Two beating hearts collide in a romance of burning passion. Liv, a small town, Indiana girl moves to Pittsburgh riding the wave of a dream to become one of the city's top-ranking sports columnists. By fates would, or perhaps wouldn't, have it, she m...
I had to make a visit to Danny Mendez's training spot for article research that morning, per Ryan's demands. Colton had playfully teased me, suggesting I run him over with the car, or slip him something to ensure he'd fail the pre-fight drug test, to give him the guaranteed upper hand on his opponent. I had originally intended for the piece to be strictly centered around the life, and journey of Pittsburgh's silent underdog, Colton. However, my nagging objections hadn't convinced Ryan, and he'd instructed me that the piece would be more well received by the public if I covered both challengers. Although I had never worked directly with Mendez, word around the office from coworkers who had sat down with him in the past, was that he was quite the bombastic pig. Great. As if having to appear completely non-biased wasn't already going to be a slight struggle, now I'd have to spend my entire morning taking notes on how highly he thought of himself, and I'm certain how lowly he considered Colt.
I checked the given address Danny's trainer had emailed me, taken aback with surprise when I pulled up. It was a far cry from the gritty, raw vibe at Mac's gym. I entered through the automatic doors of the tawdry, two level complex and was greeted by the clearly well-trained receptionist.
"I'm Liv Elliot with the Pitt Pilot, I have a meeting this morning with Danny Mendez."
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She escorted me to the glass box of the elevator, where I kept any further communication with her to the bare minimum. I'm ashamed to say I came into this with quite the prejudiced attitude, my newly protective girlfriend instinct kicking in. I withheld an airy squeak at the thought "girlfriend." Until this instant, I prided myself in the stern, professional ethic I displayed in my work life. But now, I was struggling to sort through, and control all the newfound feelings that Colton had aroused in me as of late. The ding of arrival sounded when we had reached the second floor, opening to reveal a painfully illuminated gym facility. Treadmills, weight benches, therapy bikes.
"Mr. Mendez is right over there, Miss Elliott. He's expecting you." She pointed her manicured finger to the left toward a huddle of men.
I readied the recorder on my cell, and boldly marched in their direction, the subtle clack of my black pumps announcing my approaching. He was waylaying into a battered speedbag, but turned his smug face to me without ceasing his blows, obviously in shameless effort to impress me, I'm sure. Danny had countless tattoos much like Colton, but his height towered over me at least double the distance his challenger did. He was a very large man, however not quite as amply defined.
"Afternoon, Olivia. Come to get the word from the real champ for your story?"
He indeed impressed me alright. It only took him a handful of words to already tempt me with lacing his open water bottle with a certain substance that could easily disqualify him from stepping into the ring with Colton.
"Actually, it's just Liv, Mr. Mendez. How are you?"
One of his pathetic goons promptly handed him a towel to wipe the sweat from his slick, hairless head, and I tagged along on his heels to find a seat next to the empty caged octagon.
