Fantasy Attraction (Hidden Secrets) (9 page)

C
HAPTER EIGHT

~CARSON
~

The trip to the gym was a blur.  I was beyond angry and I was lost.  There has never been a time in my life where a woman has gotten me this messed up; definitely not one that I have only seen for a couple minutes.  Somehow she has wormed her way under my skin.  I pulled into the parking lot, grabbing my bag, climbing out and heading inside.  I headed straight for the locker room.  My bloo
d boiled hotter every time I thought about the look on her face right before she ran out.

Flinging the door open to the locker room, it slams against the wall
, causing a few of the guys to jump.  As per his usual, Tommy starts in on his smart-ass comments.  It was a conscientious effort to just breathe deep and not pound his fucking face right there.

“Oh come on, Cars.  Someone not like my gift?”

I ignored him while I changed into my shorts and shoes.  But he wasn’t giving up.

“Just because you’re gay now doesn’t mean you have to turn down whatever tail you can get.  I mean she would have let you in her ass just so you felt more at home.”

A couple more comments and I was ready to strangle him.  Instead, I kept my voice cool and non-chalant.

“You have a problem with me
, Tommy?”

“Sure do
, you cocky ass son of a bitch.”  He said getting in my face.

I pushed right back.  “Let’s settle this in the ring then.”

I turned and walked toward the door.  Not stopping even as he threw comment after comment about being gay or the fuck up from last night at me.  Clenching my fists at my side, I kept my feet moving forward toward the ring.  I got in the ring and shook my muscles out.  Shifting my head from side to side, I waited for Tommy to enter the ring.

Kayla came running in the gym followed by Jason and my brothers and sisters.  Kayla climbed up to the side with Mary. 
What the hell was she doing home?
I smiled at both of them.  I truly loved my family and would do anything in the world for them.  As much as they were pains in the ass growing up and we fought a lot, I love them more than anything.

“Carson you don’t have to do this.  This isn’t how we solve things anymore, remember?”

“Kay, I’m not doing anything, but sparring with a fellow boxer.” I say with a cheeky grin.

“Stop it!” She said as she hit my arm.

Just as Mary was about to say something, Tommy walked toward the ring.

“Oh look the whole family’s here to fight your battles, Carson.”

I clenched my jaw.  “No one fights my battles.”

Tommy stopped then and stared at Mary.  “Hello again, Mary,” he smiled.

Mary turned to me and whispered in my ear.  “Beat the shit out this asshole.  He’s the one that was stalking me last year.”

I remember that incident.  Mary had a hard time going anywhere without be
ing followed, constant messages and phone calls.  Even broke into her apartment she used to have in town.  Now I find out this was all Tommy.  My rage is increased.

“Let’s do this.” I said in a low voice punching my hand with
my fist.

We began to circle each other.  As I circled, the thoughts that began to run through
my head were about my Angel, of our conversations.

“Favorite phrase?” I asked.

“Cock-a-meme-bull-honkers,” she giggled.

“What? Seriously?” I laughed.

“Yes,” she laughed harder. “I went through a phase where I didn’t curse.  Something happened and it came out.  Kind of stuck.”

“Favorite Song right now?”

“That’s easy.  I’ve been listening to it for a couple weeks now. ‘Try’ by Pink”

“I haven’t heard that one.  I’ll have to check it out.”

Tommy moved in.  He was always the type that went in guns blazing all the time.  I have learned over the years that waiting out your opponent can help assure your victory. They tire faster and when they start to slow is when I attack.

Tommy swings and I dodge.  Bouncing back and forth on my feet, I move around him again.  Tommy comes at me again.  I move and nail him in the ribs.  He lets out a breath.  He swings again.

“You know it’s really late?”

“I know, but I love hearing your voice.”

“Shouldn’t that be me saying that to you?”

She laughs.  “You have no idea how sexy your voice is, do you?  When you called in that first day, it immediately turned me on.  I never get turned on during calls.”

“Really now?” I lower my voice.

“Oh yeah,” she breathes.

“Damn,” I whisper.

Swing after swing, Tommy misses.  I have dodged every one of them.  I can hear my brothers and sisters cheering me on.  A couple of guys were trying to motivate Tommy.  This was the reason I was
the champion.  I’m a calculated fighter.  I can assess my opponent within moments of being in the ring and know exactly how to handle it.  Tommy was no different besides the fact that I have trained with him in the same gym and knew his weaknesses.

Tommy swings again and misses.  Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention for a brief moment.  I looked up to find
my
Angel standing at the door.  I know it was her.  I couldn’t forget if I tried. It brought it all back.  The reason I was here waiting to be the shit out of Tommy.

“Wait!
Angel!”

“I was wrong about you!  I knew I shouldn’t have come!”

She continued to run and with her I felt the future dim a little. I’ll be damned if I’ll lose her that easy!

As much as I wanted to jump out of the ring and run to her right this moment, I couldn’t.  Rule one in the gym is if you start a fight you finish it or you’re out.  So as much as my body was telling me to run after her, my head stayed in the game.  I lowered my head down and moved in. 
Swing after swing, I hit Tommy.  My muscles contracted and released as I threw everything in each swing.  I wasn’t holding back.  He didn’t deserve any mercy, not for what he just cost me.  Not for being the asshole he was.  It was time to put him in his place where he needed to be.  I could feel the sweat forming and dripping down my body.  Each hit, I heard him groan in pain, but I wasn’t stopping; not yet.

I took a moment to collect myself and grab a breath. 
At that moment the only thing I could think of was her.  She was watching me fight.  She was watching me…

“Jason,” I nodded to the door.

I watched as she slowly backed away from the door and took off running.

DAMN IT!

Watching her run away again, that was all it took.  Moving fast, I landed three more hits to his ribs and stomach before nailing him with an uppercut so hard his feet flipped out from under him and he landed on his back on the mat. Breathing heavy, I stood over him.

“That
, asshole, was for last night!  If you ever do that to me again…” I left my sentence hanging, but the threat plainly there.

Jumping out of the ring, I walked over to my family. Where my brothers high-fived me on a job well done and my sisters gave me hugs.

“What are you doing here, Mare?  Thought your slave driver was keeping you running to make up for the time you missed.” I asked.

“Yeah
, well, I needed a break or I was going to go postal.  I’m only here for two days, but it is so nice to be around you guys again.”

I pulled her in for another hug.  We didn’t see Mary much, but as her big brother, I can’t help but notice that when we do
… she’s not the same.  She’s jumpy and distant.  Mary never talks about her career other than the dates for her tours and things.  Smiling down at her, I hoped everything was okay, but she is a Williams and will only talk when she can’t handle it on her own anymore.  Everyone got to talking so I turned to Jason.

“Did you see her?”  I asked Jason, the eagerness plain in my voice.

“I didn’t.”

“Damn!”

“See who?” Kayla and Mary asked in unison.

“No one, don’t worry about it.” I hoped to have ended that conversation, but that didn’t happen.  My family never let
s any information rest until they had the full story.

“No you need to tell me at least,” Kayla said.  “I had to deal with your piss poor attitude this morning and then calling me and worrying me half to death
… I want answers.”

Sighing, I gave up.  What was the point?  They’d either see through any crock of shit I tried to pass to get off the subject or they’d keep hassling me until they were satisfied with the answer.  Neither option sounded appealing, so I did the only thing that would get this to stop now.  I told the truth.

“I met a girl, well, sort of.  We have talked on the phone for several weeks now and I finally convinced her to meet me.  We met up at Russtix last night.  Everything was going good.  We started talking on the phone because she was really nervous about meeting me.  She said her past has tainted her trust.  Anyway, she was watching me the whole time.  Finally, she wanted to meet.  I got to see her for
maybe
two minutes before some red headed chick comes up and starts acting like I know who the hell she is.  I don’t of course.  Anyway, my Angel runs out of the bar.  I chase her, but she doesn’t stop or listen to me.  Asshole over there sent her there.”

“Wow, bro. I have never seen you like this with any other girl.  You really like her or just intrigued?”  Eli asks.

“I really think there is something between us.  But I may never know now.”

Mary coos, “Aw, what’s her name?  We’ll help you.  Won’t we?”

“I…I don’t know.  I call her Angel.  My Angel.”

Kayla turns to Jason, “Babe you can help him.  He could be your first client as a PI.  It would boost your credibility having someone like Carson on your client list.”

“Sunshine, no one sees my client lists, but I have already agreed to help him.  He gave me her number and I will start there.”

“You have her number?” Kayla asked.

“Yeah, Jason can tell you. I need to h…”

I was cut off by Tommy and his dumb ass never quitting while he was ahead.

“Carson!” He half yelled, half slurred.

Turning slowly around, I clenched my fists at my sides and ground my teeth together.  Readying myself for whatever rude comment he was going to say next.  I was in no mood to deal with him
again
, but if he insisted…

“You will pay for that.  If you think last night was the only thing I’m capable of
… think again.  I saw the two bit floozy you were meeting there.” He licks his lips. “Yeah, she was a choice piece of ass if…”

My fist hit him in the face cutting him off before he could keep degrading
my
Angel.  Continuing to swing, I hit him wherever my fists flew. I wasn’t aiming, calculating, none of it.  I was pissed!

I was stopped by my brothers
, Eli and Jack, pulling me back.  Everything in me still wanted to hit him.  I wanted to inflict as much pain as those words would have caused had she been here to hear them.  Enough pain for him to realize that he’s not invincible and will be put in his place if he don’t watch it.  Thing is though, Tommy never stops.  He seriously thinks his shit doesn’t stink or he’s some king kong or something.

“I almost had your sister last year if she hadn’t gone to the police.  Another fine piece of…”

Before I could even get there my brother Eli nailed him and his body hit the floor with a thud.  Eli isn’t one to be messed with.  He trained me.  Everyone sees him as a gentle giant, but he is far from it.  That man can inflict pain if need be…especially if you mess with family.

“Damn, Eli!  I never get there fast enough!  Just once let me have a piece.” Jack mimicked a whine.

We all laughed.  Taking a deep breath and turning back to the group, he laughed a little and looked down at Jack’s hands.

“I wouldn’t want you to break your money makers, brother.”

“Ha! Now that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?”  Jack grinned cheekily.

Eli just shook his head and looked at Mary.  “We need to talk, Mare.”

“Eli, I…”  Eli gave her a pointed look and she dropped her head. “Yes, I know.”

“I’m outta here guys. 
Gonna try and reach my girl.”

Once I gave my hugs goodbye, I headed back to the locker room.  I hurried and got dressed and high tailed it out to my truck.  I drove back over to Russtix.  Sitting in the truck for a minute, I pulled out my phone and texted her
… again.  It seemed the only way she was answering.

Angel
:  Give me some time.  I will be in touch.

Me
:  Let me call you.  You don’t need to talk.  You can just listen. Please.

Angel
: I’m sorry I can’t.  Not right now.  Soon.  I have to go.

Me
:  Before you stop reading, can you please read one more thing.  Text me to let me know you will please, Angel.