The Fighter's Defiant Lover (The Burton Brothers Series Book 4)

by North, Leslie

  Dustin smiled, hugged his opponent, and hugged both Mason and Tavvy, who’d come into the ring. Photographers and journalist surged into the area. Dustin looked up into the stands, met Jasmine’s stare and winked at her.

  The journalists started throwing questions and microphones at Dustin. “Dustin, that was quite a fight for only your second time inside the octagon. Can you share with the fans what your strategy was going into this fight?”

  Dustin smiled. Jasmine wondered if he had prepared lines ready. It seemed that he did. “I was hoping my wrestling background would give me the advantage on the ground, and my coaches have really been working with me on my kicking and leg skills.”

  “What are your future plans?”

  “Right now, I’m going to go get cleaned up and then take a beautiful lady out to dinner to celebrate. I’ve already been contacted about future fights in this circuit if this one went well, so we’ll see. I plan to keep fighting until they give me a shot at the title.”

  The crowd loved his answers. They exploded around Jasmine with shouts and yells. And Jasmine realized she was now dating a celebrity, it seemed. The cameras turned to her. Alice smiled and nodded. And Jasmine put her shoulders back. Was she ready for this kind of exposure and scrutiny?

  Chapter 14

  Dustin exited the locker rooms with Tavvy and Mason by his side. He knew Alice and Jasmine must have already left the arena. He’d hired a private driver to shuttle them around for the night, rather than chance them being overwhelmed by fans.

  He knew how crazy it could be after a fight. He was hoping the two women had retired back to the hotel where they were staying. He also hoped they could stay in and order up room service.

  He glanced over and saw Mason texting someone. Mason finished, put down his phone and grinned. “Just telling the family. Bryant said don’t get cocky, and Beck said time to celebrate.” Mason slapped Dustin’s shoulder. “Good fight—and both my brothers are right. You got a little lucky there with that boxer.”

  Dustin nodded. “Luck’s always part of the game. Now let’s go find the girls.”

  ***

  Alice sat down next to Jasmine on the couch. They sat in the suite that Dustin had hired for everyone. Avery had gone to take a nap so she could stay up late with the others. Jasmine had a bottle of sparkling water, and Alice had a beer.

  A bottle of champagne was chilling for Dustin, but Alice grinned and told Jasmine, “I’m going to pop it so Dustin ends up wearing most of it. You’re looking awfully pensive over there.”

  “I was just thinking how cool it is that you all have each other. You all treat Rachel as if you’ve known her for years, when it’s only been a few weeks. And…and you’ve been acting like I’m part of the family, too.”

  Alice smiled. “And that confuses you?”

  “Yeah, I guess. I didn’t have the best role model for a mother, and family was something you watched on television or saw in the movies.”

  “That’s…sad,” Alice told her. “I mean, my dad…I grew up around fighters, with fighters, but it was all one big family to me.”

  “It wasn’t like I missed it. And…and it’s like that with dancers. We watch out for each other. It’s like having a bunch of sisters. We swap makeup, gossip, clothes.”

  “You miss it?”

  Jasmine swallowed and nodded. “I do sometimes. George—he was the stage manager—he was great. He was like everybody’s uncle. He’s also flaming gay, so you never had to worry about him hitting on you. I was a little too young when I started, but he looked at my fake ID, and I could see he knew it was fake, but he hired me on anyway. Once you put on the overdone makeup and costumes, it’s easy enough to look older than you are. But…well, there’s a high turnover in dancers. We get a lot of injuries, but if you don’t dance, you don’t get paid, so we’re always trying to dance on a pulled something or a strained something else. And, yeah, I do miss them. I just don’t miss—well, I never liked Vegas all that much. And my ex-boyfriend made it hell.”

  Alice sipped her beer. “I heard from Dustin that he’s been bothering you. I think you should punch his lights out.”

  Jasmine laughed. “I’d like that.”

  Getting up, Alice came over and gave her a hug. “We’ll all punch him for you. We’re all family now, and that includes you!”

  The hotel door opened and the guys came in. Jasmine rose as Alice rushed to greet the guys. She gave Dustin a big hug and a kiss on his cheek. “Congratulations, almost champ!”

  “Thanks, Alice. Where’s Avery?”

  “Getting some rest—and don’t you dare wake her.”

  Dustin offered up a sheepish smile. “I just wanted her to see I’m not all banged up. She worries.”

  Mason punched his arm. “Leave Avery for me to worry about.” He gave everyone a wink. “I’m heading into see her. Don’t hold up the celebration for me.”

  Alice and Tavvy headed for the kitchen, while Mason let himself into the bedroom he shared with Avery. That left Jasmine standing in the middle of the hotel room, watching Dustin as he dropped his gym bag against the wall and stared back at her.

  “Congratulations,” she told him.

  Dustin walked towards her. He reached for her hands, squeezing them before holding them out to her sides. “I loved having you there watching me.”

  “It was different than I thought it would be. That dude totally underestimated you.”

  “Dude?” Dustin asked with a lift of his eyebrows.

  Jasmine giggled. “Well, I could call him loser.”

  Dustin laughed. From the kitchen, Alice called out, “You guys want to go out or order up?”

  “Up,” Dustin said at the same time Jasmine said the same thing. Draping an arm over her shoulders Dustin walked with her back to the couch. He leaned close and said, “We could take the celebration to our room.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “Alice wants to spray you with champagne, and you can’t disappoint Tavvy. He and Mason have worked damn hard to get you ready for tonight.”

  Dustin kissed her cheek. “When we get back to Salt Lake, I want to ask you something.”

  Jasmine pulled away from him. Her heart seemed to knot and her stomach tightened. “What?”

  Smiling, Dustin sat down and pulled her down next to her. “If I tell you, then it’s not a surprise.”

  “Surprises and me don’t exactly get along. Surprise usually means something like, ‘honey, I wrecked your car’ or something worse.”

  Dustin gave her a knowing smile. He touched a finger to her face. “I haven’t been driving your car, and if I wrecked it, I’d buy you a new one. Stop looking so scared.”

  Jasmine took a breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry. I’m too used to the asshole—there was always a catch with him.”

  “I know we’ve only know each other a few weeks, but it occurred to me as I was getting ready to enter the ring, I don’t ever want to not see you up in those stands.”

  She sucked in a breath. Was she ready for that? To be Dustin’s girl? She’d seen the ring girl—and a lot of other women—eyeing Dustin with more than a little interest. And she couldn’t blame them.

  When he stripped, he was all hard muscle. He could make any girl take another look—and some of those women wouldn’t be satisfied with just looking. Jasmine wrapped her arms around him. “I thought we were just going to see where this was going.”

  Dustin hugged her tight. “Am I coming on too strong?”

  Before Jasmine could answer, she heard a pop. Alice gave a squeal, and then champagne started pouring over her and Dustin. They both jumped up—Jasmine scooting away as fast as she could. Dustin got the champagne bottle away from Alice, but not before he was soaked. He poured some over her, and then over Tavvy. Soon they were all laughing.

  Jasmine watched everyone—Tavvy slapped Dustin’s back, Alice kissed his cheek and wrapped an arm around his waist just as if she was his sister. And Dustin grinned at her. Jasmine knew, she wouldn’t tr
ade being here tonight for anything. For however long this lasted, she was all in. And she’d worry about tomorrow later.

  Chapter 15

  Life seemed to settle into a nice routine after they returned to Salt Lake City. The Burtons held a celebration at the dojo for Dustin with cake, and more champagne that Dustin ended up wearing instead of drinking.

  While Jasmine found that her job at the department store was gone, he offered her a job at the dojo, teaching some yoga and dance classes. She balked at first, but once Alice and Rachel ganged up on her, she didn’t stand a chance.

  Watching Jasmine teach her first class, Dustin smiled and figured he’d pop his surprise on her tomorrow. He was going to ask her to move in with him. Now that his fight career was about to take off, it was time to start thinking about getting his own place—and he wanted Jasmine there.

  From across the dojo Jay gave Dustin a nod and came over to him. “Hey, thought you’d want to know. While you were up in Seattle, some guy came by, asking if we knew Jasmine.”

  Dustin frowned. “What’d you say?”

  Jay shrugged. “I told him I didn’t know anyone like that. I was also kind of hoping you two would disappear after the fight for a good long while.”

  “I thought about it, but with Chaz still in the hospital—well, we can’t leave Rachel hanging like that. What’d this guy look like?”

  “Skinny. Drugs are my bet. Looked like he was tweaking. Hung out across the street for a couple of hours, but when I went out to punch his lights, he’d gone. Is there a problem?” Jay asked.

  Dustin looked away from where Jasmine was showing some of her students a yoga pose that was way too distracting. “Hopefully there isn’t one. But I don’t want that guy finding Jasmine.”

  Mason and Bryant came through the back doors of the school. Jay moved away, and Dustin gave the other two a nod. He knew Bryant was in a hard training schedule for the next several weeks, and now that Chaz was doing better Beck was back in training, too. But they’d been talking about moving a few of the hanging bags around, and opening up more space in the dojo.

  “What’s up you two?” Dustin asked.

  Bryant stopped next to Dustin and folded his arms. “Jay tell you some guy has been looking for Jasmine?”

  Mason lifted an eyebrow and put his stare on Dustin. Nodding to the back, Dustin said, “Let’s take this into the office.”

  They filed into the office and Dustin closed the door. “What’s going on?” Mason asked.

  Dustin filled them in on what Jay had told him, and the phone calls that Jasmine had been getting. “I bought her a new phone, but I think that jerk of an ex-boyfriend’s followed her here. From the sound of it, he owes this Jimmy Tressor guy—and I just wish Tressor would break the guy’s legs and be done with it, but sounds like the asshole knows how to talk and bought himself time enough to try and get Jasmine back in Vegas.

  Mason rubbed his lower lip. “Tressor? Didn’t that guy try to become a promoter on the circuit? Got himself banned because he was organizing fights off the grid, too?”

  Dustin nodded. “Beck said Tressor was under investigation for fixing fights in Vegas. Showed me an article on the guy. Seems he’s bad news in a lot of areas. Mob ties, and he’s into drug dealing. Not a nice person.”

  “Bad guys have no business snooping around our family,” Bryant said.

  Mason nodded. “Damn straight. I think there might be more to this though. Either Jimmy had come into a pile of cash, or someone else is financing his little side business. He would need a significant amount of cash to run the fights. I don’t remember him being an overly smart or wise individual.”

  Bryant nodded. “I’ll make a few calls and then we’ll put a plan together.”

  Dustin shook his head. “Guys, you don’t have to—”

  “Yes, we do.” Mason slapped his arm. “Your family. Jasmine’s family. We want to help.”

  Grinning, Dustin nodded. “Good enough. Let’s go weasel hunting.”

  ***

  “So, Chaz is doing well it sounds like?” Jasmine asked. She was sitting with Rachel and Avery in the hospital coffee shop while Chaz had yet another round of tests. The poor kid must feel like a pin cushion by now.

  Rachel wet her lips. She held a paper cup of coffee in her hands. She hadn’t even sipped it. Must be stone cold, Jasmine thought.

  Rachel forced a smile. “The tests will tell us how much longer he has to stay. If his blood work comes back all right, they’re going to start allowing him to interact with the other kids on the ward. And he can even go out for a few hours at a time.”

  They all knew this. Rachel had said the exact same speech ten times now. It was as if she was trying to talk herself into believing her son would be okay. Jasmine rubbed Rachel’s back, and swapped a stare with Avery.

  They had to do something to take Rachel’s mind off this.

  Sitting up, voice perky, Avery asked, “So tell me, what’s up between you and Dustin?”

  Rachel glanced at Jasmine. “Huh? What is up with you two? I’ve been chained to this hospital for so long I’m missing all the gossip.”

  Jasmine faked a groan. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

  Avery nodded. “You will. We are so having a girl’s night in as soon as we can. Meantime…dish already. Dustin’s been walking around with a smile that says something’s up.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “We’re seeing where things might go. No pressure, just two people, enjoying one another’s company.”

  Rachel gave a snort. “Ain’t buying it for a minute.” She clasped Jasmine’s hand. “But you take all the time you need. Dustin’s not going anywhere. He’ll make you believe that there are good guys out there.”

  “Oh, I know there are. I’m just not so sure…”

  “Sure of what?” Avery asked.

  Jasmine’s face warmed. “I guess I’m afraid to make any long term plans. At least, not while the asshole is still running around causing problems. And…and, well…I’m not so sure I can hang onto a good guy. Have you seen those women who hang around the fights? Some of them make me look like chopped liver!”

  Groaning, Rachel nodded. “I know. I hate it when they start throwing themselves at Beck. They all still think he’s a good-time boy out for fresh pussy!”

  “Rachel!” Avery sat up. She shook her head. “I have to say, I’m glad Mason’s a trainer these days. But, really, Rachel—you were a ring girl.”

  “Who didn’t sleep around!” She turned to Jasmine. “Don’t you worry about the asshole. With the Burton brothers and Dustin behind you, your ex-boyfriend should be trying to leave the country!”

  Jasmine smiled, and she wished she felt better about that. But it wasn’t just Frankie who worried her. Jimmy Tressor wasn’t a guy to mess with, and if Frankie was desperate to pay back Jimmy who knew what he’d do.

  She listened to Avery and Rachel start to talk about painting baby rooms. She’d never allowed a man to solve her problems for her—and what she really wanted was to go back to Vegas and kick Frankie’s ass. Or maybe she was just missing Vegas—the girls, the dancing, and even Timmon.

  Maybe what she really wanted was to be able to go home again.

  Chapter 16

  Las Vegas, Nevada

  “You all ready to rumble?” Beck asked. He stepped out of the hotel where he and his brothers were staying along with Dustin, Jay, and several of their other MMA friends.

  Mason had spread word that Jimmy Tressor was still running an underground fighting ring, and volunteers had come out of the woodwork to have a special weekend and participate in cleaning up their sport. Underground fighting had been a black eye on MMA for too long. It was time to make sure Jimmy Tressor was sent a very strong message.

  Dustin glanced at Beck. “I managed to meet Frankie through one of Jasmine’s dancer friends—two drinks and he spilled the location of tonight’s fight. Seems Vegas’ finest have been cracking down on the illegal fight clubs, so they’ve been having to mo
ve fights to a new location each month.”

  “So Frankie know we’re coming?” Bryant asked.

  Dustin smiled. “I made sure he knows I’m coming. He doesn’t know I’m bringing a few friends.”

  Mason and Jay shared a high five, and Mason grinned. “I just love surprises. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  As they headed for their cars, Bryant said, “You all know there is no way this is not going to make the tabloids. Someone is bound to recognize at least one of us. If we’re filmed at an illegal fight tonight, it’s end of any legitimate fighting careers.”

  Beck and Dustin shared a look with Bryant and Mason, Dustin said, “If things go right, none of us will have to fight. This is about scaring the competition and making sure no one gets hurt.”

  Jay shook his head. “I still don’t understand how this is supposed to help Jasmine with her ex.”

  “Asshole. I believe Jasmine calls him the asshole,” Mason said.

  Dustin nodded. “Frankie is a nobody. It’s his association with Jimmy Tressor that’s the problem. We need to make sure Tressor has other things to think about.” He glanced at Mason. “You have any luck with that phone call this afternoon?”

  Mason gave him a thumbs up. Beck and Bryant shared a look. Both of them stopped in the parking lot, and Beck crossed his arms over his chests. “Spill it! What are you and Dustin up to?”

  Mason smiled. “Anders has some friends with connections to some of the Feds who work this area. I thought we needed a little more background. I just heard back today that Tressor actually runs a very small section of the strip. Seems he works for Dmitri Aknos, and all his fight stuff has been on the side—Tressor trying to expand on his own.”

  Jay gave a low whistle and Bryant asked, “Aknos? Isn’t he some kind of Greek-shipping billionaire? Didn’t realize he was organized crime.”