Fighting for Keeps Read online

  “No, but I’m sure she’ll sell it. Can you imagine a woman like her staying in Eagle Creek? Cause I can’t.”

  “We don’t know that she wouldn’t stay, and I wouldn’t be so quick to say she wouldn’t fit in. But I take your point,” Ian replied, a small frown on his face.

  “Look, Ian, I know you’d rather the fights continue to be held here at the Anderson ranch, but I think we can manage hosting them at Rocky River if we need to. Hannah already keeps Shelby during fight nights, so she won’t be around when the fights are going down. It can work.”

  “Yeah, I know. I just wanted to keep her farther away from it.”

  “It’ll be just like we’re having them here. She’ll never be around.”

  “Right. Yeah, you’re right, it’ll be fine. You up for heading to Cocky Pete’s tonight? We’re gonna be heading out soon so we can get ready. I think we can all use a break from working and training, to just relax and have a good time.”

  “Yeah, sure. Let me finish up what I was doing and I’ll be ready.”

  Seth walked into the barn to finish replacing the board. He didn’t feel much like going out, but this could be a good thing. Get his mind off everything, get some distance and perspective before he made his final decision. And it would be final. For better or worse, what he decided next would be ironclad.

  Seth spun his beer bottle, absently listening to Ian and Jax while he ran his gaze over the bar. Cocky Pete’s was an old saloon from the 1800’s that had also been a whorehouse back in its day. Other than the jukebox in the corner blaring country music, and the pool tables in the back, it looked pretty authentic.

  This was only the second time the fighters had been here, because they were usually too busy training or working. But despite not wanting to come initially, he was glad he did. And he thought maybe they should carve out time more often to hang out and relax.

  Of course, before coming here, they were never really in one place long enough to take time off. Washington, where they were before coming to Wyoming, was the longest, and even then, they were only there for six months before coming to Eagle Creek. As far as he could tell, they were here for good. Ian moved them here to be close to his daughter, Shelby, whom he’d been fighting to get custody of. He had her with him permanently now, but Seth thought they’d still stay in one spot. Ian wouldn’t want to keep moving Shelby around.

  He glanced over as the door opened, stiffening as Kian and Zane walked in. They were tiger shifters from Shelby’s mother’s tribe. They showed up a few months ago, masking their tiger scents, so the fighters wouldn’t know what they were. Their motives weren’t bad. At least, Kian’s wasn’t. He wanted to make sure Shelby was being treated well, and although the way he went about it didn’t leave the best first impression, he was a pretty decent guy.

  Seth watched, eyes narrowed, as Kian waved to the fighters, while Zane looked around him in disgust. Zane was a whole different story. He was a total prick, and Seth didn’t trust him at all. Ian, whose shifter gift was being able to tell if people were good or bad, hadn’t come straight and out said Zane was a bad guy, but Seth’s instincts screamed a warning whenever he was near. That, combined with Ian’s warning to keep an eye on Zane, was more than enough to keep Seth on edge whenever the pompous tiger shifter was around.

  “What are they doing here?” he muttered, watching as they sat at a booth by the pool tables.

  “They have just as much a right to be here as we do,” Ian replied easily, but his eyes were also narrowed as he watched them. “Besides, we like Kian.”

  “Sure as fuck don’t like Zane,” Seth said with a scowl, Jax nodding in agreement. “Why are they still in Eagle Creek? They’ve been here for months now.”

  “Because Kian wants to spend time with Shelby. And I think it’s a good idea. She needs to know someone from her mother’s tribe isn’t a worthless piece of shit.”

  Zane glanced over and locked eyes with Seth, smirking. Stiffening, he went to push back from the table, but Ian put a hand on his arm.

  “Don’t. No brawling in here. Save that aggression for fight nights.”

  “Coward rarely fights, and when he does, he fights Kian,” he grumbled, settling back in his chair.

  “Even if he doesn’t fight, you can still use it in your match with one of us. Look, Cammie and Alex are here.”

  Effectively distracted, Seth glanced over and waved as the dragon shifters walked in, and looked behind them as someone followed them in. Straightening in his chair when he realized it was Amelia, he watched with a sense of disbelief as she followed Cammie and Alex to the fighter’s table. She was chatting with Cammie, but her eyes nervously flitted to him before she quickly looked away.

  The breath whooshed from his lungs as he took her in. She was wearing boots, jeans, and a pale green sparkly tank top, looking a hundred percent like she belonged with the rest of them in this old, slightly rundown bar. Her dark hair hung in loose curls to her shoulders, and while she was wearing her glasses, she had makeup on again. But this time it was applied flawlessly, and as much as he preferred her natural, he couldn’t deny she was gorgeous when it was done well.

  More than gorgeous, she was sexy as fuck, and his leopard was purring in his chest as he drank her in. He was so fucking screwed, because he knew then, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he wasn’t going to be able to resist her.

  Amelia took a deep breath, trying to disperse of the sudden and unexpected nerves that assaulted her when she walked into Cocky Pete’s and spotted Seth. Sitting at a large table with the other fighters, he was mouthwateringly gorgeous, his dark brown hair messy and beard freshly trimmed, showing off his strong jaw. He had on a tight white t-shirt, and her eyes got caught on his biceps. What she wouldn’t give to be the fabric hugging those delicious muscles so closely.

  Goodness. Resisting the urge to fan herself, she forced her eyes away from his arms and locked gazes with him. His dark brown eyes were wide, but the surprise faded from them as he slowly trailed his eyes up and down her body. When he looked into her eyes again, the heat there made her own body flush, desire warming her blood. Brow twitching, she watched as his brown eyes lightened in color, turning a more golden brown than chocolate.

  He yanked his gaze away quickly after that, but it was enough. The brief moment when his eyes changed color was enough to remind her of her purpose, and she willed her body’s reaction to quiet. She needed to figure out how to get the information she wanted, without losing herself to this attraction and lust.

  They reached the table, and Cammie gestured at each man. “You’ve met Ian before, and that’s Jax.” Cammie’s lips curved in a smile as she pointed to Seth, a twinkle in her dark blue eyes. “And this is Seth, but, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve met him already, too. Guys, this is Amelia Anderson.”

  Amelia smiled at them and waved, wondering at Cammie’s words and the knowing look in her eyes. Could it be possible that Seth had spoken about her? Taking a seat at the table, she looked across at him, taking in the glare he was directing Cammie’s way. It was possible that was the case.

  Trying to convince herself she was pleased from a researcher’s standpoint, and not from a feminine one, she tore her gaze away from him and looked around at what the others were drinking. She could count the times she had a drink on one hand, so she knew next to nothing about different types of alcoholic drinks, and even less about what was normal in America. It looked like they were all drinking beer, which made it fairly simple.

  “What can I get you to drink, Amelia?” Alex asked, his hands lovingly stroking Cammie’s shoulders.

  Uncomfortable with the sudden yearning she felt for Seth to do that to her, she pulled her eyes to Alex’s. “I’ll take a beer.”

  “What kind?”

  Frowning at the unexpected question, her eyes darted around the table. “Um, a light one?”

  “I mean, do you want Budweiser, Coors, Michelob…?”

  “Oh! I knew that, of course. I’ll take a Bud Light,” A
melia said hastily, remembering the proper name from a commercial on television last night.

  “Are you staying in Eagle Creek long, Amelia?” Ian asked.

  “Probably for a while yet. I want to get the place fixed up before selling it, and it also might take a bit before we find a buyer.”

  “You’re not going to list it with a realtor and then leave?” Seth asked, his eyes intently focused on her.

  Swallowing down her breathlessness, she shook her head and willed her voice to sound normal. “No, I have no plans to leave any time soon.”

  He nodded slowly, gaze still locked with hers. Shivering a bit from the look in his eyes, she tried to look elsewhere as the room around them faded and the noise dimmed, but was unsuccessful. The spell was finally broken when Alex came back, and she jumped when he put the bottle on the table in front of her.

  It was becoming harder and harder to convince herself that all she wanted from Seth was the truth of what he was.

  Fighting to look casual, she grabbed the beer bottle. It was refreshingly cold, and thinking it could help cool the heat swirling inside her, she raised it to her lips and poured a large gulp into her mouth. The cold liquid was refreshing for a split second, and then the taste hit her tongue, and she was unable to stop herself from spitting some of it right back out.

  Mortified heat rushed to her cheeks and, eyes watering, she forced herself to swallow the rest of it, gagging a little as she did. Gasping, she grabbed a handful of napkins and wiped her chin before soaking up the beer on the table. Silence rang around the table, and she meticulously cleaned up the mess, practically feeling everyone’s eyes burning into her. Unable to put it off any longer, she willed her cheeks to stop burning and looked up.

  The first person’s eyes she met were Seth’s, and they danced with amusement as he cocked an eyebrow at her. “First time you tried beer?”

  “Yes. It wasn’t bad, I just—okay, no, it was disgusting. How do you guys drink that?”

  “It’s an acquired taste,” Ian told her, blue eyes dancing. “You get used to it.”

  “I don’t think I want to,” Amelia replied, wrinkling her nose.

  “Want something else? This is a small town bar, but there are a few decent options besides beer. Alex will get you something else,” Cammie told her.

  “I’ll get it,” she said quickly before Alex could stand. “I have to go to the loo anyway.”

  Standing up, she spotted the sign for the washrooms and headed that way. Once inside, she leaned back against the door and closed her eyes, exhaling. Breathing deeply for a moment, she pushed herself away from the door and made her way to the sink, wanting to splash some cold water on her face and banish the lingering embarrassment.

  She glanced at herself in the mirror and paused. She couldn’t splash water on her face, because her makeup was done, and it looked good for once. The green of her tank top brought out the green in her eyes, and they were outlined with smoky eyeliner and mascara, making them pop even from behind the lenses of her glasses. She wanted to keep looking good as long as possible.

  When Cammie showed up at the house earlier, it was a total surprise. Amelia had only seen her in passing a couple times, but she was really nice. She asked Amelia to come out with them tonight, making sure to tell her Seth would be there. She hesitated, but when Cammie told her she’d help her get ready, she agreed. A chance to get on with her seduction of Seth, while looking good for once? She couldn’t pass that up.

  Yet she still managed to make a fool of herself. She was really looking forward to the day when she wouldn’t, although she was beginning to doubt that day would ever come. Sighing, she wet her hands with cold water and then quickly dried them, bringing her cool hands to her still hot cheeks. Once the blush faded completely, she took a few more calming breaths, and tried to psych herself up for an evening spent potentially embarrassing herself more. All for the cause, though, right?

  Guilt tried to creep in, but she frowned, pushing it away. She wasn’t up to anything nefarious, really, she told herself. She had no plans to use what she learned. She just wanted to assuage her curiosity.

  She spent a few moments trying to convince herself of that, but she wasn’t being very successful. It was the lingering taste of beer on her tongue that finally got her moving again. She needed something to wash it away. Leaving the bathroom, she made her way to the bar, avoiding looking at the fighter’s table just yet. She didn’t want to risk her blush coming back, and the more time spent away from the scene of the crime, the better.

  She waited patiently while the bartender, a woman around her age, finished making a drink for another customer. She wasn’t sure what kind of drink she was making, but it was red and orange with a cherry and orange slice on the rim, complete with an umbrella. It looked appealing, so maybe she would try that. And just about anything was bound to be better than beer.

  “What can I get you?” the bartender asked as she came to stand in front of Amelia.

  “I think I’ll have what you just served her,” she replied with a nod to the girl a few sets down.

  “A sex on the beach?”

  “Sex on the beach? Goodness, what a name,” she muttered. “Yes, I’ll have that.”

  She watched as the bartender grabbed a glass and started mixing the ingredients. She thought that was vodka going in, but she was unsure of the other ingredients added until orange juice was added. This certainly was an interesting drink, with an interesting name.

  When the drink was in front of her and she paid, Amelia took a cautious sip. Flavor exploded in her mouth, and she took another sip. This was actually an excellent drink. She could hardly even taste the alcohol. Popping the cherry in her mouth, already feeling a little warm and fuzzy, she jumped when she turned around to go back to the table and found a giant of a man blocking her way.

  “You look like you’re really enjoying that cherry,” the man said in a husky voice, watching her lips as she chewed. “I’m Zane, and you look like you could use some company.”

  Hastily swallowing, she tried to take a few steps back, but only managed one step before she was brought up short by the bar. The man, Zane, moved in closer, closing the distance between them again.

  “I don’t need any company, thank you.”

  Placing an arm next to her on the bar, Zane leaned in even closer. “Has anyone ever told you your accent is sexy?”

  “I really need to get back to my friends now,” she replied stiffly, uncomfortable and trying to edge around him.

  “You call those losers friends? They’re nothing more than poor trash, and you’re above them. Me and you, we’re the same. I could give you everything—”

  “Is there a problem here?”

  Amelia briefly closed her eyes, relief washing over her at the sound of Seth’s voice. His expression was even, but the hard, clipped tones in his voice showed his annoyance. Zane stiffened and slowly straightened as he replied, never taking his eyes off her.

  “There’s no problem, commoner. You’re not needed here. Leave.”

  “I wasn’t really asking you. Amelia?”

  Zane turned to glare at Seth, and she used it to her advantage, sliding around him. Unease slinked down her spine as her arm brushed Zane’s, but she felt instantly better once she was next to Seth, and not trapped anymore. She took in the two men glaring at each other, and though she wanted to make her discomfort known, she didn’t want to be the cause of them fighting. They looked like they were a heartbeat from tearing into each other.

  “There’s no problem, not now.”

  “See? She wants my attention. Now get lost, before I’m forced to declaw you.”

  Eyes wide, she watched as Zane turned back to her, dismissing Seth. The glare Seth leveled on Zane was enough to raise the hairs on her arms, and even though she felt one hundred percent safe with him, she still fought the urge to back away a pace or two. The muscle in his jaw was jumping in a rhythmic motion, and she watched as he took a deep breath, trying to calm
himself.

  “Come on, Amelia. Let’s go back to the table,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back. A shiver of heat danced up her spine at the contact, and she quickly took a deep breath as she nodded, not trusting her voice.

  They started to turn away, and Zane put his hand on her arm, halting them. This time her shiver was from distaste, and the unease she felt around him intensified.

  “Get your hand off her,” Seth gritted out between clenched teeth.

  “I don’t think you’re man enough to stop me,” Zane taunted.

  “Any time you want to test that, I’m ready. You’re the coward who never steps into the ring with us.”

  Zane glared at Seth, the hatred in his eyes burning brighter. “This Saturday. You and me. You’re going to learn what a fight with a real man feels like while I wipe the floor with you.”

  “You’re on. It’s past time you learned what a little humility feels like,” Seth replied, his hands clenching and unclenching, looking like he wanted to do this now.

  “Okay, it’s all settled then,” Amelia rushed out. “I’ll make sure you two are in the ring together. Now if you’ll excuse me,” she said to Zane, voice tight as she pulled her arm away. “I really do need to get back to my friends.”

  Turning, she walked toward the table, noticing that everyone there was watching intently. Brow furrowing, she glanced back to see Seth stalking after her, and Zane glaring at his retreating back. That had to be too far for them to hear, but looking at them again and taking in their various expressions, it sure seemed like they had. Maybe that was part of the supernatural elements they possessed. Superior hearing. Interesting.

  Taking her seat again, she took another long pull of her drink, almost sighing in bliss at the taste. This really was the most delightful drink.

  “You okay?” Cammie asked softly as she nodded to Zane. “You looked pretty uncomfortable over there.”