Vicki Essex - In Her Corner

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He sounded as though he were the offended party. He was rubbing his left thumb against his bare ring finger, and he held up his hand when he noticed her looking. “Three years divorced,” he confirmed with a wry twist of his lips. “My ex didn’t understand the demands of my job. We didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things. Honestly, I’m better off without her.”

“Tell me more about this fight,” she said, hoping to change the subject. They hadn’t gotten around to it with everything else they’d been discussing. “You mentioned Betty Heimer, but last I checked, she was in the 145-pound division.”

“She had a kid and put on some weight. This’ll be her first fight since she’s been back. I think it’ll be an easy one to win.”

“I don’t take fights because they’re easy to win,” she said, irritated he’d even suggested it. There was nothing worse than a mismatched opponent.

“That’s not what I meant. Like I said, it’s a convention with a small-time exhibition. More to showcase local talent, drum up publicity. Probably two or three hundred spectators, tops, which, at this stage in your career, is pretty good.”

“I’ve fought for bigger crowds.”

“But that was when you were fighting under your family’s banner. Their backing got you sponsors. Do you have sponsors now? Don’t answer that, I already know.” He named them. He’d done his research, apparently.

“Everyone knows the Fiore name, but as a fighter, you need to build your personal profile. Get on social media, get your face in magazines, market yourself, that kind of thing. A fight right here in New Orleans will drum up some good publicity to start.”

“And you’re the guy to help me?”

“I wouldn’t have come to Payette’s to see you if I didn’t think you were worth it. I don’t know if anyone told you, but Kyle and I don’t have a great working relationship. In fact, I’m thinking you could do better at a place like Star Gyms.”

She knew of the national chain of high-end, full-service boutique fitness centers. They had a price tag to match the facilities, but that wasn’t her issue. Bella fixed her mother’s patented listen-to-me glare on Ryan. “I’m staying at Payette’s. I signed a contract to stay on for six months. Besides, we’re working with an at-risk youth center, and I won’t give up on them.”

Ryan raised his hands placatingly. “Hey, no sweat. I’m just here to offer my services to help you become a champ in all the aspects that your coaches can’t train you in. What you’re doing at Payette’s is admirable—plus that community outreach stuff is PR gold.” He flashed those billboard teeth again. “Listen, I’ll be totally up-front. I like you, not only as a client, but as a person. In my business, that’s rare.” He shifted forward in his seat. “You’re twenty-six, right? How many more years do you want to fight for?”

She shrugged. “If injuries don’t slow me down? Realistically...I dunno...till I’m thirty-three? Thirty-five?” She hadn’t thought quite that far ahead. She knew she’d have to stop for a year or two if she had children. And some fighters continued well into their forties, though she wasn’t sure she’d be one of them. Quite frankly, it was hard to envision the future beyond the next match.

“Let’s say you decide to quit at thirty-five. That means you’ve got less than nine years to scrape together enough for whatever you want to do afterward. There is an afterward, you know, and a lot of athletes don’t realize that unless you get a sweet deal with a big-name brand, sponsorship money dries up pretty quick. Do you have any idea what you’ll do once you quit fighting?”

“Train others,” she said automatically. It was what her family had always done—pass on their teachings and raise new fighters on the Fiore system. “Work in my family’s gym, I guess.”

“Okay, so picture this—what if you could have your own gym?”

Bella admitted she’d thought about it. She’d always been resigned to the fact that she’d end up working for her father and grandfather and brothers for the rest of her life. But now that she’d broken off from her family tree, she could have dreams of her own.

The idea of that much freedom and autonomy saddened her a little. She missed everyone in São Paulo. Even Fulvio. At the same time, the chance to build and own something that was hers and hers alone was almost too sweet a dream to contemplate.

A gym. She’d call it Bella’s. Her name would finally be featured ahead of the Fiore family name....

“You’re starting to see it, right?” The glow of his smile reflected the stars in her eyes. “If you become the star you were born to be, you could have it all. Retire at thirty-five. Open your own gym. Your own restaurant. Whatever you want.” He leaned toward her. “I want to see you succeed, and I know you will. I can help you move to the next level—won’t you let me?”

* * *

“SO YOU SIGNED with Holbrooke?” Kyle sat back and carefully put down his coffee mug, afraid he might crush it in his hands or throw it at the wall.

Bella nodded. “He got me onto an exhibition card next month with Fury Fights, and he’s working on getting me some sponsors.”

“You should have talked to me first.” He rubbed his temples, feeling a brand-new headache coming on. If he’d seen Ryan within ten feet of Bella, he would’ve...

You’d have what? His father’s voice mocked. Told him to get away from your girl?

He pressed his palm onto the top of his desk. “I’ll be honest with you. Ryan’s scooped some of our clients before. I think he gets commission or something for bringing new clients to Star Gyms.”

A look of understanding dawned on Bella’s face. “He did try to sell me on switching gyms, but I made it clear that I won’t leave Payette’s.”

The knot inside him eased a touch.

“Why do you even let him in here if he’s stealing clients?” Bella asked.

“Our more serious fighters like that agents poke around here. I can’t really ban the guy for searching out new talent.” Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he didn’t ban Ryan from the gym. Bella had every right to look skeptical about his answer.

The truth was, Kyle didn’t like Ryan, and it wasn’t only because of his slimy business practices. The man was friends with Karla. And while he’d never said anything to suggest he knew about what had happened, he leered at Kyle whenever they saw each other.

If he banned the agent, who knew what the guy would say?

His irritation ratcheted up. “Tell me something.” Kyle leaned forward. “What did he do to convince you? Fancy dinner? Promises of fame and fortune?”

“You say it as if I’m gullible. I didn’t agree to it right away. I went home, did some research and talked to a few people. The guy has some serious fighters on his roster who’ve all moved on to the UFF.”

“What you probably haven’t heard is that he’s had more burnouts than superstar successes. Ryan pushes hard, Bella. He’s only interested in making money, even if it means making his clients do things they don’t want to.”

“You mean steroids?”

“I mean anything.”

Bella shook her head. “I won’t do anything I don’t want to. I’m not that desperate. I know what’s best for me.”

Kyle had seen her kind of cocky conviction before. Usually in overconfident guys who thought they’d be the next Dominic Payette. She might be a Fiore, but he wondered if she knew how far she’d have to go to become a star.

“Look, it’s done. Ryan will help me do some marketing and PR stuff. But you’re the one who’ll make me a good fighter.”

But why Ryan? he wanted to whine. Not that it was his business. It was her career, after all. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t warn her.