by Piper Rayne
“Ha. Actually, Twinkies. What about you?”
“Ho Hos.” She gives me a glare and I laugh. “What? Apparently we both like creamy fillings?” She throws a chip at me and I pick it up and eat it.
“Oh, so you are human. You can eat a nacho chip?”
“You’re a bad influence.”
“Please, what would you be doing if you weren’t here with me? Probably out at some club, getting bottle service while girls hang all over you.”
I like to think that there’s jealousy in her tone, but maybe that’s hopeful thinking. “I’d probably be in bed.”
“With how many women?” She gives me a smug smile.
I narrow my gaze. “By myself.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“I’m kind of a boring guy outside of beating the shit outta guys for money.”
“Tell me why you do it—other than for the money.”
I grab the veggie platter and situate myself on the corner of the couch. “I didn’t realize we were gonna get this deep. If I answer, then you’ll have to answer what you have against love.”
She’s quiet for a moment and I think she might tap out, but she nods.
“I grew up in a shitty neighborhood and got picked on. Eventually I fought back, earned myself some respect, and I liked the feeling. Vince was from the same neighborhood and saw me sparring with a guy and wanted to work with me to bring me onto the circuit. I didn’t have any other options and figured using my fists rather than my brains was an easier way to earn a living.” She doesn’t have to know the long road it took to get here and how scared I am that it’s all coming to a close. Maybe not in the next ninety days, but eventually, I’ll have to retire. “The money is good though.”
“So you like the fact that people look up to you?”
I shake my head. “No. I like the fact that people don’t treat me like a piece of shit.”
Her lips tip down. I probably should’ve kept that to myself.
I raise my hand before she can chime in with some half-assed attempt to make me feel better. “I’m far from that scrawny kid who got cornered in the alley of our neighborhood every week, but winning makes me feel powerful and I’ve grown addicted to it.” I shrug.
“What will happen when you don’t win?” She switches the nachos for the potato skins.
“I think that time is growing closer. This fight against Brett Rinaldo in a few months… some people think it’ll be my demise. That I’ll have to give up the title and never come back from it.”
Her shoulders sink and she stares at me for a moment. As hard-shelled as Nikki is, she has a soft side. “That’s horrible for them to say.”
I shrug. “They’re not wrong. With age comes a decline in reflexes, and I’m already nursing so many injuries from previous fights.”
“How old are you?”
“You mean you haven’t Googled me yet?” I raise an eyebrow.
She shakes her head. I’m surprised.
“I’m thirty-four. You?”
“Twenty-nine and thirty-four is not old. Look at you.” Her eyes fall down my body.
I like when she looks at me like that. I know she likes what she sees. If only we could get over this barrier, which reminds me…
“Tell me now why you don’t believe in love.”
She rolls her eyes, which says she was hoping I wouldn’t remember. “My dad cheated on my mom. I caught him and had to be the one who told my mom.”
Well, shit. That could definitely mess someone up. “How old were you?”
“Fourteen. I was with my friends at the movies. It was one of the old theaters and they were playing nineties movies. We were walking up the aisle and laughing at this disgusting couple making out in the back row. One of my friends yelled, ‘Get a room,’ and they stopped. But when the guy turned around, it was my dad.”
I’m speechless. That’s harsh. “What did your dad do?”
“He tried to talk to me, but I screamed and told him to get away from me. My friend’s mom picked us up from the movies and drove me home. All my friends kept wanting to talk about it and ask me how I was doing. I just wanted to go to my room and forget it all. But instead, I had to break my mom’s heart and tell her what I saw. I’ll never forget the look on her face.” Nikki sucks in a ragged breath.
“I’m sorry. That truly sucks.”
She nods and puts the plate of potato skins back on the table. “I’ll eat all of this if I’m not careful.”
“Stress eater?” I ask.
“Emotional eater.”
“Thanks for trusting me,” I say because I’m not sure what else to say, but I do feel honored that she told me.
“You trusted me and you’re in a worse position than I am if I let out your secrets.” A nervous laugh leaks out of her.
“True. But I know it’s hard for you to share.”
She nods. “My dad was everything to me, but I should’ve known. You have no idea how many times I’ve had to console my friends in high school and college after their boyfriends cheated on them. Temptation wins time and time again.”
“That’s not always true.”
She looks at me. “So you’re celibate?”
I laugh, but she’s serious. “No, but I’m not always looking to hook up. Hell, I married you the first night we met. What does that tell you?”
“That you probably shouldn’t drink tequila again.”
I grin. “Ah, I think I make good decisions when I drink tequila. Look at us now.”
She scoffs. “Yeah, living a fairy tale fake relationship.”
“Well, at least we’re having fun.” The words sound hollow, and I wish I could take them back. I’m having more than fun with her. I haven’t been part of a relationship in a long time, and I forgot how good it feels.
Then again, I have to be wary, because so many of those old friends and girlfriends were in it for what I could give them. They liked the fame and the cameras and the money. Nikki doesn’t seem that way, which is what intrigues me, but I haven’t always been a good judge of character.
“True. Thanks for tonight. I had a great time. The show was spectacular.” She gets up and grabs a bottle of water.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go to bed now.”
Way to go, Stone, you ruined the conversation by bringing up her dad.
“Are you sure? We could watch a movie or something?”
She yawns. “No. I’m beat. Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome.”
Our eyes lock for a moment, then both of our gazes skim down the other. If she was anyone else, I’d break the distance and kiss her until she begged me to take her to bed. But she’s far from ready to admit there might be something more than just a fake marriage here.
“Good night,” she says softly.
“‘Night, Nikki.”
I watch her disappear down the small hallway toward her room, happy that at least some progress was made tonight.
Chapter Eleven
“Oh boy, hold on. This is going to get bumpy now.”
Nikki
“Did you sleep well?” Logan asks as we step out of his suite and head down the hallway toward the elevators.
“I did.”
“Happy to be going home?” We enter the elevator, and he presses the button for the main floor.
“Yep, except for the part where the interview will air and everyone will be talking about it.”
“Gossip bothers you, yet you host a gossip show on a radio station?” He chuckles.
“I never make anything up, it’s all the truth.”
He grows somber and stares at me. “That’s important to you? Truth?”
“It’s the reason I do what I do. Lies spread faster than truth. I get the truth out there before the lies spread.”
He stares at me so intensely, I shift my weight. “Why?”
I don’t want to get into what happens once your family has imploded and you find yourse
lves the subject of rumors and lies, so I say, “Exactly what I said. Lies spread faster and do more damage than the truth.”
He doesn’t ask any more questions—probably because I put the iron gate down—and the silence of the small space soon gets interrupted by the sounds and bells from the casino floor. Just like he did on the way in, Logan takes my hand and leads me through the throngs of slot machines to get us outside before anyone can stop us.
We’re just about to the doors when a petite brunette steps in front of him. “Log?” she says, but not in a tone that makes me think it’s a coincidence she ran into us.
“Melanie?”
So he knows her name. Something in my gut says I won’t like what’s about to happen.
“I heard you were in town.” Her gaze detours down to where our hands are joined. I move to remove mine, but Logan grips tighter.
“Yeah, I’m here with Nikki.” He looks at me. “My wife.”
Melanie laughs and her curly hair bounces up and down. “I heard something about a drunk Vegas wedding.” Her gaze zeroes in on me. “You can’t be serious?”
“As serious as a married couple,” Logan says. “Nikki, this is Melanie.”
I’d offer my hand, but Melanie crosses her arms and her breasts practically pop out from how low cut her shirt is.
“Can we talk?” She lowers her voice, but I hear someone to our right say Logan’s name.
I turn and a group of guys are pointing and looking up things on their phone.
“I gotta go. We have a flight to catch.” Logan steps us around her.
“You’re just going to walk away from me?” Melanie says in a loud enough voice that it’s clear she wants everyone in the vicinity to hear her. “Logan Stone!”
Logan releases my hand and walks back over to her, leaving me by the door. The group of guys are now pointing at me and whispering to one another. A woman snaps a picture, and soon a small horseshoe forms around us.
Logan lowers his voice, his mouth right to Melanie’s ear, and she glares at me from over his shoulder. When I’m about to leave the casino and hop in a cab, Logan walks away from her and comes to me, grabbing my hand one more time and guiding me outside to a black SUV, ignoring the pleas from onlookers for a signature.
Once we’re away from the hotel and on our way to the airport, he turns to me. “I’m sorry. Melanie is an ex, but I haven’t been with her in a long time.”
“But she knew this is where you stay?”
“She knows I stay wherever an upcoming fight is. Yes.”
“It’s none of my business. It’s fine.”
He takes my hand. “I want you to know she’s no one.”
I nod. “Whatever, we both have exes.”
I assume he has a lot more than me, since I don’t really date because dating is generally going somewhere and I usually sabotage my relationships before they get too serious.
“Let’s get home to Sunrise Bay.” He leans his head back on the seat and blows out a long breath.
I’m thinking Melanie was a little more than a typical ex, but I’m not going to ask. My gut says I won’t like the answer he gives.
We both fell asleep on the plane ride—which I’m thankful for, because I’m quite done with talking for a while. Back in Sunrise Bay, the usual SUV pulls up to my house and I catch sight of Rylan across the street, playing soccer out front of Hank and my mom’s house.
“Hey, Ry!” I scream and wave.
He stops playing and I figure I might as well introduce my half-brother to his brother-in-law.
“Who’s that?” Logan asks.
“My little brother. Come on.” We cross the street as Rylan bounces the soccer ball from knee to knee. “Rylan, this is Logan—”
“Stone?” he asks, his eyes huge. “Jed said something, but I didn’t believe him. You really married Logan Stone?”
I roll my eyes.
Logan puts out his arm between us. “Nice to meet you. You’re a soccer guy, huh?”
I ruffle Rylan’s brown hair. “He’s the best in the area. At least the best boy in the area.” I give him a teasing smile because he practices with a girl from Lake Starlight who’s really good as well. We’re always razzing him about liking her. He swears he doesn’t.
“I’m the best,” Rylan says. “I beat Calista yesterday.”
“Calista?” Logan asks.
“Calista is Rylan’s practice partner.”
Rylan backs away from me. He’s growing too old for me to show affection now. “She’s annoying.”
Logan looks at me with a knowing look like he understands what’s going on. Twelve-year-olds are complicated individuals. Almost a teenager, but not quite.
“Girls have cooties,” Logan says, and Rylan’s eyebrows scrunch at me.
I wrap my arms around Rylan, and he tries to get away. “I’m spreading my cooties all over you. Admit it. You like her.”
Rylan squirms out of my hold and runs away, kicking his soccer ball.
“Nice to meet you!” Logan calls to him.
Rylan turns around, running backward. “Come to one of my games. My teammates would never believe my sister got drunk and married Logan Stone.”
I narrow my eyes as Rylan laughs, running into the house, but just as he disappears inside, my mom steps out.
“Hey, you two,” Mom says and walks out to us barefoot. Her feet must be freezing. It’s not that warm out yet.
“Oh boy, hold on. This is going to get bumpy now,” I murmur.
“You guys are back from Vegas?” she asks, coming to my side and running her hand down my arm, silently asking if everything went well.
“We are,” I say.
“I just saw the interview.”
Of course she did.
“And?” Logan asks. “How did we look?”
My mom beams at me. “You look in love.”
But she’s questioning me with her eyes. I hate that my mom always knows everything. She probably knows this is all fake.
Logan rushes to my side and puts his arm around my waist. “Because we are.”
My mom smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “What else did you two do?”
“We went to dinner and Cirque du Soleil. The show was amazing. You and Hank should go sometime.”
She glances back at the house. “Yeah, maybe we’ll get away sometime. So!” She claps her hands. “I’m thinking dinner? When can we have you guys over and get to know our son-in-law better?”
I slide closer to Logan. “He’s on a special diet. Has to train.”
I made up the excuse so he doesn’t feel obligated. Surely dinner with my mom will come with an interrogation. By the time dessert is served, she’ll be acting as though she just solved the case. Not to mention this is all pretend. Why would he want to go on a get-to-know-my-family mission?
“You can tell me what to cook,” she says, staring only at Logan.
“Please don’t go to any trouble for me,” he says.
She waves him off. “You’re part of the family now. It’d be my pleasure.”
“We’ll let you know.” I plead with my eyes for her to stop asking.
“How about Sunday?” She looks between the two of us hopefully.
“Mom, he’s not ready for the entire family yet.”
She smiles and I know that she’s not going to accept no as an answer. “A big MMA fighter can’t handle a big family?” Again, she puts her sole attention on Logan.
“It’s no problem. Sunday should be great,” he says, smiling as though he might actually mean it.
She claps again. “Then it’s settled. Around three work?”
I groan and Logan chuckles. “Sounds good.”
“See you then, Mom.” I slide my hand in Logan’s to walk back over to my house.
“Hey, Nik, give me a call when you get some time,” she says.
“Sure thing.” I smile and wave.
But I have no plans of calling her. She’s only going to figure out what Logan and I
are doing, then I’ll have to hear the speech again about my dad and how not all men are horrible disappointments, just look at Hank, Jed, and my stepbrothers, there are good men out in the world.
I’m not in the mood.
We reach the bottom of the hill and Logan stops at the sidewalk. “You okay with that?”
I look back and see my mom is on the porch, watching us. I make a mental note to tell her how creepy she looks doing that. “You know that whole question game we played last night?”
His face grows serious. “Yeah.”
“Tonight we’re playing fast five, because if we’re going to fool everyone into thinking we’re madly in love, we have to fool Marla Greene first. She’s our harshest critic.”
“Bring it on.” He smiles.
Sometimes I think he likes what’s going on with us. That he wants us to be more. He didn’t have to do all that yesterday for me—the show and expensive dinner. But the thought that he’s doing it because he wants something more gives me butterflies. I have to make sure that feeling dies. Otherwise, I might as well hand him my heart now and watch him smash it into smithereens against the concrete.
“Then let’s get my stuff moved into the Linville house and make up some flashcards.”
“Don’t you think that’s a bit much?” he asks.
I stop with my key in the lock of my house. “Not when it comes to my mom. She’s going to dig deep. Believe me.”
He laughs as we step into the house I share with my sisters, but he has no idea. Marla Greene missed her calling as a police detective. Or her motherly intuition and skills are just fine-tuned. Regardless, she’s already sniffing around, which means I’m too transparent.
Game on.
Chapter Twelve
“I heard Ethel and Dori were looking for you.”
Logan
I knew my time alone with Nikki would come to an end, but it came crashing down when my team arrived an hour ago. Luckily, she’s at the radio station. The chef has overtaken the kitchen, and my team of trainers is settling in the back guest house. Right now, I’m thankful Vince decided to stay down in Vegas and come up in a month or so to make sure we’re staying on track. He has his own feelings in regard to this marriage with Nikki, and I don’t care to have him around.
