Jab (Fighter Romance) (Las Vegas Series #2) (3 page)

Mila

I stumbled in the door after a long ass night of lap dances and pole dances. My legs and feet were killing me, but I made an extra five hundred bucks this week. Once I had my coffee, it would sink in that all the extra hours I was working were totally worth it. Besides, it helped keep my mind off Knox. Off the fact that he didn’t even try to contact me once since I kicked him out.

It’s what I wanted. Or, at least, it’s what I thought I wanted. But, as the days passed and I didn’t hear a single word from him, I was beginning to realize I missed him. And it pissed me the fuck off. I didn’t miss anyone. That was an emotion that didn’t belong in my vocabulary.

But I couldn’t deny it. I craved his kisses, and longed to feel his arms wrapped around me. I even Googled him a few times just to see if there were any updates on his arrest, or any new pictures of him. I knew it was so pathetic, and I should have stopped myself, but I just couldn’t. I could deny all I wanted, but the truth was, I was falling for him.

It was seven, an hour later than I usually got home, but it was also Saturday, and Mackenzie didn’t need to be up for school. If I was lucky, she would sleep in, and I would have a peaceful morning. Maybe an uninterrupted nap.

I was grateful not to find any teenage boys camping out on my sofa like that one time where I nearly killed my own sister. She’d been behaving herself, something I wasn’t used to, and I was just waiting for the other hand to drop. When it came to Mackenzie, it was only a matter of time.

I made a pot of coffee, and, with my favorite mug in hand, sat down on the couch to watch some TV. My eyes were heavy as I tried to keep them open. If I just rested them for a little while, I would be good for the rest of the day.

A thump startled me, causing my eyes to open. I looked around the room, trying to get my bearings, and spotted Mackenzie heading toward the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked, rubbing at my eyes, realizing I dozed off.

“Out,” Mackenzie answered, and I sat up.

I glanced at the clock and nearly gasped when I saw the eleven. I had passed out for four hours. “Where is out?” I asked, getting up from the couch and walking over to her.

She rolled her eyes, and plopped her hand on her hip.  I immediately took notice of her jeans and top. None of the jeans she owned look like that. Those were most definitely designer, and I had seen that shirt recently in a high end store window.

Where the hell did she get the money for those kinds of clothes? All I could think about was that bag of weed I found in her dresser drawer.

I latched onto the hem of her shirt. “Where did you get this?”

“What is your problem?” Mackenzie demanded, trying to rip the material out of my grasp.

“Are you dealing drugs?”

She laughed, and I wanted to slap the shit out of her. “You’re fucking crazy,” Mackenzie spat, and stepped around me.

I grabbed her arm, my fingers digging into her skin, and spun her back to me.“Answer me, dammit.”

It was my biggest nightmare. I wasn’t busting my ass on a damn pole for my sister to become a criminal. It was bad enough she had to be bailed out of jail. I couldn’t handle if she did real time. It would be the ultimate proof that I was a complete and utter failure.

There were so many things I fucked up, and I didn’t want to be responsible for ruining my sister’s life. She just made it so fucking hard. Her attitude sucked most of the time, and I was sick and tired of constantly fighting with her.

Every day with her felt like World War III, and I knew. I fucking knew that her momentary truce was because she was up to no good. There was no way she could afford those clothes. Not even with the money that went missing out of my bag.

Her eyes narrowed, and her lip curled in defiance. “Why should I?”

My teeth clenched, and the veins in my neck pulsed with anger. “Are you?” I asked again.

“What’s it matter? You’re just going to believe whatever the fuck you want to believe.”

“Watch your damn mouth.”

“Oh, yeah, because you do. Maybe you should take your own advice.”

“Stop avoiding the question! Are you dealing drugs?”

She stared at me in all her rebellious glory. I refused to let her stare me down. I was older than her and, dammit, I made the rules in this fucking house, not her. She was a manipulative brat, and it was time for that shit to end.

“Tell me now, or you’ll be sorry.”

“Oh, will I? What are you going to do? Hit me? Go ahead. I dare you.” Her shoulders rolled back, and she stood tall. My fingers twitched, desperate for me to take her up on her dare.

“Where did you get these clothes, Mackenzie?”

“I bought them!”

Anger surged through my veins, strangling what little compassion I had left. I charged at her, my patience out the fucking window, and she screamed a high pitch blood curdling scream before picking up my mother’s vase and hurling it at me.

Knox

Mila kicked me out of her place and basically told me to leave her alone, but, unfortunately for her, I was never a good listener. Nobody told me what to do, and, if I wanted something, I got it. Besides, it was a front. A wall she was hiding behind. For a second there, I thought maybe she was just a bitch, but then I remembered the look in her eye when we were both close to falling over the edge together.

There was vulnerability in her gaze that unbeknownst to her, she exposed to me. It was for the slightest of moments, a glint in the night, but long enough for me to know there was more to her than strip clubs and a bad attitude. She was a woman who pushed people away. It was defense mechanism. She kept people at a distance so she would never have to deal with the feelings they evoked from her. She was terrified of feeling anything for anyone. After the loss she suffered when her parents were taken from her, she built a wall so thick and deep in an effort to never feel that kind of pain again. I knew that line of defense all too well. I was the king of putting up fucking walls. But somehow Mila wormed her way into my heart and head and I found my walls breaking down. Now I was determined more than ever to knock that wall of hers down too.

I walked up the steps to her apartment, and, just as I was about to knock, the sound of shattered glass and screams resounded through the door..

What the fuck?
Panic rose inside of me. My heart beat wildly in my chest as visions of Mila being hurt ran through my head. Fear and determination to protect Mila took over and, with one hard kick, the door flung open.

Shards of glass covered the floor, and two pairs of eyes stared back at me. Mackenzie’s eyes were wild and crazed while Mila’s seethed with anger. They only acknowledged me for a second before Mila leapt toward Mackenzie.

“That was our mother’s vase!” she screamed as her hand wrapped around Mackenzie’s shirt, and she yanked her toward her.

Mackenzie swatted at Mila’s hand. “I’ll buy you a new one. Now let me go, you crazy bitch!”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re Miss Moneybags now!”

Oh shit. Did Mackenzie tell Mila? And, if she did, did she tell her that I knew? A knot formed in my stomach, twisting and gnawing its way into a solid lump of dread. Maybe I should sneak out now before shit really hit the fan. But the screaming and accusations were like a ping pong ball going back and forth. My eyes followed the voices, waiting for the moment the ball dropped and it was all over.

“Well, I couldn’t rely on you to buy me anything!” Mackenzie screeched, her arms flailing, still trying to get away from Mila.

Mila’s lips twisted, her eyes filled with manic rage as she started to laugh. “I don’t buy you anything? How about a fucking roof over your head! A bed to sleep in? A toilet to piss in? Food to eat? Water to bathe? I buy you everything you need.”

“What about the things I want?” Mackenzie growled and finally managed to get away from Mila’s death grip.

“What about them?” Mila yelled, closing the gap Mackenzie created. “Life isn’t always fair. You don’t always get what you want. You learn to live without it.”

Mackenzie straightened and took a final step toward Mila until they were toe to toe. Mackenzie may have been years younger, but she was inches taller than her sister. She looked down on her with venom in her gaze. “Well, I don’t want to.”

Mila audaciously rolled her shoulders. “Well, too fucking bad, you ungrateful fucking brat!”

Mackenzie shoved Mila, causing Mila to stumble back into the wall, and knocking a framed picture to the floor. It fell with a shatter. A huge crack in the glass formed down the middle of the picture, and right between Mila and Mackenzie. Dividing them just like they were divided now.

It didn’t stop them from trying to rip each other’s throats out though. Mila went back at Mackenzie, so Mackenzie grabbed Mila’s hair, and started yanking on it. Mila shoved her hand in Mackenzie’s face and forced her away.

I’d had enough. When I first walked in, it was clear they needed to have it out. As a fighter, I understood the need for physical confrontation, which is why I didn’t interfere. But, if I let this fighting continue for another minute, there would be blood and the next thing to break wouldn’t be replaceable. Plus, I feared one of the neighbors might call the cops and that would not bode well for any of us.

So, I stepped in and went right for the middle, to pry them off of each other. I pushed them apart, but Mackenzie tried to leap back at Mila. I wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her away.

“Put me down, you asshole.” She kicked and wailed, her foot missing my balls by only inches.

I held her, hoping she would wear herself out, but the girl was a feisty little thing. She wasn’t stopping for shit. Mila bent over, hands on her knees, taking deep breaths. Our gazes met and the vulnerability I once got a glimpse of was there again as she turned to the shattered vase on the floor.

“You done?” I asked Mackenzie.

“Put me down!” she demanded.

“I’ll put you down if you promise you’ll stop.”

“Always making deals, aren’t you?” she said, and my heart nearly stopped. Maybe she did tell Mila. Maybe Mila knew. No, if she did, the anger would have eventually turned on me. My secret was still safe. For now.

“Just stop,” I said, letting Mackenzie go.

“Mackenzie, get the broom,” Mila said, her voice weak and defeated.

“Get it yourself,” Mackenzie spat then walked out the door and slammed it.

Mila jumped up, and I grabbed her arm, halting her. “Just let her go.”

Mila didn’t even try to fight me. I kissed her forehead because, after all the intensity, I felt like she needed a little gentleness. I went to the kitchen to get the broom and, when I came back, I found Mila on her knees, picking up the shattered glass, unshed tears building in her eyes.

The girl didn’t show emotion, yet she was falling apart over an inanimate object. I couldn’t bear to see it. So, I reached down and took the glass out of her hands. I cupped her face and smiled.

“What do you say we get out of here?”

“I can’t. I have to clean this.”

I stood up, and held my hand out to her. “It’ll be here when we get back.”

She took my hand, and I helped her up. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“I think it’s time I took you on a real date.”

Mila

My throat was clogged with emotion, and, when Knox kissed my forehead, I thought I would fall apart. I took a deep breath, and forced it all back down. I didn’t cry. I hadn’t in years. Not since the funerals. Even then, it was only a few tears here and there. I didn’t deserve to cry and feel emotion. I deserved nothing because
I
should have been dead, too.

Knox guided me to his truck, and opened the door for me to get in. I grabbed on the door frame and hoisted myself up. He shut the door, and I glanced over to the backseat, remembering the last time I was in here.

Tell me you want me.
The memory of his words echoed in my mind.
Tell me you want my cock inside you.
I could still remember the chill that ran through my body when he bit the sensitive spot at the crook of my neck.
Tell me.
So, I did and I meant it. Despite what I said after, I still wanted him as much as I did in that moment.

He got into the driver seat, and smiled over at me. It was a bright spot in my dark day, and gave me hope, which was dangerous. Hope might have given people something to hold onto, but it also destroyed them when nothing ever came to fruition. It was a torturous tease that had you chasing dead ends and disappointment.

“Where are we going?” I asked, trying not to stare, but finding it harder and harder not to.

“We’re in Vegas. Where else would we go? The strip, of course.” He winked with a ridiculously cute smile and damn it if that wasn’t the biggest fucking turn on.

“If you live in Vegas, you don’t go to the strip. It’s for the tourists,” I said. I’d lived in Vegas for four years now, and I avoided the strip like the plague.

“Aren’t we all tourists just looking for an escape away from home, even if it is only for a couple hours?” He smiled, and I didn’t say anything back just offered a smile in return.

His hand found mine, and I slid my fingers between his. The rough feel of his hands were a contrast to the gentle touch he offered me now. My mind was still reeling from mine and Mackenzie’s fight, and my blood was still pumping, but a simple touch from Knox made me feel like my world was slowing down. The chaos was slipping away and, instead of holding onto it and dwelling, I let it slip away.

It had been nine years since I allowed myself to feel anything. Nine years since I went on a real date. Most of my relationships consisted of a hook up in a hotel room before the guy got on a plane, never to be heard from again. I didn’t know how to date. I knew it was a time when you got to know each other, but that would be breaking my cardinal rule. I didn’t let anyone get to know me.

My knee shook as I went over topics in my mind. The weather was always a go to. I could find a way to make a few sexual innuendos. Guys always seemed to like that. But this was Knox, and not some guy in the club I was trying to sweet talk to get a good tip.

I thought about what he said about the tourists and, finally, I just spoke what was on my mind. “I’ve lived in Vegas for four years now, and I still feel like a tourist. Like I don’t belong. But, I think it would be like that anywhere. It’s like I just exist, and Vegas is just a backdrop.”

“Have you ever felt like you belonged?” he asked.

I took a deep breath and stared out the window, watching the rocky desert pass us by. My mom’s face popped into my mind and then my dad’s. It was like a walk down memory lane to a time when I was happy and oblivious to the hell that was to come. “A long time ago.”

“When your parents were still alive?”

I turned away from the window, and he glanced over at me, our eyes catching briefly. “Yes,” I admitted.

“Tell me about it.”

It was something I didn’t like to think about, let alone speak of out loud. The memories weren’t happy. They were hot daggers to the heart that gutted my insides, and made me hate myself even more. Knox squeezed my hand, and it was all that it took. That slight gesture of comfort made me feel safe in the confines of his truck. Made me feel like it was okay to talk about a past I did everything in my power to forget.

“We lived in California, just outside San Francisco, in a smaller town. It wasn’t a tiny house, but it wasn’t huge either. It was perfect. There was a wraparound porch and I would spend so many nights sitting on the swinging seat that my dad hung himself, daydreaming about my future, and all the places I would see. Mom would come out with a two mugs: one with tea for her, and the other hot chocolate. She would join me, and I would tell her about my day and how I couldn’t wait to go away to college. Time was nonexistent, then. I didn’t think about it at all. Whether we talked for ten minutes, or two hours, it didn’t matter because we always had tomorrow to talk some more. At least, I thought we did…” My words faltered as emotion welled up inside, threatening to pour out.

There was a reason I didn’t talk about my mom. It hurt too fucking much.

“Moms are always good listeners,” Knox said, and I appreciated him not pressing me further. “My mom’s the best. Though, she also likes to lecture,” he continued, letting me pull myself together as he spoke so lovingly of his mother.

Before I knew it, he was handing his keys off to a valet, and he was helping me out of his truck. “Let’s walk,” he said, taking my hand, and guiding me toward the strip. During the day, it didn’t pack the same punch as it did when it was all lit up with every color and variation. It was just another street with tall buildings and crowds.

I gave him a confused look as we walked hand in hand.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m just surprised Mr. Moneybags is walking amongst the common folk,” I joked.

“I like to people watch. It helps keep me grounded. I might have money, but that doesn’t mean I’m better than any of these people. Coming here reminds me of that. It’s easy to get caught up in the fantasy world, but, really, it’s just stuff and it’s nice to get away from it for awhile. Besides, we’re all human just trying to survive another day.”

A girl a few feet in front of us clutched her friends arm, spinning her toward us. “Oh. My. God. Is that Knox McArthur?” she said loud enough to hear, but not loud enough to cause a commotion. “Oh my God, it is! It is!”

“Evening, ladies,” Knox said as we passed, offering them a wink.

“He winked at us!” the friend screamed out, fanning herself with her hand.

“Quick! Take his picture!”

Knox paused and then turned, flexing his arms. A flash followed, and then more giggles. 

He spun back to me, draping his arm across my shoulders, and pulling me tight against him. I laughed. “What?” he asked, making me laugh louder.

“Keeps you grounded, huh?” I managed to get out.

His hand slid down my arm to my side, and tickled me. I twisted my body to get away and only pushed myself further into him. He wrapped both arms around me as I squirmed and laughed.

“I can’t help that people love me,” he said against my ear as his fingers came to a halt. He held me close, walking behind me like we were one set of legs.

I shifted my head to see him, and he looked down at me. His dark eyes bore into mine, and I swore I could lose myself in them forever if I allowed it. “You make it easy.” The words slipped out effortlessly. As easy as a morning greeting or a friendly goodbye.

Knox offered me his signature smirk and kissed my forehead. “What can I say? I’m awesome.”

I reached behind me and pitched his stomach. He jumped back, and glanced up with playful shock in his eyes. His lip curled up and I backed away slowly, suspecting his next move. I could see him gearing up, and I took off running down the strip.

Laughter poured out of me as I kept pace. Every person I passed looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, and maybe I had, but I didn’t care, because, for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I belonged somewhere.