A Fighter's Desire

by L. P. Dover

  His girlfriend, however, pushed me against the elevator wall and lifted her fist. Instantly, Tyler caught her hand before she could swing. Little did he know I was a trained fighter and could kick her ass.

  “Don’t ever touch me again,” I growled, glaring angrily at Kyle and his bitch.

  Pulling the girl away by her arm, Tyler pushed her to the side so he could stand protectively in front of me; I didn’t need a protector, but it was kind of sexy. Guffawing, Kyle stood up to Tyler’s height and winked down at me. “Damn girl, I didn’t take you as someone to have a set of balls on you.”

  “What can I say,” I hissed, “my brother taught me well.”

  Tyler moved over, which cut off Kyle’s view of me. “You need to stop talking to her, cocksucker, before I kick your ass.”

  “And don’t you wish you could,” Kyle retorted. “It’s a shame we don’t fight this weekend. I’ve wanted to get in the ring with you for a long time now.”

  “Then what’s stopping you? Meet me tonight at my gym and we’ll see what you got. Unless you want to be a pussy and back out ...”

  “You’re on, motherfucker,” Kyle snarled angrily. “I’ll be there.”

  The door to the elevator opened, but the guys still stood there staring each other down. In the lobby, Ashleigh could see me and her eyes went wide; she knew what was going on. Thankfully, she ushered Colin and Bradley toward the entrance door of the hotel so they wouldn’t see me.

  “Until tonight,” Kyle spat, putting his arm around the girl.

  As soon as they walked out, I took a deep breath and huffed. “Oh my God, I wanted to kill him. Now I feel like I need to take a shower, though. I don’t like him touching me.”

  Taking my hand, Tyler pulled me out of the elevator and over to the side, making Ashleigh halt a few steps away. “Trust me, I wanted to kill him, too. I’ve never been so fucking pissed in my life,” he stated, tilting my chin. “I knew he would be in town, but I didn’t think we’d actually run into him here.”

  “So what are you going to do? Are you really going to fight him?”

  “Fuck yeah, I am. Do you mind pushing off our night together a little longer so I can kick his ass?”

  A slow smile spread across my lips. “You don’t even have to ask. This is definitely a fight I’m not going to miss.”

  Tyler kissed me gently, but then tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth. “Then I’ll see you tonight, baby.”

  Turning on his heel, he said hello to Ashleigh before walking off and out of the hotel. Thankfully, the guys didn’t seem to notice him. Ashleigh’s eyes were huge when she ran up to me and grabbed my hands. “Holy hell, what just happened? That was Kyle Andrews in there with you, wasn’t it?”

  Knowing we needed to get a move on, I nodded my head and started toward the door. “Yes, it was. Oh my God, I seriously felt like I could kill him. When he touched me, everything moved in slow motion after that.”

  She gasped, “Wow, what did Tyler do?”

  “Well,” I explained, “it looks like there’s going to be a fight tonight. I have to be there.”

  Sighing, she looked at her boyfriend and Bradley just outside of the hotel, and then back to me. “Then I’ll come, too. I can’t let you go there by yourself.”

  “No, you’re not. I’m not going to let you do that. Ryley and Camden are most likely going to be there, and the last thing I want is for Colin to hate me for dragging you into this. I’ll get a ride with Ryley. Besides, I don’t want Bradley finding out.”

  Shaking her head, Ashleigh smiled and linked her arm with mine. “I have to admit, you have one of the most exciting lives of anyone I know. You once told me you lived vicariously through me, but I’m starting to think it’s the other way around.”

  “What can I say? There’s never a dull moment around my fighters. They keep you on your toes.”

  “That they do,” she sighed.

  “COME ON, COLIN, strike ’em out!” I yelled as we approached the ninth inning. We were in the lead with only one more out to get before the victory would be ours. Bradley was ever so vigilant at first base, but when his eyes landed on mine they hardened.

  “What am I going to do, Ash? He’s so pissed at me right now.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “I talked to him this morning. Honestly, I have no room to say anything since I basically fell for Ryley when I was already in love with Colin. Your situation is different since you’re not in love with either one. You’re in lust with one, but care about the other.”

  She had a point. If I could just combine the two men it would be perfect.

  “I’m attracted to Bradley and I could see myself having some real fun with him if you know what I mean, but it doesn’t go any deeper than that. If he could keep it casual, I’d be fine. However, I know he wants more. I don’t want that kind of relationship right now. I will later on, but I don’t want to get attached to him, or anyone, when I know we’re about to graduate and move on with our lives.”

  “Then you need to tell him,” she stated wholeheartedly. “Maybe he’ll be open to something more casual. Have you even discussed this with him?”

  I shook my head, keeping my gaze on Bradley. “No, not exactly.”

  “Well, then tonight before you leave for the fight, talk to him and get it all sorted out. I don’t like seeing you two at odds. I miss our foursome.”

  I do, too.

  “All right, I’ll talk to him tonight before I go.”

  Satisfied, Ashleigh bumped me in the shoulder and concentrated on the game. When Colin threw the ball, it was like a white blur speeding down the field. The batter struck out, which meant we only needed one more strike before the game would be over.

  Colin removed his hat and took a deep breath, swiping his sweaty forehead on the sleeve of his jersey. In his hand, he twirled the ball in his glove and leaned over, making sure to keep his gaze on the catcher.

  The second he nodded his head, I knew he had the play in his mind on exactly how he was going to throw the ball and how hard he was going to throw it. I’d watched him and Bradley play so much I knew their routines.

  “Oh, it’s over now,” I whispered. “He’s going to throw his curve ball, isn’t he?”

  Ashleigh bit her lip and nodded, her gaze alit with excitement. “Yes, and let’s hope it works.”

  Everything moved in slow motion as Colin threw the ball and the batter swung …

  Strike three!

  The crowd went wild, including me and Ashleigh, who stood up on the bleachers and screamed. All of the CSU players rushed out onto the field and threw Colin on their shoulders, parading him around the field. Ashleigh ran out there as well, joining in the festivities while I stood back and watched, knowing Bradley didn’t want me out there.

  Instead, I walked down the bleachers and to the parking lot so I could wait by the car. I didn’t know how long they would be, so I pulled out my phone and scrolled through Facebook to catch up on everyone’s posts.

  My brother’s wife had posted a sonogram picture of the baby with the title ‘Any day now’ on it. She was nine months pregnant and due at any moment. I was going to be an aunt soon and couldn’t wait. Next, I had a friend who …

  “What are you doing all the way out here?” Bradley asked, catching me off guard. I fumbled with my phone and almost dropped it, but he caught it with his quick reflexes. “I thought you would be out there celebrating with us.”

  “I would’ve, but I didn’t think you wanted me there. I didn’t want to ruin it for you,” I murmured sadly as I took my phone from him.

  Sighing, Bradley leaned up against the car and bumped me in the shoulder. “I know I’ve been a dick to you, but you could never ruin this win for me. How about we go out and celebrate … as friends?”

  “You mean it?” I asked, glancing up at him.

  He put his arm around me and I instantly held on tight, smiling as I laid my head on his chest. It felt good to have him back, even if it was temporary or just the h
eat of the moment. Opening the car door, we slid in back and waited for the others. However, I was afraid to speak for fear the spell would be broken.

  Leaning down, he wrapped his warm hand around the back of my head and pulled me closer so he could kiss my cheek. “You mean a lot to me, Gabby. I would rather have you in my life as friends than not at all. Just tell me one thing …”

  “What do you want to know?” I asked, whispering.

  He paused for a second, and released a heavy sigh. “Is there someone else? Is that the reason why you’re pulling away from me?”

  Looking up into his wary, caramel gaze, I swallowed hard and bit back the tears. Unfortunately, it was no use. “It’s complicated, Bradley. There are a few reasons why I’m hesitant to be with you. I know you want something serious, which is something I can’t give you right now. We’re about to graduate and you’ll be going off to play pro baseball, traveling all over the country. It would never work.”

  “You don’t know that,” he countered.

  “No, I don’t, but it scares me. If I let myself, I know I could fall in love with you. You’re the kind of guy a girl dreams of finding one day.”

  Rubbing his thumb under my eyes to wipe away the tears, he smiled and kissed me gently on the lips. “Then maybe one day I’ll be able to prove to you that it could work. Please, promise me that whenever you decide what you want, you’ll think about coming back to me. I miss you, Gabby.”

  “I miss you, too.”

  Maybe one day there would be hope for us … it just wasn’t the right time.

  After showering and changing clothes, we all went out to eat at the Aquaknox restaurant and had a few drinks. It was just like old times; we laughed, talked, and had a great time. I hoped it would stay like that, but I knew once the adrenaline from their win wore off, Bradley would probably be pissed again.

  When we arrived back at the hotel, we rode the elevator together, but Colin and Ashleigh got off on their floor, leaving me and Bradley alone. In silence, we got off on my floor and walked down to my room, but I knew I couldn’t let him stay.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to hang out tonight? We could watch a movie,” Bradley suggested, leaning casually against the wall outside of my door.

  Shaking my head, I yawned and leaned up against the wall, too. “I’ll fall asleep if you turn on a movie. I think I’m just going to get ready for bed. I’ll see you in the morning, though.”

  Disappointed, he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Okay. If you need me, just give me a call and I’ll come up.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered.

  He turned to walk away, looking back at me once before disappearing around the corner and out of my sight. I knew I didn’t have long to get ready, so I rushed inside my room to the bathroom. However, I didn’t even get there before a knock sounded on my door.

  It had to be Ryley coming to get me.

  As soon as I opened the door, Ryley barged in with a smirk on his face. “I see you had a date tonight. I’m jealous,” he teased.

  “Spying, are we?”

  “I’m two doors down, Gabby. It’s a good thing I looked through the peephole before opening the door. I’m sure your friend would’ve been thrilled to see me.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so.” I shut the door behind him and went straight to the bedroom so I could freshen up. “Anyway, it wasn’t a date. We’re just friends, or at least trying to be. Where’s Camden?”

  Ryley followed me and sat down on the bed. “He said he had better things to do, which basically means he’ll be in his room fucking all night.”

  “That’s nice,” I noted sarcastically. “Do you not ever worry about diseases and stuff like that?”

  “That’s why we wear condoms, Gabby. The only girl I’ve ever fucked without one was Ashleigh when we were in my pool. Now I know not to ever do that shit again.”

  “Were you really starting to care about her?”

  I watched his reflection in the mirror as he turned his head and sighed. “Yeah, I guess. I’ve never cared about anyone before, so I don’t really know.”

  Knowing it made him uncomfortable to talk about Ashleigh, I cleared my throat and didn’t say another word about her. “Men and women can’t be just friends,” he said. “You and I are, but if you ever wanted me to fuck you I’d be all up for it. I actually respect you, so I don’t push it.”

  “And I appreciate that,” I chuckled.

  My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and when I pulled it out to look at it, I saw a text from Tyler.

  Tyler: Ryley’s coming to get you. I’ll see you soon.

  Me: He’s already here. Leaving now.

  “Oh yeah, Tyler sent me to get you. He didn’t want you coming alone since Kyle ‘The Cocksucker’ Andrews is in our fucking hotel. I can’t believe he messed with you today.”

  I snarled, “Tell me about it. The bitch with him tried to punch me, too.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. Her name is Jaden Eller. She’s one of our female UFC fighters and the biggest cunt you’ll ever meet. I guess it’s fitting that she chose Kyle to fuck around with.”

  “I see,” I said, smiling on the inside. If that bitch only knew that I could fight. “Are you ready to go?”

  “After you, sweetheart.”

  Grabbing my gym bag, I made sure everything was in there that I would need. Ryley looked questioningly at me, but I waved him off and started for the door. If anything happened I knew I would be ready.

  “IS TYLER’S FATHER going to approve of holding a fight in their gym this late at night?” I asked curiously on our way there. I’d met Steven Rushing before, and he didn’t take me as the kind of man who would approve of this kind of fight.

  Sheepishly, Ryley shrugged his shoulders and bit his lip. “Actually, his father doesn’t know. He’s out of town with Tyler’s mother for a couple of weeks. He’ll be so fucking pissed if he finds out.”

  “Let’s just hope he doesn’t.”

  When we pulled up in the parking lot, it was so packed I didn’t even know if we’d find a parking space. “You know your brother’s going to find out that you’re here. There’s no way you can be around this many people in our circle and he not find out. I told him a while back that he needed to loosen up on you or you’d rebel.”

  “You did? Well, then I guess it’s time to take a stand.”

  Luckily, Ryley found a parking space that wasn’t too far away, so I took a deep breath before grabbing my bag and following him down the sidewalk to the gym. Not only was there a line to get in, but there were even bouncers at the door holding the people off.

  I gasped, “Oh my God, this is insane. How will we get in?”

  Ryley snorted incredulously, and put his arm around my shoulders. “Seriously, Gabby. I can’t believe you’d even ask that. You’re probably the first person written on that list.”

  We walked past everyone waiting in the line, heading straight up to the door, which two guys dressed in all black opened for us. “He’s in the back waiting on you two,” the long haired one said, smiling down at me.

  He had to be at least six foot four with shoulder-length, light brown hair and green eyes. His T-shirt said ‘The Labyrinth’ on it, and I knew it was the fancy, high end club that my brother used to fight at, and also where Tyler worked as a bouncer. The owner held MMA fights every single weekend, and that was how Tyler got noticed. I’d never been to the club, but I’d always wanted to go there.

  “Is everything ready for the party tomorrow?” Ryley asked the bouncer.

  The guy smiled and they fist bumped. “You know it. It’s going to be fucking awesome.”

  Ryley put his hand on the small of my back and ushered me inside; there was hardly any standing room. Tyler should’ve charged admittance.

  “Where’s the party at tomorrow night? I don’t think you ever told me.”

  Pulling me closer so we wouldn’t get separated, Ryley leaned over and replied, “It’s going to be at The Labyrinth.
Have you ever been there?”

  “No, but I’ve always wanted to.”

  “Oh, you’ll like it. Your brother is a legend there. That’s where I first met him.”

  I liked knowing my brother had worked his way from the bottom to the top. Our father had left us when I was just a baby, and ever since then Matt had worked every single day of his life to help our mother with the bills.

  I owed him so much; without him I would’ve never gone to college or had the things I do now. Even though he was my older brother, he was kind of like my father in that aspect, too. I couldn’t remember our father, so for my whole life it’d always been just Matt … which was probably why he was so protective of me.

  In the gym was an area where a ring was set up, just like in an arena. There—standing by it with a whole group of rogue-looking fighters—was Kyle with the same girl from earlier. He was obviously ready to fight; his hands were wrapped up in his red gloves, and he had his red and black fighting shorts on. When he saw me, he winked and licked his lips.

  In return, I flipped him off and kept walking. Even though the room was loud and crowded, I could still hear his evil laugh vibrating off of the walls.

  “Just keep walking, Gabby,” Ryley commanded.

  He led me to a separate room, where Tyler, Cole, and a couple of other fighters were. Tyler was ready, dressed in his white and black fighting shorts with his black handwraps already on his fists. Luckily, he didn’t look pissed off, but I knew that was because he was about to go out there and kick Kyle’s ass.

  Tyler smirked when he saw me, and nodded for me to follow him, most likely to get away from everyone’s prying ears. When he ushered me to the back room, he locked the door and smiled.

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this,” I said. “I wish I was the one getting to kick his ass.”

  Tucking my hair behind my ear with his fingers, he trailed them softly over my cheek to my lips. “As sexy as it would be to see you in the ring beating the hell out of him, this is something I want to do. I’ve wanted a chance to take him on ever since he fucked with your brother.”