by Roma, Laurie
“Like that would ever happen. You know I can take you down. Besides, I like the pup she picked out. We went to see him a couple of days ago, and he’s a good dog. They named the little guy Ranger.”
Dante laughed. “No shit? Well, that seems fitting then. I’m still worried about you, man. You seem to have fallen hard for her. Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be playing house with her? The last couple of weeks you’ve been attached at the hip. Hasn’t she been staying at your house all week?”
“She has. If I have my way, she’ll be moving in with me permanently.”
That had Dante sitting up in his chair. “Seriously? Shit, you aren’t going to do something stupid like ask her to marry you, are you?”
Hammer glared at him. “I plan to and will when the time is right. I love her, Dante. Just because you don’t want to settle down doesn’t mean I don’t, you cynical bastard.”
Dante let out a pained groan. “Jesus, you, too? I already have Jimbo running around the damn bar like some sort of maniac because Lisa is due any day. I don’t need you losing your mind, too.”
Hammer chose to ignore that insult. “I thought he was taking some time off to get ready for the baby?”
“I wish. Lisa sent his ass back to work. Said he was driving her crazy hovering over her so she’s making us deal with him. Kali’s not pregnant, is she?”
“Fuck you, Dante. No, she’s not. I don’t have to marry her, I want to.” Hammer let himself imagine what he would feel like if he did get Kali pregnant. A flicker of panic filled him, but there was also a deep sense of longing at the thought that surprised him. Hammer knew without a doubt he would be nothing like his own crazy father. He would do it right and be a good father when the time came.
Having a family of his own had always been a dream of his, but first he had to lock down things with that woman of his. It had been a few days since he had realized just how much he loved Kali, but he still hadn’t said anything. There just never seemed to be the right time to tell her. Or he’d simply been stalling.
He knew that Kali cared for him, but he didn’t know if she was ready to give him everything that he wanted. He’d be patient though, even if it killed him. They were perfect for each other. Now, he just had to convince her that they belonged together long term.
“I just hope this love shit isn’t contagious,” Dante said with a sigh.
A slow grin spread over Hammer’s face. “You say that, but I’ve seen the way you act around Zoe.”
Dante scowled. “That girl drives me bat-shit. She’s a total pain in my ass, and she works for me. Hell, you’d think she owns the bar the way she’s taken over everything.”
“But you let her,” Hammer said with a laugh. “That woman is smart, and you’re just pissed because she has too much sense to sleep with you. I’ve noticed you stopped banging random chicks in your office now that she’s around. Admit it. You haven’t been fucking around as much since Zoe’s been working for you. And I see the way you are with her. You two fight like an old married couple already.”
Dante narrowed icy blue eyes at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hammer watched as his friend ran a hand though his black hair in agitation and couldn’t help but poke at him a little more. “Well, if you aren’t interested in her there are plenty of guys that are. A couple of the members were asking about her after their class yesterday.”
“For fuck’s sake, I told her she was gonna get herself in trouble prancing around the gym in nothing more than a fucking bra and those shorts that have her ass all but hanging out,” Dante exploded. Just thinking about the assholes who had watched Zoe at the gym made his blood boil. He was her boss, goddamn it. It was his job to look out for her, and she made it practically impossible to do so, the fucking stubborn woman.
Hammer bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. He knew his friend had a serious thing for his pretty little bartender, but Dante stubbornly refused to admit it. The women came in for their self-defense class on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but they had also started coming into the gym to work out on the machines or to hit the bags on the days they didn’t have class. Hammer had noticed that whenever Zoe was at the gym Dante was usually there, too, glowering at any man who even looked at her.
Sobering, Hammer thought back to the men that he had caught looking at his Kali. Last night after their class he had grabbed her in front of everyone and kissed her, showing everyone just who she belonged to like some fucking caveman. Damn, he really did have it bad, but it was better than beating the hell out of them for looking at his sweet fairy.
“I just got off the phone with Rhino,” he announced, changing the subject to something safer. Gene “Rhino” Durbin was a heavyweight boxing champion that had started the Cage Fighting League years ago when he retired, long before MMA was considered a mainstream sport.
“Is the old man still trying to convince you to come back and fight for him?”
Hammer smiled. “He might have mentioned that, but I told him I was done. He said he expected me to say no, so he had another offer for me. He said he’d be willing to funnel some of the circuit fighters here at Fight Hard…if I were to take an announcer job with the League.”
Dante’s eyes widened when Hammer told him the salary he had been offered. “So, are you gonna take it?”
“It’s a good opportunity, but I would have to travel all the time. I don’t want to do that. I have a good thing going here.”
“You mean with Kali.” Dante said it as a statement, not as a question.
“Yeah, with Kali and here with Fight Hard. It’s important to me to build up the reputation of the rehab center. I turned it down, but Rhino said he would call me in a few days to see if I’d gotten my head out of my ass.”
Dante snorted at that. “Well, it is a lot of money, but if you don’t want to do it, then don’t. You gonna tell Kali about the offer?”
“I will, but not now. She is so worried about her cousin’s wedding tomorrow that I don’t think this is the right time to bring it up.” Hammer stood. “What time do you have to be back at the bar?”
“See, that’s the good thing about being the boss. I can come and go as I please.”
Hammer sent him a knowing glance. “Because Zoe is running shit for you right now.”
Dante glared at him again. “Shut it. Why do you ask?”
“Come on, let’s go grab some of the guys. You’re going to help me stack the wood in the back room.”
“Why the hell would I want to do that?”
Hammer slapped him on the back as Dante stood. “Because you are such a good friend…and I’ll make sure Zoe knows when you also help me build the fence in a few days.”
“I fucking hate you sometimes.”
Hammer laughed all the way out the door.
****
“Are you sure I look okay?”
Hammer looked into Kali’s worried green eyes and fought down the surge of anger that swept through him at her family for making her so damn nervous to see them again.
They had driven the hour and change into Houston a little early so they could check into their room at the hotel where her cousin’s wedding reception would be held. They had both dressed comfortably for the drive, stowing their dress clothes away for later. At first the drive had been fun. Hammer found himself enjoying talking to Kali about anything and everything, but there was also a comfortable feeling to the silence that settled between them from time to time.
As they had drawn closer to Houston, he had sensed the stress building in her as she had sat in the passenger seat of his metallic gray F-TYPE S Jaguar Coupe. The car had been a bonus from his last big win as a professional fighter. He loved the sleek ride, but preferred to drive his truck in town when he wasn’t on his Harley. Still, having an idea how difficult this day was going to be for Kali, he wanted to show her family that she was being well taken care of.
It might have been small and petty of him, but fuck it. Even if
he knew she did well for herself, her family seemed like a bunch of assholes, and he wanted, even needed, to show off a little on her behalf.
When they had arrived at the hotel where she had booked a room, they had just enough time to get ready before they had to go to the church. Putting on his tailored black suit he’d turned, and his entire body tensed when she had stepped out of the bathroom wearing a long, emerald green strapless dress that matched her eyes.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he had whispered, drawn to her like a siren’s song. She had done something with her makeup that gave her eyes a smoky, seductive look, and her lush lips had been painted a liquid red that made him ache to see them wrapped around his cock.
The brilliance of her smile had made his chest ache as she had rubbed a hand down the stark white of his shirt right over his heart as if she knew it beat for her and her alone. “How about we skip the ceremony and stay here,” he suggested as he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her to him.
She laughed a little. “We can’t do that.”
“I know,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. “I have to warn you, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to control myself if I catch some jack-ass staring at you.”
Her eyes glittered with humor. “You look so handsome, Jared. I have a feeling I’m going to be the one fighting women off of you,” she said softly as she’d straightened his silver tie. “Now, let’s go before you convince me to stay.”
The church was less than fifteen minutes away from the hotel, and it drove him crazy to see the nerves eating at his little fairy as they got closer to their destination. He pulled into the parking lot and followed the directions of a man pointing them to a parking space while the man gawked at his car. When Hammer turned off the car, he turned to her. “Kali, look at me.”
She turned to him, and he wanted to hit something at the bleak look in her eyes. “Thank you for coming with me,” she whispered as she reached out a hand to grip one of his.
He held it tight, determined to help her through today any way he could. He had a feeling that today was going to be a test of his control, and he’d have trouble holding onto his temper if anyone hurt her. He blew out a breath and went for honesty. “Let’s see if you say that when this is all over.”
“I’m still going to thank you.” She gifted him with a small smile as she reached up and stroked his neck where his tattoos peeked out from over his collar. He grabbed her hand, holding it over his heart.
“Are my tattoos going to embarrass you?” His tension eased at the confusion shining in her beautiful eyes.
“No, why would you ask that?”
He shrugged, then leaned in to brush his lips over hers. He gave her a quizzical frown when he saw that her lipstick hadn’t faded at all.
When he asked her about it, she smiled. “Ah, the secret of smudge-proof lipstick.”
“Make sure you wear some of that when we’re back in our room tonight. I’d love to see your red lips wrapped around my dick later.”
He chuckled as her cheeks flushed with heat, and he stole another quick kiss before opening his door. When she reached for the door handle he simply glared at her until she folded her hands in her lap and patiently waited for him to come around to her side to open the door for her.
Kalista held tight to his hand as they entered the church. She was immensely glad when they were seated in row toward the back of the church since they were one of the last to arrive. She kept her cape-style wrap on over her dress against the chill in the air. Looking up at the front of the church, she saw her ex, David, standing next to his brother. Relief swept through her when she felt no pain at seeing him again. Only mild distaste filled her now at the sight of him, and she turned to smile at Jared, who held a knowing look in his dark eyes.
“What’s that smile for, honey?”
“I was just thinking how much my taste in men has improved.”
He chuckled as he squeezed her hand, then they both turned to look toward the aisle as music began to play. Despite the fact Kalista disliked her cousin immensely, the wedding was beautiful. Her cousin was a beautiful bride, and Kalista couldn’t help but sniffle as the ceremony came to a close.
Hammer put his arm around her, drawing her close to him as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Who knew my little fairy was so sentimental,” he murmured as the bride and groom turned to beam at the crowd.
They joined into the flood of people leaving the church, and Kalista was grateful that she avoided seeing most of her family before they were back in the car, heading back to the hotel where the reception was being held.
Her good luck ended as they pulled up in front of the hotel, and Kalista saw her mother and father standing outside talking to a few of the other guests. The valet ran over to open her door, and she slid out of the car, waiting for Jared to come around to join her before walking over to greet her parents. She saw the way her father’s eyes widened as he stared at Jared’s car and held back a wince as her mother’s gaze seemed to focus on Jared’s tattoos.
“Hello, Mother. Father.”
“Well, we were wondering if you were going to come,” her mother said with a haughty look. “You certainly haven’t been very communicative lately, Kalista Rose. Shame on you for not calling your own mother back.”
Kalista wanted to roll her eyes and barely held back the urge. “This is my boyfriend, Jared Caufield. Jared, these are my parents, Don and Gina Redford.”
Don and Gina Redford looked every bit the wealthy couple that enjoyed their lives in the center of Houston society. Gina was dressed in a bright blue dress, with her long red hair pulled back in a sophisticated chignon, while Don was dressed in a dark blue pin-stripe suit with a gold Cartier watch glittering on his wrist.
“Good to meet you,” Don said as he held out his hand to shake Jared’s. “And what do you do, Mr. Caufield?”
“I own the gym and rehab center across the street from Kali’s bakery.”
Kalista noticed the way her mother’s face scrunched in distaste at hearing that. Well, it scrunched up as much as it could despite the Botox injections she knew her mother got religiously.
Don pulled his hand back and raised a brow. “The gym business must be treating you well to afford a car like that.”
“Dad!” Kalista felt embarrassment wash over her at the insulting comment her father had just made. Jared’s hand wrapped around her waist, comforting her, and he softly stroked her hip as if to convey he could handle whatever her parents threw at him.
“The car was given to me as a bonus when I won my last fight. I was a professional MMA fighter for the CFL for several years after I left the Army.”
“A military man, then. Thank you for your service,” Don said with a smile. “Why don’t we head inside out of the cold and get a drink?” He held out his arm for his wife and led the way inside of the hotel, following the crowd to an area that had been set up for the cocktail hour before the reception.
Kalista was acutely aware that her father hadn’t even acknowledged her presence, while her mother looked at her as if she were disappointed at seeing her. She smiled up at Jared as he helped her remove her wrap once they were inside, and she waited for the inevitable slam that was sure to come from her mother.
Jared grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to her just as her mother looked over at her. As her father began asking Jared questions about his fighting career her mother moved closer to her.
“Really, Kalista Rose,” her mother said with a sigh. “A woman with your figure should never wear a strapless dress. Your arms are way too big for you to be flaunting them like that.”
Kalista had braced herself for whatever insult her mother threw her way, but that didn’t stop it from hurting. She sensed more than felt Jared’s large body stiffen next to her, then felt the sting of her mother’s words fade away as he took her hand and linked their fingers together.
Feeling bold, Kalista smiled at her mother. “Mot
her, you look beautiful as always. You’re so courageous wearing such a bold blue color. I hope I’m that daring when I’m your age.” She felt Jared squeeze her hand, and her gaze flickered to him to see him smiling as he took a sip from his glass of champagne.
“That was completely uncalled for, Kalista Rose. You never could take any criticism. You just don’t understand that I am trying to help you,” Gina hissed in a low voice as she tugged on Kalista’s arm. Jared refused to release her hand until she looked up at him with a weak smile. He let her go, but frowned at both women as Gina pulled Kalista a few feet away from the men. “Your cousin would have had you in her wedding party, but they didn’t make the bridesmaids dresses in your size.”
“I didn’t want to be part of her wedding party, Mother.”
“Still. If you couldn’t hold onto a nice man like David, how do you think you are going to hold a man like Jared? It’s obvious he is just using you, darling. You should end things before you end up getting hurt. How can you even be dating him so soon after David left you?”
Oh, for the love of…
“Mother, you don’t know what you’re talking about. First of all, if you think David is a nice man than he has you totally fooled, and Jared isn’t using me.”
“Of course he is. Why else would he be with someone like you?”
That was a direct hit. Kalista felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes, but she willed them away by sheer determination. “By someone like me, you mean someone short and slightly overweight, because I don’t look like a model, is that what you’re saying?”
Gina looked at her with such sympathy that it told Kalista that was exactly what she meant. “You’re really a very pretty girl, but you just don’t have what it takes to hold a man like Jared. Not unless he is with you for your money. You should turn over the rest of your trust to your father and me in case—” Gina was cut off by Jared, whose voice held a hard edge of anger to it.
“I have my own money, Mrs. Redford, and I certainly don’t need Kali’s. Obviously from the sapphires you’re wearing, you don’t seem to need her money either.”