Whiplash: A Sports Romance (52 page)

Authors: Tabatha Kiss

BOOK: Whiplash: A Sports Romance

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My new phone buzzes in my pocket.

Are we keeping the hair? My boss needs to know… ;)

I smile. Such a strange new friend I’ve gained from all of this. I send a reply to Darla while my father’s voice gathers volume.

“Yes, I’ll hold…” He scoffs to himself. “Remind me to find you a new bodyguard, too— and to get a proper background check done this time…”

“Okay, Dad.” I stare out the window and my eyes catch the pink neon sign on the corner.

Fawn’s Pawn.

I lean forward in my seat to get the driver’s attention. “Excuse me. Pull in here, please.”

“Umm, Roxie?” Dad says. “What are you doing?”

The car rolls to a stop in the small parking lot. “I just have to make a quick stop,” I say, grabbing my purse and stepping outside.

“No, you don’t—” He pauses as a voice starts in his ear. “Yes, Mr. Bruckberg. I’m here—”

I close the door behind me and walk quickly towards the shop with my head down.

Caleb grins at me from across the counter. “Of all the pawn shops, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into
mine
.”

“Hey, Caleb…” I greet. “How are you?”

She raises a brow at me but keeps her smile. “Better than
you
, I’d wager…” Her eyes dip down. “How’s the arm?”

I jiggle it slightly in the sling and a twinge of pain tickles my nerves. “Drugs help.”

“That’s my motto,” she jokes. “Looks like our boy is still quite the shot.”

“How did you know it was him?” I ask.

“Oh, you know… friends in low places.”

“You didn’t hear it from him?”

She pauses and drags her teeth along her pink lips. “Not directly. From what I hear, he’s not looking to talk to anybody at all right now.”

My eyes drop to the counter. “I hoped I wasn’t included in that.”

“Oh, honey,” she smirks.
“Of course, you are.”

I breathe a laugh. “Still…”

Caleb looks at me with sympathetic eyes. “I’ve known Fox for a long time — not as long as you have — but I think I can safely say that I know him a little better than you do.” I nod. “And if there’s one thing I can tell you about him with absolute certainty… it’s that he’s stupid.”

“Stupid?”

“So stupid.”
She cracks a grin. “I mean… the guy can shoot the cherry off a cigarette from across a football field but he can’t see what’s right in front of him?”

“Sounds about right.”

“Dani, I can ramble on all day about how stupid men are — and, believe me,
I have —
but the hard truth is… we’re not any better. Especially if we don’t do anything about it.”

I exhale, thinking of him locked away from me. “I would if I could but… he’s slightly out of my reach at the moment.”

Caleb hesitates with narrow eyes. “Well, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but… he might not be as out of reach as you think.”

“What do you mean?” I study her face and she smiles wide. My heart leaps. “You mean he’s…? Where?”

“There’s only one place a self-imposed exile enthusiast like him would go.” She presses her lips together. “You’re a smart kid, you’ll figure it out. And when you do… tell him I want my damn gun back, please.”

I step back from the counter. “I will.”

“Like,
really
. It has some sentimental value.”

I turn around and put my hand on the door. The black car sits in the lot with the engine running, just waiting to take me back into a world of broken dreams.

I spin towards the counter. “Do you have a back exit?”

Caleb grins.

Chapter 23

Fox

A knock strikes my door and I look at the clock. It’s just after noon which means Mrs. Clark probably has some errands for me to run.

“Coming—!” I sit up in bed and throw a shirt on before moving towards the door. My fingers brush through my beard. It’s gotten thicker over the last few days. I can expect a light scolding from Mrs. Clark about that…

I open the door and my heart skips a beat.

Her lips twitch with a light smile hidden just beneath the surface. “Hi, Fox,” she says, her voice just above a whisper.

“Dani.” I say her name aloud for my own benefit. For all I know, I fell and hit my head and I’m hallucinating her face on Mrs. Clark. Black hair. Blue eyes. Perfect skin.

She licks her lips. “Sorry for dropping in on you like this — but to be fair, you didn’t even tell me you were here.”

“How did you know I was?”

“I got an anonymous tip,” she answers. Her eyes shift. “From someone who’d
really
like her gun back.”

I drop my head and laugh. “Sounds about right.” My eyes linger on her beautiful face. “You kept the hair.”

She pushes a lock behind her ear. “It kind of grew on me… literally and figuratively, I guess.”

“I like it.”

“I know you do.” The smile stays on her lips as she reaches into her purse and pulls out a DVD case. “So, I’ve got a screener for
Night Trials, Part 3
. I figured we can curl up with some popcorn and check it out.”

“You came all the way out here to watch a movie with me?” I ask.

She lowers the case to her side. “Not really, but…” Her eyes stay on mine, soft and perfect. “I just really needed to see you again, Fox.”

My gaze drops to the sling. “You’re not mad?”

“What?” She smirks. “That you
shot me
?”

I wince. “Yeah.”

“A little…” she tilts her head, “but it could be worse, right? It’s not like you’re not going to make it up to me.”

“Am I?”

“You better.”

My heart beats a little faster. “Does your dad know you’re out here?”

“I’m sure he’s noticed I’m gone by
now
,” she chuckles. “He won’t be happy about it but… he’ll live.”

I exhale slowly. “Look, Dani…”

“Fox, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to hear about all the different responsibilities I left behind or all the different reasons why you think we can’t be together, legitimate as they may be. I just want to be off-the-grid for a little while. With you.” She pauses, her eyes glistening. “Is that too much to ask? If it is, I’ll leave and never come back. I’d just like to hear it from you. I think I deserve that much, don’t you?”

Here she is.
My perfect Dani. Staring back at me with that spark in her eyes.

“Yeah,” I say, my heart slamming against my ribs. “Of course, you can stay.”

“Thank you.” She holds the DVD up again and smiles a little wider. “Movie?”

I shake my head. “I can’t watch that, Dani.”

“Oh.” She shrugs and slides it back inside her open purse. “We can watch something else if you want…”

“No, I mean… If I watch that without Mrs. Clark, she’ll go mental.”

Dani shines in the afternoon sun as she laughs. “In that case, she’s more than welcome to join us.”

“You’ve got a deal then,” I say.

Her knees bounce beneath her. “So, I came all the way out here for more than a movie. You going to kiss me or what?”

I smile. “I would, but… we have an audience.” I gesture over her shoulder and she looks back just in time to see Mrs. Clark drop the curtain back down.

“Oh…” she chuckles softly. “Doesn’t she have a hobby?”

“Spying on me is her hobby,” I joke.

“Well, she has good taste.” Her eyes peek around my shoulder. “Can I come in?”

“Please.” I step to the side and she walks forward into the cabin. My nose instantly twitches, overwhelmed by that stunning apple aroma. My mouth waters for her as I close the door.

I turn around and there she is, standing beneath me with those perfect, expectant eyes.

Dani. My beautiful Dani.

“So, do you want to watch it now, or…?”

“It’s a little early for a movie,” I note.

“I agree.” She tosses her purse to the floor and rushes into my arms.

I give her a firm kiss, cupping her face in my hands to hold her there, never wanting to let go.

“Fox.”

I rest my lips on her forehead. “Yeah?”

She trembles in my arms. “I love you, too.”

My laugh overwhelms me. “Dammit, Dani…”

“What?” She smiles wide, biting her lip.

“I’m never going to let you out of my sight again.”

“You wouldn’t be much of a bodyguard if you did.”

“Oh, is that all I am to you?” I ask, bouncing my brow.

“Maybe.”

“I can do so much more to your body than guard it, Ms. Roberts.”

“Ohh, I like that,” she teases.
“Ms. Roberts.”

“As do I…”

“I think we might be on to something here…” she muses. “I like the idea of you hovering over my shoulder at red carpet functions, beating on paparazzi that get too close.”

“Your agent would
never
allow it.”

“Eh…” She shrugs. “I can always get a new one. Good bodyguards are
really
hard to come by.”

“Maybe we can work something out…” I kiss her again, relishing in her delicious flavor while her fingers nudge beneath my shirt. “But I’m not sure you can afford me. My skills are highly sought after…”

She peeks up at me with devious eyes. “We can negotiate a deal that’ll leave us both satisfied, I think.”

My cock twitches, drawing me even closer to her little body. “So, that arm…” Our lips brush together. “Do I need to be gentle?”

Her fingertips spark my skin. “Are you ever?”

“I could try.” I pick her up and she wraps her legs around me.

“Don’t.” Her lips curl against mine.

“Whatever you say, Ms. Roberts.”

Please enjoy

Untouched: A Bad Boy MMA Romance

the first novel in the
Midwest Alpha Trilogy

as a bonus read!

Thank you for reading!

xoxo