Page 13 of My Little Secret

Chapter 6

HAWK

The world knewme as a strong man, but by day three of showing up at the bar I’d met Sadie in, hoping that she’d return and find me, I knew I was weaker than weak.

My assistant trainer suspected something was up when I’d shown up for practice that first day in town with bags under my eyes and the slowest response time of my career. At least Travis wasn’t in town yet to see how badly I’d practiced. I’d fucked up big time staying up so late with Sadie, but I couldn’t feel bad about it if I tried. With just under two weeks until match day, I’d get into the swing of things again.

As long as I didn’t put my hands on Sadie again.

Wouldn’t be a hard thing to achieve, since she’d bolted early in the morning without leaving me any way to contact her. The disappointment nearly buckled my knees when I woke up.

We’d had an intimate night. An amazing night. We had a to-do list, for God’s sake. Her leaving like that showed me I must have been wrong about her.

Even though it still felt like I wasn’t.

Maybe that was why I kept showing up to this goddamn bar, hoping she’d waltz up to my seat, right where I’d been the night she sent that drink my way. I arrived each night just before nine, as I had the first time. But how long would I keep this up without any results? I could only come to this bar for water so many times before the truth sank in: Sadie had been a firework show in the long night of my love life. A reminder that sweet, fun moments could wrench my heart open, but I had no way to control it, no way to even count on it.

I didn’t know what to do with that.

I stayed for an hour each night. That seemed like a fair compromise. I checked my phone as I sipped on water. Still had a half hour left. Plenty of time for her to come and make me feel like less of an idiot. Like maybe we’d shared something cool and rare.

The bartender refilled my glass. This time I asked for a lime wedge. Just to shake things up. He brought one for me, and I poked at it in the glass of water, feeling glum.

I glanced back at the door. No Sadie. I was officially wasting my time. Tonight had to be the last night I’d wait. But maybe just tomorrow night too, to be sure…

I zoned out, checking my phone occasionally as social media alerts lit up the screen. Lots of new comments on the teaser promo we’d released in advance of my big interview with Brute, my opponent here in Denver. He and I had an infamous rivalry going, something that enthralled fans but also irritated the fuck out of me. He constantly took shots at my personal life, accusing me of bogus shit. He seemed like an insecure little corndog. I didn’t even know the guy, but he came after me as if I’d fucked his sister. Some of these guys just lived on drama. He was newer to the fight scene, so maybe he was trying to make a splash. Or maybe just trying to compensate for a tiny dick.

After I downed my last glass of water, I checked my phone again. Time for the sad truth. Sadie wasn’t here. Again. I fished my wallet out of my back pocket, so I could leave the bartender a nice tip for feeding me tap water all night. A hand slid over my shoulder, and I froze, goosebumps shivering up and down my back.

“Hawk.”

I blinked once, already knowing who it was. I turned slowly, hesitant to believe it. Sadie looked back at me, a wry smile on her face. I clenched my jaw to suppress the wave of relief that threatened my cool.

“Look who it is.” I abandoned the search for my wallet, leaning back into my bar chair. “Little Miss Runaway.”

She smirked, sliding onto the bar stool next to me. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a loose bun, an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt visible beneath her parka. Like maybe she’d come here after the gym…or maybe after she’d thought better of it.

“I told you, I had to leave that morning.” She flagged down the bartender, and I gobbled up the sight of her. Being next to her was like a drug. Every nerve ending in my body lit up. “I hoped I might find you here.”

I bit my tongue before I could admit I’d been coming here exclusively hoping to see her. “Yeah, it’s my hangout now, I guess.”

“How was training the next day?” She nudged me with her shoulder.

“Hell.” I cracked a grin, trying not to let the memories of our night cloud my brain. I battled that enough already. “What about you? Did you make it to work?”

“Barely. I think everyone in a mile radius could sense the sex glow.” The bartender arrived, and she ordered a glass of red wine.

“Put it on my tab,” I said before the bartender walked away.

She grinned. “That’s sweet.”

“You better drink it fast,” I told her. “We don’t have much time.”

Sadie lifted a perfectly sculpted brow. Certain expressions reminded me of the glossy models in magazines. She was beautiful in a conventional way, but even more beautiful in a way that I couldn’t even explain. “Why’s that?”

“Bedtime’s coming soon.” I tapped a non-existent watch. “We’ve got a lot to do.”

She didn’t look away from me as the bartender poured her glass of wine right in front of her. “We can’t finish that list all in one night.”

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