Hammered

by Cathryn Fox

  “Shit.”

  “There you go,” Gram says, the minute my mind settles on the truth. Hell, she’s so happy her dense grandson finally got a clue, she’s not even calling me on my language.

  “Now, answer my question,” she says. “What do you think she loved about you?”

  “I…I think…everything.” I grab a fistful of hair and tug as bile punches into my throat and my pulse beats like I’d just downed a triple espresso. A garbled sound spills from my lips. “I really messed this up, didn’t I?”

  “I think you both did, actually.”

  “I let her say those things and didn’t even defend myself. I let her believe the worst of me. She probably hates me.”

  “There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?”

  “How?”

  She stands, turns toward me and puts her hands on my face. “You’re a smart boy, I have faith that you’ll figure it out.”

  She saunters off, and I shake my head. Where would I ever be without my Gram, my family? A family I want Haven to be a big part of, because there is no one in the world that deserves it more than her, and goddammit, I want to be the man she can count on, and trust so deeply that if something like this ever happened again, she’d know in a heartbeat I wasn’t behind it, because I only ever have her best interests at heart. She comes first—in and out of the bedroom—and I need her to know that without a shadow of a doubt.

  Gram climbs into her too-big truck and heads out the road. The second she’s out of sight, I put a plan together. I’m not sure if it will work, but I am not going down without a fight—and what I’m about to do will likely get me a good ass kicking, but I don’t care. I pull up my contacts and hit call. The phone rings three times, and then the line clicks in.

  “You’ve got some fucking nerve calling me.”

  “Hello to you too, Rock.”

  23

  Haven

  I sit beside my brother on the private plane he chartered, and restlessly fiddle with the pages of the magazine on my lap. I didn’t really want to go on this trip with him. No, with my love life and my career in the toilet, all I want is to sit home and wallow in self-pity.

  “How much longer?” I ask.

  He checks his watch. “We should be landing in about twenty minutes.” I catch the way he’s looking at me, concern written all over his face.

  “I’m fine, Rock,” I say. It’s a lie. I’m not sure I’ll ever be fine again. When I returned home, Rock was waiting for me at the airport. He didn’t chastise me for not carefully guarding my private life and putting everything in jeopardy. He just put his arm around me and took me home. He’s a good big brother like that, so when he asked if I’d travel to New Jersey with him for his fight, I agreed. He’s always there when I need him, so I want to be there when he needs me.

  I stare out the window, and the landscape comes into view as the plane descends, preparing to land. Something niggles in the back of my mind. “Wait, I thought your fight was in Vegas.” Cripes, I’d been so wrapped up in myself, I never even stopped to consider anything else. I’m such a shitty sister.

  “That’s next week, remember.”

  “What day is it?”

  He grins, and shakes his head. “The day doesn’t matter. All that matters is seeing you happy again.”

  I force a smile. “I take it that means you’re going to win this fight.” Watching him win always makes me happy.

  “Actually, you’re the one who’s going to win, Haven,” he says, and I stare at him.

  “What does that mean?”

  He folds his big barrel arms across his chest. “You’ll see.”

  “Jeez, when did you become so cryptic?”

  “When did you start asking a million questions?”

  I roll my eyes and stare at the magazine, but the words just blur before me. I toss it aside, and tilt my head back to rest it on the seat. Sleep hasn’t been coming easy to me these days, and when I do finally drift off, my dreams are always filled with Tyler.

  Sweet Tyler, who went out of his way to protect me. A man who said he wasn’t interested in kids, yet is so good with them. A guy who doesn’t do relationships, yet played house with me and remained monogamous the whole time. A man who said he’d only ever put my best interests first.

  Stop thinking about him.

  Ignoring that inner voice, I let my mind drift again, and relive the way those rough and tough fighter hands touched me with passion and tenderness. How could a guy who displayed such caring concern for everyone, turn around and do something so horrible?

  Maybe he didn’t.

  As that thought hits like a slap to the face, my lids fly open and I find my brother watching me carefully. “Why do you and Tyler hate each other so much? Was it just because you guys were rivals, or was it something else?” I’ve always been a bad judge of character and it would make me feel so much better if he just told me Tyler was a shitty guy.

  “I was wondering when you were going to ask me about him.”

  I sit up a little straighter. “You were?”

  “I’m surprised it took you so long.”

  “What’s between you two? Did he steal your girl or something?” I joke with a snort, but really, I am curious. Being rivals is one thing, but why all the hate? The Tyler I saw and fell in love with was liked by everyone.

  My brother cocks his head and stares me down, like I’m one of his opponents. “Please, Haven.” He points at himself. “Have you seen this face? This is the face that has girls fighting for a piece of me, not running the other way.”

  I laugh at his playfulness. “Ego much,” I say but as soon as the words leave my lips, I’m once again thinking of Tyler and his ego. I consider his reputation as a player, and how that first night we slept together I straight up said I wasn’t looking for a future. He responded with, ‘No future, I get it.’

  I took that to mean he didn’t want one either, but what if I was wrong? What if I was wrong about a lot of things, mainly him tipping off the reporter?

  “Rock.”

  “Yeah.”

  “How come you’re still single?”

  He snorts out a laugh. “You really are full of questions today.” He leans forward and braces his elbows on his knees. “Where is this coming from?”

  “I just…I don’t know. Just curious.”

  “I’m a fighter, the kind of guy a girl wants to get with, not marry. I train a lot, and travel a lot. I’m not what you’d call good boyfriend or husband material. I’m a notch on the bedpost, Haven. Women aren’t looking for a future from me, and I’ve come to accept it.”

  My heart races a bit faster, as I wrap my brain around that. “Do you think most fighters like you feel that way?”

  “I can’t speak for the other guys. But if you’re asking about Tyler, I’d say he has his own demons. I also think if the right girl came along, he’d fight for her. Hard.”

  I sink back into the chair, my throat tight as my heart aches. I guess I wasn’t the right girl, considering he just let me walk. Then again, if he wasn’t behind the pictures and hadn’t tipped the reporter off, why would he fight for me after I said some pretty horrible things? I wrap my hands around my stomach. My thoughts sway back and forth as a storm rolls through me.

  “Rock.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You never answered my question. Why do you and Tyler hate each other?”

  He grins and shakes his head. “We don’t. That was all for show, our way to sell tickets.”

  I blink several times, sure I heard him wrong. “You don’t hate him?”

  “No, I never did. He’s…” He pauses and briefly closes his eyes like he’s remembering something. “He’s one of the best guys I know.” He cracks his knuckles. “Until he messed with my kid sister. What the hell ever happened to bro code?”

  My heart jumps into my throat, and a measure of panic races through my veins. “He’s…one of the best guys you know?” Did my brother just say something nice a
bout Tyler? Am I in the twilight zone here?

  “Damn straight he is.”

  “I…didn’t know. Why didn’t you ever tell me that before?”

  “Why would I? You never knew Tyler. Besides, I figured you knew our antics were for showbiz, and you of all people know how stories can get twisted just to sensationalize them and sell more magazines.”

  The blood in my body drains to my feet, and I’m sure I must look like a ghost. “I…I should have known.” How could I have been so stupid? I grip the edge of my seat, dig my nails in as I consider this new information.

  He’s one of the best guys I know.

  “Haven, he was there for you when I couldn’t be. He stepped up to protect you, and let me guess, he didn’t want anything in return.”

  I start breathing a little faster, working to circulate my blood. “You’re right,” I say. “He just wanted to watch out for me. He said if he had a sister, he’d hope someone would do the same for her.”

  “Right, because that’s the kind of guy he is.”

  “You don’t think he was behind the leaked pictures?” I ask, sounding breathless, even to myself.

  “What I think doesn’t matter.” He leans a little closer. “What matters is what you think.”

  My brain races, reliving every single second I was with Tyler. From the minute I kissed him in the bar, to our first night in his bed, right up until I accused him of using me to fund his gym. Oh God, what the hell have I done?

  Only ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

  And why is that—oh, because I lumped him in with every other man in my circle, and he’s anything but. He’s the leading man and real-life hero any woman would want.

  “I think I might have made a big mistake.”

  “Yeah, you probably did. That’s why we’re in Connecticut,” he says and waves his hand toward the window.

  “What are you talking about?” I try to leap from my seat to look out the window, but my seatbelt holds me back. “What is going on?”

  “I’m not sure what’s going on. I just thought I should bring you here.”

  “Have you talked to Tyler?” Before I can answer, I ask. “Oh my God, you did, didn’t you? What did he say? Does he hate me?”

  “Don’t know much, Haven.” He gives a casual shrug, his relaxed composure a complete contrast to the tightening of my shoulders. “Just knew you had to be here.”

  The plane comes to a stop and panic grips my throat. “He hates me, doesn’t he? Oh God, Rock. I can’t go see him.”

  “Too late to turn back now. We’re already here and you know what I always say, anything worth having is worth fighting for.”

  My stomach twists and turns as I unbuckle and stand on shaky legs. “What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if he tells me to just leave?”

  “What if he doesn’t?”

  “Rock—”

  Before I can get the words out, he puts his hands on my shoulders and levels me with a glare. “Do you really want to spend the rest of your life asking what if?”

  “No, I don’t,” I say quickly. That might be worse than Tyler telling me he hates me.

  “Then let’s go.”

  I touch his arm. “Wait, you were furious with Tyler when you found out about us. You didn’t come here to knock his teeth out, did you?”

  “I am not going to knock his teeth out.” I breathe a sigh of relief, until he adds, “A black eye however.” I stare at him, certain he’s kidding. Please let him be kidding. Tyler can handle himself just fine, and while Rock might have taken his title, just barely, Tyler is not a man to go to his knees easily. That’s not entirely true—he happily went to his knees for me, numerous times.

  Snickering—Rock is obviously pleased with his black eye comment—he exits the plane after the door is opened and I follow him off, my carry-on bag over my shoulder. I only packed light, thinking I was staying in New Jersey for one night. I had no idea Rock had this up his sleeve, and honest to God, my legs are shaking so hard, I can barely manage the steps.

  Forty-five minutes later, we’re in a rental car, and my brother casts me a fast glance. “You know where we’re going, I take it?”

  I look out the window, watch the trees fly by. “I think we should try his cabin.” A fresh wave of nerves fire inside me, and I swallow. “What did Tyler say to you?”

  He grips the steering wheel tighter. “You two need to talk. That’s all I know.”

  I fuss with the hem of my T-shirt, and try to practice my yoga breathing to calm myself down. I give Rock directions and before I know it, we’re turning down the road leading to the cabin. I suck in a fast breath, and with my heart beating so fast, I’m sure I’m going to pass out. What if he’s furious with me? What if he tells me to fuck right off?

  What if he doesn’t?

  I take another breath to pull myself together. Rock is right. I can’t spend the rest of my life wondering what if, and if there’s one thing Rock taught me growing up, anything worth having is worth fighting for.

  Tyler is worth fighting for.

  Suddenly I can’t wait to see him. I’m practically jumping from the rental before it comes to a complete stop, but the second I get out of the car, I go perfectly still. What the heck is going on here? I catalogue the area, note the wide open space at the back of the cabin, where the trees have all been cut and removed. Is Tyler opening the land up to sell lots? I narrow my gaze, and take in the big brood boxes at the end of the property, and the small shed going up. At least I think it’s a shed. But I’m definitely looking at brood boxes—which house honeybees. Oh my God, is Tyler starting an apiary?

  The deck boards squeak and I shift my attention to the cabin. As soon as I see Tyler standing there, and I take in the way he’s dressed, my world goes a little fuzzy around the edges. I wobble, and I’m about to grab the car to hold on, but Tyler is right there, putting his big strong arms around me, to hold me upright.

  “Hey,” he says. “You okay?”

  My gaze roams his handsome face, and damp hair, as I breathe in the scent of his freshly showered skin. “I…” My focus drops down to take in the tux he’s wearing. “You’re…” My heart leaps. I can’t believe he’s in a tux. I blink numerous times, thinking back to when I told him I’d love to see him in a tux. “Why…”

  He laughs. “Do you always give one-word answers?” he asks. It’s the same thing I asked him the first night we met when he was showing me to his room.

  “Tyler,” I say and pound on his chest, very aware that my brother is watching us both closely, and he’s not picking a fight with the man I’m in love with.

  “I’m in a tux because you said all heroes should wear one, and I want to be the hero in the story you call life, Haven.”

  “I…” Tears pound behind my eyes as his words sink in. How can this man not hate me? “I’m sorry, Tyler. I’m so damn sorry.” This time the tears do spill and softness moves into his eyes. “I never should have accused you.”

  “Hey.” He brushes my tears with his thumbs. “I’m sorry too. A real hero fights for his woman. He doesn’t let insecurities or demons stand in his way. I wanted to be the one guy, outside of your brother, who you could trust and count on, and instead, I just let you walk away.”

  “After what I said, I can’t blame you.”

  “I know where your fears were coming from, Haven. I honestly do. But you need to know that you can always trust me. I would never in a million years put my interests over yours.”

  I nod. “I know, you proved that to me over and over again. I just…my past…”

  “My past too. It fucked me over, and made me think you could never see me as a life partner. I didn’t give you enough credit, and that’s my fault. I love you, Haven. I swear the second I saw you at Winchester’s, I was a goner.”

  I laugh through the tears. “I love you, too.”

  “I know you have a career and will be traveling, but I want us to be together. When you’re not working, I want yo
u here with me. I want to make this cabin our new home. I don’t want your dreams to be dreams, Haven. I want them to be a reality. I want you to live in that Norman Rockwell world you romanticize.” He waves his hand toward the brood boxes. “I’ve been learning all about beekeeping.”

  I honestly can’t believe he did this, and the way he’s looking at me right now, with such love and adoration, fills my heart with all the love I have for him.

  I shake my head and back up. “No, Tyler.”

  His face falls, and so do his shoulders. “Haven—”

  “I know who you are, and I finally know who I am thanks to you. So, get out of this tux.” I grin at him. “You’re a beekeeper now. You need to be in a bee suit.”

  The corners of his lips curl. “No, you’re the beekeeper, and I need to be in this tux.”

  “Why?”

  He steps away from me and I have no idea what’s going on. He walks to my brother’s door, and Rock climbs out. My pulse skyrockets as the two men stare each other down. I’m about to run and put myself in between them, even though I’m sure Rock was only joking about the black eye. But the second Tyler asks my brother for permission to marry me, a big stupid hiccupping sob catches in my throat. My God, it’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

  “Of course you have my permission.” My brother nods and slaps Tyler on the back. “I know she’ll be in good hands,” he says. “But we’ll be talking about the bro code later.”

  They both grin as they shake hands, and Tyler comes back to me, tugging on the tux like it’s the most uncomfortable thing he’s ever worn, and it probably is. He’s not a tux guy. No, he’s a jeans, T-shirt and tool belt guy and I wouldn’t want him any other way.

  He drops to one knee in front of me and pulls a box from his pocket. He opens it and when my gaze lands on the diamond, I gasp. “I asked Rock to bring you here. To this spot, where we fell in love. I love you, Haven. I want to give you the family you want and deserve. I want to fill this place with laughter and happiness. I want you here with me when you’re not working. I want the late-night feedings, the interfering family, the dog, and the minivan. I want it all with you, and I hope you want it all with me. I let you walk away once, but not this time, this time I’m not going down without a fight.”