Chapter 21
All Sweet Again
Ryan
“You’re worse than Coach Battle, and that is saying something, mister,” Ivy said as she struggled to catch her breath.
“Sounds like my kind of coach.”
“You would say that,” she said, with her hands over her head and still breathing hard.
I grinned. “You did great, Trouble. Grab your clothes. We’ll shower and I’ll take you to lunch.”
She put her hands on her hips. “We just worked off the donuts.” She held her index finger up and wagged it in the air. “You go shower. I’m not exactly feeling the love for you after that.”
Love?
I let that slide. It was a figure of speech. Still, I wanted to earn her love.
Dammit. How did we get here?
She shot me a quizzical look. “Would you have made me run if I were pregnant?”
My head reared back because the idea of her pregnant with another man’s baby pissed me off… but the idea of her pregnant with our baby freaked me out and intrigued me at the same time.
“Ivy,” I growled.
“Seriously, go shower. Then I will.”
Rather than lunge at her and tug her body to me, I slowly closed the distance between us. She looked up at me, and I could practically see the objection written on her face.
I traced a finger from the top of her hairline down to her jaw. “You’re even sexier when you’re sweaty. Did I tell you that?”
Her eyes traveled up and to the side as though she didn’t believe me. “Now, you have.”
“Shower with me. It’s not good if you let your muscles get stiff – especially since it’s been a while since you ran.”
Her lips tipped up in a ghost of a smile. “And it’ll be another long while before I run again.”
I lowered my face to hers and gave her a soft kiss. “Maybe. You’re cute when you run.”
She tipped her head back and laughed. “Now that’s funny.”
I kissed her neck.
Her sharp inhale spoke volumes, but her hand at my neck said it all.
“We gonna shower?” I murmured at her ear.
“Yeah,” she breathed.
I pulled back. “Then you better grab your clothes, Trouble.”
After we dressed, I checked my phone and saw that Tic had gone up to Memphis and wouldn’t be back until the weekend. Ivy and I went down to the common room.
“What are you doing here?” I asked when I saw Mickayla sitting at the bar.
She tossed her hands out to the side. “Is that really how you greet your sister?”
“When you’re sittin’ in here alone, yes,” I said.
“She isn’t alone. I had to hit the supply closet to switch out the box of syrup on the Sprite because the prospects didn’t do it,” Tundra said, trudging into the room.
I shot my sister a look. “So you came here just to talk to Tundra?”
That got me her sly grin. “No, not that it’s your business. Dad had to hit the road and my shift doesn’t start until later. I thought I’d see what was going on here today. I’d hoped to find Alexandra here, but she responded to my text just as I pulled into the forecourt.”
That reeked of bullshit, but at the same time, my sister hated being at loose ends.
Tundra filled a pint glass with ice, filled it with what appeared to be Sprite and set it in front of Mickayla. “There’s your soda. I’ve gotta go. I’m working noon to nine tonight, and Turk’s posted about it being Thirsty Thursday, which brings out all the cheap bastards. Later.”
I had to be imagining it, but my sister looked put out that Tundra had left. Before I could question her about it, Ivy spoke.
“Where does he work?”
“Platinum’s,” I said.
“Okay,” Ivy drawled.
Mickayla’s eyes widened with an expectant look.
I turned to Ivy. “It’s a gentlemen’s club that the Riot owns.”
Ivy did a slow nod, then turned her face to me. “And you didn’t want to work there?”
I felt my face get warm and my mouth dropped open.
Mickayla laughed.
Ivy put her hand on my bicep. “Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to answer that.”
“Oh no! You hold his feet to the fire, Ivy,” Mickayla said, her humor fading fast.
I narrowed my eyes on Mick for a beat, then turned to Ivy. “My sister had the bright idea about opening a bar and grill, and trying to get two or three up and running in this area because of how spread out it is.”
“That’s not the only reason,” Mickayla said.
I shook my head. “No, it isn’t. Getting bankrolled by the chapter has something more to do with it, but you have a great business plan, and Killian and I liked her idea, we both wanted in on the ground floor.”
Ivy nodded. “I see.” Her gaze shifted to my sister and back to me. “Maybe I know the answer to this already, but why not do this out in Biloxi? You have tourists practically all year, and I’d think the chapter your dad is part of would be interested too.”
I twisted my hands up and looked at Mick. “You want to address that?”
She shrugged. “You’re right about the tourists, but that’s also what makes it more difficult to get a solid footing.
Finding a good location is critical, and there’s no way we’d have the money for a space inside the tourist district.
These days casinos are only interested in restaurants with celebrity chefs or some other celebrity tie-in.
The number of restaurants that come and go is outrageous, on average.
It’d be even more difficult in Biloxi. Plus, I didn’t want to do this with Dad’s help.
It’s probably splitting hairs because so many of the men here see me as a daughter they never had, too, but I don’t feel like such a nepo baby. ”
Ivy nodded. “No, that makes a lot of sense.”
Mickayla turned her phone over and checked something on the screen. Then she looked at me. “I’m hungry and it’s nearly lunchtime. You two feel like going to the One Night Taco Stand? I’m hardly ever over here, and I’d rather not eat alone. Though for their tacos I’d make that sacrifice.”
Ivy chuckled. “I love that place.”
Mickayla shot me a devious grin. “Will you be able to survive my driving?”
I gave her a dry look. “The better question is will Ivy?”
Fifteen minutes later, we were waiting for the hostess inside the restaurant.
The brightly colored walls were decked out with hand-painted pictures of famous professional wrestlers, along with frames and shadowboxes containing wrestling memorabilia.
I had my arm wrapped around Ivy’s shoulders and Mickayla stood close to my other side.
My sister leaned toward me, both of her hands wrapping around my arm. “Do you remember when Dad dressed up as Nacho Libre because you and Killian wanted to be pro wrestlers for Halloween?”
My lips split with a huge grin at the memory, but my chuckle was cut short when a man who’d been seated at a booth facing the door, slid out, and approached us.
His gaze swept over my sister, me, and then fixed on Ivy. My instincts went on high alert. I tightened my grip on Ivy when she tried to pull away from me.
“I knew you were lying,” he said when he was halfway to us.
“Who is he?” I muttered out of the side of my mouth, doing my damnedest to ignore the urge to punch him.
“Bad ex-boyfriend,” she murmured as he came closer.
He shifted his eyes to my sister and he looked her over from head-to-toe.
“Austin. Just leave us alone. There’s no need for a confrontation,” Ivy said.
His lips curled into a sneer at Ivy, and I had another urge to punch him.
“Outside,” I said.
He looked at me with narrowed eyes, but I turned on my heel, turning Ivy with me, and Mick led the way out of the restaurant.
“Stick by my sister’s side,” I whispered in her ear.
She sidled up to Mickayla. I stood in front of both of them.
Austin stopped in front of me and stared. He was three inches shorter than me, and had the lean frame of a swimmer. I had the advantage over him, no question, which was why I wanted this to happen out on the sidewalk. He shifted to walk around me, but I shifted with him.
He sighed. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“The hell it doesn’t,” I said.
He leaned to the side and focused on a point beyond me. I assumed he’d locked eyes with Ivy. “Looks like you’re down with a threesome after all, you lying bitch.”
If there were cameras, I didn’t care. Suddenly, all I saw was red, and I threw a quick, powerful right jab to his mouth.
“What the fuck, asshole?” he yelled, grabbing his lip.
“Apologize,” I demanded.
He looked at me like I had two heads. “For what?”
“Nobody calls Ivy a bitch, and damn sure not a lying bitch. Apologize to her, now.”
He pulled his hand away from his lip, and I was surprised at how bloody it was. “Fuck. I’m suing you.”
“No. You’re not. You came at her in a threatening way inside, and then you hurled insults at her. Turn around, pay your bill, go home and forget all about Ivy.”
Austin narrowed his eyes again. “Man, I just want what you got. Two gorgeous women and—”
“Shut the fuck up before I bloody your nose, too.”
“I’m his sister. This isn’t what you think it is, but that would require you to actually think,” Mickayla said and from her volume, I knew she’d stepped closer to my back.
I blew out a breath and did my best not to tell her to move backward. She’d never let me hear the end of it, and I didn’t want to take my eyes off this douchebag.
His eyes lit and focused on Mickayla. “Are you free—”
“Shut your fucking mouth,” I said.
“You’re delusional,” Mickayla said at the same time.
“This is mortifying,” Ivy murmured so low, I wasn’t sure anyone else heard her.
“Go home, Austin,” I suggested, but it sounded like an order.
He glared at me, and since I’d become accustomed to the signs, I anticipated his next move. After a beat, his fist came toward my torso, and in the nick of time I caught it in my right hand.
I squeezed his fist hard. “You’re not good at this, Austin. I deal with assholes like you nearly every day. Get the fuck outta here.”
The way he silently groaned reminded me of a dog we had when we were kids. She’d give short groans to let you know how unhappy she was that you weren’t doing what she wanted. Austin didn’t like that I had his fist in a vice grip and he hadn’t put me in my place.
Finally, after one more semi-silent groan, he pulled his fist back, I let it go and with a petulant glare he turned around to leave.
“I guess we have to find somewhere else to go,” Ivy muttered.
Mickayla threw her a grin and chuckled. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
A moment later, Jasmine, Rafferty’s younger sister came out and approached us.
She wasn’t wearing her waitress apron, so I guessed she was working the bar.
“I’m supposed to tell you three to leave, but screw that.
It’s about time someone gave him what he deserves.
He’s been a jerk since the first time I had to serve him. ”
“I told him to leave, so you might want to make sure he pays his tab.”
Jasmine flung her long brown hair over her shoulder. “I’m not waiting tables on the main floor, so he won’t be stiffing me. But if you need me to march him out, I’m on it. October’s right around the corner.”
She turned on her heel and went back inside.
“Why is she talking about October?” Ivy asked.
Before I could say I’d tell her later, Mickayla spoke. “She wrestles at Bike Week and Biketoberfest. Her mom was really good back in the day, and Jasmine’s just as good, maybe better, but if you tell Trixie that, I’ll deny it and throw you right under the bus.”
“Okay,” Ivy said.
The door swung open wildly. Austin prowled out with a sandy-brown haired woman following closely behind him. She looked our way. “Austin, tell me what’s goin’ on. Your lip is bleeding!” She looked me up and down. “Did he do that to you?”
“Let’s go, Zoe.”
She stopped and stared at us.
“I said, let’s go, Zoe.”
She looked back at Austin, then narrowed her eyes on us for a beat before she followed him into the parking lot.
“All right. Crisis averted. Let’s get inside, because otherwise a new crisis is going to develop when I become hangry,” Mickayla said. Then she hurried past me and back inside the restaurant.
“I’m so sorry,” Ivy said.
I turned around. The mixture of embarrassment and shame on her face made me want to chase after Austin so I could hit him again. “Come here, babe.”
“I’m right in front of you.”
“I’ve got a loose hold on my temper right now. I’d never take it out on you, but I need you to come here.”
She came to me, slow and almost skittish.
I cupped her jaw with both hands. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You and that jackass are done, and everything that happened is on him.”
Her head tilted. “You were the one who hit him.”
“Because he insulted you – and my sister – but it was mainly because of you.”
She bit back her smile. “You’re being all sweet again.”
“There’s nothing mortifying about what happened. Not for you. He’s an imbecile. I’m just glad you kicked him to the curb.”
She nodded.
I grabbed her hand. “Let’s go get some food.”