Read Online Paradise Fought: Abel by L. B. Dunbar - Free Book Online
Authors: L. B. Dunbar
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lying on its side on the scuffed linoleum floor. Once again, I stared around me and wondered: How did this become my life?
Lindee Parks was my best friend. She and I would have been roommates, had I been able to afford the room. Our three person apartment remained empty in one room as I couldn’t take the space when I moved my mother to California. A girl was supposed to move in at the start of the fall semester. She went abroad immediately, so her room only stored her stuff until the spring semester started in January. I hadn’t met her yet. Lindee’s cousin, Maggie, was her other roommate.
When Montana died, Lindee’s world collapsed for a different reason. She’d been in love with him. She seemed to be rebuilding better than I was, however. Perhaps, it was because she had only lost him. As childhood friends, Lindee had wealth in excess of me. Part of Vegas royalty, she had a large home with a tennis court, a custom landscaped pool, a multi-car garage, and a helicopter. We knew almost everything about one another. What we shared in common were our secrets.
Her lust for my brother had been one of them, until one day she acted on it. It should have divided our friendship, but I loved her like a sister. What was difficult was trusting my brother. He was a famous fighter. Women craved him. They lusted after him in a different way than Lindee had. She had loved him. I didn’t believe he was faithful to her, though. I think in her heart she didn’t believe it either. What might have made him all the more enticing was her parents’ disapproval. An older man by seven years, who was a fighter, was not acceptable dating material for the daughter of the Parks, owners of The Belfast, a large hotel and casino on the strip in Vegas. Lindee enjoyed the fact she got away with seeing Montana when we went to college. She might have loved breaking the rules of her parents’ more than she actually loved him.
On the other hand, Lindee hadn’t dated since Montana died in late spring. She claimed she wasn’t ready. She also hadn’t returned to the fight. She’d been present when it happened. She said she couldn’t face it. The fights had a certain aggression to them that Lindee had trouble reconciling with after Montana’s death. She was sweet where my brother was hard. The physical blows made her flinch, but my brother encouraged her presence. He flew her to events on occasion.
I didn’t want to pressure her, but I needed Lindee to go with me. I needed to try to get closer to Thor, and after a fight would be the perfect time to talk with him. He’d be pumped up and potentially interested in my plan. My suggestion might seem crazy, except to someone in the circuit. I had a feeling Thor would understand what I proposed. He had a big ego. While there had been rumors of an up and coming fighter named Betta, Thor was a sure bet.
I gently asked Lindee to attend with me. She didn’t need to know my goal. I figured it was best to formulate my plan, and then clue her in after I had my answers.
“Lindee, I really want you to go with me. I need a wing girl,” I teased.
“You’ve never needed one before,” my petite, brunette friend laughed, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. “Didn’t you go to the first fight with Keli and her group?” Lindee added with sarcasm. Lindee and I had diverse friends, but one group she disapproved of most was Keli Hogan. Loud mouthed, Keli had a reputation long and large for what her mouth could do. I had gone to the fight with her posse of friends, only in hopes of gaining Thor’s attention. It had worked. He noticed me with the girls, although his focus roamed from one girl to the next. His initial interest waned, and someone else relieved him of his tension that night.
“It’s not the same without you,” I pleaded, knowing that for Lindee, the fight would never be the same. She’d lost my brother there, but so had I. I needed answers, and then I desired to avenge. Someone
Lindee Parks was my best friend. She and I would have been roommates, had I been able to afford the room. Our three person apartment remained empty in one room as I couldn’t take the space when I moved my mother to California. A girl was supposed to move in at the start of the fall semester. She went abroad immediately, so her room only stored her stuff until the spring semester started in January. I hadn’t met her yet. Lindee’s cousin, Maggie, was her other roommate.
When Montana died, Lindee’s world collapsed for a different reason. She’d been in love with him. She seemed to be rebuilding better than I was, however. Perhaps, it was because she had only lost him. As childhood friends, Lindee had wealth in excess of me. Part of Vegas royalty, she had a large home with a tennis court, a custom landscaped pool, a multi-car garage, and a helicopter. We knew almost everything about one another. What we shared in common were our secrets.
Her lust for my brother had been one of them, until one day she acted on it. It should have divided our friendship, but I loved her like a sister. What was difficult was trusting my brother. He was a famous fighter. Women craved him. They lusted after him in a different way than Lindee had. She had loved him. I didn’t believe he was faithful to her, though. I think in her heart she didn’t believe it either. What might have made him all the more enticing was her parents’ disapproval. An older man by seven years, who was a fighter, was not acceptable dating material for the daughter of the Parks, owners of The Belfast, a large hotel and casino on the strip in Vegas. Lindee enjoyed the fact she got away with seeing Montana when we went to college. She might have loved breaking the rules of her parents’ more than she actually loved him.
On the other hand, Lindee hadn’t dated since Montana died in late spring. She claimed she wasn’t ready. She also hadn’t returned to the fight. She’d been present when it happened. She said she couldn’t face it. The fights had a certain aggression to them that Lindee had trouble reconciling with after Montana’s death. She was sweet where my brother was hard. The physical blows made her flinch, but my brother encouraged her presence. He flew her to events on occasion.
I didn’t want to pressure her, but I needed Lindee to go with me. I needed to try to get closer to Thor, and after a fight would be the perfect time to talk with him. He’d be pumped up and potentially interested in my plan. My suggestion might seem crazy, except to someone in the circuit. I had a feeling Thor would understand what I proposed. He had a big ego. While there had been rumors of an up and coming fighter named Betta, Thor was a sure bet.
I gently asked Lindee to attend with me. She didn’t need to know my goal. I figured it was best to formulate my plan, and then clue her in after I had my answers.
“Lindee, I really want you to go with me. I need a wing girl,” I teased.
“You’ve never needed one before,” my petite, brunette friend laughed, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. “Didn’t you go to the first fight with Keli and her group?” Lindee added with sarcasm. Lindee and I had diverse friends, but one group she disapproved of most was Keli Hogan. Loud mouthed, Keli had a reputation long and large for what her mouth could do. I had gone to the fight with her posse of friends, only in hopes of gaining Thor’s attention. It had worked. He noticed me with the girls, although his focus roamed from one girl to the next. His initial interest waned, and someone else relieved him of his tension that night.
“It’s not the same without you,” I pleaded, knowing that for Lindee, the fight would never be the same. She’d lost my brother there, but so had I. I needed answers, and then I desired to avenge. Someone
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