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  By early morning, he had grown so comfortable with her that he found himself opening up about things he had never before discussed with anyone. Not even Alexander or Sarai. They talked about his brother, his childhood, the memories he had of his biological mother, who had passed from breast cancer when the twins had been four years old. And he shared all the ugly that had happened between him and the ex-Mrs. Barrett. It was only when he realized there were tears dampening his cheeks, his emotions running high, that he withdrew from the conversation, abruptly calling an end to their night.

  He had jumped from his seat, practically racing into the house. Kenzie had called after him, asking if everything was okay. Assuring her that he just needed a bathroom break, he had cracked a joke about his age and small bladder. But the truth had been quite different. He had suddenly felt vulnerable, and weak, and that was not the man he had wanted her to know.

  He blamed his behavior on the alcohol. One beer too had many clouded his judgement. But if he were honest with himself, he simply liked that she seemed eager to listen. Kenzie had been earnestly interested in getting to know who he was, and it hadn’t felt like he was being interviewed or judged. It had felt good not to close himself off, to be open and honest about things that had happened in his life, that had impacted who he was and how he thought. And he liked that she didn’t seem to hold any of it against him.

  He genuinely liked Kenzie. There was something very special about the woman. She had what some would have called a blessed spirit, the ancestors diligently watching over her. It surprised him that he actually felt he could trust her, because Zachary didn’t trust any woman.

  By the time he’d regained his composure, moving back outside, Kenzie had fallen into a deep sleep, curled in a fetal position in her lounge chair. He stood watching her, lulled by the soft inhalation of her breath and the soft whistle at the end of each exhale. She looked angelic, and he found himself imagining what it might be like to wrap her in his arms and hold her tightly.

  For a brief moment, he thought about waking her, but she was sleeping so peacefully that he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead he fetched a blanket from his linen closet and laid it gently over her. After whispering a soft good night, he left her there.

  * * *

  When Kenzie opened her eyes, the sun was shining brightly. The air was scented from the perfumed flora that bordered the patio, and the morning temperature was rising swiftly. She sat upright, startled when she remembered where she was and everything that had happened last night. She suddenly smiled as she thought about the prelude to the evening, which had started with Zachary in the pool and her peeking through the slats in his fence.

  She called out his name as she stretched her limbs up and out, elongating her body to ease the tension out of her tightened muscles. When she got no answer, she called out a second time. Rising from the chair, she realized she was alone, as Zachary was nowhere to be found. For a brief moment, a wave of sadness actually flooded her spirit.

  Curiosity pulled her to the other rooms in the home, all of them as empty as the living room. And when she opened his bedroom door, the interior actually surprised her. His bedroom was a cluttered mess of clothes and sneakers, with file folders and papers strewn from the bed to the floor. This was where he spent much of his time when he was home, she mused. It also spoke to a side of Zachary she hadn’t expected, belying his meticulously controlled, well-ordered persona. Clearly there was nothing neat or tidy about him, she thought as she tiptoed over the trash on the floor.

  Moving to the dresser, she pulled open a drawer. Boxer briefs and T-shirts were folded and lined neatly in a row. She was expecting a continuation of the mess and clutter, so it surprised her that it was as organized as it was. Shock registered on her face when she opened the bottom drawer. She hadn’t known what to expect, but she hadn’t expected to find his last championship title belt stuffed in the bottom of the drawer beneath a pile of sweatpants. She ran her fingers over the engraved metal and leather, marveling at the beauty of it. She couldn’t help but question why he kept it hidden and why he had blatantly lied about it. She wondered how she could ask and not give herself away. She closed the dresser drawer and looked around the room.

  Beside the bed, framed photos rested on the nightstand, and she stepped over his dirty T-shirts and a pair of briefs to spy some more. There were three photos. The first was an old family photo of him and his brother, their father, and the woman she assumed was their stepmother. The parents were seated, the boys at either side of them, wearing ill-fitting suits, and a Christmas tree sparkling behind them. It looked like one of those shots families used for holiday cards. The second was of Zachary and his brother after his last fight win, the image that had graced multiple sports articles. But it was the last photo that made her gasp suddenly and had her heart racing.

  Kenzie had never seen the photo before. Even with the many that she’d found when she’d first researched the two Barrett brothers, this picture was new. It was an image taken after one of Zachary’s very first title fights. She knew that because he and his team were sporting the logo of the first gym he’d been affiliated with—Galaxy Sports. It had been the only other training center that he’d actually competed for. He’d lost that belt, but he’d won the respect of everyone in the industry with his showmanship. He was shaking hands with the winner, a man most didn’t remember anymore. And behind Zachary stood the infamous Kai Tamura.

  Kai Tamura was a legend in the Thai boxing community. He held records that still hadn’t been broken by the men who’d come after him. After a phenomenal fight career of his own, Kai had trained the best in the business. Zachary had been his protégé, and he had influenced every aspect of Zachary’s burgeoning career until the day he had disappeared. In earlier interviews, Zachary had often praised Kai’s teachings, acknowledging his mentor for all that he did. And starting the day Kai was gone, Zachary had never publically mentioned the man again.

  Kenzie realized her hand was shaking as she studied every detail of that photo. Because here it was in black and white. Proof that there had been a connection between the two men. Evidence that Zachary Barrett had known her father.

  Chapter Four

  Zachary stood outside the fight ring, shouting out pointers to a tall Latino who actually looked afraid of his opponent. His sparring partner was two feet shorter and almost forty pounds lighter, but he was fast on his feet and packed a powerful punch. The duo were dancing in circles around each other, the tall Latino ducking and dodging blows.

  He cut a quick eye in Kenzie’s direction when she suddenly moved to his side, motioning for his attention. Her presence was startling, causing a wealth of emotion that hit him like a tidal wave. His body reacted of its own volition, and the rising desire had him feeling completely out of sorts.

  “Do you have a minute?” she asked, her smile bright and unassuming.

  “Now’s really not a good time,” he quipped, his tone dismissive as he struggled with the urge to kiss her. “Maybe later.”

  She persisted. “I just have a quick question.”

  He cut another eye in her direction, hesitating briefly. He lifted his hand and gestured for Gamon to come take his place. Stepping off to the side, he gestured for her to follow him. When they were out of earshot from the staff and patrons, he turned to face her. He stood close, towering above her as she twisted her hands together anxiously. “What’s up?” he asked, eyeing her curiously.

  “Are you still in contact with Kai Tamura?”

  “Excuse me?” he bristled, the gesture visible as every one of his muscles tightened.

  “Kai Tamura. I’d like to interview him about his time training you. I was hoping you might know how I can reach him.”

  Zachary suddenly looked like a dark cloud had dropped down over his head, the pall dulling the luster that had been in his eyes just moments earlier. “I don’t,” he finally muttered. He turned abruptly, and she called after him.

  “Do you know anyone w
ho might be able to put me in touch with him?”

  Zachary hesitated for a brief moment. “Look, we really need to get this project of yours done. You’re starting to interfere with my business, and I can’t have that. Kai can’t tell you anything about me that I haven’t already told you. I don’t know what other questions you have, but he can’t help you.”

  Kenzie recoiled ever so slightly. “You don’t know that.”

  “Trust me. I do.”

  “Why are you trying to sabotage my article?” She was suddenly indignant, both hands clutching her hips in anger.

  “Sabotage? That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think? It really isn’t that deep.”

  “I would think you’d be more concerned with how I present you.”

  Zachary smirked. “You act like I actually care about your little story.”

  “You should!”

  He shrugged again, his broad shoulders jutting toward the sky. “Ms. Monroe, if I had a dime for everything in my life I should have cared about, I’d be a very wealthy man. Now your interview here is over. It’s really time for you to let it go,” he said, his tone abrasive, and then he turned, moving swiftly in the opposite direction.

  She called after him, yelling his name, her voice thundering with attitude.

  Zachary hesitated. “What?”

  “You really are a prick!”

  For just a split second, Zachary thought about snapping back, but he caught himself. If only she could have left well enough alone. Bringing up his old friend Kai was as good as poking a hornet’s nest as far as he was concerned. The dynamics of that relationship had changed substantially, and he couldn’t begin to explain to her or anyone else why. As he met her gaze, the expression on her face was suddenly pulling at his heartstrings. Tears misted her eyes, but he knew they were tears of anger and frustration. Her bottom lip quivered, and he suddenly imagined himself kissing that tremble away. He went from wanting to argue with her to wanting to wrap her in his arms. If he could have told her that everything was going to be okay he would have, but in that moment he didn’t have the words. And he definitely couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. No one had ever accused him of being a really nice guy, and there was no reason to start now.

  He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Old news,” he quipped and then he turned, moving as far away from her as he could get.

  * * *

  Zachary stood with his head in his hands, trying to make sense of the information he was getting. His day was not starting well, and lack of sleep had him on emotional overload. Yesterday, after getting into it with Kenzie, his afternoon and evening had gone right to hell. Discerning how to fix it had kept him up most of the night. Now Gamon was upset, his friend ranting in Thai. It was moments like these that reminded Zachary what he least liked about having his own business.

  “It’s a big problem!” Gamon finally exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, frustration painting his expression.

  “Yeah, it is,” Zachary agreed, still unsure how to handle what he didn’t want to be bothered with.

  For a few weeks they’d seen a decline in their clientele, registered guests just not showing up. He expected people to change their minds, but not at a rate where their bottom line would be affected. Sarai had been hammering him to demand a nonrefundable deposit from those who wanted to train with him, and he just hadn’t bothered with the logistics of it, trusting that those who went out of their way to make it to Thailand, and Revolution, really wanted to be there.

  Now they were learning that their registered customers were being shanghaied at the airport. Another fight team and training camp was scooping up unsuspecting patrons and getting them checked in at their facilities before they suspected something was amiss. By the time they realized they were checked into the wrong property, their credit cards had been charged, and there was little they could do. It was a classic game of bait and switch, the likes of which would make the best grifter proud.

  Zachary blew a soft sigh. “Call Sarai. Ask her who did the graphics on the jeep. I think they were out of Bangkok. Then order us a bus specifically for airport pickups, and get our logo on it.”

  “Small bus. You don’t need a big bus,” Gamon noted.

  Zachary nodded. “That’s fine, just something that we can put our name all over. And tell that place in Bangkok that I want our name and my picture as big as they can get it. I don’t want it to be missed.”

  “You need to do deposit. Make people pay up front.”

  “I’ll get to work on that,” Zachary said, a checklist of things to do lining up in his head.

  “What are you doing now?” Gamon questioned, his brow raised.

  “Right now I’m driving over to that gym to let them know I’m aware of what they’re up to, and it had better stop. Then I’m going to try and get our customers back without them losing their money to those crooks. And while I’m at it, I think I’ll pay a visit to all the other gyms in the area to let them know not to fuck with me.”

  “Don’t get into a fight. It would not be good.”

  Zachary rolled his eyes. “I didn’t throw this punch. They did. But I do plan to hit them back. And hard.”

  Gamon shook his head. “What are you going to do about her?” he questioned, gesturing across the way.

  Zachary didn’t need to look to know who Gamon was talking about. After their time together two nights ago and their confrontation the previous day, he hadn’t been able to get Kenzie off his mind. But he turned anyway, spying her as she was crossing the grassy knoll in their direction. She waved a hand and called his name.

  Zachary shook his head. “Nothing,” he said. “I can’t deal with her right now.” And then he jumped into the jeep, gunned the engine, and pulled away.

  * * *

  By the time Kenzie reached Gamon’s side, Zachary was pulling out of the driveway. Frustration furrowed her brow, knowing that he had ignored her calling out his name. She dropped both hands to her hips as a gush of air blew past her lips.

  “Mr. Montri, good morning.”

  The older man nodded, a warm smile lifting his mouth. “Good morning, Miss Kenzie.”

  “I really needed to speak with him. Do you know when he’ll be back?” Her eyes followed the car, watching as it disappeared past the line of trees.

  Gamon took a deep breath, holding it for a brief second before sending it back into the warm day’s air. “Zachary has a busy day today. I’m not sure when we will see him again.”

  Kenzie fought the wave of emotion that crossed her expression. “He’s avoiding me again. What’s his problem now?”

  Gamon didn’t answer, the slight smile across his face locking into place.

  She shook her head, her lush curls waving against her shoulders. “Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll just wait for him to get back. But let him know I’m not going away,” she professed.

  Kenzie turned to leave, then hesitated, spinning back around. “Mr. Montri, did you know Kai Tamura?” she asked.

  The man’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Everyone here knows Kai Tamura. He is a national hero. The Thai people are very proud of his accomplishments.”

  “But did you know him. Were you two friends when he was training Zachary? Or did you come after? Do you know where I can find my father?”

  Gamon’s head snapped in her direction, shock wafting from his eyes. “Kai Tamura is your father?”

  Kenzie nodded, tears suddenly misting her eyes. “Yes. He is. And I can’t find him.”

  Gamon stared at her for a brief moment; then his eyes skated off into the distance as he seemed to fall into thought. It felt like an eternity before he returned his attention back to her. “I am sorry. I did not know him,” he finally said. He turned in an about-face and started to walk away.

  Kenzie persisted. “But Zachary knew him, right? Zachary trained with him, so Zachary might know where he is?”

  Gamon gave her one last look, and then just like the wind, he blew out of her sight, n
ot bothering to answer her questions.

  * * *

  Driving around Phuket had always given Zachary much joy. Despite his love for and connection to Boulder, Colorado, he considered Phuket home. Thailand was unlike any place he had ever been before. Phuket was the country’s largest island, and it drew an international crowd of water sport enthusiasts. Beach lovers, deep-sea divers, and those just wanting to get wet and say they did it in the Asian country were drawn to the Andaman Sea. Even in the rainy season, the atmosphere was dreamlike and the people welcoming. It was paradise, and if he were Adam, all he needed was his own Eve to make it perfection.

  Just as the thought hit him, memories of Kenzie and the evening they shared struck a chord, inciting every nerve ending in his body. He still couldn’t believe he’d opened up so unabashedly, sharing far more than he ever imagined himself sharing. Now he wondered just how much of it would become fodder for her article. He suddenly imagined himself the butt of every joke, his photos becoming memes for others to cackle over thanks to her and her story.

  He shook his head. If every dirty detail was suddenly printed for the world to read, he would only have himself to blame. But he knew himself well enough to know that he would hold her solely responsible, and his anger at himself would land as though there were a target on her back. That wasn’t anything that he wanted for either of them.

  When he’d gone back to his room after their talk, he had wanted her, imaging the two of them lost in the most intimate connection. Fantasy fueled the sweetest dreams as he’d drifted off to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, he had wanted her even more, his desire so intense that it actually frightened him. Knowing that she was just on the other side of the wall, sleeping peacefully, had only served to exacerbate the problem. And Kenzie Monroe was one more problem he didn’t need to deal with.

  He needed her gone, to be done and finished with her questions and as far from his longing as he could muster. There was something in her eyes that told him Kenzie Monroe was there for more than his life story. If he were a betting man, he’d lay dollar to a dime that what she truly wanted was more about her own life than his. But that was nothing he could help her with. He needed her gone, because trying to ignore her was becoming an art form, and he wasn’t an artist. And truth be told, getting caught up in his feelings for any woman wasn’t something he was willing to do. Not purposely. And not without a fight.