Doomsday Love: An MMA & Second Chance Romance (38 page)

In an instant, she rushes back for her suitcase, digging through it. She tosses some of her clothes out, digging through the pockets and pouches.

“Jenny?” I call, my head tilting.

“Yeah?”

“What are you looking for?”

“The cross.” She looks beneath the bed and then on the nightstand. She practically tears the room apart for it.

“You don’t have it?”

“No—I mean I did have it, yes. But it’s not here.” She pauses, stopping in the middle of the room. Her big brown eyes lock on mine. “Fuck. I think I left it in Shane’s hotel room.”

My nostrils flare and my jaw ticks just thinking about that dipshit. Shaking my head, I walk to the closet and take down a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. After tugging on my shirt, I look at her. “Get dressed.”

“Where are we going?”

“To get our cross.”

She steps in front of me. “Drake, no. I can’t let you go. I have to get it myself. If he sees you, he won’t let me in. I know it.”

“Then I’ll make him let me in.”

“Drake, baby.” She grabs my hands. “Shane may be cruel, but he’s not stupid. He checks out at eleven which means we only have thirty minutes to get to him. I can make it.” She releases a shaky breath.

“Jenny, I’m not letting you go up there without me. Fuck that.”

She studies my face, how serious I am. “Well… then promise me you won’t hurt him. Don’t lay a finger on him.”

I grunt, pulling one of my hands away.

“Drake, this isn’t for his safety, okay? It’s for yours. Shane knows people. His dad is a lawyer, and a good one. His family is powerful. I refuse to get you involved in that.”

I clench my jaw, trying hard to avoid her eyes, but it’s no use. She grabs my chin and forces my gaze back on hers.

“Promise me,” she pleads.

I sigh. “Fine, Jenny. But I promise you if he says or does anything to you that I don’t like I won’t be lenient. I don’t give a fuck what charges I end up facing in the future. He’s not getting away with any of that shit on my watch.”

She rubs my hand. “Trust me. I think when he sees you, he’ll know it’s better to keep his trap shut.”

“He fucking better.”

T
he elevator ride
up has my nerves sky-rocketing.

Jenny fidgets beside me, as if she’s nervous—no,
scared
of this sick fuck.

I clench my fist, waiting for the elevator to stop.

The doors finally shoot open seconds later and Jenny looks up at me before looking ahead. I catch her by the elbow before she can step out, holding one hand out to keep the door ajar.

“You’re sure about this?”

She studies my eyes. “Yes. I need it, Drake. It’s all I really have left of Mitchell.”

I nod, sighing. I release her and follow her down the hallway. We pass at least ten doors before stopping in front of one of them.

Room 1512. Yeah, I never would have found this shit.

Jenny picks her head up, peering over her shoulder at me. Before I can catch up to her, she holds up a swift hand, gesturing for me to stop.

Frowning, I stop in my tracks, watching her intently. “Jenny,” I hiss.

“Just stay right there, Drake. It’s okay.”

My mouth twitches as she knocks on the door. She shuts her eyes briefly and inhales. Before she knows it, the door swings open and out steps that stupid, little shit.

“Oh, now you want to show up!” he shouts. Jenny flinches, and it’s that reaction alone that has me storming ahead.

I step beside her, and the dipshit looks me over. Or Shane—whatever the fuck his stupid name is.

He laughs, his eyes stretching. “Holy shit! What’s this? Is he who you were with this entire time? How in the hell did you bag him? Oh, wait—I forgot. You can be pretty easy sometimes. It’s how we met. You remember?”

Jenny swallows thickly before stepping up. “I’m not here to argue, Shane. I left something and I came to get it before you checked out.”

Shane folds his arms. “Your clothes?”

“No. Something else.”

“Oh—wait. You’re talking about the cheap looking necklace thing you left behind?”

She frowns up at him, no longer playing along with his games. “Where is it?”

“It’s somewhere in there. I guess you wouldn’t know since you haven’t been here.” He folds his arms.

“Shane—”

“No, you know what? Fuck you, Jenny! You have the fucking nerve to come to my fucking room and demand things? Who the fuck do you think you are, huh? And then you bring this wannabe, fake piece-of-shit with you? What is it? You’ve been fucking him for money? What are you now? A prostitute? Let me just tell you, man,” he looks at me, and as he laughs my fists clench even tighter, to the point I feel my nails scraping into my palms. “She’s only with you because she has nothing. Parents left her on her own. She’s turning into an alcoholic and she needs some fucking help. She was better off with me. I was teaching her how to set her shit straight but, hey, if you want her. Take her. Just don’t be surprised when she drains you of all of your money.”

My jaw clenches tight, my teeth gritting together. I feel Jenny looking up at me. She reaches for me, but I don’t allow her to hold on. I’ve had enough of his shit. Disrespectful asshole. Not even a minute has gone by, and I already want to rip his fucking heart out.

I made a promise to Jenny. But just because I made a promise about not purposely demolishing him, doesn’t mean I can’t cause accidents.

I see the cross on top of the dresser across the room. Storming ahead, I shove this piece of shit out of my way, so hard that he falls flat on his ass.

“Hey—what the fuck are you doing! Get the hell out of my room!” Snatching up the cross, I look towards the closet and then bob my head at Jenny. “You want your clothes back too?”

She looks at me, speechless with glistening eyes, and then down at Shane. She doesn’t speak, so I do the honors for her. I grab the clothes hanging in the closet. There are only four outfits. All light enough for her to carry.

I walk past Shane who is dusting himself off and grimacing at me.

I hand Jenny the cross and the clothes and then I turn to face him. I swear the sight of him is enough to make me want to break every single bone in his body. I’d turn his fucking bones into dust, but not before snapping every single one of his fucking limbs piece by piece.

I step up to him. “You know, when I saw that bruise on her, I came looking for you. I came looking for the piece of shit that hurt the woman I love. I hunted this hotel down for two hours and trust me, if I would have known your hotel room number I would have kicked this fucking door in and tossed you right through that window—but not before making you beg for your life first.”

He steps back, and I see the fear swimming in his eyes. Look at him. He’s such a pussy. I’m surprised he hasn’t pissed where he stands.

“Only a bitch of a man hurts a woman. A real man handles shit for his woman. You’re lucky she told me to keep my hands off of you, otherwise you would be lying in a pool of your own fucking blood right now. You might see these as empty threats but trust me, I will follow through with them if I ever see you again.” I point a finger at him, stepping closer, nearly nose-to-nose. “If I
ever
catch you calling her, trying to see her, or even hear from someone that her name has come out of your filthy fucking mouth, I will find you and I will. Fuck. You. Up.”

He looks away from me and focuses on Jenny. “What-the-fuck-ever. Just get the hell out of my room,” he seethes.

I drop my hand, glaring at him—long enough to make him look away uncomfortably. “Pussy,” I snip.

I turn and grab Jenny’s hand, but she jerks away quickly and does the unexpected. She said I couldn’t touch him, but she never said anything about herself.

She balls her hand into a fist and swings her arm, slamming that fist right into the center of his face. He immediately grabs his face and hollers out in pain, stumbling backwards.

“You fucking bitch!”

Shit.

I reel her away and grab her hand again. The cross is in the hand I grab and I squeeze it tight, walking down the hallway before she can do anything else crazy.

“Don’t come running back to me when you need help, Jenny! You think I’m the threat! Look at him! He’s a fucking monster!” I don’t look back, but only because I’m too focused on getting the hell away before I go back and drag his ass all over Vegas. I’ve heard all of the remarks about me.

He’s a monster. A beast. A murderer. A fake. He’s emotionless and probably stupid.

All lies.

Jenny starts to look back, but I shake my head. “Don’t let him get to you.”

When we make it down the hallway, I stop in front of the elevator, and when she releases a hoarse laugh, I drop my guard.

“Drake—you are insane, you know that?!”

“Me?” I shake my head, pointing down the hallway. “That shit you just did made me fall in love with you even more, babe. I think you’ve been hanging around me for too long.”

“I shouldn’t have done that.” She’s panicking now, her eyes getting bigger. “He could press charges on me!”

“And you could press them on him too. There are witnesses—people that have seen what he’s done to you. It’s self-defense, what you did. He wouldn’t get off easily either. I’m willing to take the fall for your protection if need.”

“Yeah, I’ve thought of all that too, but his dad is a big lawyer and—”

“I would find and hire the best fucking lawyers I could just to make sure we win the case. Like you said, he’s not stupid. If he’s smart, he’ll back the fuck off and move on with his life. He’s lucky he’s been given the chance to even do that.” I clasp her face in my hands and her eyes grow watery. She tries to look away, but I refuse. I keep her face tight in my hands, the sincerity running deep in my veins.

“I would do anything for you. Money is only a fucking object—a material thing. It means nothing to me. Not when I have you. I don’t give a damn if his father is some big-time lawyer, I’d find an even bigger one—one that has never lost a case. And that’s only the start of showing you how much I love you.”

She bobs her head, sniffling.

“He won’t come near you again. And if he knows what’s best for him, he won’t call you either. You’ll block him, change your number—all of it. You’ll start from scratch with me. I will show you that things can be better. It will be just the two of us and nothing will get between that.”

Teardrops plummet over her full lips. I stroke them away with the pads of my thumbs, right before leaning in and pressing my lips to hers, soaking up her affections.

She sighs as she sinks into me, our lips meshing, bodies gluing.

“Okay?” I breathe once our mouths have parted.

“Okay,” she whispers, cracking a smile.

“Now let’s get the hell out of here.” I press the down button for the elevator and then grab the clothes she has in hand. “I want to take you to one more place before we leave tomorrow.”

T
he wind flows
through my jumbled curls.

It’s a warm wind, but it feels nice, considering the morning I’ve had.

Drake stands behind me with his arms wrapped around my middle. His chin is resting on my shoulder, his chest pressed to my back, and we are looking ahead at the beauty of Las Vegas as we stand atop the Stratosphere.

“We should come here every year, just to remember how we reunited,” I say.

He laughs. “I could make that happen. There’s always lots to do here.”

I glance over my shoulder. “I still can’t believe we actually found each other again.”

“I’d call it ultimate fate, but most of it was a set-up. Kylie and Oscar dug their little paws into this when they heard. Fortunately, things worked in their favor. I guess I can’t give them all the credit, though. We made the decision to try again.” He turns me around to face him. He plants a kiss on my forehead and heat swirls through my veins. “But about what you were telling me earlier… about your mother?”

I groan, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, I didn’t forget.” Snarky beast.

“I thought you would.” I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Well, I didn’t. I was serious, Jenny. I wasn’t a fan of your mother, but you have to remember she’s the only one you have. You can’t get another one.”

I look away, focusing on the passing cars. “I don’t want to talk to her. She’s a manipulator. God only knows what that woman really wants.”

“You aren’t curious? ‘Cause I’m not going to lie and say I’m not.” I look up and he has a crooked smile on display.

“I am, but I really don’t want to go back. She fired Sue. She was our housekeeper, yes, but she was also my friend. I don’t know why she was fired, but I don’t think it was fair.”

He gives me an exasperated look. “You never even went back, Jenny. How was that fair to Sue?”

I shrug and wave a hand. “That doesn’t matter. I finally got away from my parents and Fox River and I don’t see the point in going back. Especially with all of the bad shit that happened there.”

“I understand.” He holds my shoulders.

“Besides, how can you talk? What about Flex? I know you hate his guts, but he’s still your dad and you should try and find some peace with him. He could have changed.”

He yanks his hand away from me instantly, folding his arms and focusing on something behind me. “I highly doubt he’s changed.”

“How would you know if you never talk to him?”

“I just know.”

“But what if he has…?”

“Jenny,” he groans.

“What?” I hold my hands out with a laugh. “I’m just saying. You’re pressuring me about my mom when you don’t even have your own closet clear of skeletons.”

His green eyes shift down to mine. “He isn’t worthy of my presence.”

“What, are you some sort of king now?” I tease. “Maybe this fame
has
gotten through your thick skull.”

He chokes on a laugh, dropping and shaking his head. As he looks down, his eyelashes touch his sharp cheekbones. He’s so adorable when he smiles. Like, genuinely smiles.

He stands up straight again, rolling his shoulders back. “All right. Fine. Let’s make a deal.”

I cross my arms, squaring my shoulders. “Okay. What?”

“You call your mom back, see what she wants, and in return I’ll go to Fox River to talk to Flex.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Seriously? You’re going to go back?”

“Yeah, but you’re coming with me.”

I swallow hard. “For Flex, you’re going to go back? Just to talk to him?”

“That’s not the main reason I’m going back.” He shifts on his feet. “I finally sold Grandma Marie’s house. The neighborhood was slightly upgraded. No more crackheads and dealers living there. Surprisingly, they all got run or bought out. The house was passed down to me from her will, but I never sold it. I couldn’t. Too many cherished memories.” He scratches his eyebrow. “But I realize I just wasn’t ready to let it go. I have a few more things to get from the house and then it’s all theirs. I’ve upgraded it and everything.”

“Really?”

He nods. “The memories will always be there. I realize it’s time to let it go. It’s what she would have wanted. She never really liked the place anyway.” He looks down as I drop my hands.

“Well, that’s great, Drake. I’m glad you made that move. I know it was a hard decision.”

“It was. But I’m cool with it. You can only hold onto something for so long, you know?”

“Right.”

“While we’re there, you should talk to your mom too. Call first, see what she wants. If she is trying to see you, we’ll go.”

“But what if she isn’t calling for that?”

He shrugs, pressing his lips together. “Then you won’t have to go see her. We can forget about her. I just want you to give her a chance. I know you, Jenny. If something happens to her, you’ll regret not trying to make things right later on.” He grips my shoulders. “We’re on a path to make things better—not only between us, but everyone else around us. It’s going to be tough facing Flex again after so many years, but I’ve been ready to face him … I just don’t
want
to. On this path, I don’t want any regrets or surprises. I want to make sure everything is okay. All right?”

I nod rapidly. “Okay. Fine.”

He smiles and then plants a kiss on my cheek. “We’ll be okay. I promise.”

“Just promise me one thing…”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t get into a big, crazy brawl with Flex, okay? I won’t be able to break that fight up.”

He busts out laughing. “Oh, trust me. I won’t need to touch him. He is damaged enough. There’s nothing more I can do to break that crazy man. Me leaving Fox River was all it took to end him.”

* * *

T
he crowd was starting
to build at the Stratosphere. More and more people were coming up and Drake was getting asked for more and more autographs.

He didn’t mind it at first. In fact, for the first hour or so he was signing things left and right. But then a line began to form and he had to dismiss himself.

His fans are truly dedicated. I could hear them calling their friends to let them know he was there. I sort of feel bad that he couldn’t get to everyone, but then again, we would have been there all day and night if he had.

When Preach and Rex (the security guard whose name I’ve just learned) escorted us out, the line went all the way downstairs. The area was flooded with bodies. It was insane.

“You don’t feel bad when you can’t get to all of them?” I asked when we got in the truck. “Like, what if one of them is, like, the biggest fan on earth and all they wanted was you to sign something but you couldn’t?”

“I feel bad sometimes, yeah. But I signed a ton of autographs after the fight. Hell, I’ve been signing things ever since I landed.” He laughed and then leaned in to stroke my cheek. “Don’t worry, Jenny. The thing I’ve learned about fans is they don’t take much to heart. They are so enamored that it astounds me. I can’t believe they actually like me this much.”

“That’s because you are yourself when you get in that cage. They know what you are capable of.”

“Maybe.” He lifted a shoulder, lightly shrugging. “But I appreciate them. No doubt about that.”

“Good.”

We are back at the hotel now, after catching an early dinner. The sun is at its horizon and I stare out of the window, watching cars zoom by. Drake steps up to my side, looking out with me.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks softly.

“Fox River,” I confess.

“What about it?”

“How much I hated it.” I laugh dryly. “The only good thing to come out of it is you and Kylie… and the twins.”

He turns a fraction of the way to look at me. “Avoiding it will only make you regret it, Jenny.”

“I know.” I drop my head and pull out my cellphone. “I should call.”

He bobs his head. “Want some privacy?”

“No. It’s okay.” I walk to the chair with the ottoman in the corner and sit on it. I try and relax against the cushion, but I can’t.

I am on edge now. Just knowing I’ll have to hear her voice is enough to repulse me. It makes me sick knowing that I feel this way toward the very woman who birthed me.

A hand massages my shoulder. I look up to meet calm green eyes. “Relax, babe. It’s just a phone call.”

“Right.” I breathe in through my nostrils and exhale through parted lips. I scroll through my call log until I find the number she’s called from a thousand times.

I press it, and then I lift the phone to my ear, glancing at Drake before focusing on my Carolina blue toenails.

The phone rings three times, the dull hum of it making my head spin, and then—finally—there is an answer.

“Jennifer?” Mom’s hurried voice comes through the receiver and it catches me completely off guard. It’s way softer than I thought. Lighter. “Jennifer? Is that you?”

I sit up straight. This can’t be her. She’s not shouting or sounding bitchy. “Mom?”

“Yes. Jenny. It’s me. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for weeks now.”

I look at Drake who is now sitting on the edge of the bed. He has his arms folded, an eyebrow quirked up. “Um… Mom… is everything okay? You sound… different.”

She releases a shaky breath. “I’m okay. Never better actually.” She pauses, and it is dead silent until she speaks up again.

“How are you doing? How have you been?”

“I’m… good. Thanks for asking.”

“That’s good.” It’s quiet again. “Look, I know I’m the last person you want to talk to right now, so let me cut right to the chase while I have this chance. I’ve been calling because I need to discuss some things with you… about the past. About your father. And Mitchell.”

Mitchell’s name reminds me of nails on a chalkboard. And the fact that she actually said it with a steady voice astounds me.

“Like what?” I inquire.

“It’s a lot, Jennifer. I just—well, sweetie, I would love it if you came back to Fox River so we can talk in person. I don’t feel okay with how I treated you or what I put you through. I’ve made a change in myself—with my life—and the only thing I seek is your forgiveness. I don’t want to do this over the phone, so I’m just wondering if you think you can come to Fox River anytime soon? So we can talk? I know school is over. I’ll even cook dinner for you.”

I look up at Drake. He’s confused by my dumbfounded expression.

“Um… yeah. Sure.” I stand up, walking towards the window. “Is Dad around?”

“He’s… away.”

I frown. By the way she says it, she makes it sound like he’s died or something. “Away? Where?”

“Your father and I… we are no longer together.” I gasp and start to speak but she cuts in. “I can explain when I see you in person. I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but I need to tell you what I can. You are my only daughter—the only child I have left on this earth. I don’t want things to be like this between us. Not anymore. I won’t be able to live with myself.”

I blink my tears away, nodding rapidly. “O-okay. I… um… I was planning on coming to Fox River anyway to do some stuff with someone. I’ll be sure to stop by the house.”

“Oh—ah. I’m not at the house anymore actually. Remember your uncle Ned?”

“The priest?”

“Yes. I am living with him at the moment.”

“Oh.” But what I really want to ask is what in the living fuck is going on? She despises Uncle Ned.

“Yeah,” she sighs. “As you can see, things have drastically changed, but I would love to see you, Jennifer. There is a lot I know you’d like to get off of your chest and there is a lot I know you deserve to hear me say so…”

“Right.”

“Just call me when you’ve landed in Fox River. I will be waiting—but I’ll understand if you don’t show up.”

“Stop, Mom. I will be there. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.” She sounds so elated. So relieved. This is not the witch of the mother I used to know. “Great. I’m glad. I can’t wait to see you, sweetie.”

“Yeah,” I breathe. “Same here.”

She says goodbye and I lower my phone when she hangs up, staring at it as if it’s been set on fire. I turn rapidly to look at Drake and he’s in the same position—arms folded, brow quirked, lips smashed together.

“Something’s wrong with her,” I state.

“Why do you say that?”

“She sounded… different. Not like the Mom I remember. You know, the one that caught me sneaking you out of the house and threatened to call the cops?”

“Shit, I remember. But it’s a good thing she doesn’t sound like she used to, right?”

“Sort of… but not really. My parents aren’t even together anymore.”

He looks surprised. “They aren’t? For how long?”

I shake my head and shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Hmm. Wonder what happened…”

“I don’t know, but the only way I will be able to find out is by going back to Fox River to see her.”

He drops his arms, standing up straight and walking towards me. When he is close, he holds onto my upper arms, showcasing a faint smile.

“What did I tell you? I knew it was something.”

“Well, who knows? It could have all been a façade? She’s good at faking it, you know?”

“Nah.” He squeezes my shoulders. “Something tells me that wasn’t a façade. You seemed really surprised and you know all too well about her bullshit. You would have seen right through it, Jenny. Either she’s gotten better at faking it, or this is real.”