by EMILIE ROSE
“I didn’t need you to protect me.”
“No. But you needed me to be in your corner, same way I needed you.”
“Okay, here’s the red.” Bella walked out, still barefoot. Kyle swallowed thickly. Red was definitely a better color on her than peach. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her plumped-up cleavage, mounds of golden-hued pillowy flesh that he wanted to bury his face in.
Jess made a noise like a cat bringing up a hairball. “You look like a harlot. Try the green.”
“You didn’t happen to bring a little black dress, did you?” Bella asked hopefully. “Black is classic. Black is slimming. And I have black shoes to match.”
“Black? Snore.” Jess turned her nose up. “Don’t you worry. I brought you sandals to go with all these outfits.” She held up flashy gold stilettos, and Bella groaned. “Now, try the green. Go on.”
“I thought the red looked fine,” Kyle mumbled, sitting back.
“Yeah, but you’re biased toward boobs.” She challenged him with an arch look, and he didn’t argue. “You’re not the stylist here. My reputation’s at stake, you know.”
“Does anyone even know you’re here?”
She pooh-poohed him. “Whatever. Just leave this to us ladies, will you?”
Twenty minutes later, they settled on a one-shouldered dove-gray chiffon dress with gold trim. Once the stiletto sandals had been strapped on, Bella instantly reminded Kyle of Diana, the Greek goddess of the hunt. The outfit wasn’t nearly as revealing as the red dress, but Kyle decided that was just as well. She was already tempting enough.
“Perfect.” Jess primped Bella’s loose-flowing hair, tucking a pearl-and-gold laurel barrette against her temple. She slid on a pair of gold cuff bangles and crossed Bella’s wrists up in front of her. “Wonder Wo-man!”
Kyle chuckled. Bella was absolutely stunning. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world. “You look fantastic,” he said, getting to his feet. His knee creaked and pulled, and he stumbled forward.
In a flash, Bella was there, practically catching him before he fell to his knees. “You okay?” She helped him into a standing position, strong arms wrapped around him. The warmth and softness of her skin had him inhaling sharply. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla tickled his nose and made his mouth water.
He winced as his knee reminded him of where he was. “I’ve been sitting too long. I probably won’t be dancing much tonight.”
“Like I can? Look at these things.” She turned her deadly looking heels this way and that. He couldn’t help but notice she hadn’t had any trouble hurrying to help him, though. “C’mon. We can hold each other up.” She slipped her arm beneath his. Together, they straightened, finding their balance.
“Careful. Those are four-inchers.” Jess nodded at her heels. “You’ll need to hang on to Kyle if you want to go anywhere with speed. I don’t want to be the one responsible if you twist an ankle.”
Bella took a tentative few steps forward, leaning on Kyle for support. He got the sense she was doing it for show to make him feel better. He said, “I thought your contract said you weren’t allowed to do anything dangerous before the fight.”
“If that were true, I wouldn’t be on the arm of Double-O-Handsome here.” She batted her thickly mascaraed lashes. “If looks could kill...”
“That’s not what that saying means.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just take a compliment where you can get it, Coach.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE STARLIGHT FOUNDATION charity ball was held annually to raise money for underprivileged inner city children. Hadrian had come from a family with very little money, and he’d only gotten into mixed martial arts when a Jeet Kun Do teacher had taken him under his wing. Aside from being one of the foundation’s biggest supporters, Hadrian also sat on the board. He hosted the event, which counted on well-to-do folks willing to pay thousands of dollars to rub elbows with the world’s greatest athletes, celebrities and socialites.
Kyle had told Bella all this on the ride to the event, but she had no idea what a big deal the ball was. Part of her had expected a stuffy hotel ballroom filled with monocle-wearing seniors.
But this was no cartoon snob society event. It was an outdoor dance party, complete with a big-name DJ, sponsored open bar and lots of muscly security guys who could’ve passed for heavyweight fighters themselves.
Jess had hitched a ride with Bella and Kyle in the limo. She explained she would be adjusting people’s hair, makeup and wardrobe throughout the night in a special VIP salon. She peeled away as soon as the car stopped in front of the entrance, waving her fingers. “You two have a good time. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Thanks again, Jess,” Kyle called after her, genuine warmth behind his gratitude. Bella stepped onto the red carpet and was met by a blinding explosion of light. The media and paparazzi were gathered at the entrance, snapping photos and footage of the guests as they arrived. She squinted and shaded her eyes, trying to remember Joel’s advice. Smile. Wave. Let the crowd love you.
Kind of hard to do when her armpits were suddenly drenched. Panic struck when she couldn’t recall whether she’d applied deodorant.
“C’mon.” Kyle took her arm and gently guided her forward. People shouted her name, asking about her outfit. She parroted what Jess had told her—glad that Kyle’s sister had been so specific and had drilled her on the car ride to make sure she gave the designer’s name correctly. Apparently, sister and brother shared that compulsion for perfection.
After posing and studiously ignoring the questions thrown her way, Kyle escorted her into the party proper.
She wiped her brow. “Remind me to thank Jess. I don’t know what I’d have done if it weren’t for her. Good thing you bumped into her at the press conference.”
“Sheer dumb luck,” Kyle agreed lightly, a thoughtful look flitting across his face.
They made their way through the horde of dancers. It seemed every horizontal surface had been transformed into a dance floor. She spotted one barefoot girl gyrating between two guys perched on the rim of a planter. None of the security guys seemed inclined to stop them.
Joel and some of the fighters were clustered together on a dais at the other end of the party. As they got closer, they saw why it wasn’t so crowded around them: a ring of security guards two deep kept the regular party folk away from the beautiful people who’d found refuge on the raised island.
“Bella,” Hadrian exclaimed, pushing out of his deep red couch throne. He gestured at the bouncers to let her and Kyle past the velvet ropes, grinning as he swept Bella head to toe with his glittering gaze. “We were starting to wonder where you were. You look gorgeous. But what happened to the dress I sent over?”
She smiled politely. “I spilled a glass of Hellno on it.”
“Is that some kind of Brazilian wine?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “Yeah. Stains like a bitch. Sorry.”
Kyle shuddered with suppressed laughter and he coughed discreetly. Hadrian didn’t even blink. “Don’t sweat it. They won’t ask for it back—perks of having sponsors with deep pockets, as you’ll soon discover. Your man Joel has them climbing all over each other to slap a logo on your ass.”
Kyle’s muscles jumped beneath her palm at Hadrian’s suggestive tone. The UFF president scooped up two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and offered one to each of them.
Bella shook her head. “I can’t. I’m training.”
“Little secret. It’s not champagne, it’s seltzer water and coloring. Cristal would be a waste on these guys. They’re all watching their figures.” Hadrian nodded to the fighters behind him. “I can get you something else, if you like. Vitamin water? Herbal tea?”
“This’ll be fine.” She accepted the flute and took a sip. True to his word, the drink fizzed,
but there was no sugar, no alcohol. It was purely for aesthetics. Somehow, she felt a little cheated.
“Good to see you, Kyle.” Hadrian’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as they shook hands. “Been behaving yourself?”
“Like a dog on a leash,” he said through bared teeth.
“I saw some of the other board members over there.” Hadrian waved vaguely toward the swimming pool. “You can go and catch up with them while Bella and I talk business.”
“Kyle’s not going anywhere,” Bella said firmly, squeezing his arm. She didn’t want to be left alone with Hadrian. He was relatively harmless, he’d just been a little too casual with his hands, and while she could take care of herself, punching the president of the UFF in the face might not be the best way to start her career. “I need him to keep me upright.”
Hadrian’s smile took on a steely quality. “Well, I’d be happy to act as your crutch.”
“I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I kept you from your job, mingling with all these people. So thank you for the offer, but Kyle’s the only one I need.”
And she meant it. That sudden insight had her looking at her coach in a totally new, totally weird light. There’d been attraction. There’d been tension. There’d been camaraderie. But she hadn’t realized there’d been trust, too. Somehow, despite the fights and disappointments, she knew that he was there for her—as her trainer, friend...
Kyle gave a small, reassuring smile and squeezed her arm. And just like that, something clicked, as if all the pieces of a puzzle they’d been mashing together suddenly snapped into place. A pleasant fuzzy, squiggly feeling crawled through her insides.
“Where’s Ayumi?” she asked to change the subject.
“She and her camp went back to Ohio after lunch.” He shrugged. “See, that’s the difference between a star and a diva. A star does whatever is necessary to get what she wants. A diva does whatever she wants. Honestly, I thought she’d be easier to deal with.”
Hadrian was about to introduce her to the other fighters aboard the mother ship when a commotion interrupted him. The crowd thickened at the base of the dais as Dominic Payette arrived on the arm of a pregnant blonde. Payette was one of the most popular and well-recognized fighters in the UFF, his clean-shaven head, winsome smile and distinct dimples having appeared on almost every magazine, newspaper and TV station. He cut a striking figure in a light gray-blue suit that matched his eyes. The woman, who Bella assumed was his wife, gracefully ascended the steps in a sequined black dress.
Payette and Kyle clasped each other in a brief, back-slapping hug and Kyle dragged him over. “Dom, meet Bella Fiore. She’s training with us in New Orleans.”
“I’m a big fan of your grandfather’s teachings,” the welterweight champion enthused, pumping Bella’s hand vigorously. “I’ve trained under Thiago—your uncle, right? It’s a real honor to meet you.” He looped an arm around the blonde’s waist. “This is my wife, Fiona.”
“Nice to meet you. Congratulations to you both,” Bella said, shaking the woman’s hand. “How far along are you?”
“Six months,” Fiona replied as Hadrian brought her a chair and insisted she sit. She plopped down as Dom asked a waiter to bring her water. “Sorry, hope you don’t mind. These two have been going at it all day.” She rubbed her belly. “They seemed to enjoy the flight.”
“Twins?” Kyle’s eyes bulged, and he punched Dom in the arm. “Mazel tov! Must be boys to be fighting so early. Those would be Dom’s kids all right.”
“We’re leaving the sexes a mystery for now,” he said. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind a couple of nice, quiet girls. I’ve got my hands full with Sean right now—we’re training to get his purple belt.”
“Sean is Fiona’s son from her first marriage,” Kyle explained to Bella. “What is he now, twelve?”
“Fourteen, man. And a big fourteen. Kid had a crazy growth spurt. He’ll be taller than me pretty soon.”
Kyle wiped away an imaginary tear. “They grow up so fast.”
“Don’t wish too hard for girls,” Bella chimed in. “We can be just as nasty, you know.”
“Of course, of course. And congratulations to you, too. You’re exactly what the sport needs right now. I don’t think Hadrian could’ve picked better to debut the women’s league.”
She grinned. Bella decided she really liked Dominic Payette. The welterweight champ clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “This guy was a big help when I was training for the title bout. He’s a good man to have in your corner.”
“Aw, shucks.” Kyle feigned bashfulness. “If you really want to show your gratitude, dude, you should come and do a clinic at the gym.”
“No can do. I’m a family man now. With the babies coming, it’s harder and harder for me to travel for training the way I used to. I’m lucky so many people are willing to come to Salmon River to work with me.” He smiled down at his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Totally worth it, though.”
Bella smiled warmly. The two of them were obviously deeply in love. She glanced down again at Fiona’s round belly and wondered about the day she’d give up fighting for a baby. Of course, lots of fighters eventually went back to the cage after giving birth, the way Betty Heimer had. But she had a hard time imagining the climb back to fitness.
They chatted some more with Dom before circulating the room with Hadrian, who insisted on dragging them here and there to meet celebrities and important officials. When Joel finally got off his BlackBerry, he towed them in the opposite direction to meet sponsors and other fighters.
Throughout it all, Kyle stayed by her side. She signed autographs for fans, and he stayed with her. He didn’t try to steer her or handle her, though he did gently maneuver them away when someone became too intense. Kyle’s presence went a long way to keeping the jerks and crazies at bay. It was comforting to know he was there if she needed a way out.
“Hey, hey!” The harsh voice made her scalp tighten and her spine go rigid. She whipped around to see Ryan Holbrooke pushing through the throng and heading straight for her. Her stomach torqued at the sight of his too-crisp shirt and suit. She thought the bouncers would stop him, but he flashed the passes on his lanyard, and they let him climb the steps. “There’s my girl.” Sarcasm dripped from his words as he opened his arms for a hug that sure as hell would never come.
Kyle stepped between them, his broad chest like a shield. “Hello, Ryan.” The menace vibrating from him startled Bella.
“Peters, didn’t think you’d be here.” The agent’s gaze bounced between them and he leered. “Or maybe I should’ve guessed.”
“Why don’t you get yourself a drink and then jump into the pool to cool off? We don’t need a scene here.”
“Calling the kettle black, are we?” Ryan snickered. “You always were a drama queen. That’s what Karla told me, anyhow.”
The wrestler’s face grew dark, and his feet shifted apart as if readying to lunge.
“He’s trying to goad you, Kyle,” Bella said, gripping his arm. She shot Ryan a daggered look. “He’s not worth it.”
“I’m not worth it?” His face tinted purple. “Listen here, you ungrateful bitch. You’re here because of me. I was the one who got your name out there. Without me, the only way you’d ever have made it here would’ve been on your knees.” He advanced toward her. “You should be groveling at my feet. You owe me—” Ryan reached for her, his hatred blinding him to the fact that he was trying to grab her through Kyle.
Bella was ready to break that hand off, but then Kyle planted a big palm on Ryan’s chest and shoved. The agent lost his balance and toppled down the steps, skidding backward on his ass all the way to the bottom.
Kyle turned to her with a look of fierce concern. “You okay?”
She wasn’t, but she would be soon. She glared down at her ex-manager, heart pounding
in her throat as those horrible feelings from that shocking day returned. Her fury intensified as all the things she should’ve said to him bubbled up. She pointed at Ryan with an accusing finger. “I don’t owe you squat. And I should’ve called the cops when you tried to take advantage of me. If you ever touch me again—if I even see you within smacking distance of me—I will press charges.”
The heavy base throbbed on, underscoring the blood pounding through her skull. All chatter around them had ceased—and that’s when she realized everyone was watching and taking phone camera pictures and video.
Her cheeks flared hot.
“And here I would’ve threatened to rip his arms out.” Hadrian appeared next to Bella. He stared down at Ryan Holbrooke with an almost bored expression, then jerked his chin at the ring of bouncers closing in. “Guys. Take this asshole out back, will you? And make sure he doesn’t come back. Ever.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Hadrian, you can’t do that. I have fighters you—”
“Don’t worry about my fighters. I’ll make sure they’re taken care of.” His voice had gone very soft. Three bouncers scooped Ryan up and frog-marched him out kicking and screaming. The cameras followed.
The tension seeped from Bella’s bones. Kyle clutched her close, rubbing her arms but not saying anything.
“Great. Just freakin’ great. That’s gonna be all over YouTube tonight, isn’t it?” She grabbed a flute of champagne and downed it, grimacing when she realized it was just colored fizzy water. “I signed a contract with him. Is it possible he’ll sue for breach of contract?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Hadrian interjected. “Joel and I will work it out. Don’t you worry yourself about this. I’ll take care of everything, darling.” He strode off.
Kyle led her to the shelter of the tent away from the public eye. Bella ran a hand through her hair, unable to hide her trembling. “Kyle?”
He glanced down, dark eyes hard. “Yeah?”
