One Choice (Hogan Brothers 2)

Plastering her back to Levi’s front and knowing he wouldn’t keep advancing on the other man with her between them, she said to him, “Hi, I’m Hayes.”

“Rocko.” He folded his arms across his chest trying for a supreme stance. As his eyes travelled her body, she wished she’d put on something other than her sports bra and running shorts.

She sensed the exact moment his eyes locked on her scars. It was chilling the way he made her feel so insignificant with just the one scathing look. Disgust and revulsion masked his once cocky expression.

“You son of a bitch. I should fucking pound you here and now,” Levi threatened, seeing the same thing she had.

The jerk laughed like the threat meant nothing to him. As if Levi couldn’t do a thing to the other man.

“You’re Casper’s new whipping boy,” Cam commented from the corner as Tiny came out from the back room. The fighter’s spine straightened at the blatant mockery in the words.

“Rocko can’t hurt a damn fly.” Tiny laughed from behind.

Recognizing that he was, for all intense and purposes, surrounded, he hopped off the side of the ring and slowly backed away while trying to watch all three men at once.

“Knuckles!” Casper happily called out as he entered the front doors, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. “I see you met your opponent for next Saturday night!” Pure delight lit up his eyes as he looked both men up and down, taking pleasure in the size difference.

“You can’t fight him, Levi,” she whispered and turned around. “He’s huge.”

His hands hugged her hips, squeezing as he responded to Casper. “Look forward to a good beat down.” Confidence exuded through his voice and demeanor as he helped Hayes out of the ring and into the changing room. He locked the door behind them.

“You can’t fight him.” She stressed her concern again.

“I’ll whoop his ass.” She loved that he was cocky but feared that all the self-assuredness wouldn’t be enough to get him through in the ring with the giant man. He must have seen the worry in her gaze. “Tiny will help me prepare. Cam, too.”

Hayes didn’t doubt his friends would be in his corner however they could. She questioned his lack of concern with his opponent. There was something with Rocko and Casper that she couldn’t quite identify, and that’s what had her troubled.

Lorraine Hogan bustled around her modest kitchen preparing what she hoped would be a successful meal for her son Levi and his new girlfriend. After the horrible first impression she’d made with the young woman, she wanted nothing more than to make up for her behavior.

“That damn high school,” she muttered to herself for the umpteenth time in the past hour. It was the second biggest shock of her life. The first came when her husband had been diagnosed with cancer; bless his soul.

Her boys were all she had anymore, so she knew she had to accept and love any woman they chose to be theirs. The same way Lucas’ parents had accepted her for the simple farm girl she’d been when they were married.

Hayes was such a beautiful girl, and her name was lovely. Noticing the way the young woman had watched Levi before leaving his house told her all she needed to know. The girl was smitten with Lorraine’s middle child.

After all the bruises and cuts over the past few months, she’d worried more and more each day for Levi. Wondering if he’d gotten himself into so much trouble, he couldn’t get out. Anxious that he was in debt and borrowing money he shouldn’t be.

Hearing the rumble of the engine from Levi’s car, Lorraine darted to the small powder room off the entry of the house and freshened up before opening the front door to the new couple.

Nerves wreaked havoc with Hayes’ mind and muscles as they pulled up to Levi’s mother’s home. His childhood home. The place she was sure he’d brought many girls for stolen moments.

Taking a deep breath, she held Levi’s hand as he helped her from his car. Always a gentleman. “Don’t look so worried, sugar.” He grinned. “Ma doesn’t bite too hard.”

She swatted his chest at his attempted joke. “Before we go in, I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Does your family know?”

He didn’t pretend not to understand her. “No.”

Nodding her head at him, further comment was cut off as Lorraine exited the front door. A huge smile was plastered on her face. She looked just as nervous as Hayes felt.

“Hey, Ma.” Levi greeted the woman while tugging her behind him as they walked up the steps.

“Hi, sweetheart.” She kissed his cheek. “Hayes,” she sounded semi-happy, “so wonderful to see you again.”

This was unchartered territory for Hayes. “Nice to see you, too, ma’am.”