“I was actually wondering if you could come and get me.” My voice was shaking, I hated it. “Someone ran me off the road.”
“Where are you?” All humor had fled from his tone.
“On Mulholland, about a mile from the turnoff to your house.”
“I’m on my way, stay in the car and keep your doors locked.”
“Okay.”
“Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?”
“No, I’m okay, just a little wigged, but I’ll be fine till you get here.”
“Okay, hold tight.”
“I will.” A click sounded, and the line went dead. I rubbed the tender spot on my chest and willed the tears to stop. I did not want to be crying when Austin showed up.
Less than five minutes later, I saw Austin’s black Range Rover tear around a curve on the opposite side of Mulholland. With tires screeching, he swung into the overlook and was out of his vehicle in a flash, leaving his door wide open. I started to open my own door before he reached it, but he flung it the rest of the way. He hauled me up against him. My chest protested the action, but I bit my lip. “Christ, what the hell happened?”
I burrowed into his chest, laying my cheek over his heart. It pounded in a staccato rhythm against my skin. “I’m not really sure. Someone was riding my tail when I got onto Mulholland. They tapped my bumper once, but I had no place to pull over. When I saw the overlook, I was going to pull off here, but before I could, they slammed into me.”
“Fuck! Are you okay?” He pulled back and started running his hands over me like he was checking for injuries.
“I’m okay, really. My chest is just a little tender from where the seatbelt got me, but nothing bad.”
Before I could stop him, Austin was unbuttoning the top two buttons of my blouse and examining the skin there. “You’re going to have one hell of a bruise. Do your ribs hurt?” He started pressing down all around my ribcage.
I finally smacked his hands away. “My ribs are fine. I’m fine. My car, however, is not.”
He grimaced as he took in the back end of my car. “Have you called the cops yet?”
I stiffened, thinking about my last encounter with the police. “Do I have to? You saw how they were last time.”
He rubbed a hand over my spine. “Sorry, baby, we have to call them. You’ll need a police report for your insurance at the very least.”
“Crud, I forgot about that.”
“Let’s get you into my SUV, and I’ll call them. I’ll be with you the whole time, you won’t be alone for a second.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. I was sulking, and I knew it. Austin gently helped me up into the passenger seat of the Rover and then grabbed his phone from the console. He paced back and forth while talking to a dispatcher, but I didn’t pay attention to what he was saying.
He slipped back into the car, shutting us in glorious air conditioning. “They said someone will be here in about ten minutes.” Austin reached over. Grabbing my hand, he brought it to his mouth and kissed my palm. I let out a breath at the contact. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Two more feet, and you would have gone over. I could kill whoever was driving that car.”
“Don’t tell the cops that.”
“I won’t, smartass.” Before long, an LAPD squad car pulled in behind us. Austin squeezed my hand. “You’ve got this.”
We stepped from the SUV and toward the two officers. They were polite while I walked them through everything that had happened. Austin grew more and more tense at my side when I described the black SUV idling in the road after crashing into me. One officer took photos of my wrecked car, while the other filled out a report.
When Austin asked if it was possible that the crash could be related to the break-in at my house, both officers looked skeptical. “LA drivers are crazy,” one said. “You’d be shocked by how many hit and runs we see. The driver probably just stuck around to make sure you weren’t hurt and then took off to avoid any charges. With this report, your insurance will cover everything and shouldn’t raise your rates.”
He said it like all I was worried about was having to pay for the damages. But I had been wondering the same thing Austin clearly was. Could this have been the same person who broke into my house? I shuddered at the thought of that person having a pair of my panties. Austin must have felt my shudder because he pulled me tighter against him.
We thanked the officers and got back into Austin’s SUV, both silent as we drove towards Austin’s house, lost in our own thoughts and theories. He pulled up in front of the fountain and hurried around to help me down. Ushering me inside, he guided me towards his ridiculously comfortable couch. “Stay here, I’ll get you some Tylenol and let Blue out.”
“Thanks.” Leaning back against the couch, I felt a growing stiffness in my neck. I was going to feel like roadkill tomorrow. Whimpering sounded from the kitchen, and claws clacked across the tiles. Blue must have smelled me because I heard joyful yips as he barreled into the living room. He skidded on the floor, crashing into the couch. I couldn’t help but laugh. I lifted him up with a groan, and he bathed my face in kisses. Dogs could make just about anything better.
A few minutes later, Austin was back with a bottle of pills and some water. “Here you go. I called my mechanic. He’s going to come by to pick up your keys and will tow your car to their body shop. Once the insurance adjustor takes a look, we can figure out what you want to do.”
I leaned into Austin, taking Blue with me, and he automatically curled an arm around me. “Thank you for dealing with all that and coming to get me.”
“Of course.” He toyed with a strand of my hair. “From now until we figure out what’s going on, you’re not driving anywhere by yourself. I’ll take you to and from school whenever I can.”
I sighed. “Austin, you have a full-time job, you can’t be my chauffeur.”
“I can do anything I damn well please. One of the perks of owning your own business is making your own hours.” He squeezed my shoulder. “I need to do this. Please, let me. It’s taking all my restraint not to pack you and Blue up and move you into my house.”
I groaned. “It’s a little too soon for that, don’t you think?”
“Too soon for you, maybe. I just want you to be safe. If I’m driving you to and from work, it will go a long way to easing my mind.”
“Oh, all right.” I picked up Austin’s wrist to look at his watch. “Crud, I need to go. I’m supposed to cook dinner for Taylor tonight.”
“You’re not cooking for anyone tonight. You are going to pop a few of those pills, take a long, hot bath, and relax.” That sounded like heaven. “My mechanic should be here any minute, and then why don’t you and I pick up dinner on our way to your house. I’ll treat you and Taylor to Little Dom’s.” He was a dirty cheater. He knew Little Dom’s was Taylor’s and my favorite Italian restaurant and not far from our house.
“You had me at fried risotto balls.”
“I love it when you say balls.”
I snorted in response.
I groaned as I leaned back in my desk chair. Almost twenty-four hours later, and I did, in fact, feel like roadkill. I had been popping Tylenol like it was my job, but my neck still protested any sudden movements. A knock sounded on my classroom door. “Come in.”
Kyle opened the door, and I bit back a sigh. I did not need to deal with him today. He crossed to my desk, studying my face intently. “I just heard about your car accident, are you okay?”
Guilt swamped me for wishing him away—he was just concerned. “I’m fine, just a bit of a tender neck, but I’m sure I’ll be as good as new by tomorrow. Thanks for checking on me.”
“Of course. Why don’t I give you a ride home today? In fact, I can take you home until your car’s fixed. I know Taylor has lacrosse practice after school. I’m assuming she’s the one who brought you this morning.”
The awkwardness was about to make a reappearance. “Actually, Taylor’s team has off today, and Austin’s going to be pic
king me up until my car’s back in working order. But thank you for offering.”
Kyle’s hands tightened at his sides. “Why don’t you just let him know I can take you home. I’m already here, so it makes more sense for me to take you.”
“Austin keeps my dog with him at his gym while I’m working, so we need to meet up anyway.” Kyle said nothing, but his fists got tighter, and his jaw locked. I got it. I really did. It was never fun when someone you had cared for moved on before you did, especially if you still had feelings for the person. But this had to stop. “Kyle, Austin and I are seeing each other now, so I’m not sure if it would be appropriate for you to be driving me home every day anyway.”
Kyle’s face got redder, and his knuckles were bleached white. “You said that you were just friends. That you would always be just friends.”
My heartbeat quickened. “Things changed. I’m sorry, Kyle. I really am. I’m not doing this to hurt you.”
“You’re the one who’s going to get hurt, and it’ll be your fault,” he spat and turned to leave, slamming the door behind him.
I inhaled deeply and slowly let out my breath. My shoulders stiffened as my classroom door opened again but relaxed when I saw it was Taylor.
“What the hell was that all about? It looked like there was smoke coming out of Kyle’s ears.”
I sighed. “He’s not very happy about me and Austin.”
Taylor let out a very ladylike snort. “Shocker. Sorry he’s being an ass.”
“Me, too.”
“You ready for me to drop you at the gym?” she asked. Austin had not been happy that he couldn’t pick me up, but he had dozens of reporters at his gym for an important event, and Taylor had promised to not let me out of her sight until I was safely ensconced in his training facility.
I stood, straightening my pile of papers and slipping them into my desk. “Yep, thanks for doing this. Do you want to come in with me? It’s media day for one of his fighters, and the guy is hot,” I said, waggling my eyebrows in her direction.
“Normally, you would have me at ‘hot fighter,’ but I’ve got a ton of grading to catch up on.”
I carefully slung my purse over my shoulder. “Okay, next time.”
“You know it.”
We made our way down the hall and as we passed Kyle’s classroom, a chill skittered down my spine. There had been a foreboding quality to his words that told me I hadn’t heard the last from him.
31
Austin
“Watch his leg! Don’t let him get you on the ground!” I yelled as my eyes focused intently on the fighters circling each other on the mats. Eric was looking fierce. He had strength and speed, he just needed to be able to predict his opponents’ moves a little bit more. That would come with time.
A buzzer sounded. “Time!” I called. “Eric, take five. Get some water, but stay loose.”
Turning away from the mats, I was greeted by a throng of people. An over-eager reporter jammed a recorder in my face. “Eric Murphy makes the fourth fighter you’re coaching now. Is this a sign you’ll be moving away from the cage yourself?”
Inwardly, I cringed. I wasn’t ready to announce my plans for retirement anytime soon. Outwardly, I kept a stone-faced mask. Before I could come up with an appropriate non-answer to his question, a sultry voice broke in. “He’d never stop fighting. This is his life.” The woman’s face was vaguely familiar. I’d seen her at fight events before. She was dressed in the smallest jean shorts I’d ever seen, a black crop top, and stiletto high heels. Fight groupie. I tried to be nice to all my fans, but some of these women could be vicious in their attempts to get a piece of me.
“I’m currently focused on my own training and coaching. Working with up-and-coming fighters keeps me on my toes.”
The reporter chuckled, and the woman edged closer. I attempted to distance myself, but there was really no easy escape path. She pressed her breasts against my arm and ran a finger down my chest. “How about we take a five-minute break, too?”
Her perfume was too strong, makeup too thick. Everything about her was fake. My jaw clenched as I tried to extricate myself from her tentacles. A waving Sofia caught my eye. Her own eyes blazed with anger as she inclined her head to where Carter was standing behind the small crowd, gaze zeroed in on the breasts currently pressed into my side. Fuck.
“Excuse me,” I said, pulling back, but groupie girl took a firm hold on my arm, pouting.
The reporter followed my sight line and perked right up. “Is that the new girlfriend? I’d love to get a photo of the two of you. Maybe a joint interview?”
Fuck no. I wasn’t going to expose Carter to these vultures.
The groupie’s face went from pouty to cruel in a flash. “That skinny bitch? Never. She can’t give it to him like I can,” she said loud enough to carry over the crowd.
Color leeched from Carter’s face. She turned on her heel and took off in the direction of my office. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.
I ripped my arm from the woman’s stranglehold. “You need to leave, now. If you don’t, security will escort you out. When they do, they’ll take a photo of your driver’s license, and you’ll be banned from all UFL events.” Her jaw dropped, but before she had a chance to respond, I took off, elbowing my way through the crowd.
I silently cursed myself all the way to my office. I hadn’t even thought to warn Carter about fight groupies, privacy-invading reporters, or any of the downsides to my fame. Why hadn’t I done that? Oh, yeah, because I wanted to paint the most ideal picture possible of what her life would look like with me. I didn’t want to give her a single reason to say no to a future with me.
I paused with my hand on the doorknob to my office. Was I naïve to think that Carter could handle life as a fighter’s girlfriend? She was a complete bleeding heart. Yes, she could stand up for herself when her buttons were pushed, but she took everyone’s words to heart. Any personal attacks cut her to the quick. And in the world of MMA, personal attacks ran rampant.
Steeling my spine, I pushed open the door. Carter was bent over Blue, clipping a leash to his collar. “Firecracker,” I started.
She turned, her face a blank mask. “I’m just going to have Taylor swing back by and get me and Blue. That way, you can be free to do whatever it is you need to do.” Each word had a snap to it, whipped out with precision judgement.
She stalked toward the door, but I blocked her path. “Carter, that was not what it looked like.”
She narrowed her eyes, pinning me in place with her teacher stare. “Oh? And what did it look like?”
I ran a hand roughly over my buzzed head. “Hell, I don’t know! But I know it didn’t look good.” I sighed. “Fight groupies are a dime a dozen, and there’s no good way to avoid them.”
“You didn’t exactly look like you were trying to avoid her. You looked like you were halfway to second base with her!” Blue let out a bark and then a low whine as if he too were pissed at me.
“Baby, I had no way out. I was stuck between her and a vulture of a reporter, and I wasn’t about to climb into his lap!”
“Don’t you baby me, Austin Lyons. Did you ask her to please stop touching you?”
I let my head fall back and searched the ceiling for answers. She just didn’t get this world. “No, because that would have been a total pussy move.”
“A pussy move? Would it be a pussy move if I asked a guy I didn’t want touching me to kindly remove his hands?”
I snapped my head back down, moving into Carter’s space. “Did someone fucking touch you?”
Carter threw her hands into the air on an exasperated sigh. “No! It’s a hypothetical, you big jerk! How would you feel if you came into my classroom and found Kyle all pressed up against me?”
The temperature of the room seemed to rise as I pictured that scenario. What would follow would most likely get me arrested for assault. I blew out a breath. “I would not be happy,” I said through gritted teeth.
Carter’s shoulders slumpe
d and curved in on themselves as she wrapped a protective arm around her middle. “Have you slept with her?”
I cringed, and Carter’s eyes went misty. “Firecracker, listen to me.” I reached out to pull her to me, but she took a step back. I fucking hated it when she wouldn’t let me hold her, when she revoked that precious right. My fist clenched around the open air. “I was a total shitshow after we fell out. I slept with a lot of girls. I don’t think she was one of them, but I honestly can’t say that with one hundred percent certainty.” Her face wore a look of devastation, and my heart plummeted.
Taking a deep breath, I pressed on. “I should have asked her to take her hands off me. I didn’t think about it from your perspective. I would want to kill someone if they put their hands on you.” Carter’s body softened a little. “I’m not used to considering someone else when I act. I’m sorry, I’ll work on it. I promise.” And I would. I never wanted to be the cause of Carter’s pain. I didn’t want her to feel pain at all.
She took a step forward, resting her forehead on my chest. She was still stiff, but at least she was touching me. “Sorry, I was jealous.”
“You’re allowed to be jealous. I’m glad you want me all to yourself.” She pinched my side in response, and I chuckled. Lifting her chin with a finger, I stared into her eyes. “I’ll try to be more conscious of how you might feel about female fans approaching me.” I searched her sparkling green eyes for understanding. “But you are going to have to trust me.”
She licked her lips. “Okay,” she whispered.
I bent, brushing my mouth softly against hers. Her lips parted, and her taste exploded on my tongue. I groaned as I felt my cock harden. Down, boy. This was not the time or place. I tore my mouth away from the drug that was Carter McCarthy but pulled her into my arms, her head tucking perfectly under my chin. I never wanted to let her go.
“Just promise me you’ll always tell me the truth.” Her words sent vibrations against my chest.
Further To Fall Page 18