Blindsided (The Fighter Series Book 1) Read online

  Thoughts of Levi crawl back into my mind. Wondering if he saw the trick, I scan the crowd in search of him. I spot him on the second floor with the perfect view of me behind the bar and his eyes are trained on me. My heart slams against my chest. I’ve been busted sneaking a peek, but unfortunately, there’s a blonde bimbo on his lap attached to his neck. Trying to seem nonchalant, I flash a quick smile then drop my view back to the people at the bar.

  Finally, the bar has slowed down allowing Mason and me to wipe up all the sloshed drinks and water rings. Everyone is enjoying the music, gyrating on the dance floor or conversing at the tables. Usually deeper into the night, the bar slows as everyone becomes infatuated with the person they’ve picked up or brought. Friends chat with each other, girls dance on one another…I love watching how people act after several drinks.

  I see Blain pushing through the crowd en route toward me and just like a giddy little sister, I can’t help but grin ear to ear.

  I jump up on the cooler on my knees and lean over the bar giving him a kiss on the cheek. “What are you doing here?”

  He leans on his elbows. “Checking on you.”

  “It’s work. You know I do this all the time,” I remind him.

  “Doesn’t change the fact I hate you working all these hours.”

  “Annnd?” I draw out the word. “I’ve known you long enough to know something is up.” I giggle.

  He rubs the back of his neck. “I pissed off Kris,” he admits.

  I bust out laughing. “What did you do this time?”

  “I didn’t do it,” he chuckles holding his hands up. “My damn phone did. Nosey ass went through and read all my texts.”

  “Oh hell! I can only imagine the eyeful she got with that.”

  “Let’s just say she won’t be back.”

  “Why didn’t you delete the messages or put a lock on it?” Told you I know the games men play.

  “I—”

  Appearing out of nowhere, Levi steps beside Blain and bumps into his shoulder, interrupting him. Twisting toward the intruder of his personal space, Blain is met by a glare of daggers.

  Blain blinks and takes a surprised step back. “Dude! You’re Levi Stiles.”

  Levi doesn’t blink nor does he acknowledge he has a fan. He’s unyielding. “Thanks. I forgot my name there for a second.”

  Smart ass.

  “You ready for tomorrow?” Blain asks ignoring the asinine comment.

  “Yeah,” Levi answers impassively. “So how do you know Paige here?” He nods his head my way keeping his view on Blain. “She your girlfriend?”

  Damn he’s bold!

  Testosterone flares. Bursts of the man-packed hormone darts through the air as both men bow up and push their chests out.

  “Dude, she’s like my sister,” protective Blain replies.

  Levi’s shoulders relax, the bow in his chest deflates, and the tension in his jaw disappears. Blain looks between him and me several times, I guess trying to figure out what the hell that was all about.

  “It’s not what you think,” I say, rushing to Blain’s thoughts.

  “She won’t let me take her on a date,” Levi informs Blain.

  “She’s not stupid.” Those three words from Blain’s mouth conjure another testosterone storm.

  Levi pushes off the bar facing Blain, tension rolling off his body in waves. Both men are the same height but poor Blain has the disadvantage, being outweighed by at least fifty pounds. And let’s not forget, Blain doesn’t have the training Levi apparently has.

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Levi barks.

  “That you’re wasting your time,” Blain replies.

  “Alright, boys. That’s enough,” I pipe in. “No use getting all big headed for no reason.”

  Levi is murdering Blain with his glare. If looks could kill.

  “Did you need something, Levi?” I say trying to divert his attention.

  He turns to me and softens his expression. “No. I stopped in to make sure you were good.”

  “I can promise she’s in good hands,” Blain says, but Levi’s eyes never leave mine.

  I feel a sharp draw—one that pulls from under my rib cage, around my back and through my legs. It takes my air, my thoughts, and causes my heart to flutter. As wonderful as it sounds, I don’t like it one freaking bit. He stays fixed on me for several seconds then winks and walks away, not bothering with Blain any longer. I watch him make his way through the crowd and disappear before I slide my eyes to Blain and let go of the breath I’ve been holding.

  “Levi Stiles wants to date my lil sis. What the hell is wrong with you?” Blain snaps.

  “Me?” I point to myself. “I’ve done nothing but turn him down.”

  “That’s what I’m saying. I’m not a girl, but I’m sure if I was, I’d lay down on my back for that,” he throws his thumb over his shoulder.

  I tilt my head. “Weren’t you the one just saying if I did I would be stupid? Besides he’s used to that, don’t you think?”

  He studies me for a moment, contemplating what to say next. You can see the gears turning, his jaw muscles twitching to speak. He finally settles on, “I’m headed home. Call me if you need me.”

  Last call was thirty minutes ago and the final drink rush has just ended. I haven’t been able to bring myself to look around for Levi. I’m scared I’ll get busted again. Mason, on the other hand, has made it very clear that Levi has been watching me like a hawk even while being preoccupied with a few different women. I’m lying if I say that doesn’t bother me. If he’s so damn interested in me, why would he waste another woman’s time and lead her on? Again, I’m just not that type of girl.

  I reach over and wipe off the counter when I spot Levi walking toward me. His royal blues are honed in on me as he takes his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. The sight of his perfect hard abs and his chest muscles flexing with each swing of his arms cause my every organ to stop functioning. His bare skin glistens with pure raw sexy as he leans over the bar.

  “Have a good night, Paige.”

  I blink, knocked out of my little daydream. He squints with a knowing smile. “Um. Yeah. Thanks! You too.” I try staying level headed, but my voice doesn’t sound so convincing. I’m a saturated nervous wreck.

  The blondie from earlier walks up beside him and runs her hand across his waistband, whispering something in his ear. I fight the urge to reach out and smack her as a sting pangs in my chest.

  “Have fun,” I snip.

  “Do I sense some jealousy?” Levi chuckles.

  Throwing my head back, I over dramatically laugh. “Of what? Her?” I nod toward the blonde. “At least you’ve remembered my name without me having to spread my legs to get it. So, no. I am not jealous. I couldn’t care less.”

  He arches his left eyebrow and flashes the sexiest sideways smile. “Sassy ass,” he says reaching in his back pocket and pushes a blue envelope at me. “I’d like to see you there.”

  And again, just like that, he walks away with the damn last word.

  Chapter 4

  Last night Levi gave me tickets to his fight tonight. A sweet gesture, but I had to work. Plus, just the thought of going made me feel uneasy, made me feel that I was giving him a different idea than what was really going on. Have I thought about him all day? Unfortunately, yes, but as my night at Tonic became busier, the less he dominated my thoughts.

  I don’t feel alone as I walk to my car. All the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end, and my skin is being attacked by pins and needles. I quicken my steps and pull my purse close reaching into it to find the cool metal. The feeling intensifies and I swear I’m almost in a full sprint, yet my car is backing away. Times like these remind me why I bought a gun—sometimes keeping it locked in my console of my car, other times carrying it. Nowadays, you don’t know when you might need it.

  “You shouldn’t be walking out alone,” a deep voice behind me states.

  My heart jumps into
my throat, startling me, and I twirl around to the sound, pulling my gun out of my purse—aiming to kill.

  “Whoa! Whoa!” Levi throws his hands up.

  “What the hell are you doing following me to my car?” I squeak through the fear.

  He drags his teeth across his lips, lowering his hands. “A woman with a gun, now that’s sexy as hell. Do you even know how to shoot it?”

  “Do I need to show you?” I snap.

  “Easy, Paige, I’m not going to hurt you. I just wanted to see you since you didn’t come to the fight. I won, by the way.”

  “That’s nice.”

  He nods toward my hands. “Can you put the gun away?”

  I study his body language, his stance, and pay close attention to my gut. Dad always told me to listen intently to what my gut says. It’s never wrong and I should never, ever dismiss it. I don’t feel as if I’m in danger. He looks relaxed with a touch of tension, which of course I do have a gun sighted on him. My gut doesn’t tell me I should fear for my life, so I comply and lower it to my side.

  His beautiful royal blues blaze in a soft confidence as he rolls his shoulders to ease the tension. “I looked for you,” he says calmly.

  I point to the building behind him. “I had to work.”

  “Well, maybe next time then.”

  Frustrated, I huff. “No. No next time. What is with you? What do you want?”

  “A date,” he says brazenly.

  “I’m not a piece of ass, Levi. I won’t stand for it. Plus, you’re preoccupied enough,” I state remembering the blonde teething at him the night before.

  A low gruff rumbles from his chest and his nostrils flare. “Just because I said I’d wait doesn’t mean I’ll torture myself with blue balls. And who said you’d just be a piece of ass?”

  Conceited much? “Do you find me stupid?”

  He rushes forward, wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his body. Our hips connecting, my upper body forms against his chest and my right hand holding the gun goes limp. His smell, the way his powerful arms hold me close with tenderness initiates a burning ache that buzzes between my legs as he bends placing his lips just a fraction of an inch from mine. His eyes flick from my lips to my eyes, a smile ticking the corner of his cheeks.

  “I didn’t say you were stupid,” he whispers low and gravelly. He scans my face again soaking everything in—neck, jaw, cheek, ears, forehead, finishing back at my eyes. “Tell me this doesn’t feel good, Paige. Tell me you don’t want this.”

  Yes please! “I-um-I…” My brain fails as it has melted into a glob of goo.

  “See. Quit fighting what your body wants. Let me take you out. I promise no funny business.”

  I’m at war with my mind and body. My body humming with pure desire, I fight the urge to press my lips against his. My brain is sending red flags, shooting flares into the sky hoping for someone to come rescue me.

  Finally, I inhale, shaking his minty fresh scent from my foggy brain, and make my feet find their place here on the ground. I straighten up, pulling back slightly and he releases his grip.

  “I’m not the girl you’re wishing me to be,” I tell him.

  His smirk is starting to grow on me—yes, the arrogant, cocky one. “I’m just asking for dinner.”

  Back to being grounded, I roll my eyes. “And probably for me to spread my legs wide open for you.” No sooner than my words exit my mouth, his eyes drop to the apex of my legs. Fed up, I shove him in the chest. “Kiss my ass, Levi.” I twist around and head toward my car, putting my gun back in my purse. Just the thought of being someone’s one night stand pisses me off. And knowing that’s all I’m wanted for really hurts my feelings.

  “Is that what you want? I’ll gladly do it,” he shouts behind me.

  The thought alone does some insane things to my senses. Him dragging his lips down my back, over the curve of my—nope! Stop! I’m desperate to get away from the spell he’s trying to put on me. I grab my door handle.

  He bellows out a hard laugh. “Is this your cracker box?”

  I spin around and narrow my eyes at him, pissed that he would dare to pick on my 2004 Scion XB. “Yes and I’ve worked my damn ass off for her. She’s reliable and she’s mine,” I snap.

  I jerk the door open and toss everything in the passenger side then drop into my seat. Levi grabs my door before I can shut it. “Paige—”

  “Goodnight, Levi,” I interrupt irritated. “Thank you for the tickets. Sorry I couldn’t come and congrats on your win.”

  He looks surprised. “Just like that?”

  “Just like that,” I reply cranking my car and pulling my door shut. I’ll have the last word this time. Because this time, I’m fighting thoughts and collecting the glob of goo I’ve become.

  “Well, sleeping beauty, are you going to wake up and move out of my spot?” Blain’s voice pulls me out of the best damn nap ever.

  I didn’t have to work today and decided early that it would be a lazy day. The house was empty, the television was boring, so to dreamland I went. “You could have left me and sat on the loveseat,” I respond groggily rubbing my eyes.

  “You could have fallen asleep on the loveseat,” he oh-so-kindly reminds me.

  “You’re such an ass,” I jest.

  Forcing myself off the couch, I stumble to the loveseat and drop down, pulling my legs up and forcing myself into a comfortable ball. Blain’s coffee brown eyes are gleaming as he reaches in his back pocket and produces a blue envelope identical to the one Levi gave me last Friday and drops it on the table. Perplexed, I stare at it like it’s about to get up and do a back flip off the table.

  “Do you have to work this Saturday?” he asks.

  “Yeah, why?” I play dumb.

  “Levi came to my work today and gave me tickets to his fight this Saturday. He said he felt bad for getting off on the wrong foot.”

  That son of a bitch. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since last Saturday night when I left him in the parking lot. I didn’t see him at the bar Tuesday night and he hasn’t popped into the restaurant. It’s been peacefully quiet although he’s engulfed my thoughts. I have fought tooth and nail to keep his pompous ass out of my mind, but somehow he’s managed to get under my skin. And now this?

  “How in the world did he find out where you worked?” I ask.

  “I wondered the same thing, but he skirted around the question when I asked him. I don’t really care. They’re free tickets. We’ve always watched the pros on TV, now let’s go watch someone climb the ladder to the top in person,” he says.

  “So go,” I tell him. “Take Jason or whoever.”

  He pushes air through his teeth. “Are you kidding me? It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that I get free tickets to an MMAT fight, the same shit we watch on TV and you want me to take someone else? Are you drunk?”

  “I just don’t want to give him the wrong impression.”

  “He’ll be too busy with the fight. After it, we’ll jet out.” He waves his hands. “Poof, like a magic trick.”

  “You’re a dumbass,” I laugh. “Let me think about it. I’ll look at the schedule at the bar tomorrow.”

  “Deal,” he says, then leans back on the couch and goes on to tell me about his day. I’m half listening, worried I’m going to have to hear more about blood and guts and half focused on the channels he’s flipping through. So far I’ve caught cat and dog checkups but then I get stuck on the word snake. I’m the epitome of a girl when it comes to them. I scream and jump, running with my arms flailing if I even see one through a glass window. Personally, I’d rather watch a gory operation than to see a snake. Nope. Not this girl. I may be able to hang with the boys, but slithering, scaly, creepy-creepers. Nope. Just no.

  My phone rings, interrupting the torture of Blain’s snake story. Without hesitation I grab it and answer.

  “Hey, Paige,” Jim, my manager from Tonic says. “I, uh, I’ve been looking over the schedule and it’s been a while since you’ve had a
weekend off. I’m going to have Marissa come in and give you a break. That sound good with you?”

  What a freaking coincidence.

  What the hell happened to his best getting the best?

  Something sounds fishy about this. “Um, sure?” I reply dubiously.

  “Great. You’ll be back on regular schedule Tuesday.”

  “Yeah, sounds great,” I lie. No it doesn’t, not one damn bit. I have no excuses now.

  I sigh when I hang up, arching a brow at Blain. “What did you do?” I basically sing.

  “Whatcha talking about, baby girl?” he replies confused.

  Could he have pulled strings to get me off this weekend?

  I study him for a moment trying to figure out his bluff, but he’s emotionless. “Nothing,” I finally mumble.

  He stands from the couch applauding. “And the best lie goes to Paige Madison.” He cups his mouth and begins to make a roar sound from his pretend audience. “Hey, Johnny, tell her what she’s won!”

  I giggle at his horrible announcer voice. “It’s just weird that you wanted me off this weekend, and that,” I point to my phone on the table, “was Jim giving me the weekend off. So what did you do? Did you stop and talk to him or something?”

  He frowns. “Why the hell would you think I would do something like that?”

  Guilt begins to tug at me for accusing him, but before I can apologize he jumps up and throws a fist in the air. “Hell yes! We’re going to a fight!”

  Chapter 5

  We’ve already flashed our tickets to the big burly, yellow-stained teeth man that was standing at the entrance. He patted us down just before making us walk through a metal detector then flashed me a wicked smile and told us to have a great time. He made me feel uneasy and filthy, like I needed to go home and take a shower immediately.

  Most of the men here are large, barrel chested and built as if they should be in the ring themselves. They all swagger with tattoos and have those weird piercings that stretch their ear lobes and look ridiculous. And the women, well, some are wearing just enough clothing to cover up their privates—things meant for much younger and more fit women to strut around in. You wouldn’t catch me dead in most of it. I’m clearly over-dressed in a pair of jeans, blue tank top with a skull on it and grey cardigan.