The Fight (A Standalone Novel) (MMA Bad Boy Romance)

by Adams, Claire

  "Not really your scene?" Aldous asked. He appeared behind me with a small plate of snacks, but no alcohol.

  "Is it really his?" I asked.

  Fenton's coach chuckled. "He plays it up good for the cameras. Saves money on a publicist, I guess."

  So this is all business to Fenton, I told myself. It was only fair. I had let my dotted line get in the way, and now he was letting his one-man brand keep me away. I straightened my shoulders and finished the glass of champagne Kev had poured me. Then, I dove into the dancing crowd. It was hard not to smile as everyone was having such a good time. I finally gave into the music and found that dancing was a much easier way of getting through the crowd.

  In fact, I was having so much fun dancing that I was surprised when Fenton slipped his hands around my waist and turned me to face him. Sienna refused to relinquish her hold and gyrated against his back, but Fenton's blue eyes were on me.

  "I just wanted to say congratulations," I said over the music.

  "Where's your date?" he asked. "The golfer?"

  "Jackson? He's not my date. I'm not interested in him. I told you, I was just pursuing him for the vitamin supplement people. That way I don't have to bother you anymore," I said.

  "You don't bother me," he said. He shrugged off Sienna and moved closer to me.

  His whole body changed, became less rigid. I watched as the act slipped away and it was just Fenton that stood before me. He took my hand and pulled me off the dance floor. My heart pounded harder than the music as he handed me a glass of champagne. People patted him on the back and congratulated him. He smiled and nodded, but focused on me.

  "Is your eye bothering you?" I asked. I wanted to reach up and soothe the swollen area, but stopped myself.

  He shook his head. He took another swig of tequila and watched the surging party.

  "It was an amazing fight," I said. "I watched from the casino. It was terrifying to see you on the big screen."

  His lips quirked up in a smile, but he said nothing.

  "We need to talk, don't we?" I asked. "Can we talk?"

  "I wanted to thank you for the black cat," Fenton said. "My mother had a black cat that she loved. It was the whole reason I don't believe in luck. You make your own luck, right?"

  "You're welcome," I said. "I don't think tonight had anything to do with luck. You might not show it, but you work hard."

  "Maybe it’s time I start working smarter, too," he said. "I talked to Kev and Aldous and they deserve a raise. I'm willing to sign your deal. Tell your clients they've got my endorsement. Build in a percentage for my manager and coach and send over the new contract. I'm ready to sign."

  "That's great, it's a great deal. You won't regret it," I said. "But that wasn't really what I wanted to talk about."

  "Let's just get the business out of the way," Fenton said. He pushed away from me and was swallowed back up by the happy crowd.

  I stumbled back against the wall and leaned there. All he was interested in was the business deal. It hurt. Now, I knew how it felt and now I knew why I had kept it between us this whole time. Everyone I cared about disappeared. The only constant was my work. A steady paycheck took care of me and new clients filled my days. That was all I had needed. Until I met Fenton Morris.

  I watched him rejoin the leggy blonde. Together, they flirted for the cameras and danced late into the night. Finally, the camera crew put down their equipment and joined the party. The dancing got wild, then sloppy, then slow. People broke off from the crowd in pairs and small groups. The party broke up somewhere close to dawn.

  The wild hope that Fenton would be different when everyone left died when Sienna stayed behind. I thought maybe once everyone was gone that Fenton would change back into the man I had seen glimpses of before. I hoped I would be the one to see him drop his act and be himself. Instead, he was wrapped up tight with Sienna on the white sofa and I felt sick from drinking too much champagne.

  I tipped the catering staff as they started to clean up and then slipped out onto the balcony. If I kept my eyes on the horizon, I could see the desert and forget about all the fool's gold and glitter. I leaned against the railing and was glad for the cool breeze. I had nothing to complain about. Fenton would sign the deal, I would get my bonus, and with it, I would be able to convince my boss to let me set up my office in Las Vegas.

  I tried to concentrate on work and not the crumbling feeling in my heart.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Fenton

  I tried not to look at Kya anymore, but I could feel the look in her eyes. I had had that look before. She still smiled, she still danced, but her eyes were far away. She was on the other side of the wall I put up. Now, there was nothing but business between us.

  The party kept going and I kept up with it. Sienna did not notice that I switched out lots of the tequila shots for water. She was too busy with her cameras and they were too busy with her. The reality show was exhausting and her plastered on smiles were wearing me down. I was glad when the party finally started to break up.

  My swollen eye did bother me. Kya had been the only one to ask about it. My shoulders were stiff, my arms sore, the effort of the fight was finally weighing down on me. The crowd inside the suite thinned out and once the music stopped, I switched back to real Tequila. There was no wall of people hiding Kya from my sight. It was time to get drunk.

  I did not know why I had to keep her at a distance. Winning the fight, signing the endorsement, admitting that she could be an integral part of my life – it was all too much. I needed to take a step back, but now it felt like a step off a jagged cliff.

  "You did good, kid," Aldous said. He held up his phone. "My wife wants to say hello."

  "Hello, Tia. Yes, thank you. Yeah, you're right it is about time for me to move my stuff out of your basement. Yes, I'll tell him. Okay, goodnight," I said.

  Aldous laughed. "She figures now that you're up the next rung you can afford to get your own place. Gotta say I wouldn't mind it being somewhere around here. Tia either. She wouldn't mind kissing those cold winters goodbye."

  "You like it here, too?" I asked.

  "Aha! See, I told you he was thinking about making Vegas his base," Kev said. He swayed against Aldous and threw an arm around his neck. "I love this town. I knew you'd love this town. Let's do it, let's move here."

  "Whoa, slow down, Kev. How much have you had to drink?" I asked.

  "Enough to tell you that this is the best idea Team Fenton has ever had," he replied. "I mean, come on, most of your fights are out here or in Southern California. We could drive there like in a convertible across the desert."

  "You've been watching too many movies," Aldous said.

  "Who has time for movies? I've been getting this guy gigs, then getting to the gigs, then making sure he doesn't misbehave enough to get dropped from the gig. I'm exhausted," Kev said.

  "What makes you think living out here would make it any different?" I asked.

  Kev eyed a few of the beautiful women on their way out of the party. "I could relax by the pool here in between. You know, take in the sights."

  I took another shot of Tequila and let the warmth wash over me. "Alright, say I was interested. You really think we could make a go of it out here?"

  Aldous smiled. "Here is better than anywhere. Tia's sick of you living in our basement. I'm sick of being on the road. Kev's right, most of the fights are around here. Weekends with the family would be really nice."

  "Yes! Yes! This is what I was telling Kya," Kev said.

  I stopped cold then slammed another shot. "You talked to Kya about moving to Las Vegas?"

  "Yeah, she was thinking about it on her own. No more lonely little house in Chicago," Kev explained. "She wants to set up shop here."

  "What are you three talking about so cute over here?" Sienna asked. She was still on, even though she waved to her exhausted camera crew as they left.

  "We're talking about living in Vegas," Kev said. He sidled closer to Sienna and gave h
er a sloppy smile. "What do you think about that?"

  "Yuck, it's good for a weekend, good for some fun shots for the show, but I'm not sticking around," she said.

  "Well, good luck with that," Kev told her. He rolled his eyes at me and followed another trio of pretty ladies out to the elevator.

  "Good night," Aldous said. "We'll talk shop in the morning, not too early."

  I stood in the door and expected Sienna to leave, too. Instead, she smiled and laid a very long kiss on my cheek. Then, she sashayed over the white sofa and curled up close to the fireplace. She crooked a finger, indicating I was supposed to come and sit with her. For a minute, I hesitated. Kya was tipping the careering staff and directing some of the party clean up. She refused to look at me, so I went to sit with Sienna.

  "I had a good time tonight," Sienna said. She ran a hand up and down my sore bicep. "You'd make a good regular on the show. I think fans will like you as much as I do."

  "And, if they didn't?" I asked.

  She pouted her pink lips. "My fans like what I like, otherwise what is the point in starring in your own reality show?"

  "I have no idea," I said. My eyes wandered to Kya. For one split second, her green eyes flashed across mine. Then, she turned and disappeared through a side door.

  I wanted to follow her. I burned to know if she was sneaking off to see that horrible golfer. I could round out the night by punching him clean in the face.

  "Fenton? Did you hear me?" Sienna asked.

  "No, sorry, what?"

  "I was saying we should head into the master bedroom," she stood up and shimmied in front of me before sticking her hands out. Even though there were only a handful of catering staff left, she still checked to make sure someone was watching her.

  I looked away. Kya had slipped out to the balcony, and I could just barely make out her outline in the dim morning light. Sienna pulled my face back to her and leaned down for a long, lip-glossed kiss. She tasted of strawberry, the fake flavor that in no way reminded me of the actual fruit. I could not do it.

  "I'm tired. Too many rounds with Maxwell Lewis. I'll walk you to the door," I said.

  Sienna stood up and pouted. She planted her hands on her hips and posed. "You can't be serious."

  "I fought tonight, remember? I'm sore and I'm tired." I heaved myself off the white sofa and walked her to the door.

  "I sent the cameras away and everything because I wanted some private time with you."

  "Thanks for thinking of me," I told her. "Goodnight."

  Sienna's face had the red tinge of a coming tantrum. I felt bad for the caterers waiting for the elevator. They shuffled off towards the service elevator and I locked the door behind them.

  When I turned around, all I could see was Kya. Pale streaks of orange broke over the horizon and her silhouette was clear, standing alone to face the sunrise.

  "Hell of a party, huh?" I asked.

  Kya jolted against the balcony railing, surprised that I had joined her outside. She swiped at her cheeks and turned away from me.

  "Are you crying?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

  "Don't be stupid. I don't have anything to cry about. I came out here to celebrate. Business success and all that," she said.

  I could not keep my hands from wrapping around her shoulders. She pulled against the railing, stiff from my touch, but I did not let go. I turned her slowly and pulled her against my chest. Kya fought me, but then gave in for one sweet moment. The sky brightened and she nestled her head under my chin.

  "It's too early in the morning for business," I said.

  "Then, I should go," Kya said. She pulled away and headed for the door.

  "Is that all you can do? Run for the door? Because that's exactly what you did the other morning," I snapped.

  Kya whirled to face me, her eyes flashing emerald in the early morning light. "Excuse me? Of course, I left. What did you expect me to do?"

  "Me?" I asked. "I guess I was fooled by your reputation. I thought you'd have the decency to stick around. I didn't know you were one of those love 'em and leave 'em girls."

  "Of course, you would confuse that with a woman that has some dignity," Kya said.

  "Dignity? Is that what you call skipping down to the pool to flirt with your next potential client?" I asked. My hands throbbed as my fingers curled into fists. I should have iced them hours ago, but I welcomed the pain. It only made me angrier at Kya. "Excuse me, if I thought you moved on a little too fast."

  “You think I'm the one that moved on fast? You're the one that invited a stripper to the suite. Let me see if I have the timeline right– we had sex in front of the fire, we ate omelets, you invited the stripper to come join you, we had sex again, and then you fucked a stripper in the room next to mine!"

  I burst out laughing. Kya's faced bloomed with an angry blush and she whirled towards the door again. I lunged towards it and land the flat of my hand hard against. Kya tried, but she could not pry the door open with me leaning on it. I laughed even harder when my phone started ringing.

  "What is wrong with you?" Kya asked. "Is that her? By all means, answer it. I'll get out of your way."

  I pushed against the door, giving Kya no choice, but to retreat to the opposite end of the balcony. There was no other door.

  "Hello, Sis? Yeah, thanks. Yeah, I'm in a good mood, but you'll never guess. You were right. About Kya. Yeah, that's exactly what she thought." I said. I held out the phone. "Dana Maria wants to talk to you."

  "What?" Kya asked. She gave the railing a wild look. "Why would I want to talk to her?"

  "Because she's my sister. My sister came over that morning and you met her at the door," I said. My phone beeped and I looked at the screen and laughed. "Here, she's sent a pic of her holding out her driver's license."

  Kya crept towards me and glanced at the phone. "And, her middle finger," she said.

  "That's my sister!" I tried to stop laughing, but it erupted out of me again as I hung up on Dana Maria.

  "It's not funny," Kya said. She crossed her arms tight over her chest. "I thought, I mean, you know what I thought."

  "Well, now that you know, what are you thinking?"

  Kya covered her face with her hands. "I'm thinking that I screwed everything up by going out with Jackson. It really was just to sign him. I mean, he wanted a real date and I was mad but, well, you were there. Nothing happened."

  "Yeah," I said. "I was there. And, I forgot to tell you thanks for not letting me get Tasered." I pulled her hands from her face and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Business or not, you're there when I need you."

  "And, how about now?" Kya asked.

  I tipped her sweet lips to mine. "I need you now more than ever."

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Kya

  I could not stop a tear from sliding down my cheek. The fight, the party, the misunderstanding – it was scarier than the roller coaster that hung off the roof of the Stratosphere. Fenton brushed the tear away and leaned down to kiss me.

  The soft murmur of his lips against mine erased the past few days and my body leaped at the close memory of his touch.

  "No dancers, no golfers, just us," Fenton said.

  "No reality stars, either?" I asked.

  He pulled back and shook his head. "God no. She was most definitely just using me for her personal gain."

  "You don't think that's what I was doing?" I asked. "I mean, of course, the contract is good for me, too, it's just that–"

  He cut me off with a searing kiss that warmed me more than the brightening sunlight. I leaned against his hard body and gave into the explorations of his lips and tongue. Desire lapped against my body, crashing like waves against the rocks when his teeth nipped at my lips.

  "Aren't you sore?" I asked. "I don't want to hurt you."

  "How come," he asked in between feather light kisses, "you are the only one that has ever asked me that?"

  "I don't want to hurt you," I said again.

  "Then, you won't." He took my
hand and led me inside. The master bedroom shared the same view as the balcony and the sunlight was just reaching the edges of the king-sized bed when he laid me down on top of the covers.

  I shifted, rolling so he was underneath me, and paused to run my hands along his hard arms. I marveled at the contours of his muscles, the cut and flex of his arms. Fenton laid his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes in ecstasy. I continued my light caresses of his taut body, unbuttoning his shirt and letting my lips drift down his chest to the ridges of his stomach.

  I tested his abs with my teeth and he sucked in his breath. It came out in a ragged sigh as I kissed my way along the waistband of his pants. Before I could continue my explorations, his hands locked on my arms and pulled me up to his lips for another melting kiss.

  Lying on top of him, I could feel the solid ridge of his desire. I eased myself over it and rubbed, teasing us both. His hands were under my dress, slipping down my panties, and then loosening the buttons of his pants. I sat up and pulled my dress off over my head.

  Fenton sat up to meet me, his hot kisses dropping from my lips to my breasts, his tongue flicking out to tease my nipples. I raised my hips up, lifting my breasts higher, aching for his kisses. He pulled one nipple into his mouth and tugged until I moaned at the sweet jolts it sent through my body. His hands circled my waist and guided me over him. I answered his nudge against my melting heat by widening my knees and sliding slowly down over him.

  The throbbing pleasure and pressure of him deep inside me made me arch my back. Fenton's strong arms held me there as he rocked my hips against him. Then, he moaned and lay back, biting his lip to stop from going too fast. I leaned over him, my nipples tracing his chest as I slowly swept my hips back and forth. The friction and the building pressure took my breath away. Our lips panted together, the kisses open and interrupted by cries of pleasure.

  I felt his hands lock on the curve of my back, Fenton spurring me to a faster rhythm, wanting me to ride him as the wave swept us both up and over a dizzying climax.