Forever with You

Perfect timing, too, because I heard Mr. Bowser’s voice—er, Marcus. He’d insisted that I call him Marcus. Stretching up, I peered over my cubicle. My eyes widened. It was Marcus walking with Andrew Lima. The man who owned Lima Academy was shorter than me, but even though he was well into his fifties, the body under the shirt and nylon pants was that of twenty-year-old. He was smiling at something Marcus said, his teeth a brilliant white against skin that reminded me of sunbaked clay. The man was definitely handsome, even with the two cauliflower ears and the thin scar that ran across a nose that had obviously been broken a time or dozen. It was crazy—the older man probably knew exactly where to deliver a blow that would immobilize a person or worse in under a second.

My heart tripped up and the acid in my stomach started bubbling. I was nervous to meet my boss for the first time.

Andrew and Marcus also weren’t alone.

Beside Andrew Lima was the one and only Brock “the Beast” Mitchell. I knew this because it’s what his shirt said. Plus the guy was built. Not as overly done as Rick, but those shoulders could take down doors. He wore a dark blue baseball cap, twisted backward, but otherwise was dressed the same as Andrew Lima. His gaze was lowered as he walked along, trussing his right wrist with white hand wrap. I assumed they must be gearing up for training.

Brock glanced up at something Andrew said and his lips spread in a wide smile. His dark brown eyes were a deep, warm shade, and his features intense, almost perfectly asymmetrical. Wow. I’d seen pictures of Brock, but they hadn’t done him justice. I totally got why Katie said she’d have a landing strip just for him. The guy was gorgeous, almost too gorgeous to be putting that face in front of punches and kicks.

My phone buzzed again, but before I could glance down to check it out, Marcus was at my desk. Our eyes met, and I fixed a smile on my face as I rose, ignoring the nauseous tumble my stomach decided to take.

The group stopped and Marcus’s skin crinkled at his eyes as he gestured toward me. “Ah, Andrew, you haven’t had a chance to meet my new assistant. This is Stephanie.” Marcus angled his body toward them. “And this is Brock,” he said to me. “He just returned with Andrew.”

Don’t puke on the boss. Don’t puke on the boss. I extended my hand, and Mr. Lima’s handshake was firm and brief. “It’s nice to meet you.” Don’t puke on the hot martial-arts dude. Don’t puke on the hot martial-arts dude. I offered him my hand, too. “It’s nice to meet you also.”

Recognition flared in Brock’s brown eyes as he shook my hand with his left. “You’re the infamous Steph.”

I froze, having no idea what he was talking about. As my wide gaze swung to Marcus, I could feel the bile climbing up the back of my throat.

Marcus arched a brow.

Andrew chuckled as he leaned against my cubicle wall. “Infamous? This is a story I’ve got to hear.”

“I’ve heard that Stephanie schooled Nick over at Mona’s last week,” Brock explained, and there was a good chance my eyes were going to pop out of my head. “Brought him down a peg or two in front of everyone.”

Oh my God.

“Everyone has been talking about it,” Brock went on, much to my growing horror. “Jax gave me a blow-by-blow description on the phone the other night. Wished he had that on tape.”

As did Katie.

Andrew looked impressed as he eyed me. “I can only imagine what Nick did to warrant that.”

Would it look strange if I dived under my desk and hid?

“What has Nick been up to lately?” Andrew glanced at Brock, who was gri

Nick sparred with Andrew Lima? Oh wow. That sort of explained how he was in the kind of shape he was.

“You miss kicking his ass,” Brock replied, chuckling as he started wrapping his left hand. “I don’t know.” Those dark lashes lifted and brown eyes pierced me. “I have a feeling we’re going to see more of Nick.”

Oh my word.

All I could do was smile weakly. My stomach had finally settled down, but now I felt out of it for a different reason. Never would I have ever thought that anything to do with Nick would somehow come up while at work. Without warning, Katie’s odd statement cycled through my thoughts.

That I wasn’t going to have a choice when it came to our paths crossing.

Was Katie really a psychic stripper?

No. I gave myself a good mental bitch slap and focused on the men in front of me. I glanced at Marcus and shook my head. “I’m sort of a . . . combative personality. Sometimes.”

Andrew laughed again.

“You’ll find that most of the people around here have the same personality.” Marcus’s eyes gleamed in the bright light. “Did you finish the report I requested?”

“Yes.” I clasped my hands together. “It’s on your desk.”

“Perfect,” replied Marcus.

“Where are you from, Stephanie?” Andrew politely asked as he raised his hand, smoothing it over his closer cropped hair. Light reflected off a wedding band. “Local or out of state?”

“Out of state,” I answered. “I’m from West Virginia.” Pausing, I waited for the inevitable overused and not fu

“Really?” Interest sparked in the owner’s eyes, and a muscle flickered along Brock’s jaw as he secured the wrap on his hand.

“My daughter is leaving in the spring to attend Shepherd,” Andrew said. “Of course, I want her to stay closer to home, but you can’t keep them at home with you forever, can you?”

“You can try,” Brock muttered under his breath.

I glanced at him. “No, sir.” There were so many colleges and universities near Philadelphia, but I understood the need to strike out on your own. “Shepherd is a very good school in a great community. She will be happy there.”

“I think so.” The older man smiled. “I’ve actually checked the town and surrounding places out. There aren’t training facilities there, not the kind that offer the extensive experience and wide variety that we can.”

Oh dear.

“My daughter is . . . unaware of my inquiry, but there are several properties there that would fit our needs.” Intelligence brewed in the man’s eyes. “What do you think of Lima Academy setting up in your neck of the woods?”

“I think there is definitely a market for it,” I answered honestly. UFC fights had been a big deal while I was at college. I could picture tons of guys I knew signing up for classes and getting their asses kicked. “And you’re right. You won’t have a lot of competition.”

Mr. Browser nodded when Andrew turned to him and raised his brows inquiringly. “I know,” he replied patiently. “I already have several meetings set up with the local Chamber of Commerce. We should hear something before the end of the year.”

Andrew was about to speak, but his attention was snagged by the front of the office. The lines of the man’s face softened. “Speaking of the little devil,” he said.

I followed his gaze and saw a young girl step inside. Her light brown hair looked like she’d walked through a wind tu

A mauve-colored scarf was wrapped around her throat, tangling in the long locks. Her heavy sweater was bulky and her dark jeans loose, even ill-fitting, giving her the appearance of having no shape. As she drew closer, I could see that her features were delicate, but the heavy bangs dwarfed her face.

Her nervous gaze darted over us, hit Brock and then stayed there as she hurried to where we stood, her fingers fidgeting with the edges of her sleeves. Her face pinked the closer she got to us.

“Hi, Dad.” She gave a short, awkward wave as she stopped beside Brock.

Andrew went to her, leaning over to drop a kiss atop her head, and there was no ignoring the burst of envy that exploded inside me. “Hey, baby girl, you here to see me?” he asked as he drew back.