Blindsided (The Fighter Series Book 1)
TC Matson
Acknowledgments
Teagbag…I love you! Plain and simple! As soul sisters, I wish we lived closer together. Thank you for the encouragement to push forward. You’re my biggest cheerleader.
Alexa Keith
, without you, oh how my life would be boring. Thank you for the wonderful friendship, the endless talks, our therapy sessions to keep us both off the ledge, and our morning cheers. I look forward to many more!
Harper Bentley
, you inspire me to be a better writer. The amount of support, the wisdom you’ve shared, and the laughs we’ve had…I couldn’t ask for a more exceptional person to call my friend. Love you gobs! “He screamed like a girl!”
To all my readers: Without you, I wouldn’t do this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Special Thanks To…
For The Love of Books and Alcohol
Anne Mercier
-Author of the Rockstar Series
Amy Donnelly
-She’s a jack of all trades which includes: Editing, Formating, Cover Art, Graphics, etc.
Copyright © 2015 TC Matson
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permissions of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at [email protected]
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people, whether living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are figment’s of the authors imagination, or, if real, used fictitiously. The author recognizes the trademarks and copyrights of all registered products and works mentioned within this work.
Cover Design by: © L.J. Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations
Editing by: Amanda Brown
***Warning***
This book contains graphic sexually explicit content and intense violence that could be disagreeable or distressing to readers. The content is intended for mature readers only.
Chapter 1
Sometimes I wonder why the hell I stay at this job. Table four has me running all over the place knowing damn well they won’t tip me much, and table three is a very prude woman who rolls her eyes every time I stop to check in on her. I guess she thinks because she’s in a business suit with her hair up in too tight a bun, I should be intimidated. She clearly thinks she’s of some high-ranking importance to me. She’s wrong. She’s just another customer. Someone I serve but don’t care to ever see again. Smile and be polite though…unfortunately, this is my job.
It’s almost time to go. I can’t wait to get the heck out of here although the restaurant has been moderately lively today, which is great for my pockets. Blain is going to take me out to eat for my twenty-fourth birthday since we didn’t get to celebrate it yesterday. He worked his normal eight-to-five shift at the animal hospital and I had to pull doubles. So by the time I got home, I was wiped out.
The rumble of Blain’s sleek black Camaro catches everyone’s attention as he pulls up alongside the curb, parking directly in front of the large window of the restaurant. It’s his usual spot when he picks me up. He does it on purpose. It’s the macho, catch any unsuspecting single woman’s attention, hidden egotistical conceited personality of his.
“Sheesh,” Holly exhales. “I can’t ever get sick of seeing him.” She drops her elbow to the counter, resting her head on her fist, staring at him.
“Oh, I can,” I quip.
She rolls her eyes and pushes off the counter crossing her arms. “I just can’t understand why you two haven’t done anything. You’re probably the don’t kiss and tell type. If I had a chance with him, I’d hang that shit on a billboard.”
I’ve worked with Holly for a year or so, and believe me when I tell you I’ve had this conversation with her way too many times. Regardless of what I say, she never believes me. I stop wrapping the silverware abruptly and look up to her, narrowing my eyes. “Picture yourself sleeping with your brother. His hands rubbing all over you. His tongue in your mouth. Do you scream his name when he—”
“Disgusting!” she squeals laughing.
“Well, Blain is like my brother.”
She scrunches up her nose and shakes her head. “Point taken. Maybe one day I’ll be able to find out about him myself.” She wags her eyebrows.
The thought makes me laugh. She’s nowhere close to being Blain’s type. Not that he has a particular type—he’s liable to screw just about anything—but I’m quite sure the gothic, extra curvy girl is not what he’s looking for. “Maybe.” I shrug knowing damn well he would never be interested in her.
“Speaking of hotties, did you see the one at table twelve today? I could barely serve him. His hotness took my body over.” She over-dramatically rolls her eyes running her hands down the curve of her hips.
Nothing comes to mind—nothing that would make me have a thought-induced orgasm like she just had. I shake my head and grab for the last silverware I have to wrap.
“I hope he comes back soon. Omigod, he was surrounded by good looks and no women. Do you know what that means?” Holly grabs my shoulders, staring me down with her soft brown eyes that are wide with aspiration. “I have a chance!”
“Well,” I giggle, “let me know the next time he comes in and I’ll make sure I tell him you’re wet and waiting.” I wink, untying my apron and tossing it in the corner under the counter as I make my way toward the exit. There’s no looking back today. The heck with today!
I smile at Blain as I slide into the leather seat that’s cold as hell from the air conditioning blasting on it. “Hey. How was your day?” I ask putting on my seatbelt.
He smirks then slams his precious “baby” in gear, forcing me back into the seat. He chuckles as I roll my eyes. He’s such a show off.
“Good,” he finally answers at the red light mere feet from the spot his tires squealed away. “Had a dog that was hit by a car come in today and got to see Dr. Aisner do an amputation of its leg. It was phenomenal!”
I wince at his answer. How can he be so damn excited about bloody gore? I hate hearing about poor animals that come into the hospital hurt, not to mention the disgusting details I have to endure when it happens. Just as humans need doctors, animals need vets. But I’m a waitress and a bartender—I don’t do blood.
He pats my knee laughing. “Don’t worry, Paigey. He’s going to be ok. I promise. He’s just short a leg.”
“Blain!” I shriek straight through his laugh. “That’s not funny. The poor dog could have died and now he has to figure out a way to deal without a leg.”
His brown shaggy hair shakes from side to side in disbelief. “It’s a wonder you’re not a vegetarian.”
“What’s that supposed to—”
His tires screech, shoving me into the leather as the light turns green. Apparently, it’s his politest way of telling me to shut up.
I know it’s his job to save them but it kills me to hear about hurt animals. Some come in starved, their ribs and spine visible, and some even worse off having to be euthanized. It’s pitiful. If I could rescue them all I would, but I don’t have time to fly through the night and be their super hero. Blain says with the passion I have for animals, I should’ve become a veterinarian, but blood…nope. Yuck! That is total fainting material there!
Blood has made me queasy since I was a little girl and saw the little neighbor boy fall off his bike and rip open his knee. Blood gushed from it and poured onto the concrete underneath him. Ok, maybe it was just a little scratch, but he cried like it ripped his leg apart. It was really nasty, and I cried with him.
Dinner was good with little to no graphic details of his job, thank God. He took me to Barges, the best steakhouse this side of the Mississippi, hands down. My belated birthday steak with a baked potato was amazing. The décor makes you feel right at home with brick walls and autographed pictures of various celebrities who have enjoyed items off the menu. The coolest part of the place is the old, light blue VW Bug that looks like it’s smashing through the brick wall. They even have extra bricks on the floor to give it some added intent. The place is so cool.