Mr. July: An MMA Sports Romance (Calendar Boys Book 7) Read online

  COPYRIGHT

  Mr. July

  Published by Nicole S. Goodin

  Digital edition

  ISBN: 978-0-9951206-2-4

  Copyright 2019 by Nicole S. Goodin

  All rights reserved. ©

  This ebook is for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Mr. July

  First published July 2019

  All rights reserved. ©

  Cover design by Nicole Goodin

  Images purchased from Deposit Photos

  Editing by Spell Bound

  DISCLAIMER

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to events, places, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges all song titles, song lyrics, film titles, film characters, trademarked statuses and brands mentioned in this book are the property of, and belong to, their respective owners.

  Nicole S. Goodin is in no way affiliated with any of the brands, songs, musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  EPILOGUE

  THANK YOU!

  MR. AUGUST

  OTHER TITLES

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  PLAYLIST

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  UPCOMING TITLES

  DEDICATION

  For all the babes born in July

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  This book has been written using UK English and may contain euphemisms and slang words that form part of the New Zealand spoken word.

  Please remember that the words are not misspelled. They are slang terms and form part of everyday, New Zealand vernacular.

  I.e: I’m from New Zealand and sometimes we say weird things down here… please try and be cool about it.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Hudson

  My gaze catches on the pink hair of the beautiful woman again, my arms raised in victory as I do a slow spin of the arena from the centre of the cage.

  The crowd is normally nothing but a blur, but with a face like that, it’s no wonder she stood out.

  Everyone in the room is going crazy, screaming my name, stomping their feet against the hard floor and clapping their hands – celebrating the victory with me.

  Considering I beat the shit out of other dudes for a living, I’m this place’s golden boy.

  I’m the crowd favourite here tonight, and with good reason. This is my home town now, and even though I was raised somewhere else entirely, they treat me like I’m the prodigal child returned – not to mention the fact that I’ve just won myself another title belt.

  That makes two now.

  Justin’s hand lands heavily on my back, and I realise I’m frozen, still looking at the girl.

  She’s not even so much as glanced up at me. In fact, her eyes are on her feet, and she looks like she could hurl.

  I don’t know who she is, but given that she’s got prime ringside tickets, she must be someone.

  “Your uppercut needs work,” Justin yells over the cheers of the crowd as I pull my eyes from the girl and turn to face him.

  I flip him off. He might be my coach, but he’s also my best mate.

  “You’re going to pull me up on my uppercut, when I just got us another belt?”

  His face breaks into a grin. “Good things come in twos, baby.”

  “I’ve had a few knocks to the head.” I chuckle. “But I’m pretty sure it’s bad things and that they come in threes.”

  “Whatever, same difference.” He throws his arm around my shoulder and shoves at my head, a shit-eating grin on his lips. “He messed up your pretty face this time.”

  I shove him back. “Fuck off.”

  He’s right though. I can feel the blood trickling down my left eye and onto my cheek, plus my right eye is swelling so hard I can’t see shit out of it anymore.

  The calling of my name picks up, and I raise my hand to the crowd, my newly acquired belt strapped around my middle.

  It doesn’t feel too bad to be king of the ring, I can tell you that much.

  “You done with this circus?” Justin asks, and I nod.

  Fuck yes, I am.

  Post-fight interviews are done – my opponent has already insisted on a rematch, even though I kicked his ass in only three rounds, but hell, if he wants to offer up his reputation for me to destroy further, then I’ll take the pay day.

  Winning is a high, but one that is wearing off fast.

  This thing is done.

  Justin throws my robe over my shoulders and gestures to the other guys that we’re moving out.

  Justin is my main trainer, but I’ve also got a couple of other guys. Randy is my grapple and floor expert and Owen works with me on conditioning and my leg work – kicks and knees. Between the three of them, they handle my management and nutrition – I like to keep my circle small.

  We’re exiting the opposite side of the cage from the girl with the pink hair, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed about it.

  No one catches my eye in a crowd on a normal day, and the fact that she did, has me curious – I want to know who she is and why she’s here.

  Justin leads me through the screaming crowd – security guards flanking us until we reach the hallway leading to the warm-up area and changing rooms.

  I glance back over my shoulder, even though I know I won’t see her.

  I know I could ask Justin to go out there and invite her back here for me, but honestly, the pain is starting to kick in, and I’m not sure I could be charming even if I wanted to be – I certainly don’t look my best.

  I scowl and shrug my shoulders, which are starting to feel like lead, and try to relax.

  There’s so much lactic acid coursing through my body, and I know I’m going to be sore as shit tomorrow.

  That bastard might have gone down like a sack of potatoes in the end, but he got a few good shots in along the way.

  Randy jogs off ahead of me, to check on my ice bath I bet, and Owen sits an ice pack between my shoulders to try and give me some temporary relief.

  The guys know me well by now, when I get this look on my face, it’s time to get to work making me more comfortable.

  “Anything you want the doctor to check?” Justin asks, his gaze travelling to my eyebrow.

  “It’ll need stitches or something,” I tell him, I can feel the gaping cut across my brow, and it’
s definitely not going to heal up on its own.

  “I’ll see if he wants to glue it or sew it up.” He nods.

  We reach the door of my changing room; Owen tugs the robe from my shoulders and removes my belt.

  I slide my shorts down my legs and limp towards the bath in only my boxer briefs.

  “Might get him to check my leg too,” I tell Justin.

  He nods. “I’ll get him to swing by in a few, I’ve gotta go grab my sister quickly.”

  I slide into the ice-cold water and wince. I’ll never get used to this level of cold.

  “Your sister?”

  “Yeah, man, remember I told you she was finally back?”

  I shake my head and try to relax my tense muscles.

  “I told you yesterday she was coming to watch, I got her tickets…”

  I shake my head again. He should know better than to talk to me about anything important in the lead up to a fight.

  Most of the time I’m half-starved from trying to make weight, and almost delusional from all the training.

  He shakes his head and chuckles. “We might get doc to check your head while we’re at it… so, my sister – you do remember I have one of those, right?”

  I flip him off again.

  “Anyway, she’s in the crowd and I’ve gotta go get her.”

  I wave him off with my hand and close my eyes, letting my head fall back against the rim of the bath.

  I don’t know how long I lie there for, but I hear Justin’s voice coming back towards the room and I open my eyes.

  There’s still blood pouring out of my brow, so I hope he’s got the doc with him; it’s getting fucking irritating.

  “I don’t know, J, I’m not sure I should go in there,” a female voice says.

  “Don’t be stupid, you’re practically family.”

  His sister.

  I’ve never met Ramsey, but it would seem I’m about to.

  Excellent fucking timing.

  Justin strides into the room, a grin on his face, and my eyes fall to the woman behind him… the one with the pink hair and the pretty face.

  “Shit,” I mutter under my breath.

  She’s the woman. The one from the crowd. The one who caught my eye and is now making my heart beat faster.

  She’s fucking gorgeous.

  I’d need a cold shower if I wasn’t already covered in ice.

  “Ramsey, this is Hudson, but you can call him Horror if you want.”

  Her eyes find mine and she gasps, her face turns white and she sways on her feet.

  “Oh fuck, I forgot about the blood,” Justin hisses as he darts to catch her as she faints in his arms. “She can’t stand the sight of blood.” He groans as he scoops her up.

  “Well, shit, I’ve never had a woman react quite like that to meeting me,” I drawl, trying to cover the fact that I’m about two seconds away from leaping out of this bath to see if she’s okay.

  Justin carries her from the room, and it takes every last bit of my self-control to stay put.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Ramsey

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Justin!” I shove his chest again, but it’s no use, he’s still in the shape of a professional fighter. “You know I can’t deal with blood, shithead!”

  He chuckles and ducks as I swing at his head his time. “Sorry, I forgot… Jesus, do you really think I did that on purpose?”

  “I don’t care if you did it on purpose or not!” I shriek. “I could seriously kill you right now.”

  “Take your best shot.” He smirks arrogantly at me.

  I groan in frustration. “That was so embarrassing, J, seriously, I just want to go home and never come back.”

  He chuckles again but tries to hide it when I glare at him.

  “Don’t sweat it, sis, Hudson is cool, he’s not going to make fun of you, and he’s had a few knocks tonight, so he’s probably not feeling that sharp himself.”

  “Don’t remind me.” I shudder.

  I don’t know what possessed me to come to this fight. I can barely watch one on TV, let alone ringside, front and centre.

  I’ve felt queasy all night.

  He tugs me into his side and kisses the top of my head. “I’m sorry, Ramsey, seriously. I forgot about you and blood.”

  “It’s like the most defining quality of my personality,” I grumble.

  “Maybe if you came home more often, I wouldn’t have forgotten.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. He’s always giving me a hard time for not spending more time around, but I’m here now – with no plans to go anywhere any time soon – unless he keeps subjecting me to bodily fluid and violence, in which case, I might just pack my bag and take off again.

  “Can I go home now? I still feel like I could puke.”

  And die from embarrassment from fainting in front of the sexiest mixed martial arts fighter in the world – sure, I might not be able to stomach watching the fights, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know all their names and what they look like.

  My family is MMA obsessed, and I’m obsessed with men so ripped they look like they’re made out of stone.

  Before they go and get all cut up and bloody at least.

  “I want you to meet, Hudson.” He tugs me in the direction of the door.

  I dig my toes into the ground. I’m not going back in there until it’s been declared a total blood-free zone, maybe not even then – seeing Hudson Scott in the flesh made me nervous.

  Watching him dance around in the cage before the fight was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

  He’s got this edge to him that’s utterly frightening… a menacing look in his eye or something. He looks like a guy you do not want to fuck with, but beyond that, he’s sexy as hell – body toned to perfection, handsome, chiselled features, sexy hair shaved close on the sides, and floppy on the top… and don’t even get me started on that tattoo.

  And he’s my brother’s best friend, which I’m sure means he’s off limits, probably even for looking at.

  I shove him away from me. “You go right ahead.”

  He chuckles. “Don’t be a baby, the doc came out half an hour ago, he’ll be good as new by now.”

  I want to ask if he’ll still be shirtless, because I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold a conversation if he is but decide better of it – the last thing I need is my big brother giving me shit for crushing on his friend.

  This whole evening is the last thing I need if I’m honest.

  I should have stayed home and watched a movie with Juliet.

  She’s going to have a field day when she finds out I fainted in front of Hudson ‘The Horror’ Scott.

  She might prefer to read a book than watch sport, but that hasn’t stopped her from perving on every inch of the man on the other side of this wall.

  “Go check,” I tell Justin.

  He shakes his head at me but does as I tell him.

  I don’t know why I’m stalling, but my belly is fluttering with nerves that have nothing to do with my hatred of blood.

  “All clear, Ram-Ram, move your ass.”

  “Don’t call me that,” I hiss as he snags my arm and drags me into the room.

  The bath is empty now, thank god, because even all banged up, his body was a fine sight soaking wet – it’s the only reason I didn’t notice his face right away.

  “Horror, this is my sister…” he calls, and my eyes skim the room, finding the man he’s speaking to sitting in a chair, one of his legs resting on another chair in front of him. One of his eyes is swollen shut and I can see bruises forming on his jaw.

  Hudson raises his head, first looking at my brother and then at me.

  One side of his mouth turns up slightly, but he doesn’t say a word.

  I raise my hand in an awkward wave. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” he replies.

  “Don’t both talk at once,” Justin drawls as he drops into a chair next to Hudson.

  He shoves one in my direction and I slide
into it.

  “Uh, I’m Ramsey… sorry about the fainting.”

  I glance quickly up to his brow, and thankfully, it’s all patched up now and covered by a crisp white bandage.

  He’s wearing a shirt too – another win, because I’d hate to get caught drooling.

  He smirks and then winces at the movement. “Hudson,” he introduces himself. “And it’s no worries.”

  I divert my eyes to the messy pile of hand wraps at his feet.

  “Did you enjoy the fight?” he asks, and I look up in surprise.

  His voice is smooth, like a good whiskey going down.

  I scrunch up my nose. “Umm… sure…”

  “You don’t sound very convinced.”

  “I can’t really watch,” I admit. “The sound of bone hitting bone… the blood...”

  “She was probably trying not to puke her guts out the whole time,” Justin tells him, and I want to smack my brother again. I do not want Hudson Scott thinking about vomit and me in the same sentence.

  He eyes me curiously – with the one eye that’s not swollen shut anyway. “Why’d you come to watch the most brutal fighting there is if you can’t stomach it?”

  I point at Justin. “He doesn’t know what the word ‘no’ means.”

  Hudson’s lip lifts again, just a little. “I’ve never known him to be good at listening.”

  These two men have been friends for about four years, and maybe I am a shitty little sister, given that this is the first time we’re meeting.

  Justin nearly made it as a pro fighter a few years ago – that’s how he and Hudson met, but a career-ending injury took my brother out – which I wasn’t exactly gutted about if I’m being honest – so he’s been training and coaching the rising star in front of me ever since.

  At least now when Justin sets foot inside a cage, it’s purely for training purposes.

  Hudson raises his arm, and just when I think he’s doing some type of stretch, his hand darts out as fast as lightening and smacks Justin around the back of the head.