Fighting For Hope (Worth the Fight Book 1) Read online

  “Brother.” My whole body is trembling. For me or for Scott, I don’t know. I’m just worried all around.

  He grins at me. “He’s up next. Sisters get a free pass. Come watch the fight. You still got to pay for drinks though.”

  I squeak out a thank you and rush into the backyard. There are people all over the place. Drinking, smoking, and cheering on the fights. The fighters are in an empty in-ground swimming pool, slamming their heavy fists into each other as everyone watches from above.

  The fight should be over, but it’s still going on. A Hispanic guy is lying on the ground, looking half-dead as his opponent sits on his chest, pounding his face over and over. Two guys have to rush down and drag him off.

  “Watch it, bitch!” a girl snarls at me when I graze her arm. She’s looking for a fight, but she’s not going to get it from me. I quickly move through the crowd away from her.

  Papa Pain drops down into the pool as a couple of guys drag the beaten guy away. He leaves a thick streak of blood behind him. I swallow hard when I notice all of the other similar streaks of blood in the swimming pool. Some are faded from last week’s fights. Some are wet and fresh from tonight. I shudder to think that one of those streams might have been from Scott.

  “We got two new fighters now,” Lewis shouts to the amped-up crowd. “Who wants to see some suburban white kids fuck each other up?”

  The crowd goes nuts as the first fighter drops into the pool.

  My whole body stills and I can’t breathe.

  He takes my breath away. Literally.

  He’s gorgeous.

  I forget all about where I am as he peels off his tight shirt and tosses it on the ground. My body starts trembling for a different reason.

  He’s tall, lean, and rock hard all over. Tattoos decorate his skin, like he needs any kind of decoration…

  His messy brown hair is a little too long, but somehow it looks perfect on him. He’s got light eyes, but I can’t tell if they’re green or blue from up here. A flash of annoyance hits me and I want to rush down into the pool to get a better look.

  I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s bouncing around, rolling his shoulders and punching the air as he warms up. His face is too beautiful to be punched. His body too perfect to be kicked. It would be a crime against nature to mark his flawless body.

  He’s barefoot with nothing on but an old pair of jogging pants. I whimper when I look down at his bulge, wishing I could be alone to touch myself. Wishing I had him all to myself for a private show.

  The deep throb between my legs increases as I see him start to stretch out his arms. I’ve never been so taken with a guy before. Normally, I can’t get away from guys fast enough, but all I can think about is running my hands along his hard tattooed arms, feeling the deep ridges and round peeks of his beautiful muscles.

  All of that is yanked away like being thrown into a cold shower when I see his opponent climb down into the empty pool.

  It’s Scott. He’s putting on a brave face, but I can tell he’s nervous. He’s a foot smaller than the guy and looking like he’s out of his league.

  My heart continues pumping, but it turns from arousal to fear.

  Papa Pain steps between them and looks up at the excited crowd. “Who’s ready for a fight?”

  Everyone roars as Scott and the gorgeous guy stare each other down. God, he looks even hotter when he’s scowling.

  “In this corner, we have Nate Cross,” he says pointing at my crush who now has a name. Nate. Nathan. My body trembles as I whisper it over and over again.

  “And in this corner, Scott Hess.”

  The crowd boos him. Maybe because he looks straighter. Maybe it’s the lack of tattoos. Maybe it’s the scared look in his eyes. Whatever it is, they don’t like him.

  “You guys want to fight here again, you put on a show,” Papa Pain grunts to them before he climbs out of the pool.

  There’s a ring of a bell and the crowd starts moving with excited energy as Nate and my brother start circling each other.

  I’m getting all kinds of sweaty arms and shoulders in my face as the crowd fights for a better look. I step on my toes just in time to see the two guys collide. Scott has been in a ton of fights growing up, but he’s never had any formal training.

  Not like the hot guy, Nathan. He looks as trained as an elite assassin. His footwork, the way he holds his hands, the way he moves his head—darting around every punch easily, it’s clear that he’s been studying fighting his whole life. And it’s clear that Scott is in over his head.

  He throws a few wild punches, but none of them land. Nate counters with a jab that lands on Scott’s mouth. His head snaps back and he stumbles backward a few steps as blood trickles from his lip.

  Now the fear in my brother’s eyes is gone. He’s got that killer look that I saw when he punched our creepy boss.

  He rushes forward. Nate knees him in the face as he comes in, but Scott continues forward and grabs him. He picks him up and slams him into the floor of the cement pool with a whack.

  The crowd roars as they start landing punches and kicks while grappling for position.

  Scott is on top, landing punches, but then Nate rolls him over and starts his ground and pound.

  It’s a brutal fight and the crowd is loving it. I’m getting squished between two rowdy men as I try to see down below. Everyone is so much taller than me so all I get are glimpses of fists flying, knuckles hitting bare flesh, splatters of blood soaring.

  I fight my way to the front just in time to see Scott in a headlock. Nate is pounding his fist into my brother’s face and I scream when I see it.

  “Scott!” I holler with a desperate edge to my voice.

  Nate looks up and locks eyes with me.

  His whole body is tight with tension, every muscle flexed, every tendon clenched but when he sees me, it’s like a valve is released and he lets it all go. His face goes slack as his mouth opens. His eyes go wide and fill up with… something. I don’t know what it is, but the look fills me with warmth.

  He seems to forget all about my brother and the fight he’s in. He doesn’t even move when Scott breaks out of his hold and stands back up. All he does is stare. At me.

  Scott takes advantage of his opponent’s distractedness and lands a clean right hook on his chin. Nate’s legs waver, but he doesn’t go down.

  I want to scream for them to stop fighting, but nothing comes out of my mouth. I hate watching this. I don’t want either of them to get hurt.

  Scott tries to hit him again, but this time, Nate moves out of the way. He grabs Scott’s arm, twists it into some kind of hold and Scott’s face scrunches up in agony. He taps out immediately and the fight is over.

  Nate’s eyes are already back on me as he lets him go.

  Scott falls to his knees and drops his head into his hands. I know he was really counting on that extra fifty bucks.

  “Good fight,” Nate says as he puts his hand on his shoulder. “You’ll get me next time.”

  Scott shakes his hand and Nate pulls him up to his feet as the crowd gets bored, already ready for the next fight.

  They both head right for me, but Papa Pain steps in front of Nate to pay him.

  Scott looks pissed when he sees me as he climbs out of the pool. He charges up to me and grabs my wrist. “Why aren’t you in the car?”

  His left eye is already swelling shut. He’s covered in bruises and cuts.

  “Are you okay?”

  He grunts out something that I can’t hear then says, “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  I turn to glance back at Nate, but my brother is already pulling me away.

  Chapter Three

  Nate

  Now, I’m really wishing I didn’t go easy on that guy. I should have snapped his fucking neck.

  That’s what he deserves for touching my girl.

  I’ve never laid eyes on her before a few minutes ago, but she’s mine. I’ve decided it so that makes it true. Neither her nor her
boyfriend gets to have a say in the matter.

  The adrenaline is back, pumping harder and angrier than it did during the fight. I feel it raging through my veins as I watch them together.

  He’s grabbing her wrist and pulling her away even though she doesn’t want to go with him.

  I see nothing but red and start walking forward until Papa Pain steps in my way. A growl escapes my throat as I glare at him.

  “Good fight,” he says as he stuffs my winnings into my hand. “But if you want to fight here again, knock your opponent the fuck out instead of finishing him by submission. The freaks here like to see blood. They want to hear the crunching of bones. The cracking of jaws. This is modern-day Rome and you guys are the gladiators. Give the people a show.”

  I let out another growl as I push past him and leap out of the pool. The thick crowd is blocking my way and I have to push through them as they exchange money. Anyone who bet against me is looking pretty pissed right now.

  I pay them no notice and push through the bodies, looking for her.

  Her stunning image is burnt into the back of my eyelids. I’ll never forget it. I couldn’t breathe when I saw her standing there, looking down at us with a worried look on her face that made me want to die. I wanted to stop the fight right there, rush over to her, toss her over my shoulder, and take her away. I want to take care of her and make sure she’s never worried like that ever again.

  I feel myself getting twitchy all over as I desperately look around for her. She was short with blonde hair and black-rimmed glasses that were too big for her adorable face.

  “You made me lose twenty bucks,” someone shouts as he steps up to me in a threatening manner. “Give it back.”

  I just ignore him, looking from side to side for my girl. She’s too innocent and pure to be in a place like this. I won’t get this anxious edgy feeling out of me until she’s by my side where I know she’ll be safe.

  The guy in front of me tries to grab the fifty dollar bill out of my hand and I let him have an uppercut instead. I see his eyes rolling into the back of his head before his limp body hits the ground. I quickly step over him and head for the exit.

  “Hey!” I shout when I see them rushing across the neighbor’s lawn.

  My girl turns and makes eye contact with me, but her boyfriend starts running. My teeth grit when I see him dragging her along behind him.

  I sprint over and catch up to them easily.

  Her wide blue eyes are staring at me and all I can think about is taking off her glasses to see if her stunning eyes are really as blue as they look.

  “What do you want?” the guy asks. What was his name? Sean or Scott? Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. He’ll be dead really soon for holding my girl’s wrist like that. “You already got the prize money.”

  “But I didn’t get the real prize,” I say as I turn back to look at her. “Let go of her. Now.”

  He just keeps pulling toward the road. Away from me.

  I can’t control my temper any longer. I lunge on him and wrap my hand around his neck, squeezing until my forearm burns.

  He finally lets go of her and tries to peel my hand off his throat, but it’s not going anywhere.

  “Let go of my brother!” she screams as she jumps on my arm too.

  Brother?

  My fingers loosen their insane grip and he pushes out of my grasp. This is her brother? Thank God…

  Her delicate hands are still on my arm and it sends warm shivers racing through my body. I want to feel her hands everywhere. I want to feel those luscious pink lips everywhere too.

  “I didn’t know he was your brother,” I tell her. “I didn’t like the way he was grabbing you.”

  “He’s just overprotective,” she says as she looks up at me with a shy look. Her cheeks are all pink and the sight of the sexy color is getting me rock hard. “I was supposed to wait in the car.”

  “This place is too dangerous for her,” the guy says with a scratchiness to his voice that wasn’t there before. Probably from my grip squeezing his Adam’s apple.

  “I agree,” I say as I stare at her in awe. She shouldn’t be anywhere near this place or these people. She looks so innocent and out of place here that I want to lock her in my house where she can never get out. “What’s your name?”

  “Hope,” she says in the sweetest voice imaginable.

  “Don’t tell him!” her brother snaps. “We don’t know who this guy is.”

  “I’m Nathan, but everyone calls me Nate.”

  Her cheeks go even pinker as I slide my hand into hers and shake it.

  “This is my brother Scott, but you met him already,” she says.

  Scott doesn’t like me touching his sister, but he better get used to it. I’m going to touch this girl every chance I can get.

  Eventually, when it’s clear that I’m not letting go, he grabs our wrists and breaks our hands apart.

  “Get in the car, Hope,” he snaps.

  My teeth grit together as I turn to him with a warning look. “You get in the car,” I say in a low dominant voice. “I want to talk to Hope for a minute.”

  He looks up at me with a frustrated look and then storms off after Hope tells him that she’ll be okay.

  “Sorry about him,” she says to me when it’s just the two of us on the lawn. “He’s just upset that he didn’t get the prize money.”

  Her eyes drop to the ground as I study her closer. There’s a thick scratch on her glasses and her clothes look like they’ve been worn for a few days in a row. They still look incredible on her, but they look a little worn in.

  “What did he need the money for?” It’s starting to dawn on me that she might have been relying on the prize money too.

  “You know…” she says, trailing off. “Stuff.”

  “Like food?”

  She just shrugs.

  “Take it,” I say as I grab the full hundred dollars and stuff it into her hand.

  She looks up at me with wide shocked eyes. I can tell she’s not used to having people do nice things for her. She’s going to have to get used to it with me, because I’m going to take care of her properly.

  “I can’t,” she says as she tries to give the money back.

  I glance down at her hand with the crumpled up bills. My eyes dart to her round tits and I suck in a breath. Fuck, I just want to rip every stitch of clothing off her and sink my hard cock into her tight little cunt.

  “I want you to have it,” I tell her as I wrap my big hand around hers and push it back. She drags her eyes up my body and I curse under my breath, wondering what I must look like.

  I’m wearing no shirt and I’m full of sweat and blood. There’s a cut on my cheek from where her brother popped me with a nice punch. Scott isn’t trained, but he’s a scrappy little fucker.

  A girl like this would never go for a guy like me. I could just picture her with a rich lawyer who has a closet full of expensive suits. Or a doctor in training who has senators for parents. Not a nobody like me.

  “But I can’t pay you back,” she says.

  “You can,” I tell her. “Meet me for a date.”

  Her eyebrows raise as she looks at me with a stunned expression. “You want to go out with me?”

  “You’re the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen,” I tell her, just letting it all out. I might not have a chance with her, but I’m the kind of guy who shoots for the moon. I take chances, no matter what the odds are.

  And besides, I’d never forgive myself if I let this angel walk out of my life.

  “I need to know you better,” I tell her. “I want to know everything about you. Meet me for dinner. For coffee. For anything. Just please say you’ll see me again. I’ll die if I don’t see you again.”

  Those sexy plump lips curl up into a smile as she looks at me shyly. “Okay.”

  I feel like my heart is going to explode. I feel so light and giddy like I can fly.

  “Tomorrow,” I say as I squeeze her hand. “Meet me tomorrow.
”

  We settle on a coffee shop near my gym. “Four o’clock,” I tell her. It’s right after my training finishes. The afternoon isn’t the most romantic time for a date, but I want to see her as soon as possible. The second I’m done my training session, I’m going to sprint over to see her.

  “Okay,” she says with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Nathan.”

  My legs buckle when she turns around and rushes to the car to meet her brother. That ass… it’s perfect. It’s heavenly.

  I know exactly what I’m going to be thinking of when I jerk off tonight.

  She gets into the car and they peel away. I better see her again. I’ll tear apart this whole city to find her if she doesn’t show up.

  “Mr. Cross,” a voice says from behind me.

  I’m still staring at her car as it drives away so I don’t bother turning around.

  A man in slacks and a polo shirt walks up to me and offers me his hand. He looks like he should be in some boardroom in an office high-rise instead of at Papa Pain’s backyard brawl.

  “Nathan Cross?” he says as I look at his outstretched hand.

  I cross my arms over my chest and give him a hard look. “Who’s asking?”

  He grins and drops his hand back down.

  “A Ground and Pound Championship scout,” he answers with a chuckle. “Are you going to shake my hand now?”

  He offers it again and this time I shake it.

  “I’m Michael Green. I came to watch the fights.”

  My jaw nearly hits the damn ground. “You came here? To watch the fights?”

  He nods. “You’d be surprised at the talent in these kinds of places. A lot of tough fighters at these backyard skirmishes. We found Thiago Vasquez at an event like this.”

  I don’t even know what to say. Thiago Vasquez is the undefeated Welterweight GPC champ. I would kill to be given a shot against him.

  “You looked good out there,” he says. “Where do you train?”

  “Dominant Alpha Gym.”

  He nods, knowingly. “How is old Teddy?”

  “You know Teddy?” I ask, staring at him in shock.