Redemption

by Alla Kar

  I glanced down at Lucy who stared up at me. “It looks like this is going to be way harder than I thought.”

  Most of my day consisted of phone calls and random people coming in to talk about our offers. I handled most of it while trying to spy on Declan. Dad had him sparring with the boys, and I could hear his laugh over every other one in the damn place.

  Why did it have to be so sexy?

  Dad knocked his fingers against the door, sending me upright. “Why so sad?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sad. I was just thinking.”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. “About Heath?”

  I snorted. No, about jumping the new guy’s bones. “No, Dad. Just thinking.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you come out here and spar for a bit? You haven’t been in the ring since you got back.”

  I bounded out of my seat. I’d been needing an excuse to go inside all damn day. You’re about three hours late, Dad.

  “Sure can. I’ll be right there.”

  The door shut behind him, and I all but ran toward the gym. The smell of sweat was heavy in the air, but it didn’t gross me out because that’s what I associated with this gym. The smell of hard work, determination.

  It didn’t take me long to spot Declan. He leaned against the ropes, talking to my dad as Chase bounced around the ring. Both hands were wrapped around the ropes, his biceps flexed as he leaned forward, letting all his weight fall onto the ropes.

  “Well, what do we have here?” I glanced at Chase who wore a huge smile and leaned over the rope toward me. “Is that little helpless Neveah?”

  I grinned. “I’m in need of a hero, Chase. You’re in luck.” Gripping the rope, I swung myself up and stopped an inch away from his face. Chase had been Dad’s prodigy since he stepped foot into the gym when we were both ten.

  “You’re still as beautiful as the day is long,” he said.

  “Hey,” Dad said. “Don’t hit on my daughter unless you’re trying to knock her around the ring.”

  Chase barked out a laugh. “Then I’ll never get to hit on her. You know I can’t touch her in the ring.” He grabbed my hand and helped me over the ropes.

  Another fighter asked, “You fight?”

  I lifted my chin, ignoring the smug look on his face. “Better than you, I promise.”

  Dad chuckled, but my eyes settled on Declan’s. His body language was tense, his muscles tight and eyes hard.

  Chase’s laugh pulled my attention, thankfully. “Why don’t we show the new guys what you’re made of then.” He grabbed an extra pair of sparing gloves and tossed them to me.

  Dad smiled. “It’s nice to see you two together again. I’ve missed this.”

  I slid my hands into the gloves and watched as Chase stared at me from across the ring. “Ready?”

  I lifted a brow. “Are you?”

  Squaring his shoulders, he drug his glove across his nose. “You bet. I’ve been waiting for you to come home so I can hand you your own ass.”

  “When have you ever handed me my ass, Chase?”

  His grin said it all. “Y’all gonna fight or pull on each other’s dicks?” A kid from the side yelled.

  Dad shot him a dirty look. “That’s my daughter up there, kid. Watch your mouth.”

  He held his hands out in surrender, took a step back and pretended to zip his mouth closed.

  Chase and I made our way to the center and knocked gloves. “Get ready for an ass whopping,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes and took my stance. Chase was good enough to go pro, but I knew every trick he had up his sleeve. His foot tapped before each swing, and his eyes moved to the opposite side he was going to strike.

  He swung gently toward my left, and I sidestepped him. “Are we bullshitting or boxing?”

  His grin widened. He swung an uppercut my direction. We’d drawn a crowd, their voices louder with each swing and miss. “Damn Chase, I thought you were the champ. You’re lettin’ a girl kick your ass!”

  Chase grunted when I hit him in the ribs and fell on his ass when I stuck my foot out. The entire gym erupted into laughter. All my problems left my body at the sight of Chase’s big ass on the floor.

  “You still got it, baby girl,” Dad shouted behind me.

  Chase wiped the sweat from his eyes but despite the humiliation, he grinned. “Goddammit, I’ll never live that one down.”

  Smiling, I offered him my hand. He grabbed my wrist, pulled me to the floor, slung a leg over me and straddled my waist. His blue eyes were playful. “Cheater!” I screamed.

  “Get off my daughter, Chase!”

  “Your daughter likes it!” Chase yelled back.

  I erupted into a bellyaching laugh. Tears spilled from the corners of my eyes, because this felt so normal. This was my life, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed it.

  “Two seconds more and you’re running laps, Chase!” Dad yelled.

  Chase smiled down at me. “Good job, babe. I missed you.”

  Rolling my eyes, I shoved his chest until he helped me up. Chase wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed my hairline.

  “Anybody else interested in letting my daughter kick their asses?” Dad asked, hands outstretched, a smug grin on his face.

  Wiping my brow, I dropped my head and laughed. God I miss this place. When I glanced up I couldn’t help but look at Declan. My inkling was right, he was glaring at me. And I felt it. Something heavenly dark swarmed his face and drew point in his dark eyes. My mouth dried, and my sex clenched tighter. I felt myself matching his heavy breaths and not caring that he was mind-fucking me in front of a room full of people. There was absolutely no denying that he was turned on beyond belief and angry as fuck.

  “How about you Declan? You ever box?”

  I glanced down immediately, not wanting anyone to know I’d been staring back at him. Or that just his eyes made my body turn inside out.

  “Yes,” he rasped out.

  “Well, get your ass up there and show us what you got,” Dad said.

  Chase chuckled beneath his breath and raised both hands above his head. “I’ll take that challenge.”

  Declan met my gaze for the briefest of seconds. “I’ll play.”

  Chase hooted and gave me a wink. “Let’s see what the big boy is playing with.”

  Turning, I crawled out of the ring and took safety in the closet foldout chair. Something coiled between my legs as he pulled himself through the ropes and stripped his T-shirt off.

  Holy shit fuck.

  Declan cracked his neck and swiped the closest gloves. Jesus. Every muscle in his back was tight and coiled beneath tanned skin. His broad shoulders screamed sex appeal and sent waves of heat to my drenched panties.

  My fingers curled under the bottom of my chair, and I squeezed my thighs together. His hair looked like he’d just fucked the shit out of someone for an entire night. Something black was scribbled on his back. I squinted to see, my mouth parted in concentration to find out anything about him. My body quivered to get closer to him. On his upper back was six small numbers from what I could tell. A tattoo. I had thought he didn’t have any.

  Chase pulled off his shirt in a dramatic way and tossed it in my dad’s face. “You’re on your way to laps, kid.”

  Chase winked over at me, and I gave him my best shot at a smile. Declan watched our exchange, but I didn’t have to look because I felt it. When I finally got the nerve to glance up from the floor his body was tensed, and his every movement drew my stomach tighter.

  But it wasn’t just the sweat dripping from his shoulders, or the way he glided, it was the way his jaw clenched and those intense eyes ate me alive.

  “Declan!” my dad laughed. “Get in there!”

  Declan turned his face and for the first time since this started, smiled at my dad. “Y’all ready for a show?” he asked.

  Chase laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t get your hopes up, Big Boy. I’m a national champion.”

  Declan’s s
mile was slow and steady, but when he raised his head all laughter had gone.

  They squared off and went into their fighting poses. Chase was our small town hero and every girls’ wet dream. But by the way Declan paced, I knew he was going to bring a new league to this

  He was a fucking demigod.

  “Get ‘em Chase. Knock ‘em out! What are you waiting for?” someone yelled.

  Declan’s eyes turned toward us, and my sex clenched. If he knew how bad I wanted him he’d stop giving me those looks. Before Chase took a step, Declan stepped forward and swung the hardest uppercut I’d seen in person. Chase stumbled back against the rope, his head flew backwards from the impact.

  The crescendo in the room hit me heavy on my chest, and my breath lodge in my throat, seconds ticked by before the gym erupted into applause. “Damn,” I whispered.

  Declan stared over at Chase who held his jaw in his palm. “Damn,” Chase mouthed. “That was one hell of a punch,” he said.

  Declan’s eyes cast toward mine, and I quickly looked at my lap. Christ what was that all about?

  The commotion around me deafened my ears. I couldn’t look at him. Instead, I glanced at my Dad. He’s eyes were round, and I could see the wheels turning in that brain of his. He was basically salivating at the mouth.

  Despite my attempt to look the other way, I bit my bottom lip and gave into my urge. Declan pushed his fingers through his sweaty hair and accepted the praise, but his gaze hadn’t turned from mine. The weak feeling in my legs started to take over my entire body. I needed to get out of there.

  I left the foldout chair rattling and sprinted toward the double doors but didn’t stop until I was behind the safety of the desk. God, how intense could one person be? What was up with the stare down? What was up with his abs? Why were they so perfect?

  Groaning, I palmed my face and took several deep breaths which did no good for my racing hormones. This man was so male that it embarrassed me to look at him.

  ***

  The bell dinged around four, and a man came in holding a bouquet of flowers. “Are you Neveah?”

  “That’s me.”

  He placed the flowers down, turned and left in a mad dash for the door. The roses were gorgeous until I saw the handwriting scribble on the note, I knew they were from Heath.

  A group of boys pushed through the double doors and called their goodbyes to dad. I was snarling at the note when someone knocked their knuckles against the desk.

  I glanced over at Chase. His lip was busted, and for the first time I felt sorry for him. “Is your lip okay?”

  He laughed and gave me a boyish smile. It was definitely still a panty dropper. “It’s fine. Do you know how many times you’ve given me a busted lip or black eye?”

  “Well,” I grinned. “It’s okay when I do it. Plus, my punch isn’t nearly as hard as his.”

  He nodded and placed his index finger against my nose. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

  I rolled my eyes but gave him a small smile. “I don’t.”

  He gestured toward the roses. “Flowers, huh?”

  I groaned and eyed the beautiful bouquet. “Unfortunately.”

  “That’s not the response a guy hopes for when he sends flowers.”

  I shrugged. “Well then, he shouldn’t have had sex with another woman.”

  Chase frowned and caught my chin with his fingers. “He’s a damn idiot for cheating on you, Nev.”

  The sympathy in his eyes saddened me, but I quickly recovered when the double doors swung opened. “Who sent you flowers?” Dad asked.

  I glanced over to my dad but looked past him at Declan. The flustered look on his face grew angrier by the second. But I managed to turn my eyes to Dad before I needed to change my panties again. “Who do you think?”

  Chase turned toward Dad. “Her ex-fiancée I’ve been told. He’s a douchebag to let this one go.”

  Dad rolled his eyes. “Didn’t we just talk about running laps for hitting on my daughter?”

  Chase laughed. “I heard you, old man. I’m stopping. No more offering my bed to Neveah.”

  Oh God.

  Dad narrowed his gaze and shook his head. Heat scorched the side of my face, and I didn’t have to look to see that Declan glared at me. God, make him stop.

  “I’ll see y’all next week.” Chase knocked his fingers against the wood, and I jumped. “Be safe, Neveah. If you get bored come over to the house. We can spar or something.”

  “Thanks, Chase. See you.” With a jump, he jogged out of the gym, disappearing behind the front door.

  “You gonna keep them?” Dad asked from the hallway entrance.

  “Probably on the desk but not at the house.”

  He nodded. “I’m going to go lock up. Can you go get some garlic bread from the store? Maybe Declan can go with you.”

  Widening my eyes, I tried to get Dad to look, but he’d already turned his back to me. “You two can go ahead. Neveah my truck is outside, and the keys are in it. We’re having dinner with Cooper tonight.”

  What! This day just keeps getting better and better. I tried to hide the horror on my face. Not only did I have to give him a ride home, but Cooper was coming? What baby did I kill in a past life? I groaned. “Dad.”

  He narrowed his gaze at me. “Don’t start, Neveah.”

  I held my hands out in surrender and called Lucy who bounded up from behind the desk. “We’re going.”

  The small steps I took around the desk felt like they took years. Those eyes scorched the side of my face, nerves fluttered deep in my belly.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  I met his eyes and nearly choked at the anger in his smile. “Always.”

  Tension settled around us, and I had no idea where it came from. Suddenly those large shoulders were tighter and his fists clenched. “Is there something wrong with you?” I asked.

  I swore I heard his teeth grind together. “No,” he spat.

  I rolled my eyes. “Well, fine, don’t tell me then.” I shrugged and grabbed my bag. “Let’s go.”

  I sped walked through the entrance and out the double doors. This guy was nuts. But before I could reach the vehicle, five rough fingers grasped the crease of my elbow and swung me around. There was a sneer on his face that sent a tsunami into my panties. Jesus, no one is supposed to look this good angry.

  His eyes lowered to my mouth, and his breath brushed across my lips. “My problem is those fuckin’ things you’re wearing on your legs.”

  What? “My leggings? What the hell are you talking about?”

  He pinned me with a look that sent chills up my spine. “You don’t need to wear them around me anymore, Angel. Or anyone else in that damn gym. Don’t do it.”

  Oh God, I was so hot. Why had it gotten so hot out here? I tried to push away the lustful feeling building in my lower stomach, while gasping for a fresh breath. “I’ll wear whatever the fuck I want to wear. You’re not my boss. I checked with the boss of me, and she said I could wear whatever the fuck I wanted to wear!”

  A look I couldn’t pinpoint crossed his face, and then he jerked me an inch closer to him. “You’re going to be a problem, aren’t you?”

  “What?” I tried to toss my hands in the air, but he tightened his grip. “I’m not going to be anything to you. Let me go before I slap the shit out of you.”

  Something brewed in his grey eyes, and I wanted every bit he had to dish out. What was wrong with me? I just found my fiancée cheating on me, and now I’m wanting to jump some strange man—abnormally rugged and beautiful man—but still a stranger.

  He loosened his grip but took a step back from me. “Let’s go now,” he whispered.

  “Don’t rush me,” I spat.

  He screwed his eyes shut and shook his head slowly. He walked over to the passenger seat and slid inside. Lucy looked up at me, and I motioned for her to get in the backseat of Dad’s Dodge.

  The leather was hot from the sun, but I welcomed the heat, because I already felt li
ke I was on fire. Lucy growled form the backseat.

  Declan turned and lifted a brow. “Is she growling at me?”

  I started the car. “You took her seat,” I said calmly. “I can’t blame her. You’re so approachable.”

  He barked out a laugh and drug his fingers through his raven colored hair. “I’m a nice guy when I need to be but this time I don’t need to be.”

  I turned toward him. “I don’t deserve for you to be nice to me? I saved your life.”

  Suddenly he was closer to me than before, his mouth an inch from my own. “Angel, you deserve more than I’ll ever be able to give you, and that’s why I need to stay away from you. I’m nothing but bad news, Champ. You don’t want me to be nice to you, because I won’t let you go when I do.”

  Well that settles things. I couldn’t move a muscle. I only stared as he fucked any other man’s chances at seducing me. “When do I get to vote?” I asked, and then I realized what I said.

  Oh God. A low hum vibrated in his throat, and he touched the pad of his thumb against the corner of my mouth. “This isn’t a democracy. You don’t get a vote.” He leaned back, tightened his hands into fist on his knees and looked out the window.

  Damn, and it’s over just like that.

  I should have been embarrassed that I was on the verge of shaking in front of him, but I just drove without a word or glance in his direction. Something sparked between the two of us, and he was the damn rain trying to put it out before it started.

  And there was a part of me that was angry because of it. I didn’t know the man from Adam, but I wanted him like a drug. I craved him like an addiction.

  Chapter Seven

  Rage

  I was going to hell.

  It was official. Demons would drag me out of my bed and into the fiery underworld soon. I couldn’t take much more of her sarcastic, smartass, sexy as sin attitude. I wanted her so badly that I ached when I saw that kid flirting with her. Not to mention him on top of her, it took all my self-control not to drag him out of the ring.