Reckless: A Bad Boy MMA Fighter Romance (Warrior Zone Fighters Book 3)

by Tia Lewis

  “But I thought you were a winner?”

  His grin was quick, gone before I had a chance to register that he had actually grinned at me. “Two, when I say we go, we go. Keep your eyes sharp and don’t take anything extra in there.”

  “Why?”

  He opened the door, the interior light casting a small beam of light on his head. “Because people like to pick pockets and I don’t want to get blamed for that either.”

  I looked at him dumbfounded as he climbed out of the car. Pickpocketers? Losing money? Where had he brought me? There was only one way to find out. I climbed out of the passenger side and found Paul waiting for me at the trunk of the car, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “Stay close to me,” he said roughly before walking away. I hurried to catch up, allowing only a slight distance between us, my heart hammering in my chest. I was intrigued and scared to death at the same time. I knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to me, after all, I was his money machine right now, but his words had freaked me out. I was about to be way out of my element.

  We entered through a solid metal door and immediately were in the midst of a large crowd of people, the sound of fighting filling the room. It was a huge warehouse, the level in which we entered a circular platform that looked down on the main level. The place was wall to wall with people, and I was glad I had left my purse in the car. It would be easy pickings in this crowd.

  I felt someone grab my hand and found Paul glaring down at me. “Come on.” I wasn’t so worried about his glare, but more so about the feelings that were creeping up my arm from his skin connecting with mine. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the lovely intertwining of fingers but more so the impatient tug of a mother trying to force a child along.

  Paul forced me through the crowd and into a door, where a set of stairs greeted us. Once the door closed, he sighed and let go of my hand, rubbing a hand over his own face. “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

  I wasn’t quite sure where here was, but there was no way he was taking me back. “I’m good.”

  His eyes glanced over me, and I was sad to see there was little excitement about it. He was really regretting me being here. “You don’t belong here.”

  Great. Another person telling me I didn’t belong. That was the worst possible thing he could tell me. Stepping forward, I poked him in the chest with my finger, ignoring the fact that my finger went literally nowhere, like poking a wall. “I’m tougher than I look buddy. Whatever you have dragged me into, I promise I can deal with it.”

  Paul arched a brow, and I pulled my finger back, really wanting to smooth my hand over his chest instead. “Are you sure?”

  “Very.”

  “Fine. Come on.”

  Giddy with excitement that I had won that round, I followed him down the stairs, the smell of sweat, blood, and urine filling the air. I was glad I had worn my jeans tonight with my tall heeled boots for I would have hated to see what the hems of my jeans were being drug through. We exited the stairwell, and the noise grew loud all at once, the cage looming up in front of us. People were everywhere, cheering and booing at the same time as two fighters went at it in the cage, one guy already smeared with blood from the other. I saw no referee inside the cage.

  Paul motioned for me to follow him and we walked the perimeter of the crowd, only having to dodge a few people on their cellphones before we stepped through another doorway, a small room lined with lockers greeting me.

  “Scorpion! Long time, no see.”

  I watched as Paul crossed the room and greeted a man sitting behind a card table littered with papers and beer bottles. “Lou, thanks for working me in.”

  Lou waved his hand at Paul. “No need to thank me. It’s like money in my pocket when I put you on the schedule. I didn’t think I could even afford to have you on there anymore.”

  Paul shrugged. “I don’t need anything special. My usual rate will work.”

  Lou laughed and took a swig of one of the bottles on the table. “Good cause that’s all I got. You’re up next when that bloodbath ends. Good luck, Paul. It’s good to see you.”

  Paul stepped toward me, dropping his bag on the floor. “Hey Lou, will you keep an eye on her for me?”

  Lou winked at me. “Hell yes, I will keep an eye on her. More if you want darling.”

  Paul rolled his eyes, something that was undeniably cute on him, and closed the gap between us until I could see the gold flecks in his eyes. “I’m gonna fight, and you are gonna watch okay? Don’t get too close to the cage unless you want blood slung on you.”

  “Is this dangerous?” I asked. Everyone was mentioning blood like it was no big deal, but all the matches I had watched, blood really hadn’t come into play that much.

  Paul chuckled. “Are you fucking serious? Yes, this is very dangerous. If I get knocked the fuck out, Lou will get you outta here okay? You do everything he says, Sarah.”

  He said my name. He had cursed at me a lot, but he had said my name. It was a start. “Okay. Don’t worry about me.”

  He gave me a look like that wasn’t even an option and pulled his shirt over his head, his gleaming tattoo visible in the dim light. I drew in a breath as he reached for his shorts, my breath literally ceasing to exist as he shucked them, a pair of ultra-tight shorts that left little to the imagination in their place. Oh, my god. This was far better than even thinking he was commando under those shorts. His legs were just as cut as the rest of him; his thighs rock hard before tapering down to cut calves and bare feet, his legs dusted with dark hairs.

  “Done?”

  My eyes flew to his face, and I was surprised to see a slight grin instead his normally hard expression, his eyes more of a golden color now. “Can’t blame a girl for staring,” I said, congratulating myself that I was able to find something witty to say when my heart was about to pound out of my chest.

  His eyes widened. I blushed as he shook his head before he squatted down, rummaging around in his bag. Out came a set of gloves, some tape, and a small jar. Paul picked up the jar and stood, handing it over to me. “Help me out will you?”

  “What’s this?”

  “Protects my face.”

  I unscrewed the top and was surprised to find Vaseline. “Really?”

  “What were you expecting?”

  I shrugged, dipping my fingers into the cool jelly. “Something more impressive.”

  He chuckled as I looked up, my fingers coated with jelly. “Just spread it around my eyes and cheeks okay?”

  Thrilled that I was being pulled into this and was being asked to touch him, I reached out and smeared the jelly along his cheekbones, feeling the steely strength under my fingers. I could do this all day long. “Why did you bring me here?” I asked as I moved along his eyebrows with my fingers.

  “You wanted to see a fight.”

  “I was thinking a spar back at the gym would work just fine.”

  “I’m an over the top kind of guy.”

  I laughed and dropped my hand, my fingers tingling where they had touched his skin. “That I believe. So am I.”

  He held out his hand, and I dropped the jar in it, wiping my hands on my jeans. We were getting along. It was hard to believe.

  “Scorp, you’re up.”

  My nerves scattered as Paul picked up his gloves and slid his large hands in them, strapping them in place before flexing his hands a few times. I watched in rapt fascination, already concerned about what he was going to get into. I hoped he was not an all talk, no play type of guy or I was going to be toting him out at the end of the night, feeling horrible that I had dragged him into this mess. He did some punches into the air, seemingly testing out his gloves before reaching into the bag and grabbing a white mouthpiece.

  “Should I wish you luck or something?” I asked as he jumped from foot to foot. “Like break a leg?”

  “Never break a leg,” he answered, chewing on his mouthpiece.

  “Alright,” I said, stepping forward and pressing my lips to his cheek before I
lost my nerve. He froze under my lips, and I pulled back, flustered and hot all at once. “There.”

  11

  Paul

  She kissed me. Dammit all. I didn’t know how to react, so I did the next best thing, I walked out of the room, leaving her behind. Lou would get her and bring her to a decent spot so she could get her fill of my fighting ability. Still, Sarah had gotten me all fucked up in the span of an hour, the way she had taken in my body, devouring me with those damn eyes of hers and now the kiss. A man could only take so much.

  The crowd gathered around me as I made my way to the cage, a far cry from the larger bouts I had fought in years past. This was where I was comfortable, the backwoods fighting that had no rules other than when the other guy surrendered you had to stop. There was no referee, no counts, or scorecard to tell me whether I had won or lost. I would know it if I was the guy standing over the other one. I had learned the skills in places like this before I was picked up by a trainer and subsequently thrust into the professional sport as opposed to the gritty underground fighting.

  I climbed the steps and went right into the cage, sizing up my opponent. If he knew who I was, he wasn’t letting on, too busy making jabs in the air. If he kept that up, I wasn’t going to have to worry about wearing him out. He was doing a fine job himself.

  The door clanged shut, signaling the start of the fight and I danced around the cage stained with blood from the previous match, feeling the well of adrenaline build up in my veins. There were a lot of things I couldn’t do, but this, I did very well, even after all these years. I went into my zone, where the entire crowd drowned out, and all I could hear was my harsh breathing in my ears.

  My opponent made a move, and I deflected it, getting a shot in on the ribs before he backed away, a frown appearing on his face. Good. He didn’t know what to do with me. That was a point in my favor. I danced forward, and he fell for it, landing two blows to the face before my knee came up and caught him under the chin. He stumbled and I went in for the kill, grabbing his arm and spinning him around, taking him to the ground so I could stretch out his body, my arm locked in against his. Unless he was a master at the move, there was no way he was getting out.

  I heard the tap on the mat a few seconds later and released the hold immediately, jumping up to hold my arms over my head. It had to be a record tonight. I caught Sarah’s flushed face near the cage, clapping and cheering as I headed toward the door, now flung open. She was going to be a downfall of mine. I had tried and failed to keep her at arms’ length, ignoring her and pretending that she was like the plague and I should stay away.

  But somehow, she had wormed her way in, and I was pissed. I had done so good to keep women out of my life for a reason. I stalked down the stairs and back to the locker room, stripping off my gloves and chucking them into my bag. I didn’t even feel winded, which meant it wasn’t a good match. I had won, but because he sucked as an opponent.

  “Wow. That was amazing.”

  I looked up to see Sarah standing next to a row of lockers. “You were great.”

  “My opponent sucked,” I answered darkly, grabbing my shirt and ignoring her compliment.

  “But you made five hundred bucks,” Lou announced as he entered the room, walking over to his makeshift office. Lou had been the king of underground fighting for as long as I could remember, throwing these things nightly so fighters could get extra time in. For some guys, this was all they had, good enough to kick ass down here but never good enough to make it to the big time. I took the money and threw it in my bag, wishing the pot had been bigger. That was a drop in the bucket for what I owed for Matt’s treatments. “You want to go another round?”

  “I’m done,” I said, closing my bag and pulling on my shorts. I would have to make money somewhere else. “Thanks, Lou.”

  “Anytime,” he said, settling into his chair behind the table. “Bring any of those good for nothing guys with you next time, will you? I haven't seen any of them for years.”

  “Will do,” I answered, motioning for Sarah to follow me. I should take her hand, but I didn’t want to touch her right now. I was too jacked up. She blessedly followed me in silence until we were out the door and back at the car. “That was crazy. I don’t think I have ever seen something like that before.”

  I opened the driver side and threw the bag in the back. “Don’t spread the word okay? Lou’s a good guy, but he runs an illegal operation.”

  “The secret is safe with me,” she announced as she climbed into the car. “Is this a normal occurrence for you?”

  I wanted to say no. “Yeah, it is.”

  She looked down at her nails. “Well, I think it’s awesome even if it is illegal.”

  I shook my head and pulled out of the parking garage, heading back to the gym so Sarah could get her car. I needed a drink and to get rid of this headache, not necessarily in that order. Well, one would probably take care of the other.

  We were back at her car in no time and I pulled up behind it, killing the lights. She let out a little sigh, and I could only hope that was because she didn’t want the night to end. This wasn’t a date, but a way for me to prove to her that I was a fighter and a damn good one at that. Not only that, I had made five hundred bucks in the process.

  “Don’t forget the gala is two days from now,” she said softly, her fingers laced together in her lap. “I have an appointment set up for you tomorrow for your tux.”

  Great. “Thanks.”

  She let out a little laugh. “That does not sound very convincing.”

  “It’s all I have.”

  Sarah looked over at me, and I attempted to ignore the way her eyes were sparkling again. It made me feel like an ass and the best fucking man on the planet at the same time. “Thank you, Paul.”

  “Why are you thanking me?” I had been an asshole to take her there. It was what I wanted to do right? Be the asshole so she wouldn’t get close. We were two fucking different people in two different lives.

  “It was the most fun I had in a long time.”

  Fun? Well hell, I guess it was fun, mostly on my part.

  “Well, I guess I’ll go now.”

  She moved to reach for the door, and I grabbed her arm, forcing her to face me. I was about to do something that was the fucking wrong thing to do with her. Her eyes widened just as I crushed my lips to hers, forcing my way into her mouth as she gasped. Red hot flashes exploded on the back of my eyelids as she touched her tongue to mine, my hand slipping behind her neck to pull her closer. Hell yes. I shouldn’t be kissing her, but I wanted to. And she kissed as good as I thought she would. This was far removed from the peck she had given me earlier, but the heaviness in my chest was still there. It worried the fuck out of me.

  She moaned in my mouth, and I erased all my thoughts. Screw it. I was fucking kissing her, and that was all there was to it.

  12

  Sarah

  I was kissing Paul Watts, and it felt so right. I’d never felt anything more right in my life, and it was frighteningly exciting. His hand was caressing the back of my neck, his tongue doing some naughty things with mine, my hand clenched against his shirt. I didn’t know what else to do, but to hold on and take the ride.

  I wanted his hands on me; I wanted his lips on a heck of a lot more than just my mouth. I wanted to feel his strength under my fingers, marveling at the fact that he was a fighter and lover at the same time. I just didn’t know how to ask.

  He released me so abruptly that I nearly headbutted him, sliding out of the driver seat before I had a chance to even ask what was the matter. I climbed out of the car as well, watching as he shoved a hand through his hair, the internal struggle over something all over his face. “Paul.”

  He held up his hand. “Please, just fucking go, Sarah.”

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  “I’m fine. Go home.”

  I trudged to my car, wishing that I had enough nerve to just invite him to my place. I turned to see him still standin
g beside his car, his eyes on me. I wondered if he was as hungry as I was, the need nearly eating me alive to walk right back to him and demand more. I wanted more. “Of all the things I could have done tonight, I really can’t imagine anything else that would have excited me more.”

  “Go home, Sarah,” he growled.

  I wasn’t about to let this end, not like this. “That included the kiss, Paul.”

  He made a strangled noise, and I covered the distance between us again, pressing my body up against his. His hands remained at his side, and I knew I was crossing over into dangerous territory by irking him on. I didn’t care. I knew what I wanted. Sliding my arms up his chest, I tried to keep my breathing even. After watching him fight tonight, I didn’t think anything had turned me on so much. He had been wonderful, magnificent in that cage.

  “What are you doing?” he asked softly, a lethal tone to his voice.

  “I-I don’t know,” I answered honestly, looking into his dark eyes. “I just need to touch you.”

  “You’re fucking killing me,” he said harshly.

  I laughed nervously as my hands found his neck, encircling it with my arms. “And you just thought fighting was dangerous.”

  His arms went around me and locked me against him, the sheer strength in his embrace stealing my breath. “No,” he said, his eyes searching mine. “Fighting is the easy part.”

  I opened my mouth, but he covered it with his, his hands drifting down to my bottom and gripping me against him, feeling his hardness against my stomach. Yes. He wanted me. There was no doubt about that. The knowledge shot a tiny thrill through me as I thought about us in the bed together, his hands all over my naked body. It was like a naughty dream, but I wanted to partake in it. Paul ravaged my mouth as I slid my hands down onto his broad shoulders, my fingers trailing along his steel muscles. He was gorgeous, dangerous and sexy rolled all into one. His lips left mine and trailed kisses along my jawline, finding that sensitive spot right below my ear that sent my knees weakening. “Damn,” he said, his hands roaming over my back, gripping my hips. “I want you so bad, Sarah.”