“No,” I smile and lean back. “I just moved back from California. I’m actually going through a bit of a dry spell.”
There’s a long pause and I fear I may have said something wrong. I look over to the girls and they’re all looking among themselves, smirking. There must be some inside joke they’re sharing.
“Oh my god, this is too great,” Jill says finally. “We were hoping you were single.”
“What? Why?” Seriously?
“Because it will be fun watching the guys chase after you.”
“You can’t be serious,” I frown.
“Yeah,” Lauren tells me. “They’re going to be all over you.”
“Maybe I don’t like MMA guys,” I say defensively and look back to the mirror, pretending to check myself out. Brett’s face flashes in my mind but I push it away. Though I can’t help wondering how he would react if the other guys were hitting on me… Who am I kidding? He probably wouldn’t even care.
Nicole laughs. “Are you into girls?”
I shake my head. “No.”
Nicole smirks. “That’s too bad, actually. You’re really cute.”
Oh my god.
Jill laughs as I pick my jaw off of the floor. “She’s just messing with you.”
Nicole nods and laughs. “Yeah, sorry. I was just messing with you.”
“Okay…”
“We can get pretty silly back here, sometimes,” Lauren explains. “You’ll get used to it.”
I nod my head and hope she’s right.
“So, Mandy,” Sarah smiles and leans close to me. “What kind of guy do you like?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, feeling myself shrink back as they all look at me. Is it getting hot in here?
“Oh, you know?” Sarah explains. “Do you like them tall? Blonde?”
“Do you like big guns or tight butts?” Jill adds.
I giggle nervously. “Maybe I like them all?”
“Don’t we all,” Lauren squeals.
“Oh, you’re not going to make this easy,” Nicole smiles. “It’s okay, though. I like the challenge.”
Sarah sighs, “I don’t like the challenge. I wish Chase didn’t retire, he made guessing so easy.”
“Chase?” I ask. I remember that name. “And what do you mean by easy?”
Sarah nods. “Yeah, Reaper. I’m just trying to guess which guy is going to get to you.”
Jill giggles, “Yeah, he got me.”
“Got you?”
Color creeps up Lauren’s cheeks. “Reaper had a thing for blondes.”
Oh. I don’t know how to feel about that especially because I’m blonde. Jill and Lauren share a look, and they’re both blonde, so Chase must have got them both too. I think I vaguely remember a Chase back when I went to the gym with Brett. I wonder if they’re the same guy.
“Now it’s really anyone’s game,” Nicole says. “Though Brett has been getting around.”
Fuck, and just like that my stomach drops. I so don’t want to hear any of the girls say he “got them”.
“But Niklaus has stepped up his game,” Sarah says thoughtfully as she looks at me.
“I think Max also has a thing for blondes,” Jill pipes up.
“I’m betting Greg,” Lauren says.
Greg… That’s the name of the guy who left me his number at Thursday’s, telling me to call him when I stopped clapping. For the life of me I can’t remember which one of the meatheads he was though. And then it dawns on me. These girls are literally betting on me sleeping with one of those guys I served.
“I’m betting Brett,” Nicole says, narrowing her eyes as she looks at me. Can she tell just by looking at me?
Sarah adds, “Put me down for Niklaus.”
“Max,” Jill sighs dreamily. “Because I would so do him.”
Lauren snickers. “You’re kind of betting against yourself there, girl. But I get it. He looks like he could be even bigger than Reaper.”
“Five minutes, ladies,” a deep voice calls out.
“Shit,” Sarah curses.
Lauren frowns. “We’ll trade digits later. We wasted so much time talking about the guys we forgot to get you up to speed.”
“Yeah,” Sarah apologizes and rolls her chair closer to mine. “Sorry. Tonight is Night of Fights, so we have eight matches. But you’re new, so you’ll only have to walk once. And because you’re new, you’ll walk the second match. Jill will go first, so you can see what to do….”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Brett
Ah, the Night of Fights. This is where the new guys and those who haven’t quite earned their stripes yet in the fights begin the climb up the long ladder to championship matches, like mine coming up in a month. This happens every other month, with the larger fight cards on the opposite month. Not every single card has a championship bout, but it’s often enough to keep the crowds happy.
I’ve come close to the belt only once before now, and I took my first loss as professional fighter. It was to the guy who currently holds the belt, Charlie the Blade Lawson. He beat me out and knocked me down a couple rungs on the ladder. He then competed against the then Champion and won the fight after going to the judges. It was a tough loss for the champ, especially since he pulled up his stakes and went across the ocean to compete in the Asian market.
Charlie’s a cocky asshole too, I can’t stand the fucker. He has let his mouth run a bit too much for my taste. I don’t mind trash talking with my opponent, but he just doesn’t stop. I want to put a stop to his mouth, and I want to kick his fucking head off his shoulders.
Tonight should prove a good distraction for me. I haven’t been completely myself since seeing Mandy. I’ve been wanting to go back to the restaurant, but haven’t found the right time to do it. I was kind of an asshole with her, and fuck I really didn’t want to be a prick to her but it’s been a long time and a lot of pain since then.
I really want to see her again though, and that just fucks with me.
Spending a lot of time at the gym and dojo this last week as I build up towards the fight has really kept me from going insane. Like I told Bear, losing my Mandy and then my parents really did set me on my course for tonight. It’s time to do what I have fought long and hard for all these years to obtain. I am ready for it.
* * *
Pre-ritual for when Max and I go to the fights usually has us blasting music at one of our houses and getting our swagger set up. Chase use to go with us to these before he met Avery and got all serious. We, of course, sent him a text inviting him and his girl but he declined, saying he was a bit busy.
Good fitting jeans, a t-shirt that’s made to show off my upper body, and a once over on my goatee, and I am ready. I may not be the biggest playboy out there, but I sure as fuck try to be. I’m going to try to get me a girl tonight. It’s time to get her out of my thoughts, and my cock into a nice little pussy. I need to feel my cum erupting into something nice and tight.
Pulling into the arena’s parking lot, we drive straight into the VIP area and hop out. I see a bunch of local celebs, a few other fighters, and even a couple of minor movie stars. On the champion fight night this place will be packed with movie and sports stars all coming to see me kick the fuck out of Charlie.
I make my way into the arena, taking a seat in the crowd, and directly across from me I see Charlie smiling for the camera in his face. He throws a couple jabs and talks a bit of smack, but the crowd is so damn loud I don’t think the mic can catch what he’s saying. A camera is pretty quick though to get to my spot when they spot me, and I can just guarantee they have us put up side by side on a split screen.
I wink to the camera and give ‘em what I like to call the time to fuck smile.
The first fight goes pretty quick and I’m impressed with how quick the winner, Jacob Chalmers, works his way in and submits his opponent.
It’s during the second round that I see something that has my cock ready to get as hard as fucking possible, and also makes my fucking stomach drop li
ke a goddamn rock. I stare hard as I see Mandy starting her slow, strutting walk around the cage, and she’s coming closer to me every fucking second.
And holy fuck, she has filled out in all the right fucking spots.
I mean filled out in the way that makes me want to try to break her hip by fucking her as hard as possible. She is tight in the stomach and has definitely grown in the breast department, and those fuckers are all natural, sitting firmly on her chest.
As she looks at me, her smile falters for a millisecond, and then she is past me, her tight ass swinging back and forth in the most perfectly formed bubble butt I have ever seen.
She walks all the way around the ring before taking a seat close to where Charlie is positioned, and I swear I am going to fucking take his goddamn head off.
I stand between the rounds after she makes a second go around, and walk over to her. I may not be the champion, but when I see Charlie making moves on my fucking turf I feel like I am going to murder him, and piss all over her to mark her as mine like some fucking dog does to a tree.
I walk right to her, and without any fuckin’ qualms I stand between the two and wag my finger under Charlie’s nose.
“Mine fuckstick. Go fuck one of your diseased groupies.”
I know the cameras don’t get to us in time to work out my words, but everyone in the crowd is cheering as they see security guards instantly getting in between us, keeping us from starting our bout right then and there.
Mandy
While we sat cage side, waiting for our turn to walk, the other ring girls and I gossiped. The girls had no qualms about sharing anything and everything with me, even with me being the new girl. Twenty minutes in and I knew almost all the dirty secrets about the fighter’s and their sex lives, which was not what I’m usually interested in but it helped past the time.
It just really sucked when they started talking about Brett and all his conquests.
Apparently Brett has quite a reputation with the ladies that began before he even started working towards the Championship in his weight class. From the way the girls talk about him, it’s only a matter of time before he sets his eyes on me. And according to them, the guy will hump anything with boobs.
As if just talking about him causes him to manifest, when it’s my turn to walk, my gaze collides with Brett and I nearly trip my first time around the cage.
I feel like jumping out of my skin when I smile at the crowd and find Brett’s honey eyes blazing right back at me.
He doesn’t look pissed though, which is just a little surprising after how he treated me at the restaurant. No, I know that intense look on his face. He is leaning forward, bracing his elbows on his knees while his lids grow heavy and his hot gaze scorches me from head to toe.
He doesn’t look angry to see me, if anything he looks… hungry. Like all those times he pushed me back on the hood of his mom’s Volvo and licked me until I screamed. It leaves me feeling shaken and a little pissed off, especially after our last encounter. Does Brett still hate me or does he want to fuck me?
Or does he want to do both?
I wish I didn’t even care…
“Mandy? Is that your name?” a husky voice says from behind me as I narrow my eyes and try to glare through the cage after taking my seat.
“Yeah?” I say and turn slightly to see who is talking to me. The prettiest green eyes glitter back at me. Well, not the prettiest eyes but almost as pretty.
“I’m Charlie,” the guy says and I can instantly tell he’s a fighter just by looking at him. He’s big and beefy with his dark t-shirt stretched so tight across his shoulders and biceps he should probably go up a size. His face is nice, he has a strong jaw with just a slight scruff of blonde facial hair to match the blonde buzz on top.
Charlie holds his hand out to me and his lips stretch into a grin as I place my hand in his. His fingers are thick and strong as they wrap around mine and he gently shakes my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ditto,” I smile and ease my hand back. I turn back around only to stiffen my spine when I sense him leaning close again.
“I’m the current Light Heavyweight Champion.”
“Oh?” I feign interest and eye the girls around me. From their smirks I know I won’t get any help from them.
“Do you live around here?” Charlie asks and I answer just by nodding my head.
I’m really not interested, Champion or not, but I don’t want to come off as a bitch. Maybe if I’m boring, he’ll get bored with me…
“Do you…”
The bell rings and I practically jump to my feet. I can’t get away from Charlie fast enough. But then there’s Brett again, his eyes following me as if I’m prey he’s tracking as I strut my stuff with the card.
Who knew being a ring girl would be this hard? Just as I take my seat, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as Charlie leans even closer.
“Do you want to come back to my place when you get off and have a drink?”
Ugh, Mr. Smooth he is not. I turn in my seat, just about to politely decline when suddenly Brett appears between me and Charlie.
“Mine, fuckstick. Go fuck one of your diseased groupies.”
Am I hallucinating? I blink between Charlie and Brett, still not sure if what I’m seeing is real. They seriously look as if they’re about to fight, especially as Charlie stands from his seat and the two glare at each other almost nose to nose.
“What the fuck did you say to me?” Charlie asks.
“You heard me,” Brett growls. “I said she’s mine, fuck off.”
It kind of reminds me of one of those nature programs, like Brett and Charlie are two big gorillas trying to display their dominance. I half expect them to rip off their too tight t-shirts and start pounding on their chests while roaring that they’re king of the jungle.
This can’t be happening, seriously. Brett wouldn’t call me his, he hates my guts. I must have tripped like the clumsy dork that I am and hit my head. I have to be hallucinating or having a weird dream. I’ve been dreaming of Brett ever since we ran into each other.
I reach towards Brett and place my hand against his shoulder. He certainly feels real… solid. The muscles beneath my palm are tense and hard as rock.
“Brett?” I ask softly and he glances back at me. His features were harsh, pulled into a mask of rage but they immediately soften. “What’s going on?”
Is this a publicity stunt? I want to ask but don’t get the chance.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Charlie laughs, drawing Brett’s angry attention back to him. “You can’t take me in the cage so you want to start shit here?”
“I’m not starting shit, fuckstick. I’m telling you to stay the fuck away from my girl.”
“That’s enough, ladies,” a burly bald guy wearing a bright yellow shirt that boldly states Security says as he pushes through the cheering crowd to reach us. “We’re shutting this down.”
The guy just squeezes his massive frame between Brett and Charlie and the two guys, who seem massive in their own right, are forced to take a step back.
Brett snarls over the security guy’s shoulder, seriously looking like he’s about to jump over him and start wailing on Charlie anyway, but I reach out and tug on his hand. He may have been a bit of an asshole towards me at the restaurant but I certainly don’t want to see him get in trouble and fuck his career up. I have no idea what’s going on, whether it’s real or not. But I have the urge to protect Brett, regardless.
Even I know that the fighters get in serious trouble if they’re caught fighting outside the ring.
“Save it for next month,” security guy nods and Brett allows me to pull him back.
“Fuck,” Brett curses and then looks down at me. I frown and my fingers relax around his hand, meaning to let go. He grips me tightly suddenly and begins to tug me down the aisle, towards the exit.
“Where are we going?” I ask struggling to keep up with his pace in my heels. “I’m still on
the clock.”
“I gotta get out of here before I fuck his face up,” Brett says without slowing as he just plows through the crowd. “You can’t go back there.”
“Why not?” I ask, my heart fluttering with panic. I try to pull back but Brett just keeps propelling me forward. “I’m supposed to walk. I’m probably going to get fired.”
Brett is frustratingly silent so I go on. “Brett, please. I don’t want to get fired, I really need this job.”
“They won’t fire you,” he says, finally slowing as we break through the mass of bodies and reach the exit. “The fans are going to eat that shit up.”
“Did you just do that as a promo for your upcoming fight?” I ask, expecting him to answer yes so that everything will make sense.
But Brett shakes his head no
“What the fuck is going on? What was all that about?” I ask before Brett pulls me around a corner and pushes me gently up against the wall.
Was Brett serious when he told Charlie I’m his? Is Brett claiming me?
Hands touching the wall on either side of my head, he leans forward, using his arms to cage me in. I swallow back panic as he towers over me, trapping me against the wall.
God, when did he get so big, I wonder as my eyes roam over his massive body. He’s grown like a foot… everywhere.
“Are you back for good?” Brett asks but his eyes aren’t looking at my face. They seem to be looking at me everywhere but there.
I look down between the space between us, trying to see what he sees. It’s funny how I got so comfortable and distracted by my surroundings that I forgot I’m wearing a tiny bikini that covers me about as much as my usual underwear.
“Yes,” I squeeze out of my tight throat. The air feels like it’s thickened, it’s so much harder to breathe. And the way Brett keeps looking at me fills me with both a sense of excitement and a paralyzing fear.
If he touches me I feel like I might break. I don’t even think he knows how much power he has over me. He was my first love, my first everything.
Slamming Demon: A Pounding Hearts Novel Page 16