“Of course. But kicks? Isn’t this... for some reason I had the idea on the way here that this was a boxing match. I can’t say why.”
His mouth twitched under my fingers and he laughed. I got the feeling it wasn’t at me so much as because he found me amusing, which were two different things—though I wasn’t sure how to explain it, even to myself. “No, I only do MMA fights. Mixed martial arts.”
“Can you do that?”
Everyone around us laughed, and Fallon’s smile turned wry as he leaned against me like I’d killed him. I staggered under his weight, and he stood on his own feet again, giving me a friendly shake.
“What? I’ve only ever seen you punching the bag in the garage, not kicking it.”
“I can, trust me. Come on,” he said, glancing upward. “Here comes Derek Uhlig and his fight coordinator, Janus.” He pulled me against his side so I was tucked under his arm.
The man who came striding toward us in a tailored black suit was tall and filled out the shoulders of his jacket nicely. He swept a hand over his salt-and-pepper hair, flattening it down when a breeze fluttered it. His face was strong and not anything like Fallon’s, but he was handsome anyway—more rugged. Closer to my age. He came at Fallon with his hand out, gaze immediately sweeping over me. His thick eyebrows rose.
Fallon tugged me closer and didn’t exactly glare at Mr. Uhlig, but there was no mistaking the implications of the action, even to me, and I didn’t always pay attention to people. Fallon was making it clear I waswithhim. His grip was too tight on my shoulders and his body trembled against mine. I rubbed his back. Maybe it was fight nerves getting to him?
“Derek,” he said. “Good to see you.”
The other man with Mr. Uhlig stuck out his hand to shake with Fallon. Dressed in workout gear and a gray hoodie, he was shorter than Mr. Uhlig, and his bleached white hair was shaved at the sides, though the strands were long enough on top that he had to brush them out of his eyes as he came to a halt. “I’m Janus. Good to see you in person. We’re gonna get you rocking and rolling, Fallon.”
“You’re cutting it close,” Mr. Uhlig said, and there was a sharpness in his tone and smile. Unease coiled in my stomach. “Not getting cold feet? You’re my headliner. I expected you an hour ago.” His lips thinned.
“No, nothing like that. I just don’t like to hang out at the venue too early. It’s a good way to catch nerves when it isn’t your home turf.” Fallon shrugged, but his body was strung tight. I glanced at the men’s feet, and while Fallon’s sneakers were firm on the ground, Mr. Uhlig’s dress shoes tapped.
“Oh, I like those,” I said absently.
Mr. Uhlig frowned at me before he gave Fallon a curt nod, along with a glowing smile that showed too many teeth. “Good. You don’t seem like a stupid man.”
“Aye, he’s as bright as ye can get after taking all those blows to the head in a ring.” Cillian came up to slap Fallon too hard on the shoulder, glaring at Mr. Uhlig.
I frowned and glanced around. Everyone except me and Janus seemed to be angry. Maybe? What on earth was wrong?
Janus laughed and everyone relaxed a little. “Come on. Let’s get you set up.” He waved a hand and turned to go back toward the building.
Fallon held my hand as we walked. Aspen had a bag with him he must have taken out of the SUV and he slung it onto Fallon’s shoulder. Fallon gave him a small smile of thanks. We walked as a group after Janus and Mr. Uhlig, who had his phone out giving some terse one-word responses to whomever was on the other end.
We went around the side of the building and through a small door propped open with a brick that led to a short hallway lined with musty dark wood paneling, and then we were in a room with a few rows of benches, lockers, and a couple of urinals along one wall. None of it smelled that great, and in fact, there was a lingering foot funk that had me covering my nose. Fallon only snickered and knocked my hand down.
Janus clapped Fallon’s shoulder and gave him a much more genuine smile than the one Mr. Uhlig had flashed. “There were a couple of fights before yours to warm up the crowd. Get the money flowing for the bets. There’s one more, then you’re up. Headlining against the Knockout Boy.” Janus spread his arms as if he could see that name in lights. “It’s gonna be great! He’s a real powerhouse. Little. Scraggly. Lots of attitude. Everyone will have a blast.”
Fallon’s unsteady smile let me know maybe he didn’t agree with that assessment, but he nodded anyway.
Mr. Uhlig, who I hadn’t noticed disappearing to begin with, came back from a room to our left with his hand out. Aspen shifted and shook with him. He moved to Rowen next but locked gazes with me and smiled.
“Apologies for being abrupt when you arrived. Keeping a game like this running is a full-time effort.” Mr. Uhlig laughed, and I found myself wanting to be amused along with him, though only Rowen returned his smile out of my guys. Mr. Uhlig held his hand up to me last, and Fallon’s grip on me tightened. I carefully returned his handshake and there was nothing wrong with it. I wasn’t sure why everyone was acting so tense around Mr. Uhlig. Was he like Mr. Killough? Frustration built in me. They never told me anything.
“And you are?” Mr. Uhlig asked, his tone softer than he’d used with everyone else.
“Dr. Vail Mifflin.”
He tilted his head and studied me. “Are you Fallon’s personal physician?” he asked, eyebrows climbing high on his forehead. “People don’t normally travel with their own med team.”
“No, a historian. Will he need one? An MD, I mean.”
Fallon drew me close until I was plastered against his front. He hooked his hands together on the small of my back. I couldn’t go anywhere with his grip so tight, so I rested against his chest and tried to give him the support he wasn’t asking for out loud.
“No, I won’t.” Fallon pressed his lips to mine, and I sighed into the touch, opening my mouth for him. A rush of heat hit my gut as he crept his hands down and cupped my ass to drag me the slightest bit closer.
Mr. Uhlig laughed. “We do have medical assistance on standby. It’s typical here that someone gets hurt on fight night. Hazard of the business. We don’t do technical wins in the arena, but we do like to keep the talent breathing,” he said, his tone dropping snidely.
