More than just a sparring partnerâ¦
Bella Fiore has a lot to prove. For three generations her family has dominated the world of mixed martial artsâa tradition Bella dreams of carrying on. Her family, on the other hand, doesnât agree. Without their support, sheâs relying on the coaching of medal-winning Kyle Peters.
Training with Kyle is not what Bella expects. Theyâre constantly butting heads. And with the body of a Greek Adonis, Kyleâs mat technique isnât her only focus. Not that this attraction can go any further. She has a title to win! Yet when Kyle proves Bella can always rely on him, a championship may not be the only thing worth fighting forâ¦.
âYou obviously donât like me,â Bella said.
âThatâs not true.â And it wasnât. Kyle simply didnât know how to handle Bella. Her temperament, her energy, her driveâthey were all good things, professionally speaking, but they were nothing he was prepared to deal with. And that was what really bothered him.
âI came here to train with you, Kyle.â Bellaâs words were as sharp and precise as a scalpel. Her composure was unexpected, and it threw him off balance even more. âNot with your staff, not in your gym. I came for you. But if you canât work with me, then all you have to do is say so, and I wonât waste any more of my time or yours.â
âThatâs not what I want.â The thought of losing her because heâd misspokenâbecause he couldnât get over himself and deal with herâmade him physically ill.
Dear Reader,
I canât believe Iâm publishing my third Harlequin Superromance book! Part of me always thought I might sell two books at most before I dropped dead from exhaustionâ¦the other part yelled at me like a drill sergeant to keep writing. And so In Her Corner was born.
I knew when I started writing my first book, Her Sonâs Hero (Harlequin Superromance July 2011), that I would later write about a female MMA fighter. Thereâd been a few successful female fighters, but it was widely believed that women would never make it into the wider professional arena for a lot of reasons. That didnât stop talented female athletes from trying, though.
I was thrilled that so many great historic milestones in womenâs mixed martial arts happened while I was writing this book, including the launch of Invicta Fighting Championship, a professional all-womenâs MMA promotion company; and the first female fight in the worldâs largest fight promotion, the UFC. Itâs been exciting seeing female athletes compete at this level, and Iâve met so many more female fans as the sport continues to grow.
In Her Corner isnât just about one womanâs struggle for the right to fight; itâs also about one manâs struggle with himself. Kyle Peters was a flirtatious playboy in Her Sonâs Hero, but things have changed since, and the wrestling coach is having a hard time working with wannabe pro fighter Bella Fiore. Bellaâs part of MMA royalty, the only daughter of the world-famous Fiores who teach Brazilian jujitsu. Kyle can help get her career off the ground and break her away from her familyâs legacy, but heâs wrestling with his own demons. Heâll have to decide whether to see Bella as an opponent or an ally.
I love hearing from readers! Visit me on my webpage, at www.vickiessex.com; on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/vickiessexauthor; or on Twitter, @VickiEssex.
Keep fighting the good fight!
Vicki Essex
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vicki Essex couldnât throw a punch if her life depended on it, but sheâs been known to inflict injury accidentally, and suggests you stay out of armâs reach, just in case. Sheâs a big fan of muscles and sportsmanship, and enjoys watching MMA fights while crocheting. She lives in Toronto and is an omnivore. Visit her at www.vickiessex.com; on Facebook, www.facebook.com/vickiessexauthor; and on Twitter, @VickiEssex.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Gonçalves for her help with the Portuguese language.
All mistakes are my own. Muito obrigado! Vou fazer-lhe uma toranja boneco de neve!
A huge thanks to actor Tahmoh Penikett, who provided a perfect physical template for Kyle and happily played along when I asked him to pose for my cover. (Check out my website if you want the full story. 8))
Thanks to my fantastic editor, Karen Reid.
Thanks to the lovely folks at Harlequin Enterprises, especially to the art and production departments, who put together the best covers.
For my friends and family, whoâve cheered me on.
And as always, for John, my schmoo.
CHAPTER ONE
KYLE STOMPED ON the brake and jerked the wheel to the right as the maniac on the bike barreled toward him.