I closed my eyes, thinking about Michelle’s screams that night. I had managed to sneak over to her house and see her early that morning. Once I had known she was alive and well, I ran. I ran away and never looked back. But I had been plotting my revenge for eight long years. Now I was ready to claim my woman.
“You can take him,” Trevor said in a low voice so only I could hear.
I nodded my head, agreeing with his assessment. “I will.”
“Don’t let his size intimidate you. You’re faster and stronger.”
“I know.”
Trevor was silent for a few seconds. “The crowd is a little antsy. Just block them out.”
I looked around the old warehouse. It was a full house. It seemed the underground matches were becoming more popular. That raised the winner’s pot, but it also increased the risk of being busted by the police.
“There are at least a hundred people here,” I replied.
“And every one of them paid to see you win. Don’t let them down,” he growled.
“Not in a million years. This is the night I have been waiting for. This is mine.”
Trevor slapped me on the shoulder. “Good, because that guy is about to finish him.”
I watched as the muscular guy hit his opponent with a quick jab to the face, followed by a hard kick to the solar plexus. The man crumbled to the ground.
Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepared myself for one of the most important matches of my life. My ribs were already sore from my first match of the night, but I could take the pain. I’d survived worse, much worse.
“Get in there and show me I didn’t waste my time with you all these years,” Trevor said, moving to stand in front of me. “Be faster and smarter. That’s all you have to do.”
I nodded my head, heard my name called, and slid my mouth guard into place. Trevor slapped me on my bare back, sending me into the ring with the man who would be my final opponent for a while. I climbed under the thick rope that outlined the cement surface of the ring. It hurt going down and often led to serious concussions and a hell of a lot of bruising and stitches. So I’d learned not to be the one to fall.
The promoter who organized our little fight club was grinning like a fool. This was the match he had been screaming about for weeks. I knew I was making him a lot of money. Trevor had negotiated a nice fee for my participation, but it was the prize money I was going after. That and the respect I had been fighting for since I’d first started on this journey.
Within seconds, the bell sounded, and it was an all-out fight. I bounced on the balls of my feet, keeping my balance as I jabbed and kicked. I wasn’t landing a lot of blows, but I didn’t stop moving. I didn’t give him the chance to give me one of those knock-out blows he was known for.
“Take him down!” I heard Trevor shout from the side of the ring.
Standing my ground, I delivered a solid roundhouse kick that would have taken any other opponent to the ground. Not him. He came back with a jab that left me seeing stars for a few seconds. I couldn’t see clearly but anticipated another blow and dodged it in the nick of time.
“Again!” Trevor shouted.
I delivered another roundhouse and knew the blow had the desired effect when he stumbled backward. Taking advantage, I unleashed a series of kicks and punches meant to take him down. If the fight had been even, my attack would have been effective. But the man’s size gave him the advantage and my blows weren’t good enough.
“Don’t stop moving!” I heard Trevor’s words and held on to them.
I was running out of steam. Digging deep, I found a little more strength and managed to stay standing as I took a few powerful kicks to my ribs. I thought about Michelle, reminding myself it was the win I needed. It was the goal I had set. If I won, I was going to track her down.
With renewed strength, I fought back, not stopping when I took a jab to the face. I fought through the pain and delivered the final blow that stopped my opponent in his tracks, dropping him to his knees before he fell over backward.
I had won and finally accomplished what I’d set out to do. I had proven to myself I was ready to stand up to Liam and his gang.
I stumbled toward the edge of the ring where Trevor was waiting to help me out. He guided me to a corner of the warehouse, my back stinging from all the slaps of congratulations as we moved through the crowd.
Sliding down the rough cement wall, I sat on an overturned bucket, dragging in gulps of air. Trevor had a wet towel and ran it over my face before checking my eyes and declaring me to be in good shape. My body certainly didn’t agree.
“I knew you could do it,” Trevor gloated. “I wasn’t worried at all.”
I looked up at him, blinking to clear my vision. “Liar.”
He chuckled. “I was a little worried.”
“I did it. You know what that means,” I told him.
He nodded his head. “I do. You know I’ll be here. If you get into any trouble, all you have to do is call. You sure you want to go back there?”
I took a drink of water. “I have to. That night isn’t going to go unpunished.”
Trevor shook his head. “Revenge is a dangerous game, man. It can always come back and bite you in the ass. You could let it go and move on with your life.”
I scoffed. “No, I can’t. I want to see her. I need to know if she’s moved on. If she has, I will too.”
Trevor dropped to a squat, his dark eyes looking directly into mine. “You’re full of shit. You’ve been thinking about that woman every single day since I met you. She’s under your skin. She’s the fuel stoking that fire in your belly. You’ll never stop until she’s yours, and that’s what bothers me.”
I shook my head. “I’ve told you from day one I was going back.”
“Yes, you have, and I support you, but don’t you dare throw your life away. You can work with me training guys who are where you were all those years ago.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’ll think about it. And, Trevor, thank you for getting me here,” I told him, feeling a little sentimental.
He grinned. “Don’t you dare fucking hug me. You’re welcome. I’m gonna miss seeing your ugly mug around the gym.”
I laughed. “I’ll be back. LA has nothing for me except her. I like the beaches here in San Francisco. I like the vibe, and I really like not being around my old crew.”
“Stay away from them then,” he warned.
“That’s not going to happen. I’ve been letting you kick my ass every day at the gym for eight years with every intention of seeing them—assuming they’re alive and not locked up,” I quipped.
“I’d like to tell you to let it go, but I know you won’t. I can’t say I’d be able to either. Be smart. Use what you’ve learned in the ring and don’t walk into a situation you can’t walk out of with your life,” he said, his voice stern.
“I understand.”
I owed him my life. When I had shown up at his gym that first day about a week after being jumped, he took me on and made me his personal project. He was tough, remaining firm with me, and didn’t take any of my shit. At the same time, he was like a big brother to me, watching my back and slapping me in the head when I got too cocky, which was often.
“Let’s get out of here,” he mumbled, deciding I had rested long enough.
Trevor helped me stand and supported me while I slid on a pair of flip-flops. Kickboxing was best done with bare feet, but I hated walking through spilled beer, cigarette butts, and other nasty shit on the floor of the buildings we hijacked for our underground fights.
Trevor walked me out of the building, his head darting back and forth in case anyone tried to mug us. It was late, after three in the morning, and we were in a seedy neighborhood. The fights were always in places normal people would never think of entering. That was the point. Unfortunately, people leaving the fight were often caught off-guard. I had been once myself.
The weather was cool, and a fresh breeze washed over my sweaty skin, coolin
g me down a little. We stopped next to Trevor’s Toyota SUV. He unlocked the door and pulled out my bag where I had stored it for safekeeping. Leaving it on my bike was asking for it to be stolen. I quickly pulled on a T-shirt and shoes, grabbed my helmet, and said my good-byes. I wouldn’t be seeing him again until I had handled business in LA, and that was assuming I came out on the winning end.
“Check in with me,” Trevor shouted as I started up my bike.
I nodded my head and gave him a thumbs-up. Trevor had been a real friend, unlike Liam. I had thought Liam and I were tight, as close as brothers, but he’d shown me the truth that night on the hill. He’d gone way beyond a brother protecting the virtue of his sister. I hated him, and the only thing I could think about was exacting revenge and getting Michelle out of his grip. I had no idea if she was married or had managed to escape. Knowing her brother, she’d never be able to get away on her own steam. The man was ruthless and would hunt her down no matter how far she ran just to prove to his crew how tough he was.
By the time I got to my apartment, the adrenaline that had been cloaking the pain had worn off. The bruises were starting to show, and I was feeling every kick and punch I’d sustained in both matches. Dragging my ass to the shower, I turned it on as hot as it would go and stood under the powerful stream, staring down at the brown water from the dried blood being washed from the various cuts and scrapes on my body. It was a good night when I kept all my teeth in my mouth and didn’t need stitches.
Collapsing naked in my bed, I thought about the reunion with Michelle, now eight years in the making.
3
Michelle
Rayne flopped down on the worn-out, ugly brown couch in my living room. Joey was staying the night with Larson since I had jumped at the offer when Larson’s mom had stopped me after school yesterday. Anything to keep Joey out of the house while I was gone. Liam would always insist on one of the various girlfriends of his gang buddies babysitting, and that was definitely not something I was comfortable with.
“What are you going to wear?” Rayne asked, looking at me with a smile.
“What I have on,” I replied in a dead tone.
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, you have to wear something nice. I’ll let you borrow something if you want.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m sure I have something nice enough, but I’m not going to dress up for him.”
“He’s not bad looking you know. Your brother could have set you up with one of his ugly friends. At least Nick is nice—usually.”
I sat down next to her on the couch. “Liam shouldn’t get to set me up with anyone.”
“But he did, and you know he’s going to be pissed if you don’t put some effort into how you look.”
I wanted to say I didn’t care, but we both knew I did. Liam wasn’t the kind of guy I could simply tell to kiss my ass, even if I’d dreamed about doing just that at least a million times.
Groaning, I threw my head back against the couch. “I want a new life.”
She laughed. “Don’t we all. But I really think you need to give Nick a chance. He’s always been nice to me, and seriously, those eyes. He could melt panties with those eyes. You might find you like him if you open your mind a little. You know what the problem is: You’re still hung up on Elijah. But you have to know he’s gone, long gone—assuming he even survived.”
I slapped her thigh. “Don’t say that!”
“You’ve said it many times yourself,” she pointed out.
“He’s not dead.”
“Where is he then?”
I let out a long sigh. “I have no idea. It’s better he stays away though. Liam has only gotten meaner since that night. If Elijah showed up here, Liam might really kill him.”
“What about Joey?”
“What about him?” I asked, immediately defensive.
“Joey should know who his father is.”
I scoffed. “Oh, that would be a fun conversation. I’m sorry, sweetie, but your uncle tried to kill your daddy for having sex with Mommy and Daddy ran away.”
“I’m a firm believer in the truth.”
“No! Joey can never know.”
Rayne went quiet for a few minutes. I thought about what she had said and dreaded the day the true story of his conception and the hasty exodus of his father was revealed. Liam hadn’t said much on the subject. Everyone knew Elijah was the father. If the story of the beatdown hadn’t been enough, Joey was the spitting image of him. It was one of those topics that had never been addressed. Liam had kept me on lockdown since that night, so there were no other possibilities.
“Then you have to let him go,” Rayne said, her voice soft.
I let out a long breath. “I can’t.”
“He’s gone. You yourself said it’s for the best. You need to have some fun, loosen up and give yourself a chance at happiness.”
“Nick is not my ticket to happiness. I know he’s attractive and he can be nice, but he’s not a good person. I’ve heard Nick and my brother talking so many times. They have done horrible things to people. I can’t have him in Joey’s life,” I said.
She put her hand on my thigh. “He already is, Michelle. Think of him as the lesser of two evils. You hate living here with Liam. Nick has his own place. You would get away from Liam and get Joey away from him at the same time. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
She had a point. It wasn’t the life I had dreamed about with Elijah, but it would have been better than what I had now.
“You’re right.”
“I know.”
I sat forward and grabbed her hand. “Help me find something to wear. It’s been a while since I’ve tried to look good for anyone.”
“As if you have to try. You’re sexy as hell. All you need to do is smile and guys will fall at your feet.”
“Ha! If that were the case, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Yes, you would.”
It was a slap back to reality. She was right. I would have been exactly where I was. Liam would never let me go with any man without his approval, and the man I was looking for to pull me out of this life would never get it.
We dug through the tiny closet in my room and managed to put together an outfit that was sexy and suitable for riding on the back of a motorcycle. I left my long dark hair down. Styling it was pointless when I would be putting on a helmet.
“Smokin’ hot!” Rayne declared when I pulled on the over-the-knee boots.
I giggled. “Thank you. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“Well you are, so try and have some fun!”
The sound of bikes coming down the street launched butterflies in my stomach. I quickly added another coat of black mascara, fluffed my long hair, and walked into the living room, nervous as hell.
“Damn,” Nick said, whistling long and loud when he walked in the door.
The other guys were all staring at me, earning glares both from Nick and Liam. It was a deadly sin to look at another biker’s old lady, even if Nick and I weren’t official. Though it wasn’t an ideal situation, I had to admit that it felt kind of good to be admired. I had missed the way it made me feel.
“I’m ready,” I said.
Nick nodded, a lascivious grin on his face. “I bet you are. Let’s roll.”
I said good-bye to Rayne, knowing she was okay being alone with Liam and his friends. She was one of us. They wouldn’t hurt her. Besides, for whatever stupid, crazy reason, she still had a thing for Liam, no matter how terrible he was to her. I knew they had hooked up a few times, which made me sick every time I thought about it.
Nick was the perfect gentleman, helping me with my helmet before sliding his on. It felt a little weird to be riding behind him, my arms around his waist and pressed intimately against him. It reminded me of the night with Elijah. I had loved feeling his body close to mine. With Nick, I felt myself trying to slide back on the seat as far as possible. I didn’t want the contact.
He pulled into a family rest
aurant. As soon as he parked, I scrambled to get off the back of the bike, wanting to put some space between us.
“Hungry?” he asked, grinning and showing off a full set of white teeth.
I shrugged. “A little.”
He nodded, taking my helmet and leaving it on the back of the bike with his own. He reached for my hand, and I willingly gave it, allowing him to lead me into the restaurant.
“You look very pretty tonight, Michelle,” he said when we sat down.
“Thank you.”
“I’m sorry Liam put you on the spot like that. He knows I’ve had a bit of a crush on you for a while now. I had no idea he was going to do that though,” he said, his hands up.
I believed him. I knew my brother could be impulsive. “It’s okay. It’s only dinner, right?”
He grinned. “Sure. We’ll call it that.”
The way he was looking at me seemed to be at odds with his innocent words from before and made me a little uncomfortable. I took a deep breath, let it out, and blew away the nerves. It was only dinner. I could get through it.
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it ended up being. Nick joked and laughed a lot more when he was away from the other guys. I laughed at his jokes out of courtesy, even if some of them were a little vulgar. On the way back to the house, I didn’t mind sitting close to him. It was a little easier now that I’d seen the other side of him.
He walked me to the door. I assumed he would be going in, but when he made no move to open the door, I realized what was about to happen. I begged for an earthquake, for anything to get me out of the horrible position I was in. Nick was going to kiss me.
“Thank you for dinner,” I blurted out, trying to fill the dead air.
He smiled. “I want to take you out again.”
“Oh. Well, I have Joey—”
His gaze narrowed as he stepped closer to me. “Your brother will take care of Joey. Don’t use him as an excuse.”
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 23
