No Contest

by Harper St. George

  “Are you guys coming to Nick’s fight this weekend?” Jules asked as they made their way down the hall. Her fiancé was defending his middleweight title in just a few days. “It could be good for Leandro’s image if he’s seen at the fight, supporting other fighters in the league.”

  Ashlynn nodded. “That’s a great idea. I’m sure he’ll want to go.”

  “Great. I’ll make sure you guys get VIP tickets.”

  Ashlynn glanced at Jules, feeling so grateful that she had another woman to talk to about everything that was going on in her life. It suddenly hit her that she didn’t have a lot of close friends these days, probably because she spent too much time focused on work and not screwing up her life. She couldn’t even imagine telling her mom about Leandro. God, she could already guess how that conversation would go, with heavy doses of guilt and disapproval. A wave of anxiety moved through her, causing her skin to prickle, as she imagined introducing him to her family, but she forced herself to take a breath. One hurdle at a time.

  “Is it hard?” Ashlynn asked, glancing up and down the hall. “Watching Nick fight, I mean.” How would she feel watching Leandro get punched and kicked? The idea twisted her stomach into uncomfortable little knots.

  Jules shook her head. “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. It’s exciting. Intense. Nerve-wracking, but also thrilling. I don’t love watching him get hurt, but I really love cheering him on.” She pulled Ashlynn in for a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, I’m happy for you, and if you need anything, text me.”

  MUSIC BLARED THROUGH the arena’s speakers while images of the guys who’d be fighting later tonight played on the large screen above the octagon. Excitement and adrenaline pumped through Leandro’s veins. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t on the card tonight. He lived for the screaming fans and the exhilaration of the arena on fight night. The burst of energy thrumming through his body almost matched how he felt racing cars, only this was better. Bigger and more intense than anything he’d ever experienced behind the wheel of a fast car, because he wasn’t alone. The whole building vibrated with the same energy.

  Fans shouted at him as he made his way down the wide aisle toward his seat near the octagon, so he stopped to sign autographs before continuing. More people screamed his name, asked about the plane crash, and he gave out a few more autographs, but the closer he got to his row the more focused he became on looking for Ashlynn. They were supposed to be seated near each other in the second row, but her golden hair was nowhere in sight. He wasn’t prepared for the disappointment that swelled in his chest.

  Even though they’d spent a few hours together almost every night that week, he still missed her when she wasn’t around. Usually he’d get a car to drop him off and pick him up at her place because someone always seemed to be lurking at his house. He’d never realized between his friends and trainers how little time he actually spent alone. It was annoying now that he was trying to make room for her in his life while keeping everything secret. He hated the fucking secrecy, but as long as it was only for a few more weeks, he could do it.

  It wasn’t like he hadn’t had time alone with her. She’d been half-asleep and sated when he’d left her to go home last night. After their marathon sex the weekend before, he’d had to make up all the training sessions he’d missed, so he couldn’t spend this weekend with her like he wanted. With his fight only weeks away, he had to force himself to focus on preparing for that when all he really wanted to do was spend endless hours exploring Ashlynn. It wasn’t even that he wanted to keep her in his bed, though the thought of that did make his dick twitch to life. A few nights ago he’d noticed a billboard advertising an upcoming concert by a singer she really liked, and he wanted to take her. The beach in Brazil was one of his favorite places in the whole world, and he wanted to share it with her. There were so many things he wanted to experience with her. In time he knew he could, but he’d never been good at being patient.

  As soon as he and Thiago took their seats, the music changed to a thumping beat and red, white, and blue lights began circling overhead, indicating the fights would start soon. The crowd got louder. Leandro turned to see Darcy coming down the aisle, followed closely by Jules and Ashlynn. His heart tripped over itself as soon as he saw her. She looked gorgeous in a tight black dress with her hair pulled up. A wave of satisfaction moved through him when he noticed she was wearing the diamond earrings he’d given her last night to mark their first week together. He’d never forget how her eyes had lit up when she’d seen them. She’d refused them at first, and that had only made him want to give them to her even more.

  Thiago jerked next to him, his knee bumping against Leandro’s in a rhythm as he scrolled on his phone. “What the hell, man?” Leandro asked.

  His friend grinned and glanced up from his phone long enough to say, “Miguel’s Ferrari lost in the first heat. The bastard’s out for the night.”

  Leandro fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Bastard deserved to lose,” he said instead, his eyes going back to Ashlynn. “Put the phone away, huh? We’re at a fight. We race later.”

  Thiago frowned. “None of our guys are fighting. What the hell do I care?”

  “Then why did you come? You could’ve gone to the races.”

  “Because you blew off the races last week. How do I know you won’t do the same tonight? Especially if that b—” Thiago broke off as if he’d only just realized what he’d been about to say.

  “Choose your next words carefully, man. Whether you like it or not, I’m with Ashlynn now. She’s important to me, and I won’t let you speak badly about her.”

  To his credit, Thiago lowered his head and nodded. “I know, but you’re like a brother to me, Leo. Am I supposed to sit here and watch you make a mistake without saying anything?”

  “She’s not a mistake,” Leandro said through gritted teeth. He’d had this same conversation with Thiago way too many times already. Thiago kept trying to convince him that Ashlynn only wanted to use him, but Leandro didn’t see it. “I’ve heard your opinion on the subject, now drop it and stop acting like a jealous little bitch.”

  Thiago clenched his jaw, but if he said anything Leandro didn’t notice because he was too focused on Ashlynn. She’d seen them and flashed him the most beautiful smile. He loved the way her eyes warmed when she saw him. Darcy turned and said something to her, and she nodded but didn’t pull her gaze away from Leandro. Satisfaction roared through him at the confirmation that she was as lost in him as he was in her. Fuck. He’d never known it could be like this. His heart beating for just one person. Maybe fairy tales were real, because he’d jump into a cage full of dragons to be with her, and he wouldn’t even think twice about it.

  “Hey, look who’s here.” Thiago thumped Leandro on his chest, breaking the spell she’d created.

  Leandro turned in the direction Thiago pointed to see Gabriel Maddox and his girlfriend, Megan Sinclair, who had interviewed Leandro a couple of months ago for an article on the WFC, taking their seats just a few chairs down. Maddox gave him a stiff nod and that old, familiar anger came rumbling back to life inside him. Hot flames licked their way up his chest and down his back. No way in hell was he watching the fights with that asshole so close to him. That bastard had cheated him out of something he’d worked for his entire life. He clenched his fists as about a million angry words tried to spew out of him.

  “Sorry. Sorry. Excuse me.” Jules’ voice getting closer caught his attention, and he turned his head to see her making her way down the row.

  He stood and nodded as she moved past him and then gave Megan a hug before taking the seat next to her, leaving the one next to Leandro empty. Ashlynn was a little farther behind, smiling as she worked her way past the others in his row. Her smile widened when she caught his eye, and like he’d just downed a shot of tequila, some of the tension in his body drained away. She slowed when she moved past him, letting her lush ass press back against his crotch more than was strictly necessary. Goddamn, he loved her a
ss. He grunted softly, his hands coming up on their own to grab her hips.

  He hadn’t even realized he’d done it until Jules laughed and said, “You two suck at this.” He knew that Ashlynn had asked her for advice on how to keep everything on the down-low, so he dropped his hands immediately. Being near Ashlynn made him forget everyone else around them.

  Ashlynn was still smiling when she moved to take the seat between him and Jules, though she paused before sitting down. “I hope you don’t mind the seating arrangements.”

  Damn. He’d even forgotten Maddox for a second, but his gaze flicked to the man before coming back to rest on Ashlynn’s red lips. “What do you mean? You did this?”

  She bit her bottom lip, making him want to nibble on the plump flesh himself, and nodded. Her eyes were wide and unsure. “Jules planned to sit next to Megan and Gabe so they could cheer on Nick together. The alternative was to put you across the octagon, but I really wanted to sit next to you.”

  And just like that, more of the tension in his shoulders left. Well, fuck. If he was willing to fight dragons for her, sitting near Maddox for a few hours wouldn’t be so bad. “Yeah, okay. I want to be near you too.”

  Her smile was reward enough. He felt ten feet tall when she looked at him like that, but then she went and added to it.

  “Thanks, Leo.” Something in his chest melted every time she called him that.

  “Leo?” Darcy’s deep voice surprised them both and they jumped apart to see him standing in the row in front of them. Apparently about to take his seat.

  “That’s what we call him now,” Jules chimed in with a smile. “Isn’t it cute? I think it totally works.”

  Darcy shook his head as if not quite sure if he should believe his daughter or not, but then obviously decided it wasn’t worth worrying about. “Glad to see you here, Oliveira.” Glancing toward Maddox, he raised an eyebrow. “This mean you’re okay with what happened?”

  Fuck no, but he was figuring out that it didn’t matter that much, not when so many other things were more important. Not when, as much as he hated being patient, he knew he’d have another challenger in his future after he beat Murphy. Not when he had Ashlynn. She’d made him see that good things were worth waiting for. After all, he’d waited years for her. “You could say that.”

  Darcy grinned and took his seat.

  Sitting back down, Leandro noticed Thiago was too quiet. He’d probably heard Ashlynn call him Leo too. It was true that a woman had never called him by his nickname. It just felt right with her. They belonged to each other, and maybe that meant she was part of his family, like Thiago was. He didn’t know what to make of that yet. But he did know that he’d been harsh with Thiago, the one person who’d had his back through all the family scandals and his struggle to make it in MMA.

  “Don’t worry,” he said in Portuguese, leaning over and nudging Thiago’s shoulder playfully. “I’m going to the races with you tonight. We’ll win back all the money you lost because I forfeited.” He’d been too busy with Ashlynn to care about the races he’d missed last weekend.

  Thiago nodded and as the fights started everything seemed to go back to normal. Leandro split his time cheering and critiquing the fights with Thiago, and talking to Ashlynn. They kept it professional, talking about the fighters and their moves. He was pleasantly surprised by how much she knew about the sport. It was just one more side to her that he was discovering he liked, and he’d liked them all so far.

  But while their words were professional, at some point his hand had found its way down between their seats. He gently cupped her calf, his thumb idly stroking up and down her smooth skin in a caress that had made her shiver more than once. Since Darcy was in front of them, Leandro didn’t dare do more for her sake, because it was important to her that they keep things off the record. As much as he wanted more now, he understood her reasons. It was important for her to prove herself in her work, and he couldn’t fault her because he felt the same way.

  He knew her well enough to know that she was turned on by his touch. Her nipples were stiff and she squirmed in her chair. He wanted nothing more than to go back to her place afterward and spend the rest of the night buried inside her. But Thiago had kept him updated about the races, and he’d not-so-subtly hinted more than once that they should leave early. He couldn’t let his friend down tonight. It was so damn difficult to balance his relationships with both of them when they didn’t like each other.

  After Giannakis had successfully defended his title and the final roar of the crowd had died down, Darcy went into the cage to award the belt. “Can you come over tonight?” asked Ashlynn, leaning over to him.

  He nearly groaned that he had to turn her down. “Can’t, minha linda. I’m racing tonight.”

  She jerked back and her eyes were bright with anger. “What do you mean?”

  He swallowed, suddenly aware that somehow he’d pissed her off. He knew she didn’t like the racing because of his image, but the look on her face hinted at more than that. “I missed last weekend because we were together, but I can’t skip out on Thiago again.”

  She stared at him and started shaking her head, her lips moving as she tried to form words, but nothing was coming out.

  “Come on, man. We leave now, we can get there for the start of the next race.”

  Bad fucking timing, Thiago. She glared at his friend and then looked back at Leandro.

  “Don’t let her control you,” Thiago added in Portuguese.

  “Cala sua boca, Thiago,” Leandro answered.

  “I can’t believe you’re still street racing,” she said, clenching the arms of her seat, her nostrils flaring.

  He shrugged. “It’s not that illegal.”

  “Jesus, Leandro, are you kidding me? Not only is it illegal, it’s dangerous. You just walked away from a plane crash; what happens if you crash a car? Do you think you can just walk away from that too?”

  “I’ve never crashed. I know what I’m doing.” Somehow that didn’t calm her down. If anything, her cheeks got even redder.

  Thiago hit his knee as he stood. “Let’s go. We can’t miss this one.”

  Leandro got to his feet, torn between leaving her angry and not wanting to let Thiago down. “I have to go, minha linda. We’ll talk about this later, huh?” It was just a race, like he’d done dozens of times. He didn’t really understand why she seemed so upset.

  “No, I don’t want you to go.” She reached out, her fingers brushing his hand before she pulled her hand back. “Please.”

  Her plea nearly tore his chest wide open. Glancing toward the cage to see that Darcy was still occupied, he leaned down like he was whispering in her ear and pressed a quick kiss against her neck. “I have to go. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Then he turned and left before the hurt in her eyes made him change his mind.

  18

  ASHLYNN QUIETLY CLOSED her front door behind her, enveloping herself in the silence of her town house. Her ears still buzzed from the noise and excitement of the fights and the loud music at the after party. She’d bailed after one drink, not at all in the mood to party. After the way Leandro had walked away from her, as though what she wanted meant nothing, she didn’t want to be around people. The night had gone so well up to that point. He’d sat near Gabe for her, had touched her as much as possible given the public situation, had talked to her throughout the night. All of that made the way he’d walked away from her at the end a little harder to swallow.

  She dropped her keys onto the little table by the door, feeling somehow heavy and empty at the same time as she tried to untangle the jumbled mess of her emotions. Sighing, she leaned back against her closed door, disappointment curling through her, adding to the mix. A flicker of shame rose up, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been nothing but a fool to expect anything other than selfishness from Leandro. Why had she thought that he could really be different?

  A tiny part of her wished that she didn’t feel anything for him, that what t
hey had was just sex, because then she wouldn’t be trying to find a way to deal with the anger surging through her veins, heating her entire body before settling in her stomach, leaving it in tense, coiled knots. Anger that he was racing, endangering himself and others. Anger that she’d asked him not to go, and he’d gone anyway. Anger at herself for thinking he was anyone other than who he’d shown himself to be.

  She kicked off her shoes, wiggling her toes and trying to breathe around everything clogging her throat. Reaching for her purse, she pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen, but she didn’t have any new notifications. She bit her lip as her anger gave way to worry and her mind—very unhelpfully—conjured up all kinds of images of cars crashing and bursting into flames, mangled limbs hanging out of crunched wreckage, Leandro bloody and unconscious.

  “Asshole,” she mumbled to herself, trying to pull her anger back to the surface. Anger was easier than worry. Anger didn’t make her want to throw up and cry and then drive out into the fucking desert to make sure he was okay.

  She glanced down at her phone again, wondering if their relationship was what she’d thought it was, or at least, what she’d thought it could be. Or maybe she’d just had blinders on this entire time, dazzled by his good looks, his charm, his enormous dick—all of it. She thought she’d seen through his bullshit cockiness to the real him, but now she wasn’t so sure, and she hated that she didn’t trust her own reactions. Hurt and frustration and fear all wound their way through her, and she let out an exasperated grunt, letting her head fall back against the door.

  She let out a joyless laugh as she wondered if her mom had been right all along to warn her away from men, especially men like Leandro. Because they’d been together for . . . what? A freaking week? And here she was, a complete mess over him. In knots. Hurting and doubting and all twisted up. She replayed the way she’d asked him not to go, the way he’d brushed off her request with a kiss and then left. Had he been able to tell how upset she was? Did he even care? She’d practically pleaded with him, and he’d gone anyway.