44. Cassidy
CASSIDY
“Stop!” I giggled as Sam pulled my hair over one shoulder, kissing my neck as I tried in vain to sort through a new shipment of books.
“Don’t want to,” he grumbled, his hands snaking around my waist and roaming to places that were inappropriate at work when anyone from town could walk past and see through the window what he was doing.
It had been two weeks of openly kissing each other. Two weeks of him showing up at my shop unexpectedly, taking me into the back room where he proceeded to tear off my clothes, then took me out to lunch, still smelling of sex.
And he liked me like that.
I was mortified. Everyone gave us that knowing look, like they could see into our daily lives and knew just how often we had sex. I couldn’t get enough of him, and the more time I spent with him, the more addicted I became. It made it quite difficult to get through the day.
“Sam! I’ve got work to do!”
He hummed against my neck, sending chills down my spine as his hands slid around my front, cupping my breasts. The feel of his cock pressing against my backside nearly had me giving in. Luckily, I was saved by the bell.
He stepped back just as Alyssa walked in, shooting me a knowing look. She’d walked in on us often enough to know exactly what was going on.
“Am I interrupting something?” she grinned.
“Nope. I was just getting started on the inventory.” My face was flaming hot, and my clothes were disheveled from his groping.
Sam surprised me, spinning me around as he crushed his lips to mine. “Later,” he murmured sweet promises.
“Where are you going?”
Striding over to the desk, he grabbed his coat and tugged it on. “I’m meeting Deke.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
Grinning at me, he zipped up his jacket. “You can say hi yourself tonight. He’s coming over for a pre-fight meeting.”
My jaw dropped in shock at his announcement. “A meeting like a meeting? Or a meeting like I should have dinner ready?”
“I’ve already got it taken care of. I’m gonna order some food.”
Thrusting my hand on my hip, I shot him my most devastating glare, which only made him grin. “Samuel Collins, you will not invite your manager over to our house and then feed him takeout!”
“Baby—”
“Don’t you baby me. I’ll make something, and next time, let me know ahead of time so I can properly prepare a meal.”
He saluted me, about to leave, when a rush of fear shot through me.
“Wait!”
Turning again, I ran over to him, ducking my head, afraid of what he was going to say. “This next fight…how big is it?”
“Small potatoes still.”
“But…you could get hurt.”
He tipped up my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Baby, there’s always a chance I could get hurt. You know this.”
“Yes, but…the last fight, I didn’t actually see it.”
“You’ve watched me train,” he reminded me. “You’ve seen what I’m like in the ring.”
Determined, fierce, freaking scary. But that didn’t stop the worry from niggling its way into my brain.
“Hey, it’ll be fine. Trust me on this.”
I swallowed down the fear and nodded. He was really good, and I was going to have to get used to this part.
“If you win this fight, what does it mean?”
Smirking at me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. “It means that I’m one step closer to taking my revenge for what that fucker did to me.”
He pressed a chaste kiss to my lips, then stalked away without a word.
And I stood there, completely dumbstruck by his admission.
The sound of the door slamming jolted me out of the adrenaline racing through me.
The thought of him boxing sent a spike of fear right through my heart.
He could get hurt, even worse than the first time.
I wasn’t that versed in boxing, but I knew well enough that there were no certainties.
But I also knew what everyone said around town.
He had been good. Really freaking good.
And one fight changed everything.
Suddenly, the shop meant nothing to me. I needed information, and there was only one place to get it. I had to see his sister, and the sooner the better.
Grabbing my coat, I quickly pulled it on just as Alyssa came sauntering out of the back room with a donut and coffee.
“Where are you going?”
“Watch the shop for me?”
“Sure, but why?”
“I need to talk to Blake.”
“Sure! Just leave me here. I’ll eat your donuts and curl up with a good—”
I slammed the door on her words, thinking only of what more I could pull out of Blake.
I hardly paid attention to the slick roads from the freezing rain or the fact that I was nearly out of gas. All I cared about were answers.
Slamming the door, I marched up the steps to Blake’s house, banging on the door with a little too much gusto, and doing my best to ignore the bullet holes still decorating the outside of the house.
When a camera turned and moved up and down like it was checking me out, I stepped back, remembering this was the house of horrors with guns in the peaks of the roof and a killer robot roaming the halls inside.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
But before I could change my mind and flee, the door swung open and Blake answered with a smile on her face.
“Ah, so the woman who has my brother wrapped around his finger is finally here. Please, come in.”
She stepped aside, allowing me entrance, but I was too scared of my impending doom to put together the fact that she already knew about us.
“Is that robot around?”
“He’s currently docked and charging. You have a good hour before he decides to come out and scan you. But you should know that there are cameras in the house, detailing every inch of you. And that information will be sent over to Reed Security for their database.”
I looked at her in confusion. “For what reason?”
“Because my former employer has crazy employees who think there’s a violent threat just waiting to attack.”
“Well…considering what happened—”
She waved me off and headed further into the house.
“Not every day is like that. So, what has you bundled up and running out here in the freezing cold?” she asked as she walked over to her toddler, scooping her up in her arms. “I already have plans with Parker’s family for the incoming snowstorm, but I’d gladly escape the chaos if you want me to join you,” she grinned.
“Um…actually, I was wondering if you could tell me about Sam’s boxing career.”
“Why?”
“Because he has another fight coming up, and I know he’s good. And I know this is his job, but I can’t help but think that maybe…maybe he could get hurt again.”
“Honestly, I didn’t really think he’d ever go back after what happened. Sam told me he wasn’t interested in fighting if he wasn’t as good as he used to be. But deep down, I always worried something like this would happen.”
“He’s good. I’ve seen him fight.”
A smile graced her lips. “It’s what he was born to do.”
“I’m not sure I can see him injured,” I admitted. “He wants me with him, but…what if I can’t take it?”
“Do you want to be with him?”
“Of course.”
“Do you love him?”
“More than anything in the world,” I whispered.
“Then you’re going to have to find a way to love all of him, including his career.”
“But he could be severely injured!”
“Clearly, you don’t understand the dynamic in our family,” she said drolly. “This is what we do. We take risks. There’s no talking him out of it if he’s got his mind set on it.”
“So, you’re going to let him go out there and risk injuring himself even worse than before?” I snapped.
“Cassidy, I think you’re talking to the wrong person. My career consisted of chasing down bad guys for a living and getting shot at on a daily basis. If you think I’m going to try to talk him out of something dangerous, you don’t know me.”
“But…” I had no argument. All I had was the fear that constantly shot through me every time he talked about going back in the ring.
No. It wasn’t about that. It was about the revenge on Joe Rubin. If that guy fought dirty again, would Sam come out of it the winner? Would he be the same man I knew and loved now? I wasn’t sure I could handle it.
“Word to the wise? If you really do love Sam, then you either need to find a way to accept it or move on. Sam doesn’t bend for anyone, and he never has.”
“Not even someone he loved?” I asked.
“He’s never even allowed himself to have a girlfriend,” she said gently.
“You have to understand. To Sam, there was his career or nothing. And he chose his career every time. You’re in uncharted waters.
I can’t tell you what he would do, but I would ask this of you.
Have faith in him. He really is as good as you think.
Even better. And he’s never made the same mistake twice, so I can guarantee you that when he finally gets in the ring again with Rubin, he won’t allow him to get the upper hand for even a second. ”
Faith. I could have faith. Sam was amazing in the ring, and I had to believe that no matter what, he could come out on top.
I’d have to work on my poker face, and definitely learn to keep my flinches to a minimum, but for him, I’d be the best damn girlfriend any boxer ever had.
“Um…one last question. What’s the dress code for a fight?”