Levi was going insane. He hadn’t seen Hayes in two days since he dropped her off at school on Monday, and even though they texted throughout the day and talked on the phone at night, he missed her like crazy.

He wanted to get as much training in for his fight next Saturday against some new guy Casper, the fucking weasel, was bringing into the circuit. Levi figured it was the son of a bitch’s way of getting back at him for calling it quits. His match against Tiny was this coming Saturday, and while he knew the other man could easily beat him, they had a plan to put Casper in his place by allowing Levi to win. Knowing that Casper was likely going to bet against him.

Waiting outside Hayes’ school for her, he’d planned to surprise her with a workout at the gym before taking her to dinner at his mom’s place. Lorraine felt horrible for the way she’d treated his girl when they first met and had been badgering him ever since to bring her by so they could officially meet.

“Hey, man,” Brett, Hayes’ friend, called rounding the side of the school dressed in football gear.

“How you doin’?” Levi asked him, not taking his eyes off the front doors.

Brett stood next to him for a couple of minutes before clearing his throat and said, “Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did.”

“A real one.”

“Shoot.”

“This thing with you and Hayes,” he had Levi’s full attention now. “How do you deal with the age difference?”

Levi got a good look at the younger man, assessing him, and what he saw was a need for acceptance. He just didn’t know about what.

“Thing is, Brett, Hayes is eighteen. Legal in every sense of the word. I don’t give two shits what anyone thinks, and I’m pretty sure the only people she gives a damn about are her folks.”

“But you did.” The prick. “How’d you move past that? How’d you know you could?” He got the sense Brett wasn’t trying to be a dick but was genuinely interested.

“Who is she?” Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the man was interested in a younger girl.

“Her name’s Allegra. She’s barely fifteen, and I can’t knock her from my mind.”

“Damn, boy.” He whistled. Quite the predicament. “You going away for college?”

“Got a full ride to Notre Dame for football.”

“She know this?”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “We’ve never spoken.”

Levi couldn’t help the bark of laughter that erupted from him. “You’re worse than me, kid. Talk to her, find out what the hell her plans are. See if she’s interested in you.”

“Can’t get her to stop shuffling when I try and talk to her. It’s like she doesn’t see the world around her.”

“Then you’ve gotta make her notice you, man. Give her a reason to.”

Before any more could be said, the bell rang, and Hayes came darting out the front doors. Dustin hot on her heels.

“I’m gonna whoop that boy’s ass,” Levi muttered as he walked forward, Brett following along.

“Shit,” the other guy said.

Hayes hadn’t seen him yet; she was occupied with trying to ignore the fool who was going to be eating his teeth for a month.

“Come on, Hayes, surely you don’t want some reject.” Dustin pleaded with her.

She spun so fast her knee tweaked, but she ignored it to blast Dustin. “You moron. How can you be so stupid to even ask again? I’ve said no to any date with you about a dozen times now, and yet you still continue. Why? Do you enjoy the rip to your ego? Do you like being emasculated? Do you get your jollies off by annoying girls? What is your damn problem?”

Dustin took an antagonistic step towards her, and Hayes growled at the much larger kid, actually fucking growled. Levi had to hold his laughter in so he didn’t piss her off.

“Don’t you try and intimidate me you son of a bitch. I will hand your ass to you on a rotten fucking platter,” she snapped.

Levi couldn’t help it any longer. He placed his hands on Hayes’ hips and pressed his chest to her back, whispering in her ear. “Careful, sugar, you’re starting to sound like me.”

Dustin’s snort, followed by, “Fucking pussy,” had Levi’s head whipping up to glare at the guy.

“You’ve seen me in the ring, right, Dusty boy? You know the damage I can and will do. So, tell me why you keep coming after my girl?”

“Get the hell out of here Dustin before he kicks your teeth down your throat,” Brett warned. Dustin looked like he wanted to say more but decided against it and stormed off.

“I didn’t know you were coming today.” Hayes grinned at Levi as she turned around.

“Your knee okay?” he asked her instead. He knew what tweaking it could do to her.

“Huh?” She looked down like it would give her an answer. “Fine.”

“Good. Let’s go. I’ve got a mat with your name on it.” She blushed furiously at the innuendo. “Get your mind out of the gutter, girl, we’re going to the gym.”

“Later, guys!” Brett called as they parted.

Teacher’s glared at him as they walked back to his car. He didn’t’ give a fuck, but he knew Hayes was going to catch some flack for it, so he glared right back at them as he helped her into the passenger seat of the car.

* * *

“Christ, woman.” Cam panted as Levi continued his heckling on the edge of the ring. After Hayes had gone a round with Levi, simply wearing him out by moving around so quickly, Cam had wanted in on it.

He told her it was good for them if and when they fought a smaller guy. Someone quicker than their larger frames. She continued to duck, dodge, and taunt them both as they danced around the ring.

She knew they were letting her get away with most of the stuff she was doing. Oddly, she was okay with it because it meant she could tease them about it later.

“Wooo, you got chicks fighting in here?” A deep voice called from somewhere behind her just as Cam was taking a swing at her head. Pain burned through her skull as she was knocked to the ground. Her ears rang as Levi stood above her, worry lines framing his eyes.

“I’m okay.” She swatted his hands away as he tried asking her how many fingers he was holding up. “Cam hits like a girl, anyway.”

“I resent that,” he muttered helping her to her feet with Levi.

“Spell it, then you can say it,” she said jokingly.

“Hayes,” Levi gripped her face in his hands. “Are you okay?” He helped her take the headgear off that he’d insisted she wear before entering the ring.

“Cross my heart, Levi. Kind of glad you made me wear the gear now, though.”

His eyes searched her face for any marks or indications that she was in any way injured. It was sweet but unnecessary. Hitting the hard mat hurt more than the actual punch.

“So, who’s the babe?” That voice again, only closer.

“Nice knowing you, man,” Cam commented to the stranger as he lounged against the ropes.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Levi snapped and snarled like a rabid dog as he spun on the man. “You don’t fucking walk in and make a bunch of fucking noise when there are people in the ring. Are you fucking stupid?”

Hayes got a good look at the newcomer as Levi stepped closer. While he wasn’t as tall as Levi’s nearly six-foot-two frame, he probably had thirty pounds on him.

“Levi, it’s not a big deal.” She tried to reason with him before his temper unleashed the beast.

“It’s a very big fucking deal!” he shouted. Not at her, but at the moron smirking at Levi’s loss of control, and she had a feeling that’s what the man was trying to do. Her gaze sought out Cam in the corner, pleading for him to step in. “She could have been fucking injured!”

Stepping in front of Levi, Hayes had a feeling she was the peacekeeper of the day as Cam shrugged at her. The bonehead wanted a fight.

Plastering her back to Levi’s front and knowing he wouldn’t keep advancing on the other man with her between them, she said to him, “Hi, I’m Hayes.”

“Rocko.” He folded his arms across his chest trying for a supreme stance. As his eyes travelled her body, she wished she’d put on something other than her sports bra and running shorts.

She sensed the exact moment his eyes locked on her scars. It was chilling the way he made her feel so insignificant with just the one scathing look. Disgust and revulsion masked his once cocky expression.

“You son of a bitch. I should fucking pound you here and now,” Levi threatened, seeing the same thing she had.

The jerk laughed like the threat meant nothing to him. As if Levi couldn’t do a thing to the other man.

“You’re Casper’s new whipping boy,” Cam commented from the corner as Tiny came out from the back room. The fighter’s spine straightened at the blatant mockery in the words.

“Rocko can’t hurt a damn fly.” Tiny laughed from behind.

Recognizing that he was, for all intense and purposes, surrounded, he hopped off the side of the ring and slowly backed away while trying to watch all three men at once.

“Knuckles!” Casper happily called out as he entered the front doors, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. “I see you met your opponent for next Saturday night!” Pure delight lit up his eyes as he looked both men up and down, taking pleasure in the size difference.

“You can’t fight him, Levi,” she whispered and turned around. “He’s huge.”

His hands hugged her hips, squeezing as he responded to Casper. “Look forward to a good beat down.” Confidence exuded through his voice and demeanor as he helped Hayes out of the ring and into the changing room. He locked the door behind them.

“You can’t fight him.” She stressed her concern again.

“I’ll whoop his ass.” She loved that he was cocky but feared that all the self-assuredness wouldn’t be enough to get him through in the ring with the giant man. He must have seen the worry in her gaze. “Tiny will help me prepare. Cam, too.”

Hayes didn’t doubt his friends would be in his corner however they could. She questioned his lack of concern with his opponent. There was something with Rocko and Casper that she couldn’t quite identify, and that’s what had her troubled.

* * *

Lorraine Hogan bustled around her modest kitchen preparing what she hoped would be a successful meal for her son Levi and his new girlfriend. After the horrible first impression she’d made with the young woman, she wanted nothing more than to make up for her behavior.

“That damn high school,” she muttered to herself for the umpteenth time in the past hour. It was the second biggest shock of her life. The first came when her husband had been diagnosed with cancer; bless his soul.

Her boys were all she had anymore, so she knew she had to accept and love any woman they chose to be theirs. The same way Lucas’ parents had accepted her for the simple farm girl she’d been when they were married.

Hayes was such a beautiful girl, and her name was lovely. Noticing the way the young woman had watched Levi before leaving his house told her all she needed to know. The girl was smitten with Lorraine’s middle child.

After all the bruises and cuts over the past few months, she’d worried more and more each day for Levi. Wondering if he’d gotten himself into so much trouble, he couldn’t get out. Anxious that he was in debt and borrowing money he shouldn’t be.

Hearing the rumble of the engine from Levi’s car, Lorraine darted to the small powder room off the entry of the house and freshened up before opening the front door to the new couple.

* * *

Nerves wreaked havoc with Hayes’ mind and muscles as they pulled up to Levi’s mother’s home. His childhood home. The place she was sure he’d brought many girls for stolen moments.

Taking a deep breath, she held Levi’s hand as he helped her from his car. Always a gentleman. “Don’t look so worried, sugar.” He grinned. “Ma doesn’t bite too hard.”

She swatted his chest at his attempted joke. “Before we go in, I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Does your family know?”

He didn’t pretend not to understand her. “No.”

Nodding her head at him, further comment was cut off as Lorraine exited the front door. A huge smile was plastered on her face. She looked just as nervous as Hayes felt.

“Hey, Ma.” Levi greeted the woman while tugging her behind him as they walked up the steps.

“Hi, sweetheart.” She kissed his cheek. “Hayes,” she sounded semi-happy, “so wonderful to see you again.”

This was unchartered territory for Hayes. “Nice to see you, too, ma’am.”

They stood awkwardly on the porch for what felt like forever until Levi cleared his throat. “Got any sweet tea?” he asked, a hopeful look on his face.

“Full pitcher in the fridge,” Lorraine told him.

Levi, the rat, darted inside leaving the two women to stand on the stoop alone.

“I’m not normally such a temperamental old bag,” Lorraine blurted out.

“Ma’am?” There was no protocol for situations like this.

Waving her hand to the swing off to the side of the door, Lorraine began to explain. “I never wanted to be that mom,” she began as they sat. “The one who thinks no girl is good enough for her boys. My own mother-in-law was always that way. Even after the kids were born and after every tour Lucas came back from. She was what she was, and she didn’t like me.”

What the hell was Hayes supposed to say to that? You are?

“I know I came across that way on Sunday, and Hayes, I am truly sorry.” Her words were sincere, and her eyes pleaded for the girl to believe her.

“I have a feeling every mom, no matter their intentions, would likely come across that way at first.”

“When I saw you, I was completely taken aback. Levi has been different the past few months. He’s darker. Coiled like a rattler and ready to strike at any moment. I’ve been worried.” It was hard to keep a straight face at the accuracy of her words. “I can see from the shocked look on your face, you know what’s going on with my boy.” Hayes began to open her mouth, to say what she didn’t know, but Lorraine stopped her with a hand. “I know he’ll tell me. When he’s ready. I won’t ever ask you to break his confidence. That would be selfish on my part.”

“Mrs. Hogan, I don’t know what you want from me here.” Her words were blunt.

Lorraine grinned. “We’re going to get along just fine. You keep being honest like that, and we’ll be great friends. Don’t placate me just to keep the peace. You’re in a family of boys now, and they’ll try and run roughshod over you every chance they get.”

“Okay.”

“He’s watching us. Shall we make him sweat a bit?” his mother said. Hayes nodded.

She had to agree, they were going to get along just fine.

* * *

They were trying to kill him. He knew it. Leaving them alone had been a bad play on Levi’s part. He was going to pay for it before going to hell. Even though he was hiding a monumental secret from his family, he still needed the two most important women in his life to get along.

Watching through the window as they laughed and talked, he felt immense relief. There had never been a doubt about Hayes being perfect for him after he’d accepted the fact she was younger than he’d originally thought. Seeing the evidence of how well she would fit into his family was just what he needed.

After the incident at the gym with the new guy, he needed a little bit of good on his side. He also knew he’d made the right choice to walk away from the ring, despite the dozen phone calls he’d been getting from sponsors and managers in the official fighting world. He was done.

Anything he’d been missing in his life six months ago was now sitting on his front porch laughing and bonding. Opening his own gym would be icing on the cake. When the idea had entered his mind, he’d known, immediately, it was the right move for him.

If Hayes didn’t want to come on board with him, then he would learn to live with it, but he sure as hell hoped she would want to. Telling Nox and Lochlan was going to be tougher. Having his own business to run would mean leaving the family business, and Levi was concerned with how Nox would react to the news.

Backing away from the window as the girls returned inside, he waited nervously for any sign of distress from Hayes. When she smiled at him as his mother grabbed her arm to bring her to the kitchen, he blew out a huge sigh of relief.

Relaxing, he followed along behind them. “What’d ya make, Ma?” The aromas in the air had him salivating.

“You’re favorite.” She beamed at him.

“Lasagna?” He knew he sounded like an eager puppy after a treat, but he didn’t care.

“You’re not a vegetarian are you, dear?” Her question was directed at Hayes.

“No, ma’am.”

“Good. Go, both of you, sit. I’ll be there in a second.”

Not one to argue where food was involved, Levi gripped Hayes’ hand in his own as they walked into the small dining room off the side of the kitchen.

“You doing okay?” he asked her quietly.

“Stop worrying, Levi. Your mom’s really nice. I like her.”

“Here we go!” Lorraine placed the meal on the table, and he felt no shame as he loaded Hayes plate first, then his own and dug in.

“So, Hayes.” His mother shot him a scathing look for digging in so quickly. “Do you have any siblings?” His entire body froze at the question. Looking to Hayes, he saw a flash of pain flicker in her gaze before she spread her napkin on her lap, delaying her response.

“I do, yes.” Clearing her throat, she continued. “An older brother, Ryder.”

Lorraine smiled, unaware of the pain revolving around the man. Levi hadn’t even been able to get Hayes to open about him. He agonized over what was going through her mind. “Does he live here in Loveland?”

“Ma,” he tried to warn softly.

Hayes spoke before he could get anything else out. “No. He’s never been here.”

“What does he do?” He tried to get his mother’s attention, but she was too busy fixing her plate.

“He’s dead.” Leave it to his girl to be blunt.

Lorraine’s utensils clattered on the table as she looked up startled. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.” Hayes became quiet after that, her head tilted down as she picked at her food. The light mood from earlier vanished into thin air.

His mom looked to him for support, helplessness shone in her gaze. He shook his head, hoping she knew there was nothing she could have done.

He hated that Hayes suffered any kind of pain where her brother was concerned, but he was aware that she needed to talk about it. She had so much agony buried deep inside that he had a feeling she hadn’t spoken to anyone about it yet.

“You mentioned an engagement party for Nox and Soph the other day, Ma. Does Loch know?” He was desperate to lift the mood.

“Yes!” She caught onto what he was doing. “Just something small, though that damn Anthony wants to go big. He just doesn’t get the poor girl.”

“She’s the girl at your shop?” Hayes asked him, still not looking up.

“That’s her.” He smiled, hoping she’d lift her head. Something.

“She was really friendly.”

“That’s our Sophia. Friendly to a fault.” His mom beamed. It was true. Soph didn’t have a mean bone in her body.

“My mom used to be an event coordinator in San Diego. I bet she’d help you,” Hayes offered. He hadn’t known that.

Lorraine reached across the table to touch her hand as she spoke. “I would love the help.” Joy lit the woman’s face.

“I’ll speak to her tonight. I can give her your number?”

“Have Levi give her directions to the house, and she can come on over whenever she’d like. I’d love to meet your parents.” Damn, he loved his mother. She had a special touch when it came to situations like this. Usually after she put her foot in her mouth. But she was always well-meaning.

* * *

After a quiet evening with his mom, Levi had driven Hayes home, and they were now sitting on the front steps of her house in the quiet night.

“Ryder wasn’t supposed to be on active duty.” She finally broke the silence, unable to mask the pain in her voice. “He was a technical analyst and logistics guy.” Blowing out a breath, she looked up at the stars wondering if he was watching down on her pain. “He was my best friend. We told each other everything.” Levi held her hand over her knee. “I had no idea he was so deceitful about his career. Turns out he was a SEAL. Went on missions all over the world and we were none the wiser.”

“I’m sorry, Hayes.” He didn’t know what else to say.

“We never even got to bury his body. They came to the house with his dog tags and nothing else. We received a flag and a headstone but never an explanation of what happened. Or why.” Tears streamed down her face. “My parents… They won’t say it, but they’re angry with me.”

“What the hell for?”

“The knock on the door came minutes before the phone rang. We were basically dying together, Levi. Ryder and I, we did everything together. I hadn’t participated in the Olympics because I wanted to wait until Ryder’s contract was over. I wanted him to train me properly. I wanted him standing next to me as I ran for gold.” Sobs racked her body.

Pulling her into his arms, he tried to soothe her, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to relax until she had the answers she was searching for.

“I wish he never would have joined. I wish he were here every day. I wish it were me instead of him.” The impact her words had on him was vicious.

Cupping her jaw, he lifted her head. “You wish he were here and you weren’t?”

“Some days.” She admitted.

“What about me, Hayes?” He had to show her she had someone to live for.

“The guilt eats me alive, Levi.” Her bottom lip quivered as she spoke, and he couldn’t help kissing her lightly. “Heaven help me. When I met you,” she licked her lips, “I didn’t know what to make of you. Then you kept putting your foot in your mouth, and I knew Ryder would have loved you. Even after giving you the third degree.”

“Yeah?” He liked that she thought that.

Nodding, she continued. “He was such a hardass. He pushed me, some days, to the point I wanted to stomp all over his face.”

“Sounds like my brothers and me.”

“He’d be the same age as you now. He was always older than his years, though.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” His lips twitched in amusement when she side-eyed him.

“He missed out on so much. Love, marriage, kids, life. I wish he were here, Levi.” Her last words were murmured as she looked up to the sky again.

“Hayes?” Her mother came out the door to check on them.

Standing up, he said, “Evening, Mrs. Morrison.”

“How are you, Levi?”

“Good, ma’am.”

“How was dinner?” Her question was directed at Hayes, and a crinkle in her brow showed she knew something had happened.

“Good, Mom. Would you be willing to help Mrs. Hogan with a party for Levi’s older brother and fiancée?”

“Of course, honey.” The older woman smiled, seeming genuinely interested in helping. Maybe even a little relieved.

After giving her the information his mother had requested, Levi bid the women good night and made his own way home. Thoughts of Hayes’ pain heavy on his mind.