Blindsided (The Fighter Series Book 1) (16 page)

Like I’ve grabbed an electric fence, sparks shoot through me. My knees feel weak and my heart is jackhammering in my chest. It’s fucking overwhelming. I pull her closer by the nape and inhale her breath as our tongues stroke across one another. Long and soft, heated and enticing, the chemistry submerges me. Passion ricochets between us. It’s the most devastating blow I’ve ever felt.

Her hand slides from my arm to my chest, then she pushes me away. “You need to leave,” she says breathless.

I blink. Did she not just feel that? “Paige…” I whisper.

She takes a step back and out of my grip. “Levi, I can’t do this with you.”

She might as well just have slammed a freaking baseball bat upside my head because I sure as fuck didn’t see that coming. “Sure you can,” I tell her.

She looks up under her lashes, her eyes wet from tears. “No, Levi, I can’t.”

I’m in a frenzy to keep my outrage below the surface. “Explain why you can’t?”

She drops her view to her feet. “I’m not willing to mess up our friendship just to be another notch in your bedpost.”

I flash my dimples and pull her by the waist into my chest. “Lucky for you, I don’t have bedposts.”

She’s hesitant, but ends up pushing away again with pain donning her expression. “I mean it. I love what we have, but I know once that line is crossed, I’ll lose you and I don’t want to.”

I stare at her. I just got backstage passes to the fucking friend zone. Somewhere in the equation as I was trying to get into her mind like she has done mine, I bought front row seats to the Paige’s Willpower show. I gape at her unsure what the hell to say. I know she felt that, but I’m done trying. I’m done chasing something that doesn’t want me. A small defeated laugh escapes me. I shake my head and stalk out the door, shutting it behind me with a little extra force of vexation.

Chapter 18

I haven’t talked to Levi in three weeks. After he walked out, he never looked back. He hasn’t texted me and I can’t bring myself to call him to patch things up. Even though I know he left town, I’ve looked for him, looking up every time someone came into the restaurant, scanning the crowd at Tonic, and never letting my phone get outside arm’s reach. But it was all wishful thinking. He never showed up and my phone has been crushingly silent.

That kiss was entirely the most sensual and heart stimulating kiss I’ve ever experienced, and honestly, it scared the hell out of me. For that robust compassion to come from Levi was surprising. I felt emotion behind it as if he was kissing love into me. I know better than that though. An hour prior he had had a woman nipping at him and running her fingers through his hair. What I felt was phantom desire.

“Earth to Paige!” Holly pokes my shoulder.

Startled, I yelp turning toward her and almost spilling my drink on her black skull shirt. “Holy shit, Holly!”

“Standing in the living room, but on another planet. Teach me how you do this.”

Blain rushes past us with a bowl of dip and stumbles into the coffee table nearly spilling it all over the chicken wings. He decided to throw a “little” party to watch Levi’s fight. Justin Lyndon—I remember hearing he was a brute on the mat, so Levi has to keep him standing, something I personally love to watch. Toe to toe, blow for blow, it’s all about give and take, who can take the hit and who can give it.

Jason of course, being the player he is, brought a little redheaded flavor of the week who seems to fit more on the Vegas strip than in this little college town. Six-inch stilettos, a gold mini-skirt that, I swear, should have come with batteries because it sparkles so freaking much, and a sheer piece of fabric that covers just enough to hold her boobs back.

Jason and Blain think too much alike. They both have the same taste in women.
Pull as much as we want
, they say when having their “bro” talk, but what I don’t understand is how Blain can do it knowing damn well he wants Lacy, Jason’s sister. She’s a spectacular woman—beautiful, smart, and super nice—and just like me she’s not gonna let a dog into her life, no offense to Blain.

“Have you heard from him?” Holly whispers leaning her shoulder against the wall.

I shake my head.

“I think you’re crazy to not have done anything. I would—”

“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know what you would have done.” I roll my eyes teasing her. But honestly, I have to endure hearing about him all the time and I’m getting kind of tired of it.

She gives me a tight smile. “As much as I think he’s all for me, I think you should text him. I mean, you’re the one who sent him out the door, therefore you should be the one to give in.” She bounces her finger then walks into the living room keeping her next biggest crush, Blain, in her sights.

I sigh inwardly letting my thoughts wander back to Levi. He’s protective, smart, gentle yet rough, funny…The aching defeat in his eyes has haunted me since that day. Baffled and frustrated, he walked away. I tried to tell him how I felt, but my fearful obstinateness stopped the words from spilling. There was something in the kiss and in his eyes. I just wish what I was seeing was real.

I pull my phone from my pocket. She’s right. Someone has to give in. I miss hearing from him and I hate the hurt it brings when I don’t. Might as well do it now knowing he won’t get it until the fight is over. I’ll be asleep when he texts me back…I hope.

Me: Good luck tonight. Not that you need it. ;)

That was easier than I thought, but harder than I wanted.

Levi: Are you watching?

My heart slams against my ribs. Shit.

Me: What are you doing on your phone? Go do some push-ups or something!

Levi: It’s Adam. I’ll let him know you wished him luck. He’ll be happy.

“Ooohhh! Did she have a change of heart?” Holly nudges me trying to take a glimpse at my phone.

I don’t respond shrugging my shoulders.

“Now, I just need to get you to admit you’re so far into him that you can’t see your own ass,” she says proudly then takes a sip of her drink.

I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”

Jason jumps off the couch blessing the room with his loud roar of a laugh. “Dude, he was so pissed that night!”

I quit listening, tuning them out and staring at the scratches on my phone case. I’ve heard this story so many times it’s annoying, and honestly it hurts my feelings. The night Levi kissed me and I sent him out the door, he turned into the Hulk, madder than hell and ready to fight. He took a cab back to the hotel and kicked everyone out including the woman who had been nipping at him all night. But Holly hasn’t heard this story and listens intently, simpering like an ass.

She slides her eyes to me. “Hmmm…isn’t that the night he saved you from Wesley, kissed you, and you kicked him out?”

I glare at her.

“Seems like someone should have listened to me. Told you he’s into you,” she says triumphantly.

“Don’t get your claws caught in your pubic hairs,” I deadpan.

Both her over tweezed brows jump high on her forehead. “What the hell are you holding back for, Paige?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me. Explain to me what’s so damn hard about it?”

“I…” I trail off uncertain I care to divulge this information. I mean, really, I’m starting to not understand it myself. “I don’t want—”

“He’s on!” Jason yells over everyone.

I shrug, thankful I didn’t have to explain something I couldn’t. Everyone’s eyes are glued on the TV. In just a few months, I’ve become Levi’s biggest fan, unbeknownst to him. Oh if he knew, I’m sure that would shoot straight to his ego and blow him up.

Levi and his crew come bounding out of the entrance, the crowd on their feet, including all here. He enters the octagon his normal self—confidence oozing from his pores, no trace of apprehension or worry. His sculpted body is chiseled, and his hard muscles are flexing as he walks to his corner. Holly turns and wags her eyebrows at me. Yes, I know he’s a beautiful creature.

Adam catches Levi’s attention and with an enormous grin, says something to him. Levi nods then rolls his head turning back to his opponent bouncing on the balls of his feet. The camera pans to him and with his fingers, he motions to watch him with a twisted smirk. My breath catches. He knows I’m watching.

The announcers introduce the fighters, the referee explains the rules, and then the bell rings. Anxiety is eating at me, chewing through my bones and crawling through my muscles. I’m on the edge of my seat when they meet in the middle sizing each other up.

Justin, the “Mauler,” makes the first move striking Levi’s cheek, but Levi counters with a jab. Justin feigns charging him and takes him straight to the mat. Through the punches, Levi maneuvers into half guard, blocking them, and somehow he bucks and quickly leaps back to his feet.

He smirks at Justin not looking fazed. Strikes, kicks, clinching and knees, the men go at it taking turns with their backs against the cage. Blain dodges, weaves and ducks from his invisible fighter like he’s standing in the ring with them. I’m holding my breath and from the thundering of my heart, I have officially run a marathon.

Then the bell rings…thank goodness! All the boys here start yelling how they would have done this or how Levi should have done that, but I’m set in stone watching the TV. Harvey’s yelling something as Adam holds a bag of ice to the back of Levi’s neck. My pulse is in my throat, pounding so badly I can feel it in my thumbs.

Then…the bell sounds and it’s round two. Levi looks overconfident stepping to the middle and dropping his hands.

I push to my feet. “What the hell are you doing?” I scream at him through the screen. “Put your damn guard up!”

Justin takes advantage and swings, tagging a serious blow to Levi then right behind it, another. Levi sends a powerful right hook to Justin’s jaw and he stumbles back against the cage. Levi barrels into him firing punches, jamming dangerous knees into him. Pound after pound, Justin tries to keep his guard, but then an evil right hook drops him and the ref jumps between them calling the fight. The arena and this house erupt in a roar.

Everyone jumps to their feet, Blain and Jason both with fists in the air, and me…I’m squealing like a little girl. Jason’s redhead doesn’t move, not looking up from her phone and showing no interest as everyone around her is elated about the win. Manly grunts echo off the walls as the boys praise Levi through the screen, high fiving each other.

I flop into my seat completely spent. I felt like I was there, like I was in the ring with him. My adrenaline is pumping, my palms are sweaty, and I’m out of breath. This shit stresses me out.

The party diminished about an hour ago, and Blain took the remaining stragglers downstairs. I’ve been lying in bed staring at the green grainy lights on my alarm clock—three thirty four in the morning. I have to be at the restaurant at seven—three and a half hours.

I close my eyes and picture my feet at the other end of a hammock holding a drink with a pink umbrella, swaying back and forth while watching the turquoise waves crash onto the pale cream sandy beach. I’m swinging under the palm trees as the soft warm breeze washes over my body. Serenity. Tranquility.

Chirp!
My eyes bolt open unsure that I really heard what I think I did. Three forty-one the grainy neon green numbers say but now there’s a new light blinking—a purple one—a text message! I spring up and grab it.