Fighting for Keeps (Rocky River Fighters 2)

Heat filled her cheeks and she was glad for the cover of darkness. “My plan was to hit them in the head, but I tripped over the rug.”

Pushing up on her knees, she prepared to get up. Seth bent down and grasped her elbow to help her, and her breath caught at the rush of tingles from his touch, a crush of emotions making her throat close up tight.

“I guess that was a better plan,” he conceded. “Why are the lights off? I knocked, but you didn’t answer. You obviously weren’t upstairs asleep if you were able to be at the door when I opened it.”

“The electricity is out again, and I didn’t know which box I needed to break to get it back on. I fell asleep on the couch, and I didn’t hear you knock. Or maybe it was the knock that woke me up. Either way, I didn’t know you were here. I’d never try to hit you in the head.”

“No, you only try to break my dick,” he replied, faint amusement in his voice. “And Amelia, you don’t try to break the box. The box where the switches are is called a breaker box. Stay right here while I go get the electricity back on. I don’t want you tripping over anything else.”

He started to walk away, and she turned to watch his shadowy form. “Seth! I’m not sure why you came back. But we need to talk. Please. I have to tell you my side of the story, and I’ll never be able to live with myself if I don’t fight for the chance to do that. If I don’t fight for you.”

His body was frozen for a moment before he finally nodded, back still facing her. “That’s why I came back. You’re right. We do need to talk.”

Releasing the breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding, she wrapped her arms around her waist and watched him disappear into the kitchen. Nerves were eating her alive now that she had what she wanted, and she had to make him understand. Had to make him realize that their relationship hadn’t been a lie. Maybe it started that way in the very beginning, but everything changed as she got to know him.

She wasn’t a fighter, but she was about to become one. This time it was her turn to fight, and it would be the fight of her lifetime.

Blowing out a nervous breath, Amelia poured hot water from the kettle into her cup, hoping tea would settle her nerves. Probably not, but she was making a cup anyway. The electricity was back on, and Seth was waiting for her in the living room. This, the opportunity to talk to him, was what she wanted more than anything, but her nerves were stretched tight.

Seth agreeing to let her talk was a big step, but it in no way meant he would listen, and believe. There was still a huge chance he would walk out again after he learned the truth. In fact, odds were, he’d do exactly that. She was still going to try, and give it everything she had. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her mug and made her way to the living room, where Seth was sitting on the couch.

“So you knew what I was from the beginning.”

Freezing as she was sitting down, she hung suspended halfway down for a moment before easing herself onto the couch. Looked like they were just going to jump right into it.

“I didn’t know for sure at first. Uncle Jerry told me when he was in the hospital, but I thought it was just drug-induced ramblings. And then I got bored and went to a fight, just so I could see if anything he said had merit. I didn’t think it would, but then I saw you and Jax fight. You moved too fast, and you both were healing almost as soon as you got hurt. I still wasn’t sure if you could shift into an animal, but I knew you were something more than human.”

“And that’s when you decided to try to seduce the information out of me.”

Cheeks heating and shame welling up inside her, she gave a tiny nod. “I didn’t think I’d be successful, but I was dying of curiosity. I watched you jump off the barn one day, and that’s when I went out and got the cookies. Bought new clothes, makeup, and contacts. I wasn’t very successful with some of those,” she said with a shaky laugh. “The thing is, after being around you for less than five minutes, it became something different. As early as when you had breakfast with me. The attraction I felt for you, the way you made me feel… it was very real. I kept trying to convince myself it was all in the name of research, but it wasn’t. It truly wasn’t, Seth. No matter what happens, I need you to know that,” she said, breath hitching.

He nodded slowly, a small frown on his face. The longer he was quiet, the more nervous she got. This probably wasn’t going to go well. He could think she was lying to try to save face. Actually, that’s probably exactly what he was thinking.

“How did you figure out I’m a leopard shifter?”

“I overheard you guys after the fight with Zane. You said something about your animal, so I knew my uncle had been right, and you were a shifter. Then when we were in bed, I thought I heard you purr, so I figured you were some kind of cat. And when you gave me the leopard you carved, I thought that was what you are.”

More nodding, more silence. Her nerves were strung tight, and she just wished he would get on with it, whether he accepted what she said or not. She needed an end to this uncertainty.

“I understand if you don’t believe me. I’m not sure I’d

believe me, if I were you—”

“I believe you, Amelia. Shifters can hear lies. I know everything you said is the truth. I’m just processing.”

“You can hear lies?” she asked, surprised. “You guys have a lot of advantages. Strength, healing, better hearing.”

“You really do notice a lot, don’t you?” he asked with a smile. “We also have better vision, and we don’t get sick.”

“Well, that’s a handy superpower to have. I’d love to not get sick,” she said with a laugh.

“We do have a lot of advantages, but there are disadvantages, too. Being a shifter isn’t all great.”

Turning on the couch to face him, she took a sip of tea before placing it on the table. There was sadness in his voice, and it was stamped on his face, his golden eyes haunted. All her concerns about whether he could get past what she’d done fled in the face of his pain.

Placing a tentative hand on his leg, she asked softly, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Exhaling, he took the hand she had on his leg, picking it up and intertwining their fingers together. “Might as well, as long as we’re sharing everything. I don’t want any lies between us going forward.”