Fighting Love

by Marysol James

  Fighting Love

  (Fighting For Love #3)

  By Marysol James

  © 2014 by Marysol James.

  All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, including information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design: www.doc2mobi.com

  Cover photo: © vladimirfloyd/Fotolia

  Dedication

  For A.

  Queen of the Tiger Lilies

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  About the author

  By the same author

  Chapter One

  “No, I’m sorry… that’s not right.” Reena Mackay’s soft blue eyes were wide with confusion. “I gave Wendy the money two days ago, and she said that she’d given it to you. Everything’s set for me to move in. Isn’t it?”

  Eddie Solis looked at Reena and shook his head. “Nope. I have no money from you or Wendy.”

  “But I gave her my share of the security deposit and the full amount for first and last month’s rent – she was supposed to pay me back her share! I mean… it was thousands of dollars. And you’re saying that she hasn’t given any of it to you?”

  “None.”

  “OK, wait. I’ll call her and see what’s going on here.” With shaking hands, Reena pulled her cell out of her purse and scrolled through her phone book looking for Wendy’s number.

  Eddie crossed his arms and watched her, knowing damn good and well what was going on here. In his thirty-seven years as a landlord, he’d seen every scam out there and this one was an oldie but a goodie: it never went out of style to rip off your potential roommate. Eddie sighed. He liked Reena a lot – far more than he had ever liked Wendy, if he was being honest – but the fact was, if she couldn’t pay what she had legally agreed to, he’d take her cute little ass to court.

  Reena disconnected the call. “It says that this number is no longer in service.”

  “Yeah.” Eddie waited.

  “OK, I’ll… I’ll call her work.” She plucked a business card from her purse and resolutely dialled the number.

  Eddie admired her faith in Wendy, no matter how misguided, and he nodded. He knew full well that Wendy would no longer work there.

  “Hello?” Reena fought to sound calm. “Could I please speak to Wendy Chilton?” She paused and when she spoke again, her voice was a few octaves higher. “When did she quit?”

  Eddie sighed again.

  “I… I see. Thank you.” She turned to Eddie. “She got her salary yesterday by direct deposit and didn’t show up this morning. Left a message on the office machine that she quit.”

  “Yeah.”

  She blinked at him. “You don’t seem all that surprised.”

  “I’m not.”

  Reena was silent for a few seconds, trying to get a grasp on the situation. “OK, so. So… can we just – I don’t know. Like, annul the rental agreement?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re supposed to move in this weekend, Reena. If we annul now, that apartment will stand empty for at least two months. Probably three, since chances are a new tenant would need to give sixty days’ notice on anyplace they live in now. That means that I’m out three months’ income, and I can’t do that. You need to move in, and that means you need to come up with security, and first and last months’ rent.”

  “By this weekend?” Reena asked.

  “I can give you a few extra days to sort it out, but yeah. It needs to be fast.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  He shrugged. “Then, I’m sorry kiddo, but I’ll need to pursue it in small-claims court.”

  She stared at him in total shock. “You’d – you’d sue me?”

  “I’d expect you to fulfil your legal obligations. You did sign the agreement.”

  “So did Wendy.”

  “Right. But since you’re here and she’s not, you’re now on the hook for the full amount plus any penalties or interest for late payment.” He looked at her and softened his voice. “I’m sorry, Reena, I really am. You’ve been royally screwed by that bitch. She signed an agreement she had no intention of honoring and she stole your money and then probably blew the hell out of town. You did nothing to deserve it and I’m sorry for you, but the fact is, you can’t move in to my apartment without giving me that money first.”

  She gasped as something else occurred to her. “But I have to leave my apartment on Saturday! The new people are moving in on Sunday… I have nowhere to live if this all falls through.”

  Eddie nodded. “Then you’ve only got two choices.”

  She stared at him, panic all across her pretty face. “What are they?”

  “You either find the money or you find a new roommate.”

  **

  Katie Lloyd poured Reena another glass of white wine and shook her dark head. “I know getting drunk won’t help, but it’s all I got right now.”

  Reena smiled a little. “Yeah. I don’t really know what to do, either.”

  “God, Reena.” Katie sighed. “I just can’t believe it. I mean, I never got any kind of bad vibe from Wendy.”

  “Me neither.” Mia Ferris held out her own glass to accept some more wine. “But Nick did.”

  “He did?” Maggie Branson asked. “Why?”

  “He never really said, but Nick tended bar for years, remember, and he’s pretty good at sizing people up fast. He met Wendy at Katie’s photo exhibition two months ago, and after he told me that he didn’t really trust her, and he wasn’t at all sure that Reena should move in with her.”

  “Well, now you tell me,” Reena said jokingly.

  “Yeah, I wish I’d said something,” Mia said, her golden eyes serious. “But I know you, sweetie. You always see the good in everyone, and you’d never think badly of Wendy without some kind of proof.”

  “Well, she’s got plenty of proof now,” Maggie said. “So, Reena. Let’s hear you curse her out, huh? Maybe throw around a bit of bad language? Pretty please? Just this once and just for me?”

  Reena took a sip of wine. “Actually, guys. I’m wondering if Wendy is OK.”

  Her friends looked at her with a familiar combination of affection mingled with exasperation. At twenty-six, Reena was the youngest of the group of friends – a good six years younger than the others – and they often found themselves feeling like protective older sisters to her wide-eyed faith in others. They hated when she got taken advantage of, just because she had a shining, good heart, despite it all.

  “Hon,” Katie said. “Wendy has wandered off with several thousand of your hard-earned dollars and stuck you with a possible lawsuit. Wendy is just fine, trust me.”

  “But that’s exactly the point.” Reena’s face was so sweetly earnest that the other women wanted to simultaneously hug her and deck her. “I mean, why did she do this? Maybe she’s in trouble and she needed that money to – I don’t know. Maybe get away.”

  “Oh, Reena.” Mia sighed. “I’m sorry to say this
, sweetie, but I really, really think that the woman was just a con-artist and you got taken advantage of. I think she’s fine – no danger, no getting away from anything. She’s just a not-very-nice person.”

  “Well,” Reena said. “Maybe. Maybe not. But I don’t really want to waste my energy thinking about that. What I need to focus on right now is what I’m going to do.”

  “I told Adam about it,” Katie said. “He says that he and Nick can cover all your costs to move in and until you find a new roommate, and you can pay them back whenever you have the cash.”

  Reena, Mia and Maggie all stared at her.

  “Really?” Maggie said, her green eyes wide. “Wow, Reena… problem solved. I mean, if I had the cash, I’d do it.” She grinned. “But unlike some of you successful writers and photographers, I am actually a starving artist, and can barely cover my own rent.”

  “Oh, no.” Reena looked distressed. “No, Katie, please. Tell Adam thank you, but I can’t accept that.”

  “Why not?” Mia asked. “Why not let them help? Their gym is doing great, so they can certainly help you out financially.”

  Reena was silent. Nick Spencer was Mia’s boyfriend, Adam Pierce was Katie’s, and in her experience, it was always a mistake to borrow money from friends. She extended that rule to friends’ boyfriends, too.

  Besides, I got myself in to this mess. I’ll get myself out.

  “I just think that it would change things,” Reena said. “It would change my relationship with the guys, and with you too, in some ways. I’d feel – I don’t know. Indebted, maybe? And worried and guilty about the money. I just – I think it’s a bad idea.”

  Mia nodded reluctantly. “Yeah. I can understand that. I mean, I wish you’d let them help because it would solve the problem, but it may create a whole bunch of new ones.”

  “So what are you going to do?” Maggie asked. “How are you going to swing the money?”

  Reena shook her head. “Well, it’ll hurt, but I can come up with my share of everything. No way I’ll be able to come up with the full amount in five days, though.”

  “So…” Katie said.

  “So. I’m going to have to find a new roommate.”

  “Where?” Maggie said.

  Reena shrugged. “No idea. Anybody you know need a place to stay?”

  **

  The next morning, Reena headed over to The Rock Fighting Club. She walked in and looked around.

  A large man at the reception desk stood up and smiled at her. Reena’s practiced eye took him in with appreciation: sandy-blond hair, clear green eyes, amazing physique. He’d be gorgeous to paint, she knew, from a purely aesthetic point of view. She returned the smile and walked over to him.

  “Good morning,” he said. “I’m Gavin, the Rock’s manager. Can I help you with something?”

  “Yes, please. I’m looking for Nick and Adam. My name’s Reena.”

  “Sure. Take a seat, OK? I’ll call them for you.”

  “Thanks.” She wandered over to the sofa and sat down, still looking around. She’d never been to The Rock before, and she was intrigued to see Nick and Adam’s club for the first time.

  “Hey, Reena. How you doing?”

  She looked up and there stood Nick and Adam, grinning at her. “Hey, guys.”

  Nick got to her first and he pulled her up and in for a hug. His broad chest was strong and hard, and she held on to him for a second, enjoying the feeling of security he gave her. She liked him a lot for all he’d done for Mia, and she thought that Nick was the best thing to ever walk in to her friend’s life.

  “I’m so sorry about what happened with Wendy.” Nick’s gray eyes were angry. “That was a crappy thing she did to you.”

  “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”

  Adam hugged her now and as always, she was slightly in awe of his sheer size. Nick was a big guy, but Adam was something else entirely: an ex-boxer, his muscular frame tipped the scales at about two-hundred-thirty pounds and he was simply the hugest man she’d ever laid eyes on. But his face was kind as he gazed down at her, and Reena knew that he was nothing but gentle with Katie. Ferocious exterior aside, Adam was a good guy. They both were, and that’s why she was there this morning.

  “You OK, Reena?” Nick asked.

  “Oh, yes. I’m fine. I just wanted to come and thank you in person for your offer to help me. And I wanted to make sure that you understood why I said no… I don’t want you to feel offended. No insult was intended, I promise you.”

  “None taken, sweetheart,” Adam said. “We get it.”

  Nick nodded.

  “OK, then.” Reena relaxed. “I really hate tension between friends.”

  “No tension, Reena. Life’s too short, huh?” Adam smiled. “So, listen. Maybe you want a cup of coffee while you’re here?”

  “Oh, no, thanks. But I was wondering – if you have a notice board or something, can I put up a sign that I’m looking for a roommate?”

  “Well, actually, hon,” Nick said. “We were just talking about that this morning.”

  “About me putting a notice up?”

  “Not exactly.” Nick took her elbow. “Come with us, OK?”

  “Sure.”

  They led her in to a massive open space. Awed, she stared around, not knowing where to look first. There was a youth kickboxing class going on in the farthest corner of the room, and about a dozen huge men were lifting weights next to the group of kicking, spinning teenagers. A group of small kids was doing karate on some mats, a tiny woman was laying in to a punching bag pretty enthusiastically, and two well-muscled men were beating the crap out of each other in the boxing ring in the centre of it all.

  “Wow,” she said turning around and around, trying to take it all in. “This place is amazing.”

  “Thanks,” Adam said. “Lots going on all the time.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.”

  “OK, so,” Nick said. “Your new roommate.”

  She glanced over at him.

  “Would you have any problem rooming with a guy?”

  “A guy?” she said. “No, not on principle. It would depend on the guy, though.”

  Nick gestured behind her. “What about that guy?”

  She turned. “Which guy?”

  “That one. The one in the blue shorts in the boxing ring.”

  Reena blinked as the man in the blue shorts let loose a volley of punches and kicks on his opponent. “That guy?”

  “Yep,” Nick said.

  Reena watched as the man in blue proceeded to knock his opponent down to the floor of the ring with a single punch to the head. He backed off right away, giving the other man time to get to his feet. They seemed to have a quick conversation about something, then both men nodded and resumed beating the living hell out of each other. The man in blue was clearly the better fighter: within ten seconds, he had kicked the other man’s legs right out from under him and pinned him to the ring floor. He hauled back and started punching the fallen man in the face, over and over again.

  She turned to Nick and Adam. “Really?”

  “OK, look,” Adam said. “First, we’d never suggest that you live with anyone dangerous. You know that, right?”

  Reena looked back at the ring. “Um. I guess so.”

  “I mean, dangerous to you,” Adam clarified. “Mitch Corrigan is lethal to anyone opposite him in the ring. But he’d never lay a finger on you. OK?”

  “OK.”

  “Second, I know Mitch. I’ve known him for almost ten years.”

  Reena relaxed a bit. “Yeah? How do you know him?”

  “We trained together for years, and we were sparring partners, and sometimes opponents, even though I was a traditional boxer and he’s a kickboxer. He’s a stand-up guy, Reena, I promise you. Rough around the edges, sure, but he’d give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. I’d never ask you to consider him as a roommate otherwise.”

  “And why does he need a roommate? Is he new to Denver?”

>   “Yeah. He just moved here a month ago to take up a partial sponsorship from us.”

  “You guys are sponsors? For athletes?”

  “We are. We’re just starting, though,” Nick said. “We have one full sponsorship and one partial. So even though Mitch has enough money for the basics, he can’t afford a place on his own. He’s been living in some dive hotel since he got here, and he’s looking for a decent place that he can share. And we thought of you.”

  Reena looked back at Mitch. He had taken off his head gear and he was standing outside the ring, drinking some water. He was huge, she saw now, almost as big as Adam, with almost as many tattoos. Even from several feet away she felt the fierce strength in that body.

  “Reena?” Adam said. “Are you scared of him?”

  She looked up at them. “Oh, no. No way. I mean, look at you two… neither one of you would ever hurt Mia or Katie or me, and I know that you’re both thoroughly competent at beating the life out of people.”

  They grinned.

  “So if you tell me this guy is OK, I believe you.”

  “Alright, then,” Adam said. “You want to meet him?”

  “Sure.”

  **

  Mitchell Corrigan watched Adam and Nick approach him with a woman. He drank from his water bottle again, his green eyes looking the woman up and down, liking what he saw, taking enjoyment in steadily gazing at her as she came his way. Not that she was his usual type; not even close. Mitch had always gone for tall, slinky, dark-haired beauties, all legs and flashing dark eyes and scarlet lips.

  No, this woman was the exact opposite of all of that. She was… well… the only thing that immediately came to mind – oddly – was ‘dainty’, and Mitch meant that in every sense of the word. She was delicate and pale, with long, shiny strawberry-blonde hair and large blue eyes. She looked just like all those fairy-tale princesses that his younger sisters with their unruly dark curls had so badly wanted to resemble growing up. Mitch could totally picture this woman in a flowing pale pink ball gown, long white gloves and glass slippers, dancing in an elegant ballroom. She was tiny and fragile, and the primal part of him longed to slay a dragon for her, save her from a dark knight, sweep her up in his arms and carry her back to his castle.