Changing the Game: The Breaking Series #2

by Leigh, Ember

Didn’t help that Mason dedicated his life to tracking down gang violence and stamping it out. He’d be very curious to learn that Lex had a particular history with one of the gangs currently on Mason’s radar, too.

  “Are you working tonight?” Amara asked.

  Lila shook her head. “No, I don’t have to be at the hospital until Sunday. Why, you wanna get into some trouble?”

  “You should come out to the bar with us tonight,” Amara said. “Travis wanted to meet up for a little celebration. You know, since the filming for the first season is done after today.”

  Lila watched Lex as he shook hands with Mason. His torso gleamed like a Greek god. The man radiated lightning bolts and seduction. “Who all is going?”

  “Just the guys. And whoever else they invite along.” Amara laughed. “Mason can come too.”

  She shook her head before she could think better. “No, he can’t. He’s, uh…I’d rather have a girl’s night, to be honest.”

  “With a bunch of men,” Amara added, winking. “I get it.”

  Lila grinned, unable to rip her eyes off the start of the match in the ring. Lex strolled the ring casually, as relaxed as a walk in the park. Mason hopped from foot to foot, his hands balled into rigid fists in front of his face.

  Lex leaned over and swiped at him, like a cat playing with his food. The curve of his lips held her transfixed, made her belly do a nosedive into the bottoms of her feet. How can the sight of him feel like no time has passed at all?

  Five years was serious. They were practically different people by now. Who knew what Lex had turned into since they broke up? And who knew if he could ever accept her new life?

  But his presence in the room called to her like a throng of sirens on a rocky outcrop. Luring her near, begging her to make contact. Five years could change everything.

  “So what time should we meet up?” The words popped out of her unbidden. Lex would be there—he had to be.

  “Let’s say seven?” Amara lifted a brow. “We’ll meet at the Corner Bar by the gym.”

  Lila drew a low breath as Mason launched a punch, missing Lex entirely. He charged then, swinging at Lex’s torso, which Lex sidestepped and reversed on him, bringing Mason clattering to the ground. A swell of ooooh’s, and then Lex helped him up, patting him on the back.

  Hopefully Mason didn’t get injured enough that he’d claim he would need Lila’s nursing skills that evening. Because Nurse Lila was officially booked for the evening. Even if all she’d nurse was a cosmo while she stared at Lex from across the bar.

  Looking wasn’t the same as initiating. Looking was perfectly allowed. And it was practically a sin not to look at a man like Lex. His body begged it—and he’d only improved since the last time she’d seen him.

  Her last glimpse of him had been at one a.m. on a weekend night as she feverishly packed her bags at age twenty-two, uprooting the life they’d shared in an apartment for two years. She remembered the moment as if it had happened only a week ago. His voice had cracked with desperation amid pleas that she stay. That she give him just one more chance, that he wouldn’t use again and that this time he was serious.

  He’d blocked her exit on her first attempt, punched a hole in the wall on the second, and the third time she ran out and never looked back.

  Her eyes watered, and she cleared her throat. How could she have fallen so hard for someone with such a shadowy dark side? After Lex, she’d sworn…never again.

  Only regular, stable men. The neat, calm, do-gooder types. The guys who got excited for steakhouses and draft beer, the guys who watched fights on television and had never thrown a real punch in their lives. The American Joes who pined for picket fences and weren’t trouble.

  She drew a shaky breath, watching Lex block his face almost lazily as Mason swung at him. Regular guys like Mason were what she needed. Police officer who worked behind a desk, wanted kids, came home by five every day.

  But she couldn’t convince herself to want him, or any of the other vanilla guys dotting her dating history. No matter how damn hard she tried to want them, they fell short. Couldn’t stack up against the shadowy template staining the back of her mind.

  The curve of Lex’s grin held her captive.

  Chapter 2

  “To the team.” Lex raised his shot glass in the air, the smiles on his buddies’ faces contagious.

  “And to an incredible future.” Travis clinked his glass against Lex’s and Jake’s, then the three of them tossed their shots back in unison. The tequila stung as it went down his throat; he coughed a little and slammed the glass on the bar top, shoving it toward the bartender.

  “Another round,” Lex said with a wink to the pretty blonde. She giggled, slinking away, glancing over her shoulder at him. He tried to hold her gaze, but he looked down, uncertainty slashing through him. Had everything to do with his favorite blonde showing up earlier that day.

  They hadn’t even talked in the gym during filming—but seeing her there, just breathing the same damn air as her, felt like he’d shot up with the craziest drug. He might not sleep well for days because of it. That was some crazy shit.

  There was only one girl he’d ever wanted. Might ever want. And seeing her again today was a serious disturbance in his planetary orbit. The alcohol would help calm him, at least. Knowing he’d given her boyfriend a black eye helped too.

  The past year, he’d been on fire. Moving up the ranks at Holt Body Fitness, snagging his own faithful clientele, making a name for himself as an MMA trainer on the right side of the law. And the latest cause for celebration—the first season of Holt Body Fitness’s series filmed—served as the topping on the delicious, stacked cake he’d been building for years now.

  Ever since he made the decision to be healthy and successful, instead of tortured and addicted. There were only so many years of a man’s life he could spend wallowing in the instant pleasures of dosing and drugs. Shit that made you feel invincible never lasted.

  Travis checked his phone and then punched Lex in the side. “Amara’s on her way, bringing some friends. I told her to bring enough to celebrate.”

  He coughed against the pain, Travis being one of the only guys whose friendly punch hurt. Maybe Lila is one of those friends. But that was wishful thinking if he’d ever seen it. He’d fought her boyfriend earlier that day. The line in the sand was clear. “Shit. Sounds like we’re about to have ourselves a good time.”

  The bartender returned with three shots on a platter. Her eyes darted between Lex and the others, cleavage spilling over her tight tank top. “Are you guys boxers or something?”

  Lex smirked over to Travis and Jake. “Something like that.”

  A sly smile crossed her face as she assessed Lex again. Whenever he and his buds hit the town, the women swarmed like bees on honey. Lex clinked glasses with his buds and then tossed the second shot. Cheers to the never-ending bright future. Getting straight and clean had been the only option for him five years ago—that or die—but he’d never imagined life could be so sparkling on the other side. So full of accomplishments.

  Lex slid the empty shot glass back toward her and turned away, surveying the bar. Grinning and glazed-eyed millennials filled the rustic space, but not shoulder-to-shoulder. This was one of their spots, a couple blocks from the gym, the perfect midpoint between work and home. Those were the only places he found himself anymore—the gym, his bedroom, or the bar.

  “Is Eddie coming?” Lex squinted as he checked out the faces in the bar. A few regulars he recognized and a whole lotta girls flitting around their stools, casting curious glances their way. Popular alternative rock thrummed through the speakers, casting a moody edge to the evening.

  “On his way too,” Jake said. “Should be here within a half hour.”

  A glass broke somewhere, then a swell of cheers and laughter. “Did you and Amara break the news already?”

  Travis grinned. After six months with Amara, they were moving in together. “Sure did. Eddie was relieved, I think. Tol
d me I better stop jerking her around and propose already.”

  Lex smirked. “Like that’s not in the pipeline already.”

  Jake clapped Travis on the back. “You gotta hook me up with one of Amara’s friends. You two lovebirds are making me want a girlfriend.”

  “Yeah, they’re pretty nice.” Travis received a tumbler of whisky from the bartender, his grin brimming with mischief. Lex forced a smile—nice was one word for girlfriends. Disappointing was another.

  Despite a history ridded with failure, he did still want a relationship. It just seemed unlikely he would ever graduate beyond the territorial pretty girls who dotted his recent years. Lila, his only true love, left him at his worst and lowest point. And he’d spent every relationship since then half-assing it, picking vapid and passive, growing disappointed when none of his new girlfriends truly gave him what he wanted.

  Which was Lila. Her no-nonsense smarts. The way she made thirty-five point to-do lists and actually completed it, and always roped him in, too. How her eyes smiled first, and then her lips. Her insatiable drive to achieve, to be better, to actually make a mark on this stupid world somewhere.

  And now here he was. Making his own mark on this stupid world. She’d be proud of him. If he’d ever get close enough to tell her.

  He might spend his whole life this way, wishing for Lila. Seemed a real possibility if five years in, Lila still lurked at the back of his mind like a stain that he just couldn’t lift. The one who got away. No—the one he’d scared away with his demons.

  “Speak of the devil,” Travis said, turning to the front door. A smile lit up his face—it had to be Amara. Seeing his buddy so happy in love was good, for sure—but every so often it made that distant ache deep inside him rumble to life. He wanted that. He’d had that.

  Lex turned to find Amara and her group of celebratory friends. Lila, please be here, please be here. What were the odds that Amara hung out with Lila? He still couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Apparently, there was a God…and he was throwing him a bone. Even if it was just the shitty end of a turkey wishbone.

  But what would he do with that bone? Doubt slashed through him, annihilating his bravado.

  Amara’s bright face shone over at them, the faces of her friends obscured as they weaved through the crowd toward them. A brunette, a blonde, maybe more trailed behind her. He zeroed in on the blonde—straight, waxy blonde hair between chin and shoulder length, glinting in the yellow light of the bar. A black motorcycle jacket. His chest tightened.

  He flagged down the bartender as the girls made their way over, Travis catcalling Amara once they were close.

  Something about the blonde already felt sure—the skin on his forearms turned goosepimply. Lex leaned over the bar to order a whisky, measuring his moves.

  “About time you girls got here,” Travis said, scooping Amara into his arms for a hug.

  Lex turned to greet Amara, focusing only on her first, not casting a glance at the others. He knew how to play the role. “Hey Mar.” He brought her in for a quick hug, standard greeting protocol for his buddy’s girl.

  “Congratulations, Lex.” She fixed him with a warm smile, patting his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you guys.”

  He feigned bashfulness. “Aw, come on.”

  “I want you guys to meet my friends,” Amara said, turning to address the three of them. Lex sniffed, casting a curious glance toward the girls behind her. “This is Janie—” She gestured toward a short brunette, who waved. “And Yvette—” A dark-haired Latina nodded. “And Lila.”

  Bingo. She shifted into view, tugging the motorcycle jacket tight around her. A pink jewel-tone dress hugged her tight body, topped off with black cowboy boots. Her blue eyes skated over Travis and Jake and then landed on Lex. He held her gaze for a moment too long, unable to rip his eyes off her.

  Confusion collided with relief. Amara introduced the three of them in turn; Jake and Travis gave a friendly greeting. Lex just nodded their way, turning toward the bar to receive the tumbler of whisky with shaky hands.

  Fuck. He tossed the whole thing back before he could think twice. At his side, the two groups of friends mingled, the conversation receding into a blur of noise. Guess we’ll just pretend we’ve never met before.

  LA was a big place, practically like different countries in one small area. So when they broke up and moved on, it wasn’t hard to never run into her again—especially since Lex didn’t start social media until the past couple years, and he could never find Lila, no matter how hard he tried. And here she is, Amara’s friend. Unbe-fucking-lievable.

  He traced a groove in the wooden bar top with a fingertip, struggling to find the right next step. Talking to her seemed out of the question. There was too much confusion, a dust storm flare-up spurred by the unexpected appearance. He needed to lay low. Figure out if he should talk to her right now or wait a few hours. Or maybe never again. After all, she left him.

  “You okay buddy?” Travis leaned close, elbowing him.

  “Yeah, fine.” He pushed the empty tumbler toward the edge of the bar. More alcohol wouldn’t help things—he had to lay off it. “That uh…that blonde there?” He swallowed a knot. “That’s my ex.”

  Travis’s gaze slid toward the trio of girls chatting then back to Lex. “Are you serious?”

  He jerked his head into a nod, steeling himself to turn and look at her. “She left me after I started fighting for the Kings.”

  Understanding creased his face. “Shit. You two cool?”

  He shrugged, painful memories tugging at him, begging him to travel down their familiar paths. “It’s been so long, I’m sure she doesn’t care anymore.” Though the words were a tactical defense, designed to protect himself against the inevitable truth: that Lila hadn’t thought of him even half as much as he’d thought of her over the years.

  “Amara probably didn’t know,” Travis offered. “If you want, I can say—”

  “No, bro. It’s cool.” He squeezed Travis’ shoulder, leaning against the bar. The girls hovered in the periphery, the blonde head yanking at his attention. Her hair was way shorter these days. Damn near everything about her had to be different by now. How much had he missed? He was desperate to watch her, yet hesitant to indulge. “I promise.”

  Lilting laughter reached his ears as Amara and her friends chatted, drifting toward an opening in the bar. But he couldn’t look away from Lila. The sharp angle of her jaw, the tight purse of her lips as she studied the menu, the discerning arch of her eyebrow. Everything about her fascinated him, lured him in. Even more so now. The patina of adulthood made her glow.

  Lex eased back onto his bar stool, keeping his gaze on the bar top. He couldn’t risk looking into those eyes again. Not so soon. He needed time to recover.

  Conversation churned around him, words and laughter forming pockets of noise as he sank into his own world. He ordered a beer so he could nurse it, half-listening to Travis and Jake as they recounted something to Amara. At one point, another shot appeared in front of him: more tequila. To celebrate. He clinked glasses, avoiding Lila’s gaze which burned on him from her post at the end of the bar. She’d sat right in his line of view. Pure torture. It took all his willpower not to search for that gaze.

  “Hold my spot,” Jake said after his shot. “I’m gonna go chat up the friend Amara brought.”

  Lex grabbed his arm, yanking him toward him. “Which one?”

  Jake’s face creased with confusion. “The brunette, why?”

  “Stay away from the blonde.” He released his arm, swallowing the desperation that had surged inside him. He was in trouble. Already. “That’s all.”

  A smile ghosted Jake’s face. “Okay, okay. She’s yours. Dang.”

  Lex watched him saunter off, slip in between Lila and Janie. Jake’s cool, model-caliber smile made Lex laugh; the guy knew how to turn up the charm, make those dimples work for him. He of all of them knew best how to find the middle ground between beefy fighter and sensitive normal guy. It
was an art worth watching.

  Travis and Amara trailed off into conversation at his side; the friend Yvette hit the dance floor with someone at the bar after a bit, which let Jake slip into the empty seat to snag Janie’s attention. After a while, Travis and Amara drifted away too, leaving empty stools at his sides, and only one person of interest in his immediate area.

  “Need another drink? You look lonely.” The bartender wiped down the countertop in front of him.

  He smiled at the bartender, catching the blue of Lila’s eyes over her left shoulder. Heat shuddered through him. Those eyes could snag him anywhere, anytime.

  “I’m fine. Just taking a breather.” He dragged his beer bottle over the countertop, tracing an invisible pattern. When he looked up again, his gaze darted over to Lila. Their eyes locked. His breath evaporated in his throat. She was alone on that end of the bar too; nursing a beer just like him. Practically waving a sign at him to sit by her. No boyfriend in sight.

  “You’ve been taking a breather the whole night.” The bartender winked at him, pouring a shot while she talked. “You single?”

  He watched the amber liquid flow into the shot glass. His heart thrummed in his ears. “I’ve got a situation.”

  She clucked her tongue, pushing the shot his way. “Well that could be anything. This one’s on the house.”

  He accepted the shot, tossing her a grin as she sauntered away to wait on someone else. Their line of vision clear, he glanced back to Lila. A guy had descended on her like a predator—hulking and overbearing, he could tell without even hearing their conversation. She grimaced as she talked to him, holding her palm out. Little Lila always attracted high-grade assholes at the bar; something about her tiny blonde stature drew out the bulkiest of creeps.

  Alarms went off in his head. He studied the guy, straining to catch snippets of their conversation, to see any sign that she knew him, this was a game, a joke, a friendship. He stood from the stool without even realizing it, halfway to her before he’d even made the decision. He approached the guy from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder.