The Fight Club - Boxed Set

by Becca Jameson

  “Oh God. This is bad. You have a hard-on for him, don’t you?”

  Jenna laughed. “A hard-on? Me?” She shook her head. “Never. Hey,” she stiffened and looked Katy in the eye, “please don’t mention my family situation to him, okay?”

  Katy nodded. “Of course. You know I would never do that, anyway. You don’t even have to ask. And Rafe would never say a word, either.”

  “Thank you. I just want to be perceived as a normal, regular human living a normal, regular life.”

  Katy took her arm. “I know, and you’ve worked hard to earn that right. I would never do anything to jeopardize what you’ve built for yourself. Nevertheless, you need to listen to me. This thing…with Mason… It’s a train wreck waiting to happen, I tell you. Mason has secrets too.”

  “What secrets?”

  “Hey, I’m no more at liberty to divulge Mason’s past than I am yours.” She lifted her hands in the air. “But I need you to hear me.” Katy stood. She bounced her way toward the sink and grabbed two paper towels from the holder. When she returned and took her seat once again, she grabbed for the muffins and set about peeling hers out of the wrapper. She didn’t look at Jenna’s face again as she spoke. “Please, just… God, Jenna.” She lifted her gaze. “Can’t you trust me on this one?”

  “Sure,” Jenna agreed. She reached for the other muffin, but she never tasted it. She concentrated on Katy’s warning for several minutes while she examined the pastry.

  »»•««

  Mason stepped into the octagon and headed for the center of the mat. “This is what you want to do on your wedding day?” He quirked his mouth at Rafe and strapped on his gloves.

  “Yep. Can’t think of anything better. Try to avoid my face. Katy will have my head if I show up with a black eye.” Rafe bounced around the ring, loosening up and taking several jabs at the air.

  “Can’t promise anything. I’m not used to holding back.”

  Rafe stopped jumping and froze. “Please tell me you used that motto last night when you took Jenna home.”

  Mason cringed. Fuck. The last thing he wanted to do was get into the nitty gritty details of last night with Rafe this morning. “Don’t worry. I kept my pants on.”

  “Good. That’s all I asked.” Rafe resumed his stretching. He stopped again in a moment. “Wait. That was too vague for you. Way too articulated.”

  “What? I swear. I didn’t fuck your friend.” Mason looked down to adjust his shorts, an impossible task with his gloves on.

  “Look me in the eye when you say that.” Rafe stepped closer.

  Mason straightened up and let his gaze land on Rafe’s. “I didn’t even kiss her.”

  “Then why do you look so guilty?”

  Ugh. What was with this man and his ability to read Mason so well? “I might have possibly given her a few things to remember me by, but I didn’t have sex with her…at least not in the traditional sense.”

  Rafe moaned and rolled his head back. “A few things to remember you by? Mason. Dude. That wasn’t on the agenda. I know you. After you toy with a woman, she’s ruined for all others.” Rafe shoved Mason in the shoulder to get him to move.

  “Rafe, man, she was all over me. I mean, she looked like she would cry if I left her and drove away. I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t strong enough. She’s sex on heels, that woman.”

  Rafe narrowed his gaze. “If you did anything that makes Katy uncomfortable tonight, I will personally nail your ass.”

  “I promise it’ll be fine. If anything, Jenna will thank me. She was strung so tight she needed to come worse than a dying man needs water in the desert.”

  Rafe chuckled. “That’s the worst pun I’ve ever heard.” He jumped back and bounced on his feet again. “Stay away from her, Mason. Katy doesn’t want her in our lifestyle. She’s too innocent.”

  “Got it.” Mason had every intention of heeding Rafe’s words tonight. He’d keep his hands to himself and his dick in his pants. He could do it. It was just a wedding. When would he have the opportunity to screw her, anyway?

  Rafe continued to stare at Mason where he jumped around on his toes. “And she has personal problems a mile long.”

  Mason rolled his eyes. “Don’t we all?”

  “Not like Jenna’s. Trust me, you don’t want to get messed up in that shit.”

  Mason stood rigid and narrowed his gaze at Rafe. “Is she okay?”

  Rafe waved a hand through the air. “Of course. Nothing like that.” Rafe landed a hard punch to Mason’s right shoulder, jarring him from his musings. “Let’s go, man. I need the workout. Katy has me in knots.”

  “Why? Because you didn’t get to tie her to the bed and fuck her brains out last night?” Mason laughed as he took up a better stance, bending his knees and roaming his gaze over his opponent and friend. “It was one night. Surely you can go one night without kinky sex.”

  “Ha. Ha.” But Rafe didn’t contest him. Mason nailed it in one.

  The tables had turned. It was a good time to get their workout started. “Let’s go, man. Before anyone else gets here.” It was early. Nine o’clock. The gym didn’t open until ten, but Mason and Rafe had privileges to use it whenever they wanted. They’d been members for almost ten years now.

  Their longtime coach owned this gym, and he’d given them permission to use it at will. Amateur MMA wasn’t something Mason did for the money. He did it for the love of the sport and the heady feeling he got every time he knocked his opponent out. Plus, it was the best way to stay in shape he’d ever found.

  Once they got into the zone, time flew. Mason was the bigger man by only a few pounds, but Rafe had never had any difficulty holding his own. It was against every instinct, but Mason managed to avoid slamming his friend in the head. The wrath of Katy wasn’t something he enjoyed often. The woman made a perfect mate for Rafe, all fire and vinegar on the outside, syrup and honey on the inside.

  She wasn’t quite what Mason had in mind for himself, but then again, Mason didn’t want any woman on a permanent basis. An occasional submissive at the club was fine. Anything more than that made his palms sweat. Women were a pain in the ass, as he was frequently reminded when he spoke with his whipped friend Rafe.

  He grinned at the man now. “So what’s planned for the wedding night? White corsets? Fuzzy cuffs?”

  “A man never kisses and tells.” Rafe held up a hand and leaned against the fence, catching his breath. “I think I’m done. That was just what I needed. How about a shower, and then we can go get our hair and nails done?”

  Mason lifted an eye and shook his head. “Perfect. Exactly what I had in mind for today. And then we can do each other’s makeup, and we’ll be set for the evening.”

  “Hey.” A voice on the floor called up at them. People had been trickling in for a while, but Mason had barely noticed. “Aren’t you two supposed to be at a wedding or something?” Joe Marks chuckled as he approached. As the owner and head coach at the gym, Mason respected him more than almost any other man.

  Mason leaned against the fence and grabbed the bar along the top. “Rafe here thought he could work out his pre-wedding jitters against my face and chest.”

  “Did it work?” Joe turned his gaze to Rafe.

  “Yep. I’m all ready now.”

  “Yeah, don’t bet on it. Been there done that. No matter what you think you’re ready for, I can assure you that little spitfire of a woman you’re marrying will set you straight really quick. For such a tiny thing, she doesn’t pull any punches.” Joe laughed at his pun and walked away. “See you at the wedding.”

  Mason smirked at Rafe. Joe knew exactly what Rafe was up against. Katy was Joe’s niece. Mason and Rafe had been standing on that very mat sparring with each other one Saturday six months ago when Katy had walked into the gym and caused Rafe to do a double take. Mason hadn’t missed the opportunity to level his friend to the ground. And the rest was history, as they said.

  As Mason tugged off his gloves, he glanced up and chuckled. “I th
ink the rest of the gang wants to wish you luck, Rafe.” Four large guys headed their way from across the room. Joe had dubbed the six of them “The Fight Club,” and it had long ago stuck. By now, most people in a hundred-mile radius knew who “The Fight Club” was. To the guys, they were just six middleweight MMA fighters who didn’t like to lose. To everyone else, they’d been lifted to a higher pedestal.

  Rider, Gage, Zane, and Conner stepped into the ring.

  Rider was a cop. With his all-American, good-boy looks, he made women swoon at his feet. But when he had his uniform on, he was a force to be reckoned with. He nodded. “Rafe, we wanted to wish you luck, man. We’ll be there tonight for the eulogy…er, I mean nuptials.” He chuckled and jumped back when Rafe leaped forward to grab for him.

  The guys all shook Rafe’s hand.

  “Congrats, dude,” Gage said. “You deserve the best.”

  “Thanks, guys.” Rafe gathered his stuff, headed for the gate, and jumped down to the floor. “See you tonight.”

  “I’m out of here too,” Mason added. The workout had done him some good. Maybe he could get his head on straight now and keep his eyes off the sexy expanse of white skin that he’d seen way too much of last night.

  He groaned inwardly. Keeping his hands off Jenna was going to be harder than keeping his fists off Rafe’s face.

  Chapter Five

  Jenna stood through the ceremony, concentrating on her task and trying to avoid the man opposite her, who hadn’t glanced in her direction one time. The same man who had stripped her bare last night and rocked her world.

  She felt naked even now, knowing he’d seen every inch of her body. The fact she’d seen nothing of him and didn’t even know if his chest was smooth or sprinkled with hair didn’t escape her.

  Twenty-four hours ago she’d been embarrassed standing in this same spot ogling Mason Simmons as though he hung the moon. Now, that sensation increased tenfold as she considered the ramifications of last night’s actions.

  Naked and exposed is how she felt. In fact she kept looking down at today’s dress to make sure she was actually wearing something.

  She went through the motions of the wedding, glad for the shorter service that lasted less than half an hour. As soon as the bride and groom kissed and headed down the aisle, she turned to Mason and stepped as gracefully as she could down the two steps to join him in the center of the aisle.

  He didn’t make eye contact even then, and she tucked her hand under his arm as though he were a piranha. At this point, her blood was boiling. She’d gone from embarrassed to pissed in the course of half an hour. What the fuck was his problem? She felt used and discarded, and they hadn’t even had sex.

  Yeah, but what you gave him was so much more than sex.

  Her loose grip on his bicep was very different from yesterday’s. She wished she could speed up time and get the hell out of his presence. Instead, she had to endure the long slow stroll down the aisle, smiling politely at everyone on both sides of the church as she tried to hold back the ball of nerves building in her throat. Thank God she hadn’t had to speak during the ceremony.

  Endless pictures followed, during which time Jenna tried to mingle pleasantly with the other bridesmaids and make small talk. Mason was ever present in her peripheral vision, but she never caught him looking at her.

  What had changed? Had he decided she wasn’t good enough for him after all? Or was this the way he treated all women? Maybe that’s why Katy had warned her against him.

  Jenna lifted her head and shook out her pity party. She was bigger than this. No one was going to ruin her evening. If Mason wanted to ignore what happened between them last night, she could play that game right alongside him.

  A limo took the entire wedding party to the reception. Jenna managed to sit next to Katy and continually fluffed her friend’s dress and straightened the skirt.

  Everyone toasted the bride and groom with glasses of champagne on the ride. Jenna held her glass high and smiled broadly with the others, but she only took a few sips. Part of her wished she was plastered so she could forget the man seated several people down the row from her. But she knew the only way she could maintain her calm façade was to avoid alcohol. One glass and she would undoubtedly turn into a blubbering idiot.

  The reception hall was crowded, but Jenna soon realized her luck had run out. A head table sat on a raised dais in the front of the room, and each place had a nameplate. She was seated next to the one and only Mason Simmons.

  Great. She reached for the back of her chair, but immediately found her hand brushed out of the way as a larger arm covered in a black tuxedo sleeve scooted the chair from the table.

  Jenna lifted her gaze and found Mason motioning for her to step up to her place. He didn’t make eye contact, but he kept his gentlemanly skills honed.

  Jenna took his lead and sat as Mason pushed her chair perfectly close to the table cloth. She swallowed the lump in her throat and vowed to be the most pleasant person in the room.

  When he was seated next to her, Mason grabbed her napkin and shook it out as he had last night. This time she grabbed it from his hand and glared at him. “I’m not a child,” she mumbled under the breath. She pasted her smile back in place and turned toward the bride and groom as they took their seats.

  “You look so beautiful,” she told Katy for the millionth time.

  “Thanks. You look pretty damn fine yourself.” Katy winked and accepted a glass of white wine from her husband. She peeked around Jenna and then looked back at her friend, her brow furrowed before she lifted an eyebrow in question.

  Jenna shrugged and smiled at Katy. She could do this. She could.

  The room got quiet while several toasts were made, including a glorious well-planned speech from the elusive Mason himself. He stood next to Jenna, taking up more space than anyone in the room and lifting his glass in the air as he said the perfect things about his friend and his new wife.

  Moments later, the room filled with chatter as everyone began to eat. The meal was served at the table. Salads arrived, followed by the main course. Jenna nibbled on everything and pushed it around the plate. She could hardly swallow a bite. It took all her energy to keep her face perfectly poised.

  With great relief, the meal ended, and Jenna pushed from the table. She didn’t pay any attention to Mason’s attempt to assist her. Instead she followed Katy to the cake table and watched as her best friend smashed frosting into her husband’s face.

  An ache in the pit of her stomach threatened to erupt. She’d faked happy for too long. She eased into a corner, wondering how on earth she was going to be able to stay in this room filled with Mason for several more hours. In her favor, the lights dimmed, making it difficult for anyone to see her face.

  She felt the flush as it rose from her chest to her cheeks, and she blinked her eyes several times, unable to keep her emotions in check another moment.

  If she was quick enough, she might make it to a restroom and into a stall before the tears fell. She berated herself the entire walk. She could only move so fast in the high heels that wobbled in her haste, threatening to toss her on her ass.

  Wouldn’t that be the cherry on top if she fell in the hall and lay sprawled out on the ground?

  Jenna easily found the restroom and sequestered herself in a stall in the nick of time. She leaned against the door, letting the surface cool her heated cheek.

  Try as she might to keep them at bay, the tears fell. She bit her lip to keep quiet in case anyone else was in the restroom. Why had she let that man get under her skin? He’d warned her against him. Katy had warned her. Even Rafe had insisted she not get involved with Mason. She had no right to be upset now.

  Hell, she had enough on her plate right now. The last thing she needed was a man in her life. In fact, she’d received a nice reminder of her real-world problems earlier in the day when she’d paused to check her messages. It shouldn’t have surprised her to hear her mother’s voice on her answering machine. The woman
called every Friday. By now, their relationship was so strained her mother didn’t have the foggiest idea that Jenna was currently at the wedding of her best friend, a friend Mrs. Joann Mathews had never met or heard of.

  Jenna kept her new life separate from her old one. Katy knew all the details, but she was sworn to secrecy. Jenna’s family didn’t deserve to know about Jenna’s personal life. Nor did they show any indication they cared.

  Jenna tugged a length of toilet paper free from the roll and dabbed at her cheeks. If her makeup got ruined, she’d be found out. She needed to get a grip and get back out there. Her melancholy trip down memory lane did nothing to help her pull herself together. If anything, it reinforced her resolve to put Mason Simmons out of her mind and move on with her life. Katy’s main goal had been to keep Mason and Jenna from ruining her night. She’d done everything in her power to prevent that. Now Jenna owed it to her friend to buck up and play with the big kids.

  Deep breaths. She repeated happy thoughts to herself. Kittens. Puppies. Even hedgehogs were cute scurrying through her mind.

  She pasted on a new smile, opened the door, and stepped up to the mirror. The damage was minimal. If she could calm down enough to get the splotchy red patches to recede, she’d be in perfect shape. No one would know.

  Jenna sucked in a deep breath and stepped into the hall. She took one step in the wrong direction before realizing her mistake. But when she turned, an arm snaked out from around the corner and tugged her out of the hallway.

  Jenna gasped, but in an instant she found herself plastered against the wall in the dim light at the end of the hall. An enormous plant stood to her left, blocking anyone from seeing her from that side. Her eyes widened as the huge man she would easily recognize blindfolded nestled his body against hers and lifted her arms above her head. He held them there, firm and secure, both her wrists in one of his hands.

  And then his mouth was on hers, and he kissed her hard, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth with a few swipes between her lips. She complied, unable to deny Mason anything. Her body melted into his frame. Her dress rose along her thighs, dangerously high. It hadn’t been that long to begin with.