I knew it was because of me. “Liam, it’s okay.”
He looked into my eyes and checked for my sincerity. When he found it, he turned back to my cousin. “Right after high school.”
Adrianna watched us. “You quit because of her?” The disgust was heavy in her voice. “Wow. That has to be the most selfish thing I’ve ever heard. Who does that?” She gave me a look of hate.
This bitch was about to get knocked out.
Liam took over. “My decisions are none of your concern. So shut your damn mouth.”
Adrianna glared at him, not bridled by the threat.
Liam continued like Adrianna didn’t exist. “It was something I was naturally good at. I started taking classes and lifting weights. The rest was history, really.”
Scotty nodded. “Cool. Did you fight other people for practice?”
“You could say that.”
His responses were cryptic.
“Why are you asking?” Liam said.
“I’m considering the profession.”
I dropped my pizza onto my plate. “What? Since when?” I couldn’t hide the panic in my voice.
Scotty didn’t react. He seemed calm. “For a while now. I just think it’s something I’d like to do.”
“Uh…” I couldn’t even think of anything to say. He knew how I felt about that. Why would he do that?
Adrianna’s eyes bore into my face, the disapproval evident. “He can do whatever he wants. Why do you need to control everyone around you? Just get over it and mind your own damn business.”
“Stay out of this,” I snapped.
“Why don’t you stay out of this?” she countered.
“Drop it,” Liam said firmly. “Both of you.”
Scotty tensed at the change in atmosphere.
Liam turned back to him. “From my experience, practice is the best way to start out. If you’ve never fought before, you’re going to have a hard time. And you’ll need to bulk up.”
“Who did you practice on?” he asked.
Liam shrugged. “Just people.”
“You can’t be serious, Scotty,” I said. “This isn’t something you should just jump into.”
“How would you know?” Adrianna countered. “You never went to a single match. But I was there for all of them.”
Now I wished Liam already taught me how to fight so I could kick her ass in the parking lot.
Scotty turned to me. “Keira, I thought you were cool with this…”
“With Liam. Not you too.”
Adrianna fell silent and studied us. Her eyes were on me.
“What’s the big deal?” Bran asked.
“Yeah,” Adrianna said. “What is the big deal?”
I knew I should just abandon the conversation. This would have to take place sometime when we were alone.
Chapter Seven
Liam
Keira wasn’t happy about the idea of Scotty fighting. I could understand why, but that put me in an awkward place. Scotty wanted to discuss it further, but it went against Keira’s wishes. I was torn.
“I can’t believe he wants to do that after everything I’ve been through.” She shook her head then crossed her arms over her chest. She sat on the couch, closed off from me.
I was meeting Scotty in thirty minutes for a beer. But now I wasn’t sure if I should go. “Keira, why does it bother you?”
“Do I really need to explain why?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, actually.” I held her gaze. “Scotty has been your protector for a year. You think being in the ring is going to make him a violent person in every aspect of his life? It doesn’t make him a bad person. It doesn’t change anything.”
She ran her fingers through her hair then sighed. “You’re right…”
I patted her thigh. “Scotty’s a big boy. He’ll be fine.”
“I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“He was just asking questions. He’s not enlisting tomorrow.”
“I know.”
I stared at her face for a moment, seeing the conflict cover her features. “You need to come to a match. I think you’ll feel differently.”
“I’m not ready to see you fight,” she said immediately.
“I didn’t say I would be in the match. We should just watch one on TV. Baby steps.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know…”
I rubbed her small back, feeling the tension in her muscles. Her thin frame was tight with lean muscles. I loved her body and I wouldn’t change a single thing. She hid her body and her curves from the world, but that meant everything else was just for me. I didn’t mind it. In fact, I loved that about her. She didn’t need validation from others to feel confident about herself.
My hand moved under her hair and to her neck. I massaged the muscle, relaxing her. “I need to leave.”
“Where are you going?”
I never lied to my girl, even though it was tempting at times. “Scotty and I are getting a beer.”
“Oh.” She knew what that really meant.
“I’ll be home before you fall asleep.”
“Okay,” she said quietly.
I grabbed her chin and directed her gaze on me. Then I gave her a sweet kiss. She always melted when I touched her, but it was nothing compared to how I felt. This girl lit me on fire in a way no other woman had. It wasn’t just sexual, but intimate and spiritual. Our bodies combined together and became one. I’ve never given myself to anyone before. But she had all of me.
“Thanks for coming.” Scotty already had his beer in front of him. The gaslight district was busy on the weekday. I ordered my glass then sat beside him at the bar. “I know Keira wasn’t happy the other day.”
“I’ve talked to her.”
“She’s cool with it?” he asked.
“Not necessarily. But she will be.”
He sighed. “Maybe I should just forget about it. The last thing I want is to hurt Keira.”
“No.”
“No?”
“She’ll be okay with it. I’ll make sure she is.”
“You seem confident.”
“When she becomes stronger, she won’t be scared of anything. And you can’t change your life to accommodate her. I know Keira is emotional right now but she understands that. You’ve been nothing but supportive to her. And now it’s her turn to support you.”
He nodded. “You can talk more sense into her than I can.”
I smiled. “On most days.”
He drank his glass then wiped the foam from my lips. “So, any advice?”
“Nothing besides what I already said.”
“Is there a studio or program you went to?” Scotty asked.
“I did in Burbank.”
“Is it still there?”
“I’m not sure,” I said honestly.
“Or you could train me…”
That was an idea. “It’s one thing for you to pursue this, but I doubt Keira would appreciate me hurting her cousin. That might get into bad territory.”
Scotty rubbed his chin. “Maybe you’re right.”
“But we could always weight train together. I have a gym in the basement.”
“I’m already big. I can’t see myself getting any larger.”
I hadn’t studied his body but I could see his weaknesses. It was a gift. “Your core isn’t strong. Having large muscles doesn’t mean you have strength. They are two very different things.”
“You aren’t too big.”
“I’m not.” There was no arguing with that. “But I’m quick. You’ve probably noticed.”
“It seems to be your secret weapon. When did you want to start?”
“We could work out a few days a week after school.”
“Cool,” Scotty said.
I drank my beer and finished the entire glass. I didn’t order another because I intended to drive home soon. And I was too proud to ask Keira to pick me up. I refused to be anything but strong in her eyes.
“
Is there any reason why you fight?”
I shrugged. “I like it, I guess.”
“You aren’t…angry?”
That caught my attention. “Why are you asking?”
Scotty rubbed the outside of his glass with his palm before he answered. “I just need to express my anger. And I think fighting would be good for that.”
“Why are you so upset?” That was a personal question and I didn’t expect him to answer it.
“My parents died a few years ago.”
“Oh.” I vaguely remembered Keira saying something in passing. She mentioned her father and uncle were dead. That must have been Scotty’s father. “I’m sorry.”
“It was an accident. A grease fire broke out and my parents didn’t make it out. I was out of the house when it happened.” He took a deep breath before he continued. “I don’t have anyone to blame. But I’ve never gotten over it. And I need…something.”
“I understand.”
Scotty stared straight ahead, not looking at me.
I was certain Keira never told him about my past. She would horde my secrets until the end of time, and I would never tell anyone besides her. But I decided to tell him since he would be my family someday. “My sister was beaten to death by her boyfriend. That’s why I fight.”
Scotty didn’t react. It was like he hadn’t heard me. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, man…”
“Thanks.”
“But, that makes perfect sense. You’re perfect for Keira.”
“I am.”
“I’m really glad you two found each other.” There was a slight bitterness to his voice.
“You’ll find the right girl. She’s out there.”
“Yeah.” His voice was dismissive.
“I needed to be in the ring because it released all my anger and frustration. There were times when I hoped my opponent would demolish me just so I could die. I wished I passed away instead of her. But when I met Keira, that all changed. I realized I didn’t need it anymore. Being with her was far more therapeutic.”
“Then why do you still do it?”
“I need to. It’s what I’m good at. It’s what I pay the bills with. And I want to be ready if I ever need to kill someone…”
“You mean the man who did that to your sister?”
“And someone else…”
“I’d be glad to join you if that day ever came.”
“Nope. He’s all mine.” I was livid just thinking about it. The idea of ripping his eyes out set me on fire. I was lusting after his blood. I changed the course of my thoughts.
“Thanks for meeting me. I’ve learned a lot.”
“Are you still going to pursue this?”
He nodded. “I need to.”
I understood the desire. Keira didn’t want him to do this, but I would persuade him either way. He was a man and could make his own decisions. We sat in silence for a while, staring at the people in the room. When I spotted Adrianna, I groaned.
She sauntered over to me, walking like she usually did. She always tried to be sexy but it was a laughable loss. She reminded me of Bambi’s mother limping out of the woods. I used to be attracted to her in a sexual way, but now I thought she was hideous and disgusting.
She approached me, her smile plastered on her face. “What a nice surprise.”
I ignored her.
“You’re quiet.”
“You’re annoying.”
She didn’t walk away. I heard her breathe next to me, lingering. Then she placed her hand on my shoulder. “Talk to me—”
I grabbed her arm and twisted it down. Her eyes widened at my sudden movement. “Don’t touch me.” I released her then stood up. “I’ll see you later, Scotty.”
Scotty nodded to me, trying to stay out of the interaction. I threw my cash on the table then stormed out. When I reached the door, I turned around and made sure Adrianna wasn’t following me like a psycho. She was standing next to Scotty, leaning close to him. I knew Scotty wasn’t stupid enough to get his dick wet in that so I left and returned to my girl waiting for me.
When we were in the basement again, Keira was scared. She tried to hide it by averting her gaze or crossing her arms over her chest, but I knew she was terrified. I tried not to be wounded but I was.
I’d never hurt a girl in my life and I never would. I wished Keira understood that. But I tried to be patient with her. After the traumatic experience she had, I knew anything associated with fighting scared her.
Every time our bodies were combined in the throes of passion, I forgot about the scars on her body. They disappeared; masked by the love I gave her. My lips kissed the incision points, erasing the past.
But now I visualized them in my mind. The line across her collarbone would be there forever. I could kiss it over and over and it would still plague her skin. While the marks and cuts would last until the day she died, they wouldn’t always represent the same things. I was determined to change their meaning. Every time she looked at them, she would find strength, not cower. She would realize how strong she was. She wouldn’t be the weak girl she was before. Now she would be the strongest woman I’d ever known. That’s what those scars would mean.
I pulled my shirt off then grabbed my gloves. When I tightened them around my knuckles, she eyed them nervously. Her arms were still across her chest, and when I looked at her, she turned away.
“You ready?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“You ready?” I repeated.
She wore a sports bra and shorts. She never dressed this way out of the house, only around me. Her beautiful figure was hidden under folds of clothing, but she never had to cover herself in front of me. I loved seeing her in nothing but skin. She fidgeted in place. “I don’t know…”
I would be patient as long as I needed to be. “You ready?” I said it with more command, telling her this would happen despite her efforts to avoid it.
She took a deep breath and steeled her nerve. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“I’m ready.”
“Good.” I grabbed her hips and turned them toward me. My hands pulled her shoulders back then I placed my palm on her stomach. “Posture.” She immediately stiffened under me. “You’re going to punch me and I’m going to block you. Watch me.”
“Okay.” She was more confident but still nervous.
I took a stance in front of her, my fists by my face. “Come on.”
She held her fists up then placed her right foot back. She stared at me for a long time before she threw her first punch. My arm moved up, taking the hit. “Are you okay?” she blurted. She dropped her hands then felt my arm. “Did I hurt you?”
She was adorable but irritating at the same time. “Baby, I’m fine. I meant what I said. You can’t hurt me.”
Keira rubbed my arm, the guilt on her face.
“Would I lie to you?”
She shook her head.
“I’m fine. Now let’s go again.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know,” I said gently. I raised my arms again.
She took a few swings at me. I blocked them in different ways, showing her how to handle a block. If I were teaching someone else, I would do this in a much different way. But Keira had special needs.
When she had enough practice, I lowered my hands. “I want you to show me your blocks.”
Her eyes widened.
“I’m not going to hit you,” I said quickly.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
It pissed me off that I had to repeat that. “Now show me.”
She repeated the stances, but some of them were awkwardly misplaced. I corrected her and helped her form. Keira was smart and caught on quickly. If she weren’t so uncomfortable, she would be even quicker at it. I knew we would get through this and she’d be stronger because of it.
“Now let’s do some weights.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I never lift weights.”
&nbs
p; “Which is why we’re doing it.” I grabbed a barbell then placed it in front of her. “We need to tighten your core and your back. It improves balance, posture, endurance, and strength.”
“I don’t want to be a body builder.”
“You aren’t,” I said firmly. I did a dead lift and showed her how to perform the set. Then I moved behind her and told her to give it a try. She faced the mirror then grabbed the bar.
My eyes immediately went to her ass, which looked breathtaking at the moment. My attraction to her was clouding my mind. I needed to move so I wouldn’t be tempted. I stood in front of her and watched her do the sets. She kept her back straight the entire time. When she finished the set, she breathed through the stress. I adjusted my shorts and tried to hide my hard-on. “Good job, baby.”
I gave her free weights then helped her work on her shoulders. She had strong legs and ass muscles, but her arms and core were lacking. I knew the muscles needed to be pushed for better performance. I made sure I didn’t stand behind her that time.
When she finished her weight workout, she sat down and wiped the sweat from her forehead. I wanted to show her kicks and maneuvers but I knew she wasn’t there yet. I was afraid she would panic and take off.
Keira lay on the mat then stretched her body. It was hard not to look at her and not get excited. Maybe wearing so little clothing was a bad idea. “You did a good job today.”
“Thank you. I’m trying.”
“I know you are.”
She stretched her legs, pulling them to her chest.
Was she trying to torture me?
She pulled the other to her chest and my cock sprang to life. I knew I needed to turn around so I wouldn’t take her on my work out mat. I would just go for it but I wanted to separate this room from our relationship. When I was in here, it was purely business. I wasn’t her lover. I was her trainer.
But she was making that fucking impossible right now.
Keira finally stood up then bent at the waist, stretching her body.
Are you kidding me?
I had a full view of her ass. My cock twitched at the sight.
I had to get out of here. I walked up the stairs. “I’m taking a shower.”
“Okay.”
She better be taking one with me. I walked into the bathroom and ran the hot water. Steam billowed everywhere while I waited for her to join me. After a minute of pure sexual frustration, I turned off the water and searched for her.
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