Hammer's Fall (The Breakers' Bad Boys) Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2014 Laurie Roma

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-756-7

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To all of the people who work and volunteer at rescue centers and animal shelters. Thank you for all the good work that you do.

  And to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, who inspire people with their bravery and courage every day. You are the true heroes that legends are made of…

  HAMMER’S FALL

  The Breakers’ Bad Boys, 1

  Laurie Roma

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  “Umm, excuse me?”

  Jared “The Hammer” Caufield froze in place just as he’d been bending over to grab a towel to wipe at the sweat rolling down his face. It was late, and most of the other men who frequented his gym had already gone home, leaving him in peace and quiet to finish his own workout. Unfortunately, the heavy muscles of his massive body that had relaxed during his cool down session tensed up again at the soft, timid whisper of sound.

  He knew that sweet voice, and every time he heard it he went instantly hard as stone.

  Hammer had opened the Fight Hard Training and Rehabilitation Center about two months ago. The facility was members only, although he had been surprised just how well it had done since he’d opened the doors and started signing people up. As an ex-Army Ranger and former professional MMA fighter, he had the means and knowhow to make it a success.

  Created out of an old, gutted warehouse, the gym was a well lit, large space, with several separate areas sectioned off in the lower level for the practice of various disciplines. There were basic weight machines and treadmills located in the front of the gym, and an area with hanging boxing equipment off to the right. To the left was a set of tatami judo mats used for floor work and grappling. In the back were two full size boxing rings, which were frequently used for sparing matches between the members, and were even used to host a few local matches when needed. On the second level, they had created a treatment center for former athletes like him who had injuries or needed rehabilitation.

  When Hammer’s career as a professional fighter ended due to a knee injury, he had been at a loss as to what he wanted to do with all his free time. After a few months of doing nothing, starting a gym seemed like the perfect plan to keep himself from going crazy. During his rehab, the more he had thought about the idea, the more he’d liked it. Now that Fight Hard was open, everything was exactly the way he wanted it. The only pitfall to his success was the Sinfully Sweet bakery across the street…for two very distinct reasons.

  One was because he had a sweet tooth that went against all of his training, despite his being retired. And the other reason was currently standing right behind him.

  Hammer finished bending over and grabbed the towel from the bench, wiping at his face and neck to buy himself time to calm his frantically beating heart and to will away the erection that had sprung to life just from hearing her sweet, siren’s voice. He wanted Kalista Redford, the owner of the bakery, more than he had ever wanted another woman in his entire life. From the first time he’d seen Kalista, or Kali as he thought of her, he’d known she was the woman for him.

  And his hunger only grew every time he saw her.

  Too bad she was already taken. No matter how much he wanted her, he didn’t poach… although he was pretty damn tempted. Kali was already dating someone else, some pencil-dick bank manager or something. Whenever Hammer saw the fuckhead, he wanted nothing more than to pound him into bloody dust, but he had a feeling that Kali would never forgive him if he did that. Much to his regret.

  Hammer liked to tell himself that her relationship would have never stood in his way if he had truly wanted to claim her, but she was too sweet and innocent for him. She deserved far better than a roughneck fighter. Kali was the type of woman who needed candlelight and roses, not to be bent over, taken like an animal and fucked hard like he craved. No, he couldn’t do that with a woman like his Kali. She was like some sort of mythical fairy that no man should be allowed to possess. She always smelled of her creations, like vanilla and a hint of mystery that was her own natural scent. It made his mouth water and made him hard as hell.

  He couldn’t count the number of times he imagined taking her down on the mats, ripping her clothes off and spreading her wide so he could feast on her. Since he had met her it had been a strain on his control. It was easier when he had been in the middle of rehabbing the warehouse, with the work crews constantly needing something, but seeing Kali everyday now that the gym was complete was like pure torture.

  Hammer knew he should stay the hell away from her, but he found himself visiting her shop far too often for comfort. Whenever he saw her through the window of her shop or went into her bakery, it killed him to see her shy smile of welcome. She knew what his favorite flavors were, and sometimes she even had something new for him to try, as if she valued his opinion. Kali always served him a cup of black coffee that she flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, or some other spice depending on what kind of treat he got. It was always the perfect pairing, and when he was done, he worked both the sugar and lust out of his system until he felt like he was going to drop.

  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to stay away from Kali for very long. Hammer usually visited her shop at least three or four times a week, but he really wished he could stop in everyday just to see her smile without her thinking he was stalking her or something. They remained friendly business owners, and in the months since Fight Hard had opened its doors, she had never come over to his gym, as if she wanted to keep her distance as well.

  But she was here, now…

  Turning slowly, Hammer braced himself for the sight of her, not that it did any good. Seeing her was always like a shock to his system. Kalista was a petite woman, with short red hair, highlighted with gold streaks, and she had the most startling green eyes he’d ever seen. She had delicate features, but her body was all woman with lush, full curves that made him want to grab hold of her and never let go.

  God, she looked beautiful.

  Even in jeans and a pretty purple v-neck shirt she looked like a little fairy princess, too beautiful to be real. She was holding a white, quilted coat folded over her arm, and the way she held her arm tight to her chest seemed to push up her breasts so he could see an intriguing hint of her cleavage in that small gap at the top of her shirt. The sight made his mouth water with the need to taste.

  He wanted his hands and mouth on those breasts, wanted to suck on those tight, little nipples he could faintly see puckered beneath the thin material of her shirt. Damn, he figured she had no clue what the sight of her did to him, but she would if she chose to look down at his dick.

  Christ, she took his fucking breath away.

  He shifted his stance slightly to hide his reaction, and tried to think of anything that would help him gain some damn control over his body. He was a man of discipline, and he used his training to center himself enough to cage his raging lust back so he wouldn’t jump her and take her down like a lion would a gazelle.

  Their eyes met briefly, then hers skittered aw
ay as they always did whenever she made eye contact with him. He fought the urge to grab his shirt and cover up his bare chest. He knew what he looked like. Covered in tattoos and rock-hard muscle, he looked like the dangerous predator he was. He shaved his head so it only showed a hint of dark hair that matched his dark-brown eyes. He knew he made her nervous. Of course she would be when he literally towered over her. Shit, he knew he made grown men nervous if he stared at them for too long.

  At six foot four, Hammer was a big man, and he hunched his shoulders in a laughable attempt to make himself look smaller. Not that he could. Hell, he was built like a fucking tank. His size had always been an asset in the ring, but he cursed it whenever he was near Kali. She was small, delicate, and almost a good foot shorter than he was. She had no clue that he would never hurt her or that he would rather cut off his own arm than raise it to any woman in anger.

  In fact, any violence against women made him sick.

  Growing up, he had been forced to watch his father hit his mother and quickly learned how to take the brunt of the anger himself. For years he had suffered in silence…until he had hit puberty and grew. No longer able to use his family as his own personal punching bag, Hammer’s father had resorted to another type of violence. One fateful night, Edward Caufield had tried to kill his wife and son by shooting them both. Hammer had taken a bullet in his side before he had been able to get the gun away from his father. In the struggle, his father had been shot and killed.

  And they had finally been set free.

  After that fateful night, the people of Breakers swarmed in, giving them love and support. Breakers, Texas was a the sort of town where the citizens took care of one another, but he and his mother had always been too ashamed to reach out and ask for help. Once people found out what was going on, there was no more hiding allowed.

  His mother had found her calling working at a local diner. She was sweet and kind, and everyone loved her. His father had refused to let her work for years, but with him gone, she seemed to blossom being around people. Still searching for his place in the world, Hammer had joined the Army when he turned eighteen. It gave him comfort knowing his mother was being looked after when he left, and it allowed him to focus on his future. For years he had found a home with the Rangers, but when he left the Army five years ago he found a new career fighting in the ring.

  Long ago, he’d learned to channel his anger through his study of martial arts. As his studies continued, the smoldering rage that had always burned in his gut had eased. People often found it odd that fighting had taught him control and patience, but it did. It helped him focus, and he quickly learned that just because he could, it didn’t mean he should.

  Proficient in several fighting styles, Hammer quickly became a fan-favorite in the ring and won several titles. He loved fighting, but the truth was, no matter who he fought in the ring, he was his own greatest opponent. For the first few months, he started out winning several of the smaller circuit championships, which got him noticed by the Cage Fighting League. The CFL was the number one mixed martial arts promotional companies in the world, and there was big money to be made fighting for them.

  For the next few years Hammer fought for the CFL and got a chance at the big title, becoming the CFL’s heavy-weight champion. He had also landed a lucrative sponsorship with the well-known Rough and Tough sports apparel company, and still remained one of their spokesmen. He’d known it was only a matter of time before he was unseated as the champion, but the challengers didn’t have a chance. His life changed drastically when he re-injured his knee during a training session, and he’d ended up needing ACL reconstructive surgery.

  The months of painful rehab after his surgery allowed him to think about what he wanted to do now that his career as a professional fighter was over. He’d always known he would move back to Breakers when he was ready to retire from the ring and start a business with the money he had saved over the years. With the help of his friend Rever, who seemed to have the magic touch when it came to investing, Hammer had been able to triple the money he won fighting.

  Financial freedom allowed him to make the choice to create the training and rehab facility, but Rever and their other friend, Daryk Nyght, had insisted on partnering with him on the new business venture. Hammer had allowed both of his friends to buy in a quarter share of the business. No matter what they said, the gym wasn’t their dream. They wanted to do it for him, and to be honest, Hammer wanted them tied to Fight Hard to give the other men a home base for whenever they were ready to settle down.

  There was a tight bond between the three of them. They had all served together overseas, and when they came home, Rever had helped Hammer train as well as taking care of all of his finances. Nyght had also been in the Army with them, only he was a trauma surgeon. Now their friend was off doing some sort of clandestine work with a special task-force he couldn’t talk about. Hammer knew that was code for something dangerous as fuck, but he knew better than to ask questions. He just hoped that his friend was okay. He was familiar with that sort of life, even had the occasional nightmare to prove it, but that part of his life was over now. Now at thirty-three, he could simply focus on his gym and enjoy his life in peace.

  Aw hell, who was he kidding…what he really wanted Kali.

  Now, if only the woman that haunted his dreams would cooperate with him.

  “Hello, Kali.”

  He smiled down at her and watched as she shivered a little. Brows creasing in concern, he wanted to pick up his sweatshirt and wrap her up in it. He usually kept the gym cooler since most of the guys working out sweat a lot, but he hated seeing her uncomfortable. He silently cursed as images of how he could keep her warm with his own body flashed in his head.

  Fuck! Get it together, asshole.

  “Hi, Jared. I’m sorry to bother you—”

  “Honey, you could never bother me.” Hammer noticed the way her eyes widened as she looked up at him and wondered what she was thinking to put that dreamy look on her face.

  Studying her, he was distracted by the way her soft lips parted, and he wanted to curse again. Just imagining her looking up at him like that as she sucked on his cock had all the blood draining down to his throbbing dick, making him so hard he could probably crack stone with it. He had to move his hand still holding the towel in front of himself to try and hide his straining erection from her view.

  Fucking hell, he had absolutely no self control when it came to her. He commanded himself to stop thinking about her mouth anywhere near his cock and…son of a bitch. That did it. Just telling himself to stop thinking about it had the damn thing jerking in his shorts as if trying to get closer to her.

  Forcing himself to relax, he smiled at her again. “What can I do for you, Kali?”

  “Oh,” she said after blinking rapidly, as if she had forgotten why she had sought him out. “Yes, I…well, I was wondering if you maybe offer self-defense training or something.”

  His body stiffened. What the fuck? Was some asshole bothering her? His eyes narrowed on her, and he noticed she was breathing rapidly now. Fuck! He was scaring her, but he couldn’t help it. If someone was bothering her they would be dealing with him. No one fucked with his fairy and got away with it.

  “Why do you need self-defense training?” he asked slowly, trying to sound calmer than he felt.

  “Well, I don’t really…I mean, every woman should know something, right?” Kali let out a light laugh that didn’t fool him for a minute.

  “Kali, why do you need self-defense training?” he asked again, taking a step closer to her. “Is someone bothering you?”

  “What? No!”

  Her gaze fluttered back to his face, then trailed down over his bare chest. He wanted to shout with glee when his saw her pupils dilate as she took in his muscular form. He fought the urge to do something stupid like flex just to see her reaction. She looked away and a faint blush turned her cheeks a light-pink color that made his hands fist so he wouldn’t grab her.


  Fuck, he had to get her out of here before he did something unforgivable. Like throw her down and ravish her until neither of them could speak. He barely held back a groan as she nibbled on her lower lip, then Kali turned away from him like she was going to leave.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you with this.”

  Before she could take a step away from him, he took her hand in his, holding her in place. He felt her tremble and prayed it wasn’t out of fear. “Tell me, honey. I’m happy you finally came to visit me, but if something or someone is bothering you, I want to know what it is.”

  She took a deep breath, and focused on staring at the heavy bags on the other side of the room. “My cousin is getting married soon, the second weekend of February, actually.”

  Okay, that wasn’t what he was expecting. Deciding to wait her out, he stayed quiet and rubbed his fingers gently over hers, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin. Her shoulders slumped as if there were a heavy weight pressing there.

  Damn it, he didn’t like seeing his fairy looking so…defeated.

  “My boyfriend David just broke up with me. Well, I was going to break up with him, but he did it first and…never mind. Normally, I wouldn’t be too worried about this, but my cousin Bethany is marrying David’s brother, Aeron. My mother thought…well, she said maybe now was a good time to listen to David’s advice and lose a little weight.”

  She broke up with her boyfriend? Kali was free? Hammer could feel the grin spreading on his face, then he froze, his entire body going rigid with battle ready awareness.

  Hold the fuck up…what did she just say?

  She let out a slight squeak, and Hammer realized he had squeezed her hand as his tried to fist. Rage washed through him at the thought of her doing something like that because her asshole of an ex belittled her like that.