Preston laughed. “Yeah, that’s not likely. A guy who prances around on a stage nightly isn’t going to be able to take me down, but I’ll accept the challenge.”
I looked over to see Cam’s jaw flex, but he didn’t say anything. I leaned closer to him, hoping he’d heed my words and let what his brother said roll off his back. It was clear to me that Preston worshipped his little brother. Cam just couldn’t see it.
“It’s not like that’s all I do,” Cam retorted. “Ask Dillon. We do our fair share of sparring when we have downtime.”
“Yeah, but that’s probably foreplay for you two faggots,” Preston said, laughing.
“Yeah, right,” Cam said, and even though I’d told him not to get upset by his brother saying things that were rude, I kind of wanted him to respond in kind. Preston knew Cam wasn’t gay, yet he continued to push his buttons to get him riled up. “Where can I change? I need to borrow some clothes. I’m not fighting you in my jeans.”
“Right this way, little bro.”
While Cam was changing, Preston came back out and said something to one of the guys who was directing the fighters.
“Alright, guys. We need to clear out for a few minutes. Pres says he’s going to kick Cam’s ass.”
I heard a few chuckles and some jabs that were thrown back at Preston that I couldn’t argue with. He was kind of a jerk, and I hoped Cam would put his ass in its place.
“Yeah, like he has a chance,” Preston refuted as he walked back over to me.
“Pres, he’s kicked your ass the past three times you guys have fought,” one of the guys said to him.
“Yeah. Whatever,” Preston said, waving them off. They all started chuckling as he turned to me. “So, Andi, what do you think?”
“Of the place?” I asked, telling myself I should bite my tongue and not speak my mind.
“Yeah. It’s pretty sweet, right? It’s the best gym in the area.”
“That’s really great. You must be so thankful that Cam was able to help you out. The equipment looks state of the art.”
“Yeah, it is,” Preston said, sounding slightly humbled at my reminder that he hadn’t built his business completely on his own.
“He’s a pretty great brother to do something like that,” I continued in a passive aggressive way that I figured would annoy him.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like him, because I didn’t really know him, but he needed to learn to not be a dick to his brother who had been so selfless in helping him out. I didn’t think he saw it that way, though.
“Yeah, well, he has a gazillion dollars to his name, so why shouldn’t he help me out?” he said, sounding irritated. “All he does is sing a few songs, and they pay him more than I’ll make in a lifetime.”
“He’s good at what he does,” I defended. “And he doesn’t just sing, you know. He helps write a lot of the music, and he performs. Westside puts on a show. I know. I’ve been to one of their shows, and they work hard, not to mention the non-stop schedule, the interviews, the publicity events, and all the other things Cam does with his bandmates. He works really hard.”
“What are you, a groupie or something? Did you chase him backstage and offer to suck his dick after that show you went to?”
My eyes got wide at his sheer brashness and lack of tact. I decided right then and there that I didn’t like him. He was an ass, and he couldn’t see what was right in front of him.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that, because it’s a shitty thing to accuse me of, and it’s even worse to think that of Cam. He’s a good person, so quit being a dick to him.”
“You think I’m being a dick? You don’t know shit,” he countered as I saw Cam walking toward us out of the corner of my eye.
I lowered my voice as I said, “I know more than you think, and because of that, I hope he kicks your ass. And for the record, he’s really not gay. He is completely straight, so quit being a douchebag and calling him gay. It’s a stale joke, and it’s not funny.”
Preston didn’t say anything else, but his narrowed gaze told me we weren’t going to be friends. I was okay with that.
“We ready to do this, big brother?” Cam asked when he approached us.
“Yeah, we are,” Preston said gruffly, giving me a sideways glance that told me I’d probably overstepped my bounds, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t let him treat Cam like he was.
“Can I warm up?” Cam asked.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll do the same,” Preston said, and the brothers walked off together.
They were more different than I’d ever expected, and not just in looks. Cam was a far better man than his brother would ever be, and I hoped he knew that.
As I watched them walk away, I saw Cam stop suddenly. He turned, jogged back to me and smiled as he stopped in front of me. “I forgot to ask for one thing,” he said, a grin on his face.
“What’s that?” I asked playfully, loving that he was back to being the guy I’d fallen for.
“Wish me luck?”
I grinned. “You don’t need luck, but just in case, good luck. Kick his ass.”
Cam smiled as he bent down and kissed me. “I plan to.”
Then he jogged back to join his brother. My phone rang a minute later, and I was happy to see it was Gabe. I hadn’t talked to him in a few days.
“Hey babe.”
“Hey Andi,” he greeted me. “How’s Michigan?”
I smiled to myself. “It’s cold, but that’s to be expected. Good thing I have my sexy boyfriend to keep me warm.”
“Damn right. Wait. Did you say boyfriend?”
“I did. Cam and I officially together. You’re the first to know, but it’s not exactly public information, so no blabbing.”
“Um, considering I live my life under the same creed, you know I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know you won’t. That’s why I’m telling you.”
“And I get to meet him, right? You’re still coming to Atlanta in two days?” Gabe questioned.
“We’ll definitely be there,” I said as I looked over at Cam who was stretching near the octagon. He looked up and grinned at me.
“And we’re still on for lunch?” Gabe asked. “I made reservations for us.”
“Yup, that should be good, and then we’ll meet up with our parents for dinner later. My mom already told me she made reservations for us at the club. I assume Dane’s not coming?”
“Uh, considering my parents think Dane is my buddy who I sometimes hang out with? No. He’s not joining us. Is Cam’s entourage coming? Because if they are, we’re going to need a bigger table.”
“His what?” I asked, not sure what Gabe was talking about.
“Well, I’m assuming someone of his level of fame will have his ‘people’ with him. Will they being joining us for lunch as well?”
“Gabe, what are you talking about? Cam doesn’t have an entourage. I mean, he has Chris, his bodyguard, but that’s it. And Chris’ll probably sit at the bar so he’s there but not intruding. He’s usually so quiet I forget he’s around, but he’s a really nice guy. I think Tory wants to seduce him.”
“Who doesn’t she want to seduce,” he said sarcastically. “So Cam won’t have his publicist or his personal assistant or his manager with him?”
“No. Why would they be there?”
“I don’t know! I assumed that’s what famous people do.”
“Gabe,” I said in exasperation, “you know famous people. Do any of them bring an entourage wherever they go?”
“I know people in racing, and none of them are that pretentious. This will be my first encounter with a pop star.”
“Well, I promise you, Cam’s no different than anyone else we know. He’s really down to earth. I promise I wouldn’t be dating him if he wasn’t.”
“This is true,” Gabe agreed. “I should have known you’d find the one famous singer who hasn’t let it go to his head. Are the other guys in Westside that level?”
I realized then t
hat I couldn’t exactly answer that question, because I didn’t know Cam’s bandmates at all, even Dillon, his best friend. I’d barely met any of them. Then I remembered the night of our botched dinner in New York and how Van hadn’t even known Cam and I were out together. It was a little weird, but I figured I’d meet them now that I was his girlfriend.
“Sure,” I said offhandedly, not wanting to get into the details of why I couldn’t answer that question. “Oh, I have to go. Cam’s about to fight his brother, and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Excuse me?”
“They’re both trained in MMA. It’s just a sparring match. It’s not a real fight.”
“Okay. Well then, I can’t wait to meet him,” he said sarcastically.
“Oh, stop. You’re going to love him.”
“I’m sure I will. Take care, Andi.”
“Bye love,” I told him as I hung up and promptly held my breath as Cam and Preston entered the octagon and faced off.
One of the guys who’d been hanging around before was now in there with them, acting as the referee. He started the fight with little fanfare, taking me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what I was waiting for, but it certainly wasn’t what was suddenly unfolding in front of me.
As Cam swung at his brother and actually struck him in the face, my hand went up to my mouth as I held my breath, my heart beating in time with the Linkin Park song pounding overhead.
“Relax, they’re wearing pads,” Chris murmured as he came up beside me.
I cringed as Preston slammed Cam against the side of the octagon and delivered two swift knees to his gut.
“Oh, right, like that didn’t hurt,” I said sarcastically.
“Not as much as it would have if they were fighting bare.”
I cringed again when Preston responded to Cam’s relentless punches to his jaw by essentially tackling Cam to the mat before he put him in some hold that I didn’t know the name of. I’d barely watched MMA on TV, never having been a fan of the sport.
As I rule, I wasn’t a strong proponent of bloodshed. Thankfully there was no blood being shed here. Cam and Preston were wearing padded helmets, mouth guards and had pads in other strategic areas that prevented them from doing any real damage to each other, but they also weren’t holding back in any way.
“This is crazy,” I murmured to Chris.
“Cam loves this shit. I’m usually either fighting against him, or I’m the one refereeing for him and Dillon when they do this. I’m glad to be an observer for once.”
My heart was pounding wildly as I watched the fight unfold in front of me. I had no idea why I hadn’t thought it would be this brutal before it started. I knew what the sport entailed, even if I wasn’t a fan, and seeing my boyfriend get his head slammed into the mat by his brother’s fist wasn’t my favorite thing in the world. Maybe I assumed it would be more like boxing, but this was so much more intense.
“This is it,” Chris said, as Cam suddenly made a move that brought him from underneath Preston to pinning him to the mat.
“What do you mean, this is it?”
“That was Cam’s finishing move. Preston won’t be able to get up, because he wasn’t expecting it. Just watch.”
I continued to hold my breath as I watched Preston trying to break free, but I noticed fairly quickly that he couldn’t. He was visibly frustrated, but he was essentially immobile. It was then that the ref called the match and declared Cam the winner.
Cam jumped up in triumph, raising his arms in the air as he smiled at me around his mouth guard. He looked so happy I couldn’t help but smile back, but my heart was still pounding wildly in my chest.
I watched Cam reach down and extend a hand to his brother who grabbed it and let Cam help him to his feet. Cam started to pull off his padded helmet when Preston said something about another round. I silently begged Cam not to go again, and breathed a sigh of relief when he shook his head and gestured toward me.
“Pussy,” I heard Preston say.
“A pussy who just kicked your ass,” Cam taunted him and then jumped back laughing when Preston tried to swing at him. Cam shook his head, the grin still plastered on his face. “I’m going to go kiss that beautiful girl over there and then go grab a shower.”
“Cool,” Preston said, holding his hand up for a high-five/handshake.
Then Cam came out of the octagon and jogged toward me. “How great was I?”
“So great,” I said, trying to muster up the right level of excitement.
“What’s wrong? Were you not impressed? You have to admit I’ve got mad skills.”
As I started to respond, Chris laughed, and Cam looked over at him in question.
“She was terrified, man,” Chris explained.
Cam’s worried gaze shot back to me. “You were?”
“That wasn’t exactly easy to watch,” I told him.
“But we were wearing pads. Those punches barely hurt.”
I blinked a few times. “They looked like they hurt.”
Cam leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. His mouth was warm, and his face had a sheen of sweat covering it that should have grossed me out, but it was actually kind of sexy. He had been pretty impressive.
“I’m completely fine,” he said when he pulled back from the kiss. “Not a bruise on me. Now Pres on the other hand, he has a bit of a bruised ego, but that’s a different story.”
I smiled at his small joke. “So you really grew up doing this? And you liked it?”
“I loved it – still do.”
“In addition to acting and singing and playing your guitar?”
Cam shrugged. “What can I say? I’m multi-talented.”
“I’ll say. I danced growing up, and that was pretty much it.”
“You also raced cars,” he reminded me, making me laugh.
“Uh, no, I never raced them. The speed they go actually terrifies me to no end. I just liked watching Gabe and his friends race.”
Cam shrugged. “Well, this was what Dillon and I did.”
“Chris said you still do it?”
“Just to stay sharp so I can kick my brother’s ass each time we go at it like this. And it’s a good way to burn off steam.”
I nodded. “And you’re always safe when you do it? You wearing pads and stuff?”
Cam smiled as he looped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him, his sweaty body pressed against mine.
“Are you worried about me, Andi? Is that what I’m hearing?” he asked coyly.
I felt my cheeks heat. “Maybe. Yes. That looked crazy-dangerous, and I’ve seen fights on TV where everyone gets all bloody and breaks things. That doesn’t happen to you, does it?”
Cam continued to smile at me. “Considering I get paid to look pretty, it wouldn’t exactly do me much good to mar this face, now would it?”
He had a point. “I guess.”
Cam shook his head. “I find it incredibly sexy that you’re concerned about me.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Cam leaned down and kissed me again. “I don’t want that either. I promise I’m always safe.”
I let out a long, slow breath of air. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
Cam kissed me once more. “I love that you worry about me. I like having a girlfriend if this is the kind of care and concern that comes with it. Who knew?” He grinned at me.
I shrugged. “I had no idea I’d be this concerned either.”
“Well, don’t stop. I like it. I’m going to grab a shower, change, and then Pres wants to talk to me about something. Then we’ll grab lunch. Cool?”
I did my best to feign excitement, but after the comments Preston had made to me before the fight, he wasn’t my favorite person. But I’d just told Cam earlier that I wouldn’t judge his family, and I needed to stay true to that. I was sure his brother had a good heart. He just had no filter and didn’t know when enough was enough. Or he was just an asshole, and I’d have to learn to live wi
th him.
“Sounds great,” I told Cam. “I’ll just be here.”
“Great,” he said with a crooked grin and kissed me once more before he jogged off toward the locker room.
Chapter Sixteen
Cam
“So what’s up?” I asked my brother as I sat across from him in his office.
The adrenaline from our fight was still running through me as I chugged water and tried to come down from my high. I’d always loved that rush, and being inside the octagon always made it more intense than fighting in an open space.
Preston sighed as he scraped his hand over his face. The jovial expression he’d been sporting earlier suddenly turned grim, making him look older than his twenty-four years. I instantly knew it had nothing to do with the fact that I’d beat him. This was bigger than that.
“Is it Callie?” I asked, making the obvious guess.
“No,” he said, shifting his gaze away from me.
“Is it Dad?”
If our father was sick, Preston would know, but Dad might not tell me. They’d always been closer. Maybe my brother was trying to break the news to me.
“Dad’s fine.”
“Okay, Pres, then what is it?”
He shook his head. “Fuck, Cam. I don’t want to tell you,” he said, his gaze shifting to the surface of his desk where he traced a pattern with his index finger.
The knot that had been growing in my stomach got a little tighter as I watched him.
“Are you using again?” I asked, hoping that wasn’t it, but I had to wonder how much pressure he was under with a new baby in the house. Even if he’d been clean for years, something like that might be enough to push him back over the edge.
His head snapped up, and he glared at me. “No. Of course not. I might be an idiot, but I’m also a father. I’m not doing that shit around my son.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it, and you’re not an idiot.”
He laughed non-humorously, looking away again. “That’s the thing. I am.”
“Why?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know the truth.
What was worse than him using again?
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