by K. C. Lynn
“What did I tell you? No one likes a big mouth.”
“Don’t listen to him, kid,” Sawyer says as he walks out of the locker room with one of the fighters. “Everyone loves a big mouth. You just gotta make sure you can back it up first,” he adds with a smirk.
Benny’s know-it-all smile spreads. “I like that guy. Why isn’t he instructing us?”
Dropping him back to his feet, I begin gloving up. “Because he ain’t the Champ. Now glove up, because I’m about to show you exactly what I’m made of.”
CHAPTER SIX
Sophie
Late Friday afternoon, Liz strolls in for her evening shift. “Hey, Lia.”
“Hey,” I greet her back.
“Good day?”
I shrug. “It’s been quiet.”
“Hopefully, it stays that way, and I can get paid to do nothing except stare at whoever is on duty tonight. Let’s hope it’s Logan,” she adds with a wink.
Smiling, I shake my head. I’m not surprised by her comment. Liz loves to flirt with everybody, well except for Cooper, but I think that’s because she’s afraid of Kayla. Logan Knight is definitely attractive but he also happens to be very much in love with his wife, Anna, who is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.
“Hey, girls,” Cooper greets us as he walks in.
“Hi,” we both reply in unison.
“Lia, I was just at the gym and ran into Kolan,” he says, making every muscle in my body tense. “I hear you’re taking lessons from him.”
I nod, worried he’s upset that I didn’t do the course like he suggested, but his easy smile instantly has me relaxing.
“Glad to hear. He’s definitely a guy you want to have in your corner.” Before I can think too much about his response, he continues on to his office. “Have a good weekend, I’ll see you Monday.”
“Bye,” I say quietly, giving a small wave to his retreating back.
I stumble slightly, caught off guard when Liz grabs my arm and spins me around to face her. “You’re taking self-defense lessons from Kolan Slade?”
I nod, wondering why her eyes are bugged out of her head.
“The Kolan Slade?”
“Umm yes?” I voice it as more of a question, unsure of what she means by that.
“You lucky bitch. Tell me, what is he like? Is he as intense as he looks? Do you think the rumors are true?”
“Rumors?”
“Lia, focus!” she orders, snapping her fingers in my face. “You do know who Kolan Slade is, right?”
“He works at the gym?” I guess, still unsure where this is all coming from.
“Oh man, you don’t know.” She shakes her head, disappointed. “He’s not just some guy who works at the gym. He’s the heavyweight champion in the EFC, or was before he retired a few months back after being accused of rape.”
“What?” I squeak, swearing I misheard her.
“Yep, by some chick at the club.”
“Club?” I repeat, dumbfounded.
She nods, an almost gleeful smile lifting her lips as she leans in closer to me. “Yeah. Annihilation. It’s a BDSM club. I’ve heard he’s their best customer, and apparently, he can fuck for hours.”
I gape at her, wanting to ask what BDSM means but don’t want to sound as clueless as I am. Getting my wits about me, I shake my head. “No. No way. Kolan did not rape someone.”
I may not know him well, but the man I’ve spent every night with this week does not have that kind of evil inside of him. Yes, he’s intense. Yes, he is intimidating. But he’s also kind. He’s given up his free time to teach me how to defend myself and hasn’t asked for anything in return.
“Oh no, he didn’t,” Liz rushes to say. “He was accused of it but eventually cleared of all charges. Turns out someone set him up. It tarnished his reputation though. I think that’s why he left the EFC, but even with the allegations not being true, he definitely has a side no one knew about. Being a member of Annihilation proves that. The things I’ve heard he does to a girl in one of those rooms.” She shakes her head. “I’m telling you, hours and hours of pure pleasure with that man.”
I feel my face flame, still having no idea what Annihilation is. I also can’t deny the yucky feeling I get in my tummy as I think about him doing anything to a girl. Which is ridiculous.
“I don’t know anything about that,” I tell her honestly. “I’ve only met with him a few times, but I can say he’s very nice. He’s really gone out of his way for me.”
“Damn, you’re so lucky,” she says with a hint of envy in her tone. “What I wouldn’t give to be alone with that guy for an hour, or rather hours, and see if he’s as intense as the rumors say. In the ring he’s lethal, so it didn’t surprise me to hear he’s hardcore in the bedroom.”
Now, I’m even more intrigued by the dark, mysterious man who has been occupying my thoughts lately.
When I arrive home, I pour myself a cup of my usual evening brewed tea then look him up on my iPad to see what I can find out. I’m not disappointed. There is a wealth of information on him. First, there are pictures of him in the ring, and Liz is right, he looks lethal.
Powerful.
Something I already knew about him, but these pictures show so much more. There are also a lot of articles about the rape accusation. My heart hurts to know someone was cruel enough to set him up like that. There’s even a picture of the girl who accused him. Just the sight of her leaves a bad taste in my mouth. She looks as fake as her bleached blonde hair and big boobs splashing out of her too tiny top. A small level of satisfaction fills me when I read that she’s been sentenced to prison for her involvement.
Scrolling down, I tense when I see the word Annihilation. I’m not able to find out much about the club itself, so I click on the word BDSM that’s highlighted, and what shows up has my eyes bulging out of my head.
“Oh my god.”
It’s like a hidden underworld. Graphic photos of people minimally covered in leather, being tied up and gagged, has a shiver working down my spine. All sorts of objects that look more like weapons are used, but the person on the receiving end seems to be enjoying it.
It looks an awful lot like a kinky horror movie.
Feeling my stomach churn, I click out of the pictures and read some articles that explain exactly what BDSM is. Bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism. A type of sexual practice.
Control is talked about a lot and seems to be the main purpose behind it, yet so is pain. It doesn’t completely shock me to know Kolan could be a part of something like this. He does have that sort of dark, commanding presence about him. However, the thought of him inflicting pain on a woman in any setting surprises me.
There are a few different articles from psychologists saying the lifestyle is normal and healthy. It makes me wonder where they got their degree, because what I see here looks far from normal and scares the living daylights out of me.
Why would anyone want to inflict pain? Or better yet, why would someone want to be hurt?
None of it makes sense and it leaves me even more conflicted about the man who has invaded my every waking thought. A man who has been teaching me more than self-defense.
He’s been teaching me how to survive.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Kolan
Saturday afternoon, I walk into my sister’s salon, still pissed off from my phone call with Cortez’s manager. But my bad mood eases at the vibrant smile on her face. One she deserves to always have. It was difficult to keep that smile on her face when we were growing up, thanks to our shitty parents. Now though, I hardly ever see her without it.
“Well, if it isn’t one of my favorite guys in the whole world,” she says, resting the broom against the wall before wrapping her arms around my neck and planting a loud smacking kiss on my cheek.
“One of them? There was a time when I was your favorite,” I grumble, but pull her in close, making sure to be mindful of the small baby bump she’s been sporting lately. Something that st
ill stresses me the fuck out whenever I think about it.
“I know, but now my fiancé gets put in that category too, so you have to share.” Leaning back to look at me, she grabs my jaw. “But don’t worry, you’re my favorite brother,” she coos.
I grunt. I’m her only brother.
She steps back with a chuckle. “Am I washing today?”
“Nah, just a trim.”
She turns her chair for me to sit in then rips my hat off my head, running her fingers through my rumpled hair. “You should never wear a hat with hair like this, brother.”
She says this every fucking time I come in. I’m a hat guy, always have been.
“You know, we may have been given crappy parents but we sure were blessed with some amazing hair genes.”
I stare back at her in the mirror, wondering if she’s serious.
She shrugs. “Gotta find the good in the bad, and our hair is one of the positives.”
I disagree. There’s nothing positive when it comes to our parents.
“Seriously though, both you and Nick have the kind of hair that shampoo commercials are made of, and I get to do what I want with it,” she brags, a slight dance in her step as she reaches for the spray bottle.
“How is RoboCop anyway?”
“Perfect, like always.”
I grunt, unable to help myself. That guy is far from perfect, especially when he’s touching my sister, but I guess he’ll do since I don’t have a choice. It also helps that he keeps her smiling. As long as it stays that way, I’ve decided he can live.
“He’s actually coming to pick me up soon. We’re going out for Italian tonight. Mmmm.” She pats her belly. “Wanna come?”
“No, thanks.”
“Why, you got plans?”
“No.”
“Then come.”
“That’s okay. You go and have fun. I’ve got some stuff to finish up at the gym.”
Like exhaust myself from the need to go to Annihilation and fuck.
Innocent hazel eyes suddenly emerge out of nowhere, assaulting the dark recesses of my mind before I squelch the image quickly.
“If you’re sure,” she says, her tone heavy with disappointment.
It makes me feel like shit. “I am, but we’ll do something soon, okay?”
“Okay,” she agrees then changes the subject. “So, I’ve been doing some thinking about the wedding.”
“Oh yeah.” I feign interest. I don’t like talking about this either. I don’t want her to marry anyone. I liked it better when it was just her and me, especially since she’s all I have.
“Yeah. Nick and I have been talking, and I think we’re going to do something small. Similar to what Cade and Faith did. Just close friends and family. Faith says we could have it out at her place since our house won’t be ready for a while,” she says, talking about the house they’re building on a few acres just outside of town.
“Have you picked a date?”
“No,” she sighs. “I’m undecided whether to wait until after the baby is born or do it before. I don’t really want to wait. I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day with Nick, but on the other hand, maybe we should have the baby be a part of our day, ya know?” She shakes her head, frustrated. “I don’t know, but I need to decide soon before I get any bigger. Speaking of which…check this out.”
Putting her scissors down, she lifts her loose shirt just enough to show me her small, rounded tummy that still has her purple jeweled ring dangling from her bellybutton.
“How amazing is this?” She beams, having no clue how much it freaks me the fuck out for my baby sister to have a baby of her own.
It makes me want to rip that asshole to shreds. However, by the way her face glows and smile reaches ear to ear, I refrain from speaking my thoughts.
“Pretty cool,” I say instead.
“I know. I can’t wait to find out what it is.” She giggles excitedly. Dropping her shirt back down, she picks up her scissors again. “Anyway, I need to make the decision soon when it comes to picking a dress.”
“What does Nick say?”
“He says it’s whatever I want, but I think he would prefer not to wait either.”
“Then don’t,” I say, stating the obvious.
Another sigh escapes her, as if it’s so much more complicated than that. “I know. I’ll make a decision soon. I do know one thing I want for sure though,” she says, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror.
“What’s that?”
Leaning down, she wraps her arms around my neck. “I want you to walk me down the aisle.”
My chest constricts, both in panic and something else. An emotion that only my sister has ever evoked in me. She’s the only person I have in my life who gives a shit about me, and the thought of losing her scares the hell out of me.
“You going to be there to give me away?” she asks, eyes hopeful.
“No.”
I feel her tense, pain darkening her expression.
“I’ll never give you away, Kate. You’re my baby sister forever, but I’ll walk you down the aisle.”
She smiles, tears brimming in her warm brown eyes. “You about broke my heart there for a minute.”
“You really thought I wouldn’t come to your wedding?”
She shrugs. “I know how you are about crowds, but I hoped you would.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
“Good,” she says. “Because you’re right about one thing.”
“I’m right about everything, but what exactly are you talking about?”
A giggle escapes her before it softens into a smile. “That I’ll be your baby sister forever,” she whispers. “Never doubt that, Kolan. Not even Nick could change that. It’s always been you and me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The fear I had of losing her begins to dissipate.
Straightening, she continues the task at hand, the sound of her shears filling the sudden silence.
“You need any money?” I ask, then clear my throat when I hear how gruff I sound. “For the wedding, I mean.”
“No, I don’t, but thank you anyway.”
I knew she would say that. “I’m paying for your dress.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t need you to.”
“I don’t care. I want to, Katelyn. It matters to me.”
Hearing the seriousness in my voice, her eyes find mine in the mirror again. “Okay,” she relents with a nod. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
While she finishes my hair, she fills me in on the family, telling me about our Uncle Joshua, Aunt Linda, Papa George, and even Pop. Which isn’t a bad thing I guess, since I never go to the weekly Sunday suppers my aunt hosts. I never have. It’s not my thing. My sister is my family and that’s how I like to keep it. I’ve always included Faith in that small circle, but I get to see her more often now that I work at the gym.
As Katelyn brushes the loose hair from my neck, the door beeps, signaling someone’s arrival. Nick comes striding in from around the corner and just like that, she’s gone, running into his arms.
“Hey, baby.” He pulls her in close, making me want to beat the shit out of him.
“RoboCop,” I greet him, putting my hat back on as I stand.
“Catwoman,” he counters.
My eyes narrow. “That name makes no fucking sense. I look nothing like her.”
“And I look like fucking RoboCop?”
“Yes, it suits what you do. Or maybe my sister is right and Miami Vice is best,” I say, reaching out to tug the strands brushing his collar. “It does look like you have a party going on in the back.”
He slaps my arm away. “The hell I do.”
Katelyn laughs. “No way. There are a lot of things you could tease Nick about, but his hair isn’t one of them. Like I said, you guys have amazing hair and it’s all thanks to me.”
I can’t deny that. She’s the best in her profession, and I’m not just s
aying that because she’s my sister.
“You sure you can’t come with us for supper?” she asks again.
“If money is a problem, I can pay for you,” Nick offers with a smirk, flicking the brim of my hat to knock it off my head.
Asshole.
I shove him. “I have more money than you, dickhead. You just worry about feeding my sister and make sure she gets whatever she wants.”
“I always do.”
Damn straight he does, because I’d kick his ass if he didn’t.
“Promise we’ll do something soon?” Katelyn asks.
“Yeah, Kate. I promise.” Leaning in, I kiss her cheek and slip some money into her pocket, knowing she will refuse otherwise. Then I shake Nick’s hand, because most of the time I like him and it makes my sister happy.
As I leave the salon, stepping out onto the sidewalk, a small body crashes into me. “Whoa…” I grab hold of narrow shoulders while delicate hands fist my shirt. I instantly register who it is from the slender curves pressing against me—the same ones I’ve felt all week and have committed to memory.
Lia gasps. “I’m so sorry. I—” Her words fade when she looks up to see it’s me. “Kolan.”
The sound of my name falling past her lips has my dick turning hard.
I really need to get laid.
Before I have a chance to say anything, Katelyn comes dashing out of the salon. “Kolan, wait. I forgot to ask…” She trails off at the sight of Lia in my arms. “Oh, who’s your friend?”
Lia shoves against my chest. It’s then I get my first full look at her. She wears a pair of light denim jean shorts that show off her long, slender legs and a loose white tank top. Her golden brown hair is pulled up high on her head with small wisps lying gently by her face. A peach scarf is doubled up around her neck, her fingers fiddling with it nervously, and although the material is light, she must be dying with it on in this heat. However, no matter how out of place it looks in this weather, it does nothing to take away from how beautiful she is.
“I’m so sorry. I ran into him by accident,” she rushes to explain, pulling me from my thoughts. It’s obvious she thinks Katelyn is someone else to me.