“How’d you come by the nickname ‘The Hitman’?”
I smirked. “Because I eliminate my opponents with extreme prejudice. The promotion lines them up and I take them out. That part is still true.”
Aiden smirked, then looked down at his notepad. “Many have wondered, if you live in Vegas, why do you stay at a hotel?” He looked back up at me with those beautiful blue eyes.
“I like to stay at a hotel that is near both the arena and the gym where we all have to train a week before the event. I also like to be taken out of my comfort zone by being somewhere unfamiliar to me. It’s all about convenience and getting into the right mindset to fight,” I replied. I liked the little cute smile he gave me before he looked at his notepad again.
“What are some of your favorite musicians?” Aiden asked.
“I like all kinds, really. Well, except for that one guy you mentioned. I actually heard one of his songs… not my thing. I love Queen, Led Zeppelin, Korn. I like music that keeps my blood pumping when I’m working out.”
Again, Aiden was looking confused, so I was curious.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked.
He looked at me with those big blue eyes. “Wrong? No… I’m just… well, to be honest, Macio, I’m just surprised by how open you’re being.” He held his hand up. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, I do. It’s just different from our first meeting. I felt like I was pulling teeth and I really don’t like putting anyone in a position they aren’t comfortable with.”
When he said he was being honest, he meant it. I liked that he didn’t try to lie and pretend that there was something else going on.
“I was uncomfortable in the first interview. I’d never done one before, and I wasn’t sure what type of reporter you were. Most are scum and will sell their soul or their momma’s soul for a story. They pry and exploit for their own gain. But I see you’re not like that, so now you get the real Macio,” I said.
He smiled and my dick stirred again. “I’m very happy you’re at ease with me now, Macio.”
I winked and I swore I saw him blush. “I didn’t stop the recorder, but I’d like that stricken from the interview.”
“Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. Don’t worry, that won’t be in our interview. Just the answers to my pre-approved questions,” Aiden assured me, and I believed him. “What are your hobbies?”
“I was very honest on that one. With the amount of training I do, I don’t have much time in my life for hobbies. But I do enjoy reading mysteries, paranormal, and horror.”
“Not much for romance?”
“Can’t say that I’ve ever experienced it.”
“How sad. So, I take it there’s no one special in your life?”
That was the question I had refused to answer before and I paused the recorder, which brought on a worried expression on Aiden’s face.
“I’m not completely comfortable replying to this question, but I’ll do my best, okay?”
His worry seemed to fade when he realized I was going to soldier on. I just needed a moment to figure out how I was going to reply. I hit the record button again once my thoughts were arranged.
“Currently, I’m single. Because of my busy schedule, there isn’t much time in my life for romance or relationships. But if I ever meet that lucky girl, I hope she could love a man with only a few hours to spare in their day,” I said. I’d practiced that question with Rupert and I thought I nailed it. Of course, one of the reasons why I wasn’t comfortable with that question was because it was the only lie I’d told thus far. I wasn’t looking for a woman, but the world couldn’t know that.
Aiden nodded. “I’m sure she will,” he said. If I didn’t know any better, I might have detected a bit of regret, or was it jealousy, in his tone. Now, this I wanted to explore. “Did you have anyone you look up to in the MMA world? Any role models?”
I nodded. “Yeah, Kirk Winchester was an amazing fighter before he went into retirement. My coach, Barry Vincennes, had an amazing fight record before an injury shelved him. I look up to them and take my lessons from them, too. Then there’s Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donny Yen, Muhammed Ali, all amazing fighters. I could name more, but those are my favorites.”
Aiden continued to ask me several more questions and they were all pretty basic, nothing too personal that would cross my lines of comfort. All in all, it was a great interview and I actually enjoyed it. However, I think I enjoyed my time with him more. I didn’t want him to leave, and I put my hand on his when he reached for his recorder.
“Why don’t you stay?” I asked.
His perfectly shaped brows wrinkled in confusion again as he looked at me. “Stay? I don’t understand.”
I licked my lips. “I think you do,” I said as I lightly stroked his hand with my finger. He looked down at our hands touching, then back up to me with an even more confused expression on his face. Jesus, for a fucking reporter, he wasn’t catching the clues I was tossing. I guessed I was going to have to go big or not at all.
“I don’t have any more questions,” he said innocently, and I swore that was the cutest fucking response.
My cock was so hard by now, it was pushing up on my cup. “I have to be honest, Aiden. One of the reasons I wanted to do this interview again is because I can’t stop thinking about you.”
