"Hi." His voice was like velvet in my ears, the burning fire within me just getting stronger.

"Hi." My voice was just above a whisper, a very breathless whisper.

"You seem flustered." He stated with a smirk on his face.

'You have no idea...' I thought to myself.

"You do, too!" I answered back. He chuckled and I bit my lower lip, enamored with that sound.

"I guess you're right." His eyes darkened, following the movement of my lips. I couldn't control myself and licked before biting my lower lip yet again.

"How- How have you been? Is your shoulder healing well?" My voice was still small, but the doctor inside me couldn't resist, as I looked at his shoulder, touching him slightly.

"I'm fine, Angel." His voice was huskier than before. "You don't have to worry about me."

"You know that's impossible, right?" I said with a smile and he chuckled. "You seem better tho-."I was startled by my brother's fake coughing behind me. Without giving it a second's thought, I pushed Brandon away from me, missing his embrace seconds later.

"Everything alright?" Markus said approaching us, pulling me towards him.

I knew how that looked. We're fraternal twins. We had little to nonmutual characteristics that showed we were siblings. I turned to look at Brandon, an angry and perplexed expression on his face. He was staring at my brother's hand around my wrist, his own hands in fists making his knuckles almost white.

'Thank you, Markus, for pulling that card at the worst possible moment.'

"We should be going, Erika..."

"Markus, don't be an idiot!" I said through clenched teeth, while he started pulling me towards the locker rooms. Damn him and his strength.

"Markus, stop embarrassing your sister!" Oh, grazie Dio for Stella and her best timing in the whole wide world.

"What? You're siblings?" Brandon's demeanor changed faster than a Ferrari reaching the finish line. "Oh, thank God." He said almost to himself, but I heard him and tried to hide the smirk on my face.

"Yeah! They're fraternal twins," Stella said, before she pulled his other hand in hers, interlocking their fingers. "We would like to stay here and chat, but we have a small party to organize. You should come-"

"I don't think he should." My overprotective brother chirped in. Stella was going to be in trouble for all this, but I couldn't help but thank my lucky stars.

"Deja de ser un idiota, Markus. This is actually a once in a lifetime experience, so chill." She told him, before facing Brandon once again. "Peter Parker here is actually the one that introduced us to the whole MMA scene, when we first came to the US. Behind his hard exterior, lies a Guardian-fanboy, really." She said as a matter of fact, wiggling her eyebrows as she nudged Markus' side.

Truth be told, I've never watched a match of the man in front of me; not before Stella shared that piece of information with me. He really seemed talented. I guess I was almost considered a King fan, or a King Guardian fan, like his fans liked to call themselves because of his MMA stage name Guardian.

My brother's eyes widened at the realization; Stella basically told Brandon King that he was a fanboy playing hard to get.

Oh, she was in deep shit this time.

I couldn't help but chuckle beside them, making me regret it immediately, since their attention was back at me. I could see the wheels in Brandon's brain turning as a wicked grin appeared on his once stoic facial characteristics.

"Then allow me to invite you to the opening of my gym. In a week's time it's going to be my returning debut and I would love for the team that helped me in this hospital to actually be there."

"Wait, what-?"

"Are you serious?" The fanboy stopped the train of thoughts that were bound to give me a headache, as he took a step closer to King.

"Front row seats for all three of you. I would love to see you there." His eyes locked with mine as he said that last part.

"For real?" It was Stella's turn to get excited; I couldn't help but frown.

My thoughts were scattered all over the place. Was he already done with physiotherapy? Is he even ready to get back in the ring? I had no idea how things like that worked, but didn't he have to train and get back in shape for that? Not that Brandon King wasn't in shape, but still... I couldn't help but wonder and worry. Why the sudden urge to make his grand return? Why so soon?

"Brandon- I mean, Mr. King, are you sure about this? Don't you want to give your shoulder some more time to heal?"

"Don't worry, Angel. The physiotherapist and Dr. Marshall said it's fine. As long as I don't get hurt too badly." He chuckled, scratching the hair at the base of his neck before returning his green eyes to mine. "Don't worry about it. You just come, and I'll be fine." His voice held promise as he took a step closer to me.

I was beginning to lose myself in those eyes again, before Markus' voice broke the trance I was losing myself in.

"Make it four and we'll be there." I couldn't believe how straight forward my brother was.

What the hell, Markus.

He had a shit eating grin on his face as Brandon agreed with a silent nod. Brandon seemed momentarily happy that we all agreed, a smirk on his lips that was gone the minute Jaxon stepped out of nowhere and by my side. I didn't know what was happening, but the way the two men looked at each other could be considered threatening; a look I only saw once on Brandon's face.

None of them spoke a word, but it was obvious they somehow knew each other. I only hoped I wouldn't be caught between their staring fight. Sadly, it was wishful thinking, cause, although I had no idea what was going on, the minute Brandon's eyes locked with mine I gulped in both frustration and guilt. The latter was stressing me out more than it should, because I was innocent, simply caught in the crossfire.

"It was nice meeting you, King. And thank you for inviting us to your first match." Markus said, pulling both me and Stella towards the locker rooms and away from Brandon. "We'll be there."

"See you around, Mr. King." Stella hollered as she tried to keep up with Markus.

He didn't reply. He simply stared dumbfounded at our retreating forms, Jaxon joining us moments later. I sighed, frustrated with the situation. I knew it couldn't be helped, but still.

Silently, dread filled me at the realization of what would follow. Simply because it was one of those Fridays, and Stella decided it was our turn to organize a small gathering among us and our colleagues. I knew what that entailed, and I was regretting the hours soon to come.

Before I knew it, a party would be in full swing and with it, decisions I didn't even know I had to take.

Deja de ser un idiota: Stop being an ass