Drunk Dial (Hard Core #1) (Hard Core Series) Read online

  “Whatever you say.” I knew better than to get my hopes up. That only led to disappointment.

  Chapter Two

  York

  “I can’t believe you’re gonna hunt down some chick you drunk dialed last night, man. That’s some weird shit.”

  Who the hell was my kid brother to talk? He’d done some pretty weird shit himself.

  “Take a look at that and tell me you wouldn’t hunt her down.” I flashed him the pic Lacy had sent me.

  “Fuck, she’s hot,” Wes said, lunging for my phone. He swiped his finger across the screen to make sure I didn’t have any more pictures of her before he handed it back to me.

  “Told you.”

  I reached for a piece of the pizza my brother had ordered. I’d be glad when the painters were finished at his place so he could get the hell out of mine. In spite of the fact that he liked to keep in shape, he ate garbage all the time and was a bad influence on me. Thankfully I wasn’t in training right now, so I could afford to indulge a little. I just didn’t want to develop any bad habits that would make me soft in the ring.

  “I’m coming with you,” he said. “I gotta see her for myself.”

  I scowled at him. I didn’t need a wingman when I met Lacy, especially since my brother and most of my friends were pigs who wouldn’t hesitate to make a play for her the second I turned my back. Wes thought that just because he was a fitness model, whose pretty face was plastered in magazines across the country, every woman he met wanted him. Sadly, most did, but I somehow knew he wouldn’t be Lacy’s type.

  “Just remember she’s mine.” I wasn’t usually territorial with women and I sure as hell didn’t have a right to stake my claim on one I’d never met, but I needed to put my brother on notice or he’d think she was fair game.

  “Why don’t we let the lady decide for herself which one of us she wants?”

  “Keep talkin’ like that, and you can pack up your shit and get out of my house.”

  Wes grinned. “You’d throw your own brother out in the street because of some chick you’ve never even met?”

  “Yeah.” And I didn’t want to analyze what that said about me. “So consider yourself warned, asshole.”

  Wes tipped his beer back, a smile playing on his lips. “This is gonna be fun.”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Where does she work?”

  “Don’t know yet.” Admitting she hadn’t been willing to tell me where she worked made me sound like a loser, but if he planned to tag along, he’d find out soon enough. “All I know is she’s a bartender at her brother’s club on Ventura.”

  “Shouldn’t be too hard to find her,” Wes said. “There are only a few there.”

  “Yeah.” I pretended to watch sports highlights while I fought the urge to pick up my phone again so I could catch a glimpse of that beautiful face. I’d already looked at it too many times, and I was starting to creep myself out. She was just a girl. A girl with bright green eyes, full lips, perfect little white teeth, big tits… fuck, I had to stop this or I was gonna go crazy.

  “What else do you know about her?” Wes asked, his eyes fixed on the TV screen.

  I still hadn’t told him the best part. “She’s into fighting, believe it or not.”

  “Ah, man, don’t tell me she’s a ring rat.”

  “No. Definitely not.” A ring rat would never have talked to me the way she did. They were all too eager to please and do anything I asked. They sure as hell didn’t tell me they weren’t into relationships before refusing to tell me where they worked.

  “How do you know?” Wes asked, looking wary.

  Sure, I’d been burned by my ex, but that didn’t mean I was a sucker for any pretty face and rockin’ bod. I could tell a gold digger or ring rat from a mile away. “She’s a kickboxer. Teaches, in fact.” To me, that was the hottest thing about her.

  I’d started out wrestling before I got into kickboxing about ten years ago. That led me to study various forms of martial arts before settling on karate and later jiu-jitsu. Seeing a woman take down a man twice her size was sexier than big tits or a tight ass any day. I always took care of my woman, but I liked knowing she could take care of herself if I wasn’t there to protect her. Not that Lacy was my woman or anything. Not yet anyway.

  Wes let the air seep between his teeth. “Nothin’ better than that to get a girl ripped.”

  “I know.” One of the unisex gyms I’d trained at years ago had a kickboxing class for women, and they had better bodies than most of the fitness models and female bodybuilders I’d dated over the years.

  “You sure she doesn’t have a boyfriend?” Wes asked. “Hot little piece like that, workin’ in a bar, she must have guys coming on to her all the time.”

  That was the part that concerned me the most—her occupation. I was a selfish SOB who hated to share. The thought of some filthy drunk bastard ogling the woman sharing my bed didn’t sit well. And Lacy would be sharing my bed. I had no doubt about that.

  “She said something about an ex.” One who hadn’t been man enough to keep her satisfied.

  “Ugh.” Wes made a face while he reached for the remote. “You don’t wanna be the rebound fuck. She’ll start crying about how it was a mistake and she still loves the other guy and wants him back. Who the hell wants to hear that shit?”

  I was confident Lacy wouldn’t have any regrets after sleeping with me, but just to appease my brother, I said, “I got the feeling she dumped him, not the other way around.”

  “All right, well, I’m gonna hit the shower before we head out,” he said, getting up.

  “Sit your ass down,” I warned. “I’m going first. You always use up all the hot water.”

  “Yeah, you go first,” he said, lunging across the couch for my phone when I stood. “Good idea. I’ll just send a quick text to Lacy to let her know I’ll be there—”

  “Give me that goddamn thing,” I growled, snatching the phone from him. Maybe I’d bail while he was in the shower. I didn’t trust him not to embarrass us both.

  ***

  An hour later, we were walking into the first club when Wes nudged my arm. “Jackpot, my man.”

  Shit. Lacy was even more beautiful in person. She had black hair that fell in soft waves almost hitting her waist, but it was wrapped around her neck, falling down one side to reveal a colorful back piece right above the leather belt tucked through her low-rise jeans. The black tank top with chains threaded through the front, barely covering her ample cleavage, had probably hidden the tattoo when she put it on, but every time she leaned over the bar so a patron could give her a drink order, it rode up.

  I weaved through the crowd and stood just behind the row of people circling the bar, waiting to give her their drink order. Another girl was working the other side of the oval-shaped bar, but I couldn’t even tell the color of her hair. All my attention was fixed on Lacy.

  A sparkly silver eagle was spreading its wings across the abdomen of her shirt, drawing my eye to her breasts, which were spectacular. It had been a long time since I’d seen a rack like that on such a tiny little thing, unless they were fake. Judging by the way they moved when she reached above her head for a glass, I didn’t think so.

  “I need a drink,” Wes said, edging his shoulders between two pretty girls. They smiled, parting for him.

  “Slow down,” I said, grabbing the back of his shirt and hauling him back. “The lady’s busy. Give her a minute to get caught up before you start barking orders at her.”

  Wes’s lips twitched as he slid a look my way out of the corner of his eye. “What makes you think she wouldn’t wanna serve me first?”

  I knew from the way his lips curled that he wasn’t talking about a drink, and hearing him talk about Lacy like that made me want to knock out all of his perfect teeth.

  “Go over there and find a table before I beat your sorry ass,” I said, hooking a thumb over my shoulder. “I’ll get us a couple of beers.”

  “Sure, man, whatever
you say.”

  Wes was a pain in the ass who pushed me further than anyone else would ever dare to, but I’d go to the mat for him every time and the son of a bitch knew it.

  I waited until the crowd thinned out before I claimed one of the stools the girls had vacated after getting their drinks. I watched her move with confidence, mixing drinks while talking and laughing with customers. I loved her smile, the way those full, pouty lips tipped up just enough to make you wonder if you were the butt of a joke or if she was going to let you in on it.

  When our eyes finally connected, I grinned, knowing she was shocked to see me. I knew she thought I was lying about who I was, though I had no idea why someoneI would. Some days I didn’t even want to be me, so I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to pretend to be me.

  “York.” She opened and closed her mouth before shaking her head as she laughed. “It really is you.”

  “In the flesh.” I leaned over the bar. “You don’t seem as slammed as you were a couple of minutes ago. Can you take a break?”

  A tall, good-looking guy with black hair and a half sleeve walked behind the bar. I curled my hand into a fist when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and whispered something in her ear, making her laugh.

  “York, this is my brother Ash. He’s a big fan.”

  Her brother. Good, I could breathe again. “Nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand.

  “You too, man. I have to admit, I didn’t believe Lace when she told me you called her last night.”

  “May have been the best mistake of my life.” I bit my lip as my eyes trailed over her body. Then I remembered her brother was standing right there. If some guy looked at my little sister the way I was looking at her, I’d have no choice but to knock him out. “So you’re into fighting?” I asked Ash.

  “Yeah. I’ve been kickboxing for twenty years. Thought about getting into jiu-jitsu too, but this place keeps me too busy, ya know?”

  “I can imagine.” The place was packed, and since it was a Thursday night, I could only imagine what a Friday or Saturday would be like. “Nice place.” It wasn’t like some of the dives my buddies dragged me to. Ash had to have dumped a lot of money into his club.

  “Thanks, man. I like it.” He laughed. “I used to blow my whole paycheck in places like this, so I figured I’d try being the guy on the other side for a change, collecting the money instead of handing it over.”

  “Smart. You mind if I steal your sister away for a few minutes?”

  He glanced at Lacy, probably trying to get a read on whether she wanted to go with me. “No problem. I’ll cover for her.”

  I looked over my shoulder at my brother, who already had a blonde sitting on his lap and a beer in front of him. Not that I was surprised. He had a way of getting everything he wanted in record time.

  “Thanks.” I shook Ash’s hand again. Something told me I’d want to make an ally of this man if I wanted to date his gorgeous sister. “Nice meeting you. If you’re serious about getting into jiu-jitsu, let me know. I’ll hook you up with my instructor. He’s the best.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, York.”

  “Any time you wanna see a fight, just let me know.” I slid a card with my number across the counter. “I’ll get you the best seats in the house.”

  “Cool, thanks.” He pocketed my card. “Take your time, Lace. You haven’t had a break since you got here.”

  She smiled before nodding, and she reached for my hand as she led me outside. “Well played. My brother likes you already.”

  Mission accomplished. “Where are we going?” I asked, tugging on the small hand tucked firmly in my mine.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I came straight here after a class, and I didn’t have time to eat.” She pointed at a diner down the street. “You wanna walk or hitch a ride with me?”

  My jaw dropped when she pointed at a Harley. “That is not your ride.”

  “Uh, yeah, it is.”

  Imagining her riding that thing was hotter than hell, but I couldn’t help fearing for her safety. I’d been riding since I was sixteen, thanks to my old man, but I’d never dated a girl who rode a hog. I didn’t know how I felt about it.

  “Let’s just walk.” My Hummer was parked a few spots away, and the idea of getting her alone in a dark, enclosed space appealed to me, but as much as I wanted to kiss her, I wanted to talk to her first, get to know her better, so she wouldn’t think I was only after one thing.

  “Sure.”

  “Your brother seems like a nice guy.” By comparison, mine seemed like a dick, and I was glad she didn’t have to meet him yet. Especially since I knew, despite my warnings, he would make a play for her.

  “He’s the best,” she said, smiling up at me.

  She was wearing four-inch heels and just grazed my nose. Good thing we’d be spending a lot of time horizontal. “You guys are close then?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He your only sibling?”

  “Nope. I’ve got two older brothers and no old man. Believe me, dating wasn’t easy when I was a teenager.”

  “What happened to your father?” We stopped at a red light, waiting to cross the street, and I could see the play of emotions cross her face. Whatever had happened, she clearly still held a grudge against him.

  “He bailed on us,” she said, shrugging. “Said he wasn’t cut out to be a family man. Too bad it took him three kids before he realized that, huh?”

  “I’m sorry, Lace.” My mom died of cancer when we were young. I didn’t know what we would have done without our dad. He was our rock. “What about your mom?”

  She rolled her eyes, a bitter laugh slipping through her lips. “What about her?”

  “She still in your life?”

  “When it’s convenient for her, which is code for when she wants something.”

  I heard a world of hurt in those few words, and for the first time in a long time, I felt my protective instincts kick in. “That sucks.”

  “It is what it is. I don’t waste time feeling sorry for myself. I’ve got it better than a lot of people.”

  I loved her attitude. She wasn’t looking to throw herself a pity party even though life had clearly dealt her a few hard blows.

  “So Ash got you into kickboxing?” I asked as we crossed the street.

  “Yeah. He said I couldn’t date until I learned to defend myself.” She smiled at the memory. “Turned out most boys weren’t all that interested in dating a girl who could kick their ass, so I still didn’t get many dates. I suspect my brother knew that would happen.”

  I laughed, thinking I’d gone to some crazy lengths to protect my little sister too. “Well, you can’t kick my ass, so how’re you gonna scare me away?”

  She seemed to consider her options before she said, “The jury’s still out on whether I want to scare you away. If I do, trust me, it won’t be a problem.”

  Her warning sounded cryptic, making me wonder what kind of secrets were lurking behind those gorgeous green eyes.

  I opened the door of the diner for her, not at all surprised when the few guys tucked into a corner booth turned her way. Fortunately for them, they noticed me soon after and looked away.

  “What’ll you have?” she asked, scanning the overhead menu. “They make a great meatball sandwich. They melt this smoked mozzarella on it.” She licked her lips. “Mmm, it’s making my mouth water just thinking about it.”

  Watching her lick those plump lips was making my mouth water… and my mind wander. I bet she could do amazing things with that mouth.

  When I realized she was waiting for a response, I tore my eyes from her face and glanced at the board. “I’m not all that hungry. I had pizza before we got here.”

  She laid her hand across my stomach and grinned when she pulled it away. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t getting soft. You’ve got to be on your game if you want to beat Morales.”

  I smiled back, appreciating that she felt comfo
rtable enough to tease me. I was so used to women who pretended to be what they thought I wanted in order to impress me, I’d forgotten what it was like to be with a real woman who was comfortable in her own skin and didn’t feel the need to sell herself. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m back at it next week. When training starts again, the diet will have to be tight too.”

  She nodded before gesturing to the board. “You have to eat something, or I’ll feel like a pig eating in front of you.”

  I was glad she wasn’t the type to order a salad and call it a meal. She was an active woman with a healthy appetite. I liked that, especially since I ate thousands of calories a day when I was training. “The chicken wrap looks good.”

  “It is.” She walked up to the counter, smiling at the older woman wearing an ugly beige-and-brown uniform. “Long day, Rosa?”

  “You know it, girl. Tiffany called in sick again, so I had to do a double.”

  “I don’t know why Donald doesn’t just fire her ass.”

  “Probably ‘cause he’s—” She glanced at me, blushing. “Never mind.”

  Something told me old Donald was giving Tiffany preferential treatment for a reason.

  “Rosa, this is my friend, York.”

  I didn’t know how I felt about Lacy referring to me as her friend. I had no right to expect more, since we just met, but I definitely didn’t intend to get stuck in the dreaded friend zone with this girl.

  “Nice to meet you, Rosa,” I said, offering her my hand.

  “You too.” Rosa winked at Lacy. “So what can I get you two tonight?”

  “I’m going to have the meatball sandwich, and York will have the chicken wrap.”

  I wasn’t used to women ordering for me, but something told me this girl was used to taking care of herself and everyone else too.

  “Anything to drink?” Rosa asked.

  “Just a bottled water for me.” Lacy looked at me. “You?”

  “Same.”

  “You got it,” Rosa said, ringing up our order.

  Lacy reached into the pocket of her jeans and grabbed a few bills before I stilled her hand with mine.