Justin’s shoulder injury devastated him, almost as much as having a daughter who can’t stomach watching two people throw punches.
I’ve always felt like a disappointment in my father’s eyes – to the point where I barely speak to the man.
I talk to Mum a couple of times a week, but I’ve only seen her in person once since I moved back to my home town a month ago.
She’s a strange woman, my mother. She lives in my dad’s shadow – if I didn’t know better, I’d say she had battered wife syndrome – but I know my dad would never lay a finger on her.
I think he’s just spent so long protecting her that she doesn’t have a clue how to protect herself.
“We’re really going to go?” Juliet asks.
“We’re going.” I nod. “Justin won’t let us out of it now.”
“I’m going to have to borrow something hot to wear.”
“If you’re dressing up to impress my brother, I will seriously puke.”
She blushes but shakes her head. “Hot fighters, remember?”
I shake my head at her. There’s only one guy she’s got her eye on, as gross as the idea may be to me.
I just don’t want her getting her hopes up when it comes to Justin. He’s not exactly known for settling down and he’s always said that Juliet is like a sister to him.
The same way I am to Hudson, apparently.
I frown at the way he said the word ‘family’ earlier.
I don’t want to be his family.
I let my head fall back in frustration. I shouldn’t want to be his anything.
Hudson Scott is dangerous, and in a way that has nothing to do with his performance in the cage. I’d do well to remember that.
***
“Ramsey!” Juliet shrieks from her room.
I drop my can of hair spray and rush from my room, down the hallway and into her bedroom.
“What’s wrong?”
She wobbles on the heels she borrowed from my closet earlier today to wear to the party tonight.
“How on earth do you walk in these things? I feel like a newborn giraffe.” She yelps as she tries to take a couple of steps.
I snigger as her arms flail around at her sides.
She reaches for her bed and dives onto it.
“You just walk.” I shrug.
She twists around and glances at the high-heeled ankle boots I’m wearing.
“You ran down here in those?”
“Yup,” I reply as I drop into her clothes-covered chair.
“I hate you.” She pouts.
Her eyes move up my legs as she appraises my outfit.
“Dammmmnnn, girl. The scary fighter might eat you for a snack.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not trying to impress Hudson.”
She tugs at the buckle near her ankle that’s holding her shoe on. “Sure, sure, and I walk like a supermodel on a catwalk in these things,” she replies sarcastically.
“Seriously, I’m not,” I insist.
Lie.
“I haven’t even thought about him since the other night.”
Lie.
“I’m just going to see Justin.”
Another lie.
“You keep spewing those lies, and maybe you’ll even start to believe them.” She giggles as she throws the heels onto her bed. “Now, let’s find me some shoes that won’t break my neck.”
I shake my head in amusement and reach for a pair of flats from her floor. I toss them to her, and she smiles gratefully before sliding them on her feet.
“The cab is going to be here in five,” I tell her as I get to my feet, smoothing down my short black dress as I do.
I turn to walk back out of her door. “Serious, Ramsey, you look smokin’, he’s going to shit himself when he sees you.”
I consider arguing the point with her, but truthfully, I can’t be bothered – this outfit, hair and makeup might not have been done specifically for him, but I certainly had him in mind – the same way I have ever since he walked out my door.
I don’t know what it is about him – obviously he’s sexy as hell, but I’ve seen plenty of good-looking men in my life. This is more than that. I’m drawn to him, even when I know I shouldn’t be.
I grab my small bag from the hallway table and glance in the mirror at my pink hair, curled into loose waves around my face.
My hazel eyes are framed with thick, dark lashes thanks to my new mascara and my lips are a deep pink.
“C’mon, Jules!” I yell at the same moment a horn sounds from outside our place. “Cab’s here.”
She comes flying out of her bedroom, much more stable on her feet this time, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
“I’m ready.”
“Careful, girl, anyone would think you were excited.”
She pokes her tongue out at me. “You keep my dirty little secrets, and I’ll keep yours.” She giggles.
CHAPTER FIVE
Hudson
I glance at the watch on my wrist and then at the door again.
“Who are you waiting on? You invite a chick or something?” Justin asks, his brows raised as he follows my line of sight to the still-vacant doorway.
I shake my head. “Nah, just wondering when Rusty and Beast are gonna rock up.”
He nods. Justin never has been the best at knowing when I’m lying through my teeth.
“Rusty is always late.” He takes a swig of his beer and slides his phone out of his pocket. “Speaking of late, I don’t know where the fuck Ramsey is.”
“I forgot she was coming,” I reply as I lazily glance around my packed living room.
There’s a shit load of people here, none of which are particularly interesting to me. Next to none that I’d actually consider to be more than an acquaintance.
That’s the thing with having such a high-profile sporting career – people think they know you.
People don’t know shit about me.
I pretend I don’t notice him watching me.
He’s been down my throat about Ramsey for the past two days, drumming it into me that I’ve somehow taken on the role of her surrogate big brother – apparently it’s my duty to look out for her now too, and ‘looking out for her’ means keeping members of the opposite sex away from her, in Justin speak.
He sure as fuck is protective of his sister.
I take another drink of my beer, draining the bottle this time.
I’m reaching for another one when he says the words I’ve been dying to hear for the past hour and a half. “Here she is.”
My eyes snap up to the door, my beer forgotten.
Justin is already moving across my living room, towards her.
I swallow deeply. Jesus Christ. Why’d she have to come here looking like that?
She’s not the innocent-looking baby sister J talked about when he described Ramsey. Not even close.
Fuck, she’s beautiful, sexy, and tempting.
Her smiling face is all I see as I move towards them, following the path Justin took.
“About time you showed up, I thought you were going to stand me up.” I hear Justin say as he releases Ramsey and picks up Juliet.
“Babe, you look good enough to eat,” he says as he lifts her clean off her feet and into his embrace.
I swear he loves that girl. I know he likes to drive Ramsey insane more than anything, but I don’t think it’s all an act. He’s got a soft spot for his sister’s house mate.
“Um ew. I don’t want to hear those words come out of your mouth ever again,” Ramsey hisses.
“Hey, pinky,” I say, and she freezes, her hands dropping from where she’s placed them on her hips.
She slowly turns to face me, and that lump is right back there in my throat again.
“Hey, champ,” she replies, her voice a hoarse whisper.
I smirk. I like the way ‘champ’ sounds coming from her mouth.
Justin puts down Juliet and whispers something in her ear that makes her blush.
I don’t do a thing but look – at Ramsey.
“You sure know how to throw a party.”
I glance over my shoulder at the people filling my home. “I guess.”
“Your house is really nice.”
“You’ll have to come back one day when it’s not so crowded.”
“I will?” she asks quietly as Justin and Juliet step closer.
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
She dips her head, my intense stare too much for her.
“You girls want a beer?” Justin asks as he slings his arms over both of their shoulders.
“Look at that, you know how to ask a question after all,” Ramsey muses.
I chuckle as he glares at anyone that is in his way of getting back to the kitchen.
The crowd parts for him, and I gesture for them to go ahead.
Justin might not fight anymore, but he’s earnt the respect of everybody in the industry.
I follow behind the three of them.
I don’t mind the view from the back.
I let my eye slide up Ramsey’s lean legs to the bottom of her dress.
Nope, I don’t mind this view at all.
Justin drops his arms and goes to grab something from the fridge. I flip the lid off another beer and bring it to my lips. I need something to take the edge off.
“Wine?” Justin asks as he waves a bottle in the girls’ direction.
“Me please.” Juliet grins.
“I’m good,” Ramsey replies.
I eye her curiously and hold out my beer.
She takes it, her eyes never leaving mine as she brings the neck of it to her lips and drinks deeply.
Jesus, what I wouldn’t give to be that bottle.
“Since when do you drink beer?” Justin demands.
“Since always.” Ramsey looks away, and I mentally give myself a knee to the guts.
I need to get my shit together before I wind up a dead man.
I grab another beer and down half the bottle in one go.
I’ve barely drunk in months – fight prep and all, so this is going down a little too well.
“So, what now, champ? What happens at one of your parties?”
“There’s a band in the back yard.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t feel like dancing.”
“Well I do.” Juliet grabs Justin’s hand and drags him out of the kitchen, in the direction of the sliding door that leads out back.
Justin shoots me a look over his shoulder and points to Ramsey. It’s awfully fucking clear that I’m in charge of protecting her for now.
Too bad that the very thing she’ll need protection from, is me.
“So…” Ramsey says as she leans her elbows against the bench. “This house is a mansion, exactly how loaded are you?”
I chuckle. “Loaded enough.”
She giggles and her eyes roam the room, looking at the groups of people talking and laughing.
I stroll around the bench until I’m next to her, I mimic her pose and our elbows touch.
“How’s the injuries?”
“Sore,” I tell her honestly.
“I’ll check them out tomorrow.”
I grin. That means I’ll get to see her again within twenty-four hours.
“Alright.” I nod.
We stay side by side in silence, each of us drinking our beers as the music pumps outside and people gossip inside.
“What’s blondie’s deal? I’m getting the death stare.”
I scan the room and I’m just about to ask her who she’s talking about when a guy moves, and I see her.
Vanessa.
More affectionately known as the ex from hell.
“Christ, don’t ask,” I groan.
“She’s really staring, champ, is she pissed off with me or you?” she asks, her tone amused.
“She’s pissed off with life,” I mutter.
“Disgruntled ex?” she questions, her elbow lightly bumping mine.
“Something like that,” I mutter and run my hand through my hair.
She giggles again and I bump my shoulder into hers. “Don’t laugh at me. That bitch is crazy.”
“And that only makes it funnier.” She grins.
Ramsey sits her bottle down on the bench top and I snag her arm, turning the bracelet on her wrist over in my fingers.
“What’s this?”
She touches it, her fingers lightly brushing mine, and I try to ignore the tingle that runs down my spine.
“It’s my charm bracelet. I collect little trinkets to remember things by.”
I rest her wrist in one of my hands and put my drink down so I can use the other hand to look at the small gold charms.
“What’s this one for?” I ask, holding a small palm tree between my fingers.
She grins. “Me and a few of the girls went on a tropical getaway a few years back, all we did was swim in the pool, drink cocktails and get hit on by the guys working at the resort.” She smiles fondly at the memory. “It was the most relaxing week of my life.”
The tone in her voice makes me smile.
“And this one?” I grasp a tiny charm that looks like a syringe.
She grimaces. “Juliet got me that, she’s super allergic to bees and she got a sting one day – I had to stab her in the leg with her epi-pen.”
“Let me guess, you’re not big on needles?” I smirk.
“Nope. They tried to make me learn acupuncture for my physio degree, but I ended up getting an exemption due to all the fainting and throwing up.”
I chuckle.
“Sorry.” She frowns. “That was gross; I should really get a filter.”
“Don’t.” I shake my head. “I like you unfiltered.”
She gives me a shy smile.
“What’s the story with this one?”
She leans in to see what I’m looking at and my nose fills with the scent of her. She smells like a bunch of flowers.
Pretty. She smells pretty. The same way she looks.
She giggles and glances up at me, her honey-coloured eyes sparkling. “That’s a pushbike.”
I raise my brows in question, waiting for the story.
She laughs. “It goes with the wine bottle.” She points to a charm on the other side of the bracelet. “Have you ever done one of those pushbike pub crawls?”
“Can’t say I have.”
“You should.” She grins. “I skinned my knees up so bad, but even still, what a freakin’ day that was.”
I turn the delicate bracelet around in my fingers. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re kinda wild?”
She huffs out a laugh. “Maybe when I was seventeen. Now I get my kicks from muscles and joints.”
“How old are you?”
She spins the bracelet around and points to a small ‘21’ charm. “I’m nearly twenty-two.”
“You’re so young.”
Too young for me.
She shrugs. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven, I’ll be twenty-eight this year.”
“Old man.” She smirks.
My gaze travels across the room, and I find Vanessa boring holes into Ramsey, her evil stare focused entirely on the woman next to me.
“You’re only as old as the woman you feel,” I mumble.
She giggles, and I pull my eyes from the crazy chick across the room.
“Oh yeah? And what woman are you feeling, champ?”
You. I think to myself.
I would quite happily feel twenty-one again right now.
“No comment,” I reply with a smirk.
“You could feel however old she is. I’m lucky looks can’t kill.” She tips her head in the direction of Vanessa, and I suddenly feel the need to get Ramsey away from here.
“You want to see upstairs?”
She turns, resting on one elbow, so she can look at me.
I do the same.
“This is your party, you don’t have to spend all your time babysitting me.”
“What if I want to?”
The words are out of my mouth before I can really consider the implications of them.
Her eyes sparkle. “Well then, lead the way.”
CHAPTER SIX
Ramsey
“That’s my room,” he says, his voice gravelly as we pass an open bedroom door.
We’re the only ones up here – apparently it goes without saying that you don’t go where you’re not welcome at Hudson’s house.
My stomach flutters at the idea of being welcome here.
And with a personal tour guide, nonetheless.
“Oh, come see this, you’ll love it.” He grabs my hand and tows me along, and I let him.
I like the feel of my hand in his. His skin is warm and welcoming – a stark contrast to his hard, cool exterior.
He leads me into a big room with couches set up around a huge TV screen.
“Do you play?” He points at the gaming console on the table in front of the couch.
“Do I play?” I roll my eyes, sarcasm thick in my voice. “I don’t just play, I kick ass.”
He chuckles, deep and dark, and the butterflies in my belly stir again.
There’s something so primal and edgy about this man. I should be running a mile – he’s that terrifying, but I can’t think of anything I want to do more than sit down on that couch next to him and play games.
He’s more than just a hard, tough fighter who no one wants to fuck with – he’s soft too, tender.
“Alright then, pinky, put your money where your mouth is.”
I slide my hand from his and park myself on the couch, crossing my legs under me.
He reaches for the remote, hits the on button and turns on the gaming console.
The screen flickers to life, and he hands me a controller before sitting down right next to me.
He’s so close that my knee is sitting half on top of his thigh. It’s as hard as rock.
He runs a hand through the longer hair on the top of his head and I nibble on my bottom lip. He looks so sexy when he does that, and I don’t think he has any idea.
“This okay?” he asks, his dark eyes searching my face.
I nod, even though I don’t have a clue what game he’s got in.
“I’ll beat you at anything.”
Mr. July: An MMA Sports Romance (Calendar Boys Book 7) Page 3
