Awakened (The Fighter Series Book 3) Read online

  “Guard!” Adam calls out again.

  I’m lost at the meanings, staring ahead, trying to see if I can catch on. I know what kicks and punches are, but all these other terms are a foreign language.

  “You’ll learn it,” Paige says quietly. “I had the same look you do at first. Adam will teach you what all it means.”

  I stifle a yelp when Harvey yells, “Bag!”

  Paige and I both giggle softly.

  Adam hops off the ring and strides to the red and black bag. Bracing with one foot behind the other, shoulder into the leather, he holds it as Levi starts punching and kicking.

  “I can watch this all day. Nothing sexier than your man all sweaty and muscly.” Her voice is dreamy as she leans into my shoulder.

  I continue watching the two—mainly Adam—intently.

  Both Adam and Levi crack up over something said and Paige leans over again. “Those two…you can’t take them anywhere,” she titters. “He’s supposed to be focusing, but Adam has a tendency to distract him.”

  “Doesn’t Levi get mad at that?”

  She shakes her head. “He wouldn’t have it any other way. I think some of their deepest moments have happened in the positions they’re in. It’s their safe haven.”

  “You two wanna hug?” Perry yells out and both Adam and Levi glare at him. “Save the jokes for afterward. I didn’t fly in and take time away from my family to see you two girls treat this as nothing.”

  Levi drops his hands to his side. “Who pissed in your coffee this morning?”

  “Testosterone. Too much in the air. This is normal. You’re going to have to come in more and see these things,” Paige whispers.

  “They look like they’re about to fight.”

  “It’s all looks. They’ll never fight. They’re all basically family. Someone will walk away first,” she reassures me.

  I feel so incompetent—out of my element, my norm. All this is utterly foreign to me.

  I miss whatever Adam says to Perry, but it pissed Harvey off enough to throw both Levi and Adam in the ring…together.

  Adam slides a pair of red boxing gloves on, shoves a mouth guard in, and they begin circling each other. My heart sinks.

  “No dancing around!” Harvey yells to them.

  My eyes are wide, huge, when I turn to Paige. “Will Levi hurt him? Does Adam know how to fight?” My voice carries the worry my heart is feeling.

  “You might be surprised,” she replies with soft eyes.

  Adam swings, and Levi ducks, countering with a right punch. It lands against the glove blocking Adams face. Then Levi kicks him in the thigh. Adam steps back, smirking, and then releases a flurry of punches. Levi ducks and weaves before leaning away trying to out maneuver the strikes.

  I’m holding my breath while my heart is pounding in my throat. I really want to look away—really badly—but I can’t.

  Levi returns Adam’s flurry with his own and just as Levi did, Adam ducks and weaves away. But one solid thud lands against Adam’s ribs.

  I drop my view to my lap. That was my straw. “Thought you said they never throw punches?”

  “This is training. They’re not out to cause damage. You really don’t know much about this?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t care for it. It’s hard to watch.”

  She smiles wide, showcasing her white teeth. “I used to be the same way. Until Levi came along of course. Now, I understand the adrenaline high. I’m hoping Adam keeps his wits about him and you’ll be here to learn the thrill too.”

  My brows knit together. “Keeps his wits about him?”

  Her face fails and then she blinks. “Adam hasn’t had any good luck with women.”

  “Bad choices?” I ask, although I think I know the answer.

  She shrugs. “You can call it that.”

  We were so lost in our conversations that we didn’t notice the silence surrounding us. Just then, Levi leaps from behind the corner. She and I squeal and Levi buckles over in laughter.

  “What are y’all doing here?” he asks.

  Paige gathers herself. “Popping in to show Kelsie what training is about.”

  He pulls her to his chest. “Trying to show me off?”

  “You realize her man is here too,” she answers.

  “He’s not nearly as good-looking as I am,” he replies.

  “I’ll beg to differ.” Adam pulls me into his sweaty, slick body. “How’d you not see him coming?” he whispers with a chuckle.

  “We were talking. I wasn’t paying attention.”

  He bends, kissing me on the lips softly. “Miss me that much?”

  “Get a room,” Levi calls out.

  Adam ignores him and kisses me again, softly.

  Just then the door swings open and Adam’s body galvanizes. He tucks me into his side. A smug, short man with messy brown hair steps in with his hands in his off-white blazer.

  “Look what the rats dragged in,” Levi states disdainfully.

  The guy laughs a little assholeishly and slaps Levi on the arm. “Funny. I always seem to hate myself right before seeing you.”

  Levi drops his head back and laughs a hearty laugh. “Feeling’s mutual. You can imagine the misery I’m experiencing from two visits in one month.”

  “I’m the one who signs your checks. You’d think you’d be excited to see me,” the man states.

  Levi crosses his arms looking rather amused. “I’m the one who makes your checks. You should be happier to see me.”

  The tension blanketing the place is outrageous. It’s sucking oxygen from the air. My feet feel like they have cinder blocks tied to them. I wouldn’t feel so safe if not for Adam gripping my waist.

  “You ready?” the man asks Levi.

  “For what?” Levi snaps.

  “I need to talk with you all.”

  “Again? This shit couldn’t happen over the phone?” Levi asks.

  The man takes an annoyed breath. “Yes, again.”

  Levi kisses Paige on the cheek and whispers something in her ear.

  “I’ll see you in a bit,” Adam says and places a chaste kiss against my forehead.

  Both men follow reluctantly behind the short guy, chests poked out and shoulders back.

  “Who was that?” I ask Paige as we get into her little white box of a car.

  “Cory.” She exhales with an abhorrent tone. She shoves her car into gear. “He’s Levi’s manager, and granted he pays him, but he’s a total sleaze ball. He’s got many skeletons in his closet. They have a weird relationship. They both despise each other but can’t leave. One day Levi will and when that happens we’re going to throw a huge party.”

  Paige brought me back to the hotel after we had a quick lunch at a little pizza place down the road. I want to relax and keep my mind clear while I have time to myself. I’ve made the balcony my mini-tropical paradise in the sun overlooking the trees. Yep. It’s all woods here, but it’s peaceful. The birds are singing. The air is crisp. And this chair is amazing as I lie here soaking in the rays.

  A bump and click has me sitting up, twisting around with my fist balled, ready to attack my intruder.

  Adam laughs, stepping out onto the balcony. “Too bad you don’t look intimidating.”

  “Looks can be deceiving,” I reply playfully, settling back in my chair. “How was the rest of your day?”

  “Shit.”

  “Because of Cory?”

  He nods.

  “Did you and Levi get to fight anymore?”

  His lips launch into a wolfish smile. “It’s called sparring. We’re not out to hurt each other. We don’t put full power behind it. It helps Levi with his reaction time and enhances his skills. Paige said you were lost watching us.”

  “I don’t know anything about your world,” I sigh, unhappily.

  “I’ll teach you.” He looks over the tree line. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  I’m about two sentences back into my book before my brain gives up the battle of de
sire. He’s under the water washing his hair when I enter. Soap suds ride a roller coaster down his muscular body until they wrap themselves around his feet on the floor.

  Stealthily, I undress and step around the glass wall. I’m standing naked in front of him when he opens his eyes. His left brow raises and his view travels the length of my body. I feel so self-conscious every time he looks at me this way. I slide my hands over his chest pressing my body against his slick naked skin.

  He observes me for a moment, his brown eyes glimmering, and then he slides his hand up my arm and into my hair. He kisses me tenderly and stretches his hand at my lower back. I can feel his dick hardening between us and my desire for him cascades around me.

  He steps me back against the cold wall and drags his tongue down my jawline to my neck. Fingertips graze the skin of my shoulder, traveling the length of my arm and onto my hips.

  He reaches back and turns the water off.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt your shower.” I knew I should’ve waited.

  With a passion in his eyes I’ve never seen before, he tugs me into him by my hips and reclaims my lips. He walks us backward steadily until my legs hit the cool of the bed. Slowly, he lays me down, keeping his eyes on mine and rests between my legs. His lips brush against my cheek, moving across my chin to my other cheek.

  All his movements have a sense of significance. A feeling of ardor. A depth of intimacy. And my heart is taking full notice of it all. He’s tender, passionate, gentle, and…

  I’m falling for him…hard, regardless of how much I’ve tried talking myself out of it. I’ve tried telling myself these little hallucinations are exactly what they are—figments of my imagination. But I can’t escape what I’m feeling, despite it scaring the hell out of me.

  His hand drags heavily up my thigh and cups my sex. He groans, peck kissing my shoulder, and then drags his tongue to my yearning breast. He suckles my nipple, kneading the other and my hips push against him, begging for his touch.

  Locking our gazes, he inches into me, and simultaneously we moan. He stretches me and the sensation is phenomenal. It doesn’t hurt but fuels my desire. He rocks into me unhurried, rooting to the hilt while keeping his eye on me.

  He moves my leg to wrap around his back and presses his body into me. His bare chest, still slick from the shower, slides over mine, igniting a wild fire as he rocks into me.

  He kisses me forcefully, picking up the pace just a bit. As if he hit a switch, my orgasm slams into me and I cry out. He inhales my moan, thrusting into me. I dig my nails into his shoulder blades, and he rips his lips from mine as he finds his own release with a guttural growl.

  His head is resting on his hand, propped up on his elbow by my side. He’s drawing imaginary lines over my bare skin and has been for the past several moments. I look up to him and smile lazily.

  His body is trembling slightly. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

  “I’m falling for you.” His voice is shaky.

  My heart stops, leaping into my throat. I’m flooded with emotions. I reach out and pull him to my lips. “You’ve had my heart,” I speak softly against his lips.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you felt that strongly?”

  “Scared to lose you. I wanted you in my life so I kept quiet. I didn’t think you felt the same.”

  “I’m sorry,” he sighs.

  “For what?”

  “Allowing you to think you couldn’t tell me. That had to be torture.”

  “It was,” I admit.

  “Don’t be scared to tell me anything, okay?”

  I swallow hard. “I love you.”

  He hums and feathers a kiss to my lips but doesn’t return the words. He doesn’t have to. I can feel it.

  Chapter 21

  “Back to reality,” I sigh stepping out of the elevator and heading to my office.

  We got back in town late yesterday evening and for the first time in days, I slept alone. It was a devastating blow considering I had him for days before. I hated not having my big hunk to roll over and snuggle with. I didn’t hear his solid breathing behind me. The empty covers just didn’t do the trick.

  I woke up this morning feeling like shit. I have a fever, my throat is sore, and I have no energy. During my lunch, I’m planning to go see the company doctor.

  My desk doesn’t bear any sign that I was gone for days. Nothing is out of place. Only the message light on my phone is blinking. It’s the only sign of my absence. The mini-vacation was exactly everything I needed. It didn’t push us apart. It pulled us together more than my expectations.

  “So how was it?” Emily strides in rocking a black pencil skirt, red blouse, and black heels.

  I’ve always loved the color red on her. It does something powerful to her, and it looks great.

  I grin. “Good.”

  She sits in the chair in front of my desk. “That’s all you’re giving me? Any hot sex?”

  I titter. “You jump straight in, don’t you?” I grab a file from my desk.

  “You know it.”

  “I needed the vacation,” I say.

  “And?” She drags the word out motioning with her hand to prompt me to divulge further.

  “It was fun?” I quip.

  She smiles wide imploring me to say more.

  “You’re relentless,” I snort. “Yes. Sex, and a lot of it.” I almost blush saying it.

  “You’ve fallen for him,” she tells me like I didn’t know.

  I look up with a blank stare. “I know.”

  “Does he know?”

  This is as far as my fake persona goes. I can’t hide my giddiness any longer. I bite my lip and nod.

  She perks up, sliding to the edge of her seat. “I knew it. You two look too good together.”

  I laugh and then cough.

  “Please tell me you weren’t sick the whole time?”

  I shake my head. “Woke up this way.”

  “Make sure you take something for it. New love sex sessions can be tremendously delicious.” I watch her make her way to the door before she turns around with an evil smirk and shrugs. “Or so I’ve heard.”

  It’s not long before the pressure in my head begins to feel like a thousand rubber bands have been placed around it. My throat feels like I’ve swallowed a dozen razor blades. One minute I’m cold. The next I’m sweating. Hell, even squeezing my eyes shut hurts like hell.

  I went to the doctor, tested positive for strep, grabbed my meds, and came home and curled up under the covers. This is internal hell. First day back at work and I’m unable to be proficient. I called Adam to warn him about what might be looming in his future. He offered to come over and take care of me, but of course I refused. He doesn’t need to be around me. I don’t want him catching this if he hasn’t already.

  I hurt so badly, I want to cry. But crying won’t help. It’ll only intensify the pounding in my head and tightness in my throat. I close my eyes…

  Sleep tugs me into the quiet, unpainful, and pleasant place.

  Chapter 22

  There’s nothing better than waking up with Kelsie wrapped in my arms. I’ve woken up in plenty of other women’s bed, even in hotels, but Kelsie is the first girl in years I’ve had in my bed. She’s also the first person to ignite this terrifying and out of control feeling in a long while.

  When we got back into town, she was sick for a few days and refused profusely to let me come over and take care of her in fear I’d be next. It took every ounce of strength to obey her wishes and not nurse her back to health. I was pretty ornery by the third day. But I managed to talk her into coming here last night since she wouldn’t let me into her “germ haven.” Stubborn woman…

  I’ve watched her sleep long enough in her peaceful slumber before the brilliant idea hits me and I slide out of the bed as quietly as possible. I pad down the hall, hit the button on the coffee maker, open the fridge, and gather all the ingredients—sausage, bacon, eggs, and cheese. I hope she likes a heavy breakfast. />
  I’ve just flipped the bacon and taken a swallow of my coffee when I feel her presence—a sense of gravity pulling us together.

  She wraps her arms around my waist and presses her cheek to my back. “Good morning.”

  I inhale the scent of vehemence and then grip her hands and twist around to her. “Morning. I hope you’re hungry.”

  She smiles crookedly with loving eyes. “This is super-hot. A half-naked, sexy man cooking. It’s what every woman dreams of.”

  “I like being a dream come true.” I place a chaste kiss to her cheek and turn back to the food.

  See that shit? Saying little things from the heart? My mind isn’t filtering what’s exiting my mouth and frankly, although I love her expressions, it’s not my style. Sweet shit doesn’t stream from my veins on its own.

  I throw the food on two plates as she pours her coffee, and I place them side by side at the island.

  “Thank you for this,” she says parking her vivacious ass on the stool beside me and pouring ketchup on her eggs.

  Yes, you heard me right. Ketchup on her scrambled eggs.

  “You’re welcome.”

  After a few bites, she looks to me. “I hate that I have to eat and run. I owe you big.”

  I cock a brow and smile like a chump.

  She giggles but doesn’t say a word as she continues eating.

  I just about choke on my fucking bacon when there’s a knock on my door. I don’t ever have company.

  My heart jack-knives and my blood runs cold when I pull it open. “Nick.” I shut the door behind me. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Are you fucking her?” His words exit through gritted teeth.

  That causes a devilish smile to stretch across my lips. I cross my arms and lean on the frame of the door. “Don’t you think if you gave a fuck about her to begin with, you wouldn’t be here drowning yourself in jealousy?”

  He scoffs. “You’re not answering my question.”

  “My business isn’t any of yours. How’s Vanessa?”

  Rough lines appear across his forehead.

  “Get lost, Nick.” I straighten myself. “You’re grasping at the wrong straws.”