Blind (Senses Series Book 1) Read online

  The door cracks open and Frank’s fake tanned face appears.

  Why does he feel the need to still tan in his 40s?

  “It’s show time.” His eyes look me over and he whistles out while running a hand over his overly gelled black hair, reminding me of something out of every bad Jersey movie ever. “Are you my new Ring Side Girl?”

  Confidently I smirk. “And Event’s Coordinator.”

  “Done.” He nods assessing me over. “Damn Erin. Where’d you find this one hiding?”

  “My lips are sealed.” Erin makes a zipper motion.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” he grumbles. “Been trying to get you to put those red painted babies on my dick for months.”

  “Have you ever heard of sexual harassment?” she sneers.

  “Sweetheart you exploit yourself. I’m just looking for bonuses.” His tongue slides out of his mouth and he wiggles at her.

  I suddenly feel so unclean.

  She raises her perfectly arched eyebrows. “Well, you’re not getting any BONE-nus from me.”

  With another roll of his eyes he points to me. “Go!”

  Erin tilts my chin up so my eyes meet hers. “You can do this.” I sigh. “I mean it Maxx. You’ve got so many things going for you. It’s time the world knew. Go get ‘em.”

  With that, I strut out down the hall and around the back as the D.J. starts a rap song. Nervously, I march up the stage stairs.The basement is filled, and the crowd on the other side of the ring is hyped. Intoxicated. Horny. The crowd is filled with men and women alike, and the women are even less dressed than me and, more importantly, hotter too. Do not let that get you down Maxx.

  I pick up the signs and on cue sashay across the ring with my head high and a huge smile on my face like I’ve done this all my life, though I’ve never done this before. To my surprise, the male population in the crowd breaks out wild holding their beers up as I hold the sponsor sign up above my head. Spotting Erin off to the side, in an implied ‘employees only’ section, she instructs for me to wiggle.

  You think I should wiggle too? Ugh. Fine.

  I do. I give the crowd a shimmy and they explode, feeding me the confidence I need.

  “And in the ring tonight, prepared to make heads roll, we have Thunder!” the D.J. says loudly, as one of the fighters comes from around the corner, cloaked shirtless in white shorts, a cross tattoo on one of his pecs.

  He bounces around as I hold his sign up high and wiggle my hips towards him. The crowd calls out his name, and I decide that if I’m going to be brave and do this I might as well go all the way. I flip my hair over my shoulder, eye him, and wiggle my finger for him to come over. Intrigued he walks over, and I tap my cheek where I want him to plant a kiss. Without hesitation he leans over and I pretend to gasp and swoon over him. To my surprise the crowd loves the extra entertainment. The sound of their cheers gets louder.

  Thunder backs up to his side and the D.J. calls out, “And now coming in the ring, the one known for breaking hearts but never having his touched, Unbreakable!”

  Knowing Logan is fighting tonight was supposed to make this easier, not harder. I imagined that it would bring me comfort, instead I’m even more anxious for him to see me as more than just the girl he plays Left For Dead with. More than just the girl he had no problem shutting down years ago when she put her heart out there. For once, I’d love for him to look at me with the same predatory look in his eyes that all the other girls who march in and out of his bed get.

  I’m talking about the ‘I own your body’ look. The one that instantly makes your panties wet and leaves you wondering just what the fuck is wrong with you for responding that way. It’s not cavemen times anymore. I shouldn’t want him to throw me over his shoulders and bang me up against the wall. Don’t look at me like that. Like you’ve never wanted cave wall sex…

  Holding up Logan’s stage name for the crowd, I lick my lips and shoot a wink to them as they scream his name. I glance over my shoulder to see his jaw gaping. A look I’ve never seen. Just like I did for Thunder I pop my hip to the side, wiggle a finger to beckon him, and point to the spot where I want him to kiss my cheek.

  With brashness he walks over, snakes an arm around my waist pulling me into him tightly, and kisses my cheek as I swoon for him.

  No faking necessary. He’s the kind of guy you wouldn’t fake ANYTHING for. Ever had a man like that? Yeah, me neither.

  After his lips slip off my cheek, his hot breath whispers in my ear, “You look hot as fuck.”

  I don’t know how, but I manage to stay upright in my heels. Between the heat of his body, the intoxicating aroma of his sweat, and the sound of his voice saying words I’ve spent years dreaming about, I have to call it a miracle.

  Definitely a miracle.

  As soon as Logan is where he should be, I take my cue and disappear out of the ring the way I came, trying the entire way to try to catch my breath.

  Yeah. My Fairy Godmother is way better than Cinderella’s. What? No you can’t have her. Get your own.

  Chapter 4

  Maxx

  I would be full of shit if I tried to say I didn’t wake up wet this morning with the thought of Logan Kellar’s voice saying the word fuck at me. His hot breath. His hard body.

  My hand slides up my naked thigh as my hips roll in anticipation. With my eyes closed I imagine that it’s Logan’s hand. I bite my bottom lip as my finger threatens to touch myself. Growling, I toss my blanket off of me.

  Like I haven’t spent enough time masturbating to thoughts of him in my life. Oh please don’t start. It’s too early for that look. What do you expect from me? Logan and I have been friends for over a decade.

  I pull on a pair of yoga shorts, a bra, a tank top, and a sweatshirt before heading out of my room. As I walk down the hall, I pass Luke’s room, thankfully his is the one I share a bathroom with. I merely glance at Logan’s shut door that rests at the opposite end of the hall from mine. Didn’t hear him come in last night, but I highly doubt he came home alone.

  He’s never come home alone after a Fight Night.

  Just as I turn to take the stairs my theory is proven right by a blonde female walking around the kitchen with her clear heels dangling from her fingertips.

  I thought only hookers wore clear shoes.

  I fight the urge to growl as I get closer.

  Great. It’s not just another random one nighter. She’s a repeat offender.

  Thankfully, I see Luke sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee pressed to his lips as he stares at her with a look similar to mine. Erin, on the other hand, is sitting on the countertop closest to the fridge, popping blueberries in her mouth while staring at the anomaly in our presence.

  Liz opens the pantry door and Erin sighs. “There’s still nothing organic in there.”

  She looks over her shoulder. “Do you have any idea how bad these sugary cereals are? How many calories?” I reach around her and pull out a box, and she sneers at me. “Obviously you do.”

  Before I can answer, Erin calls out, “I wouldn’t fuck with Maxx before she’s had her breakfast if I were you.” Liz turns around and raises her eyebrows. “She stabbed the last girl with a spoon.”

  I didn’t stab her okay? I popped her pretty hard on the back of the hand.

  “That’s not even possible,” Liz says. I stare at her dead in the eyes as I fill my cereal bowl at the island across from Luke. “Is it?”

  This is really the kind of girl Logan prefers? The kind that can’t even tie their own shoes so they don’t wear laces. And to think I’m busy wondering what’s wrong with me. I should be worried about what’s wrong with him and why he chooses such useless creatures. But I know the answer to it. They only last for a moment. And that’s all he’s looking for. That’s all he’s ever really been looking
for.

  Rolling my eyes, I grab a spoon and take a bite as she lingers in the room with the three of us. “You can go now.”

  “I was just gonna wait for Unbreakable to wake up.” She points towards his room.

  They never know his real name. Is it bad that I like it better this way? Makes it feel like he’s two people instead of just the one I can’t have. Never mind. That sounds as pathetic as I thought it would.

  “God no,” Luke says over his coffee. Erin and I stifle our giggles as he tries to redeem himself. “I mean, you know how he is. Likes to spend the day after Fight Night resting and in isolation.”

  “Right,” she hums out. “Will you tell him to call?”

  “The doctor for a Herpes check?” I question.

  She glares at me preparing to answer, when Luke cuts her off. “Sure.”

  Liz walks out of the kitchen, out the front door, and if I’m lucky out of our lives forever. Moments later, Logan’s bedroom door creaks open, and he strolls out rubbing his blue eyes. He looks like some sort of Greek deity even with bed head. He’s shirtless, to no surprise, and a pair of loose gym shorts are revealing the v muscles that I spent much of my youth drooling over.

  And not to mention my adulthood. I know! I know! But you try having basically a walking male model in your life and not drool.

  Quickly, I shove a bite of chocolate cereal in my mouth as he takes the stairs two at a time.

  “Good morning.”

  “It is now that the inflatable wonder bitch is gone,” I say through my mouth full.

  Erin tosses her head back as she giggles loudly. “Wow. Well said.”

  “Really though.” Luke pulls on his scrubs top. “How many more times is the lovely Liz going to grace us with her presence?”

  I grunt. “Grace? Really? Isn’t that being overly generous? Shouldn’t we be using the word plague?”

  Erin shakes her head. “Isn’t she past her expiration date?”

  “That she is.” Logan leans against the island counter right beside me. His eyes wander up into mine and suddenly it’s too hard to chew. My tongue is too thick for my mouth and my throat is closing up. “Bite?”

  I watch as he licks his perfect lips and slides his mouth open. Doing as he requests, I feed him, and after he lets out a soft moan.

  Yup. I’m done.

  Feeling my temperature rise I push the bowl towards him.

  You heard that right? He did that on purpose, huh?

  “Finished?”

  “Yeah.” I turn to return the milk back to the fridge but not before seeing the crooked smirk on Erin’s face.

  She knows. She’s always known how I’ve felt. We both thought I was over Logan. And I was until last night. Until he said what he did. Damn it!

  With my composure regained, I turn back around to see him drinking the milk, droplets landing on his chest dripping down towards his washboard abs.

  I wish I could lick it off.

  Yeah. Totally over those feeling Maxx.

  He wipes away his milk mustache with the back of his hand. “Besides being up criticizing my sex life, why are you all up so fucking early?”

  “Some of us have to work.” Luke checks his watch, obviously he’s about to bail.

  “Ugh don’t remind me,” Erin says as I lean against the counter beside her. “I have an appointment for an entire wedding party today, and the bride could easily be on the Best of Bridezilla.”

  “Maximus?” His nickname always makes me smirk.

  He’s the only one allowed to use it. He’s threatened to beat up every other guy that’s tried. To their face. Protective but off limits. Awesome.

  Think I could trade protective off limits for slightly defensive totally screwable? Yeah. I didn’t think so.

  “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “You got plans?” I shake my head. Quickly he smiles. “Good. That means we can conduct our post fight routine as scheduled. Sleep together, order pizza, and watch a movie marathon. Today James Bond is on T.V.”

  His description of what has become the normal for us makes me to want to smile. However, the faint smell of Liz’s perfume is lingering in the kitchen, and it disgusts me. I grumble. “There’s no way I’m sleeping with you in your bed that wreaks of bad decisions and Chanel No. 5.”

  “We’ll sleep in your bed,” he chuckles folding his arms across his chest right underneath the Unbreakable tattoo, where the U is part of the chains that are wrapped around each of his biceps and intricately connected in the back.

  I was the one who sat with him for hours to get that done when he turned 18. Always the stability for the unstable guy.

  “It’s more comfortable anyway.”

  “Sees less action.”

  “By a lot,” Erin clarifies.

  You agree that that was uncalled for and a bit bitchy right?

  I elbow her in the calf and she yelps, “Ouch.” Changing the subject she says, “Nice fight last night. Haven’t seen you hit that hard in quite awhile. It was like you had something different on your mind. Something pushing you. Something more worth fighting for…” Her eyes flick to me briefly. “Did you?”

  “Not subtle,” Luke mumbles as he hops off the stool, his phone alerting him that it’s time for him to go.

  I look at Logan not sure I can stomach the answer either way. Thankfully, I don’t have to because Erin’s cellphone starts singing an obnoxious song. She pulls it out and snaps, “Shit! It’s my boss.” Flipping it open she answers in her professional voice, “This is Erin.”

  She dismisses herself, leaving her dish on the counter, and quickly heads for her master bedroom downstairs, my guess is to change. Looks like Bridezilla is demanding her even earlier than expected.

  “Did you stick around to see me fight?”

  “Don’t I always?”

  With a cocky smirk he sighs, “That you do.”

  Between the smirk and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he’d fought better after what he said to me on stage, the temperature in the kitchen seems to be reaching Hades levels, and if I don’t get out of it soon, there’s a real good chance I might pass out from a lack of oxygen.

  If I do, maybe the hot firemen will come and rescue me. Maybe make him a little jealous? Sounds like a good plan huh? No? Fine. Be the reasonable one.

  “Nap?” I ask. I take the hair tie off my wrist and pull my hair into a messy bun. Logan simply nods and follows me out of the kitchen back towards the carpeted stairs, back towards the very bed that I know he’ll only fall asleep with me in.

  Look, I know there’s a saying that it’s better to have a piece of someone’s heart than none of it all, but I beg to fucking differ. Especially when the piece of someone’s heart is one of your best friends. And especially when the piece of someone’s heart is a guy who is as untouchable as he is unbreakable.

  Chapter 5

  Logan

  I’ll never forget the first time I slept in the same bed with Maxx. She’d just moved into town and into her aunt’s place. She’d sat with Erin at lunch, and I remember wondering how long Erin was going to give to this new pet project. Baggy jeans. An old video game t-shirt, Mario Brothers. How can you not love Mario Brothers?

  Oversized glasses with her hair all over her head. I knew what Erin saw, and that was a disaster project she could play with. She loved having life sized dolls to play with. And what did I see? A girl who probably had her own fucked up past to hide from. You know what they say, trouble recognizes trouble. Only difference was she was looking to find solid ground, which Erin and Luke were golden for. With parents like theirs who had a firm open door policy for their friends, it was a no brainer that Maxx ended up getting sucked in.

  After school that day, Erin demanded I walk Maxx home because she had a dance lesso
n and Luke had soccer.

  You’ve met Erin by now. When she says to do something you just kind of fucking do it. She’s like me. We don’t really do ‘no’ very well, if at all.

  So I did. And when the old man stumbled in later that night after he had clearly been at the bar drinking, I snuck out my window and into hers. Without question, she invited me to sleep beside her and without question she kept her window unlocked for me from that night on. I didn’t always find myself in her bed, but over the years I can honestly say the chances were higher for me going to be beside her versus anywhere else. Even after I’d bang a girl’s brains out and she’d beg me to stay, I wouldn’t. I told them upfront it wasn’t in the deal.

  Look. Get this now. I can’t give Maxx what she wants most. I just can’t. But I can give her that.

  She wiggles beside me and stretches her mocha colored arm across my lower abs pulling me into her with a heavy sigh.

  Fuck. You know, if I thought I could give her what she wanted I would. But I can’t. She wants me to be permanent. Do you have any idea what that fucking means? That means raising the ante. Chancing the possibility of taking a sharp shot to an open chest because you’ve stayed in one spot for too long. I’ll be straight with you. I didn’t learn much from my old man ‘cause he was a son of a bitch, but what I did learn, after numerous beatings, was it’s best to keep moving. Less chance at getting knocked out. Less pain. Less chance of getting hurt. Papa wasn’t a rolling stone. Papa was a raging fist.

  Her nails grip my hip and I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from making any sound.

  Fuck, it takes everything in me not to roll her over and bury myself balls deep. I thought fucking a sure thing like Liz last night would get the images of Maxx out of my head, but all it did was make me wish Maxx had been the girl under me last night. It got so bad I couldn’t fucking come. Had to jerk off after she fell asleep. Lied and told her too much adrenaline left over from the fight. She didn’t complain. After three orgasms they rarely do. You wouldn’t complain after three orgasms in a row either.