“No problem. See you soon.” I hang up and return to the bed. “There’s been a drug bust. I’ve got to go help some guys shift their things to the gym. I’m not sure how long I’ll be. Want to come with me?”
She shakes her head, and stretches her nude body. My mouth waters at the sight of her nipples, and the way her back arches as though I’m still inside her. Then she flops onto the mattress, relaxed. “No, I’ll stay here and cook dinner. If you’re out late, I don’t want to miss any sleep.” She smiles, but the brackets around her mouth speak of anxiety. “I need to take good care of us.”
My heart fills with warmth. “Okay, you got it.”
I bend and kiss her cheek. I’d much rather we stayed together, but I respect her boundaries and the reason behind them. She’s trying to give our little guy his best shot at making it into the world.
“I love you.”
Her lips quirk up. “I love you too.”
My heart stops.
Holy fuck.
Now how am I supposed to leave?
“You do?”
“Yes.” She rolls to the edge of the bed, gets to her feet, and then wraps her arms around me. “I love you.”
I rock her from side to side, and press a tender kiss to her temple. “God, I wish I could stay with you.”
She swats my butt and laughs. “Go.” She moves away, making a shooing motion. “Be a boss man. I’ll see you when you come home.”
Home. I like the sound of that. “I will.”
“Drive safe.”
“See you, sweetheart.”
I get dressed and head outside. The chill of the air refreshes me. By the time I reach the gym, I’ve achieved a second wind. The door is open because Devon and Harley were still here when I left, but a group of mostly men—with one woman—loiter outside. As I walk toward them, Leo breaks away from the group and approaches. He holds out a hand, and I grip it firmly.
“Thanks for coming,” he says. “We stayed out here because we didn’t want to overstep.”
“No problem.” I nod, appreciating his respect. Despite the fact he’s fought against my top-ranked fighter, Gabe Mendoza, Leo and I maintain a good working relationship. He’s a decent guy. He jerks his chin toward the others, and runs a hand through tousled blond hair that’s longer than most fighters wear it. “I’ve brought Tony, Oman, Vic, and Enya with me. That okay?”
I run my gaze over the others, who have come up behind him while we’re speaking. Two of the three men are well-known and well-regarded. The third is an up-and-comer. But it’s the woman, Enya, who captures my interest. She recently went up against Harley in the final of an eight-woman eliminator tournament, and lost. She meets my gaze and doesn’t look away, proving she’s no wilting violet. While she’s slim and unassuming with a smattering of freckles across her nose, she’s a tough girl who’s had a bad run. America loves her, perhaps even more than they do Leo, but every time she gets a major bout, she can’t seem to come away with the win. My palms itch with excitement as it occurs to me that I could be the one to change her losing streak.
“I’m glad you did,” I tell Leo, then offer Enya a hand. “We haven’t met properly.” A ringside introduction when she was bathed in sweat and exhausted doesn’t count. “I’m Seth Isles. Welcome to Crown MMA.”
She nods once, as though I meet with her approval. “Enya.” Her voice is as sweet as her exterior. It’s only the steeliness of her eyes that gives away her true nature. “I hope we’re not overstepping. Leo mentioned coming here, and considering how screwed up things are at our gym, it seemed like a good idea.”
“Happy to have you.” I thrust my chin at the other men, including them in the statement. “Why don’t you come inside and we can talk?”
We head in, and I lead the five of them past Harley and Devon to my office. Harley is holding pads for her boyfriend, and her eyes track our movement, then narrow. I have no doubt she’ll be joining us within a couple of minutes. I leave the office door ajar, and take the seat behind my desk. Leo sits in the one opposite and the others remain standing.
“So, are you looking for something temporary or permanent?” I ask, getting straight to business.
Leo glances behind him. “I can’t speak for all of us, but I want a permanent change.”
“Me, too,” Enya adds, and the others echo their agreement.
I steeple my fingers and study them, my mind whirling. Taking on five new fighters—even if they know what they’re doing—is a big ask. I absolutely want them here, but it’s going to take a lot of adjustment on all our parts. They’ll have habits and routines that will be shaken up, and I need to find the mental space to get up to date with their training regimens and make a game plan for each of them.
I face Leo. “You don’t want to train with your dad?”
His father, Grant, owns Alpha MMA, a gym that produces topnotch fighters.
