Tap Out

by Hilary Storm

  “Because you’ve ignored me for days. I’ve given you the space to dip your dick enough for the damn year. It’s time to get to work. Jones has been in contact.”

  “Of course he has. Let me guess… he wants to make all the demands.” I walk to the kitchen to grab a water before I lean against the bar and listen to what he has to say.

  “Actually, he wants it to be in New Orleans. October 20th.”

  “That’s six months out. Tell him I want it in two weeks and when I kick his ass, all the proceeds will go to building my gym.” We both hear a door click in the bedroom, bringing up the inevitable conversation he’s going to have with me that I’m not going to like.

  “That’s not much time.”

  “I don’t need it. I’m ready now.”

  “You’ve been locked up here for three days. Let me guess, you’ve barely come up for food.”

  “Nah. I had it delivered. You can call this my recovery from the fight the other night.”

  “You knocked him the fuck out with one hit. You didn’t need to recover.”

  “My dick says differently.”

  “Did you get your fill? Because you know she has to go if you’re going to fight him in two weeks.” I lower my glare in his direction. He has no idea he should tread lightly. How could he… I haven’t told him otherwise. As far as he knows she’s no different than all the other women he’s seen me have in the past… before my dry spell since Vincent’s death.

  “Let me handle my private life… you focus on what I pay you to do.”

  “You pay me to move you forward in your career. I can’t do that if you don’t come out of your fucking house.” He kicks his leg up on my coffee table and crosses his arms, challenging me with his look.

  “Don’t underestimate my drive and desire for this rematch. I will annihilate him.”

  “And we both know it’ll take everything you have to get the job done. If you fall short on this, you’ll never come back from it.” I listen to his logic and even though I want to be able to make this happen with Kinsley here with me, I know she’ll be a distraction. I can’t afford to lose this match and I have to cut everything out that will get in the way of me winning.

  “I’ll handle the girl. She’ll be gone by the end of the day.” I hate myself for saying it and the lump in my throat grows as my words settle in the room.

  “Great. Now what about that video shoot at the gym that was supposed to start an hour ago.” Marcus looks at his watch like the impatient fuck he is.

  “Give me twenty and I’ll be ready.” I leave him in my living room and walk through the bedroom without looking in Kinsley’s direction. I don’t have it in me to talk to her about everything right now. I’ll get through this video and then have the conversation with her.

  I can work something out with her. If she can give me the two weeks I need to focus on the fight, then maybe we can see if there’s more to us than just fucking.

  Kinsley

  I was sliding my heels on when I heard him say he’d have me gone by the end of the day, so when he walks into the room and doesn’t say a word, I know what’s coming. I should’ve known this was all too good to be true, but given the chance to do it all again, I’d do it all the same. I guess I’m a sucker for pain too.

  The next flight to Denver isn’t until tonight, but I book it knowing I’m going to need it.

  He steps out of the shower and moves through the room in a rush. “Are you almost ready? We need to leave in just a few minutes.”

  “I’m ready. Are you sure you don’t want to go do this on your own. I don’t want to be in the way.”

  “You won’t be.” He looks the part of a true fighter even in a simple t-shirt and shorts. His messy hair just completes the look, making this harder by the second.

  “I think I need to go back to Denver.” I decide to make it easy on him. The fear of rejection getting the best of me. I’ve always said it’s easier to do the walking first.

  “It looks like I’ll have a fight in two weeks. Will you come back to watch me?” I know this is important for him and I have no right to hold him back from his passion.

  “Yeah… we’ll see what I can pull off.” I watch his body loosen as the stress of this conversation passes.

  It’s sucks. My first instinct is to lose my mind and blow everything out of proportion, but with him I can’t do that. I already care too much about him to complicate his life in any way that would hurt him.

  “It’s against Jones. The guy who beat me in April.” My heart sinks. This fight is so important to him. I can’t get in the way and even I know that.

  “I’ll be there.” I take a few steps forward and wrap my arms around his torso while he pulls me against his chest. His large arms enveloping my body with warmth.

  The fact that he’s invited me back to watch this huge fight lessens the blow of the words I overheard before. Business is business. But it still stings to know I’m not ever going to be seen as an asset in his life.

  I’ll always be a hinderance in the eyes of those in the world of fighting. That’s something I need to seriously think about before I let anything with him move beyond what we already have… just great sex. Phenomenal sex… but we all know that isn’t everything.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kinsley

  I spent the day in the background watching Mavick shine… and I loved every minute of it. He kept looking over at me, sometimes even had me stand near him as if I’d be a part of his future with this gym.

  He’s doing all of this for the boys and most of the day was done shooting videos of him interacting with all of them.

  Even if I wanted to be selfish earlier and have him all to myself, there’s no way I could consider that now that I’ve seen him with these boys. Fate has put him in their lives and it’s obvious a few of them thrive when he’s around.

  He held me longer than I expected at the airport and even though I hated to walk away from him, that’s what I finally had to do. We were both at a loss for words, but I could still feel everything he wanted to say. I just hope he could feel my emotions too.

  I refused to cry until he was no longer around me. Then I found a bathroom and became a sobbing lunatic in one of the stalls.

  Everything about my departure from New Orleans sucked, especially when someone recognized me and yelled loud enough for others to hear. A small crowd grew around me and that just drew in even more attention.

  It wasn’t long and pictures were being taken of me even with the tears still in my eyes. I tried to walk away from the group, but that seemed to make it worse. It wasn’t until a man stopped them all in their tracks and let me continue on.

  I have no idea what he said to them or even who he was, but I was thankful for him saving me from all of them coming at me at once.

  Being cooped up with Mavick for days made me forget how famous he is, but today has been an eye opener.

  I pull a hood over my head, taking notes from Mavick, I place my earbuds in my ears and sit with my back to everyone as I wait for my flight to leave. It only takes a few minutes and the very man that just saved me is standing in front of my chair, looking slightly arrogant.

  “Are you okay? Did any of them offend you?” He sits beside me without being invited, but given the circumstances, I don’t stop him.

  “I’ll be fine. Thank you for the help.” I don’t ask him what he said or how he knew I needed saved. Honestly my head hurts too much to be social and not even this guy gets a pass.

  “You’re welcome. They should all leave you alone now.” He sits back in the chair and kicks his leg up on a duffel bag that I just noticed.

  I put the earbuds back in my ears and lean back knowing I still have half an hour to wait before they start loading the plane. Luckily no one else bothers me. Even the guy finally got the drift and took off.

  The flight was short, but then again, I slept through it all. I think it all finally caught up with me and I’ve never been so ready to be in my own
bed that I am tonight. I didn’t call anyone to pick me up at the airport. I don’t want to talk about my trip yet.

  Flashes of Mavick begin to torture me and I allow myself to really think about this man as I lay there in the dark. How he literally swept me off my feet and made me feel more in a short three-day span than any other man has in a full-blown relationship.

  The Paparazzi ordeal is the only sore subject of my trip… well that and having to say goodbye.

  My phone vibrates and before I look to see who it is, I already know. It’s as if he knows I’m thinking about him.

  Mavick: Hope you made it home safe. 2 weeks. That’s all I need. Then you’re mine.

  I look at the message, in fact I read it about twenty times but I leave my response simple.

  Me: I made it. Focus on what you need to do.

  My heart doesn’t know whether to break because of the unknown with the one man that has made me feel like this or to skip through the high knowing I’ll see him again… even if only for a short time. Two weeks… a lot can happen in two weeks. I guess I have no choice but to take it one day at a time.

  Mavick

  It’s been two weeks since I’ve seen Kinsley. There aren’t enough hours in the day for me to run out my frustrations when I think about how it all went with her.

  If anything, being away from her has made me realize I want more with her. She has to be a bigger part of my life and that’s something I plan to talk to her about when she gets here on Saturday.

  I purposely flew her in on the morning of the flight because if I knew she was in New Orleans, I’d never be able to keep my mind clear and focused on this fight.

  My feet hit the grass at a rapid pace as I weave between the stones at the graveyard. I’m almost to Vincent’s when I see something taped to the front of it with my name on the outside of it.

  Someone has done their homework on me if they knew I’d come by here today.

  I open it up to find picture after picture of Kinsley with Beau Jones. All of them at an airport. Him waiving off reporters, then them both sitting together as if they’re flying together.

  Seeing his smiling face makes me livid, but it’s hers that breaks my heart. She’s miserable. Something’s wrong and that’s what fucks with my mind more than that asshole being with her in the pictures.

  I’m not an idiot. This is him trying to get at me before the fight. He wants me distracted and I have to give it to him… I’m mother fucking distracted. But what he forgot to take into consideration is she’s off limits and I don’t give a fuck what he thinks he’s gained out of this.

  I pull out my phone and do the one thing I never do… Google my name and add Kinsley Cooper to the end of it. Pictures galore pop up with both of us together, then I see countless of her by herself in places I’ve never been before.

  “The fucking Paparazzi are eating her alive, even in Denver. Fuck.” Why hasn’t she called me? I could’ve sent someone to help her with this. Or better yet I could’ve flown her back here to help protect her.

  My run back to my house is quick and it’s not long before my single bag is packed and I’m at the airport catching the next flight to Denver. I make Marcus pull some strings and get the address of where Kinsley works with time to spare.

  My Uber pulls up to front of her office building just before people begin to leave for the day. “I’ll pay you a fuck ton extra if you’ll just stay right here and then take me and my girlfriend to her apartment.” The guy nods and I try not to acknowledge that I just called her my girlfriend, but I sure as fuck did.

  I watch as hundreds of people come out, never seeing her once. Two reporters catch my eye on the corner, so I watch their every move.

  About fifteen minutes later, Kinsley struts out the doors and heads straight for the reporters with a confidence I’ve yet to see from her.

  I rush toward her and stand back to listen when she starts to talk.

  “I promised you my side of the story. I had no idea the man in the airport was Beau Jones. If I had known, I’d have given him an earful. But you see that day was the first time I’ve ever been approached by any reporters. You have to admit; your kind can be a bit overwhelming if the person isn’t prepared.” She’s smiling. She’s handling the worst part of my career with charisma better than my own. I came here to save a woman that doesn’t need me to save her.

  “I will be at the fight Saturday, sitting on Mavick’s side of the ring and I will be dying for the moment when I get to see him up close again.”

  “Do you think your relationship is strong enough to withstand the demands of his career?” One of the reporters asks her a valid question and without hesitation she answers.

  “I think we both have a lot in common and we’re looking forward to the chance to see what can come from a long-distance relationship. The only promise I can make is that I want to enjoy every minute I have with him and I ask that you all respect that.”

  Before they can ask her another question, I start walking forward and she sees me out of the corner of her eye. Her face lights up and without another word she runs toward me in those fuck-me heels she wears half the time. Of course, I’d say the same if she was running toward me in a pair of fuck-me Chucks.

  I pick her up in a tight hug and even let the reporters get the money shot of us kissing in the middle of downtown Denver. “What are you doing here?”

  “I fucking missed you. I had to see you before Saturday.”

  “You’re not focused on the fight if you’re thinking about me.”

  “You’re right. I need you close to me so I don’t have to worry about you. I’ll know you’re fine and can do the work I need to.”

  “What are you asking for Mavick?”

  “Come stay in New Orleans with me again. Then after the fight, we’ll talk about all the rest.”

  “I can do that.” She kisses me again while I walk us both over to the Uber and get in. I’m sure we gave the reporters plenty of good footage as they followed us to the car.

  “When do you need to leave?” She breaks the kiss first.

  “Our flights are tomorrow morning.”

  “You already booked us both one?” She looks surprised, even though we both know she shouldn’t

  “Sure did.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Kinsley

  Everything has gone ridiculously well over the last week. I took Mollie to the airport yesterday, but other than that I’ve spent every second with Mavick. She flew in so she could sit with me at the fight, which by the way, Mavick managed to knock out Jones in the second round. He tried to get into his head and instead fed the monster that would be his undoing.

  It was a little different helping him tend to the bruises and cuts he had this time, but we managed to work around it and both appreciated the down time.

  He’s shown me everything he loves about New Orleans and I even went to his gym every day with him. It’s hard not to fall for a man who’s as passionate as he is. He loves the kids he’s working with and it makes my heart thump even more to watch him work with them.

  I watch as the kids all give him a fist bump as they head out the door and even get a few new smiles more today than I’ve earned the past couple of days.

  He saunters over to me, his tank top showing off his body and his eyes squinting in my direction. “Those little fuckers think you’re hot.”

  “Whatever.” He catches me off guard and causes me to bust out loud in laughter.

  “No, they do. I heard them. They like to show off for you.”

  “I guess if it keeps them focused on getting better, then I should just come here every time I visit.” He sits beside me, his arm brushing mine as he does.

  “Or… you could just move here and help me open my new gym.”

  “Isn’t this your gym?” I try to blow off his obvious slip on the me moving here part.

  “No… I volunteer here just to help the kids. I want a space that’s strictly for them. It’s something I’ve b
een wanting to do for a long time now.”

  “That sounds awesome. You’d be great at it… these kids love you.”

  “So… you’ll move here?” He leans forward with his elbows on his knees, looking down at the floor while he waits for my response.

  “Don’t you think we’re moving really fast?” The lump in my throat barely allows my voice to be heard. I don’t want to upset him, but I’m just not sure about how quickly we seem to be tangled in each other’s lives.

  “I’m not thinking about that at all. I’m thinking about how much I’ve enjoyed spending every minute with you and how much I don’t want you to leave.”

  His voice gets deeper and lower as he continues to talk. “I love going to bed with you every night and waking up to you every morning.” He sits back against the wall and looks at me, sending the weight of his words over my shoulders.

  “I’ve loved it too.” I don’t continue and give him my reasoning for not being able to just uproot my life. I physically can’t say the words he’s obviously afraid I’m going to say.

  “I want to go home with you and meet your family. I’d have you meet mine if there were any left.” He surprises me with his request and for a minute I just look at him and take in that he’s reaching for a reason to not let me go.

  “Why do you want to meet my family?”

  “Because I need to decide if I’m moving to Denver or not. I’d love it if you’d move here and help me with the gym… but truthfully, I can build a gym in both cities. There are kids all over that need a place like this.” He’s clearly thought long and hard about this.

  “Mavick… I can’t ask you to move to Denver when you’re literally a legend here.”

  “You’re not asking.” He says with a matter-of-fact tone, leaving me speechless. He’s willing to move to Denver and I’ve barely even considered re-locating for him. To be honest, I haven’t thought about anything this week except the here and now with how much I’ve loved being with him.

  “I need to think about this for a minute.” He stands up quickly and walks away, leaving me sitting by myself. I watch him make his way to the back of the gym and notice that he’s yet to lift his head.