I slow only when I hear a whistle from behind me, followed by a murmured, “Damn, Nico.”
Chest heaving, I stop throwing and turn around.
My two brothers, Lucas and Alexander, are standing at the wall. Lucas is in his perfectly tailored suit, so I know he came straight from court. Alexander is, surprisingly, wearing street clothes, so I know Lucas somehow convinced him to take a night off.
But none of that explains why they’re bothhere, interrupting my workout.
“It appears I’ve called this intervention too late,” I hear Lucas mutter as he pushes off the wall. “You look like you’re attempting to punch your way through that bag.”
Panting, I brace my gloved hands on my knees and give my brother a confused glare. “What intervention?”
“The one where we take you out to blow off some steam because you’re wound way too tight,” he says dryly.
My brow furrows. “I have afightcoming up.”
“That doesn’t explain why you haven’t had a rest day in nine days.”
Scowling, I look around to see who ratted me out. When my coach doesn’t meet my eyes, I sigh.
I know I’ve been pushing myself too hard. But it’s hard not to. My off days are when the restlessness hits the hardest, and when I would normally retreat to dating apps or the bar, I can’t do that anymore.
So when the need to get out of my head gets to be too much, I find myself back here. Hitting the bag.
“Now go take a shower so we can get out of here. You’re one round away from us dragging you out the door.”
I let out a tired breath of defeat. “Alright, alright,” I concede, ripping the Velcro off my gloves. “Just…gimme a minute.”
“You have ten,” Lucas says in a no-nonsense voice. “And then you’re leaving with us, with or without clothes. You need a night off, little bro.”
“Yeah, becausethatwouldn’t start a riot in the gym,” I grumble as I stride out of the bag room.
Eight minutes later—Lucas doesnotpull punches—I’m showered and dressed in clean clothes, following my two brothers out into the night air.
It’s a Tuesday night in Philadelphia. The MMA gym was filled with fighters, but the bars and restaurants are packed. It takes a five-minute walk for us to find the one Lucas is looking for.
I quirk an eyebrow as I look around. “A taco bar? Really? I thought that would be below Your Highness’s standards.”
Lucas just rolls his eyes at me. “Just because I work with millionaires doesn’t mean I’m not the same kid who shoved your face into Mom’s bowl of guacamole on taco night. Now, come on. I had Lila save us a seat in the back soYourHighness doesn’t get easily recognized.”
Now I’m the one rolling my eyes. But I follow him anyway, because he’s right.
I went pro in the MMA circuit about three years ago. And while I’m not anywhere near the top 10 in my weight class, I’ve made enough of a ripple that the city often recognizes me.
Doesn’t matter. That was never why I fought, anyway. The fame, the money, none of that has anything to do with my love of fighting. It’s the sportI love. The physicality of it, the competition—thebeautyof it.
Sure enough, there’s a table waiting for us in the back. Lucas gives the waitress a smile dripping in charm before taking a seat and immediately opening the giant menu. I sit beside him, and Alexander takes the seat that puts his back to the wall.
“So, what can I get you boys?” Lila asks sweetly, her eyes bouncing around the table. With our group being made up of a professional athlete, a dressed-to-the-nines lawyer, and a giant, bearded guy who’s clearly ex-military, it seems like she’s trying to decide who she wants to flirt with.
In the end, Lucas is the obvious choice. Especially when he turns to her with another devastating smile and says, “Can I get two shots of tequila to start us off? Normally, it would be three, but this guy”—he jerks his thumb at me—“has to treat his body like a temple, or something.” He grins when Lila giggles. “And I’ll take a Corona as well, sweetheart.”
“Corona for me, too,” Alexander says gruffly. That’s three more words than I expected him to say.
I sigh and lower the menu. “Just a water for me, please.”
The waitress beams at us as she nods. “Of course. I’ll grab those right now, and then be right back to take your food orders or answer any questions.”
When she’s out of earshot, I drop the menu onto the table harder than I mean to.
