She turned, looking through the pants and shorts that hung in rows. She didn’t like any of them, but right now she’d take anything just to get out of these clothes. After picking out a pair of Capri pants that looked like something all the old women in nursing homes wore, she walked up and paid for her things.
The showers were nice. The individual stalls were private, which meant she could take the time to wash herself down thoroughly without being interrupted. When she was done she dried off and then got dressed in the new clothes she’d bought. Julia towel dried her hair and realized she didn’t have a comb to make her hair at least presentable. She was missing a few essentials, but she was just happy to get a shower and a clean set of clothes. She’d make do without the rest.
When she dropped her clothes off with the laundry ticket, they gave her one in return. She shoved it into her pocket, figuring she’d come back for them before they left. Maybe after her tummy was full she’d be able to catch a quick nap. Now that she was sure Joe wouldn’t rape and kill her she was all right with letting her guard down enough to rest.
The smell of food led her from the showers to the diner. Her eyes quickly found Joe and she walked over to where he sat, then slid into the booth across from him and smiled.
He smiled back and nodded his approval. “You clean up nicely.”
She chuckled and was about to thank him yet again when the waitress walked over to get their order. The mention of food made her stomach growl, making her blush slightly as she looked over the menu and gave the waitress her order.
They made small talk while they waited for their food and then again when it came. Her mind was a million miles away, but she could still hold a decent conversation. Once she got back to the city she’d see about getting her job back. Hopefully Sydney would let her move back into her old room and hadn’t already rented it out. New York City was so expensive that you had to have multiple roommates to afford the rent in most places. She didn’t know what she’d do if Sydney had already given her room away on top of her position being filled by a replacement. Jobless she could do. Homeless she could not. The overwhelming feeling tugged at her again, trying to convince the tears to fall but she held them in. Julia held tightly to them because she knew if she let it happen she’d never be able to get herself to stop.
She was not a weak woman. Just because some jackass pretended to love her and robbed her instead, didn’t mean she was going to break. Big deal, people had their stuff taken from them every day. They didn’t go all sissy dick over it and let it ruin their lives and neither would she.
After they finished eating, Joe paid for the food and she went to collect her clothes. They looked so great to her clean. They reminded her of a few weeks past when everything in her life was in order.
Finally, they were off again to continue their journey toward Jamestown. She wondered how odd it would be if she asked Joe if she could stay with him. With him she felt safe and protected. Asking to stay with him would be too forward, and if she were honest, it would be taking the easy way out. What she needed to do was wake up and get back on track.
“Do you mind if I rest in the back seat?” she asked, her voice soft and edged with sleepiness.
“Sure,” Joe said as he watched her climb into the back seat. “Take it easy back there. I’ll wake you up when we get there if you’re still sleeping.”
“Thanks, Joe.” She reached up and put her hand on his shoulder as she gave him a grateful smile. “I mean it, thank you.”
Julia squeezed his shoulder lightly and then let her hand fall next to her on the seat as she stretched out and closed her eyes. She’d worry about her next ride after she recharged. She was exhausted and in that moment she just needed to rest.
Waiting For Us
©Dawn Stanton
Prologue
The warmth of the early morning sun on my face and the heat of a firm, male form pressed along my back, are the first things I notice as I slowly stir from a deep and satisfying sleep. It takes me a moment to fully grasp where I am and who I’m in bed with. His warm lips nuzzle the back of my neck and move over to nibble on the bottom of my ear. I smile to myself, I’d recognize those lips anywhere. I arch my back, rubbing against him like a cat purring for attention.
“This is the best morning I’ve ever had,” he whispers in my ear. I’m overcome with emotion and my throat tightens as I try to speak. He needs to hear that I feel the same. As I roll onto my back and look up at his handsome face, I am once again overwhelmed by the happiness I see reflected in his eyes. He opens his mouth and I place my finger over his lips, interrupting him with a gentle kiss from my fingertip. It takes me a moment to regain my voice.
“Let me say something first.” He’s always the one who puts himself out there and for once I want him to know what I’m feeling. “I love this, waking up in your arms. I can’t think of a better way to begin my day. I want to be with you, kiss you, make love with you and wake up with you, always.” The words have barely escaped my lips before he has me wrapped in his arms. As he holds me tight, I think of all the time it took us to get to this point and what a journey it’s been…
Chapter One
November 2004
I’ve never seen such an example of physical perfection as the one I’m staring at right now. He just strutted into our kitchen with my older brother Jake as if he’s been here hundreds of times before. He has black Wayfarers pushed up holding his brown, wavy, chin-length hair back and a canvas messenger bag slung across his broad chest. His plum colored Hawaiian shirt combined with jeans and brown leather flip flops gives off a bit of a hippy vibe. I’m not sure how I’m noticing anything aside from his gorgeous face…wow, that face. His cheekbones are chiseled and the strong angles of his jawline frame his plump and impossibly soft looking lips. Even though I’m only twelve years old, when he smiles at me, I feel a physical reaction, like hundreds of tiny butterflies fluttering crazily in my stomach.
“Hailey, this is my buddy and roommate at school, Cory.” As Jake introduces us, he politely shakes my hand with a nice firm grip. I’m almost incapable of speech when I glance into his whiskey-colored eyes for the first time. It takes me an extra beat before I finally manage to squeak out an awkward “Hi,” as I feel my face heat with a bright red flush of embarrassment.
“It’s nice to meet you, Hailey. Aren’t you adorable,” he says winking at me. At this point, I begin slinking lower and lower down the ladder back chair I’m sitting on while doing my homework and wanting to disappear under the kitchen table. I glue my eyes to my math textbook as if it’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever read.
“So Munchkin, where’s Mom?” I roll my eyes at his hideous nickname for me before glancing up at Jake.
“She’s gone grocery shopping. She should be home soon.”
“Okay Munchkin, Cory will be staying with us for the Thanksgiving break. I’m gonna go show him to his room.”
“Mhmm,” I mumble keeping my focus on my book as they leave the room. Oh my God! He’s staying for a week. How am I going to make it through all that time when I can barely speak around him?
Dinner tonight is excruciatingly painful for me. Cory is sitting directly across from me so unless I stare solely at my plate of food it’s pretty much impossible not to notice him. A couple of times I’ve glanced up and actually made eye contact with him and it’s caused chills to run up my spine. Oh God, he looks even better now than he did two hours ago. His chocolate-colored hair falls to his strong jawline in a perfect chaotic mess of waves and loose curls. Every once in a while he runs his fingers through its thickness and pushes it back off his face. The way each shiny strand returns to its place is mesmerizing.
I try to pay attention to the conversation going on around me, but I’m too focused on watching the way Cory’s large hands cut up his roast beef and the graceful way they lift his water glass to his full lips. When I’m able to pay attention and not be distracted by his good looks, I learn that he is from New Hampsh
ire and an only child of divorced parents. He has plans to remain in Boston after he and Jake graduate from Beacon University in two more years.
The rest of the week passes without me making a complete fool of myself and I don’t see Cory again until the next summer when I’m thirteen.
Unexpected Forfeit
©Sapphire Knight
Chapter One
CHYNA
I did it. I’m here again after I promised myself I wouldn’t. I’m a sucker though. As soon as I heard my friend, Aria, mention that she and her boyfriend, Gavin, were going to go watch Jace fight on Friday night, I knew I’d be here, too.
Glancing around, I take in the expanse of the auditorium. This grey expo building is big. Not huge like a Vegas fight, but pretty damn big. There are rows of stadium seating and large posters of previous fights hung up all around the huge room.
My gaze stops on my favorite of them all. Jace. The vice I can’t seem to break myself of. I may possibly be secretly obsessed with Jace “King” Kash. Obsessed with watching his fine, buff, ass fight, that is.
I’ve been to a total of five of his fights so far and each time it’s beyond exhilarating. I love the atmosphere. The stadium is filled with noisy people, thrumming with excitement to see someone get their ass kicked, and, so far, Jace hasn’t disappointed. He gets in the cage like he’s on a mission—never fucking around—just taking his opponent out.
I’m drawn away from his gorgeous poster as Avenged Sevenfold’s ‘Hail to the King’ starts blaring loudly throughout the auditorium, and it’s my cue that it’s finally time.
I squeeze my eyes closed as soon as the song starts to vibrate through my bones, relishing the feeling of everyone’s energy. My heart rate elevates, beating faster, ready to see him. My stomach flutters with flips of anticipation. Taking a deep breath, I peer toward the hall from where he’ll enter. I’m finally going to get my fix of pure muscled beefcake.
Jace swaggers out of the hall with determined footsteps, moving quickly down the walkway to the cage with his trainers following behind. He always has four guys with him that wear matching shirts. The shirts always have the same logo on them as his fighting shorts. Today he’s wearing black shorts with two giant white fists on each ass cheek.
He stops and peels off his team shirt. The guys by the cage check him over everywhere, paying close attention to his hands before he’s allowed to get in the cage. They always check them over closely; I’m assuming for hidden weapons. I know a few guys have been busted for fighting dirty, but who knows if that’s the real reason. I’ll have to ask Gavin about it if I remember.
This one isn’t a highly important fight, but Jace has to win some matches to get to the main fight in about two months. Aria’s given me the scoop on everything from her boyfriend ever since she first found out that I’ve been coming. I’m hoping Jace makes it to Vegas. If he does, I’m going to see if Aria and Gavin will go with me to watch the big fights. I’m sure Gavin will go since he and Jace are such good friends.
Jace’s body reminds me of a Spartan warrior. He’s pure perfection, weighing in at 250 pounds and six foot four inches tall. I may not be ready for a man, but I can damn sure fantasize about him all day long.
He enters the cage, not really paying attention to anyone. I cringe a little as some crazy, hard metal music starts pounding through the building to introduce the competition, Ford Johnson.
Ford’s about the same size as Jace; they’re evenly matched in that way only. Jace appears more focused, like he trains relentlessly. Ford always seems like this is just a big game to him and none of it matters. He reminds me of one of those privileged people, who has basically had everything handed over to them, but couldn’t care less. Not to mention he has such an obnoxious attitude, he seriously needs to be taken down a peg or two.
The event center people always play the fight interviews prior to their turn in the ring. They show them on big screens mounted throughout, and some of these guys are real cocky pieces of work. I’m sure winning fights must help build up their egos, but it’s very unbecoming.
Jace stalks around his side of the blue mat, alert that the enemy is near. He reminds me of a caged animal, waiting to pounce on the first person who gets too close to him. He’s usually this way right before he fights.
I think it gets people even more pumped up, waiting to see what Jace’s first move will be. The other fighters don’t seem to be able to handle his calm pacing. They get pissed and try to rouse him, but he’s like a stone, acting as if the other guys don’t even exist.
I’ve seen Ford fight before; it was a night right after one of Jace’s fights. I had decided to stay around, hoping there would be more matches with fighters who fought in the same style as Jace. I was sorely disappointed with the other fighters. They were shiesty, doing whatever they could to permanently hurt the opponent rather than participate in a competitive sport.
Ford tends to fight dirty. He likes to throw illegal elbows. He’s fairly good, but Jace is better and is going to pound him in the ground. I really hope Jace doesn’t get too messed up during the fight though. His face is way too gorgeous to be marred with bruises and cuts.
I lick my lips in anticipation, watching as Ford enters the cage sneering and barks something over at Jace. The announcer goes through his spiel about it being a clean fight, although we all know it probably won’t be. I mean, what is clean fighting anyhow?
Jace doesn’t acknowledge Ford at all, taking the high road until it’s time for them to tap hands and get to fighting. When their hands tap though, it’s like Jace disappears into his own world, ignoring everything else but his opponent. He flashes a smile at Ford quickly, and I’m guessing it’s probably something on his mouth piece he wants Ford to see. I imagine you would have to be in ‘the zone’ though in order to focus and not let any doubt creep up on you.
The crowd’s pretty obnoxious as usual. They’re all yelling at each of their favored contender to kill the other guy. I yell for Jace, cheering him on.
It smells a little musty in here, like a mix of gym, perfume, sweat, and blood. Gross, but goes with the territory I suppose. I don’t get how anyone can be eating during this though. The event planners probably make a fortune setting these fights up and only taking minimal care of the buildings, not to mention a beer is seven freaking dollars.
The fights always get me so pumped up, I feel like I could just go and punch some jerk’s face out after I watch one. I usually like to go workout at the gym and do my nighttime cardio blast class after I come here, to work off some leftover adrenaline. I use a small gym right next to an MMA training gym; I should see if they have any cool classes I could take there, too.
As the fight gets going, I watch the cage. Ford charges at Jace—his arms up, protecting his face. After a moment, Ford throws Jace to the floor, the crowd booing in response. Jace is the favored fighter tonight and the crowd isn’t afraid to let it be known.
“Chyna! Chyna!” I glance over to see Aria waving at me.
I’m glad I told her I was coming, so we could sit next to each other. Ever since I came to UT Austin for college, she has easily become one of my favorite people on campus. Considering I’ve already been here for three years I’ve met my fair share of fakes and assholes, so she’s a breath of fresh air.
“Hey girl, so glad you saved us some good seats!” Aria says excitedly.
She’s so adorable. I know she’s happy to be here with Gavin. They make such a charming couple. Aria’s really friendly and outgoing, whereas Gavin is quiet but nice. He opens up a little more and jokes once you get to know him. His brother’s a huge football star at the college—like a quarterback or something—and I think he’s used to having his brother be the center of attention.
Gavin’s the type that doesn’t realize how gorgeous he is. They are typically the type of guy who swoop in and steal your heart before you know it’s happened. Aria is definitely gone for him too.
“Of course, Aria, it was no problem!” I
beam at her and turn to her man, “What’s up, Gavin! Came to support your infatuation with Jace?”
I love giving him shit; he’s so alpha but a big softie when it comes to Aria. Makes me a little jealous I don’t have someone who’s like that with me, but I know I shouldn’t get serious about one person; they always end up leaving in the end anyhow.
Gavin and Jace are friends, and once I found that out, I started to grill the poor guy relentlessly about everything that has to do with Jace. I sucked in as much information he would give me, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t very much. I’m still secretly hoping he’ll fess up that he has pictures or something at their apartment. That way I can quietly fangirl stalk when I go over to hang out with Aria.
“’Sup Chyna, don’t hate.” Gavin grins and fist bumps me as they sit down.
I’m so jealous of his spar partner status with Jace. It’s like standing outside watching the cool kids play football without you. I want to be a cool kid, too, damn it!
The crowd cheers and we all quickly turn to the cage. I don’t like to take my eyes off of the fight, but I don’t want to be rude to my friend either. Jace and Ford are done with round one and round two has just begun. I can’t believe I just missed what happened. Shit!
Aria passes me the Dr. Pepper she bought from concessions and I could seriously just kiss her. “Thank you, beautiful!” I yell over the music and she nods happily.
“Gavin had training so we had to get here last minute. We’re all going to Club ATX after the fight; do you want to come with us?” Aria screams at me over the ACDC song playing throughout the room. Her eyes are glittery with excitement. She’s finally gotten as addicted to MMA as much as I am. At first she was a wimp about it all, but she’s gotten a lot better. Now she can watch other people fight besides Gavin and no longer feel like she’s going to be sick.