Ava slid her tiny camera into her purse and addressed Daniella. “You have a great setup here. Stamina isn’t what I expected.”
“Hopefully that’s a good thing,” Daniella remarked.
Ava’s green eyes narrowed. “I walked in expecting to find the place downtrodden, like the rumors I’d heard about the gym’s condition prior to your inheriting the place. I’m happy to say I’m impressed by what you’ve done, Daniella. I mean, I think it’s great what Stamina is doing for Las Vegas, how you’ve expanded beyond just a boxing gym. So . . .” She paused, pursing her full lips. “I’d like to come back and interview people here individually.” She glanced at Mike.
Under the weight of her stare, his body tightened as her eyes trailed from his and settled around the waistband of his shorts.
“I think some of your boxers could benefit from a one-on-one with me.”
He doubted anyone could benefit going one-on-one with her. Unless, of course, they weren’t talking sports. Maybe if it was something less personal, more physical. Then hell-to-the-yes, he wouldn’t mind going a few rounds with the sexy woman. Heat flooded him. Desire for the stunning redhead pooled deep in his gut. If she wanted a story, he could give her a one-nighter she’d talk about for years to come. At least it would distract her from the scent of a real news story.
“Sounds good.” Daniella eyed her. “Why don’t you give us an hour or so and we can get started? Or you can come back later this afternoon. Our youth classes are pretty cool. Mike teaches them.”
Ava shook Daniella’s hand. “This afternoon sounds great. See you then.” She turned and sauntered toward the door.
Her swaying hips were like the call of a siren. Helpless to resist, Mike draped his arms over the ropes. He waited until the door had closed behind her, then turned to Daniella. “You sure this is a good call?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I think she’s going to cover us in a good way. Focus on what we bring to the community.”
Mike’s face tightened. He wasn’t so sure. “So, she’s coming back.”
Daniella confirmed with a nod.
He thought about Ava’s long legs, red hair, and the fantasy that played in his mind about following those swaying hips only to get her naked. He wet his lips at the idea of her lying underneath him, begging him to take her places only he could. He imagined what sounds she might make as her body arched under his, taking him in, and the look on her face just before she came. His inner beast grinned at the possibility. Just as quickly, his mind popped back into present. Considering his own past, attention from Ava was the last thing he wanted. Sure, she may look like walking sin and she probably kissed like the devil, but he’d never know. He centered his mind. Placing both hands on his hips, he let out a disapproving grunt. “Well, then,” he told Daniella, “just keep her away from me.”
Chapter Two
That afternoon Mike took his spot in the corner, the one he used for sit-ups and push-ups. He did a few rounds of sit-ups, working his gut. Abs of steel and all that shit. But he didn’t do it for looks. Truth was hardening his core protected him against the shots that could damage internal organs. In the gym, he’d witnessed guys who got busted up, bruised livers or lungs, simply because they hated doing sit-ups.
From the early days, even before he started boxing at Stamina, he made sit-ups part of his routine. The exercise was crucial in making sure he went home breathing.
Shakes held his feet as Mike lifted his torso off the floor.
“Want to go for another set?” Shakes asked him.
Mike gave a brief nod, exhaling.
“Take five then, you have to give yourself a break.” Shakes waited until Mike had risen all the way up to loosen his grip on his feet. “You keep going like that and one of these days you won’t lay down anymore, you’ll just sit up.”
Mike laughed. He had to admit his core was burning like a bitch and his endorphins had worn off hours ago. He hated it, but exhaustion was starting to set in. The problem was when he rested there wasn’t much to do when thoughts of the past crept in. Normally, he could beat them back with a few rounds with the heavy bag or sparring. He needed something to keep his body as active as his mind.
However, in the times when his body couldn’t keep up, when his body demanded he slow down, thoughts of José surfaced. Guilt washed over him and dragged him back to the past. When memories of the dead arose, didn’t the ones who loved them most have a responsibility to stop and remember? Or, because of the pain it caused, did they try like hell to forget?
Mike didn’t know. He lived his life in a vortex, caught someplace between the living and the dead.
The door to Stamina opened. Sunlight brightened the doorway as Ava walked in. Speaking of people he wanted to forget. He turned his head to face the opposite wall. Maybe she wouldn’t notice him. No such luck. Sounds from her high heels clicked closer behind him and his wishes faded into the ether.
“Taking a breather?” Her voice trailed over his shoulder.
He turned and faced the most beautiful pair of legs he’d ever seen. He exhaled. The noise probably sounded more like a growl, one made by an animal being disturbed. He couldn’t let his eyes linger on those fine-looking stems, so he fixed his eyes on hers. Beautiful. Piercing. Emerald green.
He tamped down any thoughts of desire. “Back so soon? I thought you’d need a shower.”
She looked at him quizzically.
“From digging up all that dirt.”
Her mouth straightened into a flat line.
“Who was it this time? A basketball player on a drug charge? Married golfer got caught with hookers, or were you waiting for Danica Patrick to throw away a tampon?”
“You really don’t like me, do you?” she asked flatly.
“I don’t like anyone who makes money off of other people. I’m not condoning bad behavior, but sometimes the past is in the past, where it belongs. And people in the sports world don’t need someone like you digging it up. We just need to move forward.”
“Wow. That’s the most I’ve ever heard you speak. You might make a good interview after all.”
Mike growled again. He lifted himself off the ground and walked toward Daniella’s office, leaving Ava in his wake. A cabinet that housed the equipment for the kids afterschool boxing class sat next to her door. He could organize the gloves and headgear. That would be something to keep away from Ava.
Soon, the kids would arrive. Mike always had the gear ready for them. The routine showed them there was someone who waited for them. Kept them accountable for being somewhere on time. He taught them responsibility, discipline, respect, all the things he should’ve learned as a kid, but didn’t. No. He learned them the hard way as an adult.
Her high heels clicked across the concrete floor. Damn. Here she came.
“You don’t mind if I ask you a few questions while you work, do you?”
He answered her with a stern glare.
“You’re in charge of the kids boxing class. Do you like working with children?”
He let out a quick exhale. “I like them more than adults.”
“And why is that?”
“They don’t ask questions.” He huffed.
“Certainly, you must enjoy passing along your knowledge of the sport to someone else.”
His shoulders slumped. “I like being there for them. They know when they walk in the door it’s time to work hard in order to be better than the next kid. Nobody in life gives you anything. It has to be earned. You want respect? Earn it. You want to be feared in the ring? Earn it.”
“And what do you want, Mr. Perez?”
He didn’t miss her sexy tone. “I want to beat Littleton in New York. Plain and simple.”
“How do you feel about being the new face of EverStrong Products?”
She wanted to talk about his endorsement deal? Now? True, he’d been flattered as hell to get the job and the gym needed their cut of the money, but if he had his choice, he’d sta
y out of the spotlight. He didn’t need a bunch of glossy magazine ads to show his toughness. He proved that in the ring.
“It’s an honor.” He checked the clock. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to prepare for class.”
His conversation with Ava cost him five minutes. He had hoped to get another set of sit-ups in, but as each second ticked away, he decided to add them on to his night workout. One way or another, the sit-ups had to get done.
The cabinet opened with a creak. He pulled out all the gloves and gear, sorting them by size. As he finished, the sounds of bus brakes squealed, indicating the schoolkids were seconds away from taking over Stamina. As much as he didn’t like teaching adults, he loved helping out the kids. Soon they burst in with their constant talking and backpacks thrown over their shoulders. Definitely the best part of his day.
He wished when he was growing up, he would’ve had someplace to go like Stamina. Someone who waited for him, someone that cared where he was or why he didn’t do as he was told. Luckily these kids did.
He stood and waited. Placing his hands on his hips, he took on the persona of the formidable Mr. Mike, as the kids called him. He craned his neck and glanced over his shoulder.
Ava stood in the corner, watching and taking notes. She pulled out her cell phone and snapped a few photos of him. If he had to guess why she wanted the shots, capturing details was probably a lot easier with a picture. It was either that or to make sure his effigy looked as realistic as possible.
The kids clamored inside.
“Okay, guys.” Mike addressed the group. “You’ve got five minutes to change your clothes and meet me beside the heavy bag.”
The group of chattering children headed toward the locker room. Inwardly, Mike smiled. Outwardly, he cast a frown toward Ava and wondered how long she was going to stay. He felt her eyes on him, like two green lasers carving him up into little pieces. He knew she stood back there dissecting him, trying to figure out an angle, dying for some salacious tidbit.
She’d set her sights on the wrong guy.
His secrets were dead and buried, and that’s where they’d stay.
After a few moments the rambunctious group emerged from the locker rooms. Their horseplay died down as they approached him. Mike took his training seriously, and he made sure that they would as well. The kids circled around him and he passed out the gear.
“Today, we’re going to work on the right hook and the uppercut. Both punches that, if executed with strength and proper timing will, drop your opponent to the mat. No doubt about it.”
Mike assumed the proper stance and the kids mimicked him. He demonstrated both punches. The kids followed in kind. Mike made his way to each child, straightening up their form, moving their feet wider apart, teaching the correct stance. “Always keep your thumb on the outside of your fist. If you tuck it under your fingers, it’s guaranteed to break.”
He helped a little boy form a fist and he noticed his trainer and gym owner moving toward the group. Daniella rarely interrupted his classes. Her reason for cutting in must have been important. She wore a professional smile and carried a clipboard in her hands.
“Hi, guys.” Daniella addressed the group.
“Hi, Miss Daniella,” the kids answered back in unison.
She looked at each one, her eyes wide. “I’ve got some exciting news. It’s something you’re all going to want to hear. Mike’s next fight is going to be held in Madison Square Garden. Do you know where that is?”
“New York City?” one of the boys guessed.
“That’s right.” She smiled. “It’s going to take place two weeks from today. I wanted to invite you all here to Stamina, where you can watch it live on television.”
Sounds of adoration emitted from the group. A few of the smaller ones were jumping up and down. Kids were so easily impressed.
“Now, I need a show of hands of anyone who’s interested in coming to watch the fight.”
A sea of hands shot up. Mike took note of their interest and made sure Daniella wrote down all the names. Before she left she said, “There’s one more thing I wanted to tell you.” Excitement filled her voice. “Mike is going to be the new face of EverStrong Products.”
The kids gasped, and one boy asked, “Are you going to be on a cereal box?”
Mike laughed. “No. I don’t think so, buddy. Just some pictures for magazines.”
“Cool,” the boy replied.
Daniella nodded. “We can probably get you guys T-shirts with his picture on them.”
Well, that news blew their little minds. A few boys jumped up and down. Some of the kids ran up and hugged him, while others clapped and hollered.
“You’re going to be famous,” the smallest one said.
“I’m going to be the best boxer I can be,” Mike responded. “And you can be good boxers, too. All you need is practice. So, let’s get back to work.”
Trying to settle the boys down wasn’t easy, especially when he had one eye on the kids and the other on Ava. He knew Daniella’s interruption to spill the big news was more of a PR play for Ava’s benefit. Not that she didn’t love the kids, she did. But info dumping in the middle of his session while Ava looked on was a media play, an attempt to gain additional coverage. Too bad he didn’t want the attention.
For the next half hour, Mike worked individually with the kids. He enjoyed the one-on-one time. It reminded him of the good old days, when he and his brother play-fought in the front yard. Neither of them knew anything about boxing. But Mike acted like he did, teaching José fancy footwork, which was actually more of a hop and bounce than the real thing.
If he’d known then what he knew now, he would have taught his brother self-defense. Because by the time he’d need the skill, it would be too late for him to learn.
For the rest of the session he placed his attention on the kids, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of Ava’s eyes on him. He felt the weight of her stare track his every move. The intensity of her gaze told him she wanted more than just a story.
She wanted him.
Something about him fascinated her, he could read it in her eyes. That in itself was intriguing. Why would a woman like her stay so focused on him? If he were lying to himself, he might say she was a boxing enthusiast, a fan. But from the way heat rolled through his stomach when he knew she planted her gaze on him, he could tell her attentiveness was more than professional interest.
He turned away from the kids, just for a moment, and imagined what she might do if he walked toward her, took the notepad out of her hands, and tossed it on the floor, only to press her back up against the wall and give her what she couldn’t stop staring at.
The thought left his mind as fast as it entered. Truth was the thought of getting up close and personal with Ava turned his stomach. Her looks covered up the devil hidden underneath the red hair and short dresses. Sure, she might’ve looked good, but who she was ruined everything about her, including his five-second fantasy. Whatever she wanted besides a story would have to wait.
As the lesson ended, Ava pressed her cell phone to her ear and exited Stamina. Maybe he’d seen the last of her for the day. He hoped she was gone. That all of this public-relations business was over and done. He needed to get back to his own training. However, one thing was true. He may have found her presence annoying and intrusive, but her body did a lot for the scenery.
Chapter Three
Once outside, Ava waited through five rings before her editor, Ed Harris, picked up the phone.
“Yell—ow,” he said when he finally answered. She hated how he made the word hello sound like a color.
“Ed, it’s Ava.”
The long silence meant he was listening.
“I need to run something past you.”
More silence.
“Michael Perez, a boxer at the gym I’m covering, has just announced a fight at Madison Square Garden. I think if I tag along I can get to the root of his story.”
“Are you looking for permi
ssion?” Ed chuffed through his end of the line.
Granted, the newspaper business had seen better days. Financially, a piece of paper covered in black and white found lots of competition with apps and twenty-four-hour news channels. It was hard to stay ahead of a story. So, when her gut told her to start digging, she listened. Her fingers curled around her phone. “I think I’m onto something.”
“Oh yeah? Why?” Ed asked.
“There’s a woman named Tiffany Longoria. She’s Mike Perez’s ex-girlfriend and she’s gone to a lot of trouble to get in touch with me, even going so far as leaving a note attached to my car.”
“What did it say?” He sounded intrigued.
“The paper had Mike’s name, Miami, and the year 2003 written on it.”
A loud exhale blew through the phone. “What the fuck? Does she think you’ve got time to play games?”
“She listed her name and phone number on the bottom. When I followed up, she said she had information about Mike’s past, something the sports world needed to know before they knew him as the face of EverStrong Products.”
Silence traveled over the line. Ed’s chair gave a squeak so she knew he was leaning back, listening.
“Something doesn’t smell right when it comes to Tiffany. Call it a gut feeling or reporter’s instinct, but her name has been romantically linked to other athletes. I’ve done some digging on her, and while she may have information about Perez, something tells me she’s out for herself.”
Ed smacked his lips. “Those kinds of women usually are.”
“But still, whatever her romantic involvement was with Perez, she clearly knows something, and that’s what I’d like to pursue.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I want to go to New York with Perez and the camp from Stamina. Something’s here, Ed. Something newsworthy. I just need some time to uncover what it is.”
He slurped coffee over the phone, something he routinely did while he thought. She’d worked for Ed for nearly five years. She knew him. What he liked. What he thought would sell papers. But he was no pushover. If he agreed to let her travel on the company dime, he was going to expect major results. He’d probably put her job on the line.
Going The Distance (Ringside #2) Page 2
