teased. She’s halfway to stripper Tullie.

  Inside, I’m fighting the urge to force her to stay home. But, I know without a doubt that isn’t what she wants or needs from me right now.

  She’s trying to gain her footing, better herself in life. I can’t take that away from her, I fucking refuse. I won’t be this man who forces her to do shit, who holds her back, who uses her the way that Joey did, the way that my stepfather uses my mother. Fuck that goddamn shit.

  I’m going to be better than every other man in her world. Better than the men in mine. I’m going to be like Wyatt, Rylan, and Beau. Those are the men that I aspire to be when it comes to Tulip and to fucking life.

  “Sometimes it is,” I murmur after a moment of silence.

  She nods, then takes a step toward me, then another until she’s against my back. Her arms slide around my waist and her lips touch my shoulder. I can feel her warmth through my shirt and I wish that I wasn’t wearing one so that I could feel her against my skin.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks sweetly.

  “I’m going to be fighting in a couple months. My team is putting together the schedule, but they all think it’s time for me to fulfill my contractual obligations,” I admit.

  There’s a moment of silence. I should tell her right now about Antoni, about how my fist sent him to meet his maker. I assume that she knows, but judging by the confused look on her face, maybe she doesn’t.

  “Do you need a break?” she asks quietly.

  Turning slightly to face her, I wrap one of my arms around her back and pull her close to my chest. “Yeah, Tullie. I need a fuckin’ break,” I breathe.

  She tilts her head back to look up at me, her eyes so fucking bright and beautiful as she searches my face for an answer. I want to tell her everything, every fucking thing that she wants to know about me, about my life. But I don’t want to see the pity in her face, the sadness at knowing what has happened in my life.

  “Maybe after these fights you can get that break? Renegotiate?” she so innocently suggests.

  Sliding my hand up her back, I tangle it in her teased out blonde locks as I dip my head to touch my mouth to hers. “Yeah, baby,” I rasp against her lips before I sweep my tongue into her mouth, tasting her.

  Slowly, I lift my head, releasing her and turn back to the grill. Everything is almost ready. Tulip doesn’t leave as I put everything inside of the metal pan next to the grill. Shutting everything down, I take the pan and head inside.

  She follows me, but I can feel her questions hanging in the air, on the tip of her tongue. I don’t want to demand that she ask them. I honestly want to live in a bubble for a while longer. Eventually she’ll find out the truth about me, about the man that she let inside of her body.

  Then she’ll have to make a decision. Can she sleep with a killer? Can she fall in love with one? Can she fall in love with me?

  The table is set with dishes, silverware, and glasses of water. Silently, we plate our food, then sit down across from one another at my eight-seat dining room table. It’s fucking ridiculous since I’m a bachelor, but the interior designer that I hired from the furniture store a couple towns over claimed that it was a necessity.

  “What time do you get off tonight?” I ask after the silence has become unbearable.

  Tulip lifts her gaze to meet mine and I decide that I hate her heavy makeup. Her eyes have taken on a different shade of blue and she hides her thoughts from me. It’s as if the makeup puts on a complete mask over every part of her.

  “Two,” she breathes before stabbing a piece of meat and lifting her fork to her mouth.

  I watch her lips as she slips the fork between them and can’t think about anything other than my cock replacing that fucking fork. Shifting in my seat, I clear my throat. “I’ll be there, all night.”

  “All night?”

  Nodding, I take a bite of my own chicken. “Yeah, all night. If you want me to stay in my truck, I will, but I’ll be there. Just in case.”

  “Just in case…”

  Smiling, I lift my gaze to meet hers. “Yeah, Tullie. Just in case you need me.”

  I watch as she blinks, her lips parting in awe for a moment before she snaps them closed and nods. “Okay,” she exhales with a smile.

  We don’t speak again. I’m content to watch her as she eats, happy to see her consuming food. I wasn’t fucking around when I said that I thought she was too skinny. I almost groan when she takes a piece of buttered garlic bread and devours it. Fucking beautiful. The bread and her. That’s the thing I miss the most about being in training, indulgence.

  Once we’re finished eating, I throw the dishes in the sink. I’ll do them later, right now I have other things on my mind.

  I told myself that I could send Tul
ip to work without taking her, without touching her, but I was a fucking liar. Turning away from the kitchen, I make my way toward my bedroom where I know she’s getting ready for tonight.

  Standing in the entrance of the room, I watch her for a moment. Her back is to me as she shimmies a tiny pair of panties on. Her beautiful ass is bare and on display for me, along with her bare back.

  Taking a step into the room, I take another, then another until my hips are pressed against her ass. Wrapping my hands around her hips, I close my eyes when her breath hitches.

  “Louis?” she rasps.

  “Need you,” I shamelessly admit.

  TULIP

  Need.

  It’s such a simple word and yet the meaning, it’s gigantic.

  One of Louis’ hands slides around my waist and I feel his warm fingers press against my belly. Closing my eyes, I lick my lips at the feel of his hard length beneath his jeans pushing against the crack of my ass.

  My breath comes out in a ragged whoosh as the hand on my hip shifts and slides between my legs. I feel his fingers touch my clit and my thighs begin to shake.

  “Louis,” I breathe, again.

  Words completely escape me as I begin to feel what he does to my body, how he plays me expertly. The hand on my belly slowly moves up the center of my chest, then slides over to my breast and I whimper when he curls his fingers and grips me.

  Louis’ mouth touches the side of my neck, his entire front is pressing against my back and I keep my eyes closed as he completely envelops me. My hips jerk as I try to move against his fingers.

  Spreading my legs a little wider, I tip my hips and push back against him a little more. A smile plays on my lips when I hear him groan against my neck.

  His fingers move faster, rubbing perfect firm circles against my clit and then, he does something that I’ve never experienced before. He stops, lifting his fingers from my body and gently slaps my clit.

  My breath hitches and I let out a small yelp. “What,” I whisper. “What was that?”