Vicki Essex - In Her Corner

It was the first week in November when Ryan showed up with a square-chinned, redheaded woman wearing an ill-cut burgundy pantsuit. She smiled broadly as she introduced herself. “Quinn Bourdain, Las Vegas Sun News. Ryan’s told me a lot about you, Ms. Fiore. I’m looking forward to interviewing you.”

Bella kept her smile fixed, but she snagged her manager’s arm in a tight grip. “Um, Ryan, can I talk to you a minute?” She pulled him aside. Kyle hadn’t arrived yet, and she had no idea how he’d react to seeing him there. “What’s going on?”

“I told you, this class for at-risk youth is PR gold. I invited Quinn here all the way from Vegas. She owes me a favor. She’s going to do a feature on you and this class you’re teaching.”

“I’m not teaching this class. Kyle is. Anyway, I don’t think it’s such a good idea. These kids haven’t given their permission.”

“We’re not filming them, and we don’t need their consent to observe. Anyhow, the article will be about you more than them. You know, local girl does good and breaks faces, too. That kind of stuff.”

She shook her head. “I’m not local. And I’m not sure Kyle will approve.”

“Approve of what?” Kyle asked as he walked into the gym. His entrance reminded Bella of a shark gliding through the water, deceptively innocuous and full of bloody intent. He looked down his nose. “Ryan.” The frost in his greeting crystalized in the air between them.

Ryan smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Just the man I wanted to see. Have you met Ms. Bourdain?” He explained the reason for Quinn’s presence. Kyle took it in, lips pursed.

“I don’t know...” he began.

“C’mon, Kyle. It’d be good publicity for Payette’s, not to mention Bella. You want to make sure you associate the gym with the future women’s champ, don’t you?” He clamped his hands over Bella’s shoulders, his thick fingers digging into her flesh. Ryan jerked his chin at the gathering of young people. “It’ll be good for them, too.”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Ask Reta first. She’s the best judge of what’s good for these kids. Some of them might not appreciate being talked about.”

“Quinn’s a top-notch journalist,” Ryan said dismissively. “She’d never exploit someone for a story. No one who isn’t asking for it, anyhow.”

So Kyle grudgingly explained the situation to Reta, who had no problem with the reporter’s presence. Neither did the students—they seemed excited by the idea of being in the newspaper. Kyle started the class, and the students were extra attentive. To everyone’s surprise, Quinn changed into a T-shirt and trunks, took notes and snapped some pictures, before joining the class, too.

Ryan left twenty minutes into the lesson. Apparently he had better things to do than sit around and watch a client spar with a bunch of kids. Admittedly, Bella breathed a little easier without the tension stretching between her agent and her trainer. She might have been a pugilist by trade, but she’d always hated emotional cold wars.

As the class wrapped up and the kids went to get changed, Shawnese hung back. “Miss Bella, can I talk to you?”

“What’s up, Shawnese?”

She gripped her bony elbows and glanced around nervously. “I was wondering...” Her voice dropped. “Can you teach me how to stop a guy with a knife?”

Bella sucked in her cheeks. “Um...I can. But it’s not easy. The best way to get out—”

“Is to run away, yeah, so you guys keep saying. But sometimes you can’t, and I don’t want to turn my back on a knife, you know?”

She scratched her hip, a little unsure of how to handle this. “Listen, knife fighting and evading knife attacks is really advanced. It’s not like the movies. I can’t teach you everything, and you know what they say about a little knowledge.”

“I’m not trying to be Superman. Just teach me what you can.” Her voice quavered. She looked almost ready to bolt. Bella had a feeling that even if she asked, Shawnese would run away rather than explain herself. Bella couldn’t deny her request.

She gave the girl a quick demonstration, using the lessons the students had already learned in class. The young woman took it all in calmly, following along as best as she could. She was by no means weak or small, but against a knife, all opponents, no matter how skilled, were at a disadvantage.

“Shawnese, what are you doing?” Reta called from the doorway. “The bus is leaving soon. You should get changed.”

Shawnese waved her fingers at her as she left, smiling weakly. Unease rolled through Bella’s stomach.

“A little extra tutoring?” Quinn sidled up next to her, hefting her bag.

“She’s a special case.”

“Special how?”

Bella hesitated. She wasn’t about to share Shawnese’s story with the reporter. “She just wanted a few tips.”

“Well, forearmed is forewarned.”

“I think it’s the other way around.”

“Depends which side of the hurting you’re on,” Quinn replied grimly.

Bella gave a wry smile. Maybe she should say something to Reta. She’d know how to handle Shawnese’s situation if there was one. Plus, it wasn’t really her business. She didn’t want to put her nose where it didn’t belong and risk losing the young woman’s trust. She’d talk with Reta later.

Bella and Quinn went to The Spot for dinner where they conducted the one-on-one interview. They sat at the bar and ate. Quinn asked questions about Bella’s background, her dreams and her current training. Bella did her best to answer them, but when it came to explaining her current relationship with the rest of the Fiore family, she glossed over a few details. Frustrated though she was with the way they’d treated her, she didn’t want to hurt Fulvio or the others.

“So how’s your relationship with Kyle Peters?” Quinn asked.

Bella nearly sucked her water down the wrong pipe. “I’m sorry?”

“Kyle. He has a reputation as a harsh taskmaster. Gets it from his father, David Peters. Has he treated you differently?”

She shifted her bottom on the suddenly too hot seat of the bar stool. “He’s been...” She tried to force out a lie. Telling a reporter she didn’t feel she was getting the best performance out of Kyle would not make him or Payette’s look good. “He’s been very good. I’ve learned a lot from him.”

Quinn watched her carefully and turned the recorder off. “Okay, totally off-the-record. How’s your relationship with Kyle, really?”

When Bella didn’t answer her right away, Quinn pressed on. “I’m not trying to write a gossip piece or anything. That’s not my style. You look like you want to say something but you’re afraid of the repercussions. I’m asking as a human being, now.” She lowered her voice. “Has he been inappropriate toward you?”

She blinked rapidly. “What? No. Why would you say that?”

Quinn fidgeted with the straw. “Rumors. He’s got a reputation when it comes to women, you know.” She paused, likely waiting for Bella to respond or ask for more details. When she did neither, Quinn shrugged. “They’re probably nothing. Forget I even said anything.”

* * *

TWO WEEKS LATER, Kyle was forced to admit that Ryan knew what he was doing with Bella’s career. Quinn Bourdain’s flattering article was syndicated in the Times-Picayune and had helped generate a lot of cold calls to the gym. People were interested in signing up for memberships and in supporting the gym’s good works with the community. And within three days of the article, he’d added a women’s self-defense class to the schedule.

Word about Payette’s was spreading.

At the health and wellness fair, which took place at a plaza mall on the northeast end of town, Bella drew a hefty crowd, signing photos and copies of Quinn’s article at the Payette’s booth. She helped with demonstrations and sparred with various members of the gym. Her looks and skills combined seemed to have converted quite a few eager young men to the sport of MMA, and a few ladies, too. They signed up a record number of new members that day.