by Sarah Bale
Marco sobered. “I just got word from the fighting commission in Virginia. They aren’t going to allow you to compete because of your arrest history.”
“Damn. That was years ago. Is there any way we can appeal?”
The cage fight in Virginia had a high payout and he was looking forward to fighting their undefeated champion. It was going to be a hell of a fight with both of their undefeated records on the line.
But he always ran into the same battle. His past kept catching up to him and he wasn’t sure why. It almost seemed as if he were being targeted but there was no proof. Yet.
The sponsors were getting antsy too. They didn’t want to put their money behind a fighter with a reputation for violence even though the incident haunting him had happened years ago. He sighed. They used to focus on his winning streak but not anymore.
Marco shook his head. “No. The deal is off the table and they have signed some unknown fighter from Mexico.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Where does that leave us?”
“The fight in Vegas is still on, if you’re willing.”
Dev nodded.
“Good, that’s what I told them. There’s a fight in Dallas, Texas or Loveland, Colorado that I can get you in on. Loveland is where the money is—the biggest payout to date.”
“Not Dallas. The Loveland one will be fine.”
In all his years spent fighting, Texas was the only place he hadn’t been…by choice. He had left that state for a reason and he never planned to go back.
“Okay, I’ll make some calls and get you added to the card.” Marco hesitated and then said, “I take it Shannon agreed.” He didn’t wait for Dev to confirm but went on. “How do you want her explained to the press?”
“She won’t be seen by the press. I’ll make sure of it.”
Marco snorted. “Please. You know as well as I do that there are always paparazzi waiting at the hotel. We need an official answer before they spin their own story on her.”
“What could they say about her?”
“Oh I don’t know. That you’re dating a waitress from The Honey Jar, a highly scandalous nightclub, and that this isn’t the first time you dated her.”
Dev sighed. “Okay you’ve made your point. How do you want to spin it?”
“I’m thinking reunited high-school sweethearts. You two will have to act as if you are in love though,” he replied. “I talked to the others and they think that a good old love story will take away from your sordid past with her.”
Typical Marco. Of course he talked to the rest of the team before coming to Dev. Looking out for his and his teams’ best interests was what he paid his friend to do and he tried not to let it annoy him.
“Okay. I’ll let Shannon know. Anything else?”
Marco stared at him for a moment and then asked, “You aren’t even going to see if she’s okay with the idea?”
His face heated with anger. “No, I’m not going to ask her. She agreed to my terms so she doesn’t have a say-so in anything.”
The words sounded harsh even to his ears but it had to be this way. He couldn’t let his staff start feeling sorry for Shannon because that would make him the bad guy. And he wasn’t, dammit.
“All right. Forget I said anything.” Marco glanced at his watch. “I need to get back to the office. There’s a ton of paperwork I have to finish before we go to Vegas. I will see you tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah,” Dev said, “Before I forget…call both of Shannon’s places of employment and let them know she won’t be coming back. Ever. Also…have someone pay her rent at her apartment and tell the movers to meet us there in a few hours.”
Marco waved in acknowledgment as he left and Dev went into the locker room. He needed to take a long, cold shower before he saw Shannon again. Ice water was the only cure for his hard-on. When he turned on the spray, his thoughts went to a memory he wished he could forget.
They met behind the bleachers at the high school—the only neutral place they could agree upon and her parents weren’t likely to find them there. The smell of damp grass mixed with trash from the game a few nights earlier made him feel queasy. And he had a bad feeling something horrible was about to happen.
Shannon started crying before he even reached her. She stood before him, rain drenching her sundress, showing the little bulge at her stomach. He too was soaked but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore…not if she did what she’d told him she was going to do.
“What did you say?” He felt his entire world drop from beneath him, kept telling himself this couldn’t be happening.
She reached out but he pulled away before she could touch him. He didn’t want her filthy hands on him ever again.
“Dev,” she sobbed, anguish making her voice crack. “Please, you have to understand. If I don’t do this, they are going to cut me off. I…I will be dead to them.”
She was really going to do it because her daddy was threatening to cut her off? No…he couldn’t believe her.
“Understand? What in the fuck is there to understand?” he shouted.
She managed to grab his arm this time. “You just got out of jail. The judge said this was the last time he was going to look the other way. I…I don’t want to start a family like this.”
He spoke through clenched teeth. “I went to jail because of what that asshole said about you, Shannon. Jesus! It’s not as if I just walked up to a random person and knocked him out.”
“You broke three of his ribs, Dev! They had to wire his jaw shut. That isn’t just knocking someone out. That’s beating the shit out of him.”
Shannon rarely cursed so he knew she was as upset as he was.
“So what are you trying to tell me? That we’re breaking up?” He ran his hands through his hair, trying to remain in control of his emotions. “Is your father behind this? Is that what this is all about?”
Another sob left her lips. “He’s only doing what he thinks is best. Please don’t bring him into this.”
“If he is the reason you’re trying to leave me, then I damn sure will bring him into this!”
She shook her head. “No, don’t blame this on him. This is my choice. I’m choosing this. We’re too young to be parents and you know it.”
There was a tense moment of silence. He didn’t know what he could possibly say to change her mind. Those weren’t her words. The phrases she’d used sounded exactly like something her father would say. But why was she doing this to him? Tears filled his eyes and he blinked them away.
Finally he said, “If you do this, then you are dead to me. I won’t be here to hold your hand when you realize what a huge mistake you’ve made.”
“Dev, please don’t be like this. I do need you.” Her voice was hoarse and broken.
He took a step back. “I need you too but I need our family more. And if you take that away from me, then there is nothing between us.”
“No,” she moaned. “Please…”
“I can’t believe I ever loved you.” His jaw clenched. “You disgust me. I will never touch you again, Shannon.”
With those final words he left her there, standing in the rain. The scent of rotting garbage was so strong his stomach heaved but he kept walking. When he reached his truck he vomited his lunch.
How could she do such a thing? She was breaking his heart and didn’t even care. Looking around, he realized there was nothing left for him there…not anymore. He vowed in that moment that he would leave Tyler, Texas behind and never look back.
Holding his head under the spraying water, Dev held his breath until the tears that threatened to spill subsided. Strong. He had to stay strong and remember he controlled fate this time. Not Shannon. Now…time to have some fun and remind her of this.
* * * * *
In the massive closet Shannon managed to find a pair of True Religion jeans and a red silk tank top. She giggled to herself as she thought about the shocked looks she got as she ran through the house. Luckily she had remembered wh
ere her room was and hadn’t needed to ask for help.
She picked out a pair of sneakers. Wearing high heels while packing up her belongings didn’t sound appealing. Besides, she lived in a sketchy part of town and she never knew what she would be facing. Sneakers were easier to run in.
She walked out of the closet and stopped in her tracks. Dev was lying on the bed, using his hands to prop up his head. He wore jeans and a t-shirt and looked oh-so-good. His gaze ran her up and down and then he grinned.
“No heels?”
Still angry, she replied, “What? Marco didn’t want to come in and watch? You know, if he was a part of the deal then you could have said something.”
His eyes narrowed and she felt a small sense of victory. Good. He deserved to be put in his place. She was tired of men pushing her around.
He sat up. “Stay away from my friends,” he said in a slow, calculated manner. “While you are here you are mine in every sense of the word. Understand?”
She rolled her eyes. “As if I would sleep with your friends.” Then she asked, “When are we going to my apartment? I really don’t want to be there after the sun goes down.”
He cocked his head. “Is that why you work at night, so you don’t have to be there?”
Lord, if he only knew the whole story, he would see the irony in his words.
She nodded. “Yeah. Something like that.”
He glanced at his watch and said, “I need to make a couple of calls and then we can go.”
He started to walk away and then stopped. “Just so you know, I didn’t realize Marco was there until you started to turn around. Despite what you think I wouldn’t intentionally embarrass you that way.”
He waited for her to reply but she didn’t know what to say. Finally he gave a curt nod and left. When he was gone she sat on the edge of the bed. One minute he seemed furious and the next he was apologizing. It was hard to figure out where she stood when he did things like that.
Her cell phone rang and she jumped at the unexpected sound. She chuckled at herself and grabbed her cell from her purse. The number on the screen made her flinch but she answered the call.
“Hello, Johnny.”
“What in the fuck kind of game do you think you’re playing?” he screamed at her.
She closed her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out right away that you quit the club? Did you think it would be that easy…that I would just let you fucking walk away?”
Shit. Dev’s people must have called the club to say she wasn’t coming back. No surprise—she’d known they would but she didn’t think he would move that fast. And now she had to deal with Johnny.
She took in a slow breath. “I didn’t think it would matter.”
“Oh it matters, you little bitch. Did you think I would forget about the fifty thousand dollars you still owe me?”
Even through the phone she could picture his handsome face scrunched up in rage. Hard to believe she had found him attractive at one time. That was before he showed his true colors though.
“I will have it to you by tomorrow.”
She hoped Dev would put the money in her account by then. If not, she would have to explain to him why she needed it and that was the last thing she wanted to do.
“How did you manage to get all the money?” Johnny asked in a low voice. “Are you fucking one of my customers without my permission? You know what happens when one of my girls goes behind my back…”
Each word he said became a threat and she trembled in fear. He was so very angry and she needed to end this conversation before it got out of hand.
“No, Johnny. I’m not seeing one of your customers. I need to go. I’ll drop a check by the club tomorrow.”
She hung up before he had a chance to reply. Her heart was pounding and she tried to take in a calming breath. He had the power to destroy her in an instant if he wanted. She bit her lip to keep from crying. He had been her savior at one point. Too bad he ended up being the devil in disguise, she thought, as memories of that fateful night came rushing back.
The lights in the club flashed in dizzying patterns but she didn’t care. She danced in the middle of the room with her arms thrown in the air. Several men danced with her and she ground against them, not caring when they grabbed at her.
The music changed to a slow song and she made her way back to the bar. She never danced to the slow songs. They hurt too much—made her think about things she didn’t want to think about.
“I’ll take another vodka tonic,” she yelled over the music to the bartender.
He shook his head. “I’m cutting you off. You’re drunk, lady.”
She laughed and it sounded far away. “Fuck you. Give me another drink!”
The bartender looked hesitant and she was about to cuss him out when a warm arm went around her waist. Thinking it was one of the guys from the dance floor, she rubbed against him without looking.
“Give the lady a drink,” a low voice said next to her ear.
The man didn’t yell but the bartender scurried away to get her drink as if God Himself had issued the order. She turned and found herself staring into dark eyes that seemed familiar and different at the same time. He has Dev’s eyes, she thought with an internal sob.
“Thanks.” She smiled at him. “I’m Shannon.”
His hand caressed the bare area of skin between the top of her skirt and the bottom of her shirt. His touch scorched her flesh and suddenly a drink was the last thing she wanted. He flashed a perfect smile back at her and again she was reminded of Dev.
“I’m Johnny.”
The bartender slid her drink in front of her and she picked it up, shifted on her stool, away from the bar a bit. She sensed it would be in her best interest to get away from this man.
“Aren’t you going to keep me company?” he asked in her ear. He remained close and nibbled on her earlobe.
She moaned and leaned into him. Her gut was screaming at her to end this but the risky naughtiness felt so good. His other hand traced little patterns on her thigh and then he slowly made his way up. Holy shit, not wearing panties under her tiny skirt had turned out to be a good idea. He grinned in approval as he cupped her mound.
“Why don’t we go someplace more…secluded,” he suggested.
She grinned and stood. “I’m down for anything.”
And she meant it. For one night she would allow herself to pretend she was with Dev and everything was okay…even if it wasn’t and the man before her was a stranger.
“Oh, you’ll defiantly be ‘down’ by the time we’re done,” he replied with a sexy smile.
On wobbly legs that couldn’t be blamed entirely on the drinks, she followed him to the stairway. He surprised her by taking her downstairs.
“We’re not going to go behind some crates are we?” she asked with a giggle.
He pulled her into his arms. “No, I am going to take you to my office and fuck you until you can’t walk.”
She rubbed against him. “And I’ll let you, Johnny. For one night only.”
He smiled back at her. “No Shannon. It will last until I say it’s over.”
Shannon stared at herself in the mirror across from the big bed in Dev’s guestroom. At the time she had found Johnny’s words thrilling. If only she had known the truth behind them. She would never be free from that monster. She just prayed that being with Dev could buy her some time to figure things out.
Chapter Seven
Shannon slid into the seat of the nicest SUV she had seen in her life. Of course Dev would drive a Land Rover.
“Exactly how many cars do you own?” she asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
“I’m not sure. I have three at this house, plus the limo.”
“You’re not sure? Jesus, Dev! How much money do you make fighting?”
He gave her a sideways glance. “I don’t just make money from fighting, Shannon. I have endorsement deals and I h
ave made a few successful investments. Why? Trying to figure out if I could have paid more for our month together?”
She didn’t answer and looked out the window instead.
After a long moment of silence she said, “Thanks for taking me to my apartment.”
“Well I certainly wouldn’t let you go alone. You might try to bail on me.”
She huffed. “As I remember you are the one who bails on people. Not me.” The words left her lips before she could stop them.
His head snapped toward her and she knew she shouldn’t try to provoke him when she had so much to lose.
“As I recall you bailed on our relationship. My leaving town was a result of that.”
She moistened her lips with her tongue and then asked softly, “Where did you go? When you left I mean.”
For eight years she had wondered about that. Not even his family had been able to give her hints and God knew she had looked for him. His hand tightened on the steering wheel and for a moment she thought he was going to ignore her question.
“I was in Oklahoma for a while, near Oklahoma City. Then I went out to California and did a few underground fights. That’s where I met Marco actually. He was at one of the fights and gave me his card.” He smiled at the memory. “I blew him off at first but after losing a few more fights I called him and the rest is history.”
“How…how long were you in Oklahoma after you left Texas?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a year. Why?”
He had been so close to her during that time. Fate had a cruel sense of humor though, and they never crossed paths when she needed him so much.
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I was just curious.” She needed to change the subject before she lost her composure. “Turn left at the next light.”
“I know where you live. No need to tell me when to turn.”
“You do? How?”
He actually snorted at her. “The investigator, remember? Your address was on the report and I Googled it before we left.” He made the turn at the stoplight and then said, “I’m actually surprised you’re living in this part of town. Not exactly how you were raised.”
