Reese (15 page)

             
I heard Jake shout something, and turned to find Kieran down on the floor. The Brazilian had him down
,
punching him in the sides.
I jumped to my feet. “Come on Kieran, get up!” I yelled, but didn’t think I was heard over the shouts of the rest of the arena. “Kieran!”

             
He flipped out from under the Brazilian, turning the table on him as he returned the blows he had just received with interest. I cheered with the rest of the crowd, but didn’t return to my seat. The rest of the VIP group had come to stand behind me, for
e
going their seats in favor of the better view that standing gave them. Mel came to stand with me
while
Kyle and his son stood behind us as the match went on and on.

             
Twenty minutes later, Kieran was locked on the floor again. He was getting the hell beat out of him. The Brazilian was unrelenting and I was sure that Kieran’s right eye was already swollen shut. I alternated between hiding my face behind my hands, screaming curses at the Brazilian
,
and cheering on my man. Even Kyle was getting verbal.

             
It was the final round, so I knew the fight would be over soon regardless of subm
ission, KO, or
one of the corner men throwing in the towel. The fight had been gory, to say the least. Each man could seriously hold his own. But the Brazilian was really pissing me off with the way he liked to trap Kieran on the floor of
the ring, like he cu
rrently was doing. During the previous two rounds this had been his tactic. He knew just how dangerous Kieran was when he was standing, so the first chance he could get he would tackle Kieran. 

             
“Get out of there Kieran!” Kevin yelled from right behind me. “
Come on, little brother!”

             
Jake was raking his hands across his tattooed scalp and shooting me worried looks from time to time. I wanted to throw up.

             
Suddenly the Brazilian’s head snapped back and then he
went still on top of Kieran. The ref leaned down and rolled the man off of Kieran then motioned for the bell. The Brazilian had been knocked out cold. Kieran had
somehow
gotten in one blow, which had put the guy out.

             
The crowd went crazy as the ref helped Kieran to his feet. I let out a cry of distress as I got my first look at his face. He was bleeding, swollen and staggering
…
B
ut grinning
nonetheless
. Jake rushed in as soon as the ref lifted Kieran’s hand as the winner. I wanted to run in there after him, wrap him in my arms and hold on tight.

             
As I watched
,
the rest of the crew entered the cage. The Brazilian’s team entered as well, either shaking hands with Kieran’s men or helping get their fighter who was slowly coming around. Behind me Kyle breathed a deep sigh of relief. “It’s over.” He muttered and dropped down into the closest
seat
as if his legs couldn’t support him any longer.

             
I felt a little unsteady myself.

             
Around the ring photographers for sports magazines and sports news were having a field day. I kept my eyes on Kieran as he spoke to several people before he was lost in the crowd of paparazzi.

             
Mel gave me a tight hug. “Okay?” She asked.

             
I shrugged. “I’ll let you know later.” My smile was a little wobbly. Kieran had won, but I felt just as beat up as he was.

             
Greg put his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s celebrate. I have champagne and
a full buffet waiting for us back in my hotel suit.”

             
“I…” I glanced after Kieran and his crew. “I don’t think he will be up to celebrating.”

             
Kevin shook his head. “His guys will get him patched up, get some pain killers in his system and then he will want to party the night away. That’s what he normally does after a good win.”

             
I gave him a hard look. “You don’t seem to
o
concerned for your brother.
He was bleeding!
”

             
“Kieran’s a big
guy
. Not a little boy who wants his mommy to kiss his boo-boo. Babying him will just piss him off. Right Dad?”

             
Kyle shrugged his shoulders. “Normally.” He gave me a grin. It seemed that he was starting to recover. “But I’m sure if the right woman was kissing his boo-boo he would be all too happy to be babied.”

             
Kevin snorted. “Yeah, okay. Knowing my little brother that isn’t likely to happen. Kier enjoys his freedom to much. I bet h
e has
a group of hot girls waiting outside his dressing room right now. And I’m positive that he wants them to kiss something other than his boo-boos.”

             
Kyle shot to his feet. Kevin didn’t seem to notice that his father was in a rage right behind him. He said something else about groupies and I felt sick to my stomach for another
reason. Jealousy ate at me, but I knew that Kieran would not be into the groupies now that he had me…When he wanted to marry me…Right?

             
“You will apologize to Reese
.
N
ow.” Kyle informed his eldest son as he gripped his bicep in a steely hold.

             
Kevin blinked in surprise at his father. “What?”

             
“Apologize to
her
now. And maybe, just maybe I will not inform your brother that you spoke like that to Reese.” His tone was cold, full of power and plenty of warning.

             
Kevin frowned but apologized nonetheless. “I’m sorry, Reese. Please excuse me if I offended you.”

I forced a smile to my face. “Don’t worry about it.” I murmured.

             
Greg turned from speaking to a few of the photographers with a grin. “Are we ready to get out of here? My limo is waiting for us.”

             
I glanced at Kyle. “Can we check on Kieran first?” He was top priority for me right then.

             
He glanced between me and my grandfather, who seemed anxious to get me out of the arena. “You go on with the others. I’ll take a look at my son and we will head straight over.” I started to protest, to tell him I wanted to see him now. But Kyle pushed me after Greg. “Don’t worry, sweetheart.
He’s going to be just fine. Kevin will make sure that you are well taken care of…Won’t you Kevin?”

             
Kevin was shooting his father odd looks, but still nodded. “She’s safe with me, Dad.”

             
“But…” I glanced longingly in the direction that Kieran and his crew had gone.

             
Mel grasped my hand. “Let’s let the boy get patched up. His father will take excellent care of him.” She didn’t give me time to argue as she pulled me along after Greg
while
Kevin followed close behind.

             
Tears burnt my eyes and throat. “But…I want to see him.” I whispered.

             
Mel’s wrapped
an arm
around my waist, hugging me close to her side as we walked. “I know. But just think, later you will have him all to yourself…” She murmured wickedly. “And you
can
kiss every one of his ‘boo-boos’.”

             
That thought cheered me just a little. I leaned into her for a moment.

             
Outside we were ushered into the back of two waiting limos. Mel climbed in and moved to the long bench seat on the opposite wall. I moved to sit beside of her, but Kevin pulled me down beside of him as he took a seat by the door. His fingers lingered on my side for a fraction longer than necessary and I sent him a speaking glare.

             
I scooted a few inches away from him
, b
ut before I could say anything my grandfather
started talking to Mel. I tried to participate in the conversation during the ride to the hotel, but worry for Kieran and my irritation with his big brother weighed on my mind.

             
Forty-five minutes later we were in Greg’s penthouse hotel room. Champagne was flowing freely and a delicious smelling buffet was set out. I didn’t feel much like celebrating, and didn’t drink anything despite the glass of expensive champagne that Kevin had pushed into my hands
when we had first arrived
.

             
I kept glancing at the clock, counting the minutes, hoping that Kieran arrived soon. I wanted to see for myself that he was okay
;
to kiss him and tell him I loved him more than anything in the world…

And maybe I wanted him to arrive so that I could ditch his brother. Kevin was becoming bothersome. He was my constant shadow, always there…And touching me. It was making me beyond uncomfortable. He was invading my personal space, always had his hand at the small of my back, or was rubbing my arm. I would pull away, trying not to lose my cool with the guy…But he was making it harder and harder to do as the minutes slowly ticked by.

Greg was a constant by my side as well. He was eager to make me happy and comfortable. But the approving look in his blue eyes when they would linger on me and Kevin, as if sizing us up as a couple or something, bothered me immensely.
I became tense and spoke less and less to those around me.

Mel noticed all of this and kept sending me speaking looks. I would just shrug, telling her that I didn’t know what was going on, but that I didn’t like any of it.

“Hey, hotness!” Jake’s voice called out suddenly. “Where you at?”
             
I was surrounded by Kevin, Greg and Mel. At the sound of Jake’s voice I pushed passed the two men and found the crew entering the penthouse. Behind them was Kyle and the last to enter the room was the only person I had eyes for. With a cry I was across the room and throwing myself into his waiting arms.

Steel bands wrapped around my waist and lifted me off the ground as he pulled me into a deep kiss. The rest of the room faded as I got lost in his taste and the warmth of his lip
s
on mine. Who knew how long we would have continued if Jake hadn’t bumped Kieran’s shoulder and muttered something I didn’t hear.

Finally Kieran set me on my feet and pulled back just enough to smile down at me. “
Needed that.” He murmured.

I took in his swollen, multicolored eye, his bruised cheek, and the scratch across his nose. My fingers skimmed across his many injuries that I could see. Tears burnt my eyes and I blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. “You okay?”

“Noth
ing to serious. A few sore ribs
to go with the shiner that he gave me…Hey, don’t cry.” He dropped another kiss across my lips, this one
gentler
but nonetheless desire inspiring. “I’m fine, babe.”

Chin trembling I could do nothing more than nod my head.

“Kieran…” Greg’s voice seemed a little hesitant. “Wonderful match tonight. Thrilling as always…”

I turned in Kieran’s arms to face him, saw the closed off look in Greg’s eyes and my earlier suspicion that things were off returned. “I try to please.” Kieran shook the older man’s hand. “It’s my goal in life.”

             
Kevin appeared and I stiffened a little when his gaze landed on the way his brother was holding me. “I see you haven’t wasted any time, little brother.” He muttered.

             
Kieran tensed up ever so slightly, but didn’t respond to his brother. “
Thanks for taken care of my girl while I was busy.”

             
Mel greeted the crew and embraced Kieran, ending the suddenly tense atmosphere that had been created by the brothers and my grandfather. “I didn’t doubt for one minute that you had the fight in the bag. But you sure did have my heart racing a few times. Now I understand why your
poor
mother can’t watch you.” She grinned. “Congrats on another win.”

             
The night dragged on from there for me. I wanted to leave as soon as Kieran appeared. But every time I would open my mouth to ask him to take me home my grandfather would seem to sense it and distract us. Around us the party was growing strong, with other MMA fighters arriving along with a
bunch
of girls that were obviously groupies.
One or two attempted to approach Kieran, but one
glower
from me and they quickly thought better of it. That did not mean that Corbin, Mason, the spar twins, and even Maddox couldn’t enjoy the female companionship
, which they did
. Jake
, however,
seemed bored with it all and stuck close to Kieran and
me
for the majority of the evening.