Blindsided (The Fighter Series Book 1) (21 page)

She melts and I’m sure her panties are soaked. Her eyes glaze over as she enjoys her little flashback from the night before, then she blinks slapping my chest.

“You’re a pig,” she squeaks.

“You fucking love it,” I say deeply then take to her lips but she resists at first. I’m assuming it’s because of the people in the room but I’m not having this shit. I grab a handful of her hair and tug, and instantly she submits.

Remember, I despise the word no and I’ll be damned if I don’t get my victory kiss from the very victory I’ve wanted the most. Our tongues tangle, sliding against each other, and electricity shoots through my body slamming my dick. She runs her fingers along my cheek then wraps her arms around my neck, breathing a fierce passion into me.

Adam clears his throat but I ignore it, continuing to get intoxicated on my girl. The public can kiss my ass. If you don’t like it, then don’t freaking look at it.

“I see some things don’t change.” The bitch’s voice rapes my ears. Paige jerks back surprised with wide eyes then turns toward the vile noise.

Bitterness races with my adrenaline. “Oh great,” I groan. “Everyone stop what they’re doing. Allison needs her ass to be kissed.” I rip my eyes off of Paige and glare at her. “What the hell do you want?”

Dressed in a pair of tight ass black jeans and a bright purple tube top, Allison rakes her eyes over Paige then back to me, twisting her corrupt lips into a smile. “What? You’re not going to introduce me to your friend?” she says stepping beside me.

She makes my blood curdle. “This is Paige, my girlfriend,” I inform her taking a step to the side.

Allison doesn’t give a damn, and as if Paige isn’t standing beside me, she runs her hand down my chest, her fingers quickly making a beeline to my waistband.

I snatch her hand. “Don’t,” I growl pushing it back.

“I need to talk to you,” she darts her eyes to Paige, “alone.”

Nope. Not fucking happening. I pull Paige by the hip into my side. I can’t imagine what the hell this looks like. “Allison—”

“Mmm…I love it when you call my name,” she interrupts me.

Paige’s body becomes taut, all tender emotion draining from her blood. She drops her hand from my waist and pulls back slightly, but I’m not releasing her. She doesn’t understand Allison is malicious and playing a mind game.

“Paige?” Blain calls from the door.

When she glances up from beneath her lashes, my world breaks. Her eyes are drowning in hurt and turmoil. I squeeze her gently to stay, but she pulls away. Reluctantly, I let go. She scurries to Blain, who’s murdering me with dull pencils with his glare.

“Paige, wait,” I call out, but she doesn’t stop until she reaches Blain. Allison giggles and it enrages me. “If you don’t get the fuck out of here,” I bite out.

Her fucking smile is evil. “I said I needed you alone.”

I look back to Paige…then back to Allison. “Can’t it wait?”

“If I recall right, the last time you asked me to wait I was screaming your name,” she says just loud enough for it to reach Paige’s ears. “I’ll call you later.”

“Fine,” I snap.

She licks her lips then tries to rub down my chest but I pull back. Giggling, she turns on her slut heels and starts for the door, pausing right beside Paige. “And we all know how he likes it rough.”

Damn. Damn. Damn her! I’ve worked way too hard to get Paige to let Allison’s trifling ass ways ruin it all.

Blain whispers something in Paige’s ear as she glowers at me with broken-hearted eyes.

“Paige, that isn’t what you think. It’s not what it looked like,” I quickly say. She’s silent, but her look alone tells me everything I don’t want to hear. “Paige, please listen to me. It’s—”

Before I can finish, she’s out the door. I sprint after her but am blocked by Blain who steps in front of me.

“Leave her alone,” Blain bravely puffs out.

“If you don’t get the fuck out of my way…” I rake my hands through my hair. “Blain, just get the fuck out of the way.”

He doesn’t budge. He deserves an award for the display of balls the size of an elephant.

“That,” I point to where Allison stood, “was not what the hell it looked like.”

My heart is jackhammering against my ribs, pulling apart the bones to get out of my chest. Desperation is starting to sink in.

“Put yourself in her shoes. Let her cool off,” he says.

Adam pulls back on my shoulders. “Dude, let her go chill out.”

I twist around and grab Adam up by his shirt. “You know how that bitch is. I swear if she just fucked this up, I’ll strip her down and reveal the fucking devil she is.” I drop him then turn back to Blain slamming my fist into the door beside his head and walk away.

I’ve never been on this side of damage control, but it’s shit. It’s like trekking through quicksand in a fucking rainstorm. In my grasp was something I wanted, something that my heart felt like it was beating for, and now she’s in pain. Hurt by my world. Immediately, I grab my phone and call her but she sends me to voicemail. Dammit!

Chapter 26

Morning has come quicker than anticipated. I swear I just closed my eyes and now it’s time to get up. I need to catch a plane home. After Blain and I left last night, we rushed to Levi’s hotel to get my things, scrambling to get out of there before he came back. By the time we got to Blain’s hotel, I was exhausted from all the emotions that bled from my body. Bed was calling my name and thankfully Blain gave me his master suite. I didn’t put up a fight—bed or couch—it wasn’t a hard choice.

I had to turn my phone off before I could fall asleep because Levi wouldn’t stop calling or texting, which was only a constant reminder that kept repeating what I saw over and over in my mind. I tossed and turned for most of the night wondering who the woman was and what they meant to each other. One thing’s for sure—there’s no denying they have a past. Bad boys…I should have known better.

As I open the bedroom door, I’m smacked in the face with the smell of coffee and bacon giving away Blain’s choice for breakfast. I pad down the short hallway and round the corner immediately being shushed by Blain nodding toward the recliner. In it—Levi.

“He got here after you went to bed,” he whispers as I reach for my pot of gold to get my morning motivation.

“What the hell for?” I groan.

“He’s determined to talk to you. I talked to him for a little bit myself. Paigey, don’t shut him out until you’ve heard him through. I mean it,” he says sternly to make his point.

I’ve heard enough and set my hot mug down on the counter and make my way back to the room to take a shower. Best medicine for anything—take a shower and wash all your problems down the drain. That’s what Mom taught me and I’ve lived by that for years. It truly helps. You’re able to let off steam, quietly yelling and cussing an invisible someone, pouring your emotions out behind the privacy of locked doors. It’s soothing. You get to sort through everything while ridding your body of the filth that’s fogging your brain. It’s like killing two birds with one stone as the saying goes.

I’ve vented and now dressed stepping out of the bathroom connecting eyes with a very tired Levi sitting on the edge of the bed. “You could have answered my calls,” he says straightforward.

“I was tired and needed to process things,” I state.

“Kind of a bitch way to handle things. Now will you let me explain?”

I nod, ignoring the attitude, pulling the towel off my head and running my fingers through its wet tangles.

His brows furrow together. “Have you had your coffee yet?”

I spin around, slitting my eyes. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Wondering if I need a shield or not.”

“If you’re gonna waste my—”

He quickly rises, gripping my shoulders forcing me to sit on the bed. “Stop. Calm down.” He grabs a chair and drops down into it front of me. “It wasn’t what it looked like.”

I hate that sentence. It’s never what it looked like. “Then explain, please. I need to get my stuff packed.”

“I’ve told you I’ve never done relationships except the one I’m trying now.”

“You’ve slept with her,” I blurt with jealousy nudging my tone.

“Yes, we were a thing for about a year. More of a convenience thing. She’s a gold digger, a woman out for money. If one man runs short or holds his green from her, she moves on to the next. I gave in for a little while until I could get more ass…I mean until I smartened up,” he corrects himself clearing his throat.

I tighten my eyes at him. “You don’t do relationships, but you were with her for a year?”

“We weren’t exclusive, Paige. We both knew it. We were each other’s fallback.”

“Well, what did she want last night? Another fallback?” Spite pangs me.

“Cory, my boss, has me attend a few fundraisers and press parties a year. He wants me and Allison to attend a red carpet together.”

I roll my eyes and jump to my feet. “You’re kidding me right?” I storm past him.

He jumps up and grabs my elbow turning me back to him and pulling me into his chest. “Whatever happened in your past, I’m not him. I promised I’d do my best at this and I’m telling you, Paige, I don’t want anyone else. As hard as it is to believe, for the both of us, whatever it is you’ve done to me, it has a death grip. Shit’s unreal.”

Tears are warming my eyes. “Then why her? Why do you have to go with her?”

“She’s a round girl, not by being passed around the guys, but the girl who holds the—”

“I’m not stupid, Levi,” I shout trying to push him away, but he wraps his strong arms around my waist and plants my ass back on the bed squatting in front of me.

“You have to give me the benefit of a doubt here. I’m being honest and I’ll stay that way. I slept in a fucking recliner to talk to you. May not seem like a lot to you, but that shit was uncomfortable as hell. I might fuck up with the things I do, but I’m not going to fuck up on you. You’ve voodooed me or something, but whatever it is, you’re stuck with me. There’s not a chance in hell I’m letting you walk away.”

I’m so confused. I’m hurt. I don’t know if I can handle his lifestyle. I don’t know if I can deal with his past. I don’t know if I can deal with anything right now.

Suddenly, he cups my face and kisses me intensely, unleashing a dizzying, overwhelming sense to wash over me. I’m still pissed from last night but captivation tickles my spine, love wraps around my heart and slaps me in my face. I’m falling for him and there’s nothing, not a damn thing, I can do about it.

Double shifts today. This will be the first time since Levi and I became a couple that I’ve had to pull it off. Levi flew back with Blain and me and booked a hotel moments away from the house. He wants to work on us, show me he’s serious by strengthening our relationship, and I quote, “
have me whenever he wants me.”
He’s kept to his word.

Friday mornings are normally slow and gratefully today is just that. I’ve not had but one table for over an hour and it’s several business men apparently having a meeting. Three of them are extremely callous, two of them are nice, and one hasn’t said much but smiles politely every time I check on them. Being a server can be grueling at times and it takes everything I have not to dump a pot of hot coffee on the assholes’ laps. I shake my head placing the dirty plate in the sink.
I’m starting to sound like Levi.