Fenton opened his eyes. "Let me guess, I'm on probation."
"Did you do it on purpose?" I was not sure I wanted to know the answer, but I could not help but ask.
He shook his head. His eyes never leaving mine. "Why are you still here, Kya?"
I set the aspirin down on the bedside table and avoided his look. "The probation is nothing. All you have to do is lay low until your next fight and everything will be fine."
"Seriously. Why are you still here?"
I looked at Fenton again and could not tell what he was feeling. It was impossible to know if he was pushing me, mocking me, or protecting himself. No matter what way, I was not up to the challenge. Fenton could hurt me too much, I already knew that.
"I heard from my boss and he says the vitamin people are even more interested now that you've gone viral," I said. "The deal is even better than it was and I have to make sure you consider it."
"That's it? Just doing your job?"
"It’s too good to pass up," I said. The deal was so good that it was worth wrecking the scraps of goodwill we had managed to pull back together. He deserved to hear about it, no matter what it did to us.
"Get out." Fenton turned off the light and rolled away from me. I got up and finally retreated across the suite to my own bedroom.
Don't be a fool, there is no us, I reminded myself.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Fenton
I woke up to my head pounding and my phone ringing. Kya's bedroom door was shut. I would have slammed mine if I could stand the sound. Instead, I answered my phone.
"It’s me," my sister said.
"Where are you? I thought you were going to stay here?" I rolled over and blinked at the clock. "You're up early. I thought you would sleep in after your shift."
"Kinda hard to sleep in at my place," Dana Maria said.
I sat up and rubbed a hand over my eyes. "Are you still in your car? That's why you were supposed to be staying here. You can't keep doing that, Sis."
"It’s the best way to save money. And stop giving me advice, Fenton. I've seen your life and I gotta say, I think it’s a bigger mess than mine."
"That's not fair. You've only seen me a few times. Maybe Vegas isn't bringing out the best in me," I said.
"Don't blame the town, Fen. And remember, you can't fight everything and everyone," Dana Maria said.
"Yeah? And who should be the first for me to kiss and make up with?" I thought about our father and how he was never friends with anyone.
"I saw your picture. Maybe you should start with that girl of yours. She was ready to fight for you. You should return the favor. Anyway, I was just calling to let you know I'm alright. I'll see you around, Fen." She hung up the phone.
I could not bear to face the bright sunlight of the white decor living room. Still holding my phone, I flopped back in bed to check the damage. The photograph was everywhere. It was great publicity for me despite the probation. It was even great publicity for the golfer; he looked like the hero good guy. I wanted to spit on him. The only thing that stopped me was Kya.
If Kya had been the untouchable good girl, the Country Club Princess, before, she was done now. All the headlines and captions lambasted her. All the articles talked about her going wild, letti
ng loose, and, my personal favorite, tarnishing her halo. She was in my territory now.
I would have felt bad for her, if I did not remember catching her with the golfer just outside my bedroom door kissing on the couch over glasses of champagne. The surge of anger burned off some of my hangover. I got out of bed and marched to her door. What would I say?
I turned and went to the kitchen to make a hangover cure. I was just choking it down when I noticed the folder and note on the counter:
I had to tell you about the offer. It is too good to pass up. I understand you want to do everything on your own and that makes sense to me. I'm the same way. That's why I am pursuing other athletes. Now there's no pressure, I'm not depending on you. Make this decision for yourself. – Kya
I opened the folder. She was right; the deal was very generous. The contract was for a surprisingly long period. It would set me up for long enough to get settled. It would help me survive the ups and downs of my MMA career.