Takedown (Fight Factory Book 1)

by Lea Hart

  Tilting her head, she studied him. “Are we on a date?”

  “Mini-date,” he replied with a smile.

  “I can see that smile of yours has gotten you out of trouble your whole life, and probably charmed countless women out of their panties.” She ran her hand over her arm and wrinkled her nose. “Guess all those southern boys I grew up with have made me immune to a charming smile.” When he crashed his chair back down and frowned, she laughed. He was far too confident about what he wanted and how he was going to get it. It might do him some good if knew that she wasn’t easy pickings.

  “You can tell yourself whatever lies you need to. But…we both know that something is going to happen between us. What that something is will be interesting to see,” he replied confidently.

  The number for their order was called and he got up to retrieve their food.

  Snorting, she watched him walk away. He could think what he wanted. Didn’t make a difference to her. She turned and watched him grab their tray of food and realized he was going to be real hard to resist. No matter what she told herself. Which meant she needed to do her best regardless of the smile he was giving her.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Monday, January 23rd

  Matt stood on the sidewalk, looked up at the tall glass building, and let out a whistle. Excel Sports Management was located on the edge of Chinatown in San Francisco and it seemed they were the real deal. He’d asked around and heard nothing but good things. Probably wouldn’t matter if he hadn’t. Putting his professional career in Bree’s hands seemed like a surefire way to spend time around her. Nothing else had worked, so here he was.

  He’d tried just about everything he could think of to get her to go out with him, and nothing had worked, so he figured getting them entwined professionally might be the only answer.

  He strode into the building, punched the elevator call button, and let out a breath. He knew the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body had to do with seeing Bree and not meeting a new management team. There wasn’t a ton that anyone could do about the contracts the UFC offered, and the best he could hope for was getting more endorsement deals. And a date with Bree. Because really, that was the point of today’s visit.

  After he went through the formalities of introducing himself to the receptionist, he was finally following her toward Bree’s office. As he walked down the hall, he wondered how friendly she was going to be. They’d had some good conversations over the last couple of weeks, but she never seemed to have time when he’d suggested they get together. The receptionist knocked lightly on Bree’s door and announced his arrival. He saw his dream girl look up with a smile. Goddamn, he wanted to spend time with her and see if she was as good as he imagined. “Hello, Bree.”

  “Hey, there, darlin’. Good to see you.”

  She stood, then walked around her desk and held out her hand. He ignored it, opened his arms, and pulled her in for a hug. No way was he going to accept a bullshit handshake. They’d had a sweet kiss when he’d walked her up to her room back in Vegas, and that marked their beginning, as far as he was concerned. When she relaxed, he hugged her tighter and knew he was right. Dream girl wasn’t immune to him, as much as she tried. Her effort was admirable, but it wasn’t going to be enough in the end.

  Resting his head on top of hers, he noticed the amazing view. “Nice digs.” He could see part of the Bay Bridge as well as the Embarcadero. “After we’re done with the meetings, let’s go over to the Ferry Building and have lunch. My buddy’s brother has an ice cream place and we should try it. They have a flavor called Secret Breakfast, which has bourbon and cornflakes.” Kissing her head, he then released his hold. “Crazy ice cream awaits.”

  “Ice cream is one of my favorite foods, so you won’t have to twist my arm to get me to agree.”

  “Interesting. I’m going to file that little nugget of information away. So far, I know you like surfers and ice cream. I can’t wait to find out what else is on your list.”

  “Darlin’, it’s long and complicated.” Stepping back to her desk, she pushed her pile of pencils together. “Tell me some things that you like, so I can decide if we’re going to be friends.”

  “We’re going to be a lot more than friends,” he replied with a chuckle as he gazed into her laughing blue eyes. A wave of happiness crashed against his chest, and it reminded him of the way he felt after winning a fight. Which made him remember something his brother had told him after he won his first world title—all the gold belts in the world were not going to make him happy if he didn’t have someone to share it with.

  Matt was ten years younger, and he’d always listened to Nate’s advice because he respected the way his brother handled his career. His success on the professional surfing circuit was legendary and yet, his brother always kept his priorities straight. On top of that, he had a successful nineteen-year marriage. “Let’s see…I like lawyers from Alabama, fish tacos, and winter swells at Steamer Lane when six-foot waves are pumping.”

  “What about that professional glory you’ve got going on? You like any part of that?”

  As he was about to answer, there was a knock on the door. “I’ll have to save my answer to that question for later.” He figured it was time to start the meeting, so self-revelation was going to have to wait.

  According to Bree, the company had three agents, one other attorney, and a financial manager, as well as a support staff of five. They had contracts under management that totaled over a half-billion dollars, which wasn’t bad for a four-year-old company.

  A man popped his head in and grinned. “Ready when you are.”

  Bree waved the man in and then introduced him. “Matt, this is Jeff. He and I went to school together and he’s as smart as they come. He’s one of the agents and darn good at what he does.”

  Matt studied the guy and figured him to be about the same age as Bree. He had a friendly smile and a sharp gaze. “Nice to meet you.” He would never add much to their bottom line because MMA contracts were small potatoes in comparison to almost every other sport, so it was great they were taking the time to speak with him.

  “Let’s get started,” Bree said as she grabbed her iPad off her desk. “Matt told me about some ice cream and it’s all I can think about.”

  Jeff held the door open and waited for them to walk through. “That is Bree’s favorite food. I think she lived on the soft serve stuff they served in the cafeteria at school. I’m surprised she didn’t gain fifty pounds.”

  “Now, you hush, Jeff. We’re here to impress him, not to relive our college years.”

  As Matt followed them down the hall, he thought about telling them to forget impressing him. He was much more interested in hearing about Bree.

  ***

  Bree stood next to Matt in front of the office and pulled out her phone. “I was thinking we could walk, but it seems too cold. I’ll call an Uber.”

  “Let’s walk. That way you have to snuggle up to keep warm.”

  Looking up, she saw his wicked smile and thought, Why the hell not? How many times was a man as handsome as Matt going to offer to keep her warm? “Okay.”

  Taking her hand, he headed toward Clay Street. “It shouldn’t take us long to get there and I could use the fresh air.”

  “Three hours is a long time for a meeting,” Bree commented as she pushed her free hand in her pocket. “We all got off on that tangent about negotiating with the UFC. It’s an interesting idea and one that’s going to eventually happen.”

  “Do you think Bannon is really capable of pulling off a fight with Mayweather?”

  They turned down Clay Street toward the water and the wind picked up, lifting the bottom of Bree’s coat. “The guy has always done things his own way, so the lack of UFC’s consent isn’t likely to stop him. I heard he got a boxing license, so if they agree on money, it could actually happen.”

  “He loves that boxing money,” he responded with a laugh.

  Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder a
nd she enjoyed the heat rolling off him. “Can’t really blame him. The difference in paydays is enough to make anyone want to cross over to boxing.”

  “I’ve never been tempted to go down that road. I was a wrestler in high school, then got into jiujitsu. The boxing ring has never had a lot of appeal for me.”

  “But one of your signature moves is that counter right hook. That’s classic boxing.”

  His eyebrows lifted and he smirked. “A woman who knows my moves. Could be dangerous.”

  “Yeah, I’ve had my ears filled with Matt Hall lore. I know all about you.” When he tightened his hold, she wondered if he was worried about all the gossip that floated around. At some point, you probably had to ignore it and just live your life.

  And that’s what she was planning on doing with Tony. He hadn’t let up on his campaign against Matt and she was getting tired of it. Whatever happened between the two of them had made Tony believe that Matt was the worst guy in all of MMA. Which was the furthest thing from the truth. He wasn’t an angel and he wasn’t a devil. He probably had a little bit of each in him, just like everyone else.

  “At some point, I’m going to have to separate fact from fiction for you,” Matt said as they crossed the street. “I’m not half as good or half as bad as everyone says.”

  He pressed a kiss to her head as they passed the park, and she wondered what the deep background check was going to reveal. It was something the company insisted on when signing new clients. Endorsement contracts always included a morals clause, and it was important that everyone understand what that meant upfront. Even the UFC was starting to crack down and enforce the clauses in their contracts. So, it was best for everyone concerned if everything was out on the table.

  “Hey, you still with me?” Matt asked as he squeezed her hand.

  Shaking her head, she realized that she’d been caught in her thoughts. “Sorry about that. Maybe I need to be fed.”

  “What’s your favorite place to eat inside the Ferry Building?”

  “All of them. I like the American Eatery, Boccalone Salumeria, Bouli Bar, El Porteno Empanadas, Gott’s Roadside, Hog Island Oyster Company. I can keep going if you want.”

  “A woman who likes to eat, my favorite kind. Do you want to walk around and see what looks good?”

  “Yes. That’s perfect.” They walked passed the Vaillancourt Fountain, and Bree thought Matt Hall looked damn good. His pretty eyes and short, light brown hair made his all-American good looks hard to ignore. Her girl parts were fluttery and she figured it was because there was an absoluteness in his focus. And after her experience with Grayson, she wanted to roll around in it.

  More than a year had passed and she realized the stuck feeling that she’d been so familiar with seemed to be easing. Wrapping her arm around Matt’s waist, she realized that she was about thawed out. The ice that had surrounded her heart and emotions was almost melted and it seemed the MMA fighter next to her might’ve had something to do with it. Breathing the salt air in, she looked across at the bay and said a silent prayer of thanks. Seemed she was done existing and ready for some living.

  ***

  Matt watched Bree pick the onion off her cheeseburger as he did the same. Smiling to himself, he counted it as one thing they had in common. Unfortunately, there might not be much else except the chemistry they shared. Which, he decided, wasn’t going to be a problem.

  So what if they came from two different worlds? Sure, she was twice as smart as any woman he’d ever met, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t find common ground. For all he knew, they could like the same music and movies.

  Yes, he was a surfer kid from Santa Cruz, who happened to have some talent in the cage, and yes, she was a southern belle with brains and beauty. On the outside, they couldn’t be more different, but maybe that wasn’t true about the inside.

  He’d heard that she was as tough as nails when he talked to a couple of fighters she represented. Turns out, so was he. Which meant they had a second thing in common. By the time they were done with lunch, he hoped they found a bunch more. Because he liked her and wanted to spend time getting to know her. And, kissing her…as much as she’d let him. As far as he could tell, she was a woman with a heart from hell…and he couldn’t ask for more than that.

  Bree lifted her burger and tilted her head. “You gonna eat or admire the beauty of your meal?”

  “Guess I’ll eat.” He picked up his burger, took a bite, and groaned. It was the best thing he’d tasted in longer than he cared to remember. Much of his adult life had been spent adhering to a disciplined diet, which didn’t happen to include cheeseburgers and ice cream. This was a cheat day to end all cheat days, and Gott’s Roadside had been a good choice.

  Bree had said if they were going to go down in a ball of flames, they might as well make it worthwhile. He agreed completely and wondered what else she might be willing to set on fire. He figured if the two of them ever took their clothes off and rolled around, there was going to be an inferno.

  As far as he could tell, she was past due for some misbehaving, and he wanted to be the one she did it with. As he ate his burger, he pictured him and Bree tangled up and breathing hard. Then he pictured them slicked up and sliding around. When he realized his pants were getting uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and his mind. He set his burger down, wiped his face and hands, and glanced over at Bree’s empty plate.

  Where in the hell had her food gone? The smile she gave him suggested that a fairy had come along and eaten everything on her plate. No way could she have wolfed down a burger that quickly. “Everything okay?”

  Wiping her mouth delicately, she shrugged. “Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “No reason.” He turned back to his plate and started eating again. If she had an appetite like that for food, then she must have an equally voracious appetite for sex. As far as he knew, the two were closely linked, which was good news for him, considering the pictures that had filled his mind seconds ago. Real good news.

  He heard her phone buzz and watched her pull it out and look at the display. Must be something important because she excused herself to take the call. She walked away from their table and he noticed the smile on her face as she engaged in an animated conversation. Who in the hell was making her so happy?

  He ate some fries, then wiped his hands and checked his own phone. Several texts and emails appeared and he replied to all of them. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw she was still busy with her call. Well, she wasn’t the only one. He had people to talk to as well.

  Hell, he was a world champion with folks chomping at the bit to have a moment of his time. The fact that he was even having thoughts like that told him he was losing his grip. Shaking his head, he tried to pretend like he wasn’t bothered.

  Something about Bree made him want to hunt and devour. It had been a long time since anything like that had happened, and he wondered what it was about her that made the wolf in him come alive.

  Bree ended her conversation, returned to her seat, and gave him a smile that made him want to mark her as his. Forget wolf. He was a caveman. “All good?” he asked.

  “Yes. That was one of my clients, JB. He’s the top-earning bull rider, and I just signed him to our company. I went to school with his sister and when we met years ago, I knew he was going to be a big success. He’s one of the most relaxed men I’ve ever come across and the fact that he spends his day riding mean bulls is a testament to his calm disposition.”

  “Bull rider, huh? Can’t say that I’ve ever met one.”

  “Now, why would you? You hang out at the beach and inside gyms. I can’t imagine an occasion when you would meet one. Unless you happened to be in Vegas during one of their big events. Did you know that half of the top earners are from Brazil?”

  Shaking his head, he shrugged. “I had no idea. Can’t say that I’ve ever thought about it before.”

  “I had no idea either. I met Raf, who was one of the top guys last year and he’s a charmer
if ever there was one. My Portuguese and his English made for an interesting conversation. To this day, I’m not sure what I agreed to. I guess I’ll find out when I see him next month.”

  The idea of Bree and some damn Brazilian bull rider was enough to put him off the rest of his meal. For a hot second, he’d thought his accomplishments would give him an in with her. Hell, women threw themselves at him all the time because of his wins. Why would he think it wouldn’t work with Bree?

  Except Bree wasn’t like any woman he’d ever met. She wasn’t some cage hussy looking to score. Did he even have a chance?

  The fact that thought entered his mind was ridiculous. He never walked into the cage and asked himself that question. This thing with Bree wasn’t going to be any different. He was a fighter who never gave up, and Bree would soon understand what that meant. Bull rider or no bull rider.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Tuesday, January 24th

  Bree walked into the conference room, juggling files and her cup of coffee. Her fellow attorney, Nicole, caught a couple of files before they fell and shoved them back into her hands. “Thank you.” Settling herself in a chair, she stacked her paperwork and took a breath. “We’re in one of the last professions that require trees being killed.”

  “True. No one is ever going to accept files on an iPad as evidence.” Lifting a bulging file, she grimaced. “This is the contract for Marshall. MLB likes its forms almost as much as the NFL.”

  “How is he doing?”

  “Seems in great spirits. Probably has a lot to do with the contract renewal Spencer just negotiated for him. Two hundred fourteen million over the next nine years.”

  Bree sat back and whistled. “Guess that’s going to make his mama and wife happy.”

  “They’re over the moon,” Nicole said as she stacked her papers.

  “When you tutored him sophomore year, did you ever think he would have a career like this?”