A month after Gavin’s death found me in totally uncharted territory as I made my way into the gym run by the Raiders. We had just finished dinner out together on Tuesday when Bishop asked, “Remember how you said you wanted to see me box sometime?”
My mind immediately went back to the night I’d met him and one of our first conversations. “Yeah. I sure do.”
“Well, I have a fight scheduled on Saturday night, if you’d like to come.”
Considering where Bishop would be boxing, I figured it might be a great way to get some more information on the club. I also couldn’t ignore the part of me that wanted to spend as much time as I could with Bishop before our time together came to an end. “Sure. I’d love to.”
Bishop gave me his signature cocky grin. “Awesome.”
Tonight was about trying to piece together the truth about the Raiders, whether it was good or bad. At least that was what I told myself. When I got to the door, I found a hulking man guarding it. I couldn’t help being reminded of the first time I had gone to the Raiders’ compound. Before I could tell him who I was, he asked, “You Samantha?”
“Yeah. I am.”
He grinned. “B’s just inside.”
“Thanks.”
After he held the door open for me, I ducked inside. The hallway was relatively quiet, with only a few men milling around. Down the hallway past the double doors, I could hear the roar of the growing crowd.
Unsure of what to do or where to go, I called out tentatively, “Bishop?”
Within seconds, he popped out of one of the rooms. At the sight of me, his face lit up. “Hey, Sam.” He waved me over, and I hurried down the hallway.
“I’m so glad you came,” he said as he gave me a friendly hug. Although the physical contact was brief, I couldn’t ignore the solid way his arms felt around me. His embrace sparked a desire of intimate longing and a feeling of comfort. I wasn’t used to having a man make me feel that way with just the slightest touch. It was completely unnerving.
I smiled at him when I pulled away. “Me, too.” Glancing around the room, I saw we weren’t alone. Another man stood by the massage table, reading over a notebook. I could only imagine that it included gambling figures, which made me question Bishop’s claim of the Raiders going legitimate. I recognized the man as Boone Michaels, the club treasurer, from his file. He glanced up and gave me a quick wave.
For a moment, all I could do was stare at Bishop. He had on the typical shorts that boxers wore. Of course, it wasn’t the shorts that had me mesmerized. It was the first time I had seen him shirtless, so I couldn’t help staring at all the intricately designed tattoos on his broad chest and muscular arms.
When I met Bishop’s gaze, there was an impish gleam in his eyes. “Were you just checking me out?”
Knowing he wanted to get a rise out of me, I casually replied, “Maybe. You’re on display, so I might as well enjoy the view.”
Bishop threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Oh man, I love when you’re sassy with me.”
“And I love being sassy with you.” And it was the truth. I always had fun bantering with him.
As sexual tension crackled in the air between us, I decided I’d better change the subject. “Will your brothers be there tonight?”
While Bishop appeared surprised by my question, he quickly recovered. “Some of the guys from the club might be, but Deacon and Rev are busy tonight.”
“I see.” Some of the hope I had on gathering information on the case faded.
A tall, dark-haired man stuck his head in the door. “It’s time, B.”
“Thanks, Vinnie. Do me a favor and walk Samantha out.”
“Sure.”
Bishop winked at me. “Make sure she gets one of the best seats in the house to see me win.”
Vinnie nodded. “Will do.”
I stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do. “I guess I shouldn’t say break a leg or something like that.”
With a laugh, Bishop said, “I think ‘good luck’ would be fine. If I needed it.”
I shook my head and smiled. “You’re pretty cocky, aren’t you?”
“Just sure of myself and my abilities.”
Vinnie coughed behind us, and I knew it was time to go. Acting on an impulse, I leaned in and kissed Bishop’s cheek. When I pulled back, he stared at me in surprise. “For luck.”
A genuine smile appeared on his face. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I then turned and followed Vinnie down the hallway. With the fight about to start, the crowd had gotten even louder. When we entered the gym, the roar was deafening. For a relatively small gym, there was a huge gathering of people. They filled the stands on both sides of the ring.
Vinnie led me down front to where I felt as if I was practically in the ring. Years ago, I’d gone to a fight once with my dad. Although the arena in Miami was ten times the size of this gym, we hadn’t had seats anywhere near as good as where I now sat.
The music pumping over the loudspeakers ceased, and a wiry-looking man entered the ring with a microphone. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to tonight’s fight, between Alex Fuentes and Bishop Malloy.”
When the announcer called Bishop’s name, the crowd erupted in cheers and catcalls. He came into the gym with a beaming smile. He was obviously a crowd favorite. I noticed that several young boys jumped in front of his path with autograph books in their hands. Bishop not only graciously signed them but took the time to talk to each boy. It warmed my heart seeing his compassionate and caring side and added to my growing sense of awareness that he was so much more than just an outlaw biker.