Hammered (Blue Bay Crew #3)- Cathryn Fox Page 0,92
chastise me for not carefully guarding my private life and putting everything in jeopardy. He just put his arm around me and took me home. He’s a good big brother like that, so when he asked if I’d travel to New Jersey with him for his fight, I agreed. He’s always there when I need him, so I want to be there when he needs me.
I stare out the window, and the landscape comes into view as the plane descends, preparing to land. Something niggles in the back of my mind. “Wait, I thought your fight was in Vegas.” Cripes, I’d been so wrapped up in myself, I never even stopped to consider anything else. I’m such a shitty sister.
“That’s next week, remember.”
“What day is it?”
He grins, and shakes his head. “The day doesn’t matter. All that matters is seeing you happy again.”
I force a smile. “I take it that means you’re going to win this fight.” Watching him win always makes me happy.
“Actually, you’re the one who’s going to win, Haven,” he says, and I stare at him.
“What does that mean?”
He folds his big barrel arms across his chest. “You’ll see.”
“Jeez, when did you become so cryptic?”
“When did you start asking a million questions?”
I roll my eyes and stare at the magazine, but the words just blur before me. I toss it aside, and tilt my head back to rest it on the seat. Sleep hasn’t been coming easy to me these days, and when I do finally drift off, my dreams are always filled with Tyler.
Sweet Tyler, who went out of his way to protect me. A man who said he wasn’t interested in kids, yet is so good with them. A guy who doesn’t do relationships, yet played house with me and remained monogamous the whole time. A man who said he’d only ever put my best interests first.
Stop thinking about him.
Ignoring that inner voice, I let my mind drift again, and relive the way those rough and tough fighter hands touched me with passion and tenderness. How could a guy who displayed such caring concern for everyone, turn around and do something so horrible?
Maybe he didn’t.
As that thought hits like a slap to the face, my lids fly open and I find my brother watching me carefully. “Why do you and Tyler hate each other so much? Was it just because you guys were rivals, or was it something else?” I’ve always been a bad judge of character and it would make me feel so much better if he just told me Tyler was a shitty guy.
“I was wondering when you were going to ask me about him.”
I sit up a little straighter. “You were?”
“I’m surprised it took you so long.”
“What’s between you two? Did he steal your girl or something?” I joke with a snort, but really, I am curious. Being rivals is one thing, but why all the hate? The Tyler I saw and fell in love with was liked by everyone.
My brother cocks his head and stares me down, like I’m one of his opponents. “Please, Haven.” He points at himself. “Have you seen this face? This is the face that has girls fighting for a piece of me, not running the other way.”
I laugh at his playfulness. “Ego much,” I say but as soon as the words leave my lips, I’m once again thinking of Tyler and his ego. I consider his reputation as a player, and how that first night we slept together I straight up said I wasn’t looking for a future. He responded with, ‘No future, I get it.’
I took that to mean he didn’t want one either, but what if I was wrong? What if I was wrong about a lot of things, mainly him tipping off the reporter?
“Rock.”
“Yeah.”
“How come you’re still single?”
He snorts out a laugh. “You really are full of questions today.” He leans forward and braces his elbows on his knees. “Where is this coming from?”
“I just…I don’t know. Just curious.”
“I’m a fighter, the kind of guy a girl wants to get with, not marry. I train a lot, and travel a lot. I’m not what you’d call good boyfriend or husband material. I’m a notch on the bedpost, Haven. Women aren’t looking for a future from me, and I’ve come to accept it.”
My heart races a bit faster, as I wrap my brain around that. “Do you think most fighters like you feel that way?”