Fighting for Desire (7 page)

“Give the lady a drink,” a low voice said next to her
ear.

The man didn’t yell but the bartender scurried away to
get her drink as if God Himself had issued the order. She turned and found
herself staring into dark eyes that seemed familiar and different at the same
time.
He has Dev’s eyes
, she thought with an internal sob.

“Thanks.” She smiled at him. “I’m Shannon.”

His hand caressed the bare area of skin between the top
of her skirt and the bottom of her shirt. His touch scorched her flesh and
suddenly a drink was the last thing she wanted. He flashed a perfect smile back
at her and again she was reminded of Dev.

“I’m Johnny.”

The bartender slid her drink in front of her and she
picked it up, shifted on her stool, away from the bar a bit. She sensed it
would be in her best interest to get away from this man.

“Aren’t you going to keep me company?” he asked in her
ear. He remained close and nibbled on her earlobe.

She moaned and leaned into him. Her gut was screaming at
her to end this but the risky naughtiness felt so good. His other hand traced
little patterns on her thigh and then he slowly made his way up. Holy shit, not
wearing panties under her tiny skirt had turned out to be a good idea. He
grinned in approval as he cupped her mound.

“Why don’t we go someplace more…secluded,” he suggested.

She grinned and stood. “I’m down for anything.”

And she meant it. For one night she would allow herself
to pretend she was with Dev and everything was okay…even if it wasn’t and the
man before her was a stranger.

“Oh, you’ll defiantly be ‘down’ by the time we’re done,”
he replied with a sexy smile.

On wobbly legs that couldn’t be blamed entirely on the
drinks, she followed him to the stairway. He surprised her by taking her
downstairs.

“We’re not going to go behind some crates are we?” she
asked with a giggle.

He pulled her into his arms. “No, I am going to take you
to my office and fuck you until you can’t walk.”

She rubbed against him. “And I’ll let you, Johnny. For
one night only.”

He smiled back at her. “No Shannon. It will last until I
say it’s over.”

Shannon stared at herself in the mirror across from the big
bed in Dev’s guestroom. At the time she had found Johnny’s words thrilling. If
only she had known the truth behind them. She would never be free from that
monster. She just prayed that being with Dev could buy her some time to figure
things out.

Shannon slid into the seat of the nicest SUV she had seen in
her life. Of course Dev would drive a Land Rover.

“Exactly how many cars do you own?” she asked as she buckled
her seatbelt.

“I’m not sure. I have three at this house, plus the limo.”

“You’re not sure? Jesus, Dev! How much money do you make
fighting?”

He gave her a sideways glance. “I don’t just make money from
fighting, Shannon. I have endorsement deals and I have made a few successful
investments. Why? Trying to figure out if I could have paid more for our month
together?”

She didn’t answer and looked out the window instead.

After a long moment of silence she said, “Thanks for taking
me to my apartment.”

“Well I certainly wouldn’t let you go alone. You might try
to bail on me.”

She huffed. “As I remember you are the one who bails on
people. Not me.” The words left her lips before she could stop them.

His head snapped toward her and she knew she shouldn’t try
to provoke him when she had so much to lose.

“As
I
recall you bailed on our relationship. My
leaving town was a result of that.”

She moistened her lips with her tongue and then asked
softly, “Where did you go? When you left I mean.”

For eight years she had wondered about that. Not even his
family had been able to give her hints and God knew she had looked for him. His
hand tightened on the steering wheel and for a moment she thought he was going
to ignore her question.

“I was in Oklahoma for a while, near Oklahoma City. Then I
went out to California and did a few underground fights. That’s where I met
Marco actually. He was at one of the fights and gave me his card.” He smiled at
the memory. “I blew him off at first but after losing a few more fights I
called him and the rest is history.”

“How…how long were you in Oklahoma after you left Texas?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a year. Why?”

He had been so close to her during that time. Fate had a
cruel sense of humor though, and they never crossed paths when she needed him
so much.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I was just curious.”
She needed to change the subject before she lost her composure. “Turn left at
the next light.”

“I know where you live. No need to tell me when to turn.”

“You do? How?”

He actually snorted at her. “The investigator, remember?
Your address was on the report and I Googled it before we left.” He made the
turn at the stoplight and then said, “I’m actually surprised you’re living in
this part of town. Not exactly how you were raised.”

It was her turn to shrug. “This is the only area I could
afford. Besides, it’s just a place to rest. I’m not there much.”

That was an understatement. She avoided her apartment as
much as she could by spending time outdoors or at the library.

“Your parents are okay with you living in a place like that?
I would’ve thought your old man would cut off his arm before he allowed his
only child to live in the slums. Or did they finally see their princess’ true
colors and don’t care where you live?”

She took in a sharp breath, not knowing which part of his
statement bothered her most—the fact that her parents didn’t care about her or
his backhanded assessment of her character.

She clenched her teeth. “I wouldn’t know if they are okay
with it or not. I’m an adult and I don’t need my parents’ permission.”

“Bullshit.” He laughed without humor. “Since when haven’t
you sought their approval?”

She was saved from answering as they parked in front of the
run-down apartment building she called home. Dev’s shiny new Land Rover stuck
out like a sore thumb and she was momentarily worried it would be gone when
they came out.

He must have been thinking the same thing because he said,
“It’s a good thing I called the moving company ahead of time. That’s their
truck across the street and hopefully it won’t take long.”

“In a hurry to be somewhere?” she asked sarcastically.

He looked her in the eyes. “Yeah, in my bed…with you. I
still haven’t forgotten what we started and have yet to finish.”

Her face flushed and she quickly unbuckled and got out of
the SUV. She walked across the street without waiting to see if he followed. The
sound of footsteps confirmed he was a step behind her.

She opened the door to the building and went inside. Long
ago there had been a key-code on the door but it hadn’t worked as long as she
had lived there. As they entered the building the smell of urine assaulted her
nose.

Dev muttered something under his breath but she ignored him.
She needed to focus on the task at hand. His reaction didn’t matter. Neither
did him seeing that she lived in near poverty. Getting all she had left to show
for her life was the only thing on her mind now.

She went past the elevator to the stairs.

“Of course it’s broken,” he said. “What floor do you live
on?”

“The top floor. Nothing but the best for this girl,” she
replied with a wry smile.

Since the elevator had been out of service for months she
was used to climbing ten flights of stairs. The forced exercise was partly responsible
for the amazing shape of her legs. She was surprised Dev kept up with her even
when she picked up her pace.

Finally they reached the top floor and had to step over a
man who was clearly passed out. If she hadn’t gotten used to him being there,
she would have been worried he was dead.

“Charming,” Dev muttered. “I hope the movers won’t have a
problem climbing over him with boxes.”

She shot him a dirty look and led him down the narrow, dimly
lit hallway. Five men wearing uniforms stood outside her door and she felt a
moment of panic before she realized they were the movers.

She stopped at the door and said, “Let me straighten up
before you come in.”

Dev took the key from her hand. “No. We don’t have time. I’m
sure these men have seen worse.”

The guys shifted uncomfortably and her face flamed in
embarrassment. Damn him! She stood aside as he opened the door and walked inside
with the workers right behind him.

“Welcome to the good life,” she whispered in a broken voice.

Dev stood in the middle of Shannon’s apartment—if the dump
could even be called an apartment. Fuck. The closet in the guestroom of his house
was bigger than this loft-style room. The movers scurried around him and packed
up Shannon’s things. She stood in the hall, leaning against the wall with her
head down.

His gaze skimmed the room and he sighed. A moving crew
probably wasn’t necessary…she didn’t own much. A mattress sat on the floor near
the only window. Other than that, the only piece of furniture she owned was a
hand-carved rocking chair.

The workers packed up all the books, which were stacked on
the floor in neat rows, and Dev couldn’t help smiling to himself. She had
always liked to read. He continued to scan the room and a bulletin board filled
with pictures caught his eye. He walked over to get a better look.

His throat tightened when he saw his face staring back at
him. He picked up the photo and shook his head. God, how long ago had that
been?

“Do you remember that day?” Shannon asked from behind him.

He turned. “The third grade right?”

She smiled. “Yeah, you had just moved to Tyler and Mom
invited your parents to our annual barbecue.”

“I’m not sure how our mothers even crossed paths that day
but it worked out in my favor.” The sentiment passed his lips before he could
stop it.

He looked back at the photo. Shannon had her arm thrown over
his shoulder and he held two ice cream cones, one in each hand. Her blonde hair
was pulled into a ponytail on the side of her head and she grinned at the
camera. He wasn’t smiling but looking at her instead.

He had been in awe of her, he remembered. He had never met a
girl who liked to play football and she had been pretty good at it…until she
started crying. He tried explaining that there was no crying in football and
that had only made her cry harder. Finally she told him what had upset her.

“Do you remember the look on Tim’s face when you punched
him?” Shannon asked with a grin. “Sometimes I think about it and I still
laugh.”

Tim had been Shannon’s tormentor that day, making fun of her
last name until she cried. When he found out that Tim was braying at her and
calling her a donkey, Dev had seen red. The next thing he knew his fist was
swinging and Tim ended up on the ground with a bloody nose.

He smiled. “Yeah, I remember. I didn’t understand why you
were so upset at first. When I realized that a
bray
is the sound a
donkey makes I understood.”

She laughed. “Sadly it wasn’t the first or the last time
some genius thought they were being funny by making that joke.” She changed her
voice, making it sound deeper. “Hee-haw… Hee-haw… Shannon is a donkey.
Hee-haw.”

The movers came over and took the board from the wall. Dev
handed the photo to her and she put it in her purse.

“Do you want to look around and make sure everything was
packed?”

She shook her head. “As long as I have my books and my
rocking chair I’m satisfied.”

He glanced at the chair one of the men was carrying out the
door.

“Nice craftsmanship. Where did you get it?”

Shannon’s face contorted until she looked as if she was in
pain and he reached out to her.

“Shannon? Are you okay?”

She took in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Just a little tired.”
She shook her head, as if clearing it. “I don’t remember where I picked up the
chair.”

She was lying through her teeth but he didn’t question her. He
didn’t care where she got some chair.

“Are you ready?”

She bit her lip. “I need to stop by my neighbor’s. He has
something I need to get.”

Jealousy filled his body and he nodded. They left the little
apartment and he followed her down the hall. She pulled out a key and unlocked
the door. His eyebrow rose. Why in the hell did she have a key to a man’s home?

She walked in and he followed right behind her. The
apartment was similar in size to hers but was crammed with junk, making it
almost impossible to walk. Piles of stuff reached the ceiling and created
dividers and makeshift walls.

“Buddy, it’s Shannon,” she called out. “I’m here to get
Alice.”

Dev stopped walking. Who in the hell was Alice? The
investigator’s report hadn’t mentioned anyone by that name. An elderly man came
around one of the piles with a smile on his face.

“She missed you today,” he said as he patted Shannon’s arm
affectionately. “I gave her an extra treat to calm her down.”

Shannon laughed. “Buddy, you know my girl’s on a diet.”

She disappeared behind the pile from which Buddy had just emerged
and came back carrying a yipping bundle in her arms.

“You have a dog?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t your investigator tell you
that? That makes two things. Maybe you should think about hiring a new P.I.”

Hell, he was starting to agree with her. He watched as the
tan Chihuahua licked Shannon’s face and wagged its tail happily. He then
noticed the little dog only had three legs.

“What happened to its leg?”

She frowned. “Alice is not an ‘it’.
She
was thrown
from the roof of the building and landed in the dumpster.” She hugged the dog
to her chest. “I didn’t know if she was going to make it for a while but she
pulled through. Her front leg was ruined and the vet took it off. She does just
fine without it though.”

He stared at the dog that was now looking at him, wagging
her tail. “I suppose she’s coming with us?”

Shannon nodded. “If I’m away from her for too long, she
tends to get…cranky.”

Buddy, who had remained silent until now, laughed. “More
like she becomes a little hellion. Better make sure you don’t leave your house
shoes lying around, mister. She will shred them faster than you can blink.”

“He’s exaggerating,” Shannon said as she took Dev by the
arm. “Buddy, I will call and check on you in a few days.”

Buddy nodded. “Okay, girlie. You do that. You’re the only
one who even remembers I’m alive anymore.”

She led Dev into the hallway, still holding onto his arm.
The dog had calmed down a little and was now resting her head against Shannon’s
chest.
Lucky little bitch
. He grinned ruefully at the thought.

Once in the car she said, “Thanks for letting me bring her.”

He stared at her. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m not a monster.”

She remained silent and that said more than he cared to
admit.