“Hachidan?” Blue prompted.
“Yes, I’ve maintained a presence in the underground fighting world. Seventy percent of the time I referee. The other thirty percent?” He met Blue’s gaze head-on. “I fight.”
“Dangerous hobby, my friend, and one I’d require you give up for good if we join forces.”
Ronin nodded. He’d already been forced to give it up, and his respect grew for the man across the table for expecting they’d keep things on the up-and-up.
“Back to the topic at hand. I’d like to pursue a partnership with you for the major amateur event we’ve scheduled in three weeks.”
“Here in Denver?”
“Yep. And you’re thinking . . . why haven’t you heard of it, right?”
“Right.”
“That’s what I’m saying. You’re involved in the fight world, and you’re unaware of the event. Think how many other martial arts studios with MMA training programs are in the same situation. They have no place to put their fighters to the test. Between us, we’ve got the network to make it happen. We’ve got the diversity. We’ve got the money.”
Ronin had to slow down the gears churning in his head and focus. “Expenses?”
“Everything fifty-fifty. From the overhead to the venue to the staffing. This first event could be a trial run to see how well we mesh. A lot of the logistics are already in place. It’d just entail swapping a few things out. And you kicking in some cash.”
“I’ll admit you’ve piqued my interest.” Really piqued it. If Ronin couldn’t participate in the fighting world in the cage or host fights in dive bars that catered to a rougher crowd, he could be an active part of it from a different angle. God knew he needed something to occupy himself while he was supposed to sit around twiddling his fucking thumbs.
Blue smiled. “Good. I didn’t mean to steer you away from the real reason I’m here.”
“Let’s cut to the chase. I think we can come to a workable agreement as far as absorbing your dojo into mine, while letting you keep some autonomy. What is your biggest issue right now?”
“I do not own my facility. I moved into the location last year. In the last nine months, I’ve been approached by two guys offering me protection. I initially declined.”
“Let me guess. After declining their offers, your place has been vandalized.”
“Three times. Renter’s insurance didn’t begin to cover the replacement costs. I contacted the rental property company to ask for assistance with paying for new windows, and they informed me anything involving ‘malicious intent’ isn’t covered.”
“Did the protection guys warn you about the vandalism?”
He nodded. “Being from Brazil and growing up on American TV, I thought those types of business practices were for effect. Or they only happened on the East Coast.”
“Sadly, no. How long is your lease?”
“I’ve got one year remaining on it. I’m the only tenant left in the building.”
“Is the building for sale?”
“No, but every other building on the block has changed hands in the last two years. As far as I know, the owners weren’t interested in selling.”
Sounded like the owners were being pressured to sell by a third party harassing the existing leaseholder into breaking the lease and cutting off the owner’s income stream. Easy to hire muscle, use scare tactics and property damage to convince the tenants to leave. He’d seen it happen over and over. And in the not too distant past, he’d been the guy doing the persuading.
“You don’t believe me,” Blue stated quietly.
Ronin glanced up at him. “No, it’s not that. A few organizations around here still get results by those tactics. Are you paying for protection?”
Blue’s face turned red. “I have no choice. But it’s sucking every bit of profit, and I’ll have to close my dojo before too much longer. I’d much rather be under the Black Arts umbrella and pay you rather than lose everything I’ve worked for in the last three years.”
“I understand. Is there a chance the property management company would relax the penalties for breaking your lease?”
“I’ll ask.”
“Let me do some checking around. I know some guys in the business.” Denver mover and shaker Thaddeus “TP” Pettigrew owed him a favor, so the real estate angle would be easy to check.
“You’d do that before we signed any formal agreement?”
“Let’s put it this way: I’ll feel better signing an agreement with you if all of that stuff is already taken care of.” Ronin stood. “Let’s join the tour. And if you’re all right with it, we can get Shiori started on the transitional paperwork.”
“As long as she’s willing to work with Sophia. She handles the business end of ABC.”
“You should know that Shiori is my sister. She’s here temporarily handling some family business and filling in as an instructor.”
Blue grinned again. “A sure sign that this arrangement is meant to be, no? Because Sophia is my sister.”
• • •
THE next evening, Ronin said, “I think I might go back to teaching next week.”
Amery lifted her head from his chest. “I know the bruises have faded, but are you really ready? Or are you just feeling guilty?”
“Teaching is what I do.” Fuck. That’s all they’d let him do.
“What classes are you usurping? Poor Sandan Zach’s women’s self-defense class?”
He slapped her bare ass. “I did my penance teaching you.”
“Hey!”
“Don’t pout, baby.” Ronin dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. “I’d be helping Ito with the younger kids.”
“Why? Aren’t your highly advanced skills wasted there?”
“I should be accessible to all students, not just those in advanced classes. Plus I need to assess all levels more frequently to ensure their skill sets are up to par.”
“Will you have time to do that, given how much time you’ve already committed to the new promotion company?”
Ronin would be going fucking crazy if he didn’t have that. In just one day, he’d expanded on Blue’s original idea and he’d become a little obsessed with it.
“What are you calling the promo company?”
He frowned. “No idea.”
“I have one. My creative little brain has just been cranking.”
“And?”
“What about . . . Black and Blue Promotions?”
Ronin laughed. “That is perfect. Damn, woman, you are brilliant.”
“I know.” Amery’s lips started a southerly path down the center of his chest. She detoured to his right nipple and sucked so hard he nearly bowed off the bed. So when she slid her wet lips across his sternum to his left nipple, he expected the same treatment. But she flicked just the tip of her tongue around the flat disc until it puckered. Then she reconnected with the line bisecting his belly and licked straight down to his cock. Anytime her hot tongue teased his skin, his cock took notice. It’d begun to stir, but was still soft and curled on the inside of his thigh. No sweet nuzzling like he expected. Amery’s mouth enclosed his cock.
That time he did arch up.
She sucked gently as blood filled his shaft. When her mouth couldn’t contain the swelling flesh, she changed her position. She started bobbing her head.
Ronin closed his eyes and groaned. His thought processes grew hazy, and his pulse jumped as her hot, wet mouth worked him. She drew the length in and out rapidly, not sucking, but keeping his shaft slippery. So slippery that moisture seeped down and coated his balls.
Usually he preferred to be in control, even when Amery was blowing him. He liked keeping a tight grip on her hair. He liked pushing his cock to the back of her throat and holding it there when he came. He liked binding her hands and holding her face between his palms as he directed how fast, how hard, and how long he plunged in and out of her addictive mouth.