by Abby Niles
Now that was an idea. His muscles ached to high hell. The heat would ease the tightness. “Thanks.”
Once in the locker room, he changed out of his sweaty clothes and wrapped a towel around his hips then stepped into the sauna. Inhaling the cedar wood scent, he sat on the bench. The eerie silence had a calming effect and Dante closed his eyes, listening to the occasional pop of the heater and creaking of wood.
He was pleased with his performance today. He’d given Mike his all.
He’d refused to focus on the pain Caitlyn’s date with his opponent created. Instead, he forced his attention on knowing the woman from yesterday was not his Caitlyn.
Correct that.
The woman who’d melted in his arms, returning his kiss with a passion matching his had been his Caitlyn. The other one? He wasn’t sure where she’d come from.
Dante leaned his head against the bench above him.
Why had she agreed to go out with that piece of shit? If this was her way of proving a point, she’d failed. Not only was he an MMA fighter who socialized with the type of people she wanted to avoid, she also claimed she only dated the average Joe. Sentori was anything but average. Flaunting an everyday guy would’ve had more impact on him than Sentori. Her actions spurred him to uncover her true motivation.
Because one thing was clear: she didn’t want to go out with his opponent.
It had taken the better part of the night to recall the distaste that scrunched her nose as she’d tried to pretend interest in Sentori. The flinch when he’d toyed with her hair. And the most telling of all, the quick scoot away from the other man after she’d glanced at Dante. She’d known what she was doing hurt him.
So what could possibly be her reason for encouraging his rival?
Sweat beaded on Dante’s skin, his face tightening from the heat. He placed a towel over his head.
All the attention from Caitlyn went straight to Sentori’s head, giving him another way to taunt Dante. Yesterday, that had worked. Today, it wouldn’t. If anything, he was more determined than ever to topple the undefeated fighter.
No, not just topple.
Deliver a crushing, mortifying loss that would leave the arrogant bastard whimpering in his corner, or better yet, completely unconscious. A win so profound any future opponent could smile at Sentori’s pathetic attempts at playing mind games and say, “I’ll take you down just as the Inferno did.”
Dante planned to pave the road to the complete annihilation of Richard Sentori.
…
Damn.
Cait hung up the phone.
“Well?” Paul demanded.
“Mike said Dante’s training has been outstanding this week and for me to keep up the good work.”
Paul threw up his hands and groaned, flopping back on the couch.
Her sentiments exactly. Ever since the pool party, she’d called Mike for a daily update. Each day the excitement and pride in his voice grew, much to her consternation. Not that she wanted Dante to lose his coach. She just really didn’t want to go out with Sentori. “I guess I need to get ready for the date.”
Paul sat up. “Cait, please. I was wrong. Don’t go out with this guy.”
“What am I supposed to do? It was your plan and the stupid thing worked.”
“You picked now to listen to me?”
“Nothing is going to happen.”
At least not physically. Sentori had backed off far too quickly when she told him to. Mentally, however, she’d have to keep on her toes. After the two encounters with him at the pool party, she knew the man liked to play games—but she had no idea how far he’d go.
Paul stood and grasped her shoulders. “You can’t be certain. What if you end up on a dead-end road?”
“Sentori isn’t going to hurt me. There’s too much riding on the line. For whatever reason, he likes taunting Dante. Having me dead or hurt is not the kind of taunting he’s after.”
It sickened her to know she aided in Sentori’s fun. If she had any clue the kind of man he was, she’d never have agreed to this plan. Now she was in over her head.
Mike had gloated that Dante pinned him in a move Sentori had yet to perfect. He’d finally seen the Dante who would defeat Sentori. How could she quit now?
Paul dropped his arms to his side. “I still don’t like this.”
“I can’t cancel. I’m worried if I do, I’ll confuse Dante and ruin the progress he’s made.”
“He hasn’t called you all week, hasn’t even been at the Y, so I’d say you’ve accomplished your goals.”
Paul’s reminder hurt. Horribly. But she couldn’t regret what she’d done, especially with Dante training so well. If fury at her was what kept him focused, then she’d make sure it stayed that way. She still held onto the small chance that once his fight was over, she could tell him the truth and he’d forgive her. “What if I don’t go through with the date and Dante shows up wanting to know why I canceled?”
“I doubt creep-boy would admit you stood him up.”
“Have you seen how fast gossip spreads in that locker room? Amy isn’t talking to me because Brad told her about the date, and he’d heard it from one of the other guys at the gym, who’d heard it from someone at Sentori’s gym. I can’t chance it.”
He sighed, which Cait recognized as a sigh of defeat.
“Fine. You will call me every hour.” He slapped her phone in her hand. “Do you hear me? If you don’t, I’m coming after you.”
The romantic ambiance on the patio of the Italian restaurant grated on Cait’s nerves. Sentori sat across from her. The plethora of plants surrounding them cast shadows across his face, making it difficult to read his expression. She cursed the dark atmosphere, cursed the strands of white lights that emitted only a meager glow.
He’d made her sit with her back to the restaurant. A calculated move, she was certain, to keep her on edge, waiting to hear Dante’s voice from behind. What would she do if he showed up? How would she act?
During the last hour, Sentori had been a complete gentleman, making mundane chitchat about movies, books, and anything else that might be of interest. His act didn’t fool her. He was trying to make her relax, to become comfortable in his presence. She knew as soon as she did, boom.
“How’s your chicken parm?” he asked.
Tasted like Styrofoam. “Fine.”
Sentori placed his fork and knife on his plate and leaned back with his wineglass in his hand, studying her. Cait struggled not to fidget and held his gaze, positive this was a deliberate attempt at intimidation.
“Tell me, Caitlyn.” He paused, taking a long sip of his wine.
At his use of her full name, her stomach clenched.
He pulled the glass from his lips and sighed. “Why have you dumped the Inferno?”
At some point, she’d known he’d mention Dante and had prepared herself. Her gaze never wavered. “Dante and I never dated. So I didn’t dump him.”
He rotated the glass between his thumb and forefinger. “Really? I heard different. He brought you to an after-party a week ago, didn’t he?”
Cait stiffened. Now that she hadn’t been prepared for. “That was a mistake.”
“I’ll say. I heard some woman offended you and he threw her in the pool.” Placing his glass on the table, he leaned forward. “Tell me, Caitlyn, what did the woman say that infuriated the Inferno?”
Cait barely heard the question. He’d done that? For her?
Warmth spread from her head to the tips of her toes. No man had ever defended her. How freaking sweet could a man get?
“What did she say?”
At Sentori’s pressure, her pleasant thoughts turned sour. She saw the twinkle in his eyes, the near giddiness. The bastard already knew what Amanda had said. Cait refused to allow him to upset her. She stared him straight in the eye. “She asked if I was the pity date.”
Surprise flickered across his face and he jerked back with a scowl.
Take that, asshole. Cait took a sip of
her water to hide her smile. “She’s entitled to her opinion.”
The scowl deepened, then melted into such sympathy Cait could almost believe it genuine. Damn, he was good.
“Being known as the pity date had to hurt, embarrassing even. I bet it was a real kick to the stomach.”
“People can be cruel. I won’t let it bother me. If I did, I wouldn’t be out with you, would I?”
A smile twisted one corner of his mouth and he shook his head. “You going out with me had nothing to do with me. What did you think? That by accepting my date, Dante would forget what was said? That he would see other men find you attractive regardless of what some bitch said?” He gave her a sad look. “I’ll let you in on something. Men don’t forget things like that. They might pretend it doesn’t matter. But it always comes down to the guy wanting to have the hottest girl on his arm. Since that’s not you, I suspect Dante will be searching for new options.”
Cait’s stomach churned. He fed the insecurities she tried desperately to starve. She swallowed them back, determined not to allow them to control her anymore. “If the pity date comment stamped me as undatable, why did you ask me out?”
He shrugged. “To get under Dante’s skin. Pity date or not, no man likes another man to succeed where they’ve failed.”
“Failed?”
He reached over and trailed his finger over the top of her hand. She yanked it back.
“Getting you into bed,” he said, chuckling.
“I won’t sleep with you.”
“I have no intention of touching you. I prefer a leaner woman—much leaner.” He eyed her with disinterest. “It’s called lying, Caitlyn.”
“Why do you think Dante will care?”
“An easy lay like you and Dante couldn’t get some of the action.” Sentori snorted. “Dante hates to lose. Hearing I slammed you will eat him up. Especially when I tell him you begged for it.”
She gasped, fighting the urge to smack his arrogant face. “Dante’s not going to believe you.”
“You, my dear, set this up nicely. I don’t know what you and Dante were doing in the pool house, but I’m sure it wasn’t innocent. But he wasn’t a sated man when he left, was he, Caitlyn?” He paused. “No, he was furious. Was he unable to get into your pants? Did you tell him no? Yet you accepted my date and showed him you wanted to spread those legs for someone, didn’t you? Naturally, I’ll be the man you spread them for.”
Panic squeezed her throat. She hadn’t exactly told Dante no. What she had said was way worse. “It’s just sex.”
The plan imploded around her. She needed a reality check. Cait glanced at her watch. A little over an hour had passed since she’d left. Paul was probably waiting for her to call.
“I need to use the ladies’ room.” She stood and grabbed her purse.
Once inside, she plopped her purse on the counter and dug around. Then dug some more. When she still didn’t find her phone, she turned it upside down and spilled out the contents. She stared at the green tube of lipstick rolling across the porcelain.
Oh. My. God. She’d left her cell at home.
Paul was going to freak.
…
Dante lay on his couch, his right arm over his head as he flipped channels on the television. It had taken a considerable amount of restraint, but he’d succeeded in not going to Caitlyn’s before her date. Letting tonight happen without incident would be a better approach than showing up and making demands like a jealous boyfriend. He’d done that at the pool and it hadn’t worked.
A date with the pile of shit should knock whatever sense she’d lost back into place. Or at least make her doubt dating in general. Then he’d have her to himself again.
He groaned, tossed the remote on the table, and ran his hands over his face. Time ticked by. Tick. Tick. Tick. Had Sentori been smarter than him and kept Caitlyn away from the MMA crowd? Had he wined and dined her the way Dante should have?
Dante knew the bastard could put on the charm when he wanted. Women loved Sentori. Could he actually win over Caitlyn? She had no idea the vile things he’d said about her, so there was no reason for her not to enjoy the date.
Dante sat up, his stomach twisting. Maybe he should have shown up.
He jumped to his feet and paced the room. It was too late now. She was out with the asshole and he had no idea where.
There was a pounding at his door.
Caitlyn?
He hurried to answer. The sight before him washed away his disappointment.
Paul and Jack spoke in harsh whispers, gesturing wildly at each other. Dante cleared his throat and both men gaped. Then Jack shoved Paul forward. “Fix it.”
Paul went white, his eyes huge. Something wasn’t right.
“Is Caitlyn okay?”
The man’s eyes widened further. “Well…”
“Damn it, man, tell me.”
Jack popped Paul upside his head. “This was your brilliant idea. Tell the man what you’ve done.”
Paul spun on his boyfriend. “I was just trying to help. You didn’t come up with a better plan, so back off.”
“What the hell are you two babbling about? What plan?”
Paul faced him and swallowed. “Listen, Wolverine, please don’t rip me apart. I was being a good friend. A dumb one, but I swear I didn’t know it at the time.”
“You need to tell me what’s going on.”
“Cait is out on a date with that jackass.”
Dante sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I know.”
“What you don’t know is why.”
Dante lowered his hand, intrigued. “Continue.”
“Cait is going to kill me. But I don’t trust that man. And since this was my bright idea…”
Dante crossed his arms and leveled the man with his fighter stare.
Paul held up his hands. “Okay! Cait overheard your conversation with your coach.”
“What conversation?”
“The one where he quit. She tried to reason with him, but he told her she had to be completely out of the picture or he wouldn’t coach you anymore, then she tried to talk to—”
“I’m going to fucking kill Mike.”
Paul smacked his hand over his mouth. “Oh, shit. Cait is going to kill me.”
“Why?”
“She didn’t want you to know what your coach said. She didn’t want to make things tense between you guys, but I swear when I suggested going out with Sentori, I had no idea the man was scum. I mean really, creepy icky scum. And, now, she hasn’t called me like she was supposed—”
“Call you?” Dante stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“She was supposed to call and let me know she was okay. But she hasn’t and she’s been gone for over three hours.”
Dante inhaled deeply, calming the sense of alarm. Yes, Sentori was scum. But he’d never physically hurt Caitlyn. The man took too much pride in being the welterweight champion to screw anything up and have his title stripped. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t play some kind of sick mind game with her.
He grabbed his keys off the counter. “Where’d they go?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I was kinda hoping you would.”
“How would I know?”
“Isn’t that what you beefcakes do? Go after your woman when she’s out with another man? So I figured you knew exactly where she’d be.”
“Have you called her phone?”
“Only about five thousand times.”
“Maybe she left it at the apartment?”
Paul popped a hand on his hip. “What kind of friend do you take me for? I handed it to her as she left. And before you start rattling on about battery power, I charged the damned thing myself this afternoon.”
Impressive. But why wasn’t Caitlyn answering?
“If it helps, she said the nasty ass mentioned getting Italian.”
“Shit. He took her to Cucina Dell’amore.”
“How
do you know?”
“It’s the new hot spot the fighters have been taking their dates to. The perfect Italian setting for…romance.” What if Sentori actually showed Caitlyn a good time? Damn it! And he’d never shown up to interfere. “We have to get there. Now.”
Within minutes, the three of them were speeding to the restaurant. Dante had little hope they’d still be there. His fears were confirmed when the maître d’ said they’d left an hour earlier.
Outside on the sidewalk, Dante fished out his phone and pressed one on his speed dial. Caitlyn’s sweet voice answered with “I can’t come to the phone right now—”
Dante snapped the phone shut and growled. Where the hell was she?
Chapter Fifteen
“Take me home.”
Sentori glanced away from the road. “Not yet.”
Cait muttered a curse. In hindsight, she should’ve called a cab. Or called Paul from the restaurant phone. No, not her dumb ass. She had to come off strong and unfazed by his games. So instead of leaving him sitting there in the restaurant, she’d marched out of the bathroom and demanded he take her home. He’d simply shrugged and said okay. She should’ve known it was a lie. Lying and taunting was what the man did best.
Now, over an hour later, she sat in the passenger side of his Jeep watching the same buildings pass by—over and over again. Paul had to be a basket case by now. One day she would actually memorize the phone numbers and stop relying on her contact list in her phone.
“How much longer are you going to drive around town?”
He peered at his watch. “At least another thirty minutes. If I take you home too early, the Inferno won’t believe me.” He gave her a sorrowful look. “I can’t have that, can I, Caitlyn?”
Finding the question unworthy of an answer, she glanced back out the window. Unfortunately, she could still see his reflection illuminated by the green glow from the dashboard.
Disgust knotted her insides. She despised this man. If one positive came out of this godawful night, it would be watching Dante kick Sentori’s face in. Seeing blood gush from his smug nose would have been a welcome sight.
Cait closed her eyes.
