Playing the Game Read online

  “Thanks, but I’ll have to pass. You were right yesterday, I’m your boss. That would be inappropriate.”

  “But…I don’t understand,” I said.

  I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion from my brain. What just happened? I followed him as he walked into the dining room.

  “Just yesterday you asked me out on a date,” I said. “And not even ten minutes ago your tongue was down my throat.”

  “A lot can happen in ten minutes,” he said, picking up his jacket. “Just look at a fight. In ten minutes, a guy who is getting the shit beat out of him can knock the other guy out or grab hold of the guy and submit him. In my business, ten minutes can make or break a career.”

  “But this isn’t MMA, this isn’t a fight, and this is definitely not business. Tell me, did something happen? Did I do something?”

  “No, it’s not you. It’s just the way it is and we should keep it business between us.”

  Gabriel took several long strides to the door. It didn’t matter what I said and there was nothing I could do, his mind was made up. He stood in the doorway and looked at me, our eyes finally meeting. There was something behind his blue eyes, but he turned away before I knew what it was.

  As he closed the door behind him, I decided this wasn’t how I wanted it to end. The other day he said I didn’t have a choice, but he was wrong.

  I didn’t want to see him at work and think about what if. I didn’t want my memories of his kiss to be all that was left. And I didn’t want to live in his apartment if it meant I wouldn’t see him except as my boss.

  Rushing to the door, I pulled it open, hoping the elevator wasn’t there. Gabriel was standing in front of the elevator doors with his cell phone to his ear.

  “I’m on my way. I have to go,” he said before putting his phone back in his pocket.

  “You can’t just leave like this,” I said. “You can’t just ignore what this is between us.”

  “It’s complicated, Cassie. You wouldn’t understand and even if you did, I’m not sure I want you to.”

  “Just tell me two things, Gabriel. Did that kiss mean anything to you?”

  He smiled as he cradled my face in his hand and ran his thumb over my chin. The elevator chimed as the doors opened.

  “You have no idea what it meant to me,” he said. “But now isn’t the right time.”

  “Then when is?”

  “You said you wanted me to tell you two things. Is that your second question?”

  I swallowed hard, thinking about my second question. I had to ask it.

  “Who called?” I asked.

  For a moment Gabriel looked surprised, then just as quickly his face turned to stone and he stepped away from me. He entered the elevator then turned to face me.

  “That’s none of your business,” he said, then pressed the button to close the elevator doors.

  I went back into the apartment feeling more confused and lost than ever. Just as I was afraid of, the clock struck midnight and my fairy tale was over.

  Chapter Eight

  Gabriel

  I closed my eyes and leaned against the cool glass wall of the elevator. Cassie’s kiss awakened feelings I had forgotten about, feelings that were better off left for dead. This wasn’t how I wanted things to work out with her. I wanted more, but I made the right decision when I ended it before things got serious.

  I had to do it. Getting that phone call made me realize how complicated things really were. Cassie deserved better. She deserved someone who could put her on a pedestal and give her one hundred percent of his attention. I had too many things going on and was being pulled in too many directions. Things were easier when I didn’t commit to one woman.

  The elevator opened in the underground garage where I had parked my burgundy Porsche Cayenne. As I wound my way out of Canyon Cove’s downtown, my phone rang. It could only be one person. I thought about letting the call go to voicemail but then decided to answer.

  “I told you, I’m on my way home,” I said.

  “Geez, calm down. I wasn’t going to ask,” Gideon, my brother, said.

  “Sorry, I thought you were--”

  “Ahh yes,” he said, interrupting me. “You know, I never imagined you with an old ball and chain.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Okay, okay, I can see you can’t take a joke. Rough night?”

  “Gideon, you’ve never been one for small talk, what do you want?”

  The phone was quiet for a moment so I looked over to make sure the call was still connected. I loved my younger brother, but he had a lot of growing up to do.

  “I met someone,” he said, sounding serious.

  “So? You know as well as I do, us Kohls don’t settle down.”

  “You did,” he said.

  “That’s different,” I said as my mind wandered to Cassie.

  “And so is this. I think I’m in love.”

  “You’ve been in love before and I’ve never gotten a phone call.”

  “Fine, I need money, okay?”

  “I just wanted the truth,” I said. “What happened to the money I sent you?”

  “That was for tuition and books.”

  “I sent you enough to cover your meal plan, too.”

  “You did, but there’s this girl,” he said dreamily.

  “Got it. Have you thought about getting a job? I worked at the gym while I was in college.”

  “I’m thinking about dropping out.”

  “You can’t drop out, you need a degree.”

  “You dropped out,” he said. “And look at you. You wouldn’t be where you’re at right now if you stayed in school.”

  “School wasn’t right for me, I was a fighter. What are you doing?”

  “I don’t know, I’m just not cut out for this, Gabe. I know what you’re trying to do and all, but college just isn’t me. Maybe there’s something I can do at your gym. You’re always busy in the main office being Mr. Corporate nowadays anyway.”

  “Actually, I’ve been spending more time at the gym.”

  “Oh? New ring girl?”

  “No, she’s not a ring girl.”

  “Hmm, but she is a girl. What’s she doing there?”

  “She’s working for Mack. She’s his team’s physical therapist.”

  “Sounds hot. Maybe I should work at the gym and help her out,” he said with a laugh.

  “I don’t want you anywhere near her,” I said.

  “You sound serious.”

  “I don’t know, Gideon. There’s something about her. She’s different.”

  “See, that’s exactly how I feel about Julie. I mean Janey. Shit, what’s her name again?”

  “Never mind, Gideon. Think about school. You’re a smart guy, you shouldn’t let that go to waste. Call me next week and let me know what you’ve decided.”

  I hung up with the memory of being just like my younger brother not that long ago. I never had a hard time getting women and after the MMAC took off, it became even easier. I knew what those ring girls and women like Monica were after--my money. Cassie wasn’t like that.

  As I turned into the driveway, the iron gates clanked then opened slowly. Ahead of me was the estate I bought four years ago when I decided my bachelor pad days were over. I don’t know why I kept the apartment except that maybe it was my way of clinging to the past. A past when my life was much less complicated.

  As I pulled into the garage, loneliness crept over me. I was wrong when I told Cassie we couldn’t be together. I needed to give things with her a chance. As I got out of my car, I thought about the sweet taste of her lips. I had to make things right with Cassie if I wanted to taste her again.

  As I entered the kitchen from the garage, my cell phone rang again. I sighed when I saw who was calling before I answered it.

  “I’m home,” I said before hanging up.

  Karen entered the kitchen, her face angry as she narrowed her eyes at me. Her dark hair had streaks of grey in it and it was
pulled back into a low ponytail.

  “You said if anything happened to call and you’d be right back,” she said.

  “Karen, we need to talk,” I said.

  “What if it was an emergency? It took you thirty minutes to get here from when I called. And you didn’t even answer.”

  “Because I knew it wasn’t an emergency. I was downtown. I came back as quickly as I could.”

  “Well, it wasn’t fast enough.”

  “You know what, Karen? I don’t need this. Pack up your things. I want you gone by morning.”

  She stormed out of the room and then I heard a door slam. She didn’t have many things, but I knew she would take her time packing. It had happened before, it would happen again.

  Sighing, I went upstairs. I stood in front of the closed bedroom door and listened. A radio played music on the other side. I knocked on the door, then opened it slowly before entering the room.

  She was lying on her stomach, twirling her ponytail with her finger. Looking up at me, she gave me a big smile, then folded the corner of the page of the book she was reading. She was the most beautiful girl in the world.

  “Hey, sweetie, I’m sorry it took me so long to get home. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Daddy,” she said as she sat up. “I told you not to rush home in my text.”

  “I know, but Karen was going crazy.”

  “Tell me about it. I was here.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “Dakota called and Karen freaked out. She said the cell phone was only for emergencies. She didn’t care that I hadn’t spoken to Dakota in two weeks.”

  “Now, Wendy, you know I don’t like it when you call her that.”

  “I know, sorry. Mom called.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Who knows,” she said. “I’m not even sure where she is. I mean she sounds happy, but you know how she is.”

  “I do,” I said, pulling Wendy in for a hug. “Just always remember she loves you.”

  “I know, but I still miss her. At least I have you.”

  “I’ll always be here for you no matter what,” I said as I stood beside her bed.

  “Dad? Aren’t you lonely?”

  I turned back to look at my little girl and forced a smile. I didn’t want her to see my loneliness. Time for myself could wait until she was much older. She had already been through enough.

  “You know, you’re very mature for a nine year old,” I said, laughing.

  “Living with Dakota will do that. I mean Mom. You know, she tells me to call her Dakota.”

  “If you’re talking to me about her, you’re calling her Mom. Understand?”

  She nodded.

  “You didn’t always travel with her. I don’t know if she ever told you, but I was there when you were born. The three of us lived together the first year of your life, but you know how your mom is. She can’t stay anywhere for too long.”

  “I know, she told me you were the only father I ever knew and the best one she could ever hope for for me.”

  “I’m sure you remember staying with me once you were a little older,” I said.

  She nodded. “I had my own bedroom in the glass apartment. I loved when we stayed with you. I got to pretend we were a family.”

  Sadness blanketed me as I heard Wendy’s words. She deserved to have a family. Instead, she had a free spirit for a mother, and me. Dakota wanted Wendy to have a stable life and she knew I had the money to give her anything she desired. Dakota couldn’t change, she needed to go wherever the wind blew her. Wendy deserved better than that.

  “You know, I love your mother very much. I always have,” I said.

  “I know, but you’re not in love with her.”

  “Do you even know what that means?” I asked, laughing.

  “I’ve seen some movies, I think I get it,” she said, grinning.

  Four years ago I gladly signed the papers adopting Wendy, but in the back of my mind I always wanted us to live as a family. I did love Dakota, but Wendy was right, I wasn’t in love with her. I’m not sure I ever was.

  The first time I truly fell in love was when I saw that little red-faced baby in the blue and pink striped hospital blanket. Wendy was perfect, and I gladly changed my world when she became mine. I left behind all the women who meant nothing to me. I bought an estate in the country so Wendy could go outside and play. And I kept her a secret so that she would be safe.

  But I was lonely. And it wasn’t until I met Cassie that I realized how lonely I really was. I wanted to get to know her better, but I didn’t know if I could. I wanted to be there for Wendy and have dinner with her every night. But the more I got to know Cassie, I imagined her there with us, too.

  It was a lot to take on for anyone. It wasn’t just me, I had a daughter and she would always come first. I wanted a woman who would love Wendy as if she was her own, but I didn’t know if that was possible. Did women like that exist? I knew none of the women I had dated before would. I wasn’t even sure about Dakota and she was Wendy’s mother. But Cassie was different, and I wanted to give her a chance.

  I also wanted to take things slow. Whatever I did had to be right not just for me and Cassie, but for Wendy too. Cassie and I needed time together before I could tell her about Wendy. I didn’t want to lose her, but for us to have a chance I had to keep some things secret. It was the only way I could know for certain that she really was the one.

  I had to be cautious. I couldn’t trust myself when it came to women. I had made too many wrong decisions and had learned the hard way that people weren’t always what they seemed. Dakota was a prime example of that, but I never faulted her. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have Wendy in my life. And I wouldn’t have become the man I was today.

  Nine Years Ago

  As I smeared the blood from my cheek with the back of my glove, I looked across the cage. Coach was yelling at me, but I couldn’t hear his words. I was too focused on the man on the other side of the ring.

  I took a sip of water and swallowed. The cut wasn’t a big deal, just a lucky punch. It was underneath my eye and happened all the time because of my cheekbones.

  Coach bent down so his face was inches from mine as he wiped my glove. This fight had to end quick, I needed to go. Dakota needed me.

  “You’ve gone soft, Kohl,” Coach said. “This fight should have been over by now. You know better than to stand up with a boxer.”

  He was right, but my head wasn’t in it, it was at the hospital with Dakota where she was in labor. As much as I loved to fight, being there was the last place I wanted to be. I knew what I had to do though. It was time to dig in deep and end the match. I wasn’t going to settle for the loser’s earnings.

  The bell rang and it was just two fighters in the cage again. It didn’t matter who my opponent was, I was going to beat him.

  A left hook came towards my cheek, but I ducked under and managed a double leg take-down, making him fall. A quick hammerfist to his face was enough for him to turn onto his side, giving me his back.

  Wrapping my legs around, I dug my heels into his thighs for back control. He tried to twist, to spin out of my grasp, but my hooks were in deep. I could feel his movements quicken. He was nervous. One small mistake and I would finish him.

  My chance came when he lifted his chin. Keeping my hand flat, I slid it underneath his chin, making room for my arm as it followed. His neck was caught between my bicep and my forearm. He jerked back, trying to headbutt me, but it only let me sink my arm in further.

  I pulled my shoulders back, tightening the choke hold, and in seconds I felt his hand tapping my elbow. The ref waved, ending the fight, giving me the win by submission.

  After my arm was raised, I went back to the locker rooms where Coach cut the wraps from my hand. I was anxious to leave and get to the hospital, but glad that the fight earned me enough to pay for the things the baby and Dakota would need.

  As I slipped a sweatshirt over my head, my opponent's
trainer entered the room. Wearing a cardigan sweater with his white hair brushed back, he didn’t look like much, but Mack Draven was known as one of the best trainers around. However, if he wanted to talk to me, he would have to wait.

  “Good fight, Kohl,” Mack said. “I knew it was over as soon as he threw the left.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I can’t talk right now though.”

  “That’s fine, I know how it is. Here’s my card. Gimme a call sometime.”

  I took the card from him and shoved it into my pocket as I left. The clock was ticking on Dakota and her baby. I hadn’t wanted to leave her alone at the hospital, but I didn’t have a choice, I needed to earn money.

  Taking a cab to the hospital, I rushed to the maternity ward and a nurse brought me to Dakota’s room. The room was dark and Dakota’s eyes were closed. I turned to the nurse, who smiled as she put her hand on my arm.

  “It’s a girl,” she whispered.

  “Is she okay? Where is she?” I asked.

  “She’s perfect. Dakota asked for her to be taken to the nursery shortly after she was born.”

  “When was this?”

  “Less than an hour ago.”

  I hated that I missed it, but we needed the money. I followed the nurse to the nursery where several babies were asleep. She motioned for me to sit on a white wooden rocking chair in the corner as she rolled a bassinet towards me.

  “Say hello to your daughter,” she said.

  “Did Dakota choose a name?”

  “No, she said you would.”

  The nurse picked up the baby and placed her in my arms. I stared down at this tiny flushed creature with black fuzz on her head. I couldn’t believe how fragile and delicate she was. Earlier I was cutting off the blood supply to a man with these arms, and now I held a sleeping baby.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she looked directly at me. The nurse came back with a tiny bottle of formula and put it in my hands.

  “She’s been looking around a lot. She’s very alert,” she said.

  The nurse left us alone as I began to feed her. My heart felt heavy as I thought about this baby coming into the world alone. I did what I had to do, but things were going to be different.