Fighting Dirty

“I just need to run home to change. So...forty minutes?”

“I’ll be there.” Cherry hesitated, then added, “I’m so happy for you, Rissy.”

Merissa thought she might burst. Grinning, she admitted, “Me, too.” It’d be great to share with a friend. Keeping all the wonderfulness bottled up hadn’t been easy. She made a kissing sound through the phone, disconnected, put her phone on the dash—then jumped when someone tapped on her driver’s-side window.

Hand to her heart, she turned and found Steve standing there. The setting sun gilded his brown hair and reflected off his mirrored sunglasses. A little unnerved, Merissa rolled down her window. “Steve. What are you doing here?”

“Checking on you.” He folded his arms over the base of the window frame and leaned in, smiling at her. “Should I be jealous?”

“Um...” She leaned as far away in her seat as she could. “About what?”

“Whoever you were just kissing on the phone.”

“Oh.” Laughing, she shook her head. “That was my friend, Cherry.”

“Really?” He took off his sunglasses. “Now there’s a visual that’ll keep me intrigued for a while.”

Perv. “I love her like a sister, Steve.”

“I know. I remember Cherry.” His gaze moved over her face, and his voice softened. “I was just teasing.” Before Merissa could ask him to leave, he said, “She moved out, didn’t she? Married some big hulk?”

“Denver Lewis, and yes, they’re married now.” Very happily. Denver was something of a caveman, overly protective and very possessive, but in the gentlest way possible. And he adored Cherry. In contrast, Vanity’s husband, Stack Hannigan, was deceptively laid-back. It took a lot to get him riled, but once there, look out. It was pretty awesome that they’d gotten married around the same time. “Now, why are you here?”

“I was in the neighborhood, having lunch with a client.” Voice going smooth as velvet, he said, “I think about you a lot. How are you holding up?”

“Because of the robbery, you mean?” It was conceivable that he’d had lunch. There was a nice Italian restaurant only a block away from the bank, and as the CEO of a marketing firm, he often had business lunches.

“Yes.” Before she could stop him, he reached for her chin, tipping her face to see her jaw. “That awful bruise is almost gone.”

Most of the time Merissa forgot about it. Lifting away from him, she said, “I’m fine.”

“I’d still like to see you.”

“No.”

“Because you’re involved with Jacobson?”

Oh, how she wanted to say, Yes, we’re an item. But she’d promised Armie to keep it quiet, so she just sighed. “He has nothing to do with it. I told you we’re over, and I meant it. A few months hasn’t changed anything.”

“It’s changed me.” Dropping his head forward as if dejected, he said, “I screwed up and I know it.”

“Wasn’t you,” she told him honestly. “It just wasn’t there.”

“Maybe it was for me.”

Then he’d hidden it well. “If that’s so, I’m sorry.” Making a point of checking the time, Merissa said, “I need to go.”

“Right. I didn’t mean to keep you. But will you promise me something?”

Doubtful. “What?”

“If anything happens, if you just need a friend to listen, give me a call. I promise I won’t let you down.”

Damn it, now she was starting to feel sorry for him. “Sure, thanks.” She smiled. “Now I really do need to go or I’m going to be late.”

Nodding, he stepped back.

Merissa quickly put the window back up and started the car. She didn’t want to hit the locks with Steve standing there, listening, but his nearness bothered her on multiple levels. She didn’t breathe easy until she’d pulled away and put him in her rearview mirror.

Anticipating lunch with Cherry, and then the evening with Armie, she shook off her misgivings about Steve. He was in her past, and now she only wanted to concentrate on the future—with Armie.

* * *

HEADING INTO ROWDY’S bar with the heavy hitters, Armie felt like a fraud. He despised the fanfare.

Why couldn’t he just fight, like he’d always done? Wasn’t his performance in the cage enough?

As they entered, Jude turned heads. Though he hadn’t been in a movie for a while, everyone recognized him. He stayed visible by actively supporting the troops, heading up numerous charities and promoting the SBC.

The fact that he had fight legends Simon Evans and Dean Connors with him only added to the stares. Even though he’d been married awhile now, women claimed that Simon was so gorgeous, panties just automatically dropped. And Dean, better known as Havoc and also married, got his own fair share of admiring stares.

He might as well have walked in with a king, the pope and the president for all the attention they got.

Rowdy met them halfway across the floor. “Bringing in the big guns, Armie?”

“They insisted.”

That made Rowdy grin. “Sorry I don’t have a private room, but Avery is clearing a back booth right now if that’ll do.”

Jude held out his hand, thanked him and agreed to let Rowdy take a photo for the wall.

Shaking his head, Armie looked at Dean. “How do you stand it?”

“He’s too nice to despise.”

“I tried,” Simon said, then studiously avoided looking at a woman who whistled.

Jude took it in stride, grinning at them and following Rowdy to the booth.

That was one thing Armie truly admired about the men—they were dedicated to their wives. Many men with their clout would use the popularity to carouse, but from what he could tell these guys were each faithful, showing only polite manners to the outrageously flirting women.

Because he despised cheats, Armie knew if he ever married, he’d be the same.

“I’ll apologize in advance,” Rowdy said, “but there are a lot of fight fans here and they can only be held off for so long. In a town this size, word is going to spread fast.”

Armie looked around the room and saw at least two dozen people frantically sending texts. “Shit.” He shrugged at the men who would be his company for the next hour. “You guys want to do an impromptu gig? Rowdy’ll be better able to hold them off if you agree to some fan photos in say...” He checked his watch, realized Rissy was off work and wanted to groan. “How about an hour?”

Jude said, “Why not?”

“Fine by me,” Havoc said. “Simon?”

“Sure. And if any new fighters are around, gather them up. We’ll give them some exposure.”

Brows lifted, Rowdy said, “That’d be great if you’re sure it’s not a problem.”

“No problem at all.”

“All right, I’ll spread the word and buy you some privacy until then.” After taking drink orders, he left them.

Simon watched him go, then eyed the others at the table. “Is it just me, or does Rowdy seem like he has a whole hell of a lot more going on than bar owner?”

Armie grinned. He wasn’t about to go into Rowdy’s history with everyone, but he did say, “He’s only the latest owner of the bar. Before that, yeah, he had a lot going on.”