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

  “Yeah, I asked her and she said everything was okay,” Bella maintained.

  “Okay, well we will deal with it next week. How is everything else there?” Tara asked, changing the subject. Bella didn’t mind; Tara had once told her the main lesson she’d learned from her job was to never dwell on something you couldn’t change.

  “It’s fine. I think someone bought the old gym building next door. There were a lot of people coming and going from it today.” Bella looked out the window at the empty building.

  “Do you have any idea who it was?” Tara asked.

  “No, but I don’t think it was a local person. Russ stopped by and he was not happy with whoever it is. He says it’s going to be a fight club or something like that.” Bella shook her head and rolled her eyes.“God only knows with Russ. I’ll wait and see. As soon as I know anything I’ll let you know.”

  “Oh, no. God bless the poor soul that has to deal with him,” Tara said with a laugh.

  Bella chuckled too, remembering how much hell she’d gone through when she first opened the bookstore. At first, they thought it was a race thing. Russ’ instant dislike for her made no sense. But they soon realized it as a Russ thing.

  The old man ran the chamber of commerce. He was eighty, ornery, and a real asshole most of the time, but once he’d figured out Bella planned to stay in town and run the business herself his whole attitude changed. She now thought of him as a senile grandfather who watched over the entire town. Still, Tara had never warmed up to him.

  “I know he’s crazy, but honestly he’s almost like a rite of passage for all the small businesses around here,” said Bella.“All of us have some horror stories about him. He can really destroy a business if he puts his mind to it.”

  “Well, good luck to whoever has to deal with him now,” Tara snorted.

  “How was your date with Dan the man?” Bella asked, locking up the glass doors and setting the alarm at the front of the store. When she’d first bought the building she hadn’t expected to enjoy living in the apartment upstairs so much. Most of the businesses had attached apartments and a lot of business owners lived in them. The convenience of this type of business had really upgraded her life.

  “First of all, it wasn’t a date. He tricked me into going out with him by dressing his invitation up as a work meeting. You know my one rule: never date a cop. I learned my lesson with Reese,” Tara grumbled.

  Bella could hear running water in the background and she was sure her sister was running a bubble bath. A milk chocolate bar, a glass of red wine, and a hot bath were how all Denton women dealt with stressful days.

  “Yeah, yeah. You’ve yet to answer the question?” Bella asked as she quickly straightened her small apartment. The one plus side to having such a tiny living space was that it made for quick cleaning. She pulled out a casserole dish and preheated her oven.

  “He was fine. It was fine. Anyway, he isn’t the problem. Last night after the case and all of that mess, I went to a downtown bar and got a little tipsy and I went home with someone.”

  Bella nearly dropped her casserole dish upon hearing that. “What? Not Tara Denton! The queen of saying no to one night stands. How in the hell did that happen?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to dissect it. I just wanted to tell you that it happened to me. At the ripe old age of thirty-three, I had my first and only one-night stand.”

  “Was it bad? You’re kind of making it sound like it was bad,” Bella said, placing the dish in the oven and pulling out a bottle of Merlot from the fridge.

  “No, it was amazing. He was amazing, but I regretted it in the morning. That’s not me, you know? But that case…it really destroyed me for a minute. Either way, I did it, I admit it, and I am moving on,” she said firmly.

  “Okay, well, you know I’m going to need more details when I see you again. As it is, I’m pouring a glass of red in honor of this news.” Bella smirked into the phone.

  “You are celebrating my one night stand?” Tara asked, sounding surprised.

  “I’m celebrating the fact that you slept with someone who wasn’t named Reese. Even if it was a one-night stand, it’s good to see you moving on and as long as you were safe and I know you were, I have no judgments for you…just love.” Bella took a sip of the tart wine.

  “Well, thanks. I’ll check in on you later. Right now this bath is calling my name,” Tara said, trying to stifle a yawn.

  “Alright. I’ll talk to you later, love you.”

  “Ok, love you too.”

  Bella set her iPhone down on the counter and pulled out her own bar of chocolate. It was time to celebrate. It had taken her sister a long time to move on from her ex. She’d held onto that heartbreak for a long time. She was happy Tara had done something spontaneous for once.

  They both had been in a dating freeze for a while now. Tara’s relationship with Reese had soured her view on men, and Bella had been taking some time for herself after losing her fiancé. Claudio Vercelli was a man who was going to be hard to come back from. After his death on the racetrack, Bella had decided on taking a break from everything.

  A photojournalist and a race car driver. Their life together had been a fast one. They had traveled the world together and done almost everything. When he’d died on that hot track on a Sunday afternoon, the world had ceased to make sense for her.

  She’d gone through a severe depression that thankfully Tara had pulled her back from. As she stood there in the kitchen unwrapping her chocolate bar, tears filled her eyes as she thought of his laughing face. She’d lost him over two years ago, and she still felt a sharp pain in her heart when she thought of him.

  She had spent most of their time together anxious and afraid of losing him to his passion for racing. His death had broken her in a way that ensured that the next man she chose would be a stable one. She couldn’t endure another emotional roller coaster with someone else.

  Whoever it was would have to be the polar opposite of her former fiance. She knew it was irrational but Claudio had taught her a valuable lesson. She’d lived through him being the ICU on multiple occasions, helped him through countless physical rehabs, and then watched him die trapped in his beloved race car.

  Her heart could not take another hit. When they’d met she’d been carefree and adventurous, and by the time he’d passed she’d lost those traits. It had taken her years to rebuild her life she wouldn’t risk her sanity again. This time she wanted to be someone’s first choice.

  Roxy waited patiently as she set out her food, her intelligent eyes following Bella closely. The small dog was the one thing Bella had kept from her relationship with Claudio. Roxy had been his gift to her on their first Christmas together.

  Bella pre-cut her casserole and set some aside to cool. She would freeze the rest for dinners for next week. Scooping a small portion onto her plate, she went to the couch and searched through Hulu until she found a nature documentary she hadn’t seen. Yep, she sighed, her life was very different from before.

  She’d sold their apartment and sent his part of the money to his mother. She’d always had a feeling the Argentinean woman thought she wasn’t good enough for her son. But when he’d passed away they’d grown closer because of their grief. Bella had made it her responsibility to stay close with her and now his mother spent holidays with her family. It was awkward at first, but now everyone looked forward to seeing her and in turn, Augustina loved the attention.

  Bella blinked as tears once again threatened to fill her eyes. She had to stop doing this. Claudio would always own a part of her heart, but he was gone now.

  Roxy ran over and took a minute to jump up on the couch. She was an old Maltese who didn’t like anyone but Bella. The small sandy-colored dog stepped gingerly over the flower printed quilt. She snuggled up to Bella as if sensing her distress.

  “It’s time for me to move on, Roxy,” Bella whispered, rubbing the dog’s silky fur. Roxy barked in agreement and settled on her lap. As the rain started, Bella
relaxed as the decision she didn’t know she needed to make was made.

  Bella pulled into her parking space with a frown on her face. She recognized the small cat on the side of the street. The local store owners had nicknamed her Doomsday. Some car had mowed her down and left her mangled body on the side of the road. Bella sent out a prayer for the poor cat. She was a menace to trash cans, but she’d survived in that alley for years.

  She got out of the car and went inside the store. She needed to find Doomsday’s kittens; she knew the old cat had some out there. That was the reason she’d left food outside her door against the neighborhood’s wishes. Bella wasn’t sure if they were still alive, but she had to see for herself. Life was too precious to waste.

  Roxy jumped excitedly as if she knew what their mission was and Bella reached down to run her hand through her hair. At least her dog had her back. Bella shook her head; she really needed to get out more or at the very least make some friends. She was starting to think she could read her dog’s mind.

  Grabbing her red tote, she filled it with some soft cotton towels. She would find those kittens and maybe she could save them. She reset her alarm to her door and walked out into the alley. She would search through every nook and cranny until she found them.

  * * *

  “So you are serious about this?” Nikos asked again as he maneuvered his Porsche through the two-lane street in downtown Norton. Julian laughed as he observed his older brother trying to hold his tongue. Ada had pulled him aside for a quick talk before they left and Julian was sure she’d told him to be supportive. He’d smiled, watching his older brother raise his hands in defeat before kissing his wife and the top of his baby’s curly head. His ice-cold brother was as soft as dough when it came to his small family. Julian had to bite back a laugh as Nikos’ massive fingers flexed on the steering wheel.

  After he’d spoken to Alex, he’d called both Maks and Nikos to tell them the news. He’d wanted to be the one to tell them about his plan to relinquish the belt. They’d both been supportive but curious. Alex was driving Maks up to the location, while Julian opted to ride with Nikos.

  They pulled up to the building and pride filled him. He knew it was a down size from his home in Chicago but he had a dream that could grow here. There was a small apartment attached to the top. None of his old stuff would fit; he would have to buy all new furniture. Nikos got out first. He walked up to the building and peered inside

  “So what exactly are you going to do at this school, now that you’ve quit your job?” Nikos asked. Julian had a feeling he was controlling his reaction. Nikos didn’t believe in quitting—it wasn’t the Stravanos way. Julian owed Ada a present for calming him down before he came. He didn’t have the energy to deal with an upset Nikos.

  “Teach martial arts,” he said, walking around him to unlock the door. It wouldn’t take much to get this place up and running according to the contractor he’d sent to check it out. He was lucky it had been a gym before.

  When they went in, Nikos walked around, quietly assessing the place. “It has good bones,” he said, running his hand across the paneling and turning to walk up the stairs to the apartment.

  “That was what the contractor said,” Julian said, following him. He would start painting the downstairs walls tonight. He was ready to get started. The sooner he got this place up and running the quicker students could come.

  “You’re going to have some adjusting to do, my boy.” Nikos laughed as he cautiously made his way through the small apartment.

  “Tell me about it,” Julian said, laughing as well. All the Stravanos men were big, standing at well over six feet. When he’d first bought this place he’d worried about the size of the apartment as well, but he would do what he had to do to make this work.

  “This reminds me of Alex’s dorm room,” Nikos said, opening the cabinets. He examined each room before turning around and heading back down the stairs.

  Julian followed, sighing. Nikos looked at him as if he was a child in need of coaching. Some things never changed.

  “Are you sure about this?” Nikos asked as he looked around the back of the building. His expression gave away nothing.

  “Yeah, it’s time. The hunger for fighting is gone for now and I would rather leave than have someone else take my title from me. Trust me, I need to do this.”

  “And the FFC is willing to let you out of the contract?” Nikos said skeptically.

  “As long as I don’t fight again, I don’t think they can stop me. Alex is dealing with the legal stuff. I’ve already left my fight team and manager.”

  “You’re sure this has nothing to do with your encounter with the Sandman a few months ago?”

  “It has everything to do with it. In those moments I thought I was going to die, Nikos, and all I felt was regret. I wished I’d done more, left something of myself here. I need to do more and I think this is it.”

  “Okay, that’s all I needed to hear. You have my full support, little brother,” Nikos said gruffly, patting him on the shoulder. They both heard Maks’ truck pulling up outside. Nikos went to let them in while Julian walked around the yard.

  His eyes were closed when he heard it. A small bark in the far side of the alley. He followed the sound. It was late Sunday and most of the small businesses around him were closed for the day. The back alleys were reserved for the owners.

  Once he got to the sound he stopped. The sexiest ass he’d ever seen was climbing a fence. She had light brown skin and thick black braids that stopped at the middle of her back. She wore a thin white t-shirt that hinted at her sexy figure and light blue jeans that emphasized her curves.

  He hadn’t even seen her face, but he already knew he was more than interested in knowing her. A small brown dog barked and ran in circles as she climbed. He thought about calling out but didn’t want to scare her into falling. So he decided to wait until she’d made it over to the other side before he made a noise.

  Before he could decide on what to do she turned and saw him. For a moment they just stood observing each other. Yep, this woman was definitely someone he needed to know. Her brown skin held a healthy glow and her chocolate colored eyes were soulful. He smiled. She was stunning from all angles. She reminded him of Janet Jackson from poetic justice.

  For a moment her eyes widened, and he knew she felt it too. He prayed she wasn’t taken by someone else because he wasn’t going to walk away. Her thick black braids only added to her exotic appeal. She turned away from him and bent down. She scooped up two small bundles of fur and mewling noises came from her hands.

  “Who are you?” she asked. Her small thumbs ran back and forth across the two little kittens she was holding close to her chest. Her eyes were cautious as she walked closer to him to get a better look.

  “I’m Julian Stravanos. I just bought the old gym. Who are you?”

  “I’m Bella Denton, I own the bookstore next door. I thought someone bought it, there were so many people coming in and out,” she said absently she placed the kittens in the soft red bag she had slung across her shoulder. With that, she climbed back over the fence.

  She landed carefully and immediately opened the bag to check on the two kittens inside. A soft smile touched her lips as they purred and meowed softly. The small dog jumped approvingly, running in small circles around her sneakered feet.

  “And this is my dog, Roxy,” she said, keeping her eyes on the kittens.

  “So what’s going on with the kittens?”

  “Their mom was a stray. When I was coming home, I saw a cat dead on the side of the road and I realized it was the same one from this alley. I knew she’d given birth somewhere back here, and I wanted to see if the kittens were still alive. I bought some stuff. I’m hoping I can keep them alive until the vet clinic opens up tomorrow.”

  “That’s sweet,” he said absently, his eyes focused on her lips.

  Some of his thoughts must have shown on his face because she took a step back and for just a second her expression
was vulnerable. Maybe she was nervous about him. After all, he was a strange man more than twice her size covered with dark and vibrant tattoos. Before he could assure her that he was harmless, she gave him a determined smile and stuck out her hand.

  “Well it’s nice to meet you but I have two new roommates to get settled in and a dog to feed.”

  He shook her hand and moved to say more but she was already turning away and heading in the direction of the bookstore. “Let me know if I can help you with anything,” he called out. She was a sweet woman. A lot of people he knew wouldn’t give a second thought about some stray kittens.

  She sent him thumbs up but didn’t stop walking. He had a feeling she’d felt the same thing he had when they’d looked into each other’s eyes. But while her reaction was to run, his was to chase. He’d never had such an intense attraction to someone. There was no way he would let her get away from him now.

  * * *

  “So you ran away?” Tara asked again.

  “I told you it was a strategic retreat. That man was too fine and I don’t have time for that,” she said, washing Roxy’s food bowl. She had a long night ahead of her with the kittens. She would have to feed them through the night and stimulate them into using the restroom. She had no idea how to do that but she was sure YouTube could help.

  “That’s interesting. You haven’t implemented a strategic retreat since Claudio,” Tara said suspiciously. Bella could hear her flipping through papers through the phone and sighed. She was probably still at her office. As sisters, they were both failing socially and they really needed to get out more.