“Yeah,” Hector had agreed with a laugh. “If he says anything about Mom, hold it in until you’re in the ring tomorrow, and then let him have it.”
Abel had seen plenty of these pre-fight conferences go south when things got too personal. He’d even seen McKinley get swung at a few times because he talked so much shit. He wasn’t the least bit worried about losing it today. He’d seen plenty of this idiot on television. It was obvious that this guy ate up the attention he got for being obnoxious. He just wanted this over with so he could get back to his room and Nellie.
After today, he had strict orders to just relax and take in as much of the weight-gaining protein drinks as he possibly could. He had every intention of doing just that. From tonight until tomorrow, it’d be all about room service and Nellie. He couldn’t think of a better way to spend his time before the fight.
Making their way slowly through the crowd until they were in the room where the conference would take place, Abel was certain that he’d be blind before it was all over. The cameras in the room were worse. He looked down as they kept walking, not wanting anymore flashes in his face.
They’d barely walked in the room, and he could already hear someone running his mouth. “That’s the younger of his two brothers,” Hector whispered, leaning into Abel. Abel glanced up to see the same grease-ball-looking guy he’d seen on TV trash talking him. Only this time, instead of a Pistons jersey, he was suited up like everyone else. “He’s the worst of the two.” He saw Hector stretch his neck around. “I don’t see the other one.”
They got the formalities out of the way, and even the press conference with reporters trying to get a rise out of them went well. Abel kept his cool and answered all their questions without much of a reaction. Then came the photo ops for the press. This was what everyone was waiting for, to see Abel and McKinley nose to nose. Abel’s plan was simple. He’d stare him down hard and let him talk all the trash he wanted. As long as the guy didn’t touch him, he wouldn’t lose his cool, no matter what he said.
The cameras went crazy, flashing away as they stood there facing off. To his surprise, McKinley didn’t say anything at first, just stared him down. But his brother who stood just behind him was still running his mouth—a bunch of shit about Abel going down and how he was a chavala who’d be calling the fight in two rounds, three tops. Abel focused on McKinley’s freakishly light blue eyes.
“Just like your dirty gangsta daddy, you going down Ayala.” McKinley’s brother kept on, and it got the room buzzing.
“Be cool,” Gio whispered just behind Abel. “It’s almost over.”
Abel swallowed hard as the guy’s mouth kept running. This little fucker wouldn’t break him. He focused on drowning out his words. He was almost out of here. Soon he’d be exactly where he wanted to be, and tomorrow it was on.
“. . . show Nellie what it’s like to be with a real man, not some punk-ass kid.”
That broke his focus, and he glanced away from McKinley for a second to glare at his annoying ass brother. Did he just say what he’d thought he’d heard him say, or was Abel so focused on getting back to Nellie that he thought he heard her name?
Bringing his eyes back to McKinley to continue the stare down, he noticed the smirk tugging at the corner of McKinley’s mouth. “I heard she’s a good fuck.” McKinley said smugly, but in a voice so low that Abel was sure only he heard in the already buzzing room.
For a moment, Abel wondered if this guy was stupid enough to follow up, clarifying that by she, McKinley meant his mom. As much as Abel had insisted he’d keep his cool, he wasn’t sure now he would if that were the case. Still he continued staring him down, refusing to give him the reaction he knew McKinley was digging for.
“I heard she sucks dick like a pro.”
Abel couldn’t help pinching his brows and clenching his teeth. He’d also started breathing a little harder through his nose. He’d been warned enough about this guy, but this kind of trash talking had to be crossing the line. McKinley smirked even bigger now.
“I heard Nellie spreads her—”
“What did you say?” Abel grabbed him by his vest, and instantly everyone around them rushed in to break it up, the cameras going even crazier. As much as they tried to separate them, Abel had a death grip on McKinley’s vest. “What the fuck did you say, asshole?”
“She’s a freak in the sheets,” McKinley’s brother said, stupidly moving in close enough to Abel’s face.
It was the only thing that made Abel let go of McKinley and swing at his brother instead. The guy went down instantly, and suddenly there were punches being thrown from every direction. Instinctively, Abel turned and looked for Hector in the brawl. He was holding his own, throwing a few impressive punches himself. Andy had moved out of the way and was the only one in his entourage not involved.
Microphones, tables, and cameras went down as the brawl moved around and bodies continued to fall, thankfully none from Abel’s side. It took a while, but when they finally broke it up, they told both sides they were free to leave. Since McKinley’s people were still yelling obscenities, security hurried Abel and his entourage out before another brawl broke out.
Still burning from McKinley and his brother’s comments, he wondered how the hell they got the news of him and Nellie so fast. As satisfying as it had been to knock McKinley’s obnoxious brother the fuck out, he was still pissed at himself for having let them get to him. Now after the fact, he knew it had been their sole intention. For months, they’d tried everything to make him snap, and now they knew the one thing that would.
Noah, of course, read his mind. “It happened one day before the fight. They can’t do much now. It’s a little late to get in your head now, right?”
“Just keep away from the TV, radio, and Internet from now until tomorrow.” Gio said, clapping him on the shoulder as they made their way down the corridor that led to his private elevator.
“Absolutely,” Andy agreed. “That brawl is gonna be shown over and over until tomorrow and even after—guaranteed. It’s probably already been uploaded to YouTube. The promoters will be milking that shit for every penny-sucking minute of it they can. People who don’t usually watch fights will be paying to watch it tomorrow after the video of that brawl goes viral.” Andy glanced down at his phone screen. “It hasn’t even been ten minutes, and the headlines are already quoting McKinley’s reaction. I won’t tell you what he’s saying because it doesn’t even matter. Just do yourself a favor and do not turn on your TV or anything where you’ll get even a glimpse of the hype.”
Abel cursed himself for having given them what they wanted. Well, he sure as fuck wasn’t giving them the satisfaction of hearing them trash talk him anymore. He hadn’t read any of the stories about himself since the Rachel ones broke out. Ever since then, he’d avoided all the bullshit, and he wasn’t about to go back to hearing about it now. He’d handle that asshole in the ring. For now, a good long dose of Nellie was all he needed to feel better.
He frowned when he realized everyone seemed to be coming back to his suite with him. All of them, with the exception of Noah who’d stopped to take a call, were walking with him to the elevator. Pulling his own phone out, he texted Nellie to let her know he wasn’t coming back to the room alone. No way was he chancing her opening the door in something sexy and giving the whole gang a show.
To his relief, everyone except Gio and Hector said their goodbyes at the elevator. Andy reminded him to avoid all headlines and any hype. “You need to go in that ring clearheaded,” he said, tapping his own temple. “Is Nellie staying with you tonight?”
“You already know the answer to that.” Abel pushed the button for the elevator, annoyed and not bothering to look at Andy.
“I’m just saying—”
“Well, don’t ’cause I’m done listening.”
Sighing a bit exaggeratedly, Andy once again did the right thing and shut up about it, saying goodbye instead.
Abel was only glad the girls were supp
osed to be arriving soon so these guys would be gone soon too. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with Nellie until the fight. It was all the relaxation he needed and then some. He’d happily shut the rest of the world off and concentrate on just her.
Glancing down at his phone again, he checked the other text he had from his mom.
15Mijjjo. La telvisson ? Que? Paso? Bien?
Groaning, he showed Hector the text. “She’s getting better at it.” Hector laughed.
That’s not what Abel had been groaning about. Obviously his mom had seen the brawl on TV. He’d now have to spend time on the phone, explaining to her what happened, which also meant telling her about Nellie sooner than he’d anticipated. The only reason she probably hadn’t called already was because she most likely assumed he was still in the conference.
That wasn’t a call he wanted to make in his room with Nellie within earshot, but he was certain that his mother would be calling soon enough, so he’d get this over with now.
“Let me make this call before we go up,” he told all three guys, now that Noah was there too.
Taking a few steps away from them, he called his mom. As expected, she sounded alarmed about the brawl. “That happens a lot actually, Ma,” he assured her, still irritated that he’d been so certain it wouldn’t happen to him.
“But what did he say that made you so angry? You’re usually so composed. Your Tia Guillermina says that’s all for show, but I know you, Mijo. You don’t do show. So what did that desgraciado say to you?”
Abel pinched the rim of his nose and took a deep breath. “He said some disrespectful things about Nellie.”
His mom was quiet for a moment. “Nellie? Roni’s friend?”
“Yes, Roni’s friend,” he said, walking away even further from the guys since his brother was already laughing.
“I don’t understand. What do they know about Nellie and . . .” That’s the moment he knew it hit her. “How would they know it would make you so angry? Why did it make you so angry? You told me you were not dating her.”
“I am now, and I have no idea how they know about her. I hadn’t told anyone.”
“Mijo, isn’t she Roni’s age?”
“Yeah, she is.” he said very firmly. “She’s twenty-nine, but I don’t care about that.”
“She’s divorced too, no?”
“Yep,” he said, turning back to Hector, who was obviously still within hearing range, because he was getting a kick out of his conversation. “She’s divorced, Mom. And again, I don’t give a shit about that either.”
“Grosero! Don’t use that language when you’re talking to me.”
After apologizing and getting through the rest of her inquisition, his mom finally finished her questioning about Nellie or so he thought. She’d be watching the fight from home because she never watched any of their fights at all. She was only watching this one because it was such a big deal and because she could change the channel or turn the TV off if she got too nervous, but she still refused to watch her son’s fight in person.
“We’ll talk more about Nellie when you get home. Call me tomorrow before the fight.”
Great, this wasn’t over. At the very least, he’d made it clear that while he’d respect her opinion his mind was made up. With Nellie back on his mind, he hurried back toward the elevator.
“So are you grounded?” Hector asked.
“Shut up,” Abel said as he slid his room card then pushed the elevator button but couldn’t help smirking. His brother was such an ass. He was loving this shit.
Gio and Noah each said they were out. They’d only stuck around to give him a few more last-minute tips on what to and not to eat or do before the fight tomorrow. Hector stuck around after Gio and Noah left, but it wasn’t until then that he let Abel know that he was going back to his room too. “Curious,” he peered at Abel. “It takes a lot for you to lose it. What exactly did he say to you? Was his brother talking about Nellie when he said that she’s a freak in the sheets?”
Abel nodded. “And McKinley said some real nasty shit too. I mean I knew he was big on trash talking, but this stuff was just dirty.” Abel shook his head, frowning. “I wasn’t even sure who he was referring to at first, and then he said her name and I lost it.”
“She’s staying with you all weekend?” Nodding again, Abel leaned against the wall since his brother didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. The elevator had come and gone long ago. “And you’re still seeing her, but not really?”
“No, I’m seeing her for real now.”
Abel figured that since he’d already told his mom and soon the world would know he may as well tell Hector. He smirked when he saw Hector’s brow jump. Of course, he’d be surprised since all this time Abel had been so adamant that it wasn’t anything serious.
“Really?” Hector cracked a smile. “Well, I’m only surprised you’re finally admitting it, because, dude, your poker face sucks when you’re around her. You’re so obviously whipped. I’ve known you had a thing for her since way before the cruise.” Hector looked at him strangely. “How long has it been for real?’
“On the way up here, we finally talked about it and got it straight.”
“Ah,” Hector nodded satisfied. “No wonder. So this is as recent as yesterday.”
“Yeah,” Abel pushed away from the wall since Hector began to back away. “What do you mean no wonder?”
“Nothing really. It’s just that a few weeks back at Noah’s she was talking about some dude with the girls when I walked up to Charlee and it got my attention. Roni said Nellie had met some guy the night before with eyes that captivated Nellie or some shit like that.”
Working his jaw, Abel thought back to how tortured he’d felt that night and every time he thought of her on her dates. Eyes that captivated her? No matter how long ago that was, it was still grating to hear about it.
Hector said he had a live chat to get on with his girl, who was at a chess tournament in Canada, and took off. Finally, Abel would get to where he’d been dying to be all day—his room with Nellie.
~*~
Shocked didn’t even begin to describe how Nellie felt when Abel told her that McKinley and his detestable people not only already knew about their relationship but were using it to bait him. She hated that she’d been the cause of Abel losing it. He refused to tell her the ugly things they’d said. He only said that it made him even more anxious to get the asshole in the ring. Of course, that only made her more nervous. But she was glad that he wanted to avoid the media hype completely. The thought of them saying more things about her or their relationship to upset him made her even more uneasy. She’d be doing the same thing. Seeing her name in any of the headlines for whatever reason would have her hyperventilating for certain.
It was the day of the fight. As much as she was trying to enjoy their day alone in Abel’s suite, Nellie was having the hardest time relaxing. Ever since last night when Abel got back to the room and told her about the brawl and the reason for it, she’d had a knot in her stomach. Then that morning she’d gotten another text from Logan, which she planned on ignoring. The last thing she wanted was to have any sort of discussion that might upset Abel. He had strict instructions to relax all day and keep his head clear. She knew bringing up the fact that Logan was still texting her about Sam would ruin the relaxing aura he was supposed to be having today. Even their lovemaking had been just that. Any strenuous or mind-blowing acts like so many of the hot and sweaty ones she’d experienced with him so far—the fun and dirty kind where they both came to loud moaning and breathtaking climaxes—were axed today. Instead their lovemaking had been slow, deep, drawn out, and beautiful. Nellie wasn’t sure now which she preferred more.
Still lying there with her head against Abel’s chest, basking in the glow of the incredible climax she was just coming down from, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Abel reached for it, and she flinched, so he stopped and looked at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,?
?? she said, caressing his incredible chest with her fingers.
“You want your phone?”
She nodded, already mad at herself for being so jumpy, but she had such a bad feeling in her gut. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Now she could only pray that it wasn’t Logan again and that Abel wouldn’t see his name on her screen.
Letting out a slow breath when she saw the text was from Emily, she smiled at Abel and showed him. “Emily, my assistant.”
He smiled back, moving a strand of hair away from her face. “The mixer still all good?”
“It was the last time I talked to Emily and the new accountant,” she said, hitting the envelope with Emily’s text, hoping everything was still fine. She’d told her to text her if anything came up. “Her sister is getting married this weekend.”
I’m about to board a plane, but I’ve been sitting here at the airport, glued to the monitors with all the gossip and even news channels going on and on nonstop about you and Sam. OMFG! They’ve been talking about that more than the fight of the decade! I’ll be turning off my phone now, but as soon as I get to Phoenix, I’ll turn it on. Call me if you need to vent, cry, scream! Holy shit! *hugs* Sweetie!
Nellie sat up, suddenly needing her inhaler. Going on and on about her and Sam? Feeling the wheezing start, she thought of the argument Sam had been in with that guy that first night she arrived in Vegas and all the people taking pictures. Had they photographed her going into that staff only room with him? They’ve been talking about that more than the fight of the decade? What in the world were they saying? Call me if you need to vent, cry, scream? What would upset her so much?
“You okay?” Abel sat up, staring at her, looking very concerned.
Nellie wheezed in loudly. She hadn’t realized she was having such a hard time breathing.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Abel was immediately on his knees, holding her by the shoulders.