The Greatest Fight of All
By: Dixie Lynn Dwyer
Amelia Jennings fights for a new life. All alone, after losing her brothers and father to the consequences of war, she evades an abusive relationship. She fears military men, dominant men, and especially men who like to fight for a living, just like her ex-boyfriend.
As she tries to adapt to her new life, she attempts to avoid her best friend's brothers, who turn her on in a way she definitely isn’t used to. Mènage relationships are common, but these particular men scare her and remind her of the past she is trying to forget.
The Haas brothers, Murphy, Waylon, Brody, Ricky are tough, set in their ways, and now interested in their sister’s friend. Amelia is the only woman to get under their skin. She fights them tooth and nail, evades their every attempt at seduction, and makes them want things and feel things they never thought they would. They want her in their bed, and their claiming ownership. Standing in the way of happiness is her past, and one man who vows to get her back.
Prologue
Amelia Jennings felt the anxiety of being back here. Back to a place she avoided, for the better part of the year. She was driving in her car and trying to find a parking spot closer to Sylvia’s apartment building. It was a crappy neighborhood, and everyone was out in the streets trying to stay cool. She recognized the faces and had the guilty feeling of thinking she was better than them now, and above their reckless street ways.
She felt her palms begin to sweat, even though she made the decision to come back here one last time before leaving New York for good. At least she hoped that it was for good. There wasn’t anything for her here. She needed a new life. Not one controlled by Mano.
The rap music was blaring on one end, where a group of young kids played in water running from the fire hydrant. On the other end of the street the Spanish music played. Combined, it all sounded so crazy to her. She didn’t want to walk the two blocks in between. She was nervous that Mano might spot her or worse, his brother Escala. Amelia had done a great job ignoring him for the past year, and had focused on her job and advancing. Now an opportunity had arisen. Sure, it wasn’t the best job, but it would pay the bills and give her the chance for the new life she needed so desperately.
She had nothing to say to Mano anyway. She never wanted to see him or speak to him again. As far as she was concerned, he could go straight to hell where he belonged.
As she finally found a spot, and debated about taking it, because she was heading farther and farther away from the building, she made the decision to take the one that had just opened up. It was like a hundred degrees outside, and the apartment building where her friend Sylvia lived with her grandmother was within a block and a half. This was as close as she was getting today.
As she locked the doors, hitting the button on her key chain, she reminded herself that this would be her last week here in New York. The familiar scenery, friendly places she had frequented as a child, a young adult, and grown woman, would never be visited again.
She had taken the job in Houston, Texas, as a program coordinator for veteran programs inside the business center of the hospital. She knew a lot about that since she’d lost two brothers and her father to the military, in war, and to post-traumatic stress disorder.
She swallowed hard as the tears hit her eyes. She wished she could have helped them, but it was out of her control. Just like her life, and the way she’d allowed Mano to mistreat her and then cheat on her, rule her world, and ultimately nearly destroy her life. She could put her past, Mano, all his abusive ways, and his nasty attitude behind her. She survived hiding from him for a year. Leaving here, to never worry about looking over her shoulder, was her best option.
Amelia tried to submerge the images in her mind as they flashed into her thoughts. Mano was filled with attitude and aggression as he took his anger out in the boxing ring, and then one night he decided to use her as a punching bag. Drunk, naked in bed with two women, and somehow it was Amelia’s fault.
She shook her head.
Forget him. He lost his chance and life goes on. He never loved me.
She thought about her brothers, Kyle and Edward. They had made her life miserable. No matter how hard she tried to help them, to comfort them and offer a shoulder, or even just a hug, they shoved her away and broke her heart. They had been so damaged and destroyed inside, they could no longer open their hearts to emotions, to her being their baby sister, or acknowledging that they needed help. A nightmare that left her with no family, no one to love her, or to give love to.
That was how she wound up in trouble, and with Mano’s claws hooked into her.
