CHAPTER ONE

Tori hesitated and crossed her arms over her chest. The wind howled down the dark alley, cautioning her to turn back. Never one for doing what she was told, she quickened her strides until she caught up to Luke.

He pounded twice on a metal door with a rusted No Entry sign.

The door swung open, and inside stood a large man blocking their entrance. Giving them each a once over, he spent longer than Tori deemed appropriate on her bare legs. She pulled on the hem of her dress as he stepped aside and motioned them inside with a nod of his head.

Luke handed the guy a twenty and looked to her. Holding up a large, hairy hand, the man rubbed his thumb against the pads of his fingertips. His grizzly smile mocked her as if she’d assumed she was getting in for free just because she was a woman.

No dumbass, I assumed my boyfriend was going to pay. She dug through her purse and pulled out two crumpled ten-dollar bills, handed them over, and tailed Luke inside.

People were huddled around the center ring of the dimly lit gym. AC/DC blared from the speaker system, and the faint scent of sweat and dust hung in the air. Sticking close to Luke, Tori followed as he pushed his way through the crowd to the front of the ring. A rush of excitement ran through her. The music cut abruptly mid-song, and in its place, the crowd roared. Two brunettes with big, teased hair, tiny shorts, and even tinier bikini tops entered the ring holding ROUND 1 cards high over their heads.

“Who’s fighting tonight?” Tori yelled above the crackling of the microphone.

Luke shrugged his shoulders and lifted his head as if to get a better view of the boxers.

The crowd went silent as a hooded figure stood in his corner of the ring.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the silence. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome to tonight’s heavyweight boxing match at Benny’s Boxing Gym. In the blue corner, weighing in at 215 pounds we have Mikey ‘the Mauler’ Jones.”

Tori clapped and cheered with the rest of the crowd as she checked out the challenger. The fluorescent lights cast a sickly glow over his yellow shorts and pale skin, but his upper body puffed out and displayed a large chest and broad shoulders. He stared straight ahead toward the opposite corner. Tori’s gaze followed Mikey’s to the large form who sat hidden under his robe. As the cheers died down and the announcer turned his attention to the red corner, the hooded figure stood and threw back his head. The hood dropped revealing a square jaw and full lips that were set in a straight line across his face. An odd sense of familiarity punched Tori in the gut.

“And in the red corner, we are honored to have local favorite, the man who holds more super-heavyweight titles than any other man in the state, Chris ‘the Force′ White!”

Tori grabbed Luke’s arm, which stiffened under her grasp, to keep herself upright. Tension rose between them, but she kept her eyes trained forward.

Chris shrugged off the robe and threw it outside the ring where a group of giggling and swooning girls fought, tugging it between them until one scrappy girl ripped it free from the others’ grasps. Tori rolled her eyes as the girl held it up to her nose and inhaled deeply and then clutched it to her chest.

Chris wore black trunks showing off a hard and defined physique that Tori remembered well. His 6’4” height and broad build would have been intimidating enough, but the look on his face was fury.

The boxers touched gloves, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Tori held her breath and focused on the man in black. He rolled his shoulders, stretched his neck from side to side, and then stared his opponent down, all while appearing calm and unaffected by the other man in the ring.

At the sound of the bell, Chris charged forward. Mikey blocked the first few punches, but Chris’ quick hands eventually made contact. First, a shot that made Mikey’s body heave forward followed by a right hook that catapulted him back. Chris kept stalking his opponent, not allowing the challenger a moment to recover. He cornered Mikey against the ropes and landed another punch as Mikey tried to get in a quick jab. Tori could have sworn the corners of Chris’ mouth turn up slightly in a wicked grin before he landed a huge uppercut that sent Mikey sprawling to the ring floor. Chris turned without a glance over his shoulder and jumped down from the ring.

Cocky son of a bitch. Tori beamed as the crowd went nuts. Letting out a breath and releasing her hold on Luke, who remained quiet, she stood frozen in place letting the mass of people push past her to the ring and its reigning champion.

Chris headed out the back door as spectators surged forward. He caught Benny’s big smile over the crowd.

“My office!” Benny shouted above the noise, pointing toward the small office at the front of the building.

Chris shook his head and continued moving in the opposite direction, unwrapping his hands as he walked. He threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and slipped out the back door.

He pulled on a sweatshirt and some jeans over his boxing shorts and heaved himself into the Ford F150 as his cell phone vibrated in his bag.

“Yeah?” he answered gruffly.

“Why’d you run off? I have your winnings in my office. Come in, have a drink. Let’s celebrate, eh?”

Chris turned the key in the ignition. “Not interested in celebrating tonight, Benny. Mail me a check.”

“Aw, don’t—”

Chris hung up the phone, cutting Benny’s protest short.

Steering the truck north to the outskirts of the downtown area where dive bars and quiet restaurants would be filled with an older crowd, his body relaxed with the knowledge that no one from Sweetbriar or from the fight were likely to walk through the door of any of these places.

Poppers was just how Chris remembered it. Being here now, he felt old. Shit, he fit right in with the clientele, who he’d once categorized as old and desperate. He ran a hand over his face wondering when was the last time he’d shaved. He might have been the youngest, at thirty-two, but he blended in with his scruff face and the dark circles under his eyes.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked as Chris sidled up to the bar.

“Bud Light. Leave the tab open.” Chris handed the bartender his card.

“Rough night?”

A strong, spicy perfume filled his nose, and he turned, grabbing the cold beer as it was placed in front of him. Holding onto the bar for support, she lifted herself onto the stool and smiled up at him. He glanced at her hands and saw no signs of a wedding ring, but gold and jewels adorned her other fingers.

“Something like that,” Chris said, turning farther to get a better look at the face of the woman taking a seat next to him.

She was attractive, in an overly done up way. Stylish, short, blond hair, large blue eyes rimmed with heavy eye makeup. A little black dress clung to her curves perfectly, revealing a conservative amount of cleavage and leg. How old was she? Did it matter?

Shaking his head, he swiveled the stool in her direction. She was exactly what he was looking for, for tonight anyway.

“Did you know he was fighting tonight?” Luke questioned her as he finished his beer and motioned for the bartender to bring him another.

“Of course not. I only heard about the fight from you.”

“That fucker’s everywhere,” Luke grumbled under his breath and took a long drink of his fresh beer. He motioned again for the bartender, who shot an annoyed look that Luke either didn’t see or didn’t care enough to comment on.

Tori offered the bartender an apologetic smile.

“Two shots of Jack,” he requested when the bartender was in earshot.

“Seriously?”

Luke turned, his eyebrows drawn together and a frown on his face. “You know, ever since your brother made you a partner at Fit Club, you’ve become a real drag. It’s Saturday night, Tori. I think it’s okay if I have a few drinks.”

Tori grabbed her purse from the bar and stood. “I drove two hours to see you this weekend. Just like I do nearly every weekend. I have better things to do than sit around and watch you get shitfaced.”

“Sorry, he just gets under my skin. I don’t like the way he looks at you.” He grabbed the shots laid out before him and handed one to her.

“Who, Chris? He couldn’t even see me.” She flung her hands up in the air, tired of the same old conversation. “Besides, I’ve told you a million times that there’s nothing to get upset about. He is my brother’s best friend. We tolerate each other at best.”

“Sorry. You’re right. We’re out, have a drink and relax.” He winked and downed the shot before turning the empty glass upside down on the bar.

Tori sat the full shot on the bar next to his empty. “It’s all yours. I don’t feel like drinking tonight. I think I’m gonna go back to the apartment.”

Luke wrapped his arms around her waist and peered down at her with wide puppy eyes. “Come on, don’t be like that. A bunch of the guys are in the back, shooting darts. I told them we’d stick around.”

Placing a hand on his chest, she gave him a quick kiss. “You go have fun. It’s been a long week, and I’m tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He nodded, releasing his hold on her, and she pushed her way out of the busy bar without looking back.

It was cold, the bitter windy cold that January nights were filled with in Missouri winters. The wind whipped around her bare legs, turning them to ice. Breath visible in the night air, she fumbled through her phone with numb fingers, looking for the number of a cab.

Tori headed north to a quieter section of the downtown area in search of a warm place to wait while she found a ride. Opening the door to a small, dingy bar, she was greeted with a warm blast of air. This place was filled with an older crowd than that of the busy bar she’d just left, but the game was the same — dolled-up women hoping to snag a boyfriend, or in this bar, husband number two.

Tori’s gaze went to the bar where one such woman was making her play. She couldn’t see the face of the man the woman was draped over, but he was built and looked a little young to be in this crowd. He was certainly underdressed in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Tori watched with amusement as the woman whispered something in the man’s ear, and he tipped his head back and laughed. It was a deep laugh that sent shivers down her spine.

She would have recognized that laugh anywhere. He’d laughed at her plenty.