Julian: Taming the Fighter (BWWM) (The Wallflower's Series Book 4) Read online

  T.C. Clark

  Julian: Taming the Fighter

  Copyright © 2018 by T.C. Clark

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  T.C. Clark asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  T.C. Clark has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

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  The Wallflowers Series

  Nikos: The Greek’s Mistress September 2018

  Luca: The Italian’s Secret October 2018

  Dmitri: The Russian’s Christmas Baby November 2018

  Julian: Taming The Fighter December 2018

  Alex: The Beauty and the Geek January 2018

  Mak’s: The Mountain Man’s Crush February 2018

  Aidan: One night with the Doctor March 2018*

  The Sanctuary Series:

  The Librarian and the Sandman March 2018*

  The Surgeon and the Hunter April 2018

  The Forecaster and the Mechanic May 2018

  Contents

  Acknowledgement

  A lonely man is a dangerous one...

  You can't hide forever...

  Okay, it's time for a change...

  How can I say no to you?

  Sneak Peak- Alex: Beauty and the Geek

  Acknowledgement

  Special thanks to my aunt and my cousin for taking time out of their day to read my books and offer encouragement. You have no idea how much that means to me… This book is dedicated to Ernestine and Arcacia.

  One

  A lonely man is a dangerous one...

  Some people thought Julian Stravanos was an arrogant asshole and on most days they were correct. Growing up with a brother like Nikos had taught him to always strive to be the best no matter the cost to other areas of his life. That lesson was imprinted on all of his family. When their parents deserted them, Julian’s older brother had stepped into both roles and created a way for all of them to prosper.

  A man like Nikos was difficult to impress, but Julian spent most of his life trying to. Now that they were older that drive was slowly disappearing. Nikos had softened when he met his wife Ada and within a couple of years, all the brothers had grown closer. She had somehow made him more approachable and easier to talk to.

  Ada had intervened on their behalf, forcing the brothers to spend more time together. Dabria was also a key factor as their newly adopted sister; the two women had decided it was time for the Stravanos men to start a new chapter in their lives. Now they met often for dinner and even celebrated holidays together.

  In time the need to impress his older brother had lessened, and Julian had recognized his desire to do something more. The last few years of his life were filled with drills and routines. It took a lot of hard work to become the heavyweight champion in FFC. But he wasn’t upset; he was walking away with millions of dollars in his bank account and knowing what it felt like to be a king.

  He’d sacrificed many experiences and relationships along the way. He’d reigned for two years and was sure he could probably go another few more. But the drive was gone and when that went, it was only a matter of time before a younger and hungrier fighter would rise and take it away. He didn’t want to end up like some of the other older legends he’d seen recently. He would rather relinquish the title now than lose it later.

  He’d tried explaining that to the head of the FFC but the owner had been too upset to listen. Julian was already a star and losing him meant losing money on all the future fight cards he could have headlined. In the end, the irate owner had stormed out of the meeting, leaving Julian alone with a pile of documents and a nervous lawyer.

  He should have told the anxious lawyer there was nothing to be worried about. He never lost his temper and unlike the owner, he understood why he wanted to walk away now. He’d lived as champion of the heavyweight division for long enough. He was ready for another challenge.

  A few months ago he’d almost died…or at least he’d believed he was dying. He had been trying to protect a friend when he’d been attacked and drugged. When he’d awoken, he’d known two things for sure. First, he had to find Eden and make sure she was okay. Second, he wanted something different for his life.

  Julian had spent his existence determined to make a name for himself. The thought of his life ending on that night made his stomach churn with regret. There were so many things that he hadn’t done. For one, he’d never even been in love. He’d been in lust, sure. Hell, he’d been in lust last night with one of the ring girls, but never love. His lifestyle didn’t require it.

  As the youngest of the Stravanos brothers, Nikos had been especially tough on him. He’d grown up quicker than any of his friends and found it hard to relate to other people his age. By the time he’d made it to university, he’d picked out the path he wanted to take, and he’d forced himself to stay the course. He could see how someone who didn’t understand his thought process would think he was having a crisis and that he couldn’t seriously want to give this up. But he was ready for something new.

  “Are you sure about this?” Alex asked, rereading the contracts. His eyes glinted behind his Armani glasses. He put the papers down and walked over to his liquor cabinet. He pulled out a ten-year-old scotch and poured them two shots.

  All of Julian’s brothers had a role. Nikos was the alpha, the protector of the family. Maks was the artist, the one you could turn to with matters of the heart; and Alex was the smart one, tactical and efficient in every area of his life. If he had to determine his role, he would say he was the dreamer. When he had decided to leave the FFC, Alex had been his choice of brother to confide in. He would be honest even if it was brutal.

  Alex was also the one who could help him find any loopholes in the contract. He knew Vince, the owner of the FFC, was not going to let him leave without a fight. He was a vindictive man, and Julian needed to be sure his exit was flawless.

  He looked around the opulent office with its high ceilings and expensive furniture and was impressed by how much his brother had accomplished. Alex’s bookshelves were lined with legal books, much like the books Alex had spent his childhood burying his head in. Alex looked at Julian now with cool eyes as he assessed his situation from every angle.

  When he’d decided at sixteen to go into law, none of them had been surprised. Julian remembered his graduation clearly. Somehow Nikos had found the money Alex needed to go to law school. Even though Alex had paid
him back once his practice started turning revenue, both he and Julian understood that Nikos saw all the brothers in a paternal light and he was definitely going to have something to say about Alex assisting him with this big decision.

  Alex handed him a glass and took a seat across from him on his office couch. He’d penciled him in for this impromptu meeting as quickly as he could. But he was a busy man with a lot on his plate.

  “You know if you relinquish the title without finishing out your contract then you won’t be able to fight again. If you decide you want to come back, it will have to be with the FFC and I’m sure they are going to give you a hard time if you leave them now.”

  “I know. I’ve done everything I can in fighting. I did the amateur circuit. I became a champion in the top division, and I won the title. There’s nothing else left for me to do,” Julian said, downing his shot.

  “Why are you doing this now? You’ve always loved fighting, ever since we were kids. It’s been your passion for years,” Alex said, frowning.

  “Something happened a while back,” Julian said. “It made me wonder about the direction of my life. I have more than enough money saved to never work again. I’ve done everything I can professionally and I still want something more. Haven’t you ever felt like something is missing?”

  “No,” Alex said honestly. He was a serious man; he didn’t do self-reflection or look for missing parts of his life. Julian should have known better than to ask him that type of question. Alex was a machine when it came to feelings. Maks would be the only brother who understood what he was talking about.

  “Maks would probably be the better brother to talk to you… if you are trying to find yourself,” Alex admitted with a wry smile.

  “It’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing,” Julian said, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t need help finding myself. I’ve spent the last few weeks going over my life trying to figure out what I want to do. I’m sure I want to move and start over somewhere else.”

  “You’re leaving Chicago?” Alex asked, looking shocked that he would want to leave a place they’d all chosen as their home base.

  “Yes, I’m leaving Chicago, but I’ll still be close enough to come to the weekly dinners. There’s a small town about forty minutes away. I’ve visited it about ten times now and I think that’s the best location to set up my martial arts academy,” Julian said quietly. He waited for Alex’s response. This was the first time he’d told anyone about this.

  “You want to start a school?” Alex’s eyes widened with surprise for a moment and then went back to scanning the documents.

  “No, I’m going to start a school,” Julian said decisively.

  His brother frowned at him. “You know about 80% of small businesses fail within the first year. It’s risky to do something like that, and you have zero experience in customer service. You’ve never been one to stay in a place for long—how do you know you can do it now? A business is a huge responsibility that you can’t just walk away from. Do you even have a business plan?”

  This was one of the reasons he’d come to Alex. He wasn’t just a terrific lawyer; he was a realist. Julian knew he would have hard questions for him. Even Alex’s disbelief in him didn’t dim his excitement for starting this new chapter. He’d spent his life working towards a specific goal; now that it was done it was time for something new. Anyway, he couldn’t fail.

  “Yes, to everything you just said. I’ve already created a business plan and spoken to my accountant. I know I have zero experience but I also know I can do this. Plus, remember Nikos’ family motto?”

  “Of course I do: No matter the challenge, a Stravanos never fails. Look, if you’re sure about this, I’ll handle the contracts. You have enough money to do this so I’m not worried about that. But let me help you when you buy the building and set up the business.”

  Julian smiled. “I was actually here to beg you to help me. I’ve already purchased a building and had it appraised. But I did want you to go over my business plan and tell me if it makes sense. This isn’t just a whim for me, Alex; I’m going to make this work,” he said firmly.

  Alex merely nodded his head as continued to flip through the papers. Their appointment ended quickly after that. Apparently, a lawyer as infamous as Alex never had a minute to relax.

  Once Julian got home he walked over to the boxes he’d packed with his belongings and ran his hand over the one that held his belts. Fighting was everything to him. It had taught him self-discipline and allowed him to live the life that he wanted.

  But with experience came knowledge. There was something missing in his life and he needed to figure out what that was. He shook his head to clear the unfamiliar thoughts of doubt. He wouldn’t fail at this. He needed to stay focused and follow his detailed plans.

  He wouldn’t lie to himself—this was going to be hard. But, he hoped the challenge it produced would settle the restlessness of his soul. He ordered a meat lovers’ pizza and waited patiently for the driver to arrive. He would eat first and then get his U-Haul. It was time for Julian Stravanos to settle down.

  * * *

  “Sarah, where is your math homework?” Bella asked, searching through the young girl’s pile of messy papers. Her dark brown eyes followed the fidgeting child worriedly. There was something off about her today. The little girl’s bubbly personality was starting to grow duller each time she saw her. The change happened right after her father won custody.

  “I don’t have it,” she said sullenly, picking at her sleeve.

  “Why don’t you have it?” Bella tried to get Sarah to look her in the eye, but she kept her face downcast.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered, crossing her arms and laying her head down.

  “You know you have to do your homework no matter what. I’ll have to tell someone…” Bella started to say but stopped when Sarah turned to her with fear in her eyes and grabbed her arm.

  “Please don’t tell my dad…please,” she begged.

  Bella frowned. “Sarah, it’s okay, calm down. Is everything all right at home? Honey, you can tell me if anything’s wrong.” She’d known Sarah for a few months now and she knew something was going on…she just wasn’t sure what it was.

  Just as she thought Sarah would open up, a car horn went off outside. The small blonde child hopped up and grabbed her bag and ran for the door. Bella walked to the glass door and watched her climb into a beat-up pickup truck. She huddled to the far side of the passenger seat as it drove away.

  Bella turned away, biting her lip. Something was definitely wrong; she would have to call Tara tonight. What was the protocol when you sensed a child was in trouble? She’d tried to contact Sarah’s mother but she couldn’t get her to call her back, and the one time she’d worked up the nerve to confront her father he’d shut down her questions viciously and then kept Sarah away for weeks. She had to tread lightly here.

  She didn’t have a lot of time to think about it though, as another child took her attention. The Book Lovers Anonymous after-school program was thriving. When she’d founded this small bookstore two years ago, her goal had been to get more children reading. It had morphed into a place where a lot of kids came to get away from home.

  After she lost Claudio, she’d wanted some semblance of peace back so she’d taken her savings and invested it here into Book Lovers Anonymous. She’d grown up thrifting with her mother and sister and had found solace in the worn books she’d gotten from stores like that.

  Now, she had her very own used bookstore, and so far it had been pretty successful in this small town. She’d taken the time to find high-quality books that she could offer at half the price of regular bookstores. She loved spending her days here.

  Bella had actually turned a decent profit last year and that had given her the courage to team up with her sister, Tara, and found their small nonprofit called Everybody Dreams Here. The charity focused on providing an hour and a half of after-school support to low-income children. Between the
hours of 5 and 6:30 pm, she helped all the children with their homework or any other activity they needed to work on. Between Tara and herself they served 15 kids.

  It had taken a while for the charity to get recognized by the community but now they had the support of the local schools and the other surrounding small businesses. For the first time in Bella’s life, she felt like she was a part of something. She’d seen many types of kids come through here, but Sarah was the one who worried her the most.

  Maybe the girl was just upset because her dad had gotten custody. How did you know when a child was in trouble? Sarah would have to call her sister later and ask for her help. Tara would know what to look for; she was a psychiatrist who worked with kids from troubled homes, so she’d seen these types of situations before.

  She pulled out her planner and wrote down her notes for today’s class. She would figure out what to do for Sarah later. But she wouldn’t let this go. Bella had grown to love the kids who came here and she would do anything to protect them. It took her over an hour to get settled enough to call Tara.

  “Do you think he’s doing something to her?” Tara asked. She sounded exhausted over the phone. She was preparing to give a testimony to the mental state of a man standing trial. Usually, Tara would be here helping, but this case was too important and required all of her focus.

  “I saw some bruises on her arms. She swore she fell, but I’m starting to get a bad feeling about all of this,” Bella said, holding her phone to her ear with her shoulder while cleaning up the shop.

  After the children left, she always spent an hour or so straightening up the store and getting things ready for the next day. She paused to rub her temple and sigh. “I don’t know if that sounds crazy.”

  “No it doesn’t, typically I always follow my instincts when it comes to things like this. I’ll stop by next week and sit with her. While I’m going over her homework, I’ll assess her. If there is something off, we’ll figure out what to do. I will admit a lot of times with children in her situation the stress of moving from parent to parent causes behavioral differences, so we have to be sure before we call anyone. You said she told you everything was fine, right?”