Love Fight Win: Rossi Family, #3

By Palmer Jones

Olivia Rossi is his.

 

Nico Marinelli vowed to protect a scared little girl he found hiding in his tree house when he was only twelve, and for twenty years, he's kept that promise. But Livi rejects his help. Doesn't need it. Says that she doesn't want his "Italian butt to babysit her."

That's fine. He'll stand up to anything, or anyone, that threatens her vibrant life. He couldn't save his mom when he was a scrawny kid, but now he's a man, ready to fight for Olivia. Ready to give his life.

 

The one thing he can't protect is her heart from another broken relationship. But with her current boyfriend on his way out, it's time for things to change. He can't stand on the sideline and watch another man hurt her.

This is it.

This is his one shot to prove that he's more than just an employee at Rossi Construction. He's more than the man with the scarred knuckles and dark past. He's not just her brothers' best friend.

 

It's time to show Olivia how much he loves her.

And he's willing to fight dirty to win.

 

Love, Fight, Win is a contemporary romance novel and book three in the Rossi Construction series. It can be read as a stand-alone with a guaranteed HEA. It's full of witty banter, steamy bits, and all the interfering Rossis that can squeeze into Nico and Olivia's love story!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sweet Blooms Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Sep 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215303078

Palmer Jones

Palmer Jones writes fun and flirty, romantic fiction. Born and raised in the South, she loves to travel but will always call Georgia her home. With a degree in accounting, she spends part of her day immersed in numbers. The rest of the time is spent with her friends, family, and hiding away in the worlds she creates through her stories.

Book preview

1

B aby, you need to chill out. Is it that time of the month? Got a wicked case of PMS?

One… Two… Three.

Olivia Rossi exhaled as the deadliest words to utter to a woman rolled through her mind and boiled her blood.

Running a construction site presented a unique set of challenges. Coordinating schedules and supplies. Managing an entire crew of workers. Working in extreme heat and cold. But running a construction site as a woman meant putting up with sexist jerks like this guy. Most of the men took the hint after their first ill-timed joke. But Jason? Jason was a special breed of jackass that never got the message.

No. Olivia propped a hand on her hip, giving Jason her best glare. Is it your time of the month? Is that why it’s taking an extra three weeks to finish this concrete? You been laid up in bed with some Ben and Jerry’s and a heating pad?

Jason scratched his beard, not seeming as though he gave a shit one way or another about their timeline or her insult. He was about to care a whole hell of a lot. She was done putting up with his shit.

Well, you see, sugar, he began with his placative Southern drawl. We’ve had some rain, which put us behind on our other projects.

Don’t give me that crap, and I ain’t your sugar. Olivia straightened to her full height, an unimpressive five foot six. My homeowners have been patient for the last two weeks when you used the excuse that you didn’t have the right concrete molds. And this week, your excuse is the weather? It rained one day. One. Single. Day. I drove past your other work sites, Jason. You haven’t done shit on those either. She stepped closer and increased the volume of her voice. "Get out here and pour their sidewalk and driveway. Do what I’m paying you to do. Or I will find another contractor for Rossi Construction to use for all their projects."

That threat finally gained a reaction, as Jason squared his shoulders.

But she had the upper hand. As a major home builder and renovator, her family-owned construction business was the best in a one-hundred-mile radius. Losing that business would result in a major loss of revenue for Jason’s company.

And he knew it.

His red face turned a deep shade of crimson. He blubbered for a moment before shouting, You can’t do that!

Why?

Why did people in this world tell her what she could do?

Crossing her arms, she tilted her head to the side. If you really believe that statement, then see what happens when you take another week to pour this concrete. Your delay is holding up everything. The homeowners are furious, and I don’t blame them. Now, am I going to need to find another contractor, or will you drag your sorry butt off the golf course and away from the beer cart long enough to finish this contract and give me a reason to hire you for the next one?

Jason crossed his arms, mimicking her posture and trying to intimidate her with his height and maleness. He failed. Intimidation tactics didn’t work. She grew up in a family of five siblings, four men and one sister, none of whom she would wish on her worst enemies.

I’m going to take this up with Kyle, Jason announced like some proclamation, his voice carrying across the house with a loud echo. Maybe your brother has some common sense. You can’t threaten my business just because I can’t control the weather. He moved closer a step. You’re being unreasonable, just like most of your gender.

Olivia didn’t retreat, but she wasn’t unaware of the risk. Jason was four times her size if she factored in his girth. But another insult about being a woman soured her stomach.

Good. Someone that will listen to reason.

A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed another pain in her ass had just entered the work area. But at least this one was on her side.

Nico Marinelli paused a few feet behind her with his chestnut brown eyes locked on Jason. He hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans, his tool belt slung low on his hip. To anyone else, he looked relaxed.

If Jason had a shred of common sense, he’d back down now before pushing her employee any further. That annoying thought sparked another level of irritation. She didn’t need Nico to rescue her.

What’s your problem? Nico asked Jason, completely bypassing Olivia.

I’m handling this, she snapped, wishing he’d just let her finish the argument and fire Jason. Nico always tried to fix things and protect her. But, she was thirty-six and could handle her own crew. She didn’t need him as a personal bodyguard, making all the dipshit men in the world listen to her.

Jason? Nico asked, ignoring her again. That stubborn streak ran a mile wide, just like in her brothers when they thought they were helping.

Olivia rolled her eyes when Jason nodded, looking pleased that he got to talk to someone reasonable. If he only knew how unreasonable Nico really was.

Cold dread washed over her. Surely this confrontation wouldn’t go that far.

You get it, man, Jason began. With all this rain and then the delay on the molds—

Stop.

Jason complied with Nico’s command with an aggravated huff.

I can handle this, Olivia muttered, not trying to hide the exasperation in her voice. She didn’t need a babysitter. Not one with a hairpin trigger on his anger.

I’m not here to talk about a weather delay. Nico brushed his chest against Olivia’s shoulder, the faint scent familiar and settling despite the tension. You made those excuses perfectly clear, and she called bullshit on them. You need to stick to the topic and leave her gender out of it. Are you still this ignorant? You’ve worked with us for the past ten years. You should know she has the authority to fire your ass from this and every other Rossi Construction contract. She doesn’t need Kyle, Blake, Landon, or Zoey’s approval. If she wants you gone, you’re gone. He crossed his arms, looking like her own personal bouncer. Based on how protective he acted, that wasn’t too far off.

And the fact that in her brief glance back at him Olivia had noticed how his muscles bulged out from his white work shirt just pissed her off more.

Will the concrete be poured by the end of the week? She set her hands on her hips and tipped her chin up another inch, trying to take back control of the conversation and her thoughts.

Jason shifted his focus between her and Nico before a weary sigh escaped his lips and he turned to leave. Fine. It’ll be poured. I’ll be back tomorrow to finish framing, he shot over his shoulder as he left the house.

Now, on to telling Nico to keep his bossy Italian nose out of her business. She swung around, opening her mouth, but he was gone.

Oh, hell no. She stormed across the house to the primary bathroom.

He stood in the shower, installing the fixtures. His white T-shirt with the company logo on the back fit tightly across his shoulders, and his muscles popped as he reached over his head.

If you’ve come to thank me, no need, he said. Glad to be around to put idiots in their place. You know that’s a hobby of mine.

Ugh! She stomped on the tile floor. "I didn’t need you to come to the rescue, like usual. I had a handle on it. Like usual. He would’ve seen I was serious when he lost all his contracts with Rossi Construction."

Nico tore the white plumber’s thread tape and picked up the black showerhead. And then what would you have done about the concrete? There’s not another contractor we trust to do a quality job for fifty miles, even if Jason is slow as hell. So, you’d have to get on their schedule, putting us even further behind. He turned to face her, that flash of irritation in his expression as familiar as how he smelled. "Look, leonessa. You wanted to fire him out of spite, and I wanted to slam my fist into his face for the insult he gave you. Neither one got what we wanted, but the client will get a driveway."

Olivia gritted her teeth. His nicknames for her, like lioness in Italian, usually annoyed her, but she had bigger issues to worry about. No one is punching anyone, and from now on, let me fight my own fights. I’m in charge of the construction site. Not you.

He chuckled, revealing the dimple that always caught her attention.

She crossed her arms, keeping the surprising attraction at bay. Harder to do lately. He flirted with nearly every woman. Not as big of a flirt as her brother, Landon, used to be but pretty damn close. And when he turned on his Italian charm, as she thought of it, most women fell for it.

Olivia was immunized to it in the sixth grade.

At least until a few months ago.

You let me know every day that I’m not in charge of you or this construction site. He reached up and adjusted the showerhead. Remember, Livi. Neither your bark nor your bite worry me. You can shout and yell and hit me all you want. You keep running this construction site, and I’ll keep backing you up. I know you. I know why you’re like this.

Like what? she snapped, hating to be analyzed, especially by him.

Always ready for a fight.

Olivia moved to the end of the shower stall. Please. You’re one to speak. You love arguing as much as I do.

He smiled again as he looked up at the showerhead and shifted to the side. No, I don’t love arguing. But I do love winning. He twisted the lever on the wall.

A spray of icy water shot her right in the face.

She jumped out of the shower with a shout and a laugh. Damn it! You did that on purpose! She wiped her face with her sleeve, smiling despite wanting to stay mad.

Nico could hardly catch his breath from laughing. "Absolutely, leonessa."

I’m not a lion. She shoved him into the line of fire and twisted the lever.

The water hit him square in the chest, soaking his white shirt. His laughter stopped, but not the smile. Instead, he ducked his head into the spray and ran his hand over his hair, wetting it through.

He pushed his wet hair back. The distinct outline of his six-pack abs and dark lines of the tattoo on his chest appeared, making it more of a badass, male version of a wet T-shirt contest than an embarrassment.

She spun away before she stared any longer. That’s what you get! She called back at him as she left the bathroom, hoping it didn’t seem like an escape.

He was always around. First it was in school, and now at work. And he made a damn easy target to yell at when she got frustrated. Took it so well and rarely fought back. He acted like a personal punching bag that enjoyed the altercations, usually laughing off whatever her bad mood threw his way.

So different than her boyfriend.

Emmett had never seen that side of her personality. After five months, she still clenched her teeth and smiled instead of giving in to her anger and discontent in front of him.

But what worried her this time was what Nico had said.

He knows why I’m like this.

She wiped her face again and picked up her nail gun, flipping on the air compressor, the sound rattling with an echo in the empty house.

What did he mean? She was like what?

Hard and bossy and every other negative adjective her family assigned to her? But she got her job done and done well.

Whatever, she muttered to the trim board she held, glad something wouldn’t talk back to her today. She huffed and slammed the nail gun into the board, trimming out a small alcove in the library.

So, she’d refocus on the house and not on Jason or Nico. This house made her happy. So many small touches of custom design work, inspirations between what the homeowner wanted and design elements she stole from Kentwood Estate.

Growing up, each of her brothers and her sister had that one perfect house they swore they’d buy or build one day. For Olivia, that home was Kentwood Estate.

A private mountain home built in the nineteen fifties on twelve acres. After her first visit with her grandmother when she was little, she’d trespassed a dozen times before graduating from high school, sneaking in through a small hole in the tall, black iron gates. Other kids broke into the boarded-up house because of ghost stories. Olivia did it for personal reasons. So much of the original woodwork remained, but it needed a lot of love. That’s when she’d fallen in love with restoration.

If only she’d have time to do it herself if the property came up for sale again.

Olivia carefully aligned the piece of stained, carved wood panel before tacking it in place. The image on the wood panel was of the mountains, with a sister alcove on the other side of the library displaying an ornate carving of a lake.

This is what she loved to do.

Creating. Building. Helping homeowners’ dreams come to life.

She jerked around at the footstep behind her.

It’s just me. Nico waltzed in, his wet shirt hanging over one shoulder, covering his tattoo but revealing the rest of his chest and abs. I’m headed out.

I’ll be here, she mumbled, turning back to her work instead of staring.

He walked to the table and picked up his phone. Are you breaking for lunch?

Probably not. But you go. I know you need to check on your mom. At the silence, she glanced over her shoulder. What?

Nothing. You need to eat. I’ll make you a sandwich and bring it back.

She rolled her eyes and refocused on the wall. "I’m going to start calling you Dolly Rossi if you start worrying about when I eat, Mom."

It’s a purely selfish reason. We may have jumped the fence at Kentwood a few dozen times together, but I can promise you I can’t recreate that detail of what you’re working on for our client. See you in an hour, Livi.

He left, giving Olivia a prime opportunity to witness the ripple of muscle across his back. For the past few months, she’d ignored the lure. Ignored her body’s need to do a double take whenever he entered the room. Now it seemed like those double takes as he exited the room happened as well.

And it irritated the hell out of her.

Because longtime childhood frenemies belonged in the platonic brotherly category, not in hot, sexy daydreams.

That’s where her boyfriend belonged, if only her subconscious brain would cooperate.

2

"W hy are you wet, tesoro ? His mom lifted her cheek, accepting his kiss. And missing a shirt? It looks like you fell into a pool." She sat in the recliner in her living room where he’d left her this morning after fixing her breakfast. That didn’t mean she’d followed her doctor’s orders all day and rested.

Nico pulled the damp shirt from his shoulder. Payback from Livi. I got her first, and she got me worse. I‘ll throw this in the dryer and then fix your lunch.

No need. His mother’s nurse walked into the living room from the kitchen. As usual, she offset her ebony skin with bright red lipstick. Her black hair held a few streaks of gray and was partly held back by a red headband. I have her soup warming.

Ms. Kalandra, I didn’t see your car out front. Nico moved toward the hallway, knowing his mom would want him to wear a shirt with company in the house. Let me get another shirt.

Probably a good idea. She lifted both eyebrows high. Not for myself, of course. I’m a happily married woman. Happy, let me tell you what. I will say—she winked—that you lookin’ this good would cause a minor cardiac event for most women. Now, I’ll just wait outside for my ride to show up. She grabbed her small bag from the corner of the room. I’ll see you again in two days, Sabrina.

Thank you, Kalandra, his mother said, giving Ms. Kalandra’s hand a squeeze as she walked past. I couldn’t do this without you.

You got this, Ms. Kalandra called over her shoulder as she closed the front door behind her.

Nico held up his wet shirt and left the room. Let me change, and I’ll get your soup in a moment, he called over his shoulder.

No rush.

He walked down the hall, his footsteps muffled by the burgundy shag carpet his mother refused to replace. He threw his shirt into the dryer and started it, thinking back to Olivia.

She didn’t pick fights with him every day.

Nico chuckled and ambled down the hallway to the kitchen. On the days they didn’t work together, they managed to get along. Even if Olivia didn’t have something to yell about, he enjoyed pushing her buttons. It felt like a middle school relationship and teasing the cutest girl in school. That’s how it’d started, anyway. Now, that cute girl was a beautiful woman.

And the teasing was a poor excuse to talk to her.

But that wasn’t what had made him step in with Jason today. Like Olivia said, she could fight her own battles. The problem came when she was up against an idiot that didn’t respect her.

He couldn’t stand on the sidelines while someone insulted her. He protected her. That’s what he’d vowed to do in seventh grade, and nothing had changed.

On second thought, don’t bother with lunch, his mom called from the living room. I’m not hungry.

She’d said the same thing to him every day since starting the chemotherapy pills. The doctor had promised minimal side effects with this treatment plan. Of course, it could always be worse, but nausea and lack of appetite didn’t help her fatigue. She needed her strength to fight her liver cancer. Especially with her second surgery next week.

Nico poured the soup from the pan on the stove into a mug, ignoring her request. A few sips were better than nothing. His mom had fought too long through too many treatments to let a lack of food break her down. He’d committed to getting her through this. He would.

After throwing together a sandwich, Nico joined her in the living room. Eat.

Bossy, she murmured, her shaky hands gripping the mug.

He winked and added in Italian, Learned from the best.

She sipped her soup. You have a change of clothes in your old bedroom if your shirt isn’t dry. I still don’t know how it is that you can charm any woman in the world with that handsome face of yours, but when it comes to Olivia, you’ve managed to make her an enemy.

I wouldn’t call her an enemy. Why do you care if I charm Olivia? It felt strange saying her full name. He’d called her Livi since he stood up to a bully on her behalf. The first of many. And despite her protests on the subject, he had no plans to stop.

Because I like her.

He slowly chewed his sandwich. Not many people got Olivia. She was loud and brash and tried to win at everything she did. He’d seen her fight to gain and keep every inch she had in life. That included her hard-earned respect in their field of work. Her reputation for being blunt but excellent at her job scared away some people. They never witnessed the other side of Olivia.

Why do you like her? he asked, curious about what his mom saw.

She frowned. That’s an odd question. She’s a nice young lady. I can see why some people might take exception to her, but you never have, and I trust your judgment. She never wavered in her support for this family, no matter the circumstances. She sipped her soup, watching him long enough over the mug’s rim that he shifted in his seat. She did that when he was younger too. Always got a confession out of him for whatever he’d done.

What did she expect now?

I’ve waited for you to introduce her as something more than a friend for a few years now.

What?

Nico froze, the sandwich partway to his mouth. Excuse me? That’s certainly not the direction he’d expected her to turn.

You heard me.

I thought I heard you. I’m not interested in something more with Livi, if that’s what you’re digging at.

Don’t lie, Nicolas. I raised you better than to lie to your mother. I’m not going to turn around and go tell anyone.

Fine. He’d explain it another way. She’s not the type of woman I typically date. Not that he wasn’t attracted to Olivia. He was. Always had been. She was gorgeous.

No, she’s not like anyone you’ve dated. None of them are good enough.

Good enough for who? he asked with a sly smile, hoping to change the subject. Have you been spying on my dates to make that decision?

They’re not good enough for you, or else you’d be proud and bring them around me.

He bit into his sandwich, the levity he’d intended stalling out. Damn, she was right. Not that anything was wrong with the women he dated. Neither he nor the women were ever looking for anything other than easy and casual. He’d have a different woman to introduce to his mother each month.

But Olivia… his mother said.

But Olivia.

Allowing himself to consider Olivia for something more than just their odd relationship was a dead end. They were friends, but they weren’t. Both fighters. Both unwilling to put up with bullshit. That’s why he understood her so well.

And aside from one moment a few months ago when he’d caught her leaving for a date all dressed up, she’d never even looked twice at him. He might handle rejection from a woman just fine, but Olivia would annihilate him.

And then there was the situation with her brothers. They were his best friends. Dating their sister crossed a line.

No. He shook his head and took another bite of his sandwich, not entertaining the idea a second longer. We have a dysfunctional working relationship and a barely there friendship. I can’t jeopardize that. I won’t lie and say I’ve never considered it, but believe me when I say I’ve never entertained the idea for long. I love my job and respect her brothers too much. Hell, her entire family has supported us since we first moved here. I’m not going to make a play for Olivia and risk everything we’ve built over the years. If it backfires, I’m not sure I’d have a job. With your cancer treatments and Bianca getting a divorce, I can’t risk my job.

His mom stared at the TV, no telling what she might say next after that odd comment about Olivia.

Finally, she leaned forward, pinning him in place with a stern glare. I don’t think I asked about your job security or her brothers’ involvement. I definitely didn’t ask about your support of your sister or me. Instead, I asked about you being interested in a beautiful, intelligent woman. Then, looking exasperated, she picked up her mug but set it down again. Have you ever even tried thinking of Olivia as simply a woman?

Nico placed his plate on the sofa cushion beside him. Considering Olivia solely as a woman, without her family or his job, without their history, strayed into confusing territory. He measured his words. She’s made that difficult.

Too difficult for you?

He shot his gaze to his mom. Seeing her cunning smile, he chuckled.

She leaned back. That’s what I thought. Consider it, Nicolas. Getting there might be a challenge, but I bet it would be worth the reward. You two were made for each other.

Not sure I’d go that far.

"I would. I’ve watched your relationship grow since you first met her. You’d just turned thirteen when you came into my kitchen, vowing to protect Livi. I hadn’t a clue who in the world you meant. Until you were suspended at home for fighting her bully. That’s when I met her mother for the first time. The feelings you have for Olivia may have started off as brotherly, but I’ve noticed the way you watch