GUNNER: The Underground Romance series

by KT Fisher

  “Well, well, well.” Charlotte laughs as she joins my side. “And you were saying it’s not like that between the two of you?”

  Before I can argue that they’re not, Emma steps up. “He totally just claimed you.”

  “He what?” I frown. “What do you mean, he claimed me?”

  “Exactly what I said.” Emma adds. “Kane said men can’t touch what’s not theirs and then he touched you.”

  “He also added, or what will be theirs.” Billy joins in on the discussion.

  All of them look so smug with themselves. Kane didn’t claim me. What bullshit.

  Chapter Ten

  Kayla

  Monday morning and it’s back to work for me. Honestly it does feel a little odd after what I did Saturday night. It’s true what Kane said, it is a secret life. If I was to tell anyone here at work, even Claire, that I had fought in a secret underground ring, they would never understand.

  So it’s best that I keep this to myself. My friends at my training gym and my sister know who I am and that’s enough for me. I don’t even feel the need to tell Claire, even though we’re close at work because she would never get it. She doesn’t love the sport like I do. Like my friends do. I wouldn’t tell anyone about the Underground. Ever. After Saturday night, I’ve caught the bug to fight in the ring. I hope they sort me another fight soon.

  Claire is already at her desk when I arrive and when she sees me she sits up straight.

  “So how did it go?” She desperately asks me, looking over at Jacob as he works at his own desk.

  I heavily sigh, thinking back to the date with Jacob. “It was awful.”

  Claire’s smile drops from her face. “Oh no, why?”

  “He asked me so many questions.” I roll my eyes.

  “Is that so bad?” Claire looks confused. “Maybe he was just getting to know you?”

  “He was also asking me a lot of questions about Kane and how long I knew him, if I was close to and all that crap. It really pissed me off.”

  Claire grimaces. “No, that doesn’t sound good. I wonder if he’s jealous.”

  I shrug. “There’s no need to be.”

  “Really?” Claire raises her eyebrows in a way to tell me that she doesn’t believe me.

  “No.” I pointedly look her right in the eye. “I know about the rumours of Kane and me and they’re all crap.”

  “I was hoping you wouldn’t.” Claire frowns, shaking her head.

  “Yeah well,” I shrug, turning to face my computer and start my work.

  I’ve only been at work for two hours when a very pretty woman comes out of the elevator. I’m assuming she’s here for Kai, until she enters the glass office and approaches me. I look around nervously and everyone in the office has noticed her too. Making her way over to me, her heeled shoes making a noise on the black hard floor. Her light brown hair in lose curls and they bounce as she walks.

  “Miss Kayla Henderson?” She asks me with an unkind, bitchy smile. I nod my head to confirm. “I’m Mr Kane Murphy’s assistant. He would like a word.”

  She then turns her back me and walks off, I look to Claire and she looks as stunned as I do.

  Kane’s assistant then turns around to look at me. “Well? Are you coming?”

  As I gather my things and follow her out of the office, I try not to look around at anyone because I know they’re all looking. I especially don’t look towards Jacobs’s desk. He’s most likely watching and has a load more questions for me.

  It’s an awkwardly silent ride in the elevator up to Kane’s floor. His assistant walks me over to Kane’s office, which is practically the whole top floor. We approach a door and she gives it a couple of knocks.

  “Who is it?” I hear Kane’s voice shout.

  “It’s Lilly Sir,” His assistant smirks. “I have Miss Kayla Henderson with me.”

  I notice the disgust in her voice as she speaks my name.

  The door then opens and Kane appears. I can’t help but smile when I see him. He still makes me feel on edge and nervous though. I don’t think that will ever go away.

  “Kayla.” Kane gives me a warm welcome, stepping aside for me to enter. “Come into my office.”

  I walk past Lilly, Kane’s bitchy assistant and feel her eyes burning into my back. Kane places a hand on my shoulder, much like he had at the Underground on Saturday night.

  “Erm Kane?” Lilly asks, causing Kane to freeze, his head the only thing to move as he turns to face Lilly. “I was wondering if I could have a word?”

  “You can see that I’m busy.” Kane frowns, going to close the door behind us, but Lilly shocks me by stopping the doors movements.

  “Yes.” Lilly’s eyes flash to me and this time I narrow my eyes at her. “I need to talk with you.”

  “Later.” Kane snaps and Lilly finally gets the hint, walking away to her desk opposite the elevator. “And Lilly?” Kane calls after her and she turns back around to face us. “It’s Mr Murphy.”

  With that, he closes the door behind us and Kane leads me to the sofa area he has in one corner of his office. There’s two small sofas facing one another with a coffee table in the middle that sits on a very fluffy rug. I sit on one sofa and Kane takes the other.

  “So,” Kane begins, leaning back into the sofa. “How are you feeling after Saturday?”

  His question surprises me. “Still slightly sore but I haven’t had a fight like that for a while.”

  “You like to be challenged?” He smirks which causes a shiver. “Good to know.”

  That doesn’t sound promising. The words came out of Kane’s mouth like a threat.

  “One question though.” He adds. “Can I count on you to keep this all a secret and to not tell anyone?”

  “Of course.” I adamantly answer. “I wouldn’t want to put what you’ve built in danger, plus if I snitched and the whole thing were to be destroyed, I’d be ruining it for myself too.”

  “Because my reputation and my brother’s reputations would be on the line.” Kane continues.

  “You’re all safe with me.” I smile sweetly and it looks as though I’ve won him over.

  Kane nods, about to open his mouth and say something when the office door opens. I would have guessed it was Lilly after that weird show she put on a few minutes ago. However, it’s Kai that walks in.

  “Kayla.” Kai grins when he sees me. “Or should I call you Ruby?”

  “No.” I laugh, “Ruby is my middle name.”

  “Good name.” He nods. “Congratulations by the way, you were great. You’ve already created a buzz around you.”

  “I have?”

  Kai smirks. “Oh yeah, after my brother stepped in and helped you out with that drunken looser, they all think this is some sort of a love story.”

  “What?” I laugh, but Kane isn’t. He’s busy watching me with great interest. It’s pretty unnerving to be honest.

  Kai shrugs as if it’s nothing, coming to sit next to me on the sofa. “So anyway, how was the sate with Jacob Friday night?” My eyes widen. “Oh don’t look so shocked Kayla, I already knew. It’s the gossip of the office.”

  I cringe. “I’ve heard.” I look down at my hands when I continue, finding the next part a little embarrassing to say. “The date was a disaster. Jacobs a good guy but I don’t think I like him that way.”

  Kane chuckles. “Could have told you that.”

  “You sound a little jealous.” I smirk across at him.

  I’m completely joking by the way, why would Kane be jealous?

  “Speaking of,” Kai returns to the subject at hand. “There’s also rumours about you two.”

  Kane and I look at each other for a few seconds before he can carry on. “Yeah I heard of those too.”

  I glance over at Kane again to see him finding my blushed cheeks comical. Your little boyfriend tell you that?”

  I then stand, grabbing my things. “Yes he did actually.” I snap, walking across the floor and opening his office door. I see Lilly’
s attention peak. “But he’s not my boyfriend!” I yell, storming over to the elevator.

  “Kayla, don’t go.” Kane walks over to me. Kai and Lily clearly listening in.

  “I have work to do Mr Murphy.” I stand inside the elevator and turn to face him as he stands beside Lily’s desk, watching me,

  Just before the elevator doors automatically close, Kane looks me with so much heat in his eyes. Promising me everything. “And call me Kane.”

  The doors slam shut but not before I see the look of pure shock and jealously on Lily’s perfected face.

  Once I finished in Kane’s office I went straight for some dinner and I wasn’t in there long before Claire came to join. Throughout our whole meal, Claire asks me about Kane and what he wanted but truthfully, there’s nothing to tell her. I can’t mention anything about fighting. So I struggle to think of what to say.

  “He just wanted to see how I was settling in really, and then Kai Murphy walked in.”

  Claire nods slowly, thankfully believing me and I’m able to enjoy the rest of my dinner.

  When I’m heading for the elevator to go back up to my floor, Jacob arrives and smiles widely at me. “Hi Kayla.”

  “Jacob.” I greet him. “Are you ok?”

  I know he’s thinking about Kane calling me to his office, I just know he is.

  “Yeah.” He nods. “I was hoping to catch you actually.”

  “Oh?” I ask him.

  People who work in this building walk all around us, so I feel a little in the way and exposed.

  “Yeah.” Jacob nods again. “Do you want to go out again? Together?”

  I don’t answer him right away but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I want to say. I just feel bad for what I’m about to say to him. Our previous date was awful. An experience I don’t want to repeat. I just can’t go through that again.

  “I can’t.” I quickly spit out, trying to make it easier by making it quick. “I’m sorry.”

  Jacob nods slowly and I wait in agony for him to speak. “This anything to do Kane?”

  My mouth falls open, completely pissed off again with Jacob. “Kane?” I ask, my voice rising. “You think me saying no, has something to do with Kane!”

  Jacob’s eyes widen in shock, not expecting my outburst at all. “Well, you two seem to have a bond.”

  “A fucking bond?” I growl through my teeth and turn away from him, storming away towards the elevator. I turn to give him a glare before stepping onto it with a few others. I can’t fucking believe him. Everything with him is about Kane.

  I don’t know anyone else inside the elevator, so I keep to myself in the back, minding my own business. When we get to the tenth floor, there’s only me and two others. As soon as I step out I see Claire jump to attention through the glass walls. She comes to meet me outside into the hall.

  “How did that go?” She eagerly asks.

  “Terrible.” I grumble. “He asked me out again.”

  Her eyes glisten and she claps. “What did you say?”

  “No.” I snap. “You heard me tell you our first was awful, right?”

  “Yes, but I thought you’d give it another go.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “He thinks me saying no to him has something to do with Kane.” We begin to walk towards the glass office and return to our desks. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Jacob had an obsession over Kane.”

  Claire giggles, taking her seat. “It’s not right for him to always jump to conclusions about you and Kane. If he’s like this now, could you imagine what he would be like if you were actually together as a couple?”

  Claire’s completely right. Spot the warning signs. If Jacob is like this now, who know has much worse he would get if we were a couple. I’d be quizzed about Kane every day!

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you at dinner.” Claire snaps her fingers. “I got an email while you were called away to Mr Murphy’s office. Kirsty is unable to attend the business meeting in York next week to land a new campaign. Kai wants me to address a replacement and I chose you.”

  I just sit and stare at her silently. I don’t know what to say but luckily, Claire continues to talk.

  “You will have to stay in York for one or two nights of course and I know this is going to be scary and new or you, but this will be great for you. We’ve all had to do it as part of our in office training. I think you’ll be great.”

  Kirsty usually handles all of the out of town business deals, occasionally swapping with others in the office but it’s genially Kirsty’s role. It turns out nobody else can fill in anyway with pre-arranged appointments and their own work deadline deals going on. I don’t know her well, in fact I don’t know her at all because she works on the other side of the office so it’s only natural that I don’t talk with her much.

  I really don’t have a choice do I?

  “Erm,” I sigh. “I guess I’ll do it then.”

  Claire grins wide. “Great! I’ll email you all the details.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Kayla

  “Oh my god that man wants you.” Charlotte laughs at breakfast.

  Today is the day that I am working away in York and I am so nervous! The level of responsibility I have resting on my shoulders is huge. I have to get this done and be successful otherwise I’ll feel a failure. Claire trusted me with this job and I want to do her proud.

  Most campaigns are granted online or over the phone but some business are old fashioned and like it to be done face to face. So it’s my job to land this latest assignment.

  “Stop it.” I warn Charlotte, finishing my breakfast.

  “Come on Kay, you have to see it. How he was behaving at the fight and then asking you to see him in his office.” Charlotte adds. “Often!”

  It’s true, since the first time I was summoned to his office last week, Kane keeps asking for me to meet him. We do have a laugh and a innocent flirt, but it’s nothing more than that. We talk about fighting and training, even me preparing for this campaign. We’re definitely a lot closer and it’s nice. It seems I prejudges Kane and I feel bad I felt so poor of him. He still annoys me sometimes though. That certainly hasn’t changed.

  “We’re just friends.” I argue with my sister returning to my room to double check my overnight bag before I have to leave in twenty minutes.

  “Well Kane must enjoy fucking his friends then.” Charlotte replies, bursting into laughter as soon as the words are out of her mouth.

  “Not happening.” I shake my head, looking down at my bag so she can’t see the slight burning of my cheeks. “Now get ready, you need to take me to work.”

  It’s Charlotte’s rare day off but she’s still kindly offered to take me to work where a taxi, provided by The Murphy Brothers Enterprise, will be waiting to take me to York. I’m both excited and extremely nervous.

  Charlotte offers me a quick kiss on the cheek and wishes me luck when she drops me off outside my work. I wave my goodbye to my sister as I walk away with my night bag.

  I wait in the café area on the ground floor until my taxi arrives and that’s when I see Kane walking towards me with a bag of his own. “You ready?”

  I look around, noticing curious glances. “Ready?” I ask. “For York, you mean?”

  “Yes.” Kane smirks. “Come on, the car is waiting.”

  Kane begins to walk away and I jump up, picking up my pace to catch up with him. “Kane, what are you talking about?”

  Again, with that smirk of his, Kane gestures to a black car. The windows are tinted so you can’t see inside and a driver is stood by, holding the door open for us to get in.

  Kane takes my bag from me and puts it into the boot of the car, then waits for me to get in.

  “What are you doing?” I ask him as I step closer to the car.

  “Get in and I’ll tell you.” He smirks again.

  “This is inappropriate behaviour Mr Murphy.” I walk past him and in to the car as Kane laughs.

  Kane gets in
after me and the driver closes the door behind us.

  “So?” I ask him right away.

  “I have a meeting in York, so I thought we would travel together.”

  “Did you?” I don’t know if he does have a meeting, or if he’s playing me but at least I have a travel buddy. Even if Kane does make me feel on edge and nervous. This could be fun.

  Half an hour later, we’re finally relaxed around each other, well rather I’m more relaxed around Kane. It seems nothing really effects Kane.

  “I was shocked to find out you fight.” Kane admits.

  “Why?” I laugh.

  “Well,” Kane stumbles slightly. “You’re a beautiful girl.”

  I wasn’t expecting that. “Thank you.”

  I feel my face heat up. It feels like my cheeks are on fire.

  “You don’t look so bad in the ring, yourself.” I return the compliment.

  We look at each other, exchanging a glance we’ve never shared before and. I have to look away and break the spell.

  “So how was your date with,” Kane looks up as he thinks. “Jason?”

  I know what he’s doing. He knows Jacob’s name. Kane’s just wanting to poke fun.

  “Jacob.” I correct him.

  “So, how was it?” Kane asks me again.

  I breathe out loudly. “Terrible.”

  “That’s disappointing.” Kane tries to look gutted for me but I see the smile. He doesn’t feel bad at all.

  “Don’t bullshit me.” I giggle. “Say what you really feel.”

  “Honestly?” Kane asks me and when I nod Kane gives me his answer which is shocking. “No, I don’t think it’s disappointing. I want to be the one to take you on a date. I want to spoil you and get to know you better not fucking Jacob.” He actually looks pissed off.

  There’s a moment of silence as I take this in and try to digest it all.

  “He asked me out on another date.” I let him know. It seems my sister, along with some others were right. Kane does like me but that doesn’t solve anything. He still makes me feel nervous, even more so now.

  “What did you say?” Kane asks.