Two months later…

“You ready, Lily?” Julian said, leaning on the side of the ring.

“Yup,” I said, continuing to dance around on the balls of my feet. I hopped side to side while punching at the nothing in front of me. “Met my weight.” I stopped. “I worried I would be a pound over.”

“But you weren’t,” Julian reassured.

My goal was to be a Bantamweight champion. With my body type, it was easy for me to keep my weight between 130-135. Since the meeting with fucking Angela, I decided to ignore the bullshit and just do what I love. Fight. This was the first of five fights that would take place over the next year and half. I was now fighting for Spartacus instead of AFC, which still felt off most days, but I was thankful for the opportunity.

Spartacus was well-known and many fighters started with them before moving on to AFC. I’d talked to a couple fighters who had around twenty fights in the can but still had not been asked to join an AFC fight ticket. They were totally fine staying with Spartacus. It had been the same process with them; Julian and I had to go to a meeting, and we’d both hoped it didn’t end up like the last one. While at the meeting, they’d asked how many fights I felt comfortable signing up to complete. That question had taken me off guard. Then I realized it was their way of inviting me to fight for them.

Julian became the trainer I’d needed for the last several years. Jake just never had it in him to give me what I needed. When I was at the gym working out, Julian was all business. At his house, he was like a big teddy bear.

“Lily,” I heard Charlie yell from behind me. “Did you see the news yet?”

I jumped down from the ring and reached for her phone. On the screen there was a picture of Julian with his arm around my waist. “What the—?” Turning toward Julian, I held up the phone. “Did you see this?”

He cleared his throat, and I noticed his eyes dart to Charlie before landing back on me.

“Hey, I’m over here and I asked the question.”

“I know.” He seemed uncomfortable.

“Why is this so hard for you to discuss?”

Charlie tapped her finger on the phone screen. “Read it,” she whispered.

In the article, they painted Julian as the dirty old man who was supposed to be my trainer. They even had the balls to say he was possibly taking advantage of me. I started to pace the length of the mat. “Just because you are ten years older than me does not make you a dirty old man. What the fuck is this shit?”

He stepped beside me. “The MMA Journal has always enjoyed painting a shitty picture of me.”

“And you never corrected them?”

“I will never change their mind.”

My phone was sitting on the mat with my water bottle. I pulled up the web browser and searched for MMA Journal main phone number since the corporate office was in Las Vegas. Julian placed his hand over my phone. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing?” I hit enter and heard it start to ring. “Fuck this shit. I refuse to let anyone talk shit about someone I care about.” The phone connected and a woman asked how she could help me. “Yes, I need to speak to your editor of the paper.”

She cleared her throat. “Is she expecting your call?”

“She is now,” I said in my pissed off voice. “One of her reporters decided to write a story about Julian Moore and myself without getting accurate information.”

“Oh,” she stammered. “Hold, please.”

“Gladly.” I looked at Charlie and rolled my eyes. “I’m waiting.”

“Get ’em, Lils.”

“This is Candace Smith. How can I help you?”

Her name caught me off guard. Was it? No. “Candace Smith,” I said, feeling confused.

“Yes, and who am I speaking with?”

“Candace, this is Lily.” I knew I didn’t need to say my last name.

There was silence on the other end for several long minutes. When she finally spoke, it was in a low whisper. “Lily. How is Johnny?”

“Dead.” My answer was harsh, but I didn’t care. She used to work for the paper in San Francisco and wrote the shittiest stories about my dad. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Lily, I—”

“Feel bad? I hope you do, because any other answer will just solidify my thoughts of you.”

“You know how it works being in the public eye?”

“So, did you see me somewhere? Or did one of your reporters share a picture of Julian, and you noticed me with him?”

“The latter.”

“Well, how about we fix this bullshit, and you post an article that shares accurate details for your readers?”

“Lily, the story is done.”

“You can write a follow-up story.” I seriously heard her let out the deepest sigh. “Julian doesn’t deserve what you said about him. He is a good man. One of the best trainers I know.”

“Do you want to give an exclusive?” Now it was my turn to let out a deep sigh. “It’s your call, Lily.”

“Wait,” Charlie said, stepping in front of me. “Is this the Candace?”

“The one and only.” I threw my phone back down on the mat.

“What am I missing?” Julian started removing the tape from both my hands.

“My dad dated her for a while.”

“Then they stopped dating and the stories started.”

“Pretty much.”

He threw the tape in the trash. “Well, she has been writing stories about me for a while. So she must’ve got bored in San Francisco.”

I sat down on the mat to read the article again. The picture they had posted in the article was when Julian and I went to a cafe in Caesars Palace. I had insisted we enjoy the little outside seating. What was I thinking? It was weird. The article shared mostly negative words about Julian. If you knew to read between the lines, you could find some serious pokes in my direction. Especially when they mention my upcoming fight with Spartacus. The way it was worded, I knew it was a jab at me because I was not with the AFC.

“Okay.” Charlie reached for my hands. “Hear me out.” I lifted my head slightly and gave this side glance. “Just listen, woman. You do the exclusive and get some serious publicity just with the simple article.”

“And with the mention, you could maybe see Chuck Anders in the audience at your fight,” Julian added.

“That’s a long shot.” I grabbed my stuff and started heading toward the locker room.

“Or is it?” Julian was fast on my heels.

I turned and we both plowed into each other. I placed my hands on his chest. “You know what that means, though?” He shook his head. “I have to mention my dad finally.”

Julian wrapped his arms around my waist. “The secret is going to come out sooner or later. You know how reporters can be?”

I leaned up on my tippy toes and kissed him. “Let me enjoy this one fight on my own. No reporters. No exclusives. Nothing.”

“It’s your fight. I support you no matter what you decide.”

“What if I decided to fight shirtless?” I teased. “You know, free the nipple.” He turned his head to the side, and I could tell he was struggling on what to say. “No. Too much?” I stifled a laugh.

“If you want to go shirtless. Who am I to disagree?”

I swatted at his arm. “I will only fight shirtless in the company of one.”

“Charlie?”

“Negative on that one, J-man,” Charlie yelled.

“I feel this conversation took a crazy turn,” I said, moving out of his embrace.

“And I find myself looking forward to you fighting shirtless.”

“Sweetie.” I reached around and squeezed his ass. “You’ve already fought naked with me.”

Brooks stepped out of the men’s locker at the exact moment Julian and I were discussing our practice sessions in his gym. He stopped a few feet from us. “There are things I wish I could unhear.”

“Oh come on, you know you’re jealous,” I teased.

“That would be a negative,” he said, walking over to the front desk.

“And I’m wishing I was someplace else at the moment.” I glanced at Julian, trying to send a message.

“I did leave my oven on.”

Brooks turned to face him. “Your oven? Can’t you do better than that?”

Before Julian could say another word, I started tugging him toward the door. “How about this Brooks? Julian and I are going to go fuck like bunnies.”

“Oh those poor bunnies again,” Charlie teased.

I raised my hand and waved as Julian reached down and picked me up.

“Take care, Charlie Bear.”

The last thing I heard before the door closed behind me was, “Save the bunnies.”

“So not fair,” Julian yelled before his back fell against the mat.

I moved my body in between his legs and rested my arms on his abdomen. “You do realize you outweigh me, right?”

Lately, it felt like I was living at Julian’s house and spending most of our time in his basement gym. Something I didn’t plan. The other day, right before I left for the gym, Charlie mentioned getting a roommate. Her question took me by surprise. After a few hours of stewing, I put myself in her shoes. She basically was living alone.

“Is this what Charlie was talking about?” He brushed a finger down the side of my face.

“About?”

“The way your eyes go glassy, you can tell you are someplace else.”

I placed my hands on the mat to push my body up. We were down in Julian’s gym completely naked. For the last hour, he would challenge me with a specific move where his crotch would end up only an inch from my face. I was becoming a master at focusing.

“I guess.” Sitting up, I stretched my legs out in front of me. “What are we doing?”

He was still flat on his back with his knees up. “Um, is this a trick question?”

I pushed at his leg. “No, not the naked training. I mean, us, here, your house.”

He sat up and pulled my legs onto his lap. “Go on.”

I laughed at his words. “I added some clothes to the top drawer of your dresser the other day.”

“We can just get you a dresser of your own.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Well, I live in this house that is way too big. Why do we need to share? There is enough space for you to have your own closet and dresser.”

I moved my legs off his lap, pulled them closer to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my shins. “Julian, do you realize you’re missing an important piece to the puzzle?” He scowled, and I could tell he was confused. “Babe, we have never discussed me living here.”

Julian reached for my hand. “I’m sorry. I guess I just assumed.”

“So you want me here.”

“Lily, when you stay at your place, I miss your body next to mine.” He pulled me onto his lap. “I want to wake up every morning with you tucked tightly beside me.” He bent and captured one of my nipples in between his teeth. “I want to make love to you when I wake up and before I go to sleep.” Slowly, he started to slide his hand down my abdomen to the juncture between my legs. “This is mine.” Before I had a chance to say a word, my body was lying flat on the mat. Julian was looming over me with this devious grin plastered on his face. Then he began to pepper light kisses around my rib cage, on my abs, in a circle around my belly button, and then he stopped. “Lily, will you move in with me, so I can do this to you every day?” Before I had a chance to answer, he dropped his head and surprised me by moving his tongue up and down my core.

My body bucked up at the intrusion and begged for more. I was yelling yes as I felt myself fall over the ledge into the most beautiful orgasm I have ever experienced.

I felt the warmth of Julian’s skin leave my body. Opening my eyes, I softly laughed at how he was staring at me intently. “I think I answered your question several times already.”

“I just need to hear it one more time.”

I pushed my exhausted body to the upright position. I scooted over and wrapped my legs around his waist. I could feel him getting harder, so I pushed my body up slightly to give him the perfect access.

“Lily,” he whispered next to my ear.

I let my body slide slowly down over his hard length. “Yes, Julian. Yes, I want to wake up every day in your arms.” My body stilled, enjoying the feeling running through every part of me. “I want to make love to you all day and every day. We need to explore those other rooms upstairs.” I insisted.

We didn’t rush this time; instead, we kept the rhythm slow and sensual.

He reached up and brushed a few strands of hair away from face. “Lily, I think—”

I leaned forward and kissed the words away. A part of me knew what he was going to say; the other part was damn scared to hear the words.

“So I guess you’re not hungry?”

“What?”

“What did you think I was going to say?” Then his eyes went wide. “Wait.”

We were still connected, so there was no way to escape this conversation. “Hungry?” I lifted my body up a few inches and then fell back down over him. “I’m famished.”

He wrapped his arms tightly around my body and pulled me close. “This conversation is running in too many directions.” Then he nipped at my ear, sending an electrical shock through my body.

“Let’s just keep it in the up and down direction.” My body was begging for another release, so I increased my movements. “Fuck, Julian.”

“Hang on, Lily. I’m right there with you.” The moment my body released, I fell forward onto his chest. He whispered so quietly it was almost indistinguishable, but I made out the “L” word. It was a word I only used with Charlie and my dad. I wasn’t ready to say it to anyone else.

Trying to pretend I didn’t hear him, I kissed his chest and leaned back. “Feed me,” I whined. Without separating us, he stood up and made his way up the stairs. “Julian, we can’t eat in this position.”

“Wanna bet.”

Oh, I was up for the challenge.